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the following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention . furthermore , there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description . as an exemplary application of the present disclosure , fig1 shows a cutout of a motor vehicle body with an a - pillar 1 , a fender 2 and a blind 3 , which is mounted in a gusset between the a - pillar that steeply inclines toward the back in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a horizontal upper edge of the fender 2 . a profile 4 at the lower edge of the blind 3 abuts smoothly against the upper edge of the fender 2 , and thereby evenly elongates a door weather strip 5 that extends between an outer door panel 6 and a pane 7 of the door . fig2 shows the blind 3 in a schematic cross section , whose section plane reaches upward until into the a - pillar 1 and downward until into the fender 2 . the blind encompasses a base plate 30 injection molded out of plastic , onto whose interior a box - shaped base 8 of a latching connection described in even greater detail below is molded . the profile 4 is splashed onto the exterior of the base plate 30 , and consists of a more flexible plastic than the base plate 30 . its lower edge contacts the fender 2 . a profile 31 is splashed onto the upper edge of the base plate 30 , and protrudes far enough over the latter to form an elastically compressed sealing lip in contact with the a - pillar 1 . fig3 presents a perspective view of the base 8 and a first component 13 of the latching connection . the base 8 is essentially shaped like a box that sticks out from the base plate 30 . the base plate 30 itself is not shown on fig3 , which is why the side of the box facing it appears to be open . a slit 10 extends into a wall 9 of the base 8 facing away from the base plate 30 over a majority of its length . the slit 10 is open edged toward an end face 11 of the base 8 , a cross slit 12 crosses the slit 10 shortly before the end face 11 . a first component 13 of the latching connection is injection molded as a single piece out of plastic . it encompasses a rectangular base plate 14 and a latching projection 15 that rises from the base plate 14 . the latching projection 15 encompasses two elastically deflectable , upwardly converging flanks 16 , whose lower end is provided with a respective undercut 18 via a stop flange 17 . a groove 19 extends between the stop flange 17 and base plate 14 on both sides of a shaft , which joins the base plate 14 and stop flange 17 and is largely concealed by the stop flange 17 on fig3 , and its width is dimensioned corresponding to the thickness of the upper wall 9 in such a way that , during insertion of the first component 13 with the base 8 , it engages into the groove 19 and guides the insertion movement along the slit 10 . fig4 shows the first component 13 in a state inserted into the base 8 . a spring 20 sticks out from the base plate 14 in relation to the insertion direction toward the front . the spring 20 is fabricated as a single piece with the base plate 14 out of plastic , but with less of a material thickness than the latter so as to achieve the necessary elasticity . the spring 20 can vary in shape ; on fig3 , it is shaped like an arc that initially branches downwardly away from the base plate 14 , and then pivots forward in the insertion direction . in a variant shown on fig5 , the spring 20 extends in a zigzag pattern from a front edge of the base plate 14 toward the front . the variant on fig3 is preferred , since this spring 20 can reach a higher spring constant by virtue of its higher width on the one hand , and on the other hand , because it is linked with the base plate 14 beyond the front edge , it can exhibit a longer length in the insertion direction , and correspondingly also enables a larger stroke . a bolt 22 is molded onto a rear edge of the base plate 14 via a film hinge 21 . the bolt 22 is essentially plate shaped , with a upper side 23 that evenly lengthens the upper side of the base plate 14 in the relaxed state of the film hinge 21 , as shown on fig5 , and after the upper side 23 , an inclined surface 24 that ascends toward the back , from which an actuating projection 25 rises . during insertion into the base 8 , the inclined surface 24 is initially pressed downward — in relation to the perspective on fig3 to 5 — while in contact with the upper wall 9 , so that the bolt 22 twists elastically downward in the film hinge 21 , as may be seen on fig3 , and the inclined surface 24 slips into the base 8 , and can finally latch into the cross slit 12 from below . fig6 shows this latched - in state in a longitudinal section through the base 8 and first component 13 along a plane parallel to the slit 10 . the spring 20 engages into a corner between the wall 9 and a rear end wall 26 of the base 8 , and is exposed to an elastic stress . on fig2 , a second component 27 of the latching connection is formed by a leg of an outer wall panel of the a - pillar 1 extending behind the blind 3 . an opening 28 of this second component 27 is dimensioned in such a way that , while inserting the latching projection 15 , its legs 16 are pressed elastically against each other , and finally latch into their undercuts 18 . however , before the component 27 reaches the undercut 18 , it impacts the actuating projection 25 and forces the latter back , so that the inclined surface 24 slips out of the cross slit 12 . as long as the blind 3 is still being held by the hand of an employee or by a robot while being pressed against the body , the spring cannot relax . however , as soon as the blind 3 is released , the spring 20 again pushes the component 13 at least partially out of the slit 10 toward the end face 11 , as depicted on fig8 , until the position on fig2 has been reached , in which contact between a longitudinal edge 29 of the profile and the adjacent fender 2 stops any continued movement of the profile 4 and components 13 , 27 , and the profile 4 smoothly adjoins the fender 2 . while at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description , it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist . it should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples , and are not intended to limit the scope , applicability , or configuration of the invention in any way . rather , the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment , it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents . | 1 |
fig1 - 4 show an electron gun designated generally by the reference numeral 11 mounted at the glass end 12 of envelope 13 such as the envelope of an electron bombarded semiconductor amplifier , cathode ray tube or similar device . the gun structure is supported from the end of the envelope by a plurality of pins 14 extending into the evacuated envelope . more particularly , the electron gun is supported by the elongated pins 16 which extend inwardly and engage a support plate 17 to which are affixed a plurality of spaced ceramic rods 18 for supporting the various gun electrodes . indirectly heated cathode 21 is supported from the plate 17 by means of spaced metal rods 22 . control electrode 23 is supported by ceramic rods 18 as are the anode 24 and focusing electrode 26 . the anode 24 and focusing electrode 26 are supported from the ceramic rods 18 by flanges 27 and 28 . the pins 14 are electrically connected to the various electrodes by means of conductive straps 29 . an additional electrode 31 is supported from the envelope 13 by flange 32 . the additional electrode is maintained at the same potential as the envelope . referring more specifically to fig3 it is seen that the cathode 21 includes a narrow , elongated rectangular surface 33 having rounded or semi - circular ends 34 . the cathode surface is coated with an electron emitting layer 36 over substantially its entire length . the control electrode 23 includes a narrow , elongated rectangular aperture 37 having rounded ends 38 adjacent to and cooperating with the rounded ends of the cathode surface . similarly , the anode 24 includes a narrow , elongated rectangular aperture 39 having rounded ends 41 . the focusing electrode 26 includes an elongated rectangular central portion 42 with rounded ends 43 . the additional electrode 31 includes an elongated central portion 44 with rounded ends 46 . referring specifically to fig2 which is a sectional view showing the narrow dimension of the beam , it is seen that the control electrode aperture 37 is closely adjacent the side of the cathode surface 33 . the surface 47 of the control electrode provides substantially a continuation of the surface of the cathode . this continuation not only extends away from the sides of the cathode but also at the rounded ends of the cathode . referring particularly to fig5 the electric field lines 48 are shown at one end of the cathode surface . it is noted that they are substantially uniform adjacent the surface 36 . the configuration and spacing of the rounded ends 38 of the control electrode aperture is selected so that the electric fields between the cathode and control electrode remain substantially uniform up to and beyond the emitting layer whereby the electrons leaving the surface are not subjected to fringing fields so that the electron beam flow is essentially parallel across the wide dimension of the beam . the anode includes a box - like portion 49 whose walls extend longitudinally of the gun for a predetermined length and which cooperate with the beam as will be presently described . the walls are rounded at the ends . the front end of the anode includes a lip or rim 51 which extends inwardly to define the elongated aperture 39 with its rounded ends 41 . the length of the lips and their angle φ 2 relative to the angle φ 1 of the control electrode surface 47 is selected , as will be presently described , whereby to provide a substantially uniform axial electric field over the entire surface of the cathode . referring to fig4 the equipotential lines of the electric field between the anode and cathode and control electrode are shown at 52 . it is noted that the electric field at the surface of the cathode is substantially uniform and axial . the field at the anode aperture 39 is slightly diverging to spread the beam 53 as shown . as a consequence , electrons emitted by the cathode are emitted substantially perpendicular to the cathode surface and parallel to one another , and then start to diverge . at the ends , the fields are selected to maintain the electron flow substantially parallel across the wide dimension of the beam . the other end of the anode 24 cooperates with the focusing and accelerating electrode 26 to form a convergent lens , such as shown by the equipotential lines in fig4 . this lens begins to converge the beam 53 as it travels into the inner region of the elongated focusing electrode 26 . the electrode 31 cooperates with the accelerating and focusing electrode 26 to provide an additional convergent lens shown by the equipotential lines 56 . this lens further converges and focuses the beam onto the target . once the electron beam leaves the final electrode 31 , it is in a field - free region and no longer under any focusing influences . there are , however , effects which tend to spread or defocus the beam such as space charge repulsion , transverse thermal velocities and transverse velocities due to aberrations and / or gun asymmetries . preferably , the beam thickness is increased by the divergent lens formed between the anode and cathode so that it can be subsequently focused on the target by the convergent lenses . the curvature and spacing of the sides of the box - like electrodes is selected to provide substantially uniform fields at the beam ends with decreasing fields at the beam edge such as shown in fig6 by the vectors 57 between the beam 53 and the portion 49 . thus , the design of the sheet beam or rectangular electron gun includes three regions which act upon the electrons : ( 1 ) a beam forming or parallel flow region between the cathode surface , control electrode and anode where the established field , shown by the equipotential lines 52 between the anode and cathode and control electrode draws the electrons from the cathode and causes them to flow as a laminar beam and which may slightly diverge the beam to increase its thickness while maintaining substantially uniform width ; ( 2 ) a divergent flow , and electrostatic focus region which includes the convergent lenses formed between anode 24 and accelerating electrode 26 and between accelerating electrode 26 and additional electrode 31 which increases the convergence and focuses the beam ; and , ( 3 ) a field - free region to the target where the electrons travel initially in a converging laminar flow and are travelling essentially parallel as they strike the target . the basic concept of the invention is to shape the electric fields in the gun so as to initially produce a beam having a uniform current density and parallel flow from the cathode , then expand the beam across its narrow dimension by means of a divergent electrostatic lens or lenses and finally to reconverge the beam so that it is focused on its narrow dimension on the screen or target . in its wide dimension , the curvature and spacing of the electrodes is such as to provide parallel flow of the electrons whereby to maintain the wide dimension substantially constant along the beam . it has been found that the coated length , w 1 , of the coated cathode surface 36 can be varied appreciably , in order to vary the beam width without the necessity of designing and building a new gun . lens aberrations are minimized by using long focal length lenses and utilizing only the central portion of these lenses . the effects of asymmetries are minimized since no small apertures are used either for the cathode current control electrode or for the limiting apertures . since the initial beam trajectories are parallel and perpendicular to the cathode plane , the virtual image of the cathode , which serves as the object to be focused on the target , occurs at an extremely large distance behind the cathode . this virtual image is then used to produce a well focused beam at the target in the following two steps , described above . a very weak divergent anode lens spreads the beam slightly while introducing a minimum lens aberration and then the expanded beam is reconverged so as to form an image of the cathode on the screen . under space charge limited conditions , parallel flow will occur at the target . under thermally limited conditions , the variation in average beam diameter at the target will be small as a function of distance in the region near the target so that pseudo parallel flow will result at the target . no limiting apertures are needed since essentially the full beam is used . except for the effect of thermal velocities , the current density at each point is essentially uniform across the beam and throughout the entire beam length . a gun was constructed with dimensions , angles and applied voltages , references in fig2 and 3 with an additional electrode as shown in fig9 as follows : ______________________________________φ . sub . 1 = 30 ° l . sub . 1 = . 185 &# 34 ; φ . sub . 2 = 18 ° l . sub . 2 = . 370 &# 34 ; t . sub . 1 = . 034 &# 34 ; l . sub . 3 = . 370 &# 34 ; t . sub . 2 = . 160 &# 34 ; w . sub . 1 = . 650 &# 34 ; t . sub . 3 = . 400 &# 34 ; w . sub . 2 = . 736 &# 34 ; t . sub . 4 = . 400 &# 34 ; w . sub . 3 = . 760 &# 34 ; d . sub . 1 = . 055 &# 34 ; w . sub . 4 = . 886 &# 34 ; d . sub . 2 = . 074 &# 34 ; w . sub . 5 = 1 . 126 &# 34 ; d . sub . 3 = . 074 &# 34 ; w . sub . 6 = 1 . 126 &# 34 ; ______________________________________ the gun was operated with the cathode 21 and control electrode 23 at 0 volts , and the anode 24 at 750 volts , the focusing electrode 26 at 3700 volts , and the additional electrodes 31 and 61 at 2700 volts and 12 , 500 volts respectively . the guns formed a spot on a target spaced 8 inches from the cathode as shown in fig7 a , 7b and 7c for different beam currents . in fig8 there is shown the beam current as a function of position in the beam as it exits from a gun similar to the type specified above with e 1 = 150 volts , e 2 = 650 volts and e 3 = 3300 volts for control voltages , e g = 4 , 6 and 10 volts . in the embodiment described there are three electrostatic lenses , the first of which diverges the beam and the following two which provide convergence towards the screen . the electron gun does not allow independent adjustment of exit beam thickness and beam convergence angle . in the gun design shown in fig9 there is provided an additional electrode 61 between the electrodes 26 and 31 which permits further focusing of the beam . the additional lens allows independent control of both exit beam thickness and beam convergence angle by application of voltage thereto . thus , after the gun has been designed and fabricated into a finished tube , the exit beam thickness and convergence angle can be adjusted independently by selecting the voltages on the electrodes 24 , 26 and 31 , 61 . in the design described above , voltage changes as well as geometry changes are necessary to achieve both variations in beam width and convergence . therefore , the design of fig9 provides freedom in that the external voltages can be adjusted to change the geometry of the various electrostatic fields and thereby provide a convenient way of both changing beam thickness and focusing the beam at the target . it also permits a wider latitude in the size and geometry of the various electrodes . one embodiment of the present invention design allows essentially complete freedom to select the beam thickness and convergence angle in the gun region and , therefore , to achieve essentially any desired line thickness of the beam at the target . in summary , there has been provided an improved sheet rectangular or sheet beam electron gun which provides a rectangular beam sharply focused upon a target which can be modulated by a control electrode with minimum effect on beam size and which operates with high efficiency . | 7 |
referring to fig1 ˜ 7 , according to a first embodiment of the present invention , a personal heater 10 includes a handle 14 that is hollow so as to receive a reservoir ( not shown ), a switch 11 movably mounted on the handle 14 , a combustion chamber 12 mounted on the handle 14 , a valve 20 received in the handle 14 , a mechanical controller 60 via which the valve 20 is connected with the switch 11 and a thermal controller 70 engaged with the valve 20 . the valve 20 includes an upper shell 30 , a lower shell 40 and a membrane 50 sandwiched between the upper shell 30 and the lower shell 40 . the upper shell 30 includes an upper face and a lower face . a hole 31 extends through the upper shell 30 from the lower face to the upper face . a pipe 80 includes a lower end inserted in the hole 31 and an upper end inserted in the combustion chamber 12 . thus , fuel can flow from a reservoir ( not shown ) into the combustion chamber 12 through the valve 20 . a hole 33 extends through the upper shell 30 from the lower face to the upper face . the hole 33 includes a reduced upper end , thus forming an annular shoulder 34 . a hole 35 extends through the upper shell 30 from the lower face to the upper face . the mechanical controller 60 includes a rod 61 , a beam 62 and a spring 63 . the rod 61 includes an upper end and an enlarged lower end . the spring 63 is mounted on the rod 61 . a substantial portion of the rod 61 is inserted in the hole 33 together with the spring 63 . thus , the spring 63 is compressed between the annular shoulder 34 and the enlarged lower end of the rod 61 . the upper end of the rod 61 is located beyond the hole 33 . the beam 62 includes a first end secured to the upper end of the rod 61 and a second end in engagement with the switch 11 . in a conventional manner , the manipulation of the switch 11 causes movement of the beam 62 and the rod 61 . the membrane 50 includes a valve portion 53 corresponding to the hole 33 and a bowl - shaped portion 55 corresponding to the hole 35 . the valve portion 53 includes a concave upper face and a convex lower face . the bowl - shaped portion 55 includes a concave upper face and a convex lower face . a hole 51 extends through the bowl - shaped portion 55 . the membrane 50 includes an upper face and a lower face . a channel 57 is defined in the upper face of the membrane 50 . a space defined in the bowl - shaped portion 55 is communicated with the channel 57 . the lower shell 40 includes an upper face and a lower face . a channel 42 is defined in the upper face of the lower shell 40 . a hole 43 extends through the lower shell 40 from the lower face to the upper face . the lower shell 40 includes a bowl - shaped portion 45 with a concave upper face and a convex lower face . via the channel 42 , the hole 43 is communicated with a space defined in the bowl - shaped portion 45 . the membrane 50 is sandwiched between the upper shell 30 and the lower shell 40 and they are assembled . the valve portion 53 is located between the hole 33 and the hole 43 . the bowl - shaped portion 55 is received in the bowl - shaped portion 45 so that the space defined therein is communicated with hole 35 . the hole 31 is communicated with the channel 57 . the thermal controller 70 includes a sleeve 71 mounted on the upper shell 30 and a rod 72 inserted in the sleeve 71 . the rod 72 includes a lower end inserted in the hole 35 and an upper end located beyond the sleeve 71 . a helical memory metal element 73 is mounted on the rod 72 . a head 76 is secured to the upper end of the rod 72 so that the helical memory metal element 73 is compressed between the sleeve 71 and the head 76 . a helical memory metal element 74 is compressed between the head 76 and a stop 16 formed on an internal face of the combustion chamber 12 . referring to fig5 , the switch 11 is turned to off . biased via the spring 63 , the rod 61 presses the valve portion 53 so as to shut the hole 43 . thus , fuel does not flow from the reservoir into the valve 20 . referring to fig6 , the switch 11 is turned to on . lifted via the switch 11 , the rod 61 releases the valve portion 53 so as to open the hole 43 . thus , fuel flows from the reservoir into the valve 20 . through the channel 42 , fuel flows from the hole 43 to the space defined in the bowl - shaped portion 45 . through the hole 51 , fuel flows from the space defined in the bowl - shaped portion 45 to the space defined in the bowl - shaped portion 55 . through the channel 57 , fuel flows from the space defined in the bowl - shaped portion 55 to the hole 31 . through the pipe 8 , fuel flows from the hole 31 into the combustion chamber 12 for combustion . when the combustion begins , the temperature in the combustion chamber 12 is not increased significantly . the helical memory metal element 73 does not substantially shrink . the helical memory metal element 74 does not substantially expand . a gap between the lower end of the rod 72 and the bottom of the bowl - shaped portion 55 is at its substantially maximum value . thus , fuel can flow through this gap at a substantially maximum rate . referring to fig7 , when the combustion continues in the combustion chamber 12 for some time , the temperature increases in the chamber 12 . the helical memory metal element 73 shrinks while the helical memory metal element 74 expands . the rod 72 is moved down so that the gap between the lower end of the rod 72 and the bottom of the bowl - shaped portion 55 is reduced . thus , fuel flows through this gap at a reduced rate , and the combustion continues at a reduced scale . when the switch 11 is turned to off , fuel is not allowed to enter the combustion chamber 12 . thus , the combustion is ceased . accordingly , the temperature decreases in the combustion chamber 12 . inherently , the helical memory metal element 73 expands while the helical memory metal element 74 shrinks . the helical memory metal elements 73 and 74 return to their original positions as the temperature decreases to a certain value in the combustion chamber 12 . fig8 ˜ 10 show a valve according to a second embodiment of the present invention . the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the helical memory metal element 73 is located above the head 76 and the helical memory metal element 74 is located below the head 76 and that a head 78 is attached to the lower end of the rod 72 and located below the membrane 50 . thus , the helical memory metal elements 73 and 74 lift the rod 72 when the temperature increases in the combustion chamber 12 . accordingly , a gap between the head 78 and the membrane 50 is reduced . referring to fig8 , the switch 11 is turned to off . biased via the spring 63 , the rod 61 presses the valve portion 53 so as to shut the hole 43 . thus , fuel does not flow from the reservoir into the valve 20 . referring to fig9 , the switch 11 is turned to on . lifted via the switch 11 , the rod 61 releases the valve portion 53 so as to open the hole 43 . thus , fuel flows from the reservoir into the valve 20 . via the channel 42 , fuel flows from the hole 43 to the gap between the head 78 and the membrane 50 . via the hole 51 and the channel 57 , fuel flows from the gap between head 78 and the membrane 50 to the hole 31 . via the pipe 80 , fuel flows from the hole 31 into the combustion chamber 12 for combustion . when the combustion begins , the temperature in the combustion chamber 12 is not increased significantly . the helical memory metal element 73 does not substantially shrink . the helical memory metal element 74 does not substantially expand . the gap between the bead 78 and the membrane 50 is at its substantially maximum value . thus , fuel can flow through this gap at a substantially maximum rate . referring to fig1 , when the combustion continues in the combustion chamber 12 for some time , the temperature increases in the chamber 12 . the helical memory metal element 73 shrinks while the helical memory metal element 74 expands . the rod 72 is lifted so that the gap between the head 78 and the membrane 50 is reduced . thus , fuel flows through this gap at a reduced rate , and the combustion goes at a reduced scale . the present invention has been described through illustration of some embodiments thereof . after a study of this specification , those skilled in the art can derive various variations from the embodiments . therefore , the embodiments are only taken as examples and shall not limit the scope of the present invention that is defined in the following claims . | 5 |
the illustrations in the drawings are schematical . it is noted that in different figures , similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs . fig1 shows a filtration vessel 100 for at least partially removing a contaminant from a fluid ( e . g . wastewater ). the filtration vessel 100 comprises a vessel body 101 , a first end cap 105 , a supporting plate 106 , an inlet pipe 108 and at least one membrane rod 110 . the vessel body 101 comprises a tubular , cylindrical section extending along a centre axis 102 of the vessel body 101 . the centre axis 102 defines an axial direction . the vessel body 101 comprises a first axial end 103 and a second axial end 104 . the second axial end 104 is located opposite with respect to the first axial end 103 along the axial direction 102 . the first end cap is mounted to the first axial end 103 . the first end cap 105 may be integrally formed with the vessel body 101 or may be detachably coupled to the vessel body 101 . the supporting plate 106 is arranged to the second axial end 104 , wherein the supporting plate 106 comprises at least one first through - hole 107 . as shown in fig1 , the supporting plate 106 comprises a plurality of first through - holes 107 . furthermore , in the respective first through - holes 107 , membrane rods 110 are mounted with the axial rod end to the first through - holes 107 of the supporting plate 106 , such that the membrane rods 110 extend from the supporting plate 106 into an inner volume vi of the vessel body 101 . the inlet pipe 108 is mounted to the first end cap 105 and to the supporting plate 106 . the inlet pipe 108 comprises at least one slot 109 from which the fluid is injectable into the inner volume vi of the vessel body 101 . the membrane rod 110 is formed such that the fluid is injectable from the inner volume vi through a peripheral surface of the membrane rod 110 inside the membrane rod 110 . inside the membrane rod , a plurality of membrane straws are arranged , wherein the membrane straws comprise at their peripheral surface membrane pores with a predefined pore size for filtering the fluid . furthermore , the fluid is exhaustable through the axial rod end ( i . e . an axial rod end of the membrane straws within the membrane rod 110 ) and through the first through - hole 107 of the supporting plate 106 outside of the inner volume vi . the slots 109 of the inlet pipe 108 are distributed around a circumferential direction around the centre axis 102 . furthermore , each slot 109 extends along the centre axis 102 . in particular , the first end cap 105 defines a bottom section of the vessel body 101 and the supporting plate 106 defines a top section of the vessel body 101 . hence , the fluid is injected through the slots 109 into the inner volume vi and is further pumped along a vertical ( i . e . axial ) direction up to the supporting plate 106 within the respective membrane rods 110 . hence , the contaminant , which is filtered by the pores within peripheral surface of the membrane straws of the membrane rod 110 , sinks to the ground , i . e . to the first end cap 105 , due to gravity . hence , by the configuration as shown in fig1 , the membrane rods 110 are fixed to the supporting plate 106 such that the membrane rods 110 hang down from the supporting plate 106 . o - rings on the membrane element top potting are tightening between the supporting plate recesses , i . e . the first through holes 107 . the inlet pipe 108 comprises a fluid inlet 117 through which the contaminated fluid is injected . the inlet pipe 108 comprises a slot section , into which the slots 109 are formed . the slot section comprises a first diameter ( width ). furthermore , between the slot section and the fixation of the inlet pipe 108 at the supporting plate 106 the inlet pipe 108 comprises a further section which comprises a second diameter . the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter of the slot section the arrows in fig1 denote the flow direction of the fluid through the filtration vessel 100 . at the top section , i . e . the second axial end 104 of the vessel body 101 , a second end cap 111 is mounted . the second end cap 111 may be formed for example with a shape of an elliptic parabolid as shown in fig1 . hence , a storage volume vs between the supporting plate 106 and the second end cap 111 is generated . the fluid which is filtered from the contaminant flows from the inside of the membrane straws through the first through - holes 107 of the supporting plate 106 into the storage volume vs . from the storage volume vs , the filtered fluid is bled off from the filtration vessel 100 through a fluid outlet 118 . hence , during operation of the filtration vessel 100 , the filtered fluid is stored in the storage volume vs before being exhausted to the fluid outlet 118 . after the operation method of the filtration vessel 100 is finished , a cleaning method may be accomplished for cleaning the vessel 100 . first , a back - washing process may be conducted . the membrane vessel 100 is partly drained to a level above the upper distribution plate 114 . next , low pressurized air is injected through the fluid inlet 117 such that the pressurized air causes turbulences in the cleaning water inside the inner volume vi . in particular , the turbulent water / air mixture fills the complete inner volume vi and thereby washes and cleans the outer peripheral surfaces of the membrane rod 110 and the membrane straws , respectively . while the pressurized air is scouring the membranes 110 and straws from the outside , higher pressure air is injected from the top of the vessel through nozzle 118 flushing the water volume in storage volume vs back into the vessel volume vi . this is the key to remove foulant from the membrane straw surface . the water / air mixture into which the contaminant particles from the peripheral surfaces are solved , is drained off through the further fluid outlet 120 . the pressurized air is injected through the fluid inlet 117 for example between 40 and 60 seconds for scouring flushing the membrane rods and the membrane straws , respectively . next , the contaminated cleaning water is drained off after the flushing time ends through the fluid inlet 117 out of the inner volume vi . after the above described flushing method of the filtration vessel 100 , a further cleaning method may be accomplished for cleaning the membrane straws within the membrane rods 110 inside the filtration vessel 100 . the filtered fluid which is stored in the storage volume vs can be used as a cleaning liquid for the cleaning method . therefore , through the fluid outlet 118 or through a separate air inlet , air is injected into the storage volume vs such that the pressure of the fluid within the storage volume vs is larger than the air or fluid pressure inside the inner volume vi . hence , the cleaning liquid is pressed through the first through - holes 107 of the supporting plate 106 and further through the axial rod end of the membrane straws of the membrane rod 110 . next , by the pressure difference , the cleaning fluid is exhausted through the peripheral surface of the membrane straws of the membrane rod 110 into the inner volume vi of the vessel body 101 . by exhausting the cleaning liquid through the peripheral surface of the membrane straws , the contaminants which are collected outside of the membrane straws and blockades the pores of the peripheral surface of the membrane straws in the membrane element 110 is washed out into the inner volume vi . the cleaning fluid and the contaminant may further be guided out of the inner volume vi through the fluid inlet 117 . hence , also for cleaning the membrane straws of the membrane rods 110 it is not necessary to provide a separate cleaning fluid inlet which is coupled e . g . to a cleaning fluid storage . hence , a compact filtration vessel system may be formed . furthermore , as shown in fig1 , the filtration vessel 100 may comprise distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ which are arranged within the vessel body 101 and spaced apart from the supporting plate 106 along the centre axis 102 . the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ comprise a plurality of third through - holes 115 which are larger than the first through - hole 107 of the supporting plate 106 and larger than a diameter of the membrane rods 110 . the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ are arranged and formed with respect to the supporting plate 106 such that the first through - holes 107 and the respective through - holes 113 are concentric , such that the membrane rods 110 are inserted through the third through - holes 115 . hence , contaminant fluid may pass the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′. additionally , the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ reduce a movement and a vibration of the membrane rods 110 in particular along a lateral direction with respect to the centre axis 102 . the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ may be mounted spaced apart from each other to the wall section of the vessel body 101 . additionally , distance rods 116 may be attached between the respective distribution plates 114 , 114 ′. the lower distribution plate 114 ′ allows different fluids ( air and water ) to enter into the central vessel body 101 . the upper distribution plate 114 redistributes the different fluids inside the inner volume vi . the two distribution plates are kept separate with distance rods 116 . the distance between the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ is optimized with respect to cleaning efficiency during the cleaning method and with respect to a filtering efficiency during the filtering operation of the vessel 100 . specifically , a surprising efficient and good cleaning and filtration effect has been found out for a predefined distance between the lower distribution plate 114 ′ and the upper distribution plate 114 , because a beneficial circulation of the cleaning water or the fluid to be decontaminated is the given . for example , if a length l is defined between the supporting plate 106 and the lower distribution plate 114 ′, the optimal distance between the upper distribution plate 114 and the lower distribution plate 114 ′ is approximately 4 / 9 of the length l . the design of the distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ is developed by cfd —( computational fluid dynamics )— investigation . specifically , the underneath of the respective distribution plates 114 , 114 ′ may be curved as an elliptic parabolid , for example . furthermore , as can be taken from fig1 , lifting lugs 119 may be formed to the second end cap 111 such that the second end cap 111 is liftable by a crane , for example . furthermore , a retainer plate 112 is shown , which comprises second through - holes 113 . the second through - holes 113 are smaller than the first through - holes 107 of the supporting plate 106 and smaller than a diameter of the membrane rods 110 . the retainer plate 112 is arranged and formed with respect to the supporting plate 106 such that the first through - holes 107 and the respective through - holes 113 are concentric . hence , the membrane rods 110 may not move along the centre axis 102 in the direction to the second end cap 111 , even if the pressure in the inner volume vi is higher than the pressure in the storage volume vs . furthermore , the vessel body 101 comprises a further fluid outlet 120 through which a fluid may be exhausted from the inner volume vi before being filtered by the membrane rods 110 . fig2 shows an exploded view of a top section of the filtration vessel 100 which is similar to the top section of the filtration vessel 100 as shown in fig1 . in fig2 , it is shown that the inlet pipe 108 is fixed to the supporting plate 106 , such that the inlet pipe 108 is used as a stiffening element and fixation element for fixing the supporting plate 106 relative to the bottom section of the filtration vessel 100 , i . e . to the first end cap 105 . as shown in fig2 , the inlet pipe 108 comprises a hollow section even in the pipe section between the supporting plate 106 and the slotted section of the inlet pipe 108 . furthermore , fig2 shows a membrane rod 110 which is mounted in a first through - hole 107 to the supporting plate 106 . on top of the supporting plate 106 , the retainer plate 112 comprising the second through - holes 113 is arranged . the retainer plate 112 and the supporting plate 106 are fixed to a flange of the second axial end 104 by respective fixing rings 202 . hence , the second end cap 111 may be detached from the second axial end 104 , wherein the supporting plate 106 together with the membrane rods 110 are still fixed to the vessel body 101 . hence , a test procedure may be conducted , wherein the second end cap 111 may be removed and the top surface of the retainer plate 112 and the supporting plate 106 becomes visible and accessible . furthermore , the supporting plate 106 and / or the retainer plate 112 may comprise an edge 201 such that a volume vv is generated which is surrounded by the edge and the upper surface of the retainer plate 112 and / or the supporting plate 106 . in other words , a ring element is mounted to the second axial end 104 of the vessel body 101 . the ring element surrounds the supporting plate 106 and the retainer plate 112 and forms an edge 201 around the supporting plate 106 such that a liquid is storable inside the volume vv formed by the edge 201 and the supporting plate 106 . in other words , a sink or a basin is formed by the edge 201 of the ring element , wherein into the volume vv of the basin the liquid is storable and hence prevented from flowing out . the ring element and hence the edge 201 may be integrally formed with the supporting plate 106 and / or the retainer plate 112 . into the volume vv a liquid may be filled . hence , a method for detecting a defect of a membrane straw of the membrane rod 110 which is installed into the supporting plate 106 may be conducted . air is injected into the inner volume vi of the vessel body 101 such that the air pressure in the inner volume vi is higher than the pressure of the air surrounding the filtration vessel 100 . hence , through cracks and gaps of a peripheral surface of a damaged membrane straw , air may flow through the damaged membrane straw and further through the first through - holes 107 and the second through - holes 113 . the air generates air bubbles in the liquid located within the volume vv . the air bubbles are visible by an inspector , such that a damaged membrane straw may be identified in an easy and fast manner . fig3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a supporting plate hook 300 . by the supporting plate hook 300 , the supporting plate 106 may be grabbed and exchanged in an easy manner . accordingly , fig4 shows a membrane tool which provides an easy grabbing of a part of the membrane rod 110 . in the following , an exemplary procedure by applying the method for detecting a defect membrane rod is described : first , the filtration vessel 100 is shut down and the contaminated fluid is drained off from the inner volume vi . next , the filtration vessel 100 is isolated by attaching with manual isolation valves to the fluid inlet 117 and / or the fluid outlet 118 . next , the second end cap ( i . e . the top end cap ) is removed by entering slings through the lifting lugs 119 . a centre ring , i . e . the fixing ring 202 , attached to the second axial end 104 of the vessel body 101 keeps the supporting plate 106 and / or the retainer plate 112 in position during testing . next , the inner volume vi of the vessel body 101 is filled with pressurized air , e . g . 0 . 3 barg ( approximately 1 . 3 bar ). the air pressure inside the inner volume vi is held and kept constant e . g . for 20 min . potable water from e . g . a utility station is filled in the volume vv in the upper part of the vessel , wherein the volume vv is formed by the edge 202 , which has approximately a height of approximately 2 cm above the supporting plate 106 and the retaining plate 112 . next , it is observe and marked out from which first through holes 107 air is bubbling up . the membrane rod elements 110 underneath the bubbling first through hole 107 are the defect membrane rod elements 110 which comprises broken membrane straws that let through the air . next , the inner volume vi of the vessel body 101 is depressurize by removing the pressure air . the fixation ring 202 is unbolted and removed . next , the supporting plate 106 and the retaining plate 112 are removed by using the supporting plate hook 300 . the defect membrane rod elements 110 are removed by using the uf membrane tool 400 and replace the membrane rod elements 110 with new elements . before conducting the method for detecting a defect membrane straw an operation of the filtration vessel is stopped and the membrane straws are backwashed , e . g . by conducting the above described method for cleaning a membrane rod and its straws . hence , after cleaning the membrane rods 110 and its straws , it is then safe to remove the membrane rods 110 because a risk of intoxication due to the contaminants is reduced . after detection of damaged membrane straw and after the supporting plate 106 is removed , the membrane rod elements 110 comprising the defect straws are lifted and held for a several time period , so that the potable water can drop off into the filtration vessel 100 . next the broken membrane rod elements 110 can be removed . it should be noted that the term “ comprising ” does not exclude other elements or steps and “ a ” or “ an ” does not exclude a plurality . also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined . it should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims . | 1 |
the preparation of the polyetherquinoxalines of this invention , can be prepared by single step polymerization , two step polymerization , or heterogeneous polymerization using thermally stable phase transfer catalysts as described in the art . substituted or unsubstituted quinoxalines with replaceable groups at the 2 , 3 positions ( x 1 and x 2 in formula ii ), can be polymerized with a bisphenol or bisphenol derivative under aromatic nucleophilic substitution conditions , using a polar aprotic solvent under an inert atmosphere such as under argon or nitrogen , at a temperature between about 80 ° c . and about 250 ° c . in one example , the substituted or unsubstituted quinoxaline with replaceable groups at the 2 , 3 positions is 2 , 3 dichloroquinoxaline . in another example , the polar aprotic solvent is dimethylsulfoxide or dimethylacetamide . in still another example , the reaction temperature is below about 160 ° c . or between about 100 ° c . and about 160 ° c . in yet another example , the reaction temperature is between about 110 ° c . and about 130 ° c . it is also possible to use a gradual or stepwise heating of the polymerization mixture . the polymerization may be run under substantially anhydrous conditions and water can be removed azeotropically using chlorobenzene , toluene , xylene , etc ., preferably toluene . in a one - step process , the bisphenol or derivative thereof and activated dihalide or dinitro monomer are polymerized in a polar aprotic solvent using an alkali metal salt . the alkali metal salt may be potassium carbonate or sodium carbonate for example . in one example of the single step process , potassium carbonate ( k 2 co 3 ) reacts with the phenol groups and forms a reactive phenoxide salt and potassium bicarbonate ( khco 3 ). over the range of 100 - 200 ° c ., 2 moles of potassium bicarbonate will decompose into 1 mole of carbon dioxide , 1 mole of potassium carbonate and 1 mole of water . however , the inventors have found that at temperatures as low as 110 ° c ., this decomposition of potassium bicarbonate to form additional reactive potassium carbonate is very slow . therefore , to get high molecular weight polyetherquinoxalines described in this invention , it may be advantageous to use at least 100 % excess of potassium carbonate in order to shorten the polymerization time to a practical level . in a two step process , a bisphenol or bisphenol derivative is first reacted with an alkali metal salt to convert it into the more reactive bisphenol salt while the side product water is removed azeotropically . as described in the art , it is difficult to keep the dibasic salts of some bisphenols in the solution during polymerization . two - step process has shorter polymerization times compared to the one step process and the final polymer has better quality such as less color . color is believed to form due to side reactions and degradation of the polymerization solvent . polyetherquinoxalines of this invention can also be prepared by a two step process , preferably in dmso , but high quality polymer can also be obtained by single step process in short times under relatively mild conditions . it is envisioned that at these relatively low temperatures of polymerization , solvent degradation is minimized . heterogeneous polymerization using a phase transfer catalyst can also be used for the preparation of polyetherquinoxalines described in this invention . since relatively low temperatures are used in the preparation of polyetherquinoxalines of this invention , it is expected that the life time of the phase transfer catalyst will be increased . the resulting polyetherquinoxalines are characterized by ether linkages at the 2 and 3 positions of the quinoxaline ring . ether linkages increase the flexibility of the polymer chain , thus decreasing the glass transition , decreasing the melt viscosity , and improving the melt processability of the polymer . different bisphenols and their copolymers can be used to control the glass transition of the polyetherquinoxalines . the invention will be better understood by reference to the following examples which are included for the purpose of illustration and not limitation . to a 2 l flask were added 280 . 0 g of oxalic acid dihydrate ( 2 . 221 moles ) and then 1 l of distilled water . then the mixture was heated to 90 ° c . after complete dissolution of oxalic acid , 400 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added , followed by addition of 220 . 0 g of o - phenylenediamine ( 2 . 034 moles ). the temperature was maintained at 90 ° c . for 30 minutes with continuous stirring . off - white crystals were formed . after cooling to room temperature , the off - white crystals were collected by filtration , washed first with water , then with methanol and dried under reduced pressure to give 315 . 8 g ( 96 %) of off - white needles : mp & gt ; 350 ° c . 2 , 3 - dihydroxyquinoxaline ( 100 . 0 grams , 616 . 7 mmoles ), thionyl chloride ( 350 ml ) and dry dmf ( 5 ml ) were added to a 500 ml flask . the flask was connected to a condenser , which was connected to a dry column . the mixture was gradually heated at reflux until the solid had completely dissolved , which took around 6 h . then excess thionyl chloride was removed under reduced pressure to yield 120 . 8 g ( 98 %) of crude 2 , 3 - dichloroquinoxaline . recrystallizations from toluene gave 86 . 5 g ( 72 %) of white needles : mp 151 - 152 ° c . the polymerization of 2 , 3 - dichloroquinoxaline with bisphenol - a using 100 % excess potassium carbonate in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 122 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere until a viscous solution was obtained , which took approximately 5 h . final temperature of the oil bath was 127 ° c . during the polymerization , toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . the solution was diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the precipitate that formed was filtered , washed with water , and then methanol . the polymer was redissolved in 50 ml chloroform , acidified with 2 - 3 ml acetic acid and precipitated in 500 ml of methanol . the solid was collected by filtration , washed with methanol and stirred in boiling water for 1 - 2 h . the polymer was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 120 ° c . to a constant weight . the yield of polymer was 3 . 27 grams . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 66 g / dl ( 0 . 2 g / dl in n - methylpyrrolidinone at 30 ± 0 . 1 ° c .). glass transition of the polymer was 193 ° c . 2 . 0 grams of polymer was compression molded at 300 ° c . under 1000 psi for 5 min to give slightly yellow , transparent and tough film . a thin film of this polymer was cast from chloroform and subjected to preliminary stress - strain measurements according to astm d882 . the tensile strength of the film was 104 mpa and its tensile modulus was 3 . 3 gpa . the polymerization of 2 , 3 - dichloroquinoxaline with bisphenol - a using 10 % excess potassium carbonate in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 122 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere for 24 h without any increase in viscosity of the solution . the final temperature of the oil bath was 132 ° c . during the polymerization , toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . the solution added to 600 ml of 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the powder precipitate that was formed was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol . the polymer was redissolved in 50 ml chloroform , acidified with 2 - 3 ml acetic acid and precipitated in 500 ml of methanol . the solid was collected by filtration , washed with methanol and stirred in boiling water for 1 - 2 h . the polymer was collected by filtration , washed with water , then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 120 ° c . to a constant weight . the yield of polymer was 4 . 12 grams . the product melted in the drying step in the vacuum oven at 120 ° c . in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 114 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere until a viscous solution was obtained , which took approximately 5 h . the final temperature of the oil bath was 130 ° c . during the polymerization , toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . the solution was diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the precipatate that formed was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol . the polymer was redissolved in 100 ml chloroform , acidified with 2 - 3 ml acetic acid and precipitated in 1000 ml of methanol . the solid was collected by filtration , washed with methanol and stirred in boiling water for 1 - 2 h . the polymer was collected by filtration , washed water , and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 120 ° c . to a constant weight . the yield of polymer was 4 . 39 g . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 57 g / dl ( 0 . 2 g / dl in n - methylpyrrolidinone at 30 ± 0 . 1 ° c .). glass transition of the polymer was 279 ° c . in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 120 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere for 6 h . the final temperature of the oil bath was 130 ° c . during the polymerization , toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . the solution diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and then added to 800 ml 7 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the precipatate that was formed collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol . the polymer redissolved in 50 ml dimethylacetamide , acidified with 2 - 3 ml acetic acid and precipitated in 1000 ml of methanol . the solid was collected by filtration , washed with methanol and stirred in boiling water for 1 - 2 h . the polymer was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 120 ° c . to a constant weight . the yield of polymer was 3 . 48 grams . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 67 g / dl ( 0 . 2 g / dl in n - methylpyrrolidinone at 30 ± 0 . 1 ° c .). glass transition of the polymer was 228 ° c . in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 120 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere for 8 h . final temperature of the oil bath was 128 ° c . during the polymerization , toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . the solution was diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the precipitate that formed was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol . the polymer was redissolved in 50 ml tetrahydrofuran , acidified with 2 - 3 ml acetic acid and precipitated in 500 ml of methanol . the solid was collected by filtration , washed with methanol and stirred in boiling water for 1 - 2 h . the polymer was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 120 ° c . to a constant weight . the yield of polymer was 4 . 39 grams . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 64 g / dl ( 0 . 2 g / dl in n - methylpyrrolidinone at 30 ± 0 . 1 ° c .). glass transition of the polymer was 191 ° c . in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 120 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere for 4 h . the final temperature of the oil bath was 130 ° c . toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . during polymerization , white powders formed . the solution was diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and then added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the white powder was collected by filtration , washed with water and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . the yield of polymer was 2 . 17 g . in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 122 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere for 6 h . the final temperature of the oil bath was 130 ° c . toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . during polymerization , white powders formed . the solution diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and then added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the white powder was collected by filtration , washed with water and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . the yield of polymer was 2 . 92 g . in a 100 ml , three - necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 122 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere until a viscous solution in obtained , which took approximately 5 h . the final temperature of the oil bath was 130 ° c . during the polymerization , toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . the solution diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and then added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the precipatate that formed was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol . the polymer was redissolved in 70 ml chloroform , acidified with 2 - 3 ml acetic acid and precipitated in 500 ml of methanol . the solid was collected by filtration , washed with methanol and stirred in boiling water for 1 - 2 h . the polymer was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 120 ° c . to a constant weight . the yield of polymer was 2 . 83 grams . the polymer had an inherent viscosity of 1 . 01 g / dl ( 0 . 2 g / dl in n - methylpyrrolidinone at 30 ± 0 . 1 ° c .). glass transition of the polymer was 199 ° c . the polymerization of 2 , 3 - dichloroquinoxaline with bisphenol a ( 50 %) and 4 , 4 ′- biphenol ( 50 %) in a 100 ml three necked flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a claisen arm fitted with a nitrogen inlet tube , a dean - stark trap , a condenser and an exit gas bubbler were placed the following materials : the flask was placed into an oil bath preheated to 122 ° c . the mixture was stirred under an argon atmosphere for 7 h . the final temperature of the oil bath was 132 ° c . toluene was added in small amounts so as to maintain the azeotropic removal of water . during polymerization , white powders formed . the solution diluted with 20 ml dimethylacetamide , and then added to 600 ml 5 : 1 water : acetic acid mixture while stirring vigorously . the white powder was collected by filtration , washed with water and then methanol , and dried in a vacuum oven at 80 ° c . the yield of polymer was 6 . 27 g . the precipitate was a powder , which is an indication of low molecular weight . based upon the foregoing disclosure , it should now be apparent that a polyetherquinoxaline and a method for synthesizing a polyetherquinoxaline is provided . it is , therefore , to be understood that any variations evident fall within the scope of the claimed invention and thus , the selection of specific component elements can be determined without departing from the spirit of the invention herein disclosed and described . | 2 |
since the presence of moisture in wall structures of buildings is not uncommon , it is desirable to drain such moisture from the wall structure . fig1 and fig2 illustrate a section of moisture drainage product 10 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . a sheet of corrugated material 12 is formed from a sheet of plastic material which has been heated and passed through a crimping apparatus producing a series of linear ridges 14 and grooves 16 approximately { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} of an inch ( 0 . 48 centimeters ) deep and approximately { fraction ( 7 / 16 )} of an inch ( 1 . 11 centimeters ) on center . in other embodiments , corrugated material 12 may be constructed from foils , such as copper , stainless steel and aluminum , plastics , and cellulose materials with a moisture resistant additive . as will be discussed with respect to later figures , linear ridges 14 and grooves 16 of corrugated material 12 form a plurality of channels which , when moisture drainage product 10 is installed in a wall structure with ridges 14 and grooves 16 oriented in a generally vertical orientation , allows moisture which has accumulated in the wall structure to drain , via gravity , from the wall structure . corrugated material 12 also has a multiplicity of perforations 18 which may be formed in corrugated material 12 either before crimping or after although , in a preferred embodiment , perforations 18 are formed before crimping . perforations 18 in corrugated material 12 allow moisture , including water and water vapor , to pass through perforations 18 . perforations 18 allow water vapor which has not condensed in the wall structure to continue to pass outwardly through the wall structure . further , perforations 18 , since they are water pervious , allow water moisture to pass through corrugated material 12 and be drained from the wall structure with the channels formed by ridges 14 and grooves 16 . a sheet of material 20 is affixed to one side of corrugated material 12 . as shown in fig1 and fig2 sheet of material is affixed to the back side of corrugated material 12 . the primary function of sheet of material 20 is to prevent building materials from accumulating in ridges 14 or grooves 16 on the side of corrugated material 12 having sheet of material 20 . if building materials , in the course of construction , were allowed to accumulate in such ridges 14 and grooves 16 , the channels formed by ridges 14 and grooves 16 could be obstructed by the building material and the drainage ability of the channels formed by ridges 14 and grooves 16 could obfuscated . sheet of material 20 is also pervious to moisture , including water and water vapor . in a preferred embodiment , sheet of material 20 is constructed of polypropylene , preferably spunbond polypropylene . alternatively , sheet of material could be constructed of a fabric woven of a moisture resistant material . sheet of material 20 may be affixed to corrugated material 12 in any suitable manner such as by commonly available commercial construction adhesives . [ 0040 ] fig3 is a close - up view of a portion of moisture drainage product 10 showing corrugated material 12 including ridges 14 and grooves 16 forming channels , perforations 18 and sheet of material 20 . corrugated material 12 is constructed of a material which is rigid enough such that , when corrugated with ridges 14 and grooves 16 , is able to withstand commonly encountered construction forces as moisture drainage material 10 is being installed in a wall structure . examples of commonly encountered construction forces are hammer or automated nailing strikes either affixing moisture drainage product 10 in the wall structure or affixing a later applied material in the wall structure such as the exterior veneer . as an example , an exterior veneer of stucco typically requires a lathe material to be applied exterior to moisture drainage product 10 . the force required by nails or spikes to secure the lathe material to the wall structure should not compromise ridges 14 and grooves 16 to the extent that drainage channels formed by ridges 14 and grooves 16 are obstructed . similarly , commonly encountered forces involved in shipping , storing and handling of moisture drainage product 10 should also not compromise the drainage channels . in a preferred embodiment , moisture drainage product 10 is able to withstand the weight of a typical construction worker wearing shoes . it will be appreciated that ridges 14 and grooves 16 of moisture drainage product 10 increase the rigidity of moisture drainage product as moisture drainage product 10 is attempted to be bent transverse to ridges 14 and grooves 16 . thus , ridges 14 and grooves 16 actually increase the rigidity of moisture drainage product 10 and help allow moisture drainage product 10 to withstand normal construction forces . it will also be appreciated that ridges 14 and grooves 16 in moisture drainage product 10 allow moisture drainage product 10 to be less rigid in a direction parallel to ridges 14 and grooves 16 . this relatively less rigidity allows moisture drainage product 10 to be shipped , stocked and stored as a roll stock . preferably , moisture drainage product 10 can be shipped and stored on 50 foot ( 15 . 2 meter ) rolls . alternatively , moisture drainage product could also be shipped , stocked and stored as rigid sheet stock . [ 0043 ] fig4 is an illustration of wall structure 22 containing moisture drainage product 10 . starting at the interior side of wall structure 22 , conventional studs 24 form a plane along which sheathing 26 may be affixed . typically , and optionally , a water barrier 28 , such as # 15 roll stock , is applied exterior to sheathing 26 . moisture drainage product 10 is affixed exterior to water barrier 28 with sheet of material 20 facing outwardly . sheet of material 20 extends beyond corrugated material 12 on one edge of the roll of moisture drainage product 10 . this edge of sheet of material 20 is used to overlap the next roll of moisture drainage product 10 . the lowest roll of moisture drainage product 10 in wall structure 22 has this edge of sheet of material 20 wrapped under corrugated material 12 to form a bug screen . a veneer for wall structure 22 is applied exterior to moisture drainage product 10 . in one embodiment , the veneer consists of a metal lathe 30 and stucco 32 applied over metal lathe 30 . it is to be recognized and understood that many other forms of exterior veneer are also contemplated including , but not limited to concrete block , brick , natural or man - made stone , and wood siding of all types including wooden lap siding . it can be recognized that without moisture drainage product 10 in wall structure 22 that moisture occurring or accumulating in wall structure 22 can drain through channels created by ridges 14 and grooves 16 in moisture drainage product . perforations 18 allow moisture drainage product 10 to be water pervious allowing water and water vapor to pass through moisture drainage product 10 . this prevents moisture drainage product from a vapor barrier in the middle of wall construction 22 and actually causing the moisture accumulation it is designed to ameliorate . further , sheet of material 20 prevents the stucco material 32 from obscuring channels formed in corrugated material 12 on the exterior side of moisture drainage product 10 . [ 0045 ] fig5 fig6 and fig7 illustrate a method of constructing wall structure 22 . in fig5 wall structure 22 is partially formed with studs 24 , sheathing 26 and roll stock 28 . this is a typical and conventional wall structure construction technique . typically , studs 24 are installed and then sheathing 26 is affixed to the exterior side of studs 24 . roll stock 28 is then affixed to the exterior side of sheathing 26 . studs 24 , sheathing 26 and , optionally , roll stock 28 form the structural components of wall structure 22 . of course , it is recognized and understood that wooden studs 24 , sheathing 26 and roll stock 28 are just one example of what could comprise the structural components of wall structure 22 . many other conventional , and unconventional , products , materials and construction could also used . as can be seen in fig5 moisture drainage product 10 is then conventionally affixed with construction fasteners exterior to roll stock 28 and sheathing 26 . note that sheet of material 20 is again placed on the exterior side of moisture drainage product 10 . thus , fig5 shows wall structure 22 in a partially completed state with moisture drainage product 10 installed but without an exterior veneer . in fig6 the construction of wall structure 22 has taken one more step , the step of partially completing the exterior veneer . in this embodiment , the exterior veneer is stucco . in order to prepare wall structure 22 for stucco material 32 , lathe , preferably metal lathe , 30 is conventionally affixed exterior of moisture drainage product 10 . in fig7 stucco 32 can be seen having been applied to lathe 30 . again , especially since stucco material 32 is semi - liquid when applied to lathe 30 and is intermixed with lathe 30 to give stucco structural integrity , that it is likely that stucco 32 would get into the channels formed by ridges 14 and grooves 16 of corrugated material 12 if it were not for sheet of material 20 which effectively prevents the clogging of the channels formed by ridges 14 and grooves 16 . various modifications and alterations of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention . it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth above . | 8 |
the present study demonstrates that an unglycosylated 38 kda prelp protein seems to be exclusively expressed in cll leukemic cells , cll cell lines , mcl cells , burkitt &# 39 ; s lymphoma cells , breast cancer cells , ovarian cancer cells , prostate cancer cells , and glioblastoma cells . other hematological malignancies as well as pbmc of normal donors did not express prelp . strong polyclonal activation ( pma / ionomycin ) of normal b and t lymphocytes did not induce expression of prelp ( data not shown ), suggesting that the expression of the 38 kda prelp in cll might reflect a constitutive aberration in vivo . prelp is normally secreted into the extracellular matrix compartment but its function is not clearly known . the mature prelp proteins ( 50 and 58 kda ), which were detected in serum of both cll patients and healthy donors are probably produced by fibroblasts . however , in cll cells , a unique 38 kda prelp protein was identified . mutation analysis of the prelp gene in cll did not reveal any substantial nucleotide aberrations which could explain the difference at the protein level . no nucleotide mutations in the c - terminal region ( against which our c - terminal antibody was raised ) were found . these findings , in combination with the small number of coding exons ( only 2 exons ) make splice variants or truncation unlikely . the cll specific 38 kda prelp was detected by a monoclonal antibody against the prelp signal peptide indicating that the signal peptide was not cleaved off . furthermore , the cll specific 38 kda prelp was not detected in serum . this could be due to impaired secretion from leukemic cells and retention in subcellular organelles or , alternatively , rapid degradation in the serum by proteases . the presence of an intact signal peptide may suggest retention in the cytosol . impaired glycosylation and retained signal peptide may be specific for cll , as prelp expressed in sp2 / 0 cells seems to be fully matured and processed , i . e translocated , glycosylated and with the signal peptide cleaved off ( fig1 ). similar observations have been reported for the mu - and cd79a chains on the surface of cll cells . 21 the difference between normal prelp ( 50 - 58 kda ) and cll - derived prelp ( 38 kda ) may be due to post - translational modifications . complete deglycosylation of yeast - derived prelp resulted in a 38 kda prelp , corresponding in size to prelp detected in cll , possibly the prelp core protein with no side - chain glycan modifications . stable dimerization of several slrps including opticin , decorin , biglycan , and chondroadherin 22 - 25 support the suggestion of a dimerized prelp in cll . formation of prelp dimers may be analogous to the proposed model of opticin dimerization . 22 in this model the amino terminal of the dimer was accessible to antibodies which could explain the reactivity of our n - terminal antibody with the dimerized prelp . fractionation analyses of cll cells indicated that the dimerized prelp is located in the cytoskeletal and membrane fractions . this is the first study associating prelp with cll . there are reports linking other slrps to cancer . decorin suppresses cell growth and tumor cell mediated angiogenesis . 26 , 27 decorin and the other slrps are secreted proteins that normally mediate their functions by binding to membrane receptors or extracellular matrix proteins . however , other locations and functions have been reported . an intracellular role has been proposed for decorin in binding the cytoskeletal protein , filamin . 28 prelp has been shown to bind and inhibit nf - kappa b activity in the nucleus of osteoclasts . 29 our findings suggest a non - secreted 38 kda prelp in cll but the role is not clear . however , the specific and unique expression of a 38 kda prelp protein strongly indicates a functional role in cll . the specific expression of another proteoglycan , fmod 6 in cll may suggest a role of proteoglycans in cll . furthermore , preliminary data indicate that another slrp , opticin , located in close proximity to fmod and prelp on chromosome 1 ( 1q32 ) is also upregulated in cll . the functional characterization of these proteoglycans in cll is urgently warranted to understand their biological importance . further experiments showing the expression of prelp in raji , a human burkitt &# 39 ; s lymphoma cell line added clues to the possibility of expression of prelp in other hematological malignancies or even solid tumors . to investigate the expression of prelp in solid tumors a panel of cell lines was selected . the reason for selecting the cell line is the ease of separating the cells to detect the surface expression by flow cytometry technique . the adherent cells were retrieved without trypsinization , as this may alter the structure of surface antigens leading to false results . it is of note that surface expression of prelp in tumor cells is crucial in targeting the cancer cells . prelp is not expressed on the surface of normal cells . expression of prelp in breast , ovary , prostate cancer cell lines as well as in glioblastoma cells and also lack of surface expression in normal cells further verifies the use of this unique structure in targeting the cancer cells by means of monoclonal antibody . our antibodies are raised against the signal peptide of prelp , where it is cleaved off in normal conditions in endoplasmic reticulum before secretion to the extracellular matrices . this is the most important issue , which makes the cell surface - expressed prelp in tumor cells as a very unique and also safe target with no interaction with any other prelp molecules expressed by other normal tissues . to investigate this subject , normal tissues especially pbmc , breast , testis , and skin were obtained and prelp expression was studied . no expression of prelp was found in these normal tissues using three different clones of anti - prelp antibodies . high level of prelp expression in three different breast cancer cell lines , skbr3 , mda , and bt474 as well as three ovarian carcinoma cell lines a2780s , 2008c13r , and caov4 with no expression in a healthy breast strongly suggest the ectopic expression of prelp in such tumors making this molecule a good candidate for targeting . we have also shown that anti - prelp antibody can induce apoptosis in cll cells . this function may confer to any other cells expressing prelp . in general we suggest that anti - prelp antibodies generated specifically against signal peptide might be used for targeting breast cancer , ovarian cancer , prostate cancer , chronic lymphocytic leukemia , burkitt &# 39 ; s lymphoma , glioblastoma , neuroblastoma , and medullablastoma without harming at least tissues of skin , breast , testis , and most importantly peripheral blood mononuclear cells . the term “ affinity binder ” shall be construed as any molecular entity capable of selectively binding to an analyte of interest . affinity binders may be polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies , fragments thereof such as f ( ab ′) 2 , fab , fab ′, fv , fc , and fd fragments , which may be incorporated into single domain antibodies , single - chain antibodies , maxibodies , minibodies , intrabodies , diabodies , triabodies , tetrabodies , v - nar and bis - scfv . affinity binders also include synthetic binding molecules such as molecularly imprinted polymers , affibodies or any other affinity binder . in the aspects of the invention using antibodies , the antibodies may be substituted for other types of affinity binders as applicable . affinity between two entities means an affinity of at least 10 6 , 10 7 , 10 8 10 9 m − 1 , or 10 10 m − 1 . affinities greater than 10 8 m − 1 are preferred . the term “ specific for ” indicates that the variable regions of the antibodies , or binding molecules , recognize and bind prelp according to the invention exclusively ( i . e ., able to distinguish prelp from other similar polypeptides despite sequence identity , homology , or similarity found in the family of polypeptides ), but may also interact with other proteins ( for example , s . aureus protein a or other antibodies in elisa techniques ) through interactions with sequences outside the variable region of the antibodies , and in particular , in the constant region of the molecule . screening assays in which one can determine binding specificity of an anti - prelp antibody are well known and routinely practiced in the art . ( chapter 6 , antibodies a laboratory manual , eds . harlow , et i al ., cold spring harbor laboratory ; cold spring harbor , n . y . ( 1988 ), herein incorporated by i reference in its entirety ). an “ immunogenic agent ” or “ immunogen ” is capable of inducing an immunological response against itself on administration to a patient , optionally in conjunction with an adjuvant . antibodies that recognize the same epitope can be identified in a simple immunoassay showing the ability of one antibody to block the binding of another antibody to a target antigen . t - cells recognize continuous epitopes of about nine amino acids for cd8 cells or about 13 - 15 amino acids for cd4 cells . t cells that recognize the epitope can be identified by in vitro assays that measure antigen - dependent proliferation , as determined by 3h - thymidine incorporation by primed t cells in response to an epitope ( burke et al ., j . inf . dis . 170 , 1110 - 19 ( 1994 )), by antigen - dependent killing ( cytotoxic t lymphocyte assay , tigges et al ., j . immunol . 156 , 3901 - 3910 ) or by cytokine secretion . when practicing the present invention the person skilled in the art may further make of use conventional techniques in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry , immunology , molecular biology , microbiology , cell biology , transgenic animals and recombinant dna technology , as i . a . disclosed in sambrook et al . “ molecular cloning : a laboratory manual ”, 3 rd ed . 2001 ; ausubel et al . “ short protocols in molecular biology ”, 5 th ed . 1995 ; “ methods in enzymology ”, academic press , inc . ; macpherson , hames and taylor ( eds .). “ pcr 2 : a practical approach ”, 1995 ; “ harlow and lane ( eds .) “ antibodies , a laboratory manual ” 1988 ; freshney ( ed .) “ culture of animal cells ”, 4 th ed . 2000 ; hogan et al . “ manipulating the mouse embryo : a laboratory manual ”, cold spring harbor laboratory , 1994 ; or later editions of these books . the following examples serve to illustrate the invention and shall not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention , which is that of the claims . the diagnosis of cll and disease status ( progressive / non - progressive ) were established as described 13 using the who classification of hematopoetic and lymphoid malignancies and the modified nci criteria . 14 , 15 clinical characteristics of the patients are shown in table 1 . heparinized blood was collected as the source of leukemic cells from patients with cll ( n = 30 ), mcl ( n = 5 ), hairy cell leukemia ( hcl ) ( n = 2 ), b - cell prolymphocytic leukemia ( b - pll ) ( n = 1 ), t - cell prolymphocytic leukemia ( t - pll ) ( n = 4 ), chronic myelogenous leukemia ( cml ) ( n = 5 ), acute myelogenous leukemia ( aml ) ( n = 5 ) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( all ) ( n = 10 ). bone marrow tumor cells were obtained from patients with multiple myeloma ( mm ) ( n = 6 ), and follicular lymphoma ( fl ) ( n = 2 ). blood was also drawn from healthy control donors ( n = 10 ). serum was collected from cll patients ( n = 8 ) and healthy controls ( n = 8 ). all samples were collected with informed consent of the patients and approval from the local ethical committee . four cll cell lines and nine cell lines derived from a variety of other hematological malignancies were included ; cll ( eheb , i83 - e95 , 232 - b4 , wac3 - cd5 ), mm ( lp - 1 ), t - cell leukemia ( skw3 ), all ( hut - 78 , hpb - all , molt - 4 , jurkat ), aml ( hl60 ), cml ( k562 ), and nk cell lymphoma ( yt ). eheb and yt were obtained from dsmz ( braunschweig , germany ). the other cll cell lines ( i83 - e95 , 232 - b4 , wac3 - cd5 ) 16 were a kind gift from prof . anders rosen ( linköping university , sweden ) and prof . kenneth nilsson ( uppsala university , sweden ). the remaining cell lines were provided by the national cell bank of iran ( ncbi , pasteur institute of iran , tehran , iran ). all cell lines were adapted to grow in rpmi - 1640 medium ( gibco , paisley , scotland ) supplemented with 10 % fetal bovine serum ( fbs ) ( gibco ), l - glutamine ( 2 mm ), penicillin ( 100 u / ml ) and streptomycin ( 100 μg / ml ) ( gibco ). peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( pbmc ) ( lymphocytes and monocytes ) from normal donors and leukemic cells from blood and bone marrow were isolated using ficoll - paque plus ( ge healthcare , bio - sciences ab , buckinghamshire , uk ) density - gradient centrifugation , as described . 17 granulocytes , leukemic b - cells , normal t and b lymphocytes were isolated as described . 6 the purity of the isolated populations was tested by direct immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies against cd3 , cd19 , and cd14 ( bd biosciences , san jose , calif ., usa ). total rna was extracted from leukemic cells and normal pbmc using rnazol b reagent ( biosite , taby , sweden ) according to manufacturer &# 39 ; s instruction . first strand cdna was synthesized as described . 6 pcr amplification was performed using prelp specific primers ( table 2 ). briefly , 25 μμl of pcr reaction mixture was prepared using 2 . 5 μl of 10 × buffer , 2 μl of 25 mm mgcl 2 , 1 . 5 μl dntps ( 10 mm ), 5 pmol of each primer and 1 unit of ampli - taq gold dna polymerase ( perkin - elmer / applied biosystems , boston , mass ., usa ). pcr was performed in 35 cycles , initiated by 1 cycle at 95 ° c . for 10 min , followed by 92 ° c . ; 30 sec , 60 ° c . ; 30 sec , and 72 ° c . ; 30 sec leading to a 334 bp amplicon . to assure the specificity of primers , some pcr products were cloned into pgem - t easy vector ( promega , madison , wis ., usa ) and subjected to sequencing . rt - qpcr was performed as described . 6 cdna samples were used as template and β - actin ( endogenous housekeeping gene ) was quantified as a positive control against which the different template values were normalized . for expression in yeast , cdna from pbmc of cll patients ( n = 10 ) were pooled and a full - length prelp transcript was pcr - amplified . the pcr product was cloned into pgem - t easy vector and subcloned into pgapzα - a vector for yeast p . pastoris ( invitrogen , carlsbad , calif ., usa ). the recombinant plasmids were selected for sequencing . after selecting an in - frame clone , the construct was linearized using avrii restriction enzyme and transfected into p . pastoris strain smd1168 ( invitrogen ). the colonies were screened by gene specific pcr amplification and positive clones were selected for protein production . the supernatant of a 72 h cultured yeast clone was collected and concentrated up to 30 times using amicon ultra - 15 centrifugal filter units ( millipore corporation , bedford , mass ., usa ). for expression in mammalian cells , a full - length prelp cdna clone ( transcript variant 1 , sc111673 , trueclones , origene technologies , inc . rockville , md ., usa ) was subcloned into noti site of a mammalian expression vector pcmv6 - neo ( origene technologies ). after selection and sequencing of an in - frame clone , the plasmid was transfected into mouse sp2 / 0 cell line to obtain stable transfectants using jetpei ™ transfection reagent ( polyplus - transfection ™, illkirch , france ). cells were harvested , washed extensively and lysate prepared as described for western blot . recombinant prelp protein produced in yeast was subjected to chemical deglycosylation using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid ( tfms ) ( sigma , st louis , mo ., usa ) and anisole ( fluka , sigma ). tfms removes all carbohydrates chains from glycoproteins regardless of linkage and composition . 18 250 μl of yeast culture supernatant was precipitated in 100 % ethanol at − 20 ° c . over night in two separate tubes . protein pellets were collected by centrifugation at 15000 g for 20 min , washed in 95 % ethanol , collected by centrifugation and air - dried for 1 h . 200 μl tfms and anisole ( 9 : 1 ) was added to the dry pellets and the samples were incubated on ice for 2 and 4 h , respectively . the reaction was stopped by the addition of 2m tris base ( ph 8 ) until ph reached 6 . the samples were dialysed against 10 mm phosphate buffer for 24 h , concentrated 20 times in amicon ultra - 15 centrifugal filter units ( millipore corp .) and then subjected to western blot . a rabbit anti - prelp polyclonal antibody was produced against a 19 - mer peptide ( cggkarakggfrllqsvvi ) purchased from thermo electron corporation gmbh ( ulm , germany ) of which the 9 last amino acids correspond to the carboxy - terminal ( c - terminal ) part of human prelp 9 . the antibody was purified by affinity chromatography . two mouse anti - prelp monoclonal antibodies were produced using keyhole limpet hemocyanin ( klh )- conjugated prelp - peptides following a standard protocol with minor modifications . 19 one antibody was generated against the carboxy - terminal peptide ( cggkarakggfrllqsvvi ). the other was raised against the n - terminal region for which a 20 - mer peptide ( mrsplcwllpllilasvaqg ) ( thermo electron ) covering the whole signal sequence was used . cell lysates were prepared as described with minor modifications . 20 briefly , 50 × 10 6 cells were lysed in 1 ml of buffer containing 0 . 2 % triton - x , 130 mm hepes , 4 mm mgcl 2 , 10 mm egta with 2 % proteinase inhibitor cocktail ( sigma ). after 1 h incubation on ice , lysates were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 5 min and the soluble fraction was collected (“ upper phase ”). the triton - x resistant pellet was dissolved in 1 × nupage lds sample buffer ( invitrogen ) and sonicated for 3 × 15 sec (“ lower phase ”). the protein concentration was measured by bio - rad protein assay according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions ( bio - rad laboratories , hercules , calif ., usa ). cell lysate ( 20 μg ), serum ( dil 1 : 50 ), and yeast supernatants were subjected to western blot using a 10 % nupage bis - tris gel ( invitrogen ) at 120 v for 3 h under reducing conditions . resolved proteins were transferred onto immobilon - p pvdf membrane ( millipore corp .) in a mini - transblot cell ( invitrogen ). the membranes were blocked at + 4 ° c . over night with 5 % non - fat milk ( semper , stockholm , sweden ) in pbs plus 0 . 05 % tween 20 ( pbs - t ). filters were incubated with 10 μg / ml of anti - prelp rabbit polyclonal or mouse monoclonal antibody over night at + 4 ° c . following extensive washings in pbs - t , filters were incubated with a secondary horseradish peroxidise ( hrp )- conjugated goat anti - rabbit or rabbit anti - mouse antibody ( dakocytomation , glostrup , denmark ) for 1 . 5 h at room temperature . filters were developed using amersham enhanced chemiluminescence ecl ™ system ( ge healthcare ). to verify equal loading of samples , filters were stripped in a buffer containing 62 . 5 mm tris - hcl , 2 % sds , 100 mm mercaptoethanol ( sigma ) at 50 ° c . for 30 min . following 3 × 15 min washing in pbs - t , the membranes were re - probed with 2 . 5 μg / ml of a mouse anti - β - actin monoclonal antibody ( sigma ). 2 × 10 6 target cells ( cll cells or pbmc of healthy donors ) were incubated with 10 μg / ml of the anti - prelp mouse monoclonal antibodies , or relevant isotype controls in 1 ml of serum - free medium ( ctl - 010 , cellular technology ltd . oh , usa ). after 18 hours of incubation at 37 ° c . in humidified air with 5 % co 2 , cells were collected , washed twice with 1 × pbs and resuspended in 100 ul of 1 × binding buffer at a concentration of 1 × 10 6 cells / ml . 5 μl of fitc - conjugated annexin v and pi ( bd biosciences ) was added to the cells , vortexed and incubated at room temperature in the dark for 15 minutes . 100 μl of 1 × binding buffer was added to the cells which then were analyzed by flow cytometry ( facscalibur ). for icc the cell lines were cultured and harvested using 0 . 5 % trypsin and 0 . 1 % edta ( gibco ) loaded 1 - 2 × 10 4 cells on 8 well laminated glass slide ( marienfeld , germany ) that homogenized in rpmi 1640 containing 20 % fbs with subsequent incubation in moisturized conditions for overnight . after overnight incubation the medium was removed and the cells were washed with pbs for three times ( 3 × 3 min ). slides were dried at room temperature for 15 min , acetone - fixed ( at − 20 ° c . ), permeabilized for 2 minutes and kept at 4 ° c . for 30 min until slides were dried . slides washed with tris - buffered saline , ph 7 . 4 containing 5 % bovine serum albumin ( tbs - bsa ) three times ( 3 × 3 min ). slides were blocked with 5 % sheep serum for 10 min at room temperature . the primary anti - prelp antibodies were diluted with tbs - bsa to a final concentration of 5 μg / ml and incubated at room temperature for 60 minutes and then washed with tbs - bsa three times ( 3 × 3 min ). fluorescein isothiocyanate ( fitc )- conjugated sheep anti - mouse ( acecr , tehran , iran ) was diluted with tbs - bsa in a ratio of 1 : 50 and incubated at room temperature for 45 minutes . negative antibody control slides were incubated with mouse igm ( isotype control ) at a final concentration of 10 μg / ml in tbs - bsa . after washing with tbs - bsa , the nuclei were counterstained by 4 ′, 6 - diamidino - 2 - phenylindole dihydrochloride ( dapi ) ( calbiochem , usa ) at 1 μg / ml for 5 minutes , then the slides were washed , mounted in pbs - glycerol 80 % and examined under a fluorescence microscope ( olympus , tokyo , japan ). for ihc the tissues upon receiving were stored at − 80 ° c . at the time of performing the experiment , tissues were equilibrated at − 20 ° c . for approximately 2 hour before attempting to sectioning . tissues were cut at 5 um thickness and allowed to air dry for 3 - 12 hour at room temperature . tissue sections were fixed by immersing the slides in pre - cooled acetone (− 20 ° c .) for 1 . 5 minute at (− 20 ° c .) following 0 . 5 minute at 4 ° c . the fixative were poured off and allowed acetone to be evaporated from the tissue sections for & gt ; 20 minutes at 4 ° c . the sections were air - dried on bench for 5 minutes . slides were rinsed in 300 ul tbs ( ph = 7 . 4 )+ 0 . 1 % bsa ( tbs - bsa ) for 3 minutes . the slides were covered by blocking reagent for 10 min at room temperature ( 5 % non - immune serum from secondary antibody species in tbs - bsa ). blocking solution was removed and 100 μl diluted antibody ( diluted antibody in tbs - bsa ). primary antibody was added to each section . incubated at room temperature for one hour . after that the primary antibody was removed and slides were then washed with 200 ul tbs - bsa for 3 times ( each 3 min ) 100 μl of secondary sheep anti - mouse antibody ( conjugated with fitc ), diluted in tbs - bsa was added . slides were incubated for 45 minute in the dark at room temperature . after that secondary antibody was removed and slides were washed with 200 ul tbs - bsa for 3 times ( each 3 min ). 100 μl of dapi ( 0 . 1 μg / ml diluted in tbs - bsa ) was added to each section . slides were incubated approximately 5 minute in the dark at room temperature . after removing dapi slides were then washed in 200 ul tbs - bsa 3 time ( each 1 min ). cells were harvested by 0 . 5 % trypsin and 0 . 1 % edta ( gibco ) and washed thoroughly with pbs . according to the related protocol , sample analysis and data acquisition were performed by flomax flow cytometry analysis software ( partec , germany ). the expression of prelp mrna in leukemic cells from peripheral blood of cll patients as well as of other hematological malignancies and healthy control donors was tested by rt - pcr . pbmc from all cll patients ( n = 30 ) expressed prelp ( table 3 ), irrespective of clinical phase ( non - progressive / progressive ). prelp was also expressed in tumor cells of mcl patients ( 3 / 5 ) but not in aml ( 0 / 5 ), fl ( 0 / 2 ) t - or b - pll ( 0 / 5 ), hcl ( 0 / 2 ), mm ( 0 / 6 ), cml ( 0 / 5 ), and all ( 0 / 10 ). prelp was not expressed in fresh pbmc ( lymphocytes and monocytes ) of healthy donors ( 0 / 10 ), enriched normal blood b cells ( 0 / 6 ), t cells ( 0 / 4 ), or granulocytes ( 0 / 5 ). prelp was expressed in four cll cell lines ( eheb , i83 - e95 , 232 - b4 , wac3 - cd5 ) but not in cell lines derived from myeloma ( 0 / 1 ), t cell leukemia ( 0 / 1 ), all ( 0 / 4 ), aml ( 0 / 1 ), cml ( 0 / 1 ), and nk cell lymphoma ( 0 / 1 ) ( table 4 ). sequencing of cdna from 10 cll patients revealed no major mutations in the prelp gene ( data not shown ). the mw of normal prelp protein is 55 kda 9 . the specificity of our anti - prelp poly - and monoclonal antibodies was tested against recombinant prelp expressed in sp2 / 0 mouse cell line ( fig1 a - c ). cells transfected with pcmv6 - neo vector alone were used as a negative control . in western blot , the c - terminal polyclonal antibody recognized a major band of 55 - 58 kda , corresponding to mature , glycosylated prelp protein . 9 in addition , this polyclonal antibody detected three bands of 38 kda , 44 kda , and 48 kda , presumably representing unglycosylated or partly glycosylated prelp . 10 the monoclonal antibodies against the c - terminal as well as the n - terminal , recognized only the 38 kda prelp . this may be due to that the monoclonal antibodies might recognize epitopes that are hidden by secondary structures in the mature prelp protein . pbmc from cll patients ( n = 30 ) were tested for prelp protein expression in western blot . tumor cell lysates were prepared by a 2 - step method giving rise to two fractions . in the upper fraction , representing the cytosolic part , a band of 38 kda was detected in all cll patients ( fig2 a ). in the triton - x resistant lower fraction considered to contain membrane and cytoskeletal structures 20 a band of approximately 76 kda was seen ( fig2 b ). the 38 kda band was recognized both by the c - terminal ( monoclonal and polyclonal ) and the n - terminal ( monoclonal ) antibodies eliminating the possibility that the 38 kda fragment was a degradation product . the 76 kda band was detected only by the monoclonal n - terminal antibody . a plausible explanation is that the 76 kda variant had the signal peptide uncleaved and the c - terminal part hidden , which might be due to dimer formation . all four cll lines also expressed the 38 kda prelp as well as the 76 kda dimer ( data not shown ). pbmc of healthy control donors ( n = 10 ) did not express any prelp protein variants ( fig2 a - b ). we also analyzed serum from 8 cll patients and 8 healthy control donors by western blot . all serum samples showed two bands , 50 and 58 kda , representing mature glycosylated prelp 10 ( fig3 ). the 38 kda and 76 kda prelp proteins were not detected in serum from either patients or normal donors . untreated yeast - derived prelp had a mw of about 100 kda ( fig4 ) which may represent a dimer of the mature glycosylated prelp ( 55 kda ). after chemical deglycosylation using tfms for 2 h , bands in the region of 51 - 64 kda appeared , which may represent monomers of the mature glycosylated prelp . after tfms treatment for 4 h , a band of 38 kda was seen , corresponding to completely deglycosylated prelp protein ( fig4 ). the results of the apoptosis assay are presented in fig5 and 6 . the expression of prelp was studied in two cell lines including raji ( human b cell lymphoma ) and 183 - e95 ( chronic lymphocytic leukemia line ) by cell surface staining ( flow cytometry ). flow cytometry experiments using different clones of anti - prelp antibodies showed a reactivity of 22 - 80 % on raji in which the clone 3a5 showing highest reactivity ( fig7 ). the expression of prelp was studied in one human breast cancer cell line mda showing 9 - 17 % reactivity by flow cytometry depending on the clonality of anti - prelp antibody ( fig8 a ). expression profile of prelp in three ovarian carcinoma cell lines a2780s , 2008c13r , and caov4 was 44 , 50 , and 23 %, respectively by flow cytometry using anti - prelp antibody clone 1c10 - c3 ( fig8 b and 8c ). tumor tissues from three patients with neuroblastoma and one patient with medullablastoma also showed expression of prelp using anti - prelp antibody clone 4a4 ( fig9 a ). the expression of prelp was higher in tumor tissues in comparison to pbmc from a healthy donor ( fig9 a ). western blot analysis of lysates from cell lines mda ( human breast cancer ), u373 ( human glioblastoma ), and pc3 ( human prostate cancer ) showed strong expression of prelp with no reactivity with human pbmc from a healthy donor ( fig9 b ). immunocytochemistry ( icc ) on human breast cancer cell line skbr3 showed a strong expression of prelp using anti - prelp antibody clone 1c10 - c3 ( fig1 ). no expression of prelp was detected in normal human tissues of breast , skin , and testis ( fig1 - 13 ). table 5 shows a summary of prelp expression in different tissues and cell lines both in pathological and non - pathological samples using both n - terminal and c - terminal anti - prelp antibodies . 5 . klein u , tu y , stolovitzky g a , et al . gene expression profiling of b cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia reveals a homogeneous phenotype related to memory b cells . j exp med . 2001 ; 194 : 1625 - 1638 . 6 . mikaelsson e , danesh - manesh a h , luppert a , et al . fibromodulin , an extracellular matrix protein : characterization of its unique gene and protein expression in b - cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma . blood . 2005 ; 105 : 4828 - 4835 . 7 . abba m c , fabris v t , hu y , et al . identification of novel amplification gene targets in mouse and human breast cancer at a syntenic cluster mapping to mouse ch8a1 and human ch13q34 . cancer res . 2007 ; 67 : 4104 - 4112 . 8 . sztrolovics r , chen x n , grover j , roughley p j , korenberg j r . localization of the human fibromodulin gene ( fmod ) to chromosome 1q32 and completion of the cdna sequence . genomics . 1994 ; 23 : 715 - 717 . 9 . grover j , chen x n , korenberg j r , recklies a d , roughley p j . the gene organization , chromosome location , and expression of a 55 - kda matrix protein ( prelp ) of human articular cartilage . genomics . 1996 ; 38 : 109 - 117 . 10 . bengtsson e , neame p j , heinegard d , sommarin y . the primary structure of a basic leucine - rich repeat protein , prelp , found in connective tissues . j biol chem . 1995 ; 270 : 25639 - 25644 . 11 . bengtsson e , aspberg a , heinegard d , sommarin y , spillmann d . the amino - terminal part of prelp binds to heparin and heparan sulfate . j biol chem . 2000 ; 275 : 40695 - 40702 . 12 . bengtsson e , morgelin m , sasaki t , timpl r , heinegard d , aspberg a . the leucine - rich repeat protein prelp binds perlecan and collagens and may function as a basement membrane anchor . j biol chem . 2002 ; 277 : 15061 - 15068 . 13 . daneshmanesh a h , mikaelsson e , jeddi - tehrani m , et al . rorl , a cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and may serve as a putative target for therapy . int j cancer . 2008 ; 123 : 1190 - 1195 . 14 . harris n l , jaffe e s , diebold j , et al . the world health organization classification of neoplastic diseases of the haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues : report of the clinical advisory committee meeting , airlie house , virginia , november 1997 . histopathology . 2000 ; 36 : 69 - 86 . 15 . hallek m , cheson b d , catovsky d , et al . guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia : a report from the international workshop on chronic lymphocytic leukemia updating the national cancer institute - working group 1996 guidelines . blood . 2008 ; 111 : 5446 - 5456 . 16 . wendel - hansen v , sallstrom j , de campos - lima p o , et al . epstein - barr virus ( ebv ) can immortalize b - cll cells activated by cytokines leukemia . 1994 ; 8 : 476 - 484 . 17 . rezvany m r , jeddi - tehrani m , rabbani h , et al . autologous t lymphocytes may specifically recognize leukaemic b cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia . br j haematol . 2000 ; 111 : 608 - 617 . 18 . edge a s . deglycosylation of glycoproteins with trifluoromethanesulphonic acid : elucidation of molecular structure and function . biochem j . 2003 ; 376 : 339 - 350 . 19 . kohler g , milstein c . continuous cultures of fused cells secreting antibody of predefined specificity . nature . 1975 ; 256 : 495 - 497 . 20 . ferreira a , busciglio j , caceres a . microtubule formation and neurite growth in cerebellar macroneurons which develop in vitro : evidence for the involvement of the microtubule - associated proteins , map - la , hmw - map2 and tau . brain res dev brain res . 1989 ; 49 : 215 - 228 . 21 . vuillier f , dumas g , magnac c , et al . lower levels of surface b - cell - receptor expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia are associated with glycosylation and folding defects of the mu and cd79a chains . blood . 2005 ; 105 : 2933 - 2940 . 22 . le goff m m , hindson v j , jowitt t a , scott p g , bishop p n . characterization of opticin and evidence of stable dimerization in solution . j biol chem . 2003 ; 278 : 45280 - 45287 . 23 . mansson b , wenglen c , morgelin m , saxne t , heinegard d . association of chondroadherin with collagen type ii . j biol chem . 2001 ; 276 : 32883 - 32888 . 24 . scott p g , dodd c m , bergmann e m , sheehan j k , bishop p n . crystal structure of the biglycan dimer and evidence that dimerization is essential for folding and stability of class i small leucine - rich repeat proteoglycans . j biol chem . 2006 ; 281 : 13324 - 13332 . 25 . scott p g , mcewan p a , dodd c m , bergmann e m , bishop p n , bella j . crystal structure of the dimeric protein core of decorin , the archetypal small leucine - rich repeat proteoglycan . proc natl acad sci usa . 2004 ; 101 : 15633 - 15638 . 26 . grant d s , yenisey c , rose r w , tootell m , santra m , iozzo r v . decorin suppresses tumor cell - mediated angiogenesis . oncogene . 2002 ; 21 : 4765 - 4777 . 27 . yamaguchi y , ruoslahti e . expression of human proteoglycan in chinese hamster ovary cells inhibits cell proliferation . nature . 1988 ; 336 : 244 - 246 . 28 . yoshida k , suzuki y , honda e , et al . leucine - rich repeat region of decorin binds to filamin - a . biochimie . 2002 ; 84 : 303 - 308 . 29 . rufo a , alamanou m , rucci n , capulli m , heinegard d , teti a . the matrix proline / arginine - rich end leucin - rich repeat protein ( prelp ) impairs osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting nf - kappa b activity . bone . 2008 ; 42 ; 39 - 40 abstract 52 | 2 |
hereinafter the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings . fig1 is a schematic sectional view of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus ( electrophotographic color image forming apparatus ) which is used with the first to fourth process cartridges mounted therein . this apparatus is an electrophotographic full - color laser beam printer . it employs a transfer system and a vertical tandem system , and is designed to be used with a plurality of process cartridges removably mounted in the main assembly thereof . the main assembly 100 of the image forming apparatus ( which hereinafter will be referred to simply as main assembly ) has a front door as a hinged member ( which hereinafter will be referred to as front door ) 101 which is rotatably opened toward an operator , or closed away from the operator , about the hinge 101 a located at the bottom edge of the door 101 . in other words , the hinged front door 101 is attached to the upstream side of the main assembly 100 in terms of the direction a in which the cartridges 7 are mounted into the main assembly 100 . the cartridges 7 are to be mounted into the main assembly 100 or removed therefrom by an operator through the opening 91 of the main assembly 100 exposed by the opening of the front door 101 . fig1 shows the image forming apparatus in the state in which its front door 101 is closed against the main assembly 100 , whereas fig2 shows the image forming apparatus in the state in which its front door 101 has been opened toward an operator , with the opening 91 of the main assembly 100 being exposed . the first to fourth process cartridges ( which hereinafter may be simply referred to as cartridges ) 7 ( a - d )) develop four latent images corresponding one for one to the four color components into which the optical image of an intended full - color image is separated , into four visible images , that is , images ( toner images ) formed of magenta , cyan , yellow , and black developers ( toners ), respectively . these cartridges 7 ( a - d ) ( magenta , cyan , yellow , and black color development cartridges , listing from bottom ) are stacked in parallel in the direction slightly angled relative to the vertical direction , in the main assembly 100 each of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive drum ( which hereinafter will be referred to as photosensitive drum ) 1 ( a - d ). it also has a charging apparatus ( charging means ) 2 ( a - d ) for uniformly charging the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 . further , it has a developing apparatus ( developing means ) 4 ( a - d ) for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 ; it has a developing apparatus ( developing means ) 4 ( a - d ) for developing the electrostatic latent image into an visible image ( formed of toner ) by adhering the single - component developer ( which hereinafter may be simply referred to as toner ) as developer . in addition , each of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) has a cleaning apparatus ( cleaning means ) 6 ( a - d ) for removing the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the transfer of the toner images onto a recording medium . the developers stored in the developing apparatuses 4 ( a - d ) of the first to fourth cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are magenta , cyan , yellow , and black toners , respectively . the scanner units 3 ( a - d ) are located so that they oppose the abovementioned four cartridges 7 ( a - d ). they are the means for projecting a beam of light upon the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ), respectively , while modulating the beam of light with image formation data ; they form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) by projecting a beam of laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser element , upon photosensitive drums 1 . each of the scanner units 3 ( a - d ) has a semiconductor laser element ( unshown ), a polygon mirror 9 ( a - d ), which is rotated at a high speed , a focal lens 10 ( a - d ), etc . the set of the four cartridges 7 ( a - d ) and the set of the four scanner units 3 ( a - d ) are partitioned by an intermediary plate ( partition wall ) 93 located in the apparatus main assembly 100 . the beam of laser light outputted from each of the scanner units 3 ( a - d ) is made to enter the corresponding cartridge 7 ( a - d ) through the corresponding window 95 with which the intermediary plate 93 is provided , so that the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 ( a - d ) is scanned ( exposed ) by the beam of laser light . a referential letter l designates the path of the beam of laser light . the electrostatic transferring apparatus ( electrostatic transferring means ) 5 is held to the inward side of the front door 101 . the electrostatic transferring apparatus 5 has : an endless electrostatic transfer belt 11 ; a driving roller 13 , or the roller on the top side ; a tension roller 14 , or the roller on the bottom side ; and four transfer rollers 12 ( a - d ). the endless electrostatic transfer belt 11 is stretched around the driving roller 13 and tension roller 14 , being suspended by them . since the electrostatic transferring apparatus 5 is held to the inward side of the front door 101 , the front door 101 is opened or closed , while holding the transferring apparatus 5 . when the image forming apparatus is in the state shown in fig1 , that is , when the front door 101 is closed , the electrostatic transferring apparatus 5 opposes all of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) of the first to fourth cartridges 7 ( a - d ) the transfer rollers 12 ( a - d ) are positioned within the loop of the endless electrostatic transfer belt 11 so that when the front door 100 is in the closed state . they are kept pressed against the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) of the first to fourth cartridge 7 ( a - d ), with the electrostatic transfer belt 11 pinched between the transfer rollers 12 ( a - d ) and photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ), respectively . each scanner unit 3 is positioned on the downstream of the corresponding cartridge compartment 200 of the apparatus main assembly 100 , in terms of the aforementioned cartridge mounting direction a . in other words , listing from the upstream in terms of the cartridge mounting direction a , the front door 101 , transfer belt 11 , cartridge compartment 200 , and scanner unit 3 are positioned in this order . an operator is to mount or dismount the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) from the upstream side of the image forming apparatus . the recording medium feeding portion 16 is located in the bottom portion of the apparatus main assembly 100 . it conveys a recording medium s to the electrostatic transfer belt 11 as the conveying means of the transferring apparatus 5 . in this embodiment , the recording medium s is a medium in the form of a sheet , for example , a sheet of paper , an ohp sheet , etc . the recording medium feeding portion 16 comprises a cassette 17 in which the recording mediums s are stored , a feed roller ( semicylindrical roller ) 18 , and a pair of registration rollers 19 . the fixing portion 20 is in the top portion of the apparatus main assembly 100 . it fixes to the recording medium s the plurality of toner images different in color which have been transferred onto the recording medium s . the fixing portion 20 comprises : a rotational heat roller 21 a ; a pressure roller 21 b kept pressed against the heat roller 21 a to apply pressure to the recording medium s ; etc . a pair of discharge rollers 23 discharge the recording medium s , on which an image has been formed , into the delivery tray 24 located on top of the apparatus main assembly 100 . the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) of the first to fourth cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are sequentially rotated in the counterclockwise direction ( indicated by arrow mark in fig1 ) in accordance with the predetermined timing in the image formation sequence . as the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) are rotated , the scanner units 3 ( a - d ) are sequentially driven in synchronism with the rotations of the corresponding photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) in the cartridges 7 ( a - d ), respectively . further , the transfer belt 11 of the transferring apparatus 5 is rotationally driven by the driving roller 13 in the clockwise direction ( indicated by arrow mark in fig1 ). as the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) are rotated , they are uniformly charged by the charging apparatuses 2 ( a - d ) to predetermined polarity ( negative polarity in this embodiment ) and potential level . thereafter , electrostatic latent images in accordance with image formation data are formed on the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) by the beam of laser light l outputted from the scanner units 3 ( a - d ) while being modulated with the image formation data . the electrostatic latent images are developed ( in this embodiment , reversely developed with the use of toner , the inherent polarity of which is negative ) into visible images ( images formed of toner ) by the developing apparatuses 4 ( a - d ). as a result , toner images of magenta , cyan , yellow , and black colors are formed on the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ), respectively , in the predetermined sequence . meanwhile , the feed roller 18 is rotated with the predetermined timing , conveying the recording mediums s from the cassette 17 , into the apparatus main assembly 100 . each recording medium s is kept on standby as its leading edge comes into contact with the nip between the pair of registration rollers 19 . then , it is released by the pair of registration rollers 19 , which is rotated in synchronism with the rotation of the transfer belt 11 and the progression of the sequential formation of toner images on the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ). as a result , the recording medium s is delivered to the transfer belt 11 , and is conveyed to the transfer station by the rotation of the transfer belt 11 while being firmly held to the surface of the transfer belt 11 by the static electricity of the transfer belt 11 . more specifically , the recording medium s is conveyed upward by the rotation of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 from the bottom of the main assembly 100 , and while the recording medium s is conveyed upward , it sequentially receives in layers the magenta , cyan , yellow , and black toner images formed on the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ), in the transfer stations , which are the contact areas between the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) and transfer belt 11 . after the reception in layers of the toner images different in color , the recording medium s is separated from the transfer belt 11 with the utilization of the curvature of the transfer belt driving roller 13 , and is conveyed into the fixation station 20 . in the fixation station 20 , the recording medium s is conveyed through the fixation nip between the heat roller 21 a , and pressure roller 21 b kept pressed against the heat roller 21 a , while remaining pinched between the two rollers 21 a and 21 b , being therefore subjected to the heat and pressure applied by the two rollers 21 a and 21 b . as a result , the plurality of toner images different in color are fixed to the surface of the recording medium s . thereafter , the recording medium s is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers 23 into the delivery tray 24 located outside the apparatus main assembly 100 , with its image bearing surface facing downward . after the transfer of the toner images onto the recording medium s the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) are cleared of such residues as the toner remaining adhered to the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ), by the cleaning apparatuses 1 ( a - d ). fig3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of the cartridge 7 , and fig4 and 5 are schematic sectional views of the cartridge 7 . in this embodiment , the photosensitive drum 1 is one of the integral parts of the cartridge 7 . thus , the photosensitive drum 1 is mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 or removed therefrom by the mounting of the cartridge 7 into the apparatus main assembly 100 or the removal of the cartridge 7 therefrom . in the following description of the embodiments of the present invention , the widthwise direction of the cartridge 7 means the direction parallel to the direction in which the cartridge 7 is mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 or removed therefrom , whereas the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 7 means the direction intersectional to the direction in which the cartridge 7 is mounted into or removed from , the apparatus main assembly 100 . in other words , the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 7 is the direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the photosensitive drum 1 . the front side of the cartridge 7 means the side which faces upstream in terms of the direction in which the cartridge 7 is mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 ; it is the side from which the photosensitive drum 1 is partially exposed . the rear side of the cartridge 7 means the side opposite to the front side . further , the left and right sides of the cartridge 7 means the left and right sides as the cartridge 7 is seen from the front side . the top side of the cartridge 7 means the side which faces upward when the cartridge 7 is in the image formation position in the apparatus main assembly 100 , and the bottom side of the cartridge 7 is the side which faces downward when the cartridge is in the image formation position in the apparatus main assembly 100 . the first to fourth cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are identical except for the developers stored in the toner container portions ( developer storage portions ). each cartridge 7 has the top unit ( which hereinafter may be referred to as cleaner unit ) 50 , and the bottom unit ( which hereinafter may be referred to as development unit ) 4 a . in this embodiment the cleaner unit 50 comprises the photosensitive drum 1 , charging apparatus 2 , and cleaning apparatus 6 , whereas the development unit 4 a comprises the developing apparatus 4 for developing the electrostatic latent image on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 . the two units 4 a and 50 are connected with the use of a pair of pins 49 , being enable to pivot about the pins 49 . the photosensitive drum 1 is provided with flanges 72 and 75 , which are attached to the lengthwise ends of the photosensitive drum 1 , one for one . the flanges 72 and 75 are rotatably supported by supporting members ( bearings ) 31 a and 31 b , with which the left and right walls of the cleaning means frame 51 are provided . of the two flanges 72 and 75 , the flange 72 receives the driving force from the driving force transmitting member ( unshown ) of the apparatus main assembly 100 ; the photosensitive drum 1 is rotationally driven through the flange 72 . as the charging apparatus 2 , an electrically 20 conductive roller of a contact type is employed . the electrically conductive roller 2 is placed in contact with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 , and is rotated by the rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 while charge bias voltage is applied to the roller 2 . as a result , the charge roller 2 uniformly charges the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 . the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 ( waste toner : toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the toner image developed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 with developer is transferred onto the recording medium ) is removed by the cleaning blade ( cleaning member ) 60 , and is stored in the waste toner chamber ( residual toner storage chamber : storage chamber for removed developer ) 55 located above the cleaning blade 60 . incidentally , the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the toner image transfer therefrom moves past the contact area between the flexible sheet 80 and the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 , and reaches the cleaning blade 60 . the flexible sheet 80 prevents the waste toner from leaking out of the cleaning means frame 51 after the waste toner is removed from the cleaning blade 60 . in this embodiment , the development unit 4 a comprises a development roller 40 for developing the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 , and development means frames 45 a and 45 b , in which the toner is stored . in the space formed by the developing means frames 45 a and 45 b , a development blade 44 as the developer layer regulating member is located . the development roller 40 is rotated in the clockwise direction ( indicated by arrow mark ), with a minute gap maintained between the peripheral surfaces of the development roller 40 and photosensitive drum 1 by a pair of spacer rings 40 a . the developing means frames 45 a and 45 b are joined with the container unit 46 by ultrasonic welding or the like means . the development roller 40 is rotatably supported by the developing means container unit 46 , with a pair of bearings ( unshown ) placed between the development roller 40 and the unit 46 . with the peripheral surface of the development roller 40 , the toner supply roller 43 which is rotated ( clockwise direction indicated by arrow mark ) in contact with the development roller 40 , and the development blade ( developer layer regulating member ) 44 , are placed in contact . further , in the toner container potion ( developer storage portion ) 41 , the toner conveyance mechanism 42 for conveying toner to the toner supply roller 43 is located . the toner container portion 41 stores the developer to be borne by the development roller 40 to develop the abovementioned latent image . the developing means container unit 46 is provided with a pair of connective holes 47 , which are located at the lengthwise ends thereof , one for one , whereas the left and right walls of the cleaning means frame 51 of the cleaner unit 50 are provided with a pair of supporting holes 52 , one for one the developing means container unit 46 and cleaner unit 50 are held relative to each other so that the pair of connective holes 47 align with the pair of supportive holes 52 . then , a pair of pins 49 are inserted through the pair of connective holes 47 and pair of supportive holes 52 . as a result , the two units 46 and 50 are connected so that they can be pivoted about the pair of pins 49 . the development unit 4 a is kept pressured by the a pair of springs in the direction to rotate about the pair of pins 49 so that the development unit 4 a is kept pressured upon the unit 50 . therefore , the pair of the spacers 40 a of the development roller 40 are kept in contact with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 . the beam of laser light is projected from the scanner unit 3 into the cartridge 7 through the gap between the unit 50 and development unit 4 a , exposing the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in the cartridge 7 . more specifically , the beam of laser 20 light is projected toward the axial line of the photosensitive drum 1 . further , the beam of laser light l ( a - d ) is projected upon the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 ( a - d ) through the gap between the aforementioned cleaner unit 50 ( top unit ) and development unit 4 a ( bottom unit ). during development , the supply roller 43 , which is being rotated in the clockwise direction ( indicated by arrow mark ), rubs the development roller 40 , which is being rotated also in the clockwise direction ( indicated by arrow mark ). as a result , the development roller 40 is supplied with the toner borne on the supply roller 43 . as the development roller 40 is further rotated , the toner having adhered to the peripheral surface f of the development roller 40 reaches the development blade 44 , which regulates the amount by which the toner on the peripheral surface f of the development roller 40 is allowed to remain on the peripheral surface f , forming thereby a uniform layer of toner with a predetermined thickness on the peripheral surface of the development roller 40 , while giving the toner a predetermined amount of electric charge . then , as the development roller 40 is further rotated , the toner on the peripheral surface f of the development roller 40 is conveyed to the development station , or the area in which the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drum 1 and development roller 40 are placed extremely close to each other . in the development station , the toner on the peripheral surface f of the development roller 40 is adhered by the development bias applied to the development roller 40 from an electric power source ( unshown ), to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in the pattern of the electrostatic latent image having formed thereon ; in other words , the electrostatic latent image is developed . the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the development roller 40 after the development of the electrostatic latent image , that is , the toner on the peripheral surface of the development roller 40 , which did not contribute to the development of the latent image , is returned by the further rotation of the development roller 40 into the developing device , in which it is stripped ( recovered ) by the toner supply roller 43 from the development roller 40 , in the contact area between the supply roller 43 and development roller 40 . designated by a referential number 54 is a shutter for protecting the photosensitive drum 1 . the shutter 54 is attached to the cleaning means holding frame 51 . the shutter 54 is mechanically opened or closed ( mechanism is not shown ). more specifically , the shutter 54 is movable between the closed position ( fig3 - 5 ) in which it covers the opening 70 , with which the cartridge 7 is provided to transfer the toner onto the recording medium , and the open position ( double - dot chain line in fig3 ), into which it is moved downward to expose the photosensitive drum 1 . designated by referential numbers 90 are handles located at the left and right ends of the cleaning means frame 51 , one for one . the handles 90 are the portions by which the cartridge 7 is to be held by an operator when the cartridge 7 is mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 or removed therefrom . they project in the upstream direction , in terms of the aforementioned cartridge mounting direction a , from the left and right ends of the cleaning means frame 51 . next , the method for mounting the cartridge 7 into the apparatus main assembly 100 or dismounting it therefrom will be described . referring to fig2 , and 7 , first , the front door 101 must be opened by an operator ; the front door 101 must be rotated frontward about the hinge 101 a ( in the upstream direction in terms of cartridge mounting direction ). the complete opening of the front door 101 fully exposes the cartridge insertion opening 91 of the apparatus main assembly 100 . it should be noted here that as the front door 101 is opened by the operator , the aforementioned transferring apparatus attached to the inward side of the front door 101 also is rotated away from the apparatus main assembly 100 along with the front door 101 as shown in fig2 . the opening of the front door 101 exposes the cartridge insertion opening 91 in which four cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ), into which the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are to be mounted , are located , the four cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) are virtually vertically stacked , with the cartridge compartment 105 a being at the bottom and the rest stacked thereon in the alphabetical order . an operator is to hold the cartridge 7 by the left and right handles 90 , by grasping the handles 90 with both hands , and to insert the cartridge 7 into the proper cartridge compartment 105 through the cartridge insertion opening 91 , so that the rear side of the cartridge 7 , that is , the side opposite to the side where the photosensitive drum 1 is exposed , faces forward , and also , so that the guides 53 of the cartridge . 7 , located at the left and right ends of the cartridge 7 , ride on the guides 401 of the apparatus main assembly 100 . as the cartridge 7 is inserted deeper into the apparatus main assembly 100 , the aforementioned pair of bearings 31 a and 31 b are moved into the pair of guiding grooves ( guide rails ) 104 of the apparatus main assembly 101 , and come into contact with the end walls of the guiding grooves 31 a and 31 b , preventing thereby the cartridge 7 from being inserted further into the apparatus main assembly 100 , and at the same time ; properly positioning the cartridge 7 relative to the cartridge compartment 105 ( apparatus main assembly 100 ). after the mounting of the cartridge 7 , the front door 101 is to be closed . in order to remove the cartridge 7 from the apparatus main assembly 100 , the above described procedure for mounting the cartridge 7 into the apparatus main assembly 100 is to be carried out in reverse . referring mainly to fig8 and 9 , the structural arrangement for reducing the height of the apparatus main assembly 100 will be described . each of the cartridges 7 ( a - 1 ) is removably mounted . each of the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) is structured so that as the cartridge 7 is inserted into the cartridge compartment 105 , it is slightly tilted downward in terms of the cartridge mounting direction a . the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) are the spaces of the apparatus main assembly 100 into which the cartridges 7 are mountable . the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) are tilted 30 that when the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are in the proper positions in the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ). the hypothetical plane b which coincides with the axial line of each of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) is tilted downstream , in terms of the cartridge mounting direction a , relative to the vertical plane c which coincides with the axial line of the photosensitive drum 1 ( a ). a referential letter astands for the angle of the hypothetical plane b relative to the vertical plane c . thus , after the closing of the front door 101 , the transfer belt 11 , which is extended in contact with the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ), being therefore parallel to the hypothetical plane b , is also tilted ; in other words , the transfer belt 11 is roughly parallel to the hypothetical plane b . also referring to fig8 and 9 , designated by a referential letter d is a hypothetical direction ( plane ) which is perpendicular to the abovementioned hypothetical plane b . the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) are structured so that , as seen from the upstream of the plane d in terms of the cartridge mounting direction a , a part of the cartridge 7 in the top cartridge compartment of the adjacent two cartridge compartments in the vertical direction , overlaps with a part of the cartridge 7 in the bottom cartridge compartment . more specifically , fig9 shows the relationship between the cartridge 7 ( b ) and cartridge 7 ( c ). the hatched portions are the portion of the cartridge 7 ( b ) in the cartridge compartment on the top side , and the portion of the cartridge 7 ( c ) in the cartridge compartment on the bottom side , which overlap . the cartridge mounting direction a is such a direction that its upstream side is tilted upward relative to the abovementioned hypothetical direction ( plane ) d . the angle bat which the cartridge mounting direction a is tilted relative to the hypothetical plane d is set to be no less than 0 ° and no more than 30 °. the angle ais also set to be within the same range as the angle β . since the cartridge mounting direction a in this embodiment is tilted as described above , a part 41 c 1 of the toner chamber ( developer storage portions ) 41 c of the cartridge 7 c , or the top cartridge 7 of the two cartridges in the adjacent two cartridge compartments , in terms of the vertical direction , and a part 55 b 1 of the waste toner chamber ( waste developer storage portion ) 55 b of the cartridge 7 b , or the cartridge in the bottom cartridge compartment , overlap in terms of the direction of the plane d . in other words , the portions of the cartridges 7 b and 7 c , located between the hypothetical planes d 1 and d 2 perpendicular to the hypothetical plane b , overlap . the hypothetical plane d 1 is the plane which is perpendicular to the plane b , and coincides with the highest point of the cartridge 7 b , or the cartridge in the bottom cartridge compartment , after the mounting of the cartridge 7 b into the apparatus main assembly 100 . in other words , it is the hypothetical plane which coincides with the external edge 55 b 2 of the waste toner chamber 55 b and is perpendicular to the plane b . the hypothetical plane d 2 is the plane which is perpendicular to the plane b , and coincides with the lowest point of the cartridge 7 c , or the cartridge in the bottom cartridge compartment , after the mounting of the cartridge 7 c into the apparatus main assembly 100 . in other words , it is the hypothetical plane which coincides with the external edge 41 c 2 of the toner chamber 41 c and is perpendicular to the plane b . incidentally , the above described planes b , d , d 1 and d 2 are hypothetical planes , being therefore invisible . with the provision of the above described structural arrangement , the distance e 1 between the photosensitive drums 1 b and 1 c in the two cartridges 7 b and 7 c in the adjacent two cartridge compartments , one for one , in terms of the vertical direction can be substantially reduced compared to that in accordance with the prior art , and in addition , the width e 2 of the toner chamber 41 c , in terms of the direction parallel to the plane b , can be increased . therefore , even if the cartridge 7 is reduced in size to reduce the image forming apparatus size , the cartridge 7 does not reduce in toner capacity . further , the toner chamber 41 c can be made in a virtually cubical shape , making it possible to reduce to one the number of the toner sending mechanisms 42 c for sending the toner in the toner chamber 41 out of the toner chamber 41 . therefore , the problem that the reduction in cartridge height results in the increase in cartridge cost does not occur . it has been confirmed through experiments that as the residual toner ( waste toner ) is removed by the cleaning blade 60 at the cleaning point f , the removed residual toner accumulates on virtually the same area , which is a predictable distance from the cleaning point f . in the waste toner chamber 55 c . therefore , by extending the waste toner chamber 55 c not only toward the deeper end of the cartridge 7 in terms of the cartridge mounting direction a , but also , upward of the blade 60 c , the waste toner can be efficiently stored in the waste toner chamber 55 c . in other words , by constructing the waste toner chamber 55 c as described above , the waste toner chamber 55 c can be made spatially efficient without increasing the distance e 1 between the adjacent two photosensitive drums in terms of the vertical direction . although the relationship between the adjacent two cartridges 7 in terms of the vertical direction has been described with reference to that between the cartridges 7 b and 7 c , the relationships between the cartridges 7 a and 7 b , and between the cartridges 7 c and 7 d , are the same as that between the cartridges 7 b and 7 c . as described above according to this embodiment , the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) of the main assembly 100 of the image forming apparatus are structured so that the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are removably mountable into the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) at a downward angle as seen from the upstream side in terms of the direction a in which the cartridge 7 is mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 ; the hypothetical plane b which coincides with the axial line of the photosensitive drum 1 of each of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) in the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) is tilted downstream in terms of the aforementioned cartridge mounting direction a , relative to the vertical plane ; and a part 55 b 1 of the waste toner chamber 55 ( waste developer storage portion ) of the cartridge 7 in the bottom cartridge compartments of the adjacent two cartridge compartments , in terms of the vertical direction , overlaps with a part 41 c 1 of the toner chamber 41 ( developer storage portion ) of the cartridge in the other cartridge compartment , or the top cartridge compartment , of the adjacent two cartridge compartments , as seen from the upstream of the hypothetical direction ( plane ) d perpendicular to the plane b ; and the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are mounted into , or removed from , the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) at an upward angle relative to the hypothetical direction ( plane ) d perpendicular to the hypothetical plane b . with the employment of this structural arrangement , the distance e 1 between the cartridges 1 in the adjacent two cartridge compartments 105 in terms of the vertical direction can be substantially reduced compared to that in accordance with the prior art , making it therefore possible to substantially reduce the overall height of the main assembly 100 moreover , the reduction in the overall height of the image forming apparatus does not result in the degrading of the cartridge 7 in specifications and quality ; for example , it is unnecessary to reduce the cartridge in toner capacity , or to shrink the waste toner chamber , in order to reduce the overall height of the image forming apparatus . further , the cartridge 7 is to be mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 in the diagonally downward direction , making it easier for the cartridge 7 to be mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 . further , referring to fig9 , the width e 3 of the cartridge 7 in terms of the direction parallel to the plane b is wider than the width e 4 of the cartridge 7 in terms of the direction perpendicular to the cartridge mounting direction a . with the employment of this structural arrangement , the distance between the two cartridges in the adjacent two cartridge compartments 105 in terms of the vertical direction can be substantially reduced compared to that in accordance with the prior art . consequently , the cartridge 7 can be reduced in size . also as described above , the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) of the main assembly 100 of the image forming apparatus are structured so that the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are removably mountable into the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) at a downward angle as seen from the upstream side in terms of the direction a in which the cartridge 7 is mounted into the apparatus main assembly 100 , and the hypothetical plane b which coincides with the axial line of the photosensitive drum 1 of each of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) in the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) is tilted downstream in terms of the aforementioned cartridge mounting direction a , relative to the vertical plane . therefore , it is possible for an operator to mount the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) into the apparatus main assembly 100 or remove it therefrom with greater efficiency , because the above described structural arrangement makes the cartridge compartments 105 b - 105 d slightly offset inward of the apparatus main assembly 100 , that is , in the cartridge mounting direction a , from the cartridge located immediately below . further , the plurality of cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ), in which the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are removably mountable , are stacked so that after the mounting of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) into the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ), the hypothetical plane b which coincides with all the axial lines of the photosensitive drums of the cartridges 7 ( a - d ), is tilted downstream , in terms of the cartridge mounting direction a , relative to the vertical plane which coincides with the axial line of the photosensitive drum la in the cartridge 7 a , and an operator is expected to mounted the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) into the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ) or remove it therefrom , at an upward angle relative to the hypothetical plane d perpendicular to the hypothetical plane b , improving thereby the efficiency with which the cartridges 7 ( a - d ) are mounted into , or removed from , the apparatus main assembly 100 . incidentally , in the preceding embodiment , the light projecting means for projecting a beam of light upon the peripheral surface of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 while modulating the beam with the image formation data was the scanner unit 3 which projects the beam of laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser . however , the light projecting means does not need to be limited to the scanner unit 3 . for example , it may be an led array unit which projects the beam of light emitted from a light emitting diode ( led ). further , the transfer belt 11 in the preceding embodiment may be replaced with an intermediary transfer belt ( intermediary transfer member ), onto which the toner images formed in the cartridges are transferred ( primary transfer ), and from which the transferred toner images are transferred ( secondary transfer ) onto the recording medium s . next , referring to fig1 and 11 , the second embodiment of the present invention will be described . the components , members , portions , etc ., in this embodiment , which are the same as those in the first embodiment , are given the same referential symbols as those given in the first embodiment , and will not be described here . the image forming apparatus 200 in this embodiment is virtually the same in structure as that in the first embodiment , except that the apparatus main assembly 200 in this embodiment is structured so that the beam of laser light l projected from each of the scanner units 103 ( a - d ) to expose the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) of the corresponding cartridges 107 ( a - d ) enters the corresponding cartridge 7 ( a - d ) at an upward angle relative to the plane d 1 which is perpendicular to the aforementioned plane b and coincides with the axial line of the photosensitive drum 1 . referential symbols la - ld designate the paths of the beams of laser light l for exposure . the beam of laser light l ( a - d ) from the scanner units 3 are projected upon the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) through the gaps between the aforementioned cleaner units 50 and development units 4 a , respectively . the beams la - ld of laser light are projected toward the axial lines of the corresponding photosensitive drums 1 . in other words , the paths la - ld of the beams of laser light emitted from the scanner units 3 ( a - d ) are tilted upward , that is , toward the scanner units 103 ( a - d ), relative to the aforementioned directions ( planes ) d perpendicular to the plane b and coinciding with the axial lines of the photosensitive drums 1 of the corresponding cartridges is 7 ( a - d ). the angle θ between the plane d 1 perpendicular to the plane b and the paths la - ld of the beams of exposure light is set to be no less than 0 ° and no more than roughly 10 °. incidentally , the path l of the beam of the exposure light in the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment coincides with the plane d 1 perpendicular to the plane b . the paths la - ld of the exposure light in this embodiment are tilted upward , in fig1 , by the angle θ about the axial lines of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ). with the employment of this structural arrangement , the development unit 104 ( a - d ) can be rotated upward ( lifted ) about the axial lines of the photosensitive drums 1 ( a - d ) by the angle θ . in other words , the development unit 104 ( a - d ) can be rotated so that their bottom surfaces z can be positioned substantially higher relative to the apparatus main assembly 100 than they could according to the prior art . therefore , the guiding grooves 103 of the cartridge compartments 105 ( a - d ), and the guiding portions 104 of the apparatus main assembly 100 ( not shown in fig1 and 11 ) can be tilted upward by the angle e as described above , making it possible to further reduce the distance between the two cartridges 7 in the adjacent two cartridge compartments in terms of the vertical direction , and therefore , to reduce the height of the image forming apparatus . obviously , the same effects as those realized by the first embodiment could also be realized by this embodiment . moreover , regarding the positioning of the development units 104 , more specifically , the positional relationship among the photosensitive drum 1 , development roller 40 , toner supply roller 43 , development blade 44 , and toner stirring member 42 , in each development unit 104 , which are experientially known to be essential to the development of an electrostatic latent image , in fig1 which is a vertical sectional view of the development unit 104 , can be made to be closer to that in an image forming apparatus in which the plurality of cartridges 7 are vertically stacked roughly in parallel , with each cartridge 7 being horizontally placed . in other words , with the above described structural arrangement in which the plane b is tilted in the counterclockwise direction relative to the vertical direction , and the exposure paths la - ld are also tilted in the clockwise direction ( upward ) relative to the above described plane d perpendicular to the plane b , the positioning of the developing apparatuses in this embodiment can be made similar to the positioning of the developing apparatuses in an image forming apparatus in accordance with the prior art , that is , an image forming apparatus in which the plurality of cartridges are vertically stacked in parallel , in other words , the cartridge compartments of the main assembly are vertically stacked in parallel , so that when the cartridges are in their image forming positions in the main assembly , their bottom surfaces are positioned virtually horizontal . further , the part 104 a of the developing apparatus 104 of the cartridge 7 is intersectional to the aforementioned plane b . and is positioned above the plane d , which coincides with the axial line of the photosensitive drum 1 and perpendicular to the plane b . with the employment of the above described structural arrangement , the development unit 104 of the cartridge 7 can be made greater in volumetric ratio than the cleaning apparatus 6 of the cartridge 7 , making it possible to optimize the volumetric ratio between the development unit 104 and cleaning apparatus 6 of the cartridge 7 , because the amount of the toner actually consumed for development is greater than the amount of the waste toner . further , the cartridge 7 can be reduced in size . incidentally , also in this embodiment , the electrostatic transfer belt 11 may be replaced with an intermediary transfer belt ( intermediary transferring member ), onto which the toner images formed in the cartridges are transferred ( primary transfer ), and from which the transferred toner images are transferred ( secondary transfer ) onto the recording medium s . according to the present invention , it is possible to reduce an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in height . further , it is possible to improve the operational efficiency with which the cartridges are mounted into , or removed from , the main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , by an operator . while the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein , it is not confined to the details set forth , and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims . this application claims priority from japanese patent applications nos . 099503 / 2004 , 099504 / 2004 , 144839 / 2004 and 253011 / 2004 filed mar . 30 , 2004 , mar . 30 , 2004 , may 14 , 2004 , aug . 31 , 2004 , respectively , which are hereby incorporated by reference . | 6 |
the invention summarized above and defined by the enumerated claims may be better understood by referring to the following detailed description , which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings . this detailed description of particular preferred embodiments , set out below to enable one to build and use particular implementations of the invention , is not intended to limit the enumerated claims , but to serve as particular examples thereof . the particular examples set out below are preferred specific implementations of a floral bouquet and keepsake assembly , namely , one with a container , a probe extending from the container , a body of stalk supporting material , and a receptacle for attaching a keepsake thereto . the invention , however , may also be applied to other types and shapes of assemblies and keepsakes . fig1 shows the basic components of the floral bouquet and keepsake assembly 1 of the present invention . the assembly 1 includes a container 10 having a bottom wall 6 and a peripheral wall 8 , an upright probe 12 , or supporting means , having one end 14 and an opposite end 16 , a body of stalk supporting material 18 extending through the probe 12 , a floral bouquet 20 extending into the foam , and a keepsake 24 , denoted by a box , secured to the probe 12 via a receptacle 22 . the one end 14 of the upright probe 12 extends from the approximate center of the bottom wall 6 of the container 10 . the container 10 , or containing means , includes any type of suitable container for supporting stalk supporting material , flowers and keepsakes . thus , it can take a variety of shapes , such as round , square , oval , or other suitable shape , sizes and may be constructed of a variety of materials , including natural or synthetic material , most preferably plastics . the probe 12 , or supporting means , can similarly be made of a variety of suitable shapes , sizes and materials . the stalk supporting material 18 can absorb and retain water while firmly supporting the flowers . in the preferred embodiment , the stalk supporting material is known as floral foam , a product commonly used by florists and available from numerous sources . one such suitable product is available under the trademark oasis ®. the term keepsake , as currently used in the floral industry to which this invention is related , denotes a gift item that is delivered as part of a floral display to the recipient . some keepsakes are independently useful items when the bouquet of flowers has lived out its useful life , others are simply adornments , and others are a combination of both . some keepsakes are structures having a flat base while others have one or more connecting components related to the floral display , such as a receptacle , integrally designed into the bottom of the keepsake . examples of keepsakes having utility might be candles , lamps , vases , etc . decorative keepsakes might include figurines , such as ceramic dolls or religious votives . it is understood , however , that keepsakes as used herein , are not limited to these enumerated types of gift items but are merely exemplary . as shown in fig2 the container 10 and the probe 12 are not integral . rather , the bottom wall 6 of the container 10 contains a latching mechanism 32 defining an interior space substantially equal to the circumference of the one end 14 of the probe 12 in order to releasably connect the two components together . fig2 a shows one embodiment of the latching mechanism . in particular , the one end 14 of the probe 12 comprises a substantially round disk . the container bottom wall 6 includes notches 32 that are ratcheted in a downward orientation so that the one end 14 of the probe 12 may snap into the interior space , and the probe 12 is secured in place and can be removed only with considerable force . in the alternative embodiment shown in fig2 b , a twist locking design is used as the latching mechanism . in particular , the one end 33 of the probe 13 is designed with two diametrically opposed &# 34 ; fingers &# 34 ; 34 , two tabs 37 and an alignment dot 35 . the container bottom wall 6 is designed with notches 32 and a mating alignment dot 36 . when assembling the two components , the assembler aligns the two dots 35 and 36 and rotates the probe 13 clockwise . the fingers 34 are slightly compressed by the vertical walls of the two notches 32 across which they horizontally traverse . when the fingers complete their travel across the notches and past their trailing edges , they snap radially outward . concurrently , the rigid tabs 37 abut against the leading edges of the notches 32 , thus preventing further rotation . in this way , each of two opposing notches 32 is secured by a finger 34 at one edge and a tab 37 at the other . these designs provide the benefits of simple and fast assembly , while being very secure when fully assembled . it is understood , however , that other ways of temporarily but securely latching the one end of the probe to the container bottom wall are acceptable , including the use of adhesive , velcro ®, and another known mechanical latching system . the non - integral , snap - in container and probe design , or container - probe kit , permits the manufacturer and the retailer to obtain an economy of storage and shipping volume . as shown in fig3 each container of each assembly of the present invention is nestable into one another when the probes are not attached . fig3 illustrates three such containers 100 , 200 , and 300 nested into one another . accordingly , a shipment of many sets of floral bouquets assemblies of the present invention from the manufacturer to a single retail floral shop takes a fraction of the space that would otherwise be needed were the container 10 and probe 12 integral . this design permits simple and rapid packaging and results in reduced shipping costs and reduces the storage space needed when not in use . referring back to fig2 the upright probe 12 has a generally conical shape , tapering from the one end 14 to an upper region 18 and terminating in an opposite end 16 . it is understood , however , that other shapes , sizes and materials that can support floral foam and a keepsake assembly may be employed . in this preferred embodiment , the probe 12 also includes four vertical slots 17 extending downward from the opposite end 16 into the upper region 18 . in one preferred embodiment the slots 17 extend for approximately 0 . 5 inches . the slots 17 create four individual spikes 19 which , when inserted into a receptacle ( not shown ) during assembly , are compressed toward each other , thereby creating a radially outward force against the interior of the receptacle . this adds to the frictional force engaging the two members and provides for a more secure assembly . the compressible spikes 19 also permit the use of a limited variety of sizes of receptacles that can mate with the probe 12 . as shown in fig4 in order to add further versatility to the bouquet assembly , an adaptor cap 40 may be provided . this cap can be pressed onto the upper region 18 of the probe 12 in order to increase the diametric footprint of the opposite end 16 and region 18 , thus adapting the probe 12 to mate with a receptacle having a larger inner diameter than could be accommodated without such a cap . the receptacle may be integral with a keepsake or may be part of an intermediate support which supports a keepsake . in either case , however , the single container and probe design , or kit , described above may be utilized . both embodiments will now be described . as shown in fig5 a keepsake 50 , in this example , a ceramic character and a small candle , has a receptacle 52 defining a hole in the base 54 of the keepsake as a unitary part of the keepsake . thus , when the floral bouquet ( not shown ) has lived out its useful life , and the container 56 and probe 58 are no longer needed , the keepsake 50 is simply removed and the receptacle 52 serves as a permanent part of the base 54 of the keepsake for placement on a flat surface . fig6 shows a floral bouquet assembled with a keepsake that does not incorporate an integral receptacle . in this example , a large cylindrical candle 60 have a base 61 is supported by an intermediate support 62 having a base plate 64 and gripping members 66 to secure the candle 60 thereto . projecting normally from the underside of the base plate 64 is a receptacle 68 defining a hole 69 . as shown , this receptacle is substantially tubular - shaped and frictionally engages the probe 70 in exactly the same manner as described in the previous embodiments . the base plate 64 has a top surface , a bottom surface and a peripheral edge , and a shape , in this case circular , that supports a keepsake having a base of a similar shape and size . however , it is understood that base plates and mating keepsakes of any of a variety of shapes and sizes are possible . the intermediate support 62 may be made of any suitable material , such as plastic or metal and may be assembled from individual components or molded or cast as a unitary assembly . in the embodiment shown , the gripping members 66 are connected at various locations around the circumference of the base plate 64 , normal to the top surface 14 . in this embodiment , wherein the base plate 64 takes the shape of a round disk , two of the gripping members 66 are directly opposite and facing each other and the third is located substantially equidistant between the first two members . thus , almost half of the circumference of the edge is unobstructed by a gripping member . the unobstructed area provides a point of entry and removal for the keepsake . to assemble , the candle 60 is simply slid into the retention assembly 62 until its base abuts the three gripping members 66 . as shown , these members &# 34 ; hug &# 34 ; the base 61 of the candle 60 and prevents the keepsake from moving in the both the vertical and horizontal positions . as further detailed in fig7 a and 7b , in order to prevent the candle 60 from sliding back out of the intermediate support 62 in the same manner that it was inserted therein , a depressible detente , or protuberance 80 is provided . as shown in fig7 b , the protuberance 80 is located at the edge of the base plate 64 directly or approximately opposite one of the gripping members 66 . when inserting the keepsake 60 into the intermediate support 62 , the base 61 of the keepsake contacts the protuberance 80 and either a lateral sliding force or a downward force deflects it downwardly . when the keepsake 60 is fully inserted , the protuberance 80 snaps back to its original position . at this point , the substantially flat and vertical edge 81 of the protuberance 80 is flush against the base 61 of the keepsake and obstructs its lateral movement in that direction . thus , the keepsake 60 is safely secured to the retention assembly at four points , in particular , the three gripping members 66 and the protuberance 80 . in this way , the final two steps of assembly , namely , snapping the keepsake 60 into the keepsake assembly 62 and safely securing it into place , are accomplished simultaneously , in a matter of seconds , and with practically no effort or skill . it is understood that the gripping members and protuberance of the intermediate support described herein in detail and shown in fig6 a and 7b comprise but one example of an acceptable means for securing a keepsake without an integral receptacle to a probe . other intermediate supports , or means that can support a keepsake while permitting easy detachment of the keepsake from the support , are also acceptable . for example , the base of the keepsake can be temporarily adhered to the top surface of the base plate of the intermediate support with any of a variety of adhesives , adhesive tapes , velcro ®, and other temporary connecting means . these options may eliminate the need for gripping members or other support members or may be used in conjunction with such members . after serving their intended purposes , typically , the molded components of this invention will be discarded along with the old flowers . however , this may not always be the case . an additional feature of this invention is that they , in fact , can be reused repeatedly to create new bouquet / keepsake arrangements . for example , a large quantity of the assemblies of the present invention may be purchased by a florist or a caterer of large affairs for use as reusable centerpieces . at the completion of one event , during which numerous bouquet / keepsake arrangements are displayed , the flowers and keepsakes would typically be removed . the container and keepsake retention assemblies could then be disassembled , cleaned , if necessary , and stored for a future affair . at the appropriate time , the components can then simply be reassembled with new florists &# 39 ; foam , flowers and new ( or existing ) keepsakes in the manner described in detail above . having thus described an exemplary embodiment of the invention , it will be apparent that further alterations , modifications , and improvements will also occur to those skilled in the art . further , it will be apparent that the present invention is not limited to use of a candle and candle retention device . such alterations , modifications , and improvements , though not expressly described or mentioned above , are nonetheless intended and implied to be within the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the foregoing discussion is intended to be illustrative only ; the invention is limited and defined only by the various following claims and equivalents thereto . | 0 |
although certain embodiments of the present invention are described herein , it is understood modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from its course and scope . scope of the present invention is not limited to the number of constituting components , the materials thereof , the shapes thereof , the relative arrangement thereof , etc . furthermore , while the accompanying drawings illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention , such drawings are not necessarily depicted to scale . fig1 illustrates a method 100 for determining a number of threads to maximize system utilization , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . the method 100 begins with step 102 which determines the current system utilization . step 102 determines the current system utilization . the present invention may observe current system utilization by various means . in one embodiment of the present invention , determining current system utilization 102 is performed by observing the number of clock cycles the processors &# 39 ; cores spend processing data versus the number of clock cycles the cores spend idle , for a given period of time . for example , if during a period of time the cores perform calculations for 25 clock cycles and sit idle for 75 clock cycles , the current utilization is 0 . 25 or 25 % utilization . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , determining current system utilization 102 is performed by identifying the speed of the processor ( s ) residing in the system , identifying the number of clock cycles a given set of instructions requires , and measuring the time necessary for the processor core ( s ) to perform the instructions . for example , the system utilizes a single processor with a clock speed of one billion cycles per second ( 1 ghz ) and performs one billion instructions for the target application in two ( 2 ) seconds . assuming no other application utilizes the core ( s ) during the two seconds , the current utilization is 0 . 5 or 50 % utilization . in another alternative embodiment of the present invention , the determination of current system utilization 102 may be performed by sending to the operating system ( os ) a request for the current system utilization value and thereinafter receiving the current system utilization value from the os . while particular embodiments of determining the current system utilization are described herein for purposes of illustration , many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art . after completion of step 102 , the method 100 continues with step 104 which determines the current thread count for all active applications . the present invention subscribes to the assumption that the absolute time during which no processor utilization takes place is invariant to the number of threads . for example , the current utilization for 1 thread is 0 . 25 or 25 % and the 75 % of idleness equals 3 seconds of processing time . after raising the number of threads so that the utilization is 99 %, the duration in which a single thread idles is still 3 seconds . this assumption is for example met in client - server scenarios , where the application runs on a client and is idle while making calls to the server . since the server is significantly bigger dimensioned than a client , the response time might remain constant while raising the number of threads . another example would be a system with hardware that is being called by the threads . if said hardware device is significantly bigger dimensioned than would be necessary to serve a few simultaneous requests , it can be assumed that response times will remain constant with increasing number of threads if the number of threads is not too high . step 104 determines the current thread count for all active applications . in one embodiment of the present invention , step 104 determines the thread count by polling each active application for the number of threads created therein . each of the active applications would return the number of threads it manages and step 104 would calculate the summation of threads for the active applications . in another alternative embodiment of the present invention , the determination of current thread count 104 may be performed by sending to the operating system ( os ) a request for the current thread count value and thereinafter receiving the current thread count value from the os . while particular embodiments of determining the current thread count are described herein for purposes of illustration , many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art . after completion of step 104 , the method 100 continues with step 106 which determines the number of processor cores residing in the system . step 106 determines the number of processor cores residing in the system . in one embodiment of the present invention , step 106 determines the core count by sending to the operating system ( os ) a request for the current core count value and thereinafter receiving the current core count value from the os . while particular embodiments of determining the current processor core count are described herein for purposes of illustration , many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art . after completion of step 106 , the method 100 continues with step 108 which receives an optimum system utilization value from an end user . step 108 receives an optimum system utilization value from an end user . the optimum system utilization represents the desired percentage of time the processor core ( s ) are not performing instructions for active applications . in one embodiment of the present invention , the optimum system utilization value is in the form of a decimal , for example 0 . 95 . the value 0 . 95 corresponds to the core ( s ) performing instructions for active applications 95 % of the time . after completion of step 108 , the method 100 continues with step 110 which calculates the optimum thread count . step 110 calculates the optimum thread count . the optimum thread count represents the number of threads required to achieve a level of system utilization equal to the value received in step 108 , supra . the optimum thread count is derived from a function applying the current system utilization value of step 102 , the current thread count value of step 104 , the current processor core count value of step 106 , and the optimum system utilization value of step 108 . where v 5 corresponds to the optimum thread count ( the number possibly requiring rounding ), v 4 corresponds to the optimum system utilization value of step 108 , v 3 corresponds to the number of processor cores value of step 106 , v 2 corresponds to the current thread count value of step 104 , and v 1 corresponds to the current system utilization value of step 102 . the above stated formula is derived from the fact that the utilization of the system by the threads can be modeled as a binomial distribution : p is the probability that the application is using cycles ( e . g . not idle ) at a specific point in time , n is the total number of threads . hence the probability p that the number of threads using cycles k at a specific point in time is k is : p ( k = k )=( k n ) p k ( 1 − p ) ( n - k ) since the probability that at least 1 thread is using cycles at a specific point in time p ( k & gt ; 0 ) is identical to 1 − p ( k = 0 ), we hold : solving this equation to n yields the basis of the equation above . other scenarios might need different distribution functions . other distribution functions can be used to yield the respective formulas to determine the optimum number of threads , and this invention is not limited to binomial distribution - based functions . after completion of step 110 , the method continues with step 112 which sends the optimum thread count value v 5 to the running applications . step 112 sends the optimum thread count value v 5 to the running applications wherein the running applications can adjust their number of threads to ensure optimum system utilization . in contrast to the dynamic approach where the number of threads is changed and the impact on the system monitored ( which consumes additional cycles by itself ), only the information of a single run is necessary . while said dynamic approach can cause corner cases where the number of threads will alternate between two or more values due to rounding errors , and is prone to unnecessarily change the number of threads due to brief periods of time with different system load , this approach will not be affected by any of these problems . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 may send the optimum thread count value v 5 to the operating system wherein the operating system controls the number of threads being created by active applications . thus by controlling the number of threads created by active applications , the operating system facilitates optimum system utilization . after completion of step 112 , the method 100 ends . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 forgoes the step 104 which determines the current thread count . in this alternative embodiment , the current thread count is already known since the user configured the application before or during startup with a specific thread count . therefore , since the number of current threads is fixed and known , the step 104 is not necessary and therefore skipped . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 repeats steps 102 through 112 cyclically according to a period of time provided by an end user . by repeating steps 102 through 112 cyclically , the present invention takes into account changing conditions in the computer system . for example , the utilization of a computer system may fluctuate between times of heave use and times of relatively minimal use throughout the day . by repeating the method 100 , an optimum number of threads may be implemented depending on the current system utilization . in another alternative embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 repeats steps 102 , 104 , 108 , 110 , and 112 cyclically according to a period of time provided by an end user . moreover , step 106 ( determining current core count ) is specifically not repeated for there may be situations where the number of available processor cores does not change between successive instances of the method 100 . in another alternative embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 repeats steps 102 , 106 , 108 , 110 , and 112 cyclically according to a period of time provided by an end user . moreover , step 104 ( determining current thread count ) is specifically not repeated for the present invention may utilize the optimum thread count calculated in step 110 of the previous instance of the method 100 . therefore , since the number of threads has not changed since the previous invocation of the method 100 , the need to calculate the current thread count is unnecessary . in another alternative embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 repeats steps 102 , 108 , 110 , and 112 cyclically and according to a period of time provided by an end user . moreover , steps 104 and 106 are specifically not repeated for the reasons provide supra . in another embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 repeats steps 102 , 104 , 106 , 110 , and 112 cyclically and according to a period of time provided by an end user . moreover , step 108 ( receive optimum system utilization ) is specifically not repeated since the optimum system utilization may not change between subsequent invocations of the method 100 . in another embodiment of the present invention , the method 100 repeats step 102 , 104 , 110 , and 112 cyclically and according to a period of time provided by an end user . moreover , the steps 106 and 108 are specifically not repeated for the reasons provided supra . a feature of the present invention is the fact that the method 100 can optimize a single - core system as well as multi - core systems . this is due to the fact that even a single processor can become overloaded with threads forcing some threads to wait for processor time . since each additional thread introduces an overhead to context switches , administering of threads in the operating system , etc ., valuable cycles are wasted if the number of threads exceeds the optimum . additionally , with too few threads created the processor cores may sit idly by waiting for additional instructions from active applications . by determining the optimum number of threads , the active applications can better utilize the processor &# 39 ; s capabilities . fig2 illustrates a computer system 900 which may facilitate a method for determining a number of threads to maximize system utilization , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . the computer system 900 comprises a processor 908 ( may have multiple cores ), an input device 906 coupled to the processor 908 , an output device 910 coupled to the processor 908 , and memory devices 902 and 912 each coupled to the processor 908 . the input device 906 may be , inter alia , a keyboard , a mouse , a keypad , a touchscreen , a voice recognition device , a sensor , a network interface card ( nic ), a voice / video over internet protocol ( voip ) adapter , a wireless adapter , a telephone adapter , a dedicated circuit adapter , etc . the output device 910 may be , inter alia , a printer , a plotter , a computer screen , a magnetic tape , a removable hard disk , a floppy disk , a nic , a voip adapter , a wireless adapter , a telephone adapter , a dedicated circuit adapter , an audio and / or visual signal generator , a light emitting diode ( led ), etc . the memory devices 902 and 912 may be , inter alia , a cache , a dynamic random access memory ( dram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), a hard disk , a floppy disk , a magnetic tape , an optical storage such as a compact disc ( cd ) or a digital video disc ( dvd ), etc . the memory device 912 includes a computer code 914 which is a computer program that comprises computer - executable instructions . the computer code 914 includes , inter alia , an algorithm used for determining the number of threads for optimum system utilization according to the present invention . the processor 908 executes the computer code 914 . the memory device 902 includes input data 904 . the input data 904 includes input required by the computer code 914 . the output device 910 displays output from the computer code 914 . either or both memory devices 902 and 912 ( or one or more additional memory devices not shown in fig2 ) may be used as a computer usable medium ( or a computer readable medium or a program storage device ) having a computer readable program embodied therein and / or having other data stored therein , wherein the computer readable program comprises the computer code 914 . generally , a computer program product ( or , alternatively , an article of manufacture ) of the computer system 900 may comprise said computer usable medium ( or said program storage device ). any of the components of the present invention can be deployed , managed , serviced , etc . by a service provider that offers to deploy or integrate computing infrastructure with respect to a process for determining a number of threads to maximize system utilization . thus , the present invention discloses a process for supporting computer infrastructure , comprising integrating , hosting , maintaining and deploying computer - readable code into a computing system ( e . g ., computing system 900 ), wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a method for determining a number of threads to maximize system utilization . in another embodiment , the invention provides a business method that performs the process steps of the invention on a subscription , advertising and / or fee basis . that is , a service provider , such as a solution integrator , can offer to create , maintain , support , etc . a process for determining the number of threads for optimum system utilization . in this case , the service provider can create , maintain , support , etc . a computer infrastructure that performs the process steps of the invention for one or more customers . in return , the service provider can receive payment from the customer ( s ) under a subscription and / or fee agreement , and / or the service provider can receive payment from the sale of advertising content to one or more third parties . while fig2 shows the computer system 900 as a particular configuration of hardware and software , any configuration of hardware and software , as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , may be utilized for the purposes stated supra in conjunction with the particular computer system 900 of fig2 . for example , the memory devices 902 and 912 may be portions of a single memory device rather than separate memory devices . while particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration , many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention . | 6 |
hereinbelow , embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 shows a chemicals mixing container 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention . the chemicals mixing container 1 stores therein two kinds of chemicals , isolatedly , particularly a powder material and a liquid material , for generating amalgam or other dental materials , bone cement or other medical materials and the like , and at a time of use , the chemicals mixing container 1 is to mix constituents of those materials to generate a desired mixture ( or reaction product ) and , as required , eject ( extrude out ) the mixture . the chemicals mixing container 1 has a dispensing chamber 3 for containing a liquid material 2 , and a mixing chamber 5 for containing a powder material 4 . the dispensing chamber 3 is defined by a generally tubular shaped dispensing cylinder 6 and a generally disc - shaped dispensing piston 7 fitted in the dispensing cylinder 6 . the mixing chamber 5 is defined by a generally tubular shaped mixing cylinder 8 connected to an outer side of the dispensing piston 7 so as to be rotationally slidable thereon , and an ejecting piston 9 fitted in the mixing cylinder 8 . the mixing cylinder 8 has a tubular shaped outer tube 10 , and an end wall 11 which includes a flat outer wall surface serving as a sliding surface for the dispensing piston 7 , and an inner wall surface curved to make the mixing chamber 5 swollen outside . the ejecting piston 9 is composed of an elastically - deformable , thin plate - shaped elastic partition wall 12 , and an ejection auxiliary member 13 connected to an outer side of the elastic partition wall 12 . the elastic partition wall 12 is in air - tight sliding contact with the inner wall surface of the outer tube 10 of the mixing cylinder 8 over its entire periphery and curved so as to make the mixing chamber 5 swollen toward one side counter to the dispensing piston 7 . the ejection auxiliary member 13 , which has a convex - shaped end face taking after the shape of the inner wall surface of the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 , is formed integrally with the elastic partition wall 12 . in sliding surfaces of the dispensing piston 7 and the mixing cylinder 8 , communicating holes 14 , 15 are formed at positions , respectively , which are eccentric by an equal distance from a rotation axis x of the rotational sliding . in market distribution of the chemicals mixing container 1 and in its storage at medical offices , rotational positions of the dispensing piston 7 and the mixing cylinder 8 are so determined that the communicating holes 14 and 15 are positionally different from each other as shown in fig1 , thereby making the dispensing chamber 3 and the mixing chamber 5 isolated from each other . also , the dispensing cylinder 6 has , outside a wall of one end face thereof , a nozzle 16 formed in integrated connection . the nozzle 16 , which swings against the dispensing cylinder 6 , is fittable to a fitting recess 17 provided outside the end face of the dispensing cylinder 6 . when the nozzle 16 is fitted to the fitting recess 17 , a protrusion of the nozzle 16 extends through a small - thickness bottom portion of the fitting recess 17 so that the dispensing chamber 3 is opened to the outward via the nozzle 16 . for use of the chemicals mixing container 1 , first , as shown in fig2 , the mixing cylinder 8 is rotated relative to the dispensing piston 7 so that the communicating hole 14 of the dispensing piston 7 and the communicating hole 15 of the mixing cylinder 8 are communicated with each other . then , as shown in fig3 , the dispensing piston 7 along with the mixing cylinder 8 and the ejecting piston 9 is pushed deep in the dispensing cylinder 6 to compress the dispensing chamber 3 . as a result , the liquid material 2 contained in the dispensing chamber 3 flows into the mixing chamber 5 via the communicating holes 14 , 15 . after the liquid material 2 is injected into the mixing chamber 5 , the chemicals mixing container 1 is well shaken to mix together the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 to form a mixture ( or reaction product ) 18 . in this case , the inner wall surface of the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 and the elastic partition wall 12 of the ejecting piston 9 are outwardly swollen in shaped so as to provide larger interior angles of corners formed against the inner wall surface of the outer tube 10 of the mixing cylinder 8 , so that the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 are less likely to be accumulated at the corners of the mixing chamber 5 . this facilitates an unevenness - free , uniform mixing of the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 . once the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 have been mixed enough , the nozzle 16 is set to the fitting recess 17 so as to form an ejection path for the mixture 18 of the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 as shown in fig4 . then , as shown in fig5 , pushing in the ejecting piston 9 allows the mixture 18 within the mixing chamber 5 to be extruded out through the nozzle 16 . that is , the communicating hole 15 in the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 serves as an ejection hole for ejecting the mixture 18 from the mixing chamber 5 via the nozzle 16 . the inner wall surface of the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 and the elastic partition wall 12 of the ejecting piston 9 are curved in mutually counter directions so as to make the mixing chamber 5 swollen outward . therefore , as shown in fig5 , the outer peripheral portion of the elastic partition wall 12 comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the end wall 11 before the mixing chamber 5 is compressed small enough . however , since the elastic partition wall 12 is elastically deformable , further pushing in the ejecting piston 9 allows the elastic partition wall 12 to be warped in a reverse direction so as to be caved inward of the mixing chamber 5 until the outer peripheral portion of the elastic partition wall 12 comes into contact with the ejection auxiliary member 13 as shown in fig6 . since the ejection auxiliary member 13 has a shape taking after the inner wall surface of the end wall 11 , the ejecting piston 9 can make the mixing chamber 5 generally zero in capacity as shown in the figure . that is , the mixture 18 resulting from mixing together the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 is ejected eventually in its generally full amount from the nozzle 16 according to a push - in extent of the ejecting piston 9 . further , fig7 shows a chemicals mixing container 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention . it is noted that in the following description , the same component members as those described above are designated by the same reference signs and their description is omitted . in the chemicals mixing container 1 , the mixing cylinder 8 is connected to the dispensing cylinder 6 so as to be rotationally slidable thereon . in this embodiment , the dispensing chamber 3 is smaller in diameter than the mixing chamber 5 and eccentric to the rotation axis x of the dispensing cylinder 6 and the mixing cylinder 8 . in this embodiment , the nozzle 16 is formed so as to be preliminarily opened to the sliding surface of the dispensing cylinder 6 against the mixing cylinder 8 . fig8 shows a state of the chemicals mixing container 1 of this embodiment as viewed from its front on the nozzle 16 side . as shown in the figure , the communicating hole 15 of the mixing cylinder 8 can be communicated with either the dispensing chamber 3 or the nozzle 16 depending on a rotational position of the mixing cylinder 8 relative to the dispensing cylinder 6 . consequently , also in the chemicals mixing container 1 of this embodiment , by rotating the mixing cylinder 8 relative to the dispensing cylinder 6 so that the communicating hole 15 is communicated with the dispensing chamber 3 , the liquid material 2 can be injected into the mixing chamber 5 as shown in fig9 . the mixing chamber 5 of this embodiment also is a space which has no acute interior angles and which is formed by the inner wall surface of the tubular shaped outer tube 10 of the mixing cylinder 8 , the outwardly swollen inner wall surface of the end wall 11 , and the outwardly swollen elastic partition wall 12 . therefore , the liquid material 2 or the powder material 4 is less likely to be accumulated at corners , making it possible to achieve an efficient stirring . in this embodiment , further , by rotating the mixing cylinder 8 relative to the dispensing cylinder 6 so that the communicating hole ( ejection hole ) 15 is communicated with the nozzle 16 , the mixture 18 resulting from mixing together the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 can be ejected in its generally full amount from the nozzle 16 according to a push - in extent of the ejecting piston 9 . further , fig1 shows a chemicals mixing container 1 according to a third embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , the elastic partition wall and the ejection auxiliary member 13 are formed independent of each other . the elastic partition wall 12 has a cylindrical portion 12 a which extends cylindrically outside the mixing chamber 5 so as to be inscribed on the inner wall surface of the outer tube 10 of the mixing cylinder 8 . the ejection auxiliary member 13 is a generally tubular shaped cylinder which is fitted into the cylindrical portion 12 a of the elastic partition wall 12 and which has an end wall having , at one end , a convex shaped end face taking after the inner wall surface of the end wall of the mixing cylinder 8 . further , in this chemicals mixing container 1 , an operation piston 19 is fitted within the cylindrical portion of the ejection auxiliary member 13 , and the dispensing chamber 3 for containing the liquid material 2 is formed inside the ejection auxiliary member 13 . the ejection auxiliary member 13 is rotatable relative to the elastic partition wall 12 within a specified angular range while sliding in contact with the elastic partition wall 12 . communicating holes 20 , 21 are formed at sliding contact portions of the elastic partition wall 12 and the ejection auxiliary member 13 , respectively , and aligning their angular positions with each other allows the dispensing chamber 3 and the mixing chamber 5 to be communicated with each other . also , in the chemicals mixing container 1 of this embodiment , a mis - operation preventing collar 22 for preventing mis - operations is fitted between an end portion of the mixing cylinder 8 and a flange of an end portion of the operation piston 19 . the mis - operation preventing collar 22 is removable for use of the chemicals mixing container 1 . the nozzle 16 of this embodiment , having a spherical body with a flow - through passage formed therein , is rotatably held to an ejection hole 23 formed in the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 and serves as a ball valve which makes the flow - through passage communicated with the ejection hole 23 or makes the ejection hole 23 sealed by the spherical surface . also , in the inner wall surface of the outer tube of the mixing cylinder 8 is formed a guide groove 25 which receives a protrusion 24 provided at a portion of the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 12 a of the elastic partition wall 12 so as to restrict a rotational position of the elastic partition wall 12 relative to the mixing cylinder 8 . similarly , in the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion 12 a of the elastic partition wall 12 is formed a guide groove 27 which receives a protrusion 26 provided at a portion of the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the ejection auxiliary member 13 . in the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion of the ejection auxiliary member 13 is formed a guide groove 29 which receives a protrusion 28 provided at a portion of the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the operation piston 19 . these protrusions 24 , 26 , 28 and the guide grooves 25 , 27 , 29 make up a rotation restricting structure for ensuring proper operating procedure for the chemicals mixing container 1 . fig1 shows a developed view of the rotation restricting structure . engagement between the protrusion 24 and the guide groove 25 restricts a rotational range of the elastic partition wall 12 relative to the mixing cylinder 8 , making it possible to push the elastic partition wall 12 inward of the mixing cylinder 8 only while the elastic partition wall is in a specified rotational position . engagement between the protrusion 26 and the guide groove 27 restricts a rotational range of the ejection auxiliary member 13 relative to the elastic partition wall 12 , making it possible to push the ejection auxiliary member 13 inward of the elastic partition wall 12 only while the ejection auxiliary member 13 is in a specified rotational position . engagement between the protrusion 28 and the guide groove 29 restricts a rotational range of the operation piston 19 relative to the ejection auxiliary member 13 , making it possible to push the operation piston 19 inward of the ejection auxiliary member 13 only while the operation piston 19 is in a specified rotational position . fig1 shows the rotation restricting structure of the chemicals mixing container 1 in a storage state before use . in this state , since the protrusions 24 , 26 , 28 are restricted in their axial movement by the guide grooves 25 , 27 , 29 , respectively , the operation piston 19 cannot be pushed into the mixing cylinder 8 , the elastic partition wall 12 and the ejection auxiliary member 13 even if the mis - operation preventing collar 22 is removed . for use of the chemicals mixing container 1 , first , a user rotates the operation piston 19 counterclockwise relative to the mixing cylinder 8 . then , the protrusion 28 of the operation piston 19 is moved to a left end ( upper end in fig1 ( c ) ) of the guide groove 29 of the ejection auxiliary member 13 . further , the protrusion 28 rotates the guide groove 29 , causing the ejection auxiliary member 13 to be rotated counterclockwise relative to the elastic partition wall 12 . when this rotation has caused the protrusion 26 to reach a left end ( upper end in fig1 ( b ) ) of the guide groove 27 , that is , has caused the ejection auxiliary member 13 to be positioned at a left end of the rotational range relative to the elastic partition wall 12 , the communicating hole 21 of the ejection auxiliary member 13 is communicated with the communicating hole 20 of the elastic partition wall 12 . at this point , since the protrusion 24 of the elastic partition wall 12 is at a left end ( upper end in fig1 ( a ) ) of the guide groove 25 of the mixing cylinder 8 , the operation piston 19 and the ejection auxiliary member 13 cannot be rotated counterclockwise any more . once the operation piston 19 has been rotated counterclockwise as much as possible , the user is allowed to push the operation piston 19 into the ejection auxiliary member 13 . in this state , the protrusion 24 of the elastic partition wall 12 and the protrusion 26 of the ejection auxiliary member 13 are at the left ends of the guide groove 25 of the mixing cylinder 8 and the guide groove 27 of the elastic partition wall 12 , respectively , being prohibited from moving in the axial direction . as a result of this , only the operation piston 19 can be pushed into the mixing cylinder 8 , i . e ., into the ejection auxiliary member 13 . as described above , the chemicals mixing container 1 ensures a proper procedure of , after making the communicating hole 21 of the ejection auxiliary member 13 communicated with the communicating hole 20 of the elastic partition wall 12 , pushing the operation piston 19 into the ejection auxiliary member 13 to compress the dispensing chamber 3 so that the liquid material 2 is injected into the mixing chamber 5 . after this chemicals mixing container 1 is shaken enough to mix the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 together with the mixture 18 generated , the user rotates the operation piston 19 this time clockwise as much as possible so that the nozzle 16 coincides with the ejection hole 23 , thus making it possible to push the ejection auxiliary member 13 and the elastic partition wall 12 into the mixing cylinder 8 by the operation piston 19 to extrude the mixture 18 out . in more detail , since the protrusion 28 has been moved to a depth of the guide groove 29 as a result of pushing the operation piston 19 into the ejection auxiliary member 13 , the operation piston 19 cannot be rotated relative to the ejection auxiliary member 13 . the ejection auxiliary member 13 is rotated inside the elastic partition wall 12 to make the protrusion 26 moved to a right end ( lower end in fig1 ( b ) ) of the guide groove 27 . as a result of this rotation , the communicating hole 20 of the elastic partition wall 12 and the communicating hole 21 of the ejection auxiliary member 13 are separated from each other . further , the elastic partition wall 12 is rotated inside the mixing cylinder 8 to make the protrusion 24 moved to the right end ( lower end in fig1 ( a ) ) of the guide groove 25 . as a result , the protrusion 24 and the protrusion 26 are allowed to move deeper ( leftward in fig1 ) in axial portions of the guide groove 25 and the guide groove 27 . an outer peripheral portion of the end wall of the elastic partition wall 12 , when coming into contact with the inner wall surface of the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 , is elastically deformed and caved toward the mixing chamber 5 by the ejection auxiliary member 13 to compress the remaining space of the mixing chamber 5 , thus allowing the mixture 18 to be discharged via the nozzle 16 without any remainders . upon the elastic deformation by the ejection auxiliary member 13 , the cylindrical portion 12 a of the elastic partition wall 12 is brought into a wide close contact with the inner wall surface of the outer tube 10 of the mixing cylinder 8 , thus ensuring the sealing of the mixing chamber 5 . further , fig1 shows a chemicals mixing container 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , a piston 32 having two partition walls 30 , 31 is fitted in the dispensing chamber 3 formed in the end wall of the mixing cylinder 8 in order that the liquid material 2 is contained between the partition walls 30 , 31 of the piston 32 . in this embodiment , the piston 32 cannot be pushed in unless the mis - operation preventing collar 22 is removed . once the piston 32 is pushed in so as to inject the liquid material 2 into the mixing chamber 5 , the piston 32 is brought back , thereby sealing the mixing chamber 5 by the partition wall 30 . then , the chemicals mixing container 1 is shaken , by which the liquid material 2 and the powder material 4 are mixed together . further , fig1 shows a chemicals mixing container 1 according to a fifth embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , a piston 32 for forming the dispensing chamber 3 to contain the liquid material 2 therein is provided inside the ejecting piston 9 in which the elastic partition wall 12 and the ejection auxiliary member 13 are integrally formed . as shown by these embodiments , for the present invention , various changes and modifications are possible within such a scope as does not impair the function of the ejection auxiliary member 13 that makes the elastic partition wall 12 swollen inwardly from outside during the ejection of the mixture 18 while the end wall 11 of the mixing cylinder 8 and the elastic partition wall 12 are maintained in outwardly swollen configurations . | 1 |
the present invention establishes a two - input , two - output circuit structure ( the outputs are from the identical node ) that may be substituted for the 2 - luts that represent the circles in fig2 . the circuit structure is based on two elements : a one - input lut ( 1 - lut ) and a resistor . it is also a requirement that the 1 - lut have a finite input impedance for reasons that will be made clear . the 1 - lut is shown abstractly in fig3 as a two terminal function , one terminal being input and one output . as a boolean structure , the function can only have two values , one for when the input is set to logical zero ( 0 ) and one for when the input is set to logical one ( 1 ). the function of a 1 - lut , being programmable , can be drawn from a set of only four ( 2 ^ 2 ^ 1 ) possibilities , also shown in fig3 , which include zero , invert , true , and one . the 1 - lut can be implemented , like other luts and boolean structures , in many ways . it can be represented as a boolean equation f ( a )= a ′* f0 + a * f1 , where the prime (′) indicates inversion , the asterisk a logical and (*), and the plus sign (+) a logical or . it can also be represented as a vlsi circuit , as shown in fig4 . two 1 - luts are then combined with resistors to form the basic circuit structure shown in fig5 a . a resistor is shown in series with the 1 - lut to form the structure in fig5 b . two copies of this structure are conjoined as shown in fig5 c , which under certain conditions creates a logic gate , such as the and gate suggested in fig5 d . the logic gate in fig5 d is realized as a by - product of the summing junction formed by the combination of the series resistors and a load resistor . the circuit configuration that gives rise to the “ opportunistic ” logic gate is shown in fig6 . a new resistor is shown in this fig . ( r_load ); this resistor represents the input impedance of the next circuit stage . it is a necessary condition that the input impedance ( r_input ) of the fig5 a structure be finite . when the fig5 c structures are connected in substitution of the circles in fig2 , then any particular output node must drive two more similar nodes . hence , r_load represents the parallel impedance of two stages , i . e . r_load = r_input / 2 . given such a network , it is possible to readily establish the output voltage ( v c ) from ordinary circuit theory : as a logic gate , the fig6 is a relatively fragile structure , and it is not generally able to produce logically useful behavior , such as an and or an or gate . to examine the optimum conditions for such logical behaviors , it is necessary to establish the parameters of a logic system under which these structures must operate and examine which ( if any ) values of r and r_load will produce logical behavior . for this purpose , it is sufficient to define the ratio r / r_load as a single parameter ( r ), and then examine the requirements for input and output voltage as they are affected by variations in this parameter . the necessary voltage definitions are as follows : v oh — the voltage output supplied to terminal a or b of fig6 , corresponding to the worst case ( minimum ) value of voltage corresponding to a logical one . this specifies the guaranteed lowest voltage corresponding to a logical one . v ol — the voltage output supplied to terminal a or b of fig6 , corresponding to the worst case ( maximum ) value of voltage corresponding to a logical zero . this specifies the guaranteed highest voltage corresponding to a logical zero . v il — the highest value of voltage that in an input would be resolved as a logical zero . a voltage higher than this value is not guaranteed to be interpreted as a logical zero . v ih — the lowest value of voltage that in an input would be resolved as a logical one . a voltage falling below this value is not guaranteed to be interpreted as a logical one . these definitions establish a logic system , workable under the assumption that ( in this case ) the 1 - luts regenerate voltages as required to meet the v oh and v ol constraints . this regeneration , in general requires amplification or gain , but the details on how the amplification is achieved is not an important part of the present invention . rather , it is necessary simply to show that the logical behavior of either an and gate or an or gate can be produced at all , which will be done with two simple examples . two examples are based on a nominally unit voltage approach , in which ideally logical 1 = 1 v and logical 0 = 0v . in real circuits , signals undergo degradation and it is necessary to make input circuits tolerant of noise . in the first example , the logic parameters v ol = 0 . 15 , v oh = 0 . 8 , v il = 0 . 25 , and v ih = 0 . 30 . this is considered a workable but relatively poor logic system , due to the choice of input voltage span between logical 0 and logical 1 . for these settings , the equation for vc above is examined under the various input combinations associated with a two - input truth table . the graph in fig7 is produced by examining the worst - case noise margin under the assumption that the fig6 circuit behaves as an and gate , or gate and exclusive - or gate . in this graph , the ratio of r / r_load = r is the independent variable . in this graph , only curves with positive noise margins are viable as a logic function . as shown in fig7 , both the and gate and or gate are potentially constructible at r - values of 2 . 64 and 0 . 275 , respectively . of the two functions , the or gate has the better noise margin . a second example employs the logic parameters v ol = 0 . 15 , v oh = 0 . 8 , v il = 0 . 45 , and v ih = 0 . 55 . this selection might be considered a better choice for a language system since the input window is more centered within the output window , where the windows are defined as the span between the high and low voltages . the results , shown in fig8 , reveal that it is possible to produce only an and gate behavior , which is maximal at an approximate r - value of 0 . 55 . a single fig5 c structure , when used to replace a 2 - lut in fig2 , is not capable of realizing all of the 2 - input boolean functions ( there are 2 ^ 2 ^ 2 = 16 of these functions ). fig9 demonstrates all exhaustive combinations of the fig5 c structure , revealing that only 10 of the 16 possible boolean functions are realized in this structure . in this case , an and is shown as the combiner gate for the conjoined luts . it can be shown that substituting an or gate for the and gate ( which could occur in some cases ) does not change the number of realizable functions . since a system for universal computation must compute not only all functions of 2 inputs but also ultimately all functions of arbitrarily large input spaces , then it is necessary to demonstrate an approach to achieve these extensions . this is readily done by first showing the completion of the two - input space and then the extension to larger input spaces . all of these extensions take advantage of the well - known shannon decomposition equation for logic : f ( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , . . . x n )= { overscore ( x 1 )} f ( 0 , x 2 , x 3 , . . . x n )+ x 1 f ( 1 , x 2 , x 3 , . . . x n ) f ( a , b )= āf ( 0 , b )+ af ( 1 , b ) since f ( 0 , b ) and f ( 1 , b ) depend only on b , they may be replaced with 1 - luts ( though not generally the same 1 - lut function ). it is straightforward to compose a 2 - lut from the fig5 d structures , and this construction is shown in fig1 . the bounding box is defined as the product of the minimum number of rows and columns required to implement a function in a grid similar to fig1 or 2 . in this case of course , the fig1 grid is identical to the fig2 grid in which each circle is replaced with the structures developed in fig5 d . a bounding box is the minimum grid size ( measured by the number or pitch of cells ) necessary to contain a circuit . in this case , the bounding box size is eight ( it is believed that this is a lower bound on the size of the box ), which suggests that the new structures achieve flexibility at the price of efficiency . for this reason , the present invention is not considered an efficient way to build a programmable network in , for example , contemporary silicon vlsi , even though it would be quite simple to do so . rather , the present invention is expected to find use in situations where only the most primitive building block structures are available and the disadvantage of inefficiency is offset by the advantage of establishing a practical way of performing computation . a prime example of a prospective medium in which this situation seems to exist today is molecular electronics , where the sheer density of molecules in matter is likely to offset inefficiencies of the type represented in this proposed invention , at least when the invention is compared to for example a contemporary silicon programmable logic array . it is also important to note that the bound shown in fig1 is a worst case bound . most of the 16 possible two - input functions can be realized with much smaller bounding boxes . as demonstrated in fig1 , ten of the 16 two - input boolean functions can be realized with a bounding box size of 2 , the minimum possible bounding box ( only one actual cell of computation is required , but the box size is two due to the two inputs ). in fig1 , increasing the bounding box size to four results in expanding the set of realizable two - input functions to 14 . only two of the 16 two - input boolean functions , namely the xor / xnor or odd / even parity functions , require the maximal bounding box size , as shown in fig1 . again , for the work done in these completeness examples , the assumption of the and gate for the conjoining function depicted in fig5 d is assumed . as shown in fig7 , it is possible to have or gate behavior under certain conditions . it is on that basis , on consideration of duality , that all of these examples could equally be recreated using the or gate instead of the and gate . having shown the extension of the fig5 d structure to implement the complete set of two - input functions , it is necessary to show that functions of arbitrary size can also be implemented , so long as the dimensions of the bounding box are large enough . this can be done with a simple inductive proof , involving a base case and an induction step . the base case , the 2 - lut , has already been shown in fig1 . the induction step involves showing the construction of a ( n + 1 )- lut from n - luts , which involves once again shannon &# 39 ; s decomposition : f ( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , . . . x n )= { overscore ( x n + 1 )} f ( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , . . . x n , 0 )+ x n + 1 f ( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , . . . x n , 1 ) this construction is shown in fig1 . if the bounding box of an n - lut is p × q ( p rows , q columns ), then the resulting minimum bounding box is readily shown to be ( p + 4 )×( 2q + 1 ). this construction not only completes the proof , but seems to establish a lower bound on the size growth of the bounding box with higher input dimensionality or “ arity ”. it is in fact more involved than suggested in fig1 , since it is necessary to consider how the signal of the newly constructed lut function must be routed , which will add to the number of rows required in a progressing of luts constructed from recursively simpler ones . furthermore , the lut brute force construction method of embedding smaller luts within larger ones is not the most efficient way of building luts , as suggested in a number of works in the field of circuit complexity field ( see , for example , ingo wegener , the complexity of boolean functions , copyrighted 1987 by john wiley & amp ; sons ltd ). those works , while generally applicable to networks such as those shown in fig1 and fig2 , have not been considered in light of the special constraints imposed by connectivity limitations of the network . extensions of the basic concept . one important property of a network based on fig5 b structures is that they form computation from a network of two - terminal ( notwithstanding power , clock , and configuration connections ) structures . fig1 illustrates a representation of the fig2 network , where the circles have been replaced by fig5 c structures , and the network is then “ flattened ” into a network of primitive structures . it is clear upon further reflection of this flattened network that many alternative arrangement of the fig5 b building blocks can be conceived . the resistive conjunction approach may be extrapolated to 3 or more elements , meaning that it may be possible to build 3 - terminal , 4 - terminal , or n - terminal structures by permitting more copies of the fig5 b to join together . such arrangements may be convenient in processes whereby copies of the fig5 b network are formed through self - assembly , some easier to achieve than even the fig1 network . for example , the fig1 network possesses a greater symmetry than fig1 , and this network corresponds to the fig1 network where the 3 - lut structures are replaced by a unit similar to fig5 c / fig5 d , but with three input terminals instead of two . such networks would differ only in degree with those associated with the two - input / two - output networks described earlier . the notion of conjoining a variable number of fig5 b structures has great potential in building computing structures that are more defect tolerant . the addition of a spurious element or the vacancy of an element need not have a disastrous impact on functionality even at a localized level . far more important is the possibility of exploiting the technique in the formation of amorphous computation networks . one technique for realizing such a network is suggested in fig1 . this concept is based on a technique for building a linear strand of fig5 b elements , in which a number of copies follow one after another in a one - dimensional repetitive structure ( fig1 a ). a number of such strands might be placed alongside each other as shown in fig1 b . under some circumstance it might be possible that the strands would intertwine with a somewhat randomized geometry . with no particular pattern , some junctions of one strand might connect to junctions on other strands , forming a network that has localized structures such as those shown in fig5 c with one , two , or more strands participating at any given point . in fact , even a non - stranded format , a number of loose individual structures in the fig5 b construction might be permitted to self - organize into random arrangements . these random arrangements would contain elements that would co - join , once again forming an amorphous computation network . to be accurate in effectively designing circuits with such networks , it would be necessary to perform a number of the analyses as shown in fig7 and fig8 to confirm which of the opportunistic m × 1 - lut networks so formed would effectively operate as logic structures , programmable or not . it is likely a necessary condition that most of the opportunistic lut structures do not decrease the effective expressive capacity of the overall amorphous computing network . the advantage of the proposed invention is that it leads to simpler constructions for the building blocks within the architectures , shown in fig1 and 2 as circles . the disadvantage is that the size of the network in general must be larger to accomplish the same types of functions , which is due to the lack of universality of a single cell ( fig5 d ). the lack of universality is solved by adding other cells , resulting in a need to expand the network size . | 7 |
basically , the present invention is intended to control the combustion by giving a moderate swirling of a small scale of turbulence to the combustion air . this can be achieved by giving a swirl to the combustion air by means of a swirler disposed in the vicinity of the fuel injection port . alternatively , as will be described later with reference to fig4 a guide ring 10 is disposed to surround the diffuser so as to eliminate the axial flow of the air through the annular space around the diffuser , the axial flow constituting the major cause of increase of the scale of turbulency , so that the secondary air may be constituted solely by the external swirling flow . according to the invention , the velocity and strength of swirl of the combustion air flow are moderated and optimized by adjusting the area of passage for air in the swirler and the angle of vanes of the swirler , thereby to obtain a desired flow pattern in the combustion chamber . fig3 i shows a side elevational sectional view of a combustion system having a burner suitable for use in carrying out the combustion method of the invention , while fig3 ii is a schematic illustration of a swirler of the combustion system shown in fig3 i . the combustion system shown in these figures are different from the conventional combustion system in that the register vanes in the wind box are eliminated and the swirl is given by a swirler 9 disposed around the burner tip 7 from which the fuel is injected . as will be explained later , the swirler is located preferably within 200 mm from the position of fuel injection ( tip end ). fig4 shows another example of the combustion system suitable for use in carrying out the method of the invention . more specifically , fig4 i is a side elevational sectional view , fig . ii is a sectional view taken along the line a -- a and fig4 iii is a schematic illustration of the swirler . this combustion system is characterized in that a cylindrical guide ring 10 is disposed around the diffuser 8 to eliminate the axial flow of air , which flows through the annular space between the diffuser 8 and the circle contacting the inner side of the swirler 9 and which constitutes the major cause of increase of scale of the turbulency , so as to make the secondary air as shown in fig2 solely by the external swirl of air . in each case of the combustion systems of fig3 and 4 , the flow velocity of the combustion air and the strength of the swirl are adjusted and optimized by adjustment of the area of passage for combustion air through the swirler 9 , angle of vanes of the swirler and the like factors . as a result , a desired flow pattern is established in the combustion chamber . according to the invention , an oil pressure injection burner generally having a spray angle of 30 ° to 80 ° or a two - fluid injection valve is preferably used . in case of a furnace having a low heat liberation rate such as industrial furnace , a straight injection type burner can be used , as well as a burner with a deflecting tip having an inclination angle of 5 ° to 45 ° to the air stream axis . fig5 illustrates the process of combustion in accordance with the combustion method of the invention . a swirler which provides a suitable swirl strength and flow velocity is attached to the near portion of the burner tip so as to obtain a desired flow pattern . the fuel is injected to the inside of the spirally spreading flow of external swirling air . as a result , a part of the fuel is mixed with the primary air of low velocity and with a part of the external swirling air in a heterogeneous state and makes a combustion in the state of an excessively fuel rich mixture . then , the remainder part of the fuel which has not been burnt in the region of the excessively rich mixture is uniformly mixed with the external swirling flow of high velocity in a homogeneous state to complete the combustion in the state of a fuel lean mixture . the combustion method of the invention , therefore , resembles multi - staged combustion ( two - staged combustion ) which is known per se . in addition , thanks to the self flue gas recirculation effect caused by the inside circulating vortex which is peculiar to the external swirling flow , the maximum flame temperature , as well as the local oxygen partial pressure is decreased to make a sufficient suppression of the thermal nox and fuel nox . in addition , the flame is enveloped by the external swirling air to complete the combustion without contacting the furnace wall or water tube . as a result , the generation of soot and co is effectively supressed and , in some cases , the low - oxygen combustion becomes possible to improve the boiler efficiency . this feature constitute one of the advantages brought about by the combustion method of the invention . fig6 is a graph showing the relationship between the dustance l of the burner tip end 7 from the inner end of the swirler as shown in fig3 and the rate of reduction of nox . this relationship was observed through an experiment which was carried out by changing the relative distance l by changing the position of the swirler while keeping the burner tip end stationary . also , the rate of reduction of nox (%) is given as the rate of reduction of nox generation in relation to the nox generation observed when a radial flow type register vanes are used . in fig6 the mark x shows a case in which the deposition of carbon was caused to hinder the practical use . from fig6 it will be apparent that a larger reduction of nox generation is obtained as the distance between the burner tip and the swirler is reduced , and the effect of reduction of nox generation is decreased as the relative distance between the burner tip and the swirler is increased . at the same time , the increase of the relative distance enhances the tendency of deposition of carbon to the burner tip , which in unfavourable from the view point of operation of the boiler . therefore , it is preferred to locate the swirler at a position as close as possible to the burner tip . this can be understood also from the mechanism of reduction of nox generation upon which the combustion method of the invention relies . the maximum relative distance varies depending on the construction of the combustion system . however , generally , it is preferred to locate the swirler at a position upstream from the burner tip end and within 200 mm from the latter . in case of the burner having a diffuser as shown in fig4 the arrangement may be such that the inner axial end of the swirler is positioned at the downstream side of the burner tip end . in such a case , the distance between the burner tip end and the inner axial end of the swirler is preferably not greater than about 200 mm . fig7 is a graph showing how the strength of swirl of the air affects the rate of reduction of nox and generation of smoke . more specifically , fig7 i shows a smoke number of bacharach in relation to the swirl number , while fig7 ii shows the rate of reduction of nox generation . in these figures , the full - line curves and the broken - line curves show the characteristics obtained when a kerosene and a heavy oil is used as the fuel . the mean flow velocity of the combustion air in this case was selected to fall within the range of between 12 m / s and 30 m / s , while the relative position of the swirler and the burner tip end was suitably set to provide sufficiently small generation of nox and smoke . the swirl number s as represented by the following equation is used as the index of the strength of the swirl of air . also , the mean flow velocity was determined by dividing the whole amount of air the outlet area of the swirler . ## equ1 ## in the above equation , d and d represent , respectively , the outside diameter and inside diameter of the swirler , while β represents the swirling angle of inclination of the swirler . ( see fig3 ii , 4 ii and 4 iii .) as will be seen from fig7 i , the generation of smoke is increased as the swirl number s becomes small and also as the swirl number becomes large . also , no remarkable effect of reduction of nox generation is found when the swirl number s is small and large . this is attributable to the fact that the combustion air flow released through the burnertile cannot form a sufficiently grown - up external swirling flow of air when the swirl number is small . in such a case , a flow pattern which is almost an axial flow is formed in the combustion chamber , so that the conically sprayed fuel collides with the combustion air to rapidly form a uniform mixture resulting in a reduced effect of reduction of nox generation . also , since the penetration force of the fuel is strong , the fuel collides with the water tubes ( or furnace wall ) before they are burnt , resulting in a generation of the smoke . to the contrary , when the swirl number is large , the external swirl is spread excessively so that the major flow of the swirl air flows in the close proximity of the water tubes or the furnace wall . as a result , the supply of the combustion air to the central area of the combustion chamber is rendered insufficient to excessively widen the fuel rich zone , so that various unfavourable combustion states occur such as increased production of the smoke or so - called pulsation combustion , although the reduction of nox production is not spoiled . therefore , judging synthetically taking all aspects such as effect of reduction of nox and smoke emission and pulsation combustion , the swirl number is preferably about 0 . 35 to 1 . 5 , more preferably 0 . 4 to 1 . 0 further preferably 0 . 4 to 0 . 6 . it is possible to maintain a good combustion with the swirl number as specified above . in case of an existing or already - constructed boiler , the pressure drop across the swirler is increased to cause a problem of shortage of power of the blower , if the boiler is modified to increase the number of swirl . therefore , in such a case , a comparatively small swirl number , e . g ., 0 . 4 to 0 . 6 is preferably selected from the above specified range . the flow velocity of the combustion air is also an important factor which affects the flow pattern in the combustion chamber . in order to obtain a sufficient effect of reduction of nox emission , as well as the smoke emission , the air flow velocity is selected to fall within the range of between about 10 m / s and about 30 m / s , more preferably between 13 m / s and 23 m / s , under stoichiometric firing condition ( air excess ratio of 1 . 0 ) with rated load . the influence of the air flow velocity , however , differs depending on the kind of the fuel used . therefore , when a gas or light oil is used , the flow velocity is selected preferably to fall within the range of between about 10 m / s and about 25 m / sec , while for a comparatively heavy fuel such as heavy oil , the flow velocity is selected to fall within the range of between about 15 m / s and 30 m / s . the angle β of the swirler is suitably selected to fall within the range of between , for example , about 15 ° and about 60 °, more preferably 20 °- 45 °. fig8 shows the relationship between the ratio of the amount of external swirling air to the amount of whole combustion air and the rate of reduction of nox generation , as observed when the mean flow velocity of the combustion air around the burner is 10 m / s to 30 m / s . more specifically , the position of fuel injection or spray was set at a position which provides the maximum reduction of nox generation with a bacharach smoke number of 2 or smaller for each ratio of external swirling air to the whole combustion air . then , the oxygen concentration is lowered to a point at which the emission of smoke is commenced . the rates of reduction of nox generation at such points are plotted in fig8 . a too high or a too low flow velocity of air makes it difficult to form the flow pattern desired for the reduction of generation of nox and smoke . thus , the mean flow velocity of air around the burner is preferably between 10 m / s and 30 m / s . referring to fig8 if the aforementioned ratio of external swirling air to the whole combustion air is too small , the combustion of fuel mixed with the primary air passing through the diffuser becomes dominative , so that it becomes impossible to suppress the generation of nox solely by the position of spray of the fuel . if the oxygen concentration is lowered to reduce the generation of nox , the generation of smoke is increased undesirably . this means that there is a practical limit in the reduction of nox generation . to the contrary , as the external swirling air ( secondary air ) is increased , the rate of reduction of nox generation is increased under a condition of bacharach smoke number of not greater than 2 in which the generation of smoke is not so serious . the reduction of nox generation is appreciable if 65 % or more of the whole combustion air is distributed to the external swirl and becomes remarkable as the above - stated ratio exceeds 70 %. fig9 is a graph showing the relationship between the nox generation and the inlet angle α of the swirler . more specifically , this graph has been obtained by plotting the result of measurement of the nox generation when the combustion is made with kerosene under the condition of ratio of diameter d / d of 0 . 71 and swirling angle β of swirler of 30 °, for various inlet angle α . the amount of nox is represented on the basis of 4 % o 2 . also , the amounts of nox mentioned hereinafter are represented on the basis of 4 % o 2 . from fig9 it will be apparent that the amount of nox generated during the combustion is increased as the inlet angle α becomes greater . this can be attributed to the fact that the larger inlet angle α provides a larger radially inward component of the swirl velocity to promote the mixing of fuel with the air . conventionally , the inlet angle α has been selected to be greater than 15 °. from fig9 however , it will be seen that rather small inlet angle α is effective in the reduction of generation of nox . more particularly , this angle α is preferably not greater than 15 ° and more preferably between 0 ° and 5 °. hereinafter , a practical example of the combustion method will be described by way of reference . a combustion was conducted in a water - tube type package boiler having a combustion system as shown in fig3 and an evaporation capacity of 8 t / h , using a heavy oil as the fuel . an axial - flow type swirler having a swirling angle of inclination of 36 ° was used . the flow velocity of the combustion air at the swirler outlet was set at about 18 m / s under the condition of stoichiometric ratio with rated load . the distance between the burner tip end and the inner axial end of the swirler was selected to be 50 mm . at the same time , a combustion was conducted in accordance with the conventional combustion method with the same type of boiler having a combustion system as shown in fig1 by way of reference . in each case , an internal mixing steam atomizing type burner was used . fig1 i and 10 ii show the results of the combustion . more particularly , fig1 shows the rate of reduction (%) of oxygen ( o 2 ) in the flue , while fig1 ii shows the rate of reduction of nox generation . these rates are calculated in relation to the o 2 concentration and the nox generation as observed in the combustion carried out in accordance with the conventional combustion method . namely , the rate of reduction of o 2 shows how the o 2 concentration is reduced in the combustion of the present invention as compared with that observed in the combustion of the conventional method at the same smoke density . the larger reduction of o 2 concentration means that the emission of unburnt substances such as smoke is reduced to permit a low oxygen combustion to improve the boiler efficiency . as will be seen from fig1 ii , the rate of reduction of nox generation is as large as 25 to 50 %. also , fig1 i shows that the o 2 concentration is reduced by 1 . 0 to 3 . 6 %. as a result , the boiler efficiency under normal operating condition is improved by about 2 %. also , a stable combustion was maintained even in the low load operation . a combustion was conducted with a flue smoke tube type boiler ( evaporation capacity 3 t / h ) having a combustion system incorporating a conical air register as shown in fig4 using a heavy oil as the fuel . the swirl number s , mean flow velocity of combustion air and the distance between the burner tip end and the swirler were selected to be 0 . 51 , 20 m / sec and 20 mm , respectively . at the same time , a combustion was conducted with the same boiler having the same evaporation capacity and a combustion system as shown in fig2 in accordance with the conventional combustion method , by way of reference . in each case , a pressure atomizing type burner was used . fig1 shows nox emission ( ppm ) calculated on the basis of 4 % o 2 as observed in each combustion . the curves a and b show the nox generations as observed in the combustion of the invention and in the conventional combustion , respectively . the numerals attached to these curves show the smoke density ( bacharach smoke number ). from fig1 , it will be seen that the smoke density in the combustion in accordance with the invention is greatly reduced as compared with that in the combustion in accordance with the conventional combustion method at the same air ratio ( o 2 %). also , a reduction of nox generation which is as large as about 45 % is achieved by the combustion method of the invention . from the foregoing description , it will be seen that , according to the invention , the generation of nox is remarkably reduced by a simple combustion system or a simple modification of combustion system of already - constructed boilers . also , the generation of smoke is largely decreased to permit the low oxygen combustion to contribute greatly to the improvement in the boiler efficiency . according to the invention , as will be seen from fig1 , a superior combustion is effected as compared with the conventional combustion method , irrespective of the kind of fuel . thus , the combustion method of the invention has a wide range of application . also , the unstable combustion in the low load operation , which was often observed in the conventional combustion method , is fairly avoided . as has been described , the combustion method of the invention offers various industrial advantages . | 5 |
referring now to the drawings and particularly to fig1 , there is shown an antilock hydraulic braking system 111 for use in a vehicle . the braking system includes solenoid actuated antilock valves 13 and 15 located between an operator controlled pressure source or master cylinder 17 and a hydraulic actuator for a rear wheel brake 19 . valve 13 functions as a build and hold valve while valve 15 functions as a decay valve . similar antilock valves , e . g ., 27 and 45 , are provided for the other wheel brakes . typically , the pressure source 17 is a conventional master cylinder having two separate circuits , one for the front vehicle wheel brakes and the other for the rear wheel brakes , or one for a left front and right rear and the other for a left rear and right front wheel brakes as illustrated in fig1 . the vehicle wheels also typically have rotational speed sensors for providing electrical indications of the angular velocities of individual wheels to a conventional antilock electronic control unit . when the driver wishes to slow the vehicle , the pedal 21 is depressed and hydraulic fluid pressure is transmitted from the master cylinder 17 by way of conduits ( brake lines ) 23 and 25 to the respective brake actuators by way of four individual solenoid actuated antilock valves 13 , 27 , 29 and 31 . the individual wheel antilock valves such as 13 are normally open to selectively supply braking fluid pressure from the source 17 by way of line 23 and 25 to the individual brake actuators . valves such as 13 and 15 function as build and hold valves supplying braking fluid pressure from either line 23 during normal braking or from the accumulator 33 during antilock or traction control operation . in particular , fig1 shows two substantially identical fluid circuits each having an accumulator such as 33 , a pump 37 , two normally closed outlet valves , 15 and 45 , for example , for venting fluid from the wheel cylinders during antilock events and two normally open inlet valves such as 13 and 27 providing a brake fluid path to their corresponding wheel cylinders . the circuits may share a pump drive motor 41 . the normally open solenoid actuated inlet valves 13 and 27 are located between an operator controlled pressure source such as the master cylinder 17 for supplying pressurized fluid to line 23 and hydraulic brake actuators which receive that pressurized fluid by way of lines 47 and 49 . if , during a braking event , a wheel skid is detected , say the right rear wheel associated with line 49 , the solenoid of valve 13 is energized closing that valve and the outlet valve 15 is enabled to open the valve and vent fluid pressure from the slipping wheel cylinder by way of line 51 to the accumulator 33 and / or to a low pressure reservoir . inlet valves 27 , 29 and 31 function similarly . the inlet and outlet valves associated with the slipping wheel may be pulsed or otherwise controlled as is common in antilock braking technology . for example , periodically during the time hydraulic fluid is being bled from the brake actuator 19 , valve 13 is opened to supply rebuild pressure . the primary function of the low pressure accumulators 33 and 43 is to absorb excess fluid during an abs event . this excess fluid typically occurs for only brief periods and helps prevent wheel locking . the modification to the accumulators shown in detail in fig2 - 7 provide an additional fast fill benefit during normal braking . fig2 - 8 illustrate three illustrative ways in which a multiple function accumulator may be realized . the implementation of fig2 - 4 has a piston assembly comprising a single piston 53 reciprocable within the bore 52 and there is a mechanical coupling comprising a toggle linkage mechanism 65 , 67 , 69 interconnecting the piston and a solenoid armature 63 with the toggle arm 65 coupled to the piston . a piston spring 57 urges the piston in a direction to increase chamber 56 volume and an armature bias spring 61 urges the armature in a direction to oppose an increase in chamber volume so that a fluid ingress induced increase in chamber volume and piston translation is transmitted by the linkage to compress the armature bias spring , while a solenoid induced armature motion is transmitted by the linkage to the piston compressing the piston spring and expelling fluid from the chamber . in fig5 , the piston assembly comprises a generally cylindrical sleeve 75 disposed in the bore 74 and a reciprocable piston 73 coaxially received in the sleeve . the piston moves under urging of the armature while the sleeve remains stationary to expel pressure fluid from the chamber to the vehicle braking system , while only the sleeve moves when receiving pressure fluid from the system . in fig6 - 8 , the piston assembly is reciprocable within the bore 98 along a bore axis and comprises a single piston 99 while the mechanical coupling comprises a toggle linkage mechanism 105 , 107 , 117 and a piston actuator 103 reciprocably disposed within the bore axially adjacent to the piston . the actuator and piston move together in response to armature movement , however , only the piston moves axially toward the actuator in response to a fluid ingress induced increase in chamber volume . more specifically , in fig2 , the abs and fast fill fluidic functions are accomplished by a piston 53 which is reciprocable in a bore 52 with a seal 54 there between . the piston and bore together define a variable volume chamber 56 . piston 53 is coupled to a movable solenoid armature 63 by the pivotable linkages 65 , 67 and 69 . piston 53 is resiliently biased toward the right as viewed by a helical spring 57 and the armature 63 is biased upwardly by another helical spring 61 . the low pressure accumulator function is accomplished as fluid enters the chamber 56 from the left end at 55 and the spring 57 loaded piston 53 moves to the right toward the position shown in fig3 . this fluid acts against the toggle 65 , 67 , 69 and solenoid armature 63 in their normal at rest position , causing the solenoid armature 63 to be pushed back / down from its normal at rest position compressing spring 61 as seen in fig3 . this over retraction or stroke of the armature is provided for in the design of the solenoid assembly and is biased back to the at rest position by the spring 61 that represents the nominal force found in an abs low pressure accumulator . the fast fill function is accomplished by energization of the solenoid 59 which causes the solenoid armature 63 to move upward , further causing , the toggle arms 65 and 67 to expand away from one another thus causing the piston 53 to move to the left fast displacing fluid out of the chamber 56 into the brake system ( at rest position shown in fig2 ). in the fast fill apply position ( fig4 ) of the toggle , the toggle angularity is geometrically favorable that high pressure acting upon the piston will not cause high forces on the solenoid armature . if the angle between the link 65 , and the horizontal axis of the piston 53 and cylindrical bore 52 is á , then the solenoid force exerted directly upwardly fs is related to the horizontal force fp applied to the piston through link 65 by : fs = 2fp tan á as depicted , the angle between the link 65 and the horizontal axis of the piston 53 and cylindrical bore 52 is about ten degrees . under that assumption , the holding force required of the solenoid 59 in fig4 is only about 3 . 5 % of the force applied to the hydraulic piston . for modestly small angles , the mechanical advantage ( fp / fs ) is substantially greater than one . in fig5 , a piston 73 is reciprocably disposed within a sleeve 75 and that sleeve in turn is reciprocably disposed within a cylindrical bore 74 . the piston 73 and sleeve 75 comprise a piston assembly , and the assembly and bore 74 together define a variable volume chamber 76 . the piston is spring biased toward the right as viewed by a helical spring 71 and the piston and sleeve are spring biased away from one another by another helical spring 83 . the sleeve carries one or more pins 77 which are movable radially inwardly into an annular piston groove 81 or radially outwardly into side wall detent notches such as 79 . a pivotable linkage arrangement 85 , 87 , 89 couples the piston 73 to a solenoid 93 armature 91 . armature 91 is biased upwardly as viewed by a helical ( coil ) spring 95 . when the solenoid 93 is unenergized , the springs 71 , 83 and 95 balance the piston 73 and sleeve 75 in the positions illustrated in fig5 , but when that solenoid is enabled or energized , the armature 91 moves upwardly spreading the linkage arms 85 and 87 away from one another and urging the piston 73 toward the left . piston motion displaces the groove 81 urging the pins such as 77 radially outwardly into the notches 79 locking the sleeve 75 in the position shown . in the embodiment of fig5 , the abs and fast fill fluidic functions are accomplished by the piston 73 and sleeve 75 . the low pressure accumulator function is accomplished as fluid enters the chamber from the left end and the spring 83 loaded sleeve 75 moves to the right compressing spring 83 . the fast fill function is accomplished by energization of the solenoid 93 which causes the solenoid armature 91 to move upward , causing , the toggle arms 85 and 87 to expand away from one another toward a straight angle relationship and pushing the piston 73 to the left , thus displacing fluid out of the chamber to the brake system . the sleeve 75 must be kept from moving to the right during this fast fill action to ensure adequate fast fill displacement . this is accomplished by the angled annulus 81 on the piston which causes spring loaded pins 77 to move outward into the recesses 79 in the bore , thus preventing movement of the sleeve 75 . in the fast fill apply position of the toggle ( at rest position shown in fig5 ), the toggle angularity is geometrically favorable that high pressure acting upon the piston will not cause high forces on the solenoid armature . this toggle arrangement / position is much the same as seen in fig4 . in fig6 , a coil spring 97 biases a piston 99 rightwardly within a cylindrical bore 98 with sealing there between provided by a seal 109 . a piston assembly here as in fig2 - 4 comprises a single piston . the piston 99 and bore 98 define a variable volume chamber 100 . a helical spring 101 resiliently biases the piston and an actuator 103 axially away from one another . solenoid 111 includes a reciprocable armature 113 biased upwardly by coil spring 115 . the armature is mechanically coupled to the actuator 103 by a linkage arrangement 105 , 107 , 117 , however this toggle linkage mechanism functions somewhat differently than those shown in fig2 - 5 . the cross - section of fig7 shows the alignment groove 119 which extends axially along the surface of the piston 99 . this groove cooperates with a fixed boss or pin 125 to prevent rotation of the piston within the bore 98 , thereby maintaining the relative angular orientation of the horizontal piston slot 121 . in the quiescent condition depicted in fig6 , the slot 121 is aligned with a cross pin 123 . in this condition , an increase in fluid pressure in the chamber 100 can force the piston rightwardly compressing spring 101 and increasing the chamber 100 volume , i . e ., the chamber provides its normal accumulator function . with this rightward piston motion , the slot 121 moves freely along the pin 123 . from the rest state shown in fig6 , energization of the solenoid 111 causes armature 113 to begin upward travel from the position shown in fig8 a , raising link 117 and spreading the toggle linkages 105 and 107 away from one another . here the different behavior of this linkage arrangement surfaces . spring 101 is sufficiently resistant to compression to prevent initial rightward motion of piston actuator 103 as well as preventing entry of the pin 123 into slot 121 . instead , the off - center pivotal coupling of the link 105 to the actuator causes the actuator 103 to rotate clockwise as indicated by the arrow from the position shown in fig8 a to that shown in fig8 b misaligning the pin 123 and slot 121 . now further upward armature motion causes the actuator 103 and piston 99 to move in unison leftwardly in the bore reducing chamber 100 volume and supplying pressure fluid to the braking system . in fig6 , the abs and fast fill fluidic functions are accomplished by piston 99 and piston actuator 103 . the low pressure accumulator function is accomplished as fluid enters the chamber from the left end and the spring 97 loaded piston 99 moves to the right . the fast fill function is accomplished by energization of the solenoid 111 which causes the solenoid armature 113 to move upward , further causing the toggle arms 105 and 107 to expand angularly away from one another and pushing upon the pivot attachment point of the piston actuator 103 . this causes the piston actuator 103 to rotate so that the piston actuator cross pin 123 does not align with the previously corresponding slot in the piston . further expansion of the toggle arms causes the piston actuator to move to the left and push the piston to the left , thus fast displacing fluid out of the chamber into the brake system . in the fast fill apply position of the toggle ( at rest position shown in fig6 ), the toggle angularity is geometrically favorable that high pressure acting , upon the piston will not cause high forces on the solenoid armature . this toggle arrangement / position is again very similar to that seen in fig4 . | 1 |
with reference to fig1 , an illumination surface 100 is formed by arranging a plurality of non - overlapping , adjacent light - guide elements 110 in an array . in the surface 100 , gaps 115 occur between adjacent light guide elements 110 . with changes in temperature , light - guide elements 110 can contract or expand , thereby changing the widths of the gaps 115 ( which may be intentionally created to accommodate temperature - induced changes in the sizes of the light - guide elements 110 ). the dimensional response of the light - guide elements 110 to temperature depends on the material and dimensions of the light - guide element , as well as the mechanical harness used to create the array 100 . for polymer - based light - guide elements the change in one dimension can be 0 . 1 mm per 25 ° c . positioning the light - guide elements so they overlap in one or both directions eliminates the need to reserve a gap for thermal expansion in that direction , because one light - guide element can slide over the other as it expands . it is desirable to position the light - guide elements so that each overlaps not only the out - coupling region of the neighboring light - guide element but also a portion of the neighboring light - guide element &# 39 ; s out - coupling region . this ensures that over an expected range of expansion , the unilluminated surface of the in - coupling region will not be exposed . as shown in fig2 a and 2b , an individual light - guide element 210 includes an in - coupling region 212 , which receives light from a source such as a light - emitting diode ( led ) ( not shown ); an out - coupling region 215 having illumination surface 214 ; and opposite to the illumination surface 214 , a bottom surface 216 . the light - guide element 210 also has side walls 218 and an end wall 220 distal to the in - coupling region 212 . light is generally emitted from the illumination surface 214 . the problem of stitch artifacts arising from overlapping light - guide elements is illustrated in fig3 a and 3b . a light - guide element 301 has an in - coupling region 303 and an out - coupling region 305 . the out - coupling region 305 has an illumination surface 306 and an opposed bottom surface 308 . the illumination surface 306 has out - coupling features ( not shown ) which can influence the angle with respect to z axis at which rays are emitted from the illumination surface 306 . in fig3 b , the angle between z axis and ray 331 is denoted as θ . the out - coupling region 305 has an end wall 309 opposed to the in - coupling region 303 . in fig3 a , the height of end wall 309 ( i . e . the thickness of light - guide element 301 ) is denoted as t . similarly , a light - guide element 311 has an in - coupling region 313 and an out - coupling region 315 . the out - coupling region 315 has an illumination surface 316 and an opposed bottom surface 318 . out - coupling region 315 has out - coupling features ( not shown ), which may be , for example , along the bottom surface of region 315 or dispersed ( as in the case of scattering particles ) through the thickness thereof . the out - coupling region 315 has an end wall 319 opposed to the in - coupling region 313 . as shown in fig3 a , the in - coupling region 313 of light - guide element 311 is positioned under the out - coupling region 305 of light - guide element 301 . a portion of the out - coupling region 315 of light - guide element 311 is positioned under light - guide element 301 . the in - coupling region 313 of light - guide element 311 is in contact with the bottom surface 308 of the out - coupling region 305 of light - guide element 301 . thus , there may be substantially no vertical gap ( i . e ., along the z axis ) between the out - coupling region 305 of light - guide element 301 and the in - coupling region 313 of light - guide element 311 . it should be understood that this configuration is illustrative only , and that a configuration of overlapping out - coupling regions having a spacing between such out - coupling regions ( e . g ., due to mechanical assembly requirements or limitations , or to permit introduction of an absorber as described below ) is within the scope of this invention . when temperature changes , light - guide elements 301 and 311 may expand or contract along their lengths ( i . e ., along the x axis ) or along their widths ( i . e ., along y axis ). light - guide elements 301 and 311 do not expand or contract substantially , however , along their height dimensions ( i . e ., along the z axis ). therefore , even when the temperature changes , the out - coupling region 305 of light - guide element 301 remains in contact with the in - coupling region 313 of light - guide element 311 . this characteristic of light - guide elements can be useful in eliminating or substantially reducing stitch artifacts resulting from a change in temperature , as described below . the rays denoted 331 are emitted from the illumination surfaces 306 , 316 of light - guide elements 301 , 311 , respectively , in a forward direction , denoted f . additionally , the rays denoted 332 are emitted from the illumination surfaces 306 , 316 in a backward direction , denoted b . rays may not be emitted through the end wall 309 of light - guide element 301 , however . because end wall 309 emits no light , a dark stitch artifact 342 occurs . a stitch occurs even if the end face is unreflective , however , because in that case , too much light will be emitted through the end face . as a result , the stitch will be bright instead of dark . the width of the stitch artifact is given by the expression w stitch = t tan ( θ ), where t is the thickness of end wall 309 and θ is the angle between rays 331 and the z axis . it should be understood that θ represents the smallest angle between rays 331 and z axis that can reach the illuminated plane 340 . this is because rays from illumination surface 306 emitted at angles greater than θ are not visible and therefore do not affect the stitch artifact . the rays actually observed depend on the relative position of the observer and on the illumination system geometry . in some applications there are additional optical means that may limit or filter the rays that can reach the illuminated plane 340 as done by brightness enhancement foils in backlight unit for lcd . according to the expression above , the width of stitch 342 increases as the thickness of end wall 309 increases . stitch 342 also appears wider if angle θ is large , i . e . if rays 331 are emitted at an angle close to the x axis . as explained above , if the temperature changes , the length and width of a light - guide element may change , but there may no substantial change in a light - guide element &# 39 ; s thickness . similarly , the angles at which rays are emitted through the out - coupling features in an illumination surface also generally does not change with temperature . therefore , the width of a stitch arising due to the configuration shown in fig3 a may not change substantially in response to temperature changes . we now describe various embodiments of an illumination device that address stitch artifacts caused by the end wall of an overlapping a light - guide element . with reference to fig4 , an illumination device 400 includes a first light - guide element 401 , which itself has an illumination surface 406 . the thickness of light - guide element 401 diminishes to t − at the end wall 409 , which is less than the thickness t + at the in - coupling region 403 . for example t − can be 0 . 5 mm and t + equal to 1 mm . as a result , the surface 406 may not be parallel to the bottom surface 408 of light - guide element 401 , but instead follows an angle with respect thereto . according to the expression set forth above , the reduction in t to t − produces a narrower stitch 442 in the illuminated plane 440 . this is also the case with respect to the second light - guide element 411 , with which light - guide element 401 overlaps . a commensurate reduction in the stitch effect can also be achieved by using a light - guide element having a uniformly small thickness t −. such a light - guide element may be structurally weak , however , compared to light - guide element 401 , 411 and it may not emit light of a desired intensity . in a typical light - guide element , the intensity of light emitted from the illumination surface is directly related to the number of rays reflected by the bottom surface toward the illumination surface . the latter number depends on the distance between the illumination and bottom surfaces . thus , if the thickness of a light - guide element is uniformly small , its illumination and bottom surfaces may be too close to each to achieve the desired light output . therefore , a light - guide element having uniformly small thickness may be unsuitable for applications that require high brightness . illumination device 400 exhibits adequate strength because the thinnest portion overlaps the adjacent element , and because the thickness of the element diminishes only gradually to t −, the bottom surfaces 408 , 418 can reflect a substantial amount of light within the respective elements . fig5 shows another embodiment 500 of an illumination device according to the present invention . a first light - guide element 501 is positioned above a second light - guide element 511 such that the out - coupling region 505 of light - guide element 501 overlaps the in - coupling region 513 and a portion of the out - coupling region 515 of light - guide element 511 . the out - coupling region 505 does not overlap a significant portion of the out - coupling region 515 . the inside surface of end wall 509 ( i . e ., the surface facing the in - coupling region 503 ) has a partially reflecting mirror 551 . by “ partly reflecting ” is meant that the mirror 551 reflects at least 5 % of the incident light , and preferably at least 30 %, but no more than 95 %. a partly reflecting mirror can be fabricated , for example , by applying a partly reflective coating on an end wall or by patterning a coated end wall with small openings through which some of the light is emitted . mirror 551 reflects a portion of light incident upon it to the out - coupling region 505 , and allows a portion of light to be emitted from end wall 509 as rays 533 , 534 , 535 . at least a portion of the light emitted from end wall 509 may reach the illuminated plane 540 as rays 533 . the reflectivity of mirror 551 is selected such that the amount of light emitted from end wall 509 ( in particular , the number of rays 533 ) is substantially the same as the amount of light that would reach plane 540 in the absence of an end wall 509 . as a result , the stitch artifact that would occur due to the end wall 509 is substantially eliminated or at least reduced . in another embodiment , illustrated in fig6 , the end wall 609 of light - guide element 601 has a mirror 662 on its outer surface ( i . e ., the surface facing the space above the illumination surface 616 of light - guide element 611 ). the out - coupling regions 605 , 615 of light - guide elements 601 , 611 , respectively , have out - coupling features 660 such as printing dots ( shown schematically ). the out - coupling features 660 are selected such that the distribution of light emitted from illumination surfaces 606 , 616 in backward and forward directions ( denoted b and f , respectively ) is symmetrical . a symmetrical light distribution in backward and forward direction means that the angle of rays 632 with respect to the z axis and the angle of rays 631 with respect to the z axis are substantially the same in magnitude but opposite in direction . a backward ray 652 emitted from illumination surface 616 has substantially the same angle with respect to the z axis as rays 632 . ray 652 is incident upon mirror 662 of end wall 609 . mirror 662 reflects ray 652 as ray 651 . because rays 631 , 632 have a symmetrical distribution , the reflected ray 651 is emitted substantially at the same angle with respect to the z axis as rays 631 . thus , the light that would not have reached an illuminated plane 640 had the end wall 609 been without mirror 662 is replaced by rays 651 . as a result , the stitch artifact may be substantially eliminated or reduced . as described above , the distribution of light from out - coupling features 660 does not change with temperature , so the efficacy of stitch correction does not vary with temperature changes . it should be noted that the embodiment shown in fig5 is particularly useful in connection with configurations where most of the light is out - coupled in the forward direction . the embodiment shown in fig6 is particularly useful in connection with configurations where the out - coupled light is distributed evenly between the forward and backward directions ( e . g ., a lambertian distribution ). in some embodiments , light - guide elements can overlap one another , in part , without making contact . such an illumination device is shown in fig7 a and 7b . in the illustrated embodiments , a gap separates the overlapping portions of the light - guide elements 701 , 703 and light from the portion of out - coupling region 705 ( of light - guide element 703 ) that underlies the gap 708 is emitted therefrom . light trapped in gap 708 can propagates to the right and escapes at the end of light - guide element 701 . this light can create a bright stitch artifact due its different light distribution . as shown in fig7 b , the bottom of the upper light - guide element 701 may be coated with an absorber 715 for absorbing this stray light . although the present invention has been described with reference to specific details , it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention , except as and to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims . | 6 |
an autonomous vehicle , an embodiment of the present invention , is explained below with reference to the drawings . the autonomous vehicle of the present invention is capable of two way communication with station 101 . as shown in fig1 station 101 is equipped with communication control unit 102 , and transmits to communication control unit 2 of the autonomous vehicle , via communication control unit 102 , command signals for sending work instructions to the autonomous vehicle , confirming the location of the autonomous vehicle , charging the battery of the autonomous vehicle or storing the autonomous vehicle , for example . on the other hand , information regarding the location of the autonomous vehicle , etc ., is sent to communication control unit 102 of station 101 from communication control unit 2 of the autonomous vehicle . fig2 shows an external view of the autonomous vehicle . this autonomous vehicle comprises moving unit 201 and cleaning unit 202 . it performs cleaning of the floor using cleaning unit 202 while moving on the floor using moving unit 201 . 9a and 9b in said drawing are contact distance measuring sensors . they measure the distance to the object while being in contact with the object , which may be an obstacle or wall , for example . 204 is a chemical tank . the floor is cleaned by cleaning unit 202 while a chemical agent stored in this tank is being applied to the floor . 205 are distance measuring sensor windows . detection waves output from distance measuring sensor 1 located inside the autonomous vehicle ( an infrared ray , for example ) are projected onto the object through these distance measuring sensor windows 205 . 206 is a bumper sensor . when this bumper sensor comes into contact with an obstacle or wall , the movement of the vehicle body of the autonomous vehicle comes to a halt . fig3 is a block diagram pertaining to the autonomous vehicle . in the explanation below , only those components that are necessary for movement control and distance measurement with regard to this embodiment are shown , and other components are omitted from the explanation because they are the same as those used in public domain autonomous vehicles . distance measuring sensor 1 measures the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the object without touching the object . a distance measuring sensor using the above - described infrared active method shown in fig9 is used for distance measuring sensor 1 in this embodiment , but other types of sensors such as a passive distance measuring sensor , ultrasound reflecting distance measuring sensor or laser reflecting distance measuring sensor may be used instead . contact distance measuring sensors 9a and 9b measure the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the object in place of non - contact distance measuring sensor 1 while being in contact with the object when said distance becomes short . 2 is a communication control unit that performs transmission and reception of information to and from communication control unit 102 of station 101 . memory 4 stores programs , map information , etc ., that are necessary for the control of the autonomous vehicle . steering drive unit 5 controls steering wheel 11 to control the steering of the autonomous vehicle . 6 is a drive control unit , 7a and 7b are motors , and 8a and 8b are driving wheels . drive control unit 6 controls motors 7a and 7b independently of each other , which enables driving wheels 8a and 8b to rotate independently of each other , said driving wheels being connected to motors 7a and 7b , respectively . speed detection units 10a and 10b detect the rotation speeds of driving wheels 8a and 8b , and send the detected speed data to drive control unit 6 . the details of speed detection units 10a and 10b will be explained with reference to fig4 . 302 is a cord wheel . it is connected to driving wheels 8a and 8b and rotates at the same rate as driving wheels 8a and 8b . 301 is a transmission photosensor . it counts the number of rotations of cord wheel 302 per unit time , or in other words , the number of rotations of driving wheels 8a and 8b . the amount of movement of the autonomous vehicle is then calculated from the number of rotations of driving wheels 8a and 8b measured by speed detection units 10a and 10b and the diameters of driving wheels 8a and 8b . the moving speed of the autonomous vehicle is calculated by dividing the resulting amount of movement by a prescribed period of time . returning to fig3 the explanation will now be continued . microcomputer 3 performs a comprehensive evaluation of the programs or map information stored in memory 4 , commands received by communication control unit 2 from station 101 , information regarding the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the object that is received from distance measuring sensor 1 and contact distance measuring sensors 9a and 9b , information regarding steering wheel 11 that is received from steering drive unit 5 , and information regarding driving wheels 8a and 8b that is received from drive control unit 6 , and then determines the subsequent operation of the autonomous vehicle . it then controls the drive and steering of the autonomous vehicle via steering drive unit 5 and drive control unit 6 such that the operation that was decided on will be carried out . microcomputer 3 also determines the output intensity for the detection waves output from distance measuring sensor 1 for the purpose of distance measurement and the distance measurement period based on the rotation rate of driving wheels 8a and 8b received from drive control unit 6 , or in other words , the information regarding the moving speed of the autonomous vehicle and the information regarding the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the object that is received from distance measuring sensor 1 . the output intensity from distance measuring sensor 1 and distance measurement period will be explained below . first , the output intensity will be explained with reference to fig5 . fig5 shows the relationship between distance d between the autonomous vehicle and the object and output intensity p from distance measuring sensor 1 of this embodiment . it is obvious from fig5 that distance measuring sensor 1 of this embodiment increases its output intensity p as distance d between the autonomous vehicle and the object increases . however , for distances longer than distance d1 at which maximum output p max is necessary to carry out distance measurement ( 2 , 000 mm in this embodiment ), maximum output p max is used for distance measurement regardless of the length of distance d . in the case of a distance measuring sensor using the infrared active method , the output intensity is the emission intensity from the infrared led . because this emission intensity is proportional to the square of the distance , the most common formula would be equation ( 1 ) shown below . a : specific values determined based on various properties of the autonomous vehicle , the environment in which it moves , etc . p1 , k and a are 50 ma , 1 . 3 and 20 mm , respectively , in this embodiment . to express the output intensity from distance measuring sensor 1 , various calculation methods other than equation ( 1 ) shown above are possible depending on the configuration of the object and the measurement environment , including the reflectance and ambient brightness . where distance measuring sensor 1 is an ultrasound - based sensor , for example , the output intensity is the ultrasound intensity . where it is a laser reflecting sensor , the output intensity is the intensity of the laser output , and where it is a passive sensor , the output intensity refers to the intensity of the output of the pattern light that is projected onto the object . the emission intensity changing unit of this embodiment will now be explained . fig6 is a circuit diagram with regard to the changing of the emission intensity of the infrared led . drive circuits having different resistances ( r1 - r3 ) are used for the multiple output ports . by selecting one of ports 1 through 3 depending on the needed emission intensity and turning on the drive circuit for the selected port , the emission intensity of the infrared led may be changed . in this embodiment , r1 is set at 10 ω , r2 is set at 5 ω , r3 is set at 3 ω , and vcc is set at 5v . in other words , if port 1 is selected , a low emission intensity is obtained . if port 2 is selected , a mid - level emission intensity is obtained . if port 3 is selected , a high emission intensity is obtained . the distance measurement period will now be explained . fig7 is a drawing to explain distance measurement using an optimal period . in the drawing , v is the moving speed of the autonomous vehicle , d is the distance to the object , and k1 and k2 are constants for the sake of convenience . the distance measurement period is determined based on moving speed v of the autonomous vehicle and distance d to the object . in other words , where the distance to the object is long , if the moving speed of the autonomous vehicle is fast , distance measurement must be carried out using a short period . conversely , even if the distance to the object is short , if the moving speed of the autonomous vehicle is slow , distance measurement may be performed using a long period . in fig7 three distance measurement zones are set as distance measurement zones for which the distance measurement period is optimized . distance measurement zone 1 is an area in which v ≧ k1 × d . this is an area in which the distance to the object is short and the moving speed is fast , or in other words , an area in which distance measurement must be performed using the shortest period . distance measurement zone 2 is an area in which k1 × d & gt ; v ≧ k2 × d , which requires a mid - level period . distance zone 3 is an area in which v & lt ; k2 × d , where the distance to the object is long and the moving speed is slow , or in other words , an area in which it is acceptable to carry out distance measurement using a relatively long period . in other words , based on the distance input from distance measuring sensor 1 and the moving speed input from drive control unit 6 , the autonomous vehicle determines , among the zones shown in fig7 the zone to which its current state of movement belongs , and decides the distance measurement period that should be used based on the result of said determination . in this embodiment , k1 is 3 ( 1 / sec ) and k2 is 1 ( 1 / sec ), and in distance measurement zone 1 , distance measurement is carried out five times per second , while it is performed twice and once per second in distance measurement zone 2 and distance measurement zone 3 , respectively . in addition , while three distance measurement zones are set in fig7 it is also acceptable if two or four or more distance measurement zones are set . further , the borders between distance measurement zones are set in a linear fashion as straight lines in said drawing , but they may be set exponentially or quadratically depending on the acceleration properties , braking properties , ambient environment , etc ., of the autonomous vehicle . it is also possible to use fuzzy control for the distance measurement period based on the membership function governing the speed and distance . fig8 shows a flow chart pertaining to the distance measurement operation of the autonomous vehicle of this embodiment . when the autonomous vehicle starts moving in step # 10 , it is determined in step # 20 whether or not a prescribed period of time ( s seconds ) has elapsed since the previous distance measurement session . where it is determined that a prescribed period or longer has elapsed , it is possible that the ambient situation has greatly changed , and therefore distance measurement with an optimal emission intensity is not carried out and the program advances to step # 40 , in which distance measurement is carried out using the maximum emission intensity , and distance d that is thus measured is saved in the memory ( the latest distance is saved in the memory ). on the other hand , where it is determined in step # 20 that a prescribed period or longer has not elapsed since the last distance measurement session , it is determined in step # 30 whether or not distance d measured in the last measurement session is longer than distance d1 for which measurement using the maximum emission intensity is necessary . where it is determined in step # 30 that said distance d is longer than distance d1 for which measurement using the maximum emission intensity is necessary , the program advances to step # 40 , in which distance measurement using the maximum emission intensity is performed . where it is determined in step # 30 that distance d in the previous measurement session is equal to or smaller than distance d1 for which measurement using the maximum emission intensity is necessary , the program advances to step # 50 , in which the optimal emission intensity for distance d is calculated . this is equivalent to obtaining optimal emission intensity p from distance d , which was explained with reference to fig5 . the program then advances to step # 60 , in which distance measurement is carried out using the emission intensity corresponding to the result of calculation in step # 50 , and distance d thus measured is saved in the memory . the program then advances to step # 70 , in which the timer to decide the distance measurement period is reset and the distance measurement operation is completed . when distance measurement is completed , it is determined in step # 80 whether or not distance d is shorter than distance d0 that is dependent on the contact distance measuring sensors ( d0 = 50 mm in this embodiment ). this is done because when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the object has become fairly short , distance measuring sensor 1 can no longer perform accurate measurement , and distance measurement using the contact distance measuring sensors will therefore be performed instead . where it is determined in step # 80 that distance d is shorter than distance d0 that is dependent on the contact distance measuring sensors , distance measurement is performed in step # 90 using the contact distance measuring sensors , and the resulting distance d is saved in the memory . it is then determined in step # 100 whether or not distance d is equal to or exceeds distance d0 that is dependent on the contact distance measuring sensors . where distance d is equal to or exceeds distance d0 that is dependent on the contact distance measuring sensors , distance measurement using the contact distance measuring sensors is ended and the program returns to step # 20 , in which distance measurement using non - contact distance measuring sensor 1 is carried out . where it is determined in step # 100 that distance d is not equal to or does not exceed distance d0 that is dependent on the contact distance measuring sensors , the movement of the autonomous vehicle is controlled in response to distance d . it is then determined in step # 120 whether or not an end movement command has been output . if an end movement command has been output , a control sequence to stop the movement of the autonomous vehicle is carried out in step # 130 . after that , the program advances to step # 140 and returns to the main routine . where it is determined in step # 120 that an end movement command has not been output , the program returns to step # 90 and the processes of steps # 90 through # 120 are repeated . on the other hand , where it is determined in step # 80 that distance d is equal to or exceeds distance d0 that is dependent on the contact distance measuring sensors , the program advances to step # 150 , in which the movement of the autonomous vehicle is controlled in response to distance d . this means that the speed is reduced , the autonomous vehicle is stopped , or the object is avoided , for example , in response to the distance to the object . it is then determined in step # 160 whether or not an end movement command has been output to the autonomous vehicle . if an end movement command has been output , a control sequence to stop the movement of the autonomous vehicle is followed in step # 130 , following which the program advances to step # 140 and returns to the main routine . if it is determined in step # 160 that an end movement command has not been output , the program advances to step # 170 , in which moving speed v of the autonomous vehicle is detected . then , in step # 180 , the distance measurement zone to which moving speed v and distance d of the autonomous vehicle belong is determined ( from among the zones shown in fig7 ). first , it is determined in step # 190 whether or not the result determined in step # 180 is distance measurement zone 1 . where it is determined in step # 190 that the result determined in step # 180 is distance measurement zone 1 , which means that distance measurement should be carried out using the shortest period ( five times per second in this embodiment , or every 0 . 2 seconds ), the program returns to step # 20 and immediately moves on to the next distance measurement session . where it is determined in step # 190 that the result determined in step # 180 is not distance measurement zone 1 , it is determined in step # 200 whether or not the result determined in step # 180 is distance measurement zone 2 . where it is determined in step # 200 that the result determined in step # 180 is distance measurement zone 2 , the program advances to step # 210 to perform distance measurement twice per second ( i . e ., every 0 . 5 seconds ). after a prescribed standby period of t seconds ( 0 . 5 seconds in this embodiment ) elapses , the program returns to step # 20 and moves on to the next distance measurement session . where it is determined in step # 200 that the result determined in step # 180 is not distance measurement zone 2 , the result determined in step # 180 is distance measurement zone 3 . therefore , the program advances to step # 220 to carry out distance measurement once per second ( every 1 . 0 second ). after a prescribed standby period of 2t seconds ( 1 . 0 second in this embodiment ) elapses , the program returns to step # 20 and moves on to the next distance measurement session . prescribed periods t and 2t are set to be 0 . 5 seconds and 1 . 0 second , respectively , in this embodiment , but since prescribed period t is determined based on the normal moving speed , etc ., of the autonomous vehicle , it is not limited to these values . naturally , with regard to the standby periods for distance measurement zones 3 and 2 , it is necessary only that the standby period for distance measurement zone 3 be longer than that for distance measurement zone 2 , and it is not necessary that their ratio be 2 : 1 as in this embodiment . while an explanation was provided in connection with this embodiment based on a construction comprising a station and an autonomous vehicle , the present invention may be applied to a construction comprising an autonomous vehicle only . although the present invention has been fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention , they should be construed as being included therein . | 6 |
looking first at fig1 – 3 , there is shown a suturing instrument 2 which comprises a preferred embodiment of the present invention . suturing instrument 2 generally comprises a handle assembly 100 , a cannula assembly 200 , a wire drive assembly 300 , a wire supply cartridge 400 and a shroud assembly 500 , as will hereinafter be described in further detail . among other things , cannula assembly 200 comprises a shaft 202 , an end effector 204 comprising a first jaw 206 and a second jaw 208 , a jaw closing actuator 210 , a wire advance button 212 , a left rotation button 214 , a right rotation button 216 ( fig3 ), and a wire cutting actuator 218 , as will also hereinafter be described in further detail . as will be discussed in further detail below , generally during use , the suturing instrument &# 39 ; s end effector 204 is positioned adjacent to the tissue which is to be sutured and , using jaw closing actuator 210 , jaws 206 and 208 are brought together around the tissue which is to be sutured . then wire advance button 212 is activated , causing wire drive assembly 300 to draw suture wire out of wire supply cartridge 400 and push the suture wire distally through cannula assembly 200 to end effector 204 . the suture wire is driven from first jaw 206 to second jaw 208 with sufficient force to penetrate the tissue placed between the two jaws , and the suture wire is permitted to pass through second jaw 208 . jaws 206 and 208 are then separated and moved away from the tissue , as more suture wire is payed out , leaving the suture wire extending from the subject tissue to each of the two jaws . end effector 204 ( together with wire supply cartridge 400 ) may then be rotated with respect to the tissue by actuating either left rotation button 214 or right rotation button 216 ( fig3 ). this causes the portions of the suture wire that extend from the tissue to be twisted about one another so as to form a closed loop extending through the tissue . it will be appreciated that the size of this closed loop may be adjustably reduced by increasing the degree of twisting in the wire . the twisted loop of suture wire may then be cut off , at end effector 204 , from the remaining suture wire that extends back through the suturing instrument . such cutting may be effected by actuating wire cutting actuator 218 . as will be discussed in further detail below , wire supply cartridge 400 may be supplied separately from suturing instrument 2 , with wire supply cartridge 400 being loaded into suturing instrument 2 prior to commencing a suturing operation . as will also be discussed in further detail below , wire supply cartridge 400 may be disposable , such that the cartridge may be discarded after use . looking next at fig4 – 8 , handle assembly 100 comprises a housing 102 , a battery door 104 , a handle cartridge assembly 106 , a battery pin assembly 108 and a rear cover assembly 110 . housing 102 is shown in greater detail in fig8 . housing 102 defines a main compartment 112 , a battery pin compartment 114 and a battery compartment 116 . a chin pin 118 is secured in the proximal end of housing 102 and extends proximally therefrom . chin pin 118 is used to secure shroud assembly 500 ( fig2 ) to housing 102 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . battery door 104 selectively closes off battery compartment 116 . to this end , battery door 104 is hingedly connected to housing 102 by a pin 120 ( fig8 ), and includes a door latch 122 ( fig8 ) for selectively releasing and locking the battery door . handle cartridge assembly 106 ( fig7 ) is shown in greater detail in fig9 – 13 . handle cartridge assembly 106 generally comprises a housing 123 , a shaft 124 ( fig1 ), a gear and clutch assembly 126 , a clutch assembly 128 , a motor 130 and a switch 132 . housing 123 includes a first cavity 134 ( fig1 ) for receiving shaft 124 and portions of gear and clutch assembly 126 and portions of clutch assembly 128 , and a second cavity 136 ( fig1 ) for receiving portions of motor 130 and switch 132 . housing 132 of handle cartridge assembly 106 also includes a seal 138 ( fig1 ) for sealing handle cartridge assembly 106 within main compartment 112 ( fig8 ) of handle 102 . shaft 124 ( fig1 ) is selectively coupled to motor 130 via gear and clutch assembly 126 , and is selectively coupled to cannula assembly 200 via clutch assembly 128 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . gear and clutch assembly 126 is shown in greater detail in fig1 – 16 . gear and clutch assembly 126 comprises a hub 139 , a large gear 140 and a smaller gear 142 mounted on hub 139 , a seal 144 , a second hub 146 , and a one - way clutch 148 received within second hub 146 . as a result of this construction , when gear and clutch assembly 126 is press fit onto shaft 124 ( fig1 ) and motor 130 is used to turn large gear 140 clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ), hubs 139 and 146 and smaller gear 142 will also turn clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). in addition , due to the nature of one - way clutch 148 , clockwise rotation ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) of hub 146 will be transferred by clutch 148 to shaft 124 , whereby to cause clockwise rotation ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) of shaft 124 . when motor 130 is used to turn large gear 140 counterclockwise rotation ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) hubs 139 and 146 and smaller gear 142 will also turn counterclockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). however , due to arrangement of one way clutch 148 , rotation of large gear 140 will not be transferred by clutch 148 to shaft 124 . thus it will be seen that , due to the presence of one - way clutch 148 , motor 130 can only rotate shaft 124 in one direction , i . e ., clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). clutch assembly 128 ( fig1 ) is shown in greater detail in fig1 . clutch assembly 128 comprises a hub 150 , a one - way clutch 152 received within hub 150 , a seal 154 and a second hub 156 . as a result of this construction , when clutch assembly 128 is press fit onto shaft 124 ( fig1 ) and hubs 150 and 156 are secured to housing 123 ( fig9 ), clutch assembly 128 will permit shaft 124 to rotate clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) but will prevent shaft 124 from rotating counterclockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). by mounting gear and clutch assembly 126 and clutch assembly 128 to shaft 124 , and by configuring one - way clutch 148 and one - way clutch 152 for opposing rotation , shaft 124 can be rotated clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) by clockwise rotation ( as viewed from left hand side of fig1 ) of motor 130 . at the same time , however , counterclockwise rotation ( as viewed from left hand side of fig1 ) of motor 130 will not result in any counterclockwise rotation ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) of shaft 124 due to the arrangement of one - way clutch 152 . switch 132 ( fig1 ) is shown in greater detail in fig1 – 21 . switch 132 comprises a front 158 , a first pair of electrical contacts 160 a and 160 b , a body 162 , a second pair of electrical contacts 164 a and 164 b and a back 166 , with all of the foregoing held together as a single unit by a pair of screws 168 . switch 132 serves to selectively connect a pair of battery poles 170 a and 170 b ( fig2 ), forming part of battery pin assembly 108 , to a pair of motor poles 172 a and 172 b . more particularly , switch 132 is normally disposed so that its electrical contact 164 a is in engagement with battery pole 170 a , and its electrical contact 164 b is in engagement with battery pole 170 b , with motor pole 172 a extending through an opening 174 b ( fig2 ) in electrical contact 164 b and with motor pole 172 b extending through an opening 174 a in electrical contact 164 a . thus , in this position , no current flows between battery poles 170 a and 170 b and motor poles 172 a and 172 b . however , if the switch &# 39 ; s front 158 is forced rearwardly , toward motor 130 , electrical contact 164 a will come into engagement with both battery pole 170 a and motor pole 172 a , and electrical contact 164 b will come into engagement with both battery pole 170 b and motor pole 172 b , thus completing a first circuit so as to energize motor 130 with a first polarity . alternatively , if front 158 is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise ( as viewed in fig2 ), electrical contact 164 a will come into engagement with both battery pole 170 a and motor pole 172 b , and electrical contact 164 b will come into engagement with both battery pole 170 b and motor pole 172 a , thus completing a second circuit so as to energize motor 130 with a second polarity . in this respect it will be appreciated that the aforementioned second circuit is substantially the same as the aforementioned first circuit , except that electrical power is delivered to motor 130 with a reversed polarity . thus , by rotating the front 158 of switch 132 either clockwise or counterclockwise ( as viewed in fig2 ), motor 130 can be energized with a first polarity , such that it will rotate counterclockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) and thereby drive shaft 124 clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). alternatively , by pushing front 158 of switch 132 rearwardly , toward motor 130 , motor 130 can be energized with a second opposite polarity , such that it will rotate clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). however , this clockwise rotation of motor 130 will not cause any rotation of shaft 124 , due to the configuration of one - way clutches 148 and 152 , which permit shaft 124 to rotate in only a clockwise direction ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). it should be appreciated that this arrangement of a dc motor with forward and reverse polarity , together with the gear and clutch assembly 126 and clutch assembly 128 , essentially provides a transmission mechanism . by activating wire advance button 212 , or left rotation button 214 or right rotation button 216 , a single motor can be used to drive wire or rotate the jaws . battery pin assembly 108 is shown in greater detail in fig2 – 24 . battery pin assembly 108 comprises a body 176 which supports the aforementioned two battery poles 170 a and 170 b , and a pair of battery contacts 178 a and 178 b for engagement with a battery ( not shown ) housed in battery compartment 116 ( fig8 ). cannula assembly 200 ( fig2 ) is shown in greater detail in fig2 – 38 . as noted above , cannula assembly 200 ( fig2 ) comprises shaft 202 , end effector 204 comprising first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 , jaw closing actuator 210 , wire advance button 212 , left rotation button 214 , right rotation button 216 and wire cutting actuator 216 . cannula assembly 200 also includes a housing 220 ( fig2 ) which acts as a support for the aforementioned elements . shaft 202 is shown in greater detail in fig2 – 31 . shaft 202 comprises a body 222 ( fig2 ) which has a tubular proximal end 224 and a trifurcated distal end 226 . a jaw linkage 228 extends through the distal end of tubular proximal end 224 and alongside ( i . e ., within one of the grooves ) of trifurcated distal end 226 . jaw linkage 228 is connected at its distal end to first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 as will hereinafter be described in further detail , and is connected at its proximal end to an internal mount 230 ( fig3 ). a pin 232 ( fig3 ) extends through a pair of slots 234 in tubular proximal end 224 and connects internal mount 230 ( fig3 ) to an external mount 236 . as a result of this construction , axial movement of external mount 236 will result in axial movement of jaw linkage 228 , whereby to open and close first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 via a scissors - type linkage ( fig3 ), as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . a cutter bar linkage 238 ( fig2 ) also extends through the distal end of tubular proximal end 224 and alongside trifurcated distal end 226 . cutter bar linkage 238 is connected as its distal end to a cutter bar 240 via superelastic nitinol wire flexible coupling ( fig3 ), and is connected at its proximal end to an internal mount 242 ( fig3 ). a pin 244 ( fig3 ) extends through a pair of slots 246 in tubular proximal end 224 and connects internal mount 242 to an external mount 248 . as a result of this construction , axial movement of external mount 248 will result in axial movement of cutter bar linkage 238 , whereby to advance and retract cutter bar 240 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . also extending through tubular proximal end 224 ( fig2 ) and alongside trifurcated distal end 226 is a hollow wire guide 250 ( fig3 ) which terminates , at its proximal end , in a mount 252 . the distal end of mount 252 is received by the proximal end of tubular proximal end 224 . the distal end of hollow wire guide 250 is received in a channel 254 ( fig3 ) formed in first jaw 206 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . channel 254 communicates with a suture wire guide 256 formed in first jaw 206 , whereby suture wire emerging from hollow wire guide 250 will enter suture wire guide 256 . suture wire guide 256 is configured so that when first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 are closed , suture wire guide 256 will receive suture wire advancing parallel to the axis of shaft 202 and redirect it , substantially perpendicularly , toward second jaw 208 . wire guide 256 is configured to work with a range of different jaw openings , i . e ., wire guide 256 is configured to work successfully regardless of whether the jaws are closed on relatively thin tissue or relatively thick tissue . preferably wire guide 256 has radius of 0 . 125 inches . in order to permit the fabrication of suture wire guide 256 , first jaw 206 may include a removable cover 259 ( fig3 ) so as to provide access to the interior of first jaw 206 . second jaw 208 has an opening 257 ( fig3 ) formed therein to receive the wire exiting first jaw 206 . looking next at fig2 – 27 , it will be seen jaw closing actuator 210 is connected to external mount 236 such that depressing actuator 210 toward handle assembly 100 will cause external mount 236 to move proximally , whereby to move jaw linkage 228 proximally , and whereby to cause first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 to close toward one another . correspondingly , when jaw closing actuator 210 is released , a coil spring 258 ( fig2 ) will cause external mount 236 to move distally , whereby to move jaw linkage 228 distally , and whereby to cause first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 to separate from one another . still looking now at fig2 – 27 , it will also be seen that wire cutting actuator 218 is connected to external mount 248 such that depressing wire cutting actuator 218 toward handle assembly 100 will cause external mount 248 to move distally , whereby to move cutter bar linkage 238 distally and whereby to cause cutter bar 240 to move distally within a passageway 260 ( fig3 ) formed in first jaw 206 . in this respect it should be appreciated that cutter bar passageway intersects suture wire guideway 256 near the distal end of first jaw 206 , such that cutter bar 240 can sever a length of suture wire extending through suture wire guideway 256 , as will hereinafter be discussed in greater detail . correspondingly , when wire cutting actuator 218 is released , a coil spring 262 ( fig2 ) will cause external mount 248 to move proximally , whereby to move cutter bar linkage 238 proximally and whereby to cause cutter bar 240 to move proximally within passageway 260 . significantly , external mounts 236 and 248 permit the shaft to rotate for wire twisting purposes while simultaneously permitting axial motion for jaw actuation and cutter bar actuation . still looking now at fig2 – 27 , it will also be seen that wire advance button 212 is connected to a pair of push rods 262 ( fig2 ). push rods 262 are arranged to that when cannula assembly 200 is mounted to handle assembly 100 and wire advance button 212 is depressed ( i . e ., pushed toward handle assembly 100 ), push rods 262 will engage front 158 of switch 132 , whereby to drive front 158 proximally , whereby to energize motor 130 with the aforementioned second polarity , such that motor 130 will rotate clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). such motor rotation will cause suture wire to be advanced out of the distal end of suturing instrument 2 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . still looking now at fig2 – 27 , it will also be seen that the proximal ends 264 , 266 ( fig2 ) of left rotation button 214 and right rotation button 216 , respectively , are exposed at the proximal end of cannula assembly 100 , whereby they may engage fingers 268 , 270 ( fig1 ), respectively , formed on front 158 of switch 132 . the various parts are arranged so that engagement of left rotation button 214 or right rotation button 216 will result in rotation of front 158 of switch 132 , which will in turn result in motor 130 being energized with the aforementioned first polarity , such that motor 130 will rotate counterclockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ) and whereby to drive shaft 124 clockwise ( as viewed from the left hand side of fig1 ). looking next at fig3 – 48 , wire drive assembly 300 comprises a body 302 ( fig4 ), a base plate 304 fastened to body 302 by a pair of screws 306 , a spur gear 308 connected to a miter gear 310 via a shaft 312 , a fixed block 314 mounted on a rod 316 , a screw 318 securing rod 316 to body 302 , a second miter gear 320 connected to a drive shaft roller 322 and a spur gear 324 via an axle 326 passing through fixed block 314 , a second drive shaft roller 328 connected to a spur gear 330 via an axle 332 , a movable block 334 slidably mounted on rod 316 , a block 336 , spring 338 , washer 340 and screw 342 for biasing movable block 334 into engagement with fixed block 314 , and a lever 344 and arm 346 for manually forcing movable block 334 away from fixed block 314 . wire drive assembly 300 also comprises a cannula lock lever 348 including a keyway 350 . cannula lock lever 348 is biased outwardly by a spring 352 . as a result of this construction , when movable block 334 is in engagement with fixed block 314 , rotation of spur gear 308 will cause rotation of miter gear 310 , which will in turn cause rotation of miter gear 320 and shaft 326 , which will in turn cause rotation of roller 322 and spur gear 324 , which will in turn cause rotation of spur gear 330 and hence roller 328 . however , depressing lever 344 will cause arm 346 to pivot , whereby to force movable block 334 away from fixed block 314 and whereby to separate roller 322 from roller 328 . in addition , cannula lock lever 348 can be pressed inwardly , against the force of spring 352 , whereby to align enlarged portion 354 of keyway 350 with notches 272 ( fig3 ) of mount 250 , and thereafter released , so as to lock the cannula and wire drive assembly 300 together , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . it should be appreciated that wave washers ww 1 and ww 2 ( fig4 ) bias spur gears 324 and 330 , respectively , away from fixed block 314 and movable block 334 , which , via axles 325 and 332 respectively , urge drive wheels 322 and 328 against body 302 , whereby to keep wheels 322 and 328 aligned and in a fixed relative position . each drive wheel and axle assembly is machined ( turned ) from a single , continuous piece of metal , using the same tool setup , so that the alignment of both is immune from the inaccuracies that would occur if they were turned at different occasions and assembled using holes and holding means . this operation is important , because the drive wheels are approximately 100 times the diameter of the wire they are driving and even the slightest alignment inaccuracies can rotate the wire as it is moved forward . since the wire is permanently curved by the exit path in the delivery jaw , any such wire rotation causes the wire to swerve from its normal trajectory from that jaw and possibly prevent the tip of the wire from passing through the opening in the receiving jaw . it should also be appreciated that peripheral grooves may be formed in wheels 322 and 328 . such grooves provide a seat for the wire being driven and help increase the surface area contact between the wheels and the wire . looking next at fig4 – 54 , wire supply cartridge 400 generally comprises a spool housing 402 ( fig5 ), a wire spool 404 , a spool retainer spring 406 , a spool cover 408 , a molded tube support 410 holding a wire support tube 412 and a peek wire guide tube 414 . a length of wire 416 extends from spool 404 , through molded tube support 410 and wire support tube 412 , and through peek wire guide tube 414 . more particularly , a supply coil of suture wire 416 ( comprising wire formed of metal or any other suitable material having the required flexibility and stiffness ) may be supplied in the base of cartridge 400 and is fed into molded tube support 410 , where it enters wire support unit 412 before entering peek wire guide tube 414 . peek wire guide tube 414 surrounds suture wire 416 , from wire support unit 412 to the distal end of suturing instrument 2 where , with the distal end of peek tube received in channel 254 ( fig3 ), the suture wire enters suture wire guide 256 in first jaw 206 . peek wire guide tube 414 ensures that suture wire 416 does not bend or buckle as the suture wire is pushed through handle assembly 100 and cannula assembly 200 . more particularly , peek wire guide tube 414 preferably forms a sufficiently close sliding fit with suture wire 416 such that suture wire 416 cannot bend or buckle as the suture wire is advanced through suturing instrument 2 . at the same time , peek wire guide tube 414 is also formed so as to present a minimum of friction to suture wire 416 as the suture wire is advanced through the instrument . in addition , peek wire guide tube 414 also provides a flexible support as the suture wire moves from the shaft to the upper jaw , which pivots relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft . the foregoing characteristics are important , inasmuch as suture wire 416 is extremely thin and flexible and highly susceptible to bending or buckling in the absence of some sort of lateral support . by way of example but not limitation , where suture wire 416 is formed out of stainless steel and has a diameter of 0 . 006 inch , peek wire guide tube 414 might have an inside diameter of 0 . 008 inch and an outside diameter of 0 . 016 inch . in addition , peek wire guide tube 414 is preferably formed out of polyetheretherketone ; however , it may alternatively be formed out of polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ) or some other relatively lubricious material . alternatively , the interior of peek wire guide tube 414 may be coated with a lubricant so as to facilitate closely - supported , low - friction passage of the suture wire through the wire guide . further by way of example but not limitation , in one preferred form of the invention , suture wire 416 may comprise 316 lvm stainless steel having a tensile strength of 168 , 000 psi . wire support unit 412 and its surrounding molded tube support 410 have aligned openings 418 , 420 ( fig5 ) respectively , on opposite sides thereof . openings 418 , 420 expose a portion of suture wire 416 so that rollers 322 , 328 ( fig4 ) may contact suture wire 416 and urge the suture wire forward toward the distal end of suturing instrument 2 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail . wire supply cartridge 400 may be attached to wire drive assembly 300 by actuating lever 344 so as to force movable block 334 away from fixed block 314 and thereby separate roller 328 . once wire roller 322 is separated from roller 328 by a sufficient distance to expose the distal end of mount 252 ( fig3 ), peek wire guide tube 414 may be inserted into the interior of wire guide 250 and molded tube support 410 may be inserted between rollers 322 and 328 such that rollers 322 and 328 contact either side of suture wire 416 through openings 420 , 418 formed in either side of molded tube support 410 and wire support unit 412 , respectively . looking next at fig5 and 56 , shroud 500 comprises a body 502 having a recess 504 and a locking finger 506 . locking finger 506 selectively engages chin pin 118 for locking and unlocking shroud 500 relative to handle assembly 100 . suturing instrument 2 may be used to apply wire suture 416 to a subject so as to effect a desired suturing operation . by way of example but not limitation , and looking now at fig5 – 66 , suturing instrument 2 may be used to suture together two portions 600 , 602 of a subject which is to be sutured . in a typical case , portions 600 , 602 might comprise two sections of severed tissue which need to be re - attached to one another , or two pieces of previously unattached tissue which need to be attached to one another . however , one or the other of the portions 600 , 602 might also comprise artificial mesh or some other object being attached to tissue , etc . in addition , in a typical case , portions 600 , 602 might be located relatively deep within a patient , and might be accessed during an endoscopic or a so - called “ minimally invasive ”, or a so - called “ closed surgery ”, procedure ; however , in other circumstances , portions 600 , 602 might be accessed during a conventional , or so - called “ open surgery ”, procedure . this later situation might include procedures done at the outer surface of the patient &# 39 ; s body , i . e ., where portions 600 , 602 comprise surface subjects . in any case , suturing instrument 2 is initially prepared for use by installing a battery into handle assembly 100 , if a battery is not already installed , and by installing wire supply cartridge 400 into the suturing instrument , if a cartridge 400 is not yet installed . as noted above , wire supply cartridge 30 is installed in suturing instrument 2 by ( 1 ) removing shroud 500 , ( 2 ) moving the wire drive assembly &# 39 ; s release lever 344 to its open position , so as to move rollers 322 and 328 apart and thereby expose the distal end of mount 252 ; ( 3 ) passing the distal end of the cartridge ( i . e ., the distal end of peek wire guide tube 414 ) through cannula assembly 200 until the distal end of peek wire guide tube 414 is in communication with the suture wire guide 256 formed in first jaw portion 206 , at which point the cartridge &# 39 ; s molded tube support 410 will be positioned intermediate rollers 322 and 328 ; and ( 4 ) moving the wire drive assembly &# 39 ; s release lever 344 back to its closed position , so as to cause rollers 322 and 328 to extend through the wire support unit &# 39 ; s openings 418 and engage suture wire 416 . at this point suturing instrument 2 will be ready for use , with its first jaw 206 and second jaw 208 being open , and with its cutter bar 240 being in its retracted ( i . e ., non - cutting ) position . next , suturing instrument 2 has its jaws 206 , 208 placed in their “ closed ” position ) by pulling jaw closing actuator 210 toward handle assembly 100 , and then the distal end of suturing instrument 2 is moved adjacent to subject portions 600 , 602 ( fig5 ). in the case of a so - called closed surgical procedure , such positioning will generally involve moving the distal end of the suturing instrument through a cannula and into an interior body cavity ; however , it is also envisioned that one might move the distal end of the suturing instrument directly into an otherwise - accessible body cavity , e . g ., directly into the colon or esophagus , etc . in the case of a so - called open surgical procedure , such positioning might involve positioning the distal end of the suturing instrument adjacent to more readily accessible subject portions 600 , 602 . in any case , once the distal end of suturing instrument 2 has been placed adjacent to subject portions 600 , 602 , jaw closing actuator 210 is released , such that biasing spring 258 ( fig2 ) will cause jaws 206 , 208 to move away from one another ( fig5 ). then the distal end of suturing instrument 2 is moved so that its jaws 206 , 208 straddle subject portions 600 , 602 , and then jaw closing actuator 210 is actuated again , by pulling jaw closing actuator 210 toward handle assembly 100 , so as to close jaws 206 , 208 against one another , whereby to capture subject portions 600 , 602 ( fig5 ). next , wire advance button 212 is activated so as to cause suture wire 416 to be driven forward , out of the distal end of wire guide 256 , through subject portions 600 , 602 , and finally through opening 257 ( fig3 ) formed in second jaw 208 . suture wire 416 is preferably advanced so that a length 416 a of wire 416 extends approximately 1 centimeter out of the bottom end of second jaw 208 ( fig5 ). in this respect it will be appreciated that , as suture wire 416 leaves first jaw 206 and engages subject portions 600 , 602 , the first jaw &# 39 ; s wire guide 256 will support the thin suture wire so as to enable the suture wire to penetrate subject portions 600 , 602 . again , it should be appreciated that wire guide 256 is configured to pass the wire to second jaw 208 regardless of whether the jaws are closed on relatively thin tissue or relatively thick tissue . once this has been done , jaw closing actuator 210 is released so as to permit jaws 206 , 208 to return to their “ open ” position , and then wire advance button 212 is used to pay out additional suture wire 416 as the distal end of suturing instrument 2 is stepped back ( e . g ., by about a centimeter or so ) from subject portions 600 , 602 ( fig6 ). then jaw closing actuator 210 is used to move jaws 206 , 208 back into engagement with one another once more ( fig6 ). next , left rotation button 214 , or right rotation button 216 , is used to rotate shaft 202 and hence end effector 204 . this causes suture wire 416 to twist on itself , initially creating a relatively large loop 417 ( fig6 ) of suture wire 416 extending from subject portions 600 , 602 toward suturing instrument 2 . however , as left rotation button 214 and / or right rotation button 216 is used to rotate shaft 202 ( and hence end effector 204 ) more and more , the loop 417 of suture material will progressively close down ( fig6 ) so as to form a tight binder for subject portions 600 , 602 . in this respect it will be appreciated that the longer the period of time that end effector 204 is rotated , the greater the amount of twisting of suture wire 416 , and the greater the force holding subject portions 600 , 602 . in this respect it will also be appreciated that suture wire 416 is preferably carefully selected with respect to its flexibility relative to the strength of subject portions 600 , 602 . in particular , suture wire 416 is chosen so as to have a flexibility such that the suture wire will twist , and loop 417 will close down , before subject portions 600 , 602 will undergo substantial deformation and / or tearing . by way of example but not limitation , in practice , it has been found that 0 . 006 inch diameter stainless steel wire can be used with most types of mammalian tissue such that the suture wire can be twisted closed without causing substantial deformation and / or tearing of the tissue . at the same time , suture wire 416 is also chosen to have an adequate columnar strength , whereby to permit it to be driven through the tool and across the tissue . once suture wire 416 has been tightened to the desired degree ( fig6 ), rotation of shaft 202 ( and hence end effector 204 ) is stopped , i . e ., by releasing left rotation button 214 or right rotation button 28 . then wire cutting actuator 218 is depressed ( e . g ., it is pulled back toward handle assembly 100 ) so as to move cutting bar 240 distally and thereby sever the suture wire 416 as the suture wire crosses the first jaw &# 39 ; s cutter bar channel 260 ( fig6 ). this action separates the deployed suture wire extending through subject portions 600 , 602 from the suture wire remaining in wire supply cartridge 400 and first jaw 206 . then wire cutting actuator 218 is released , allowing biasing spring 262 to return cutting bar 240 to return to its proximal position , and then jaw closing actuator 210 is released , allowing jaws 206 and 208 to move away from one another . suturing instrument 2 may then be removed from subject portions 600 , 602 , which action will pull wire length 416 a from second jaw 208 ( fig6 ). the deployed suture wire 416 may then be pressed down flat against subject portions 600 , 602 or rounded into a ball , or otherwise operated upon , or portions cut away , etc . so as to reduce the profile of , or reduce the tendency to snag on , the deployed suture wire ( fig6 ). significantly , with the present invention , jaw opening and closing , wire length and the degree of wire twisting are all variable and adjustable by the operator according to the particular surgical application involved . it will be appreciated that suturing instrument 2 will have application in a broad range of different suturing operations . more particularly , it will be appreciated that suturing instrument 2 will have application in both “ open ” and “ closed ” surgical procedures , with the former including , but not limited to , large entry procedures , relatively shallow procedures , and surface procedures ; and with the latter including , but not limited to , surgical procedures where access is gained to an interior structure through the use of a cannula , and surgical procedures where access is gained directly to an internal body cavity without the use of a cannula , e . g ., such as a procedure conducted within the colon or the esophagus . it will also be appreciated that suturing instrument 2 will have application where two portions of tissue must be attached to one another ( e . g ., where two severed pieces of tissue must be re - attached to one another , or where two separate pieces of tissue must be attached to one another , or where two sections of a single piece of tissue must be approximated to one another ), and where an object must be attached to the patient ( e . g ., where surgical mesh must be attached to the patient &# 39 ; s abdominal wall during hernia repair surgery , etc .). among other things , it is believed that suturing instrument 2 will have particular application in the areas of general laparoscopic surgery , general thoracic surgery , cardiac surgery , general intestinal surgery , vascular surgery , skin surgery and plastic surgery . looking next at fig6 and 68 , it will be seen that where the first jaw &# 39 ; s guide channel 256 is disposed so as to be substantially aligned with the center of cutting bar 240 ( fig6 ), suture wire 416 will be cut with a relatively flat leading end 416 b ( fig6 ). however , it has sometimes been found helpful to provide suture wire 416 with a relatively sharp leading point . such a leading point can help open the subject for the following portion of the suture wire . in addition , such a leading point can help the suture wire penetrate the subject with a substantially straight path , so that the suture wire will reliably enter the second jaw &# 39 ; s opening 257 . to this end , it has been found that moving the first jaw &# 39 ; s guide channel 256 off - center relative to cutting bar 240 ( fig6 ) will cause the leading end 416 b of suture wire 416 to be formed with a relatively sharp tip 416 c ( fig7 ). it is also possible to use suturing instrument 2 to ligate a subject rather than to pass a suture through the subject . for example , suturing instrument 2 might be used to ligate a blood vessel or cystic duct with suture wire 416 . in this case , suturing . instrument 2 is deployed so that suture wire 416 will pass around the far side of the subject , rather than through the subject as in the case of the suturing operation of the type described above . by way of example but not limitation , in a typical ligating operation , first and second jaws 206 , 208 are first opened relative to one another . then suturing instrument 2 is positioned about the subject so that when the two jaws are thereafter closed toward one another , the first jaw &# 39 ; s guide channel 256 and the second jaw &# 39 ; s opening 257 will both lie on the far side of the subject . the two jaws are then closed against one another , and suture wire 416 is passed from first jaw 206 to second jaw 208 , i . e ., around the far side of the subject . the two jaws are then opened , and suture wire 416 is payed out as the instrument is stepped back from the subject . then the two jaws are closed again . the shaft of the instrument is then rotated so as to form , and then close down , the ligating loop . then cutting bar 240 is activated so as to cut the ligating loop from the remainder of the suture wire still in the tool , the two jaw members are opened , and the instrument is withdrawn from the surgical site . the deployed suture wire 416 may then be pressed down flat against the subject , or rounded into a ball , or otherwise operated upon , or portions cut away , etc . so as to reduce the profile of , or reduce the tendency to snag on , the deployed suture wire . as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art , where instrument 2 is to be used for ligating purposes , first and second jaws 206 , 208 might be formed with a greater longitudinal length so as to facilitate passing the suture wire around the far side of the subject . furthermore , one or both of the jaw members might be formed with a recess , intermediate their length , for accommodating the subject , whereby to prevent compressing the subject when the two jaw members are moved into engagement with one another . suture wire 416 may comprise a wire formed out of a metal or any other suitable material having the required flexibility and stiffness . by way of example but not limitation , suture wire 416 may comprise stainless steel , titanium , tantalum , etc . if desired , suture wire 416 may also be coated with various active agents . for example , suture wire 416 may be coated with an anti - inflammatory agent , or an anti - coagulant agent , or an antibiotic , or a radioactive agent , etc . it should also be appreciated that the instrument may also be used to anchor a guide wire into tissue for the purposes of subsequently delivering an object to that tissue anchor point . in such a situation , the jaws would grasp tissue at the desired anchor point in the tissue , drive wire through it and twist the wire ends together . before cutting the supply side of the wire , however , the user would drive wire , with the jaws open , as the instrument was withdrawn out of the surgical area . the proximal end of this length of wire is then secured . then the wire could be cut , leaving an open proximal end over which various devices could be pushed to the tissue site ( e . g . ph sensors , gastric motility leads , cardiac pacing leads , drug delivery catheters , drug factories , and micro electromechanical “ mem systems ,” etc .) it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations may be made to the above - disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . | 0 |
fig1 shows some basic elements of a mobile telephone 10 for a umts network . fig1 illustrates only the elements of the telephone 10 that are most useful for describing the invention ; it will be apparent to the skilled person that the construction of the mobile telephone will be far more complex in practice . as shown in fig1 , the telephone 10 includes an antenna 12 , an rf section 14 , a rake receiver 16 a bit rate processor ( brp ) 18 and a multipath searcher ( as ) 20 . the telephone 10 receives signals through antenna 12 . the received signals are downconverted by the rf section 14 to produce a baseband signal . the baseband signal is then passed to both the rake receiver 16 and the multipath searcher 20 . the multipath searcher 20 identifies the strongest group of multipath components in the baseband signal and allocates a finger of the rake receiver 16 to each of those components . the rake receiver 16 demodulates the allocated multipath components in parallel and combines the results in a time - aligned manner . the demodulated signal provided by the rake receiver 16 is then supplied to the brp 18 for further processing . in the example of a voice call , the further processing performed by the brp 18 , includes the extraction of speech information from the received signal and its ultimate conversion into an analogue signal for presentation to the user via a sound transducer . no further detail will be given about the operation of the rf section , the rake receiver 16 or the brp 18 since the manner in which these units function will be readily understood by the skilled person . however , the operation of the mps 20 will now be described in greater detail . in the process of interacting with a basestation , the telephone 10 will monitor a signal sent out by a basestation in a common pilot channel ( cpich ) of the umts network in which the telephone 10 is participating . the signal transmitted by the basestation in the cpich is encoded using a scrambling code and that scrambling code is known to , or deduced by , the telephone 10 . the mps 20 performs measurements on the signal acquired from the basestation in the cpich in order to identify the multipath components arriving from the basestation . the mps 20 performs a set of correlation calculations on the cpich signal acquired by the telephone 10 from the basestation . each of the correlation calculations involves the correlation of the scrambling code with the cpich signal from the basestation to produce a correlation value . however , each of the correlation calculations uses a different time offset between the scrambling code and the cpich signal from the basestation . if one plots the correlation values against their time offset values , then the resulting curve will show a number of peaks , one peak for each of the multipath components of the signal sent by the basestation in the cpich . ( in practice , only the strongest multipath components will be discernible against the noise floor .) the heights of the peaks indicate the relative power levels of the multipath components that are present and the spacing between the peaks indicates the relative delays between the various multipath components . for this reason , it is usual to refer to such a plot as a power versus delay profile . upon first detecting cpich transmissions from the basestation , the mps 20 performs a set of coarse correlation calculations that are sufficient to provide a power versus delay profile in which the strongest multipath component peak can be discerned . such a plot is shown in fig2 . the mps 20 will repeat this coarse evaluation at intervals . alternatively , coarse path position may also be obtained through other means such as correlation against synchronisation codes ( e . g . for umts these are p - sch , s - sch ). if , however , the telephone 10 starts to actively use the base station , e . g . as the result of a hand - over , then the mps 20 performs a finer set of correlation calculations to produce a more detailed version of the power versus delay profile . the umts standards presently state that multipath components must be monitored over at least a 20 μs window or delay spread of the power versus delay profile of a basestation that is actively being used . therefore , the mps 20 designates the location of the strongest peak found in the last iteration of the coarse search as the zero point on the delay axis and performs the correlation calculations that are needed to build up a detailed power versus delay profile over the interval 0 μs to 20 μs on the delay axis , as indicated by the arrow below the delay axis in fig2 . in this example , the detailed search finds additional multipath components at delays of + 9 μs and + 17 μs on the delay axis as shown in fig3 . the mps 20 is required to repeat the detailed 20 μs search periodically on the assumption that the multipath environment around the telephone 10 will change from time to time . however , at the next iteration of the detailed search , the 20 μs window is linked to the latest peak located in the previous search , in this case the peak at + 17 μs , and extends in the direction of decreasing delay , as indicated by the arrow below the delay axis in fig4 . thus , the search is now performed over the interval + 17 μs to − 3 μs on the delay axis . in this example , the new search finds the peaks at 0 , + 9 and + 17 μs once more but also locates an additional peak at − 2 μs , as indicated in fig5 . when the time comes to perform the next iteration of the detailed search , the 20 μs window is linked to the earliest peak on the delay axis and extends forwards in the direction of increasing delay , as indicated by the arrow below the delay axis in fig6 . in this example , the new iteration of the search finds peaks at − 2 , 0 and + 17 μs but the peak at + 9 μs no longer exists . the detailed 20 μs search is repeated periodically as long as the telephone 10 continues to actively use the basestation in question . consecutive iterations of the search continue to extend in opposite senses , that is towards increasing delay or towards decreasing delay . each iteration that extends in the direction of decreasing delay begins at the latest peak found by the previous iteration of the search and each iteration that extends in the direction of increasing delay begins at the earliest peak found by the previous iteration of the search . thus , a 20 μs range of the power versus delay profile is monitored in a manner which places a relatively light burden on the data processing resources of the telephone in terms of the number of correlation calculations that need to be performed . the mps 20 provides a particular benefit in the case where the search to be updated contains just a single multipath peak in that paths upto 20 μs away can be located without the penalty of having to search through a 40 μs time window in a single iteration of the search . | 7 |
hereunder , various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig2 is a schematic block diagram for a configuration of a disaster information distribution system according to a first embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the disaster information distribution system in this first embodiment includes an information distribution apparatus 1 . the information distribution apparatus 1 obtains disaster information from a disaster information source 3 . the information distribution apparatus 1 then customizes the obtained disaster information and distributes the customized disaster information to a customer 2 . the customer 2 can receive the disaster information from the information distribution apparatus 1 with use of a portable phone and / or a personal computer ( pc ) via , for example , the internet 4 , as well as via a car navigation system , an illuminated sign spelling - out news board , a terminal installed at a convenience store , a terminal such as a digital home appliance , and so forth . the information distribution apparatus 1 obtains disaster information items from the disaster information source 3 . for example , the disaster information source 3 may collect the following information items : fire information , river ( flood ) information , railway ( accident ) information , road ( accident ) information , traffic information , weather reports , earthquake information , volcano information , recall information , and crime information . the fire information may include fires and explosion accidents . the river information may include flood warnings . the railway information may include delay or recovery information . the road information may include car accidents and traffic jams . the weather information may include weather reports and various weather - caused disaster warnings and alarms , as well as the probability of precipitation . the earthquake information may include seismic intensity of each earthquake and damages of each earthquake . the volcano information may include eruption information . the recall information may include recall information of foods , machines , and other products available on the market . the information distributor obtains the disaster information items and stores them in data bases ( to be described later ) of the information distribution apparatus 1 . fig3 is a block diagram for a configuration of the information distribution apparatus 1 . the system shown in fig3 distributes disaster information to portable phones 51 to 54 of customers . the information distribution apparatus 1 includes a disaster information management unit 10 , a customer information management unit 20 , a distribution information management unit 30 , and an information distribution unit 40 . the disaster information management unit 10 includes an information input application program 11 , an automatic input application program 12 , and a disaster information data base ( db ) 13 . the information input application 11 is used to enter disaster information obtained from the disaster information source 3 manually . the automatic input application 12 is used to enter disaster information obtained from the disaster information source 3 automatically as digital information . the disaster information entered from the information input application 11 and automatic input application 12 is stored in the disaster information data base ( db ) 13 . the disaster information data base ( db ) 13 stores disaster information classified by geographical information , disaster type , disaster level , and disaster content . fig4 shows an exemplary record 400 of the disaster information data base ( db ) 13 . the geographical information is classified into three hierarchical layers : ( state ), ( city ), and ( town ). as shown in fig4 , the “ state ” denotes such a prefecture as tokyo , hokkaido , and so forth . the “ city ” denotes such a city , town , or village of an administrative unit as minato ward , fujisawa city , and so forth . the “ town ” denotes a local area unit in a ward , city , town , or village , for example , roppongi 3 - chome , kirihara - machi , and so forth . in fig4 , “ category ” denotes information of a disaster type . specifically , it may be a fire report , a weather report , an earthquake report , and so forth . in fig4 , “ lv ” denotes a disaster level . this level means one of three ranks ( 1 to 3 ) for each disaster type (“ category ”). in the first embodiment , “ 1 ” denotes a serious disaster damage , “ 2 ” denotes a medium disaster damage , and “ 3 ” denotes a slight disaster damage . “ detail ” in fig4 means information denoting descriptive specifics of a disaster , for example , “ explosion and fire outbreak on 13th floor of a building ”, “ fire outbreak in a warehouse ”, and so forth . the disaster information stored in the disaster information data base ( db ) 13 may be updated each time disaster information is obtained from the disaster information source 3 . each time the disaster information data base ( db ) 13 is updated , the new disaster information may be transferred to the distribution information management unit 30 . the customer information management unit 20 is provided with a customer information registration application program 21 and a customer information db 22 . the customer information registration application 21 assists each customer to register his / her information in the customer information db 22 so as to receive services from this system . customer information may be registered in the customer information db 22 in the format of an exemplary record 500 as shown in fig5 . in fig5 , “ customer ” denotes information used to identify each customer . the example shown in fig5 includes information about three customers , denoted x , y , and z . a mail address used for a portable phone may be set for “ customer ”. each customer information is registered with respect to hierarchically divided geographical information (“ state ”, “ city ” and “ town ”) and “ course ” information . the geographical information means customer district information set by each customer . a home address can be set as the customer district information . in this case , fig5 shows that the home address of the customer x is roppongi , minato - ward , tokyo , the home address of the customer y is daimon , minato - ward , tokyo , and the home address of the customer z is roppongi , minato - ward , tokyo . a customer pays his / her highest attention to information about disasters that occur in his / her district including his / her home address . in fig5 , “ course ” may be selected from two choices a and b . a specific selection example will be described later . the distribution information management unit 30 receives new disaster information from the disaster information data base ( db ) 13 . receiving new disaster information , the distribution information management unit 30 executes a process for matching the disaster information with each customer information registered in the customer information db 22 . as a result of this matching process , customers are selected to whom the new disaster information is to be distributed . the distribution information management unit 30 is provided with matching tables used for the matching processing . a matching table may be prepared for each disaster information type , that is , for each “ category ”. such a matching table may also be prepared for each course in each “ category ”. fig6 shows an example of a matching table 600 for a fire outbreak report . a matching table is configured by two tables : a first table 601 for course a , and a second table 602 for course b . the matching table 600 is used to link hierarchically divided geographical information with disaster level and decide whether to distribute disaster information customers . hereinafter , exemplary contents of the matching table for course a are described . disaster information whose level lv is 3 is distributed to the subject customer ( s ) only when “ town ” in the disaster information transferred from the distribution information management unit 30 matches “ town ” in the customer information obtained from the customer information db 22 . the “ o ” in the matching table denotes that information should be distributed . disaster information whose level lv is 2 is distributed to the subject customer ( s ) when “ city ” in the disaster information transferred from the distribution information management unit 30 matches “ city ” in the customer information obtained from the customer information db 22 . in this case , even when the “ town ” does not match between that transferred from the distribution information management unit 30 and that obtained from the customer information db 22 , the disaster information is distributed to the subject customer ( s ). disaster information whose level lv is 1 is distributed to the subject customer ( s ) when “ state ” in the disaster information transferred from the distribution information management unit 30 matches “ state ” in the customer information obtained from the customer information db 22 . in this case , even when both “ town ” and “ city ” do not match between that transferred from the distribution information management unit 30 and that obtained from the customer information db 22 , the disaster information is distributed to the subject customer ( s ). “ all ” in the matching table means that information should be distributed even when all “ state ”, “ city ”, and “ town ” do not match between that transferred from the distribution information management unit 30 and that obtained from the customer information db 22 . this is a case in which disaster information is distributed even when a district denoted by customer district information is far from a disaster - occurred district . the same rules also apply to the matching table for course b . the information distribution unit 40 distributes disaster information , according to decisions made by the distribution information management unit 30 , to predetermined customers as mail information . the customers receive this information via portable phones 51 to 54 . in this first embodiment , as shown in fig2 , disaster information is distributed to the portable phones 51 to 54 of the customers via the internet . thus , the portable phones 51 to 54 must be portable phones that can communicate with the internet . the communication method of each of the portable phones differs among carriers ( portable phone companies ), so that the information distribution unit 40 must distribute disaster information appropriately to the communication method of each of the portable phones 51 to 54 . a customer who wants to use the disaster information distribution service of the first embodiment is asked to register himself / herself via a portable telephone 51 as shown in fig3 . hereinafter , the customer registration procedure will be described with reference to fig7 through 9 . when the customer accesses the information distribution apparatus 1 via the portable telephone 51 , a password input screen 701 is displayed as shown in fig7 . the customer is requested to enter his / her password on the password input screen 701 . the password input screen 701 also displays the mail address assigned to the portable telephone 51 . when the customer sends the entered password , a home address input screen 702 is displayed . the customer is prompted to select his / her area such as kanto , tokai , and so forth on the home input screen 702 . in this case , the customer selects kanto in the example shown in fig7 . then , there appears a prefecture selection screen 703 for prompting the customer to select his / her prefecture . in this example , the customer selects 23 wards in tokyo . then , there appears a city selection screen 704 for prompting the customer to select his / her city , ward , town , or village . in this example , the customer selects meguro ward . after this , there appears a detail selection screen 801 for prompting the customer to select his / her more detailed area in the selected ward as shown in fig8 . this completes the registration of the information related to his / her home address . then , there appears a course selection screen 802 for prompting the customer to select a course , as shown in fig8 . the customer is requested to select either a or b . in this example the customer selects the course a . after this course selection , there appears a confirmation screen 803 for prompting the customer to confirm the registered items . on the confirmation screen 803 are displayed “ nakameguro , meguro - ward , tokyo ” as the selected area and “ a ” as the selected course as shown in fig8 . the confirmation screen 803 also prompts the customer to register other areas ; for example , it is also possible to register the home address of his / her parents , the address of his / her place of work , and so forth on this screen . then , there appears a phone registration screen 804 for prompting the customer to register the type of the portable telephone 51 as shown in fig8 . on the screen phone registration 804 are displayed three types of portable telephones . the customer is prompted to select one of them . when the customer selects the type of the portable telephone , there appears another confirmation 901 screen for prompting the customer to confirm the type of the portable telephone he / she has entered . when the customer sends “ confirmed ”, there appears a registration confirmation screen 902 for displaying the “ registration confirmed ” message as shown in fig9 . next , a description will be made for the details of a matching process executed by the distribution information management unit 30 with reference to fig1 . fig1 shows a procedure for deciding whether to distribute disaster information to three customers x , y , and z shown as users in fig5 , with reference to the matching table 600 shown in fig6 , when an explosion and fire occur in roppongi , and which is newly registered in the disaster information db 13 . the explosion and fire is selected from the disaster information items shown in fig4 . the distribution information management unit 30 obtains the disaster information from the disaster information db 13 and the customer information from the customer information db 22 respectively . in the exemplary record 1001 shown in fig1 , the disaster information denotes “ tokyo ”, “ minato - ward ”, “ roppongi ”, “ lv = 2 ”, and “ fire report ” respectively . the customer x has selected the course a , so the disaster information is collated with the customer information in the matching table 601 for the course a . because lv = 2 , the lv 2 column in the matching table 601 is checked . the customer information “ city ” denotes “ minato - ward ”, which matches with “ city ”, and a circle ( o ) is described in the “ city ” field of the lv 2 column in the matching table . the ( o ) means that the information should be distributed . this disaster information is thus distributed to the customer x . fig1 shows an example of a screen 1501 for displaying the information distributed to the customer &# 39 ; s portable telephone 53 . the customer y has selected the course a . therefore , the matching table 601 for the course a is used for a matching processing just like the customer x . the “ town ” of the customer y denotes “ daimon ”, which differs from the disaster information “ town ”. however , “ city ”, which is just one level above “ town ”, matches with “ minatoku ”. in addition , for the course a , the information of lv 2 of “ city ” must be distributed . this disaster information is thus distributed to the customer y . the customer z has selected the course b . thus , the disaster information is collated with the customer information in the matching table 602 for the course b . because lv = 2 , the lv 2 column in the matching table 602 is checked . in the case of the customer information of the customer z , because “ city ” is “ minato - ward ” and “ town ” is “ roppongi ”, both “ city ” and “ town ” in the disaster information match with those registered for the customer . however , no circle ( o ) is described in the lv 2 field in the matching table 602 for the course b . the circle ( o ) means that the disaster information should be distributed . therefore , this disaster information is not distributed to the customer z . as described above , in a sense , the matching process is a process for comparing customer district information with a disaster - occurred district while consideration is given to the disaster level . this comparison may be considered as a comparison of distance between customer district information and a disaster - occurred district . for example , when both “ town ” items match with each other , the distance is close . on the other hand , when both “ state ” items match with each other , but “ town ” items differ , the distance may be far . as described above , the present invention also handles railway information such as train breakdowns / accidents as disaster information . in the case of railway information , the geographical information of a disaster is identified by the railway course and / or the railway station in which the disaster occurs . consequently , it is inconvenient to use the information about the railway course and / or the station in the matching processing with reference to the matching table shown in fig6 . it is thus helpful to convert a railway course to geographical information . fig1 shows an exemplary record 110 d of disaster information related to a railway and stored in the disaster information db 13 . disaster information related to a railway is classified into “ category ” denoting a disaster type , “ railway ” denoting a railway course on which the subject disaster has occurred , and “ station 1 ” and “ station 2 ” denoting station ( s ) in which the subject disaster has occurred . the reason why there are two stations “ station 1 ” and “ station 2 ” stored in the data base is due to a possibility that a disaster may occur between two stations . when a fire breaks out in a station yard , station names denoted in “ station 1 ” and “ station 2 ” match with each other . “ lv ” denotes a disaster level . “ detail ” denotes the nature of a disaster . in the example shown in fig1 , “ category ” denotes only a train trouble / accident . the disaster information described in the top row of the exemplary record 1101 denotes a door trouble that has occurred between shibuya station ( station 1 ″) and harajuku station (“ station 2 ”) of the yamanote line (“ railway ”). the disaster information also denotes that the disaster level of this door trouble is 3 ( lv ), which means a slight trouble . the disaster information described in the next row denotes an accident resulting in injury or death occurred in the kunitachi station yard (“ station 1 ” and “ station 2 ”=“ kunitachi ”) of the chuosen (“ railway ”); the disaster level is 1 . the customer information stored in the customer information db 22 is also used for matching with respect to train troubles / accidents . however , the disaster information to be used for the matching with respect to such train troubles / accidents can be limited more strictly than that of other disaster information . fig1 shows an exemplary record 1200 that includes “ state ”, “ city ”, and “ course ” in customer information used for matching for train troubles / accidents . while both course and station are identified for railway information as described above , this kind of information cannot be used conveniently for matching geographical information stored as customer information . this is why course information is converted to geographical information . the distribution information management unit 30 is provided with a course - district conversion table 1300 as shown in fig1 . the course - district conversion table 1300 includes information about districts passed by each subject course . the district is set as geographical information equivalent to “ city ” in customer information . specifically , as shown in fig1 , for the toyoko line , meguro - ward , shibuya - ward , yokohama city , etc . that are passed by the toyoko line are described . as for the jr yamanote line , chiyoda - ward , meguro - ward , shibuya - ward , and so forth that are passed by the yamanote line are described . the course - district conversion table 1300 describes geographical information of districts for each course and to be passed by each course . the distribution information management unit 30 also has a matching table whose format is the same as that shown in fig1 . the description will therefore be omitted here . next , a description will be made for the matching process executed for railway information with reference to fig1 . fig1 shows an example of a procedure for deciding whether to distribute disaster information to the three customers x , y , and z shown in fig1 with reference to the matching table 600 when door trouble occurs in the yamanote line and the trouble is selected from the disaster information items 1401 also shown in fig1 so as to be registered newly in the disaster information db 13 . the course information 1402 included in the disaster information transferred to the distribution information management unit 30 from the disaster information db 13 is converted to geographical information by the course - district conversion table 1300 . specifically , “ yamanote line ” in the “ railway ” column is converted to the geographical information of shibuya - ward , meguro - ward , . . . by the course - district conversion table 1300 . as shown in the exemplary records 1403 , customer x has selected the course a . thus , the disaster information is collated with the customer information in the matching table 601 for the course a . because the disaster level lv of the train trouble / accident is 3 , the lv 3 column in the matching table 601 is checked . in the lv 3 column and in the “ city ” and “ town ” rows in the matching table 601 are described a circle ( o ) respectively , which means that the disaster information should be distributed . “ city ” in the customer information of the customer x is meguro - ward . on the other hand , the yamanote line is converted to meguro - ward , shibuya - ward , . . . by the course - district conversion table 1300 . “ city ” thus matches disaster information and customer information , so that the disaster information is distributed to the customer x . fig1 shows an example of a screen 1502 for displaying information distributed to the portable telephone 53 of the customer x . customer y has selected the course b . thus , the matching table 602 for the course b is checked . in the matching table 602 for the course b , lv 3 disaster information is marked not to be distributed . consequently , the disaster information is not distributed to the customer y . the customer z has selected the course a . the disaster information and the customer information are thus collated with each other in the matching table 601 for the course a . because “ city ” of the customer z is shibuya - ward and “ city ” matches between disaster information and customer information just like the customer x , so that the disaster information is distributed to the customer z . in the above first embodiment , predetermined disaster information is distributed from the information distribution apparatus 1 to the customer &# 39 ; s portable telephone 53 / 54 . in the case where the customer who receives the disaster information is in the disaster - occurred district at the time of the disaster , it is possible to obtain disaster information such as descriptive details from the customer . this is why the present invention proposes a method not only for distributing disaster information to the customer &# 39 ; s portable telephone 53 / 54 , but also for obtaining disaster information from the customer through a questionnaire . fig1 shows a block diagram of a configuration of an information distribution apparatus 200 used so as to obtain disaster information from a customer . the same reference numerals are used for the same items as those of the information distribution apparatus 1 in the first embodiment , avoiding redundant description . the information distribution apparatus 200 is provided with a questionnaire db ( data base ) 60 ; a questionnaire management unit 70 ; and a web site 80 . the questionnaire db 60 stores various questionnaires corresponding to disaster types . when the distribution information management unit 30 distributes disaster information to a customer &# 39 ; s portable telephone 53 , the distribution information management unit 30 may obtain a questionnaire corresponding to the disaster type from the questionnaire db 60 and distribute it to the portable telephone 53 . fig1 shows an example of a questionnaire screen 1801 sent to the portable telephone 53 . in this example , the questionnaire is distributed together with earthquake information . the questionnaire management unit 70 collects answers to the questionnaires about disaster information and analyzes them . the result of the analysis is then transferred to the questionnaire db 60 and stored there . the questionnaire result is also displayed on the screen of the web site 80 . customers can thus obtain detailed information about a disaster by referring to this web site 80 . the information stored in the questionnaire db 80 is then transferred to the disaster information db 13 via an automatic input application program 12 . this information can be distributed to customers as new disaster information . a third embodiment of the present invention includes a system for paying a monetary gift to a customer who suffers from a disaster , using the information distribution system . fig1 shows a block diagram of a configuration of an information distribution apparatus 300 that pays such a gift of money . in the following description of the third embodiment , the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same items as earlier regarding the first embodiment , thereby avoiding redundant description . the information distribution apparatus 300 is provided with a received mail management unit 85 ; a customer account db ( data base ) 90 ; and a gift money payment management unit 100 . the distribution information management unit 30 of the information distribution apparatus 300 , for example , when distributing disaster information , sends inquiries to customers about payment of monetary gifts . fig1 shows an example of a screen 1802 for such inquiries . a customer who desires to receive a gift may reply to this inquiry . the received mail management unit 85 receives mail for requesting gift money via the customer &# 39 ; s portable telephone 53 . the received mail management unit 85 , when receiving mail for requesting gift money , transfers information for identifying the source customer , for example , a mail address , to the gift money payment management unit 100 . the customer account db 90 stores such information as the mail address for identifying each customer corresponding to the account set in a bank or other financial institution 110 registered beforehand by the customer requesting the gift . the gift money payment management unit 100 , when receiving a mail address from the received mail management unit 85 , obtains the information from the customer account db 90 so as to identify the account of the customer . in addition , the gift money payment management unit 100 transfers gift money to the financial institution 110 in which the account is opened . while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described , the present invention is not limited only to those embodiments . for example , information to be distributed is not limited only to disaster information ; the present invention may apply universally to information of a disaster for which its occurred - district can be identified . | 6 |
the following description of systems and methods for maximizing the throughput of a computer system in the presence of power constraints utilizes the following terms : “ workload ” is defined as the amount of input / output ( i / o ) utilization , processor utilization , or any other performance metric of servers employed to process or transmit a data set . “ throughput ” is the amount of workload performed in a certain amount of time . “ frequency throttling ” is an illustrative example of a technique for changing power consumption of a system by reducing or increasing the operational frequency of a system . for example , by reducing the operating frequency of a processor under light workload requirements , the processor ( and system ) employs a significantly less amount of power for operation , since power consumed is related to the power supply voltage and operating frequency . although frequency throttling has been applied to central processing units ( cpus ), the operational frequency or speed of system components other than cpus may also be adjusted or controlled . as a general consideration , the operational frequency or speed of a component may be related to the energy consumption level of that component . any of several techniques may be employed to adjust or control the frequency of a system component . these may , but need not , include changing the system supply voltage or controlling a clock gate to eliminate a portion or fraction of a clock signal . changing the system supply voltage is an effective technique for adjusting the operational frequency of a system component , but a processing delay may occur until this voltage stabilizes . controlling the clock gate will not cause a substantial processing delay . illustratively , the embodiments disclosed herein may utilize any of a fixed set of operational frequencies available to a system component . the fixed set of operational frequencies is selected to provide energy efficient operation . energy efficient operation often exhibits a non - linear dependence on processing speed , thus making system optimization more difficult . accordingly , less efficient but readily available technologies may be used to provide system optimization , such as permitting a cpu to momentarily exceed its power budget . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a system for maximizing the throughput of a computer system under peak power constraints . the system is capable of proactively managing and controlling large - scale computer systems ranging from small clusters to large data centers and supercomputers . since these large - scale computer systems are to be managed and controlled , they are referred to hereinafter as a controlled system 101 . in the illustrative example of fig1 , controlled system 101 includes a first hardware component 103 and a second hardware component 105 . however , a typical controlled system 101 includes numerous hardware components such as computing devices , storage devices , i / o and network devices , cooling devices , and so forth . each of these component categories could , but need not , be implemented using a plurality of virtually identical devices . a computing device could , for example , be implemented using a general purpose computer equipped with one or more central processing units ( cpus ), random access memory ( ram ), one or more hard disk drives , and a network adapter , and capable of executing an operating system such as linux . the components could be organized in various architectures , e . g ., flat ( a group of standalone computers ) or hierarchical ( grouped into clusters of servers / cabinets / chassis in which peripherals are shared ). a controlling system 107 is employed to proactively manage and control controlled system 101 . controlling system 107 is capable of interacting with a plurality of components of controlled system 101 . illustratively , controlling system 107 is implemented using a software program running on a general - purpose computer referred to as a resource manager 109 . resource manager 109 is capable of accessing a policy database 111 stored on a computer - readable storage medium . controlling system 107 could , but need not , be a part of controlled system 101 . controlling system 107 controls controlled system 101 by repeatedly or continuously receiving information from the hardware components of the controlled system ( such as first hardware component 103 and second hardware component 105 ) related to the current configuration of the components , workload of the components , and performance of the components . based upon this received information , controlling system 107 provides first and second hardware components 103 , 105 with electric power budgets and configuration changes . an electric power budget specifies an upper bound on power consumption for a component . illustratively , a component may , but need not , be responsible for maintaining adherence to this electric power budget . controlling system 107 controls assignment of tasks to the hardware components such as , for example , migrating a task from first hardware component 103 to second hardware component 105 . controlling system 107 maintains a set of power constraints while maximizing throughput of controlled system 101 . this functionality is implemented by controlling system 107 receiving one or more external inputs from external sources such as a first external sensor 113 and a second external sensor 115 . first external sensor 113 may represent a temperature sensor , an electric power controller , or another type of sensor . similarly , second sensor 115 may represent a temperature sensor , an electric power sensor , or another type of sensor . controlling system 107 also includes an input / output device 117 for accepting an input from a human operator and for providing an output to a human operator . in response to at least one of first external sensor 113 , second external sensor 115 , or input / output device 117 , resource manager 109 modifies power constraints and / or optimization parameters for controlled system 101 . controlling system 107 interacts with first and second external sensors 113 , 115 and first and second hardware components 103 , 105 to monitor controlled system 101 on a continuous or repeated basis . typically , this monitoring is periodic and performed at fixed intervals such as every five seconds . additionally or alternatively , this monitoring may include resource manager 109 sending a message to input / output device 117 in response to at least one of first external sensor 113 or second external sensor 115 sensing a predetermined event . during this monitoring process , controlling system 107 receives updated information from first hardware component 103 and second hardware component 105 pertaining to each component &# 39 ; s current physical and logical configurations , as well as each component &# 39 ; s current workload and performance . physical configuration data includes a component &# 39 ; s installed hardware ( such as ram ), the hardware &# 39 ; s settings ( e . g ., cpu frequency and voltage ), and available peripherals ( e . g ., active network and storage devices ). logical configuration data includes information regarding an operating system installed on the component , as well as any runtime parameters for the component . workload data contains statistics regarding the task or tasks currently performed by the component . for example , if the component is a computing device , workload data includes a relative intensity for each of a plurality of tasks in terms of cpu , memory , disk space , or network access . if the component is a network or storage device , workload data includes the number and intensity of flows that traverse the component . performance data includes information regarding the utilization of the component ( such as a cache missed count ), the progress of any task or tasks assigned to the component ( such as the number of each task &# 39 ; s instructions that have been executed ), and the current physical conditions under which the component is operating ( such as a device &# 39 ; s power consumption and internal temperature ). controlling system 107 outputs an electric power budget and configuration changes to each of a plurality of components , such as first hardware component 103 and second hardware component 105 . the power budget is a limit on the actual power consumption of the component . if controlling system 107 has control over an electric power supply , then the controlling system can physically enforce power budget limits for one or more components as , for example , by disconnecting power to components that violate the limit . alternatively or additionally , each component is responsible for adhering to its power budget by routinely measuring its own power consumption and taking action in response thereto when measured power consumption exceeds the budget limit . if each component is responsible for adhering to its own power budget , this is helpful in situations where the response time of the component is shorter than the response time of controlling system 107 . from time to time , controlling system 107 may receive an input from first external sensor 113 or second external sensor 115 and , in response thereto , modify one or more power constraints or configuration parameters . for example , overall power consumption may be severely constrained due to a power failure , or if a particular location exceeds a predetermined room temperature threshold , then all components proximate to that location might be constrained to a total power consumption which is considerably less than current ( or recent ) power consumption . by means of input / output device 117 , a human operator can manually place ad - hoc constraints or relax existing constraints , according to external considerations ( i . e ., short - term peak performance ). similarly , the operator may change various optimization parameters , for example , by modifying task priorities or by relaxing fairness requirements . controlling system 107 may instruct first hardware component 103 or second hardware component 105 to change its configuration . a configuration change includes any of : ( a ) shutting the component down or putting the component into a low - power consumption ( standby ) mode for a limited or indefinite time , ( b ) changing a component setting such as frequency and / or voltage , or ( c ) turning off some subcomponents of the component ( like ram , hard disks , or network adapters ). such changes may have a negative effect on component throughput , but one function of controlling system 107 is to assess controlled system 101 for the purpose of determining which change or changes will provide the least degradation of overall throughput . controlling system 107 controls assignment of tasks to first and second hardware components 103 , 105 . controlling system 107 also controls migration of tasks from first hardware component 103 to second hardware component 105 , and from second hardware component 105 to first hardware component 103 . in order to implement these assignments and migrations , controlling system 107 may be provided with a list or set of permissible hardware components to which a given task or category of tasks may be assigned , a speed estimation algorithm for estimating execution speed of a task on every permissible hardware component , and a resource estimation algorithm for estimating time and bandwidth required for a potential migration . however , these estimation algorithms and task lists are greatly simplified if every single task is permissible on a set of substantially identical hardware components . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating a further exemplary embodiment of a system for maximizing the throughput of a computer system under peak power constraints . the embodiment of fig2 is based upon the exemplary system depicted in fig1 wherein controlled system 101 ( fig1 ) includes m groups of machines , m representing a positive integer . for example , controlled system 101 of fig1 may include a first group of machines 201 ( fig2 ), a second group of machines 202 , and a third group of machines 203 . each group contains at most k identical machines , where k is a positive integer greater than one , possibly with additional resources shared among these k identical machines . machines in different groups need not be identical . for example , first group of machines 201 includes a first processing unit 211 and a second processing unit 212 . illustratively , first and second processing units 211 , 212 may each be implemented , for example , using a cpu , a blade having one or more cpus , or a computer server . first and second processing units 211 , 212 are shown for purposes of illustration , as first group of machines 201 could include any number of processing units greater than zero . in the case of a blade implementation , a single chassis could be employed containing at most k blades and an ethernet switch module . this chassis could possibly be accompanied by a dedicated storage server , with each blade running a linux operating system . each machine , which in this example includes each of k blades , is executing zero or more tasks assigned thereto by resource manager 109 . resource manager 109 is illustratively implemented using a database server or web server . the assignment of tasks to machines may be determined in advance , may change with time , and / or may be determined exogenously ( by a human operator , for instance ). optionally , each task is assigned a corresponding level of priority . second group of machines 202 includes a first network unit 221 and a second network unit 222 . however , first and second network units 221 , 222 are shown for purposes of illustration , as second group of machines 202 could include any number of network units greater than one . first and second network units 221 , 222 are illustratively implemented using network adapters . third group of machines 203 includes a first storage unit 231 and a second storage unit 232 . however , first and second storage units 231 , 232 are shown for purposes of illustration , as third group of machines 203 could include any number of storage units greater than one . first and second storage units 231 , 232 are illustratively implemented using hard disk drives , storage drives for magnetic tape , or any other type of data storage drive that includes a computer readable storage medium . each group of machines 201 , 202 , 203 may be capable of controlling its maximum power consumption so as to adhere to a given limit called a power budget . alternatively , each machine in each group of machines 201 , 202 , 203 may be capable of controlling its maximum power consumption so as to adhere to the power budget . such control may be achieved , for example , by measuring actual power consumption at fixed or repeated intervals ( e . g ., every 2 milliseconds ) and throttling the machine ( i . e ., decreasing cpu frequency ) whenever the actual consumption approaches or exceeds the power budget limit . this limit can be changed in fixed intervals , such as every one second . controlling system 107 ( fig1 and 2 ) assigns a power budget to each of the m machine groups or , alternatively , to each machine . the power budgets must satisfy a constraint that the sum of power budgets cannot exceed a limiting value e max that was given to controlling system 107 . for example , controlling system 107 can possibly split the total power budget equally among the m groups by assigning a budget of e max / m to each group , but this allocation could possibly be improved , for example , if the various groups of machines ( 1 ) run different workloads , ( 2 ) contain different machines in terms of brand , model , or architecture , or ( 3 ) contain a different number of machines . additionally , controlling system 107 guarantees certain fairness conditions , such that each group of machines may receive a minimum power budget of at least e max / 8m , unless a smaller budget suffices for that group to handle its workload ( i . e ., in the case of a web server that receives very few hits ). alternatively or additionally , controlling system 107 may assign tasks to individual machines . more precisely , each task is associated with a particular group of the m groups ( fixed in advance ), and controlling system 107 assigns the task to one of the machines in the particular group . this assignment can be changed over time . however , a certain overhead is incurred in changing the assignment in terms of latency caused by moving data . controlling system 107 receives details regarding each machine , such as its utilization and power consumption , so as to identify over utilized and underutilized machines , and to transfer tasks from the former to the latter if the underutilized and over utilized machines are in the same group . fig3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for maximizing the throughput of a computer system under peak power constraints . the process commences at block 301 where logical and physical information is collected from controlled system 101 ( fig1 ) and external sensors ( such as first external sensor 113 and second external sensor 115 ). next , a mixed integer optimization problem is formulated based upon one or more power constraints ( fig3 , block 303 ). formulation of this mixed integer optimization problem is described in greater detail hereinafter . the mixed integer optimization problem is solved ( block 305 ). the configuration of controlled system 101 ( fig1 ) is updated with a new power budget and new task allocations ( fig3 , block 307 ). the process then loops back to block 301 . the mixed integer optimization problem of block 303 is formulated as follows . one objective of controlling system 107 ( fig1 and 2 ) is to maximize overall throughput of controlled system 101 ( fig1 and 2 ) subject to given power constraints . the throughput is defined as the total number of instructions of all tasks in the system which are executed per unit of time ( i . e ., one second ). controlling system 107 also ensures additional properties , such as fairness , by introducing additional constraints that avoid undesired effects . in situations where time allows , controlling system 107 may solve a constrained optimization problem whose objective is to process as many instructions per time unit as possible . accordingly , this optimization problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming problem to be solved during each of a plurality of time intervals . the elements of the optimization problem are as follows . there is a set of indices of machines { 1 , . . . , m }, a set of indices of tasks { 1 , . . . , n }, and a set of indices of cpu frequencies { 1 , . . . , s }. the following attributes of controlled system 101 are inputted to the mixed in integer programming problem as parameters : m i — the machine on which task i is currently run ( or 0 if none ); g ij — the cost of transferring task i to machine j ≢ m i ; h ik — the average number of cycles per instruction for task i running on a machine operating at the kth cpu frequency ( this estimate captures expected i / o and memory delays ); e max — maximum - energy - consumption bound , which controlled system 101 must obey due to current physical conditions , such as temperature or power supply ; e jk — the amount of energy per time unit consumed by machine j when machine j is operating at frequency f k ; b — a task - fairness parameter representing the maximum possible ratio between the number of cpu cycles planned for a single task and that of an average task . variables . the mixed integer linear programming problem looks for a currently optimal configuration for the managed system . this configuration includes assignment of tasks to machines and an allocation of an energy “ budget ” for each machine . the mixed integer linear programming problem is solved using an algorithm that uses one or more of the following decision variables : z j — a boolean variable indicating whether machine j is active or not ; x ij — a boolean variable indicating whether or not task i is assigned to machine j ; y jk — a boolean variable indicating whether or not machine j is working at frequency f k ; ƒ ijk — a continuous variable representing the number of cpu cycles per time unit that is planned for task i on machine j running at the kth cpu frequency . note that each task is processed by only one machine having a cpu that operates at only one frequency ; v ij — a continuous variable representing the number of instructions per time unit that is planned for task i on machine j . each task is processed by only one machine ; u j — a continuous variable representing the energy upper bound (“ budget ”) allocated to machine j ; objective function . the algorithm solves the problem of maximizing the total planned number of instructions per time unit . this quantity of instructions is equal to in addition , the algorithm penalized the transferring of tasks from one machine to another ; this quantity is equal to constraints . the optimization is subject to constraints as follows . in the sequel , let [ t ]={ 1 , . . . , t }. meaning that the tasks can be assigned only to active machines ; meaning that one frequency has to be selected for each machine ; meaning that task execution takes place only at assigned cpu frequency ; meaning that the number of instructions planned is proportional to the number of cycles planned , according to that task &# 39 ; s effectiveness at that frequency . meaning that the number of cycles planned for a task is at least a b - fraction the number of cycles planned for an average task . remarks . a preferred embodiment may generalize or specialize the above by having some or all of the following properties . machines may each have different maximum cpu frequencies , and this property may be modeled by letting s be the maximum possible frequency and adding the constraint y ik = 0 whenever machine j cannot run at the kth cpu frequency . tasks cannot be transferred to other machines ( i . e ., task i must be assigned to machine m i ). the cost of transferring a task does not depend on the target machine , i . e ., g ij is the same for all j ≢ m i . the m machines are partitioned into p groups , and a task can only be transferred to machines in the same group , i . e ., g ij =∞ for all j in a different group than m i . the total energy consumption of a subset j ⊂ [ m ] of the machines might be limited to some amount e j ( e . g ., due to power failure or infrastructure ), which is modeled by adding the constraint the number of cycles planned for task i is limited by a bound c i ( e . g ., to model task serving a limited number of requests ), which is modeled by adding the constraint additional fairness constraints can limit the ratio between the number of instructions planned for task i and that planned for task i ′ by some parameters l 1 , l 2 & gt ; 0 ( e . g ., to make sure these tasks can progress simultaneously ), which is modeled by adding the constraint updating the configuration of controlled system 101 ( fig1 ) as described in block 307 of fig3 may , but need not , include one or more of the following processes . task scheduling and assignment may be optimized by scheduling a first task to be performed by at least one of the plurality of cpus simultaneously with a second task to be performed by at least one of the plurality of disk drives . at least one cpu of the plurality of cpus may be powered down , thereby scheduling a third task to be performed by fewer cpus of the plurality of cpus . at least one of the plurality of disk drives may be powered down , thereby scheduling a fourth task to be performed by fewer disk drives of the plurality of disk drives . a lower performing cpu of the plurality of cpus may be allocated to a fifth task . a lower performing disk drive of the plurality of disk drives may be allocated to a sixth task . a seventh task and an eighth task may be scheduled to execute simultaneously on the plurality of cpus , wherein the sixth and seventh tasks are independent of each other . as described above the parameters to this model are given to the system based on the system configuration and recent estimates about the task resource requirements . thus , every time the mixed - integer program is solved , the parameters may have different values , yielding a different solution . similarly , new constraints may be added , permanently or temporarily , either by an operator or as an automatic response to existing conditions , again leading to changes in the solution . the capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software , firmware , hardware or some combination thereof as one example , one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture ( e . g ., one or more computer program products ) having , for instance , computer usable media . the media has embodied therein , for instance , computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention . the article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately . additionally , at least one program storage device readable by a machine , tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided . the flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples . there may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps or operations described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention . for instance , the steps may be performed in a differing order , or steps may be added , deleted or modified . all of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention . while the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described , it will be understood that those skilled in the art , both now and in the future , may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow . these claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described . | 8 |
with reference to fig1 a breast self - examination system according to the present invention is in the form of a kit 10 which comprises a box 12 , a writing board 14 , writing instrument 16 and a plurality of transparent overlays 18 . an instruction booklet 15 is included in the box 12 and describes the procedure for breast self - examination and recording of the results using the present system . the writing board 14 , as shown in detail in fig2 has a flat rectangular body 19 with four circular apertures 20 located in proximity to each of the corners . a separate attachment mechanism 21 extends through each aperture 20 . as shown in fig4 the attachment mechanism 21 is made of a resilient plastic material and includes a suction cup 22 from which projects a tubular peg 24 . the peg 24 extends through one of the apertures 20 in body 19 and securely engages the walls of the aperture 20 to hold the attachment mechanism 21 in place with the suction cup 22 on the rear surface 26 of the body 19 . the four suction cups 22 enable the writing board 14 during use to be attached to a wall of a shower enclosure . for example , the suction cups 22 are applied to the tiles or the fiberglass shell of the enclosure to mount recording system in a convenient location for the user to enter and refer to the results of the examination . the pegs 24 of the attachment mechanisms 21 project outward from the front surface 28 of the body 19 as shown in fig1 . the projecting peg portions support the overlays 18 on the writing board 14 . specifically , each overlay 18 is formed of a transparent sheet with four apertures 30 spaced to correspond to the spacing of the pegs 24 projecting from the writing board 14 . the spacing and size of the apertures 30 enables the overlay 18 to be placed against the front surface 28 with pegs 24 extending through the apertures 30 , thus securely holding the overlay against that front surface . as shown in fig2 the front surface 28 of the writing board 14 has four graphs 31 , 32 , 33 and 34 depicting images of the human female chest from different angles . graph 34 shows a front view of the right female breast with a polar coordinate system centered at the breast nipple . graph 32 illustrates a front view image of the left breast with a polar coordinate system centered at the nipple . the polar coordinate system has twelve radial lines providing a clock face like reference system that is easily understood by the user . graph 33 is a right profile image of a female torso with a semi - circular polar coordinate system centered at the breast nipple and extending inward to the torso . the final graph 34 is a left profile image of the human female torso with a semi - circular polar coordinate system centered at the breast nipple . the semi - circular polar coordinate system has seven radial lines providing a reference system that corresponds to half a clock face . although information about the location and size of a mass within the breast can be recorded on the front surface 28 of the writing board 14 , it is preferred that such annotations not be made on that surface , but rather on overlays 18 applied against the surface as will be described . as a result , the front surface 28 of the writing board 18 may be left blank . each kit 10 typically contains four overlays 18 , with only two of the overlays being shown in fig1 . all of the overlays are identical and can be placed one over the other on the pegs 24 projecting from the writing board 14 . extra overlays 18 can be stored in box 12 until needed . referring to fig3 the overlays 18 are transparent sheets printed with four graphs 36 , 37 , 38 and 39 which are identical to the four graphs 31 , 32 , 33 and 34 , respectively on the writing board 14 . the graphs 36 - 39 on the overlay 18 are accurately positioned with respect to the apertures 30 in the overlay . this positioning results in the graphs 36 - 39 on the overlay being registered with the corresponding graphs 31 - 38 on the writing board 14 when the overlay is placed onto the pegs 24 and against surface 28 . at the bottom of the overlay 18 is a section 40 for recording the dates on which each breast examination is conducted . another section 42 at the bottom of the overlay 18 provides a space for recording the date of the woman &# 39 ; s last menstrual cycle . referring again to fig1 an aperture 17 is located along the bottom portion of the body 19 of the writing board 14 with a cord 19 attached at one end through the aperture 17 . for example , the one end of cord 19 may have a t - shape which can be bent to pass through the aperture 17 and thereafter returns to shape preventing extraction of the end back through the aperture . the other end of cord 19 is attached to the writing instrument 16 which is an indelible marker of the type used by underwater divers to write with while submerged , for example . this type of marker contains non - water soluble marking material , such as ink , thereby enabling the results of the breast examination to be recorded on the overlays 18 in a shower . each end of the writing instrument 16 has a different colored marker with separate end caps 44 to seal those ends and prevent the ink from drying out . the use of different colors enables the results of one month &# 39 ; s examination to be distinguished from the results of another month &# 39 ; s examination , as will be described . to use the recording system , a woman applies one of the overlays 18 to the front surface of the writing board 14 by pushing the pegs 24 through the holes 30 in the overlay . the writing board 14 is applied to a wall of the user &# 39 ; s shower enclosure by pressing the suction cups against that wall . the woman then examines each breast and lymph region , and records the location and size of any masses on the graphs 36 - 39 of the overlay 18 using one of the ink colors . for example , if a mass if found in her right breast , the position and approximate size of the mass is recorded in the right frontal graph 36 and the right profile graph 38 providing a three - dimensional indication of the mass location . the size of the mark made on the graphs with writing instrument 16 indicates of the size and shape of the mass . other irregularities within the breast and lymph regions also can be recorded . the date of the examination and the date of her last menstrual cycle are recorded in sections 40 and 42 on the overlay . alternatively , a physician may record the position and size of masses detected during mammography or professional examination on the first overlay . this provides a bench mark for the woman to use in subsequent self - examination of her breasts . approximately one month later , the woman performs another self - examination of her breasts and lymph regions . if the presence , size and location of any previously detected masses has not changed , no marks need to be made on the graphs 36 - 37 of the overlay . however , the dates of the examination and menstrual cycle for the present month are recorded in sections 40 and 42 . this monthly process continues until either a different mass is detected or a previously detected mass disappears or changes in the size , shape or position . upon detecting any of those latter occurrences , the woman places a second overlay 18 onto the writing board 14 over the first overlay . because the graphs on each overlay are accurately positioned with respect to the apertures 30 , the graphical images on each overlay are registered when positioned on the writing board pegs 24 . the woman then uses the writing instrument 16 to mark the graphs 36 - 39 on the second overlay to indicate the position , size and shape of each mass now being detected . a different colored ink is used to mark each overlay thereby clearly indicating the changes that have occurred from one month to another . additional overlays are placed on the writing board to record changes found during subsequent breast self - examinations . at any time , the woman is able to remove the overlays 18 from the writing board 14 and take them to her physician to provide accurate information as to changes that occurred and the dates of those occurrences . | 6 |
the following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense , but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims . referring to the drawings , the inventive electrochemical sensing cell 10 is used to detect and measure the concentration of a particular electroactive gas species in a gas sample . the gas being analyzed flows into the sensing cell 10 via a conduit 11 and exits from the cell via a conduit 12 . an appropriate pump ( not shown ) of either the positive pressure or suction type may be used to force the gas through the sensing cell 10 . if the particular species is present , a current will be generated between the sensing electrode terminal 13 and the counterelectrode terminal 14 . this current advantageously is amplified and used to drive a meter ( not shown ) which directly indicates the species concentration , for example , in parts per million . such amplification and meter circuitry are conventional , and form no part of the present invention . the sensing cell 10 includes a cylindrical container 15 , closed at the bottom 15a , that holds the electrolyte 16 and a counterelectrode 17 immersed in the electrolyte . a metal clamp 18 surrounds the container 15 and serves the double function of mounting the sensing cell 10 to an l - bracket 19 and of providing electrical connection to the counterelectrode terminal 14 . that terminal may comprise a thin strip of foil mounted on the outside of the cylinder 15 . a wire 20 connected to the counterelectrode 17 extends through a hole in the cylinder 15 and has an end portion 20a that is bent back underneath the terminal strip 14 . the clamp 18 covers the strip 14 and insures good electrical contact between the wire 20 , the strip 14 , and the clamp 18 itself . a wire connection ( not shown ) is made directly to the clamp 18 or via the bracket 19 . the sensing electrode 23 ( fig2 ) is planar and is clamped between a cover 24 that seats atop the open end 15b of the container 15 and a manifold cap 25 to which the inlet and outlet conduits 11 , 12 are connected . the cover 24 has a central opening 26 through which the electrolyte 16 can reach the sensing electrode 23 . the lower surface 25a of the cap 25 includes a recess 27 through which the gas to be analyzed reaches the sensing electrode 23 . voltammetric sensing thus is facilitated , since the sensing electrode 23 is in contact with both the cell electrolyte 16 via the opening 26 and the gas species supplied via the recess 27 . as evident in fig2 and 3 , the cover 24 may be assembled from two separate components , a retainer 28 and a plug 29 . an annular groove in the bottom 28a of the retainer 28 receives the lip or open end 15b of the container 15 , while the plug 29 fits within this container . the retainer 28 has a planar upper surface 24a at the center of which is an opening 26a of the same diameter as the opening 26 . the plug 29 also is circular and includes an annular boss 30 which projects upwardly into a bore 31 formed from the underside 28a of the retainer 28 . at the &# 34 ; bottom &# 34 ; of the bore 31 is an annular shoulder 32 having a diameter greater than that of the opening 26 but less than the outer diameter of the bore 31 . when the boss 30 is inserted as shown in fig3 there is formed an annular ledge 33 which serves to support a disc - shaped screen 35 , the periphery of which is clamped beneath the shoulder 32 . the screen 35 supports one or more discs 36 of filter material which function to ensure intimate contact between the electrolyte 16 and the sensing electrode 23 . to this end , the screen 35 is formed of a material , typically polyester , that is non - reactive with the electrolyte 16 , and which is sufficiently rigid to support the filter disc 36 without becoming concave at its center . the disc 36 has a diameter slightly less than the opening 26a so as to fit within this opening . typically the disc 36 may comprise a glass filter paper such as that sold commercially . more than one such disc 36 may be required to fill completely the space between the screen 35 and the sensing electrode 23 . the electrolyte flows through the screen 35 and completely wets the disc or discs 36 . since these are slightly compressed between the screen 36 and the sensing electrode 23 , intimate contact is obtained between the electrolyte that saturates the disc or discs 36 and the sensing electrode 23 . to prevent sloshing of the electrolyte 16 within the cell 10 , the container 15 may be filled with an inert , absorbent material 38 . for example , if the electrolyte is sulfuric acid , this absorbent material 38 may comprise glass - wool . electrical connection to the sensing electrode 23 may be made by means of a wire 39 that extends from the terminal jack 13 to a conductive pad 40 situated on the upper surface 24a of the cover 24 . as shown in fig2 and 3 , the jack 13 is mounted in a lateral bore 41 in the retainer 28 . the wire 39 runs through a hole 42 that extends from the bore 41 to the retainer bottom surface 28a . from there the wire 39 extends along the interface between the retainer 28 and the plug 29 , and then extends upwardly through a hole 43 to the surface 24a . the wire 39 then runs along the surface 24a beneath the pad 40 and back into a second hole 44 in the retainer 28 . with this arrangement , when the sensing electrode 23 is clamped between the cover 44 and the cap 25 , the pad 40 becomes clamped between the electrode 23 and the section of wire 39 that extends along the cover surface 24a between the holes 43 and 44 . good electrical contact results between the sensing electrode 23 and the jack 13 . the wire 39 easily can be threaded in place prior to insertion of the boss 30 into the bore 31 ( with the screen 35 in place ). an adhesive ( not shown ) then may be used to bond the plug 29 to the retainer 28 so that the cover 24 becomes a unitary element . the one - piece cover 24 then may be bonded directly to the container 15 . after the retainer 28 and plug 29 have been bonded together , a small diameter hole 46 may be bored through the cover 24 parallel to the opening 26 . this hole 46 has a double purpose . first , it permits electrolyte 16 to be added to the container 15 by means of a syringe and needle inserted into the hole 46 . in this manner , sufficient electrolyte 16 can be inserted to completely fill the cylinder 15 so that the electrolyte remains in contact with the disc 36 regardless of the physical orientation of the cell 10 . secondly , the hole 46 functions as a vent for the electrolyte 15 in the event that the sensing cell 10 is exposed to reduced environmental pressure , as for example when shipped by air . only a small portion of the gas being analyzed need be supplied to the sensing electrode 23 . to this end , a through passageway 48 is provided in the cap 25 between the inlet conduit 11 and the outlet conduit 12 . the ends 48a of the passageway 48 are threaded to accommodate appropriate fittings associated with the conduits 11 , 12 . a pair of lateral ports 49 , 50 branch off from the passageway 48 and extend to the recess 27 . these ports 49 , 50 are spaced apart so as to be adjacent diagonally opposite edges of the recess 27 . in this way , some of the gas entrant through the conduit 11 will flow the branch port 49 , into the recess 27 and then out through the port 50 and the outlet conduit 12 . intimate contact between this sample gas and the counterelectrode 23 thus is accomplished within the recess 27 . advantageously , the recess 27 is circular and has the same diameter as the opening 26 . in an alternate embodiment ( not shown ), a through passageway 48 is not used . rather , an l - shaped passageway is provided from the inlet conduit 11 to the branch port 49 , and a second such l - shaped passageway is provided from the branch port 50 to the outlet conduit 12 . with this alternative arrangement , all of the sample gas flows through the recess 27 . advantageously , a disc - shaped screen 51 is provided within the recess 27 . its purpose is to provide a pressure on the opposite side of the sensing electrode 23 from the discs 36 . in this way , when the cap 25 is tightened onto the cover 24 , the pressure from the discs 36 will be counteracted by the pressure from the screen 51 . were the screen 51 not used , the discs 36 could distort the sensing electrode 23 into a convex shape in which a portion of the sensing electrode would touch the bottom of the recess 27 . of course , this would reduce the area of the sensing electrode to which the sample gas is exposed , and hence would reduce the sensitivity of the cell 10 . the screen 51 typically comprises a polyester or other material that is non - reactive with either the sensing electrode 23 material or the gas being analyzed . a pair of o - rings 53 and 54 are situated in respective concentric grooves 54 and 55 formed in the lower surface 25a of the cap 25 . the diameter of the inner groove 55 and o - ring 53 is slightly greater than the diameter of the opening 26 , but less than the diameter of the sensing electrode 23 . with this arrangement , when the cap 25 is clamped to the cover 24 , the o - ring 53 provides a seal that prevents leakage of the gas being analyzed from the recess 27 past the interface between the cap 25 and the sensing electrode 23 . the cap 25 advantageously is clamped to the cover 24 by means of a set of bolts 58 which extend through counterbored holes 59 in the cap 25 into threaded holes 60 in the retainer 28 . when the screws 59 are tightened , the sensing electrode 23 is clamped in place as shown in fig3 . the outer o - ring 54 seals the interface between the surfaces 24a and 25a , and thus prevents leakage of the electrolyte 16 along this interface . the diameter of the o - ring 54 is greater than the sensing electrode 23 . advantageously , the hole 46 is situated between the outer periphery of the sensing electrode 23 and the o - ring 54 . in this way , the sensing electrode 23 does not block the hole 46 , yet any electrolyte 16 that may exit through the hole 46 will be prevented from leaking by the o - ring 54 . during assembly , the screen 51 is held in place by a narrow strip 62 of filter material such as that used for the discs 36 . one end 62a of the strip 62 is caught behind the o - ring 53 . the mid - portion 62b of the strip 62 diametrically crosses the groove 57 to retain the screen 51 in place . a portion 62c also is caught behind the o - ring 53 , and the adjacent end portion 62d is caught behind the outer o - ring 54 . the section 62e of the strip 62 between the o - rings 53 and 54 covers the hole 46 . another hole 64 is provided through the cap 25 in alignment with the hole 46 . with this arrangement , vapor from the electrolyte 16 will be vented from the cell 10 via the holes 46 and 64 . the strip 62 of sintered teflon or other filter material will prevent the exhaust of liquid through the hole 64 . advantageously , the sensing electrode 23 comprises a noble metal in particulate form held in a polymeric dispersion of teflon or other inert material . | 6 |
fig1 shows a basic , constant frequency , current mode control buck converter ( although the invention is equally applicable in use with other types of converters e . g . boost or buck - boost ). the converter consists of a pmos switch 10 in series with a nmos switch 20 ( or possibly a diode ) between a voltage source v bat and ground gnd . in parallel with the nmos switch 20 ( also in series with the pmos switch ) is an inductor 30 and a capacitor 40 . converter output v out is taken from the node between inductor 30 and capacitor 40 . the output voltage is also fed into an error amplifier 50 . the output of the error amplifier 50 is fed into one input of a comparator 60 . a current monitor 80 generates a signal representative of the current in inductor 30 , and this is fed to the inverting input of comparator 60 . the output of the comparator 60 is fed to the reset input of a latch 70 which controls switches 10 and 20 via gate 90 . control of the switch 10 has been achieved previously by techniques such as “ voltage mode control ” and “ current mode control ”. typically , the pmos switch 10 is connected to an input voltage and is closed at the beginning of a clock cycle . closing the switch 10 causes the current in the inductor 30 connected between the switch and the output of the converter to rise . when the output of the inductor current monitor 80 exceeds the output of the error amplifier 50 , the comparator 60 resets latch 70 . this causes the pmos switch 10 to be turned off , and not turned on again until the beginning of the next clock cycle while the nmos switch 20 is driven in anti - phase with the pmos switch 10 . in this way the output voltage is controlled to the required value . fig2 shows a preferred form of current monitor 80 using the current mirror principle for sensing the current in the pmos switch 100 of fig1 . the main converter components of fig1 are not shown . this shows the main pmos switch 100 and , in parallel with it , mirror switch 105 . the mirror switch 105 is substantially identical to the main pmos switch 100 , except for its dimensions . the main pmos switch 100 and the mirror switch 105 have common source , gate and bulk connections . the main pmos switch 100 , as before , is connected between voltage source v bat and the inductor ( not shown ), while the mirror switch 105 is connected between v bat and a sense leg 110 which forms part of the current monitor . a difference amplifier 125 is provided by two pmos devices 115 , 120 . the first of these devices 115 has its source connected to the inductor side of the pmos switch 100 and the second device 120 has its source connected to the sense side of the mirror switch 105 . a further pmos device 130 provides the output of the amplifier 125 and is provided in the sense leg 110 . device 130 has its gate tied to the drain of pmos device 115 in the case of mosfets , the aspect ratio of the mirror switch 105 compared to the main pmos switch 100 determines the sensing ratio . typically the width ( w ) of the main pmos switch 100 is very large , say 10 mm , and therefore the width of the mirror device may be 10 μm to scale by 1000 , for the same length ( l ) ( say 0 . 5 μm ). in this case the channel area , and the total area of the mirror device , will end up smaller . conceivably l might also be increased , to say 5 μm , to give a further 10 times scaling of current without making the width too small . in this case the aspect ratio would reduce , but the area would in fact increase . this contrasts with bipolar transistors , where the sensing ratio is given approximately by the ratio of their emitter areas . in the examples below the sensing ratio will be 1 : 10000 . in operation differential amplifier 125 keeps the drain voltage of the mirror switch 105 the same as that of the main switch 100 , such that the voltage across them matches precisely . any difference in source voltage of the two common gate pmos devices 115 , 120 will cause the voltage on the drain of pmos device 115 to rise or fall and thus pull the gate of the device 130 up or down , altering the current therein until the sources are more equal . current from the mirror switch 105 passes through the sense leg 110 , through pmos device 130 , and is used to sense the current in the main pmos switch 100 . the ratio of this sense current i sense to the actual current being measured is the same as that of the size of the mirror switch 105 to main pmos switch 100 , i . e . 1 : 10000 . note that the main pmos switch 100 and its pmos mirror switch 105 will typically both be operating in linear or triode region , with the other pmos devices 115 , 120 , 130 in saturation . a problem with this circuit is that the 10 μa quiescent taken by the amplifier 125 means that in ideal conditions , no current is measured ( i sense = 0 ) until the main pmos switch 100 supplies 100 ma ( 10000 * 10 μa ). this is because , if we assume that the main pmos switch 100 has on - resistance ( r onpmos ) of 0 . 1 ohm , the mirror switch 105 will have an on - resistance of 1 kohm ( r onmirror ). if input current i in is 100 ma then this 100 ma through the main pmos switch 100 results in 10 mv being dropped across it . 10 μa through the pmos mirror 105 also results in a 10 mv drop . therefore the circuit is balanced ( the same voltage being dropped across each leg of the differential amplifier 125 ) and the current in the sense leg 110 , i sense , equals zero . similarly a 200 ma input means that there is 20 μa through the mirror switch resulting in only 10 μa for i sense . therefore i sense = i / 10000 − 10 μa =( i = 100 ma )/ 10000 ( for i & gt ; 100 ma ) or = 0 otherwise . thus for light loads the current in the inductor is measured as zero and the control mechanism of the converter may not work or could be unstable . fig3 shows a circuit similar to that of fig2 adapted according to an embodiment of the invention . the circuit is essentially similar but with the addition of a copy device 150 similar to mirror switch 105 between the main pmos switch 100 and the difference amplifier transistor 115 . the device 150 is arranged to be permanently on with a similar gate voltage as 105 is connected to when “ on ”. analysing this circuit using the same example component values as the previous drawing , and the same input current i in of 100 ma , this current in the main pmos switch 100 again results in a drop of 10 mv across it . the copy device 150 induces a further drop of 10 μa * r onmirror ( 1 kohm in this example ) which equals 10 mv . as the copy device 150 drops a further 10 mv , the mirror device 105 sees 20 mv across main pmos switch 100 and the copy of the pmos mirror switch and , to remain in equilibrium , delivers 20 μa . 10 μa of this is delivered down the left - hand leg , leaving 10 μa ( i sense ) to go down the right - hand ( sense ) leg 110 , and through pmos device 130 . as i sense is 1 / 10000 of the input current i in ( that is the inductor current being measured ), it can be seen that i sense is now correct and current is now sensed , in the ideal case , as soon as any current flows through the main pmos switch 100 . in principle , copy device 150 is acting as a simple resistor . because it is a copy of mirror switch 105 , and because copy device 150 will see very close to the same gate - source voltage v gs as the mirror device it will be a resistor with a very similar on - resistance ( r on ) to that of mirror switch 105 . one remaining problem , however , is the case of offset in the amplifier ( for example random manufacturing offset , or second order effects due to different drain voltages across the differential amplifier ). an adverse offset could mean that current is still not sensed until greater than a certain threshold . fig4 shows two alternatives for addressing the offset problem . in one alternative a second copy device 160 is added to the main pmos sensing leg in series with the first copy device 150 . the other alternative shown ( by dotted line ) has only the one copy device 150 ( device 160 should be ignored in this case ) and a further 10 μa current source 170 . both of these alternatives result in the sense circuit seeing ( again using the component values of the previous example and input current of 100 ma ) the equivalent of 10000 * 10 μa = 100 ma in the main pmos switch 100 even when there is no input , and makes the circuit immune to offsets equal to 100 ma * r onpmos = 10 mv . of course with both of these approaches , there is now a static error of 100 ma in the current measurement ( 0 to 200 ma in the worst case ), but this is not important for stability since it is only a dc shift . fig4 b shows a variation which allows for multiple outputs i sense as well as allowing for further flexibility in the sensing ratio . in this variation the differential amplifier 125 is reversed and pmos device 130 is replaced with nmos device 180 which is mirrored with further nmos device 181 . if the nmos devices 180 and 181 are identical then the sensing ratio will depend on the aspect ratios of main pmos switch 100 and mirror device 105 as before , but if different , then the aspect ratio is further dependent on the aspect ratios 6 f the nmos devices 180 , 181 . further copies of i sense are also easily obtained by adding further nmos devices to mirror nmos device 180 . each of these outputs can have its sensing ratio set independently depending on the aspect ratio of the mirroring nmos . it is also possible to mirror the pmos device 130 . simply adding a further pmos device in parallel with pmos device 130 with common gate and source connections would split i sense between them ( according to respective aspect ratios ). however , copies of i sense obtained from the drain of pmos device 130 can be generated by passing it through nmos mirrors . a further problem with the circuits depicted above is that the main switch 100 is switching on and off , and the measured current is valid only when it is on . when the main switch 100 is off , its drain voltage swings below ground . this causes massive swings on the difference amplifier , resulting in large recovery times . fig5 shows an improvement to the circuit of fig3 . this shows essentially the same circuit as fig3 with the addition of dummy pmos devices 135 a , 135 b , 140 a , 140 b connected as shown . the amplifier senses the main pmos switch 100 and mirror pmos switch 105 via switches 135 a and 140 a , when the main pmos switch 100 is on . when the main pmos switch 100 is off , the amplifier senses the supply via switches 135 b and 140 b to maintain the common mode point . two copies 150 a and 150 b of the pmos mirror switch are shown in this example , one ( 150 a ) in series with main pmos switch 100 and dummy transistor 135 a , the other ( 150 b ) in series with dummy transistor 135 b . fig6 shows an equivalent circuit to fig4 but for sensing the second ( nmos ) switch 20 in the converter of fig1 instead of the first ( pmos ) switch 10 . this shows nmos switch 200 being mirrored using nmos mirror switch 205 in the same way as the pmos switch was mirrored in previous examples . the nmos mirror switch 205 is therefore identical to the main nmos switch 200 in all but size . devices 215 , 220 , 230 ( nmos in this case ) form the current amplifier equalising the voltages through each leg as in the previous examples . as a result it will be apparent to the skilled person that this circuit operates essentially the same way as the circuit depicted in fig4 . over - compensation for the quiescent current is provided in the form of the two copy nmos switches 250 , 260 . although most examples shown have been created for current sensing in the pmos switch of switching converters , the concept is applicable to any circuit that requires the sensing of current in a transistor , whether it is pmos or nmos . the above examples are for illustration only and should not be taken as limiting . for instance , although the circuit technique is particular useful in switching applications such as class d drives ( switching ) and switching chargers , it is also envisaged that such techniques can be applied to a wider range of applications that do not include switching ( for example non - switching regulators ). | 6 |
referring now to fig1 to 3 , there is shown the inhalation device body , generally designated by reference numeral 10 . the inhalation device body comprises a tubular portion 11 having an inhalation passage 12 . this tubular portion 11 terminates with a base portion 13 substantially cylindrical in shape , connected thereto through a portion 14 having a greater diameter so as to form a step 15 . at the upper end of the tubular portion 11 a peripheral groove 27 is formed for receiving a stop ring . the base portion 13 has a pair of concavities 16 defining a front portion 17 which is substantially parallelepipedal in shape . the base portion 13 has a cylindrical chamber 18 which is coaxial with the inhalation passage 12 and communicates with the outside through a slot 19 . in its lower portion the chamber 18 communicates with outside through a recess 20 . the side walls defining the slot 19 have a pair of confronting concavities 21 forming a pocket for receiving a capsule containing the medicament . open to the slot 19 are two holes 22 , which are formed in the base portion 13 and accomodate the capsule piercing elements p , as will be described later . as can be seen from fig4 and 5 , recess 20 has a substantially square form and a disc 23 having a substantially square opening 24 is provided , which is to be fastened to the lower surface of the base portion 13 , for example by means of screws inserted in the holes 25 of the disc 23 and in the threaded hole 26 of the base portion 13 . in fig6 and 7 there is illustrated a rotating magazine , generally designated by reference numeral 30 . it comprises a tubular body 31 having a central bore 34 and outer longitudinal grooves 33 extending over the whole length of the magazine and defined by equally spaced radial walls 32 . each of these longitudinal grooves 33 accomodates therein a stack of capsules c containing a medicament . the central bore 34 of the rotating magazine 30 has a diameter substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of the tubular portion 11 and receives therein this tubular portion . the bore 34 has at the lower portion thereof an enlargement 35 accomodating the greater diameter lower portion 14 of the tubular portion 11 and forming a step 36 on which the step 35 of the tubular portion 11 rests . in fig8 there is shown a cylindrical cover 40 having an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the walled portion of the rotating magazine 30 and this cylindrical cover is snugly fitted on the rotating magazine so as to close the grooves 33 accommodating the medicament capsules . this cylindrical cover is preferably made of a transparent plastic material . the device is completed by a slider , generally designated by reference numeral 50 and illustrated in fig9 and 10 . this slider has a rectangular base plate 51 having two opposite lugs 52 and an arcuate front plate 53 acting as a gripping element for the slider . on the base plate 51 , along the center line of the slider 50 , a guide wall 54 is provided and in the base plate 51 a hole 55 is formed which has a lower counterbore 56 . this hole receives a filter element 57 forming the bottom of the capsule receiving chamber 18 when the slider 50 is in the inserted position . the guide wall 54 is provided with recesses 58 for receiving the piercing elements p of the capsule c . preferably , the piercing elements p are in the form of a blade . a mouthpiece 60 is provided ( see fig1 ) having a hole 61 which is coaxially arranged with respect to the inhalation passage 12 of the tubular portion 11 . this hole 61 enlarges at the upper portion thereof with a flaring portion 62 so as to form an elliptical mouthpiece 63 for a patient inhaling the medicament from the device . the so far described device is assembled in the following manner . on the tubular portion 11 of the body 10 the rotating magazine 30 is firstly inserted by fitting this tubular portion 11 in the bore 34 of the rotating magazine 30 until the step 36 of this bore 34 is resting against the step 15 of the tubular portion 11 . in so doing , the magazine 35 is rotatably supported on the tubular portion 11 . then , in the groove 27 of the tubular portion 11 a stop ring 28 is applied , which holds the magazine 30 in the assembled condition . thereafter , on the rotating magazine 30 the cylindrical cover 40 is forcedly fitted . in so doing , the longitudinal grooves 33 of the rotating magazine 30 are closed by the cylindrical cover 40 , thereby defining the seats for receiving the medicament capsules c . then , on the assembly including the tubular portion 11 , the magazine 30 and the cylindrical cover 40 the mouthpiece 60 is applied , as shown in fig1 and 15 . thereafter , in the base portion 13 of the body 10 the slider 60 is inserted so that the base plate 51 thereof enters the recess 20 and the lugs 52 rest against the walls defining the sides thereof , whereas the guide wall 54 extend through the slot 19 of the base portion 13 . then , on the bottom of the base portion 13 the closure disc 23 is applied , which retains the base plate 51 of slider 50 in the recess 20 . thus , the device is assembled and is ready to be used when in the seats defined by the grooves 33 of the rotating magazine 30 and by the cylindrical cover 40 the capsules c containing the medicaments to be inhaled are introduced , as shown in fig1 and 15 . in the rest position , the slider 50 is inserted in the base portion 13 of the body 10 , so that the filter element 57 placed in the hole 55 of the slider base plate 51 is in alignment with the inhalation passage 12 of the tubular portion 11 and with the cylindrical chamber 18 of the base portion 13 . when the medicament is to be inhaled , the slider 50 is placed in the position shown in fig1 , wherein the capsule receiving pocket 21 of the slot 19 is in alignment with one seat 33 , in this case the seat 33a , of the rotating magazine 30 which contains , in this case , four capsules c , so that the lowermost capsule c1 falls down by gravity in the capsule receiving pocket 21 of the slot 19 and stops against the filter element 57 . a this point , the slider is introduced in the chamber 18 of the base portion 13 , so that the capsule c1 is shifted by the slider guide wall 54 in the chamber 18 which is aligned with the inhalation passage 12 of the tubular portion 11 . in so doing , the capsule c1 comes in contact with the piercing elements p so that the capsule is broken at the upper and lower portions thereof and comes in this condition into the chamber 18 , as shown in fig1 . in this position , the piercing elements p are in the respective recesses 58 provided in the slider guide wall 54 . in the position shown in fig1 , the hole 61 of the mouthpiece 60 is aligned with the inhalation passage 12 of the tubular portion 11 , the chamber 18 of the base portion 13 , the filter element 57 and the opening 24 provided in the lower closure disc 23 . now , the patient can inhale the medicament released by the capsule c1 by applying the mouthpiece 60 against his mouth and by sucking through the inhalation passage 12 . when another inhalation is to be made , the slider 50a is extracted so that the filter element 57 forming the bottom of the device is moved out of register from the chamber 18 and the broken capsule c1 lying in the latter can fall out of the device through the opening 24 of the closure disc 23 , while another capsule , for example the capsule c2 , can now fall down in the capsule receiving pocket 21 of the slot 19 until it is supported by the filter element 57 and then the insertion operation of the slider 50 is repeated . when the capsules c contained in a seat 33 of the rotating magazine 30 are depleted it is sufficient to rotate the magazine until another seat 33 containing capsules c is in alignment with the capsule receiving pocket 21 of the base portion 13 . in a second embodiment of the device according to the invention the piercing elements p are provided in the slider rather than in the base portion of the body . to this purpose , the slider is somewhat modified . this modified slider 50a is shown in fig2 and 21 and the portions thereof similar to those of the slider 50 are designated by similar references . the guide wall 54 of the slider 50a is provided with a receptacle 54a . two side walls 54b arranged on either side of the guide wall 54 guide the slider along the base portion 13 of the device . the receptacle 54a communicates with the outside through a slot 53a provided in the arcuate front plate 53 and in this slot 53a a push button 51a is inserted which is provided with the piercing elements p . push button 51a is retained in the receptacle 54a by a pair of lugs 51b abutting against the arcuate front plate 53 and is biased in the extracted position by a compression spring s arranged between the push button and the inner wall of the receptacle 54a . a pair of holes 54c provided in the guide wall 54 accomodate the piercing elements p . the operation of the device according to this embodiment is the same as in the above - described first embodiment . the only difference is the following . in the rest position the slider 50a is inserted in the base portion 13 of the inhaler body 10 . when the medicament is to be inhaled , the slider 50a is placed in the position shown in fig2 which corresponds to the position shown in fig1 of the first embodiment . when the slider 50a is introduced in the chamber 18 of the base portion 13 , the capsule c1 is shifted by the slider guide wall 54 in the chamber 18 . for breaking the capsule c1 it is necessary to push the push button 51a against the force of the compression spring s so that the piercing elements p are pushed through the holes 54c and in the chamber 18 , whereby the capsule c1 therein is broken . this condition is shown in fig2 . in fig1 and 19 a third embodiment of the invention is illustrated , which is more sophisticated because instead of manual rotation of the rotating magazine 31 a rotating mechanism is substituted . the elements which are the same as those of the embodiment illustrated in fig1 to 17 are designated by the same references . in this embodiment , the base portion 13 has been slightly modified so as to accomodate the rotating mechanism of the magazine 30 . as a matter of fact , in the upper wall of the base portion 13 a circular recess 28 is formed for receiving the tubular body 31 of the rotating magazine 30 . this tubular body 31 is provided at the lower portion thereof with ratchet teeth 37 ( see fig1 ). below the ratchet teeth 37 an operating arm 38 is provided , which has a hole 39 and is rotatably arranged in the recess 28 . the arm 38 carries at the upper portion thereof a pawl 41 inserted in a cap 42 and biased by a spring 43 towards the outside of the cap . this pawl 41 engages one of the ratchet teeth 37 . on the lower surface the arm 38 has a post 44 which engages an eyelet 45 provided at the free end of a rod 46 which is integrally connected to the slider 50 and penetrates the base portion 13 of the inhaler body 10 through a hole 49 . the wall defining the side of the recess 28 is provided with an inwardly biased elastic tongue 29 , forming an antirotation stop element for the ratchet teeth 37 . the slider 50 , in this case , is slightly modified because , in addition to have the guide wall 54 , it has also two guide strips 59 arranged on both sides of the slot 19 of the base portion 13 , whereas the closure disc 23 has been substituted by a cover 47 having a center bore 48 in which the filter element 57 is inserted . starting from the rest position shown in fig1 , for making an inhalation it is necessary to extract the slider 50 from the base portion 13 of the inhaler body 10 . this extraction movement of the slider 50 causes the rod 46 to rotate the operating arm 38 counterclockwise , while the ratchet teeth 37 ( and therefore the rotating magazine 30 ) remain stationary because the stop tongue 29 , being in engagement with a ratchet tooth , prevents a counterclockwise rotation of the rotating magazine . when the slider 50 is arrives at the position shown in fig1 , a capsule c1 can fall down in the capsule receiving pocket 21 of the slot 19 until it rests on the base plate 51 of slider 50 . then , the slider 50 is inserted until it is in the position shown in fig1 wherein the capsule c1 has been moved into the chamber 18 of the base portion 13 and , during this movement , has been broken by the piercing elements p . here again the piercing elements p are preferably in the form of blades . with this insertion movement , the rod 46 of the slider 50 is moved in the base portion 13 until the post 44 of the operating arm 38 strikes against the edge defining the leading end of the eyelet 45 . as the insertion movement of the slider 50 continues , the operating arm 38 is rotated in a clockwise direction by an angle β which is equal to the pitch of the ratchet teeth and the pawl 41 rotates the ratchet teeth ( and therefore the magazine 30 ) by the same angle β so as to bring the next seat 33 of the rotating magazine 30 in alignment with the capsule receiving pocket 21 of the slot 19 of the base portion 13 . in this manner , a capsule contained in the next seat 33 is at disposal for the next inhalation . after each inhalation , the magazine 30 rotates through the angle β until all the capsules c contained in the series of seats 33 have been ejected . here again the piercing elements p can be arranged in the slider 50a rather than being arranged in the base portion 13 of the inhaler body 10 , as shown in fig2 to 23 , and the breaking operation of the capsule c1 is performed by pushing the push button 51a so as to cause the piercing elements p fastened thereto to penetrate the capsule and break it . as can be seen from the foregoing , the advantages of the inhaler according to the invention include the following : a ) possibility of making an inhalation by a simple movement of extraction and insertion of the slider without needing the inhaler to be opened for introducing therein a capsule and then to be closed and the capsule piercing means to be acted upon in a separate operation ; b ) possibility of making subsequent inhalations without needing a capsule to be introduced each time in the inhaler ; c ) possibility of rotating the magazine in order to put the capsule seats in alignment with the capsule receiving pocket in the base portion of the inhaler simultaneously with the insertion operation of the slider ; in addition to these great advantages , the inhaler according to the invention lends itself very well to be used as a package for containing the medicament capsules and because of the very low production costs , particularly of the first embodiment , to be put in commerce as such by the same pharmaceutical companies which produce the medicaments to be inhaled and , once all the capsules contained therein have been used , the inhaler can be disposed of . | 0 |
for a better understanding of the present invention , reference is made to the drawings and more particularly to fig1 wherein the numeral 10 indicates an elongated body means that has a fluid passages 11 ( fig3 - 5 ) provided therein for connection to a supply of dampening fluid , the supply of dampening fluid not being shown . along the length of the elongated body means 10 and in communication with the fluid passage 11 are a plurality of spray nozzle means 12 that are in communication with the fluid passages and are used to spray dampening fluid against a dampener roll . the nozzles may be of any desired type but in the present case are indicated as being solenoid operated nozzles which function by being connected to a source of fluid pressure and opened intermittently according to a selected sequence . each nozzle means 12 therefore includes s solenoid operator 13 connected to a source of electrical power by means of electrical connections that enter the rear portion of the rail means , as through the opening 14 indicated in fig1 of the drawings . the solenoid means 13 and the electrical wiring located or extending from the rear portion of elongated body means 10 is appropriately contained within an enclosure means 15 that is mounted directly onto the rear of body means 10 and extends across the complete length thereof . the spray rail means and more specifically the elongated body means 10 is designed to be mounted between the left and right hand frames of the printing unit . to accomplish this mounting , means 20 are provided for supporting the body means 10 between the side frames and adjacent the dampener roll . the mounting means 20 includes a mounting bracket 21 which is supported on the press frame . the mounting bracket 20 includes locationing means whereby the elongated body means may be angularly oriented with respect to the dampener roll . the locating means comprises a plurality of holes or openings 22 that are angularly disposed about the center axis of slot 23 that is formed by outwardly extending legs of each mounting bracket 21 . the end of elongated body means receives end plate means 25 that is secured directly to each end of body means 10 by means of suitable fastening devices . extending outwardly from each end plate means 25 is trunnion means 26 that are effective to support the spray rail means in position adjacent the dampener roll . the trunnion means 26 is received into yoke means 30 , this yoke means being an intermediate body that is disposed between trunnion means 26 and the mounting bracket 21 . the yoke means 30 comprises a body portion 31 and a pair of diametrically opposed locationing means 32 that take the form of spring biased pins 33 . the pins 33 are receivable into the holes 22 that are present in the mounting brackets 21 . yoke means 30 also includes a threaded element 35 which extends inwardly for engagement on each side of the trunnion means 26 . the manner in which interaction is effected between the threaded element 35 and the trunnion is best shown in fig2 of the drawings . by either turning the threaded element to the right or the left , it is possible to move the spray rail either toward or away from the adjoining dampener roll . in order to confine the spray coming from the nozzles 12 the elongated body means has mounted thereto a pair of elongated spray shields 40 and 41 , each of which is provided with an outer edge 40 &# 39 ; and 41 &# 39 ;, respectively , made of an elastomeric material . these spray shields are attached to the body means 10 and extend across the complete width of the body to cooperate with the end plates 25 to define the space within which the fluid spray is confined . the spray shields 40 and 41 are mounted onto body 10 by means of a bracket 42 . the bracket has a central web portion 43 and arm portions 44 that extend outwardly therefrom . the ends of arm portions 44 terminate in elements 45 that extend parallel to the length of the spray shields . as can be best seen in fig4 and 5 , the end portions of the arms are receivable into closely complementary slots 46 that are formed a part of each of the spray shields 40 and 41 . a final feature of the spray rail means of this invention are a pair of spray baffles 50 . the baffles 50 have an angularly formed inner end 51 that contains a slot through which a threaded fastener 52 extends into the body 10 so that the longitudinal positioning of the spray baffles 50 can be adjusted . by either widening or shortening the distance between baffles 50 , the longitudinal distance in which the spray adjacent the ends of the spray rails can travel is restricted . | 1 |
the description that follows , and the embodiments described therein , are provided by way of illustration of an example , or examples , of particular embodiments of the principles of various aspects of the present invention . these examples are provided for the purposes of explanation , and not of limitation , of those principles and of the invention in its various aspects . in the description , like parts are marked throughout the specification and the drawings with the same respective reference numerals . the drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order more clearly to depict certain features . in terms of general orientation and directional nomenclature , two types of frames of reference may be employed . first , although a well may not necessarily be drilled vertically , terminology may be employed assuming a cylindrical polar co - ordinate system in which the vertical , or z - axis , may be taken as running along the bore of the well , and the radial axis may be taken as having the centerline of the bore as the origin , that bore being taken as being , at least locally , the center of a cylinder whose length is many times its width , with all radial distances being measured away from that origin . the circumferential direction may be taken as being mutually perpendicular to the local axial and radial directions . the second type of terminology uses the well head as a point of reference . in this frame of reference , “ upstream ” may generally refer to a point that is further away from the outlet of the well , and “ downstream ” may refer to a location or direction that is closer to , or toward , the outlet of the well . in this terminology , “ up ” and “ down ” may not necessarily be vertical , given that slanted and horizontal drilling may occur , but may be used as if the well bore had been drilled vertically , with the well head being above the bottom of the well , whether it is or not . in this terminology , it is understood that production fluids flow up the well bore to the well head at the surface . the present process may be conducted on various geological formations and through various access points , such as wellbores in various conditions . various equipment may be used to conduct the wellbore treatments as will be appreciated . considering fig1 , by way of a broad , general overview and only for the purposes of illustration , a geological formation is indicated generally as 20 . geological formation 20 may include a first mineral producing region 22 , and a second region 24 ( and possibly other regions above or below regions 22 and 24 ). region 22 may be below region 24 , possibly significantly below . for example , region 22 may generally lie perhaps 1000 - 7000 m below the surface , whereas region 24 may tend to lie rather less than 1000 m from the surface , more typically in the in the range of about 100 - 700 m , or , more narrowly , 200 - 500 m below the surface . region 22 may include one or more pockets or strata that may contain a fluid that is trapped in a layer 26 by an overlying layer 28 that may be termed a cap . the cap layer 28 may be substantially impervious to penetration by the fluid . in some instances the fluid in layer 26 may be a mixture having a significantly , or predominantly , hydrocarbon based component , and may include impurities whether brine , mud , sand , sulphur or other material which may be found in various types of crude oil . it may also include hydrocarbon gases , such as natural gas , and various impurities as may be . the fluid may be under low , modest , or quite high pressure . the vertical through thickness of the potential or actual production zone of region 22 may be of the order of several hundred feet , or perhaps even a few thousand feet . the overburden pressures in this zone may be quite substantial , possibly well in excess of 1000 psi . region 24 may include one or more mineral bearing seams , indicated generally as 30 , and individually in ascending order as 32 , 34 , 36 , and 38 . it may be understood that fig1 is intended to be generic in this regard , such that there may only be one such seam , or there may be many such seams , be it a dozen or more . seams 32 , 34 , 36 , and 38 are separated by interlayers indicated generally as 40 , and individually in ascending order as 42 , 44 , 46 , and an overburden layer 48 ( each of which may in reality be a multitude of various layers ), the interlayers and the overburden layer being relatively sharply distinct from the mineral bearing seams 30 , and relatively impervious to the passage of fluids such as those that may be of interest in seams 32 , 34 , 36 and 38 . it may be noted that seams 30 may be of varying thickness , from a few inches thick to several tens of feet thick . seams 30 may , for example , be coal seams . one or more of those mineral bearing seams may be porous , to a greater or lesser extent such that , in addition to the solid mineral , ( which may be coal , for example ), one or more of those seams may also be a fluid bearing stratum ( or strata , as may be ), the fluid being trapped , or preferentially contained in , that layer by the adjacent substantially non - porous interlayers . the entrapped fluid may be a gas . such gas may be a hydrocarbon based gas , such as methane . the entrapped fluid may be under modest pressure , or may be under relatively little pressure . whereas the mineral bearing zone of region 22 may be modelled as somewhat elastic , given the vertical constraint of cap 28 , the significant overburden pressure , and the relatively great through thickness depth of cap 28 , mineral bearing region 24 may tend to be modelled differently , given the relative thinness of the seams , and the relative lack of vertical constraint . at some point in time a well bore 50 may have been drilled from the surface to the underlying mineral bearing stratum , or strata , 26 of region 22 , and a producing well , with appropriate well head equipment 52 and a connection to a pipeline 54 , whether including a compressor 55 or other feeder to a downstream storage facility 56 or processing facility 58 may have been established . during this process well bore 50 may have been lined with concrete 60 and perforated at zones 62 , 64 and 66 to permit extraction of the fluid , be it substantially liquid whether crude oil alone , oil and water , in which the water may be a brine ; gas alone ; gas and oil or water , or both ; or a slurry mixture which may include all three and a proportion of mud , sand , or other solid impurities . this well may have been a producing well for some time . the production well at bore 50 may have reached maturity and may be in decline , or may have ceased to produce . during development of well bore 50 , the upper geological formation 24 may have been identified as a mineral bearing region , and the presence of the fluids of that region may also have been identified . at the time of original development of well bore 50 , economic exploitation of the upper region may have been foregone for a number of reasons . for example , seams 30 may have been too thin , or may have lain too deep , for reasonable commercial exploitation , particularly in the context of mechanical extraction by excavation . or , alternatively , the presence of the entrapped fluid , be it methane , may itself have been a discouragement to mechanical extraction of the solid mineral by traditional mining methods . alternatively , extraction of a commercially valuable fluid , such as methane gas , may have been impeded or discouraged by the extent to which preliminary de - watering of the upper seam may have been necessary . extraction of the trapped fluid itself may not have been undertaken in view of the easier and perhaps more commercially attractive extraction of the liquid or gaseous fluid of region 22 , or perhaps the quantities or rate of flow of the fluids in layer 24 may have been insufficient to attract interest . referring to fig2 , a second well bore 70 may be drilled relatively close to well bore 50 . well bore 70 may have a depth only as deep as , or , allowing for a rat hole 71 , marginally deeper than upper region 24 . well bore 70 may be lined as indicated at 72 , and that lining may be perforated at 74 , 76 , 78 and 80 to permit fluid to flow from the strata of region 24 into well 70 . the flow of interest may be a gas flow , such as a flow of methane . the well bore , for example , may be accessed in some way , as for example with a coiled tubing unit and bottom hole packer assembly to selectively isolate and individually stimulate each seam such as 32 , 34 , 36 or 38 . other methods such as bridge plugs and tubing deployed by a combination of service rig and or snubbing unit and wireline can also be used to mechanically isolate the coal seams or lenticular formations . initially , prior to the procedure described herein , the flow of gas , from bore 70 may not be as great as it might be . where flow from a deep oil well is poor , an operator may wish to attempt to make the fissures and fractures open and propagate away from the well . in deep oil wells , it is also known to prop the fractures open , typically using a proppant such as frac sand . one such method is to pump an aqueous , proppant laden foam or emulsion , into an oil well such that the frac sand may be introduced into the fine fissures under pressure . the pressure may cause the fissures to open somewhat , and then , when the pressure is relieved , at least a portion of the proppant , i . e ., the frac sand , may tend to stay in place , preventing the fractures from closing . this may then leave larger pathways in the geological formation through which oil may flow to the well bore , permitting those desired fluids ( and other impurities ) to be pumped up to the well head . as noted , proppant may usually be carried into place by a medium such as an aqueous foaming agent , and may typically be used in an oil or oil and gas extraction process in deep wells ( i . e ., deeper than about 1000 m ). once the extraction zone has been treated in this way , the carrier liquid is pumped out of the well , and a production fluid , which may be a mixture of oil , gas , brine , mud , sand and other impurities , may be produced from the well . in the natural state , each of seams 32 , 34 , 36 or 38 may exhibit natural “ cleating ”, which is to say cracks and fractures in the seam that give it a measure of porosity , which may be termed secondary porosity or macroporosity , such as may tend to provide a pathway to permit the fluid to migrate in the seam to the well bore . the degree of prevalence of “ cleating ” may tend to determine the rate at which the fluid may flow out of the seam . the rate at which the fluid may be extracted may range from a very slow seepage to a more lively flow . where the flow is not satisfactory , as when , for example , it is insufficient to sustain a commercial gas production rate , it may be desirable to enhance the flowrate by encouraging a greater amount of cleating , such as to improve the overall porosity , cleat connectivity / intersections , and permeability of the mineral bearing stratum adjacent to well bore 70 , or by encouraging “ spalling ” on the faces of the existing cleats , spalling being a breaking off of the surface material of the fracture face . for example , a coal seam may tend to have lower permeability than some other materials , and may require a form of stimulation to achieve commercial cbm gas production . in such an instance , fracture stimulating the porous matrix may tend to increase the degree of cleating in the matrix , may tend to increase the effective drainage region of the seam , and may tend to enhance interconnection / connectivity of the cleat network to the well bore . further , it may tend to permit the flow to by - pass damage in the matrix near the well bore . it may be advantageous to employ a cyclic or pulse fracturing stimulation technique , as described herein , to enhance ( a ) extension of the coal cleat drainage region ; and ( b ) the interconnection of coal cleats within that region . that is , cyclic or pulse fracturing as described herein may tend to increase fracture network length by a process referred to as dendritic branching . it may tend to enhance fracture network conductivity by promoting shear slippage and spalling of the fines , e . g . coal fines , which may then tend to hold cracks and fissures in the matrix open to allow more flow to the well bore . there are a number of factors to be considered . first , some production regions , of which region 24 may be one , may include clays or other materials that may tend to swell in the presence of water . aqueous liquids , or aqueous liquid based flows , may tend to be common frac fluids . if the matrix of the production zone swells , the cleating may tend to close up , and the well may tend to produce less oil or gas , or oil and gas , than may have been expected , or desired . alternatively , the frac fluid , or slurry , may not be chemically inert , and may interact with the cleating surfaces in such as way as to close up the fractures , and to impede flow , rather than to facilitate flow . second , in some wells , the frac sand , or perhaps drilling mud employed in the boring and completion of the well , may itself tend to block the porous structure adjacent to the well , thereby impeding flow of the desired fluid . third , depending on the completion process employed , it may be necessary to remove the proppant carrier fluid , and perhaps sand or other solids , perhaps including drilling mud . this may be followed by a swabbing procedure to try to remove leftover mud , for example . fourth , the process of introducing a fluid under pressure to “ frac ” the well , i . e ., to open up , or dilate , the adjacent porous structure along its fracture surfaces , may tend to occur in a radiating manner from the well bore , and may sometimes tend only to have modest long term effects in increasing the flow of oil and gas wells . it may be desirable to enhance the formation and enlargement of dendritic crack formations in the adjacent geological structures . that is , the cleating in a formation may tend to run generally in one direction , and the main fractures providing the porosity permitting the fluid to be extracted may tend to run in that one direction . it may be that the rate of hydrocarbon production may improve where fractures are enhanced generally perpendicular to the predominant fracture direction in the region , and the crossing - linking , or branches of a dendritic crack formation , tending to extend away , possibly perpendicularly away , from the primary fissures , may tend to link parallel fractures , and may tend to enhance the flow running through those links , and ultimately to the well bore . to that end , fluid injection equipment , symbolised by service truck 102 , may be employed to introduce fluid under pressure into bore 70 , and , by positioning the end of the coiled tubing bottom hole assembly appropriately , into each one of seams 32 , 34 , 36 and 38 . that is to say , the lower end 112 of coiled tubing 114 can be located between the coiled tubing bottom hole assembly , isolation represented by elements 82 and 84 , and those elements of the bha can be sealed using the coiled tubing unit , such that fluid introduced under pressure may tend to be forced into seam 32 only . in one method , the coiled tubing bottom hole assembly bha may be set above seam 32 , 34 , 36 and 38 to permit fluid to be forced into all of the seams at once . however , it may be taken that in one method , first one seam than another may be subjected to the introduction of fluid under pressure . further , that method may include the step of pressurizing the seams sequentially from the lowest ( i . e ., farthest from the wellhead ) to the highest ( i . e ., nearest to the wellhead ), moving one by one . it may be appreciated that some of the seams may be too thin to yield economic recovery . a fracture dilation fluid may be introduced under pressure to force the natural cleats in the mineral bearing stratum to dilate , and to spall , ( that is , to crack further , to cause portions of the stratum to separate . a gas under high pressure may be the fluid used in the dilation process . a gas may have less tendency than a liquid to cause the material of the stratum to swell . one step may be to select a gas that is relatively inert in terms of chemical ( as opposed to mechanical ) interaction with the material of the stratum . such a gas that has little or no tendency to react with the stratum to be dilated may be termed non - participating , or non - reactive . for example , in a carboniferous environment , such as a coal seam , nitrogen gas may be introduced . although other gases , such as inert , or relatively inert , gases may be used , nitrogen may tend to be readily available and comparatively inexpensive to obtain in large quantities . the gas need not be entirely of one element , but may be a mixture of non - reactive gases . making allowance for trace elements , the frac fluid chosen may be substantially free of reactive gases or liquids , and may be substantially , or entirely , free of liquids , including being free of aqueous liquids such as water or brine . in one step , the gas introduced under pressure may be forced into the designated layer at a pressure that is greater than five times as great as the pre - existing static pressure in the well bore at the selected stratum . for example , where the natural pressure in the well bore may be in the range of 100 - 150 psia , ( 0 . 7 - 1 . 0 mpa ) the pressure of the introduced gas may be more than 5 times as great , and may be as great as 30 to 60 times as great or greater . the surface pressure of the introduced gas may be greater than 2000 psi , or possibly greater than 5000 psia and in one embodiment may be about 5000 - 8000 psia . expressed alternatively , the peak pressure may be more than double , and perhaps in the range of 3 to 10 times as great as the overburden pressure at the location of the stratum , or seam , to be dilated . not only may the frac fluid be introduced at a surface pressure of greater than 2000 psi , or , indeed greater than 3000 psi , but , in addition , the frac gas may be introduced at a high rate , such that the rate of pressure rise in the surrounding stratum or seam of interest may be rapid . this rate of pressure rise may be measured in the well bore as a proxy for the rise in the surrounding formation , or fracture zone . for example , the rate of flow may be as great or greater , than required to achieve a pressure rise of 500 psi bottom hole pressure in the well bore over an elapsed time of 100 second or less , and may be such as to raise the pressure 500 psi in the range of 50 to 75 seconds . the apparatus located in the well bore may include a pressure sensor such as may be used to observe the pressure in the well bore , and a suitable feedback apparatus by which the pressure may be monitored from the surface , and the fluid introduction equipment may be operated to introduce additional gas , as may be . it may be that this comparatively large pressure rise , occurring at a relatively high rate , may tend to result in brisk crack dilation , or crack propagation , notwithstanding the comparative lack of vertical restraint on the seam or stratum of interest given the comparatively low overburden pressure of , for example , layer 48 . the pressure surges may be alternately defined by reference to flow rate . for example , starting from the initial well bore pressure the fracture dilation gas may be introduced in a first surge at a flow rate of at least 300 scm or possibly at least 1000 scm over a time period of 1 to 20 minutes or possibly 1 to 10 minutes , such that the pressure in the stratum , as measured in the well bore , is raised to an elevated level . following this rise , a period of relaxation may occur in which the inflow of frac gas may be stopped or may be greatly diminished to a rate of less than 300 scm , and during which the pressure in the well bore downhole may tend to decline over a time period of less than 24 hours or possibly less than 12 hours and in one embodiment less than one hour to some lesser value . at the end of that time period , the fracture dilation gas under pressure may again be introduced ( or reintroduced , as may be ) as a surge at a flow rate of at least 300 scm or possibly at least 1000 scm over a time period of 1 to 20 minutes or possibly 1 to 10 minutes such that the pressure in the well bore is raised . the introduction of frac fluid , such as non - participating frac gas , may be a cyclic process involving a number of iterations of raising pressure in the well bore , followed by a period of relaxation of the introduction of frac fluid into the formation . the step of relaxation may include lessening the inflow of frac gas , or may include cessation of the inflow , or may include extraction of a portion of the frac gas . typically , relaxation may involve cessation of the flow , while permitting the surge of frac gas to diffuse , or spread , into the surrounding formation , and , in so doing , to permit the pressure in the surrounding formation , and in the well bore , to decline . the cycles may be irregular . that is to say , although iterations of raising the pressure , and relaxing the pressure in the well bore , and hence in the surrounding formation , may occur in the form of a wavetrain of pulses that are identical in terms of input flowrate and duration , or peak pressure and duration such as to produce a regular wave pattern , in the more general case this need not be so , and may not be so . the amplitude of individual pulses may not be the same as any other , either in terms of maximum frac gas flowrate , or in terms of peak pressure during the pressure pulse , and the duration of the pulses may vary from one to another . similarly , while the periods of relaxation may be of the same duration , in the general case they need not be , and may not be . similarly , too , the transition thresholds from one stage of a pulse to another may be defined by any of several criteria , or more than one of them . for example , the pressure rise may terminate either when a peak pressure is reached , or when there is a distinct spike , or step , or discontinuity in the pressure versus time plot , or when there is a decline of a certain amount , such as 10 percent , from the peak pressure , or when the rate of pressure change falls below a certain proportionate , or normalised value , be it 1 % of the peak value per second , or it may be an explicit rate , such as 10 psi / s , or 2 psi / s , as may be . the pressure rise and relaxation curves may have an arcuate form that is similar to an exponential decay curve , and the threshold for ending the pressure rise or relaxation stage of a pressure pulse may occur after a number of time constants on that curve have been reached , be it 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 time constants , or such as when the increase in pressure per unit time is less than 1 %, or 2 % as may be where one time constant ε − 1 may correspond to the time interval that may elapse as the observed valve , such as downhole pressure , drops for some peak differential value to roughly 37 % of that value , two time constants , ε − 2 corresponds to a decay to roughly 13½ % of the peak differential , three time constants ε − 3 corresponds roughly 5 % and so on . alternatively , the pressure rise stage may cease after a fixed time , such as 90 seconds , or after a fixed quantity of flow ( which may be measured either as a mass flow or as a normalised volumetric flow , for example ). it may be that the relaxation stage of the pulse may be of longer or significantly longer duration than the pressure rise stage . for example , the relaxation stage time period may be in the range of 1 to 5 or more times as long as the pressurizing stage preceding it . the resulting pulse may have a sawtooth shape . the faces of the sawtooth may be arcuate , may be exponential decay curves , and may be unequal . as noted , each successive pulse may be of a different shape . although a wave train , or pulse train , may have as few as two pulses , it may be that a pulse train of three or more pulses may be employed . in general , then , a frac fluid in the form of a non - participating gas may be introduced into well bore 70 to pressurize the well bore more than one time . with reference to fig3 , for example , in one embodiment , with reference to fig3 , the introduction of frac fluid , such as non - participating frac gas , to the wellbore may be a cyclic process involving a number of iterations of raising pressure in the well bore adjacent the seam of interest , such as a first surge s 1 , a second surge s 2 , etc ., with each surge followed by a period of relaxation of the introduction of frac fluid into the formation r 1 , r 2 . the steps of relaxation may include cessation of the inflow ( as shown ), may include lessening the inflow of frac gas , or may include extraction of a portion of the frac gas . typically , relaxation may involve cessation of the flow , while permitting the surge of frac gas to diffuse , or spread , into the surrounding formation , and , in so doing , to permit the pressure in the surrounding formation , and in the well bore , to decline . the cycles may be irregular . that is to say , although iterations of raising the pressure , and relaxing the pressure in the well bore , and hence in the surrounding formation , may occur in the form of a wavetrain of pulses . such pulses may be substantially identical in terms of input flow rate and duration , such as to produce a regular wave pattern , but in the more general case this need not be so , and may not be so . the amplitude of an individual pulse may or may not be the same as any other , either in terms of maximum frac gas flow rate , or in terms of peak pressure during the pressure pulse , and the duration of the pulses may vary from one to another . similarly , while the periods of relaxation may be of the same duration , in the general case they need not be , and may not be . in general , then , a frac fluid in the form of a non - participating gas may be introduced into well bore to pressurize the well bore more than one time per job ( i . e . per seam 36 or formation region to be treated ). that is , starting from an initial well bore pressure , p 0 , a first surge s 1 of gas may be introduced at a flow rate q 1 , over a time period t 1 to raise the pressure in the stratum , as measured in the well bore , to an elevated level , p 1 . following this rise , a period of relaxation r 1 may occur in which the inflow of frac gas may be greatly diminished or stopped ( or possibly reversed ), and during which the pressure is permitted to decline over a time period , t 2 , to some lesser value p 2 . p 2 may lie at a portion of the difference between the high pressure value p 1 , and the initial unpressurized value p 0 , or may be roughly the initial unpressurized value p 0 . at the end of that time period , t 2 , the gas under pressure may again be introduced ( or reintroduced , as may be ) in a second surge s 2 at a flow rate q 2 over a time period t 3 , to raise the pressure in the well bore to a high pressure p 3 . the surge s 2 may be followed by another time period , t 4 , of relaxation r 2 in which the pressure may fall to a lower pressure p 4 , which may be followed by another pressure rise over a time period to a high pressure , and another period of relaxation to a reduced pressure . additional pulses may follow in a similar manner , each pulse having a rising pressure phase and a falling pressure phase . alternately , the procedure may be stopped after surge s 2 or any surge thereafter . this is indicated , generically , in the wavetrain illustration of fig3 . it may be that this comparatively large pressure rise , occurring at a relatively high rate , may tend to result in brisk crack dilation , or crack propagation , notwithstanding the comparative lack of vertical restraint on the seam or stratum of interest given the comparatively low overburden pressure . it is further believed that a process of introducing a fluid under pressure to “ frac ” the well , i . e ., to open up , or dilate , the adjacent porous structure along its fracture surfaces , may tend to occur in first a radiating manner forming main fractures 150 from the well bore , in for example , the first pressurizing step and then in later pressurizing steps , there may be the formation and / or enlargement of dendritic crack formations 152 in the adjacent geological structures . that is , the fractures in a formation may tend to first run generally in one direction through main cracks , which may tend to run in that one direction and then the fractures may branch laterally , termed dendritic cracks or fractures , tending to extend away , possibly perpendicularly away , from the main primary fractures , may tend to link parallel fractures , branch fractures and create more laterals . this fracture generation may tend to enhance the flow running through those the main fractures , and ultimately to the well bore . it may be that the rate of hydrocarbon production may improve where fractures are generated dendritically . the natural pressure in the well bore may be generally about 100 - 150 psia ( 0 . 7 - 1 . 0 mpa ). using reference to fig3 , in one embodiment , starting from the initial well bore pressure , p 0 , the gas may be introduced in the first surge s 1 at a flow rate q 1 of at least 300 scm or possibly at least 1000 scm over a time period t 1 of 1 to 20 minutes or possibly 1 to 10 minutes , to raise the pressure in the stratum , as measured in the well bore , to an elevated level , p 1 . following this rise , the period of relaxation r 1 may occur in which the inflow of frac gas may be greatly diminished or stopped to a rate of less than 300 scm , and during which the pressure is permitted to decline over a time period , t 2 of less than 24 hours or possibly less than 12 hours and in one embodiment less than one hour , to some lesser value p 2 . at the end of that time period , t 2 , the gas under pressure may again be introduced ( or reintroduced , as may be ) as surge s 2 at a flow rate q 2 of at least 300 scm or possibly at least 1000 scm over a time period t 3 of 1 to 20 minutes or possibly 1 to 10 minutes to raise the pressure in the well bore to a high pressure p 3 . in the illustrated embodiment , the injection assembly became plugged , as indicated by the sharp increase in the surface pressure to a maximum peak p 3a . thereafter the process was stopped . the surface pressure p 1a of the introduced gas during surge s 1 may be greater than 2000 psi , or possibly greater than 5000 psia and in one embodiment may be about 5000 - 8000 psia . expressed alternatively , the peak pressure may be more than double , and perhaps in the range of 3 to 10 times as great as the overburden pressure at the location of the stratum , or seam , to be dilated . not only may the frac fluid be introduced at a surface pressure of greater than 2000 psi , or , indeed greater than 3000 psi , but , in addition , the frac gas may be introduced at a high rate , such that the rate of pressure rise in the surrounding stratum or seam of interest may be rapid . this rate of pressure rise may be measured in the well bore as a proxy for the rise in the surrounding formation , or fracture zone . for example , the rate of flow may be as great or greater , than required to achieve a pressure rise of 500 psi bottom hole pressure in the well bore over an elapsed time of 100 second or less , and may be such as to raise the pressure 500 psi in the range of 50 to 75 seconds . with reference to fig3 a , another process is shown wherein starting from an initial well bore pressure , p 0 , the gas may be introduced at a flowrate q 1 over a time period t 1 to raise the pressure in the stratum , as measured in the well bore , to an elevated level , p 1 . following this rise , a period of relaxation may occur in which the inflow of frac gas may be greatly diminished or stopped ( or possibly reversed ), and during which the pressure may be permitted to decline over a time period to a time , t 2 , to some lesser value p 2 . p 2 may lie at a portion of the difference between the high pressure value p 1 and the initial unpressurized value p 0 , or may be roughly the initial unpressurized value . at the end of that time period , at time t 2 , the gas under pressure may again be introduced ( or re - introduced , as may be ) at a flowrate q 2 over a time period until time t 3 , to raise the pressure in the well bore to a high pressure p 3 . this may be followed by another time period , ending at time t 4 , of relaxation in which the pressure may fall to a lower pressure p 4 , which may be followed by another pressure rise over a time period t 5 , to a high pressure p 5 , and another period of relaxation , t 6 to a reduced pressure p 6 . additional pulses may follow in similar manner , each pulse having a rising pressure phase and a falling pressure phase . this is indicated , generically , in the wavetrain illustration of fig3 a . while fig3 a is intended to represent the generic case , fig3 b shows a series of repeated cycles , which may be governed by a peak pressure p 1 , and a relaxation pressure p 2 , with the cycles working between p 1 and p 2 after an initial commencement at p 0 . this process may also include a dwell time at the peak pressure ( or , in a peak pressure range , which may be considered to be , roughly , a constant pressure ), over the time intervals between t 1 and t 2 , t 4 and t 5 , and t 7 and t 8 , as may be . there may then be a pressure drop back to p 2 , as in the time intervals between t 2 and t 3 , t 5 and t 6 , and t 8 and t 9 . alternatively , there may not be a dwell time , but rather merely a decline from the peak pressure to the low threshold , p 2 . where a dwell time is employed , that interval may be constant from cycle to cycle . where a pressure decline occurs , rather than governing on the value of the pressure , as at p 2 , the cycle may be governed by a constant elapsed relaxation time , or decline time , which may correspond to a time interval such as either t 1 to t 3 , or t 2 to t 3 . given that it may be difficult to maintain a precise pressure in a leaking stratum , the peak pressure and low pressure values may be thought of as ranges in which the pressure is generally roughly constant over a period of time , where the pressure fluctuation is within perhaps 5 % or 10 % of a target value . in the alternative of fig3 c , it may be that the cyclic pressurization of the surrounding stratum occurs in a series of stepwise increasing pulses , in which p 3 is greater than p 1 , p 5 is greater then p 3 , p 7 is greater than p 5 , and so on , as may be . the increment between p 1 and p 3 , p 3 and p 5 , and p 5 and p 7 may be roughly constant , so that the height of the “ steps ” are roughly equal . it may be that the peak pressure at each of the successive steps is held constant by maintaining a large gas inflow rate , until it is time to bump the pressure up again to the next step . this is signified by the dashed lines that run at constant pressure . alternatively , there may be a period of time at the peak pressure , or peak pressure range , followed by a decline , as represented by the dwell plateau between , for example , t 1 and t 2 , t 4 and t 5 , t 7 and t 8 , and t 10 and t 11 . this dwell time may be followed by a decline in pressure , as from t 2 to t 3 , t 5 to t 6 , t 8 to t 9 and so on . in some instances , when a stratum of interest is to receive a frac treatment as described above , it may be necessary as a preliminary step to de - water the well bore , to one degree or another . that is , some seams may be above the level requiring de - watering , while others may not be , or all may be dry , or all may require de - watering . also , in some instances some or all of the layers of interest may require a chemical treatment to activate the layer . activation may involve the injection and subsequent draining of an activating agent such as may be an acidic activating agent , of which one example might be hydrochloric acid in solution . in another embodiment , the step of fracturing may be preceded by the step of cementing the lower portion of a fully depleted production well , or one whose lower , or former , producing zone is to be abandoned , or left dormant . for example , it need not be that a new bore , such as well bore 70 be drilled , but rather an existing bore , such as bore 50 may be plugged and cemented at some location below stratum 32 , appropriate plugs and valves installed thereabove , and suitable perforation steps performed . for example , that process may include the step of re - cementing a perforated portion of an existing well , or of perforating a new portion of an adjacent well or of perforating a new portion of the existing well in the new stratum ( or strata ) of interest . that is , bore 50 could be perforated at layers 32 , 34 , 36 and 38 in a manner analogous to that described above in the context of items 74 , 76 , 78 and 80 . in an alternate embodiment , the gas fracturing fluid may be used to transport a proppant into the fracture network of the surrounding geological matrix . when used to transport a proppant , such as frac sand , the gas pressure may be greater than the vapour dome critical pressure of that gas . in another alternate embodiment , the fracturing process may be repeated after a period of production has occurred . in another embodiment , the process may include the step , or steps , of performing cyclic or pulsed fracturing in a non - mineral bearing region . for example , a geological formation of interest may include a portion that is mineral bearing and a portion that is non - mineral bearing , such as a sand or sandstone region . the mineral bearing and non - mineral bearing regions may be intermixed , or indistinct . however , gas desorption in the mineral bearing region may be enhanced by fracturing , and gas path fracture networking in the matrix , whether in the mineral bearing or non - mineral bearing region , may be enhanced such as to encourage flow of the gas through both the mineral bearing and non - mineral bearing regions . for example , a sedimentary matrix of sandstone may be fractured in a series of cycles or repetitions , as described above , to provide a path network of cleats extending to adjacent mineral bearing zones . the previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention . various modifications to those embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein , but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims , wherein reference to an element in the singular , such as by use of the article “ a ” or “ an ” is not intended to mean “ one and only one ” unless specifically so stated , but rather “ one or more ”. all structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout the disclosure that are know or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the elements of the claims . moreover , nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims . no claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 usc 112 , sixth paragraph , unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “ means for ” or “ step for ”. | 4 |
in the following description , like reference numbers are used to identify like elements . furthermore , the drawings are intended to illustrate major features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner . the drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements , and are not drawn to scale . referring to fig1 in one embodiment , a photocell circuit 10 includes a photodetector circuit 12 and a multi - integrator circuit 14 . in general , photodetector circuit 12 is operable to selectively draw through an output node current that corresponds to the amount of light received by a phototransistor . as explained in detail below , multi - integrator circuit 14 is operable to present at a readout node a first stored sampling of the photodetector output node while concurrently storing a second sampling of the photodetector output node . photodetector circuit 12 includes a phototransistor 16 , a servo circuit 18 , an input transistor 20 , and an output transistor 22 . phototransistor 16 is a pnp transistor that generates current in response to received photons 24 . servo circuit 18 includes a pair of mos transistors 26 , 28 that form a bias point amplifier with a common gate stage for the output of phototransistor 16 . input transistor is a mos transistor that selectively gates the supply of bias current from power line v dd in response to an input control signal ( pbb ). in general , servo circuit 18 and input transistor 20 fix the bias current at a substantially constant level that , in turn , sets the base - collector voltage of phototransistor 16 . the base - collector voltage of phototransistor 16 preferably is set to a level that is approximately equal to the nmos threshold level above gnd at the collector node 30 . servo circuit 18 and input transistor 20 provide a negative feedback loop in which mos transistor 28 operates as a source follower to the emitter node 32 of phototransistor 16 . in this way , the base - collector voltage of phototransistor 16 is controlled by the emitter voltage of phototransistor 16 . from the output perspective , transistor 28 of servo circuit 18 appears as a common gate stage that also isolates emitter node 32 and base node 34 of phototransistor 16 from the voltage swing at the output node 36 of photodetector circuit 12 . output transistor 22 is a mos transistor that controls whether current from power line v dd will be available to supply the photogenerated current that is drawn by phototransistor 16 . in particular , when output control signal int is low , output transistor 22 is turned off , which prevents current from being supplied by power line v dd . when output control signal int is high , output transistor 22 is turned on , which allows current to be supplied by power line v dd . multi - integrator circuit 14 includes a pair of storage nodes 40 , 42 , which correspond to the input gates of a pair of mos transistors 44 , 46 , respectively . multi - integrator circuit 14 also includes a pair of integration mos transistors ( or switches ) 48 , 50 and a pair of readout mos transistors ( or switches ) 52 , 54 that are respectively associated with storage nodes 40 , 42 . the gates of integration transistors 48 , 50 are coupled respectively to control lines i a and i b , and the gates of readout transistors 52 , 54 are coupled respectively to control lines r a and r b . the drains of readout transistors 52 , 54 are coupled at a common output node 56 ( out ). the input control signals i a , i b , r a , r b and int may be used to place the storage nodes 40 , 42 of photocell circuit 10 into one of three operating modes : hold , integrate , and conversion ( or readout ). a storage node is placed in the hold mode when the integration and readout switches 48 - 54 are open and the photodetector output switch 22 is closed ( i . e ., i a , i b , r a , r b and int are high ). in the hold mode of operation , the charges on the storage nodes 40 , 42 are isolated and held . a storage node is placed in the integrate mode when one of the integration switches is closed and the photodetector output switch 22 is open ( i . e ., i a or i b is low , and int is low ). in the integrate mode of operation , the photogenerated current that is drawn by phototransistor 16 is supplied by the charge stored at the storage node coupled to the closed integration switch . at the end of the integrate mode , photocell circuit 10 is placed into the hold mode . a storage node is placed in the conversion mode of operation , when one of the readout switches 52 , 54 is closed ( i . e ., r a or r b is low ). in the conversion mode of operation , charge is supplied by a reset power line to the storage node coupled to the closed readout switch . the charge that is required to set the storage node voltage to the reset power line voltage ( v reset ) corresponds to the amount of current drawn by phototransistor 16 during the integration period and is converted into a digital word by a readout circuit ( not shown ). in operation , the storage nodes 40 , 42 are initialized by placing each of them into the conversion mode and then the hold mode . next , a first one of the storage nodes is placed into the integrate mode and then the hold mode . while the readout circuit is processing the first storage node , the second of the storage nodes is placed into the integrate mode and then the hold mode . in this way , storage nodes 40 , 42 may operate concurrently so that image data from the photodetector circuit 12 may be collected during readout . this feature avoids the substantial non - integration periods that often characterize sampling schemes in which the integration and readout ( or conversion ) functions are performed sequentially , especially when operating in a shuttered , non - rolling imaging mode . referring to fig2 in another embodiment , a photocell circuit 60 includes a photodetector circuit 12 , a multi - integrator circuit 14 , a shutter circuit 62 , and a output switch 64 . the operations of photodetector circuit 12 and multi - integrator circuit 14 are the same as the corresponding circuits described in connection with photocell circuit 10 of fig1 . in this embodiment , however , the integration switches 48 , 50 and the readout switches 52 , 54 are cross - coupled so that a respective pair of input control lines a , b control storage of a photodetector output node sampling at one storage node and concurrent presentation of a stored photodetector output node sampling from the other storage node . in particular , the gates of integration transistor 48 and readout transistor 54 are coupled to a common control line ( a ), and the gates of integration transistor 50 and readout transistor 52 are coupled to a common control line ( b ). the output transistor 22 of photodetector circuit 12 cooperates with an isolation transistor 66 of shutter circuit 62 to provide a “ shutter ” function . in particular , when output control signal int is low , output transistor 22 is turned off and isolation transistor 66 is turned on , which prevents current from being supplied by power line v dd and allows multi - integrator circuit 14 to sample output node 36 . when output control signal int is high , output transistor 22 is turned on and isolation transistor 66 is turned off , which allows current to be supplied by power line v dd and prevents multi - integrator circuit 14 from sampling output node 36 . multi - integrator output switch 64 selectively couples the output of multi - integrator circuit 14 to a readout circuit ( not shown ). in this embodiment , the number of input control lines is reduced from five ( i a , i b , r a , r b and int ) to four ( a , b , rd and int ) relative to the embodiment of fig1 thereby freeing up additional photocell real estate for light detection by phototransistor 16 . the input control signals a , b , rd and int may be used to place the storage nodes 40 , 42 of photocell circuit 60 into one of three operating modes : hold , integrate , and conversion ( or readout ). a storage node is placed in the hold mode when the integration , readout switches 48 - 54 and the isolation switch 66 are open ( i . e ., a , b and int are high ). in the hold mode of operation , the charges on the storage nodes 40 , 42 are isolated and held . a storage node is placed in the integrate mode when one of the integration switches is closed , the isolation switch 66 is closed and the readout switch 64 is open ( i . e ., one of a or b is low , and int and rd are low ). in the integrate mode of operation , the photogenerated current that is drawn by phototransistor 16 is supplied by the charge stored at the storage node coupled to the closed integration switch . at the end of the integrate mode , photocell circuit 60 is placed into the hold mode . a storage node is placed in the conversion mode of operation , when one of the readout switches 52 , 54 is closed and output switch 64 is closed ( i . e ., one of a or b is low , and rd is high ). in the conversion mode of operation , charge is supplied by a reset power line to the storage node coupled to the closed readout switch . the charge that is required to set the storage node voltage to the reset power line voltage ( v reset ) corresponds to the amount of current drawn by phototransistor 16 during the integration period and is converted into a digital word by a readout circuit ( not shown ). in operation , the storage nodes 40 , 42 are initialized by placing each of them into the conversion mode and then the hold mode . next , a first one of the storage nodes is placed into the integrate mode and then the hold mode . while the readout circuit is processing the first storage node , the second of the storage nodes is placed into the integrate mode and then the hold mode . in this way , storage nodes 40 , 42 may operate concurrently so that image data from the photodetector circuit 12 may be collected during readout . this feature avoids the substantial non - integration periods that often characterize sampling schemes in which the integration and readout ( or conversion ) functions are performed sequentially , especially when operating in a shuttered , non - rolling imaging mode . referring to fig3 in another embodiment , a photocell circuit 70 includes a multi - integrator circuit 14 and a modified photodetector circuit 72 that includes the same circuit elements as photodetector circuit 12 of fig1 except photodetector circuit 72 includes an additional output transistor 74 . in addition , the output transistors 22 , 74 of photodetector circuit 72 are controlled by control lines i a and i b , respectively . in this embodiment , the number of input control lines is reduced from five ( i a , i b , r a , r b and int ) to four ( i a , i b , r a and r b ) relative to the embodiment of fig1 thereby freeing up real estate for light detection by phototransistor 16 the input control signals i a , i b , r a and r b may be used to place the storage nodes 40 , 42 of photocell circuit 70 into one of three operating modes : hold , integrate , and conversion ( or readout ). a storage node is placed in the hold mode when the integration and readout switches 48 - 54 are open and the photodetector output switches 22 , 74 are closed ( i . e ., i a , i b , r a and r b are high ). in the hold mode of operation , the charges on the storage nodes 40 , 42 are isolated and held . a storage node is placed in the integrate mode when one of the integration switches is closed and a corresponding one of the photodetector output switches 22 , 74 are open ( i . e ., i a or i b is low , and r a or r b is high , respectively ). in the integrate mode of operation , the photogenerated current that is drawn by phototransistor 16 is supplied by the charge stored at the storage node coupled to the closed integration switch . at the end of the integrate mode , photocell circuit 70 is placed into the hold mode . a storage node is placed in the conversion mode of operation , when one of the readout switches 52 , 54 is closed ( i . e ., r a or r b is low ). in the conversion mode of operation , charge is supplied by a reset power line to the storage node that is coupled to the closed readout switch . the charge that is required to set the storage node voltage to the reset power line voltage ( v reset ) corresponds to the amount of current drawn by phototransistor 16 during the integration period and is converted into a digital word by a readout circuit ( not shown ). in operation , the storage nodes 40 , 42 are initialized by placing each of them into the conversion mode and then the hold mode . next , a first one of the storage nodes is placed into the integrate mode and then the hold mode . while the readout circuit is processing the first storage node , the second of the storage nodes is placed into the integrate mode and then the hold mode . in this way , storage nodes 40 , 42 may operate concurrently so that image data from the photodetector circuit 12 may be collected during readout . this feature avoids the substantial non - integration periods that often characterize sampling schemes in which the integration and readout ( or conversion ) functions are performed sequentially , especially when operating in a shuttered , non - rolling imaging mode . each of the above - described photocell circuits may be incorporated into an optical sensor array for a portable handheld scanning device or an optical computer mouse . for example , these embodiments may be incorporated into optical sensor arrays for one or more of the handheld scanning devices that are described in u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 037 , 643 and 5 , 769 , 384 , each of which is incorporated herein by reference . for example , each of the multi - integrator circuits 14 has been described together with particular photodetector circuits 12 , 72 . in other embodiments , however , multi - integrator circuits 14 may be used to sample any one of a wide variety of different photodetector circuits , including a relatively simple photodiode circuit . in other embodiments , one or more of the circuits described above may be flipped to provide the same respective functions with nmos to pmos duality and pnp to npn duality , and vdd and gnd duality . in addition , although the capacitive storage nodes in each of the above - described embodiments are implemented by nmos devices , the storage nodes also may be implemented by linear capacitors , metal or poly in other embodiments . | 7 |
embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the drawings . the overall structure of an mram according to a first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to fig1 and 2 . the mram according to the first embodiment is mainly structured by a memory cell array 51 provided in the form of a matrix . the memory cell array 51 is formed by memory cells 52 arranged in row and column directions . each memory cell 52 stores 1 - bit data forming the minimum unit of storage . in the mram according to the first embodiment , each memory cell 52 is formed by a tmr element 4 and an nmos transistor 5 . as shown in fig2 the tmr element 4 includes a ferromagnetic layer 3 , an insulating barrier layer 2 and another ferromagnetic layer 1 harder to invert than the ferromagnetic layer 3 . a word line wl is connected to the gate of each nmos transistor 5 . the tmr element 4 is an example of the “ storage element exhibiting ferromagnetic resistance ” according to the present invention . the ferromagnetic layer 3 is an example of the “ first magnetic layer ” according to the present invention , and the ferromagnetic layer 1 is an example of the “ second magnetic layer ” according to the present invention . the nmos transistor 5 is an example of the “ transistor ” according to the present invention . the gate of the nmos transistor 5 is an example of the “ control terminal ” according to the present invention . in the memory cell array 51 , the memory cells 52 arranged in the row direction ( transverse direction in fig1 ) are connected to the word lines wl and auxiliary word lines swl . the memory cells 52 arranged in the column direction ( vertical direction in fig1 ) are connected to bit lines bl . a common reference bit line blr is provided for the plurality of bit lines bl . a common cross - coupled latch type sense amplifier ( sa ) 53 is connected to the bit lines bl and the reference bit line blr . the sense amplifier 53 is an example of the “ amplifier ” according to the present invention . the reference bit line blr includes a reference memory cell 62 consisting of a resistive element 14 and an nmos transistor 15 every word line wl . the resistive element 14 is an example of the “ first resistive element ” according to the present invention . the resistive element 14 of the reference memory cell 62 has an intermediate resistance value rr between the resistance value of the tmr element 4 attained when the directions of magnetization are parallel and that of the tmr element 4 attained when the directions of magnetization are antiparallel . the word lines wl are connected to a row decider 54 . a row address buffer ( not shown ) supplies an externally specified row address ra to the row decoder 54 . thus , the row decoder 54 selects a word line wl corresponding to the row address ra . the word lines wl are connected to first input terminals and output terminals of and circuits 11 . a signal line φ 5 regularly going low ( 0 ) in writing is connected to second input terminals of the and circuits 11 . first ends of the auxiliary word lines swl are grounded through nmos transistors 6 . the gates of the nmos transistors 6 are connected to the first input terminals of the and circuits 11 . second ends of the auxiliary word lines swl are connected to a power supply potential vcc through pmos transistors 8 . a signal line φ 4 is connected to the gates of the pmos transistors 8 . a signal line φ 3 is connected to first ends of the bit lines bl and the reference bit line blr through pmos transistors 9 and 19 respectively . a signal line φ 2 is connected to the gates of the nmos transistors 9 and 19 . the bit lines bl and the reference bit line blr are connected to input / output lines i / o and / i / o through transfer gates ( nmos transistors ) 7 and 17 respectively . the input / output lines i / o and / i / o form a pair of input / output lines i / o and / i / o . the input / output lines i / o and / i / o are connected to the sense amplifier 53 . an output circuit 56 outputs data . the mram according to the first embodiment is also provided with a dummy bit line blm ( dummy bl ) similar in structure to the bit lines bl . the tmr elements 4 are connected to the dummy bit line blm through the nmos transistors 5 . every tmr element 4 connected to the dummy bit line blm is so set that the directions of magnetization of the two ferromagnetic layers 1 and 3 are identical ( parallel ) to each other . the dummy bit line blm is connected to a first input end of a comparator 29 through an nmos transistor 27 . the power supply potential vcc is connected to the gate of the nmos transistor 27 . a reference voltage vcc is connected to a second input end of the comparator 29 . an inverter 30 is connected to an output of the comparator 29 , and another inverter 31 is connected to an output of the inverter 30 . the output of the inverter 30 is employed as a signal φp , while that of the inverter 31 is employed as a signal φn . these signals φp and φn are employed as activation signals for the sense amplifier 53 . the comparator 29 outputs a low - level signal when an input voltage is identical to the reference voltage vcc , while outputting a high - level signal when the input voltage is reduced below the reference voltage vcc . the power supply potential vcc is connected to the first input terminal of the comparator 29 and the input / output lines i / o and / i / o through pmos transistors 28 , 41 and 42 respectively . a signal line φ 6 is connected to the gates of the pmos transistors 28 , 41 and 42 . when the signal line φ 6 is activated , therefore , the potentials of the first input terminal of the comparator 29 and the input / output lines i / o and / i / o are pulled up to the power supply potential vcc . an input / output node of the sense amplifier 53 is connected to the output circuit 56 through an nmos transistor 12 . a signal line φ 1 is connected to the gate of the nmos transistor 12 . the input / output node of the sense amplifier 53 is also connected to an input circuit 57 through an nmos transistor 10 . a signal line φ 7 is connected to the gate of the nmos transistor 10 . inverters 61 , 62 and 63 are connected between the input circuit 57 and the nmos transistor 10 . the gates of the transfer gates 7 and 17 are connected to a column decoder 55 . a column address buffer ( not shown ) supplies an externally specified column address ca to the column decoder 55 . the column decoder 55 selects a column ( a bit line bl and the reference bit line blr ) of the memory cell array 51 corresponding to the externally specified column address ca . write and read operations of the mram according to the first embodiment having the aforementioned structure are now described . an operation for writing data in a memory cell 52 connected to a word line wl 1 and a bit line bl 2 is now described . in order to write data in the mram according to the first embodiment , the potential of the signal line φ 3 is set to ½ vcc . the transfer gate 7 of the bit line bl 2 selected by the column decoder 55 is turned on while the signal line φ 7 is activated thereby supplying a high - level potential ( vcc ) from the input / output circuit 57 to the selected bit line bl 2 through the input / output line i / o . at this time , the signal φ 2 is set to a low - level potential thereby turning on the pmos transistor 9 , so that the potential on the left end of the selected bit line bl 2 reaches ½ vcc . in this case , the potential on the right end of the selected bit line bl 2 is at the level vcc , whereby a current flows through the bit line bl 2 leftward , to generate a magnetic field . the signal line φ 5 is regularly at a low level and hence the potential of the word line wl 1 , selected by the row decoder 54 , connected to the output terminal of the and circuit 11 remains low . on the other hand , the gate of the nmos transistor 6 goes high due to the selection of the word line wl 1 , thereby turning on the nmos transistor 6 . thus , the lower end of an auxiliary word line swl 1 corresponding to the selected word line wl 1 is going to reach a ground potential vss . the potential of the signal line φ 4 is set low , so that the upper end of the auxiliary word line swl 1 is going to reach the power supply potential vcc . thus , a current flows through the auxiliary word line swl 1 downward , to generate a magnetic field . as hereinabove described , magnetic fields can be generated in the auxiliary word line swl 1 and the bit line bl 2 by feeding a current to the auxiliary word line swl 1 downward while feeding a current to the bit line bl 2 leftward in the selected memory cell 52 . thus , data ( e . g ., “ 1 ”) can be readily written in the ferromagnetic layer 3 of the tmr element 4 of the selected memory cell 52 located on the intersection between the auxiliary word line swl 1 and the bit line bl 2 . in order to write data ( e . g ., “ 0 ”) inverse to the aforementioned data in the ferromagnetic layer 3 of the tmr element 4 , the direction of the current fed to the bit line bl 2 may be opposed . in the non - selected memory cells 52 , no currents flow through the auxiliary word lines swl and hence data are not rewritten in the non - selected memory cells 52 . an operation of reading data from the selected memory cell 52 connected to the word line wl 1 and the bit line bl 2 is now described with reference to fig1 to 3 . in an initial state , the potentials of the signal lines φ 3 and φ 6 are at the high level vcc , while the potentials of the signal lines φ 2 , φ 4 and φ 5 are at the low level vss . therefore , the potentials of each bit line bl , each auxiliary word line swl , the input / output lines i / o and / i / o and the first terminal of the comparator 29 are at the high level vcc . thereafter the potentials of the signal lines φ 2 and φ 4 reach the high level vcc through an activation signal , while each bit line bl and each auxiliary word line swl enter floating states of the power supply potential vcc . thereafter an address is input in the row decoder 54 while the signal line φ 5 is activated to a high level so that the output of the and circuit 11 goes high , whereby the potential of the selected word line wl 1 rises to a high level . the potential of the selected word line wl 1 , input in the and circuit 11 , goes high thereby turning on the nmos transistor 6 connected to the auxiliary word line swl 1 corresponding to the selected word line wl 1 . thus , the potential of the auxiliary word line swl 1 brought into the floating state of the power supply potential vc starts to gradually lower from the power supply potential vcc to the ground potential vss . at this time , the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr are connected to the input / output lines i / o and / i / o due to the address input in the column decoder 55 . when the potential of the auxiliary word lie swl 1 starts to lower from the power supply potential vcc toward the ground potential vss in this state , the potentials of the bit line bl and the reference bit line blr also start to lower from the power supply potential vcc to the ground potential vcc . thus , the potentials of the input / output lines i / o and / i / o input in the sense amplifier 53 also start to lower from the power supply potential vcc toward the ground potential vss . in this case , the tmr element 4 of the selected memory cell 52 , having parallel directions of magnetization as shown in fig2 has a smaller resistance value than the resistive element 14 of the reference bit line blr . therefore , the potentials of the input / output lines i / o and / i / o connected with the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr respectively lower from the power supply potential vcc to the ground potential vss at different speeds . more specifically , the potential of the input / output line i / o is going to fall quicker than that of the input / output line / i / o , leading to potential difference between the input / output lines i / o and / i / o . the dummy bit line blm and the comparator 29 sense this potential difference . the tmr element 4 connected to the dummy bit line blm is set in the low - resistance state with the parallel directions of magnetization , and hence the potential of the dummy bit line blm starts to lower at the same timing as that of either the bit line bl 2 or the reference bit line blr ( the bit line bl 2 in the first embodiment ) having lower resistance . the signals φp and φn are activated due to the sensing by the dummy bit line blm and the comparator 29 , thereby activating the sense amplifier 53 . the activated sense amplifier 53 is employed for amplifying the potential difference between the input / output lines i / o and / i / o , so that the potential of the input / output line i / o goes low and the potential of the input / output line / i / o goes high . in this state , the potential of the signal line φ 1 is set to a high level thereby turning on the nmos transistor 12 . thus , the low and high levels of the input / output lines i / o and / i / o are transferred to data lines d and / d respectively . the output circuit 56 outputs a signal corresponding thereto . thereafter the potential of the signal line φ 3 is set to the high level vcc while setting the signal lines φ 2 , φ 3 and φ 5 to the ground potential vss , thereby precharging the bit lines bl and the auxiliary word lines swl to the power supply potential vcc for preparing for subsequent reading . when the selected memory cell 52 stores data with antiparallel directions of magnetization , the resistive element 14 connected to the reference bit line blr exhibits a smaller resistance value and hence the potential of the input / output line / i / o starts to fall quicker than that of the input / output line i / o contrarily to the above . when the sense amplifier 53 amplifies this potential difference , the potentials of the input / output lines i / o and / i / o go high and low respectively . a subsequent operation is carried out similarly to the above , for preparing for a subsequent address . the sense amplifier 53 detects the potential difference between the input / output lines i / o and / i / o at timing before the potentials of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr reach the ground potential gnd . if the potentials of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr are quickly pulled down to the ground potential gnd , the potential difference between the auxiliary word line swl and the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr is so excessively increased that the mr ratio ( the rate of change of resistance ) disappears . consequently , the potentials of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr reach the ground potential gnd at the same speed . in this case , the potential difference between the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr disappears to allow no detection of potential difference . while potential difference is caused between the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr at transient timing , the tmr element 4 and the resistive element 14 are conductors and hence the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr finally reach the same potential . according to the first embodiment , as hereinabove described , each memory cell 52 is formed by the single tmr element 4 and the single nmos transistor 5 while the sense amplifier 53 detects the potential difference between the bit line bl connected to the tmr element 4 and the reference bit line blr , whereby data can be readily read . thus , the potential difference is so detected that no value of a small current flowing through the bit line may be detected dissimilarly to the prior art . consequently , the mram can be prevented from such inconvenience that the structure of the sense amplifier 53 is complicated for detecting the value of a small current . according to the first embodiment , further , the sense amplifier 53 detects the potential difference between the bit line bl and the reference bit line blr as described above , whereby data stored in the mram can be read through the simple sense amplifier 53 similar to that employed for a conventional dram . thus , the data can be read through the simple sense amplifier 53 , whereby the read operation can be performed at a higher speed as compared with a conventional structure employing a sense amplifier having a complicated structure . according to the first embodiment , in addition , the mram is provided with the sense amplifier 53 common for the respective bit lines bl , whereby the circuit structure can be simplified as compared with a case of providing such a sense amplifier 53 every bit line bl . in an mram according to a second embodiment of the present invention , a resistive element 24 connected to a reference bit line blr is formed by two tmr elements 24 a and 24 c having parallel directions of magnetization and two tmr elements 24 b and 24 d having antiparallel directions of magnetization as shown in fig4 and 5 , dissimilarly to the aforementioned first embodiment . the tmr elements 24 a and 24 b are serially connected with each other , while the tmr elements 24 c and 24 d are serially connected with each other . the serially connected tmr elements 24 a and 24 b and the serially connected tmr elements 24 c and 24 d are connected in parallel with each other . according to the second embodiment , the resistive element 24 is formed by the four tmr elements 24 a to 24 d , whereby a resistance value rr of the resistive element 24 can be set to an intermediate level between a resistance value r 0 of the tmr element 4 attained when the directions of magnetization are parallel and a resistance value r 1 of the tmr element 4 attained when the directions of magnetization are antiparallel , i . e ., half the sum of the resistance values r 0 and r 1 . the resistive element 4 is an example of the “ first resistive element ” according to the present invention . the tmr elements 24 a and 24 c are examples of the “ second resistive element ” according to the present invention , and the tmr elements 24 b and 24 d are examples of the “ third resistive element ” according to the present invention . the mram according to the second embodiment is similar in structure , effect , write operation and read operation to the mram according to the first embodiment except the aforementioned points . in an mram according to a third embodiment of the present invention , a resistive element 34 connected to a reference bit line blr is formed by a tmr element 34 a having parallel directions of magnetization and another tmr element 34 b having antiparallel directions of magnetization as shown in fig6 dissimilarly to the aforementioned second embodiment . the tmr elements 34 a and 34 b are serially connected with each other . according to the third embodiment , each of the tmr elements 34 a and 34 b is formed to have an area twice the area of a tmr element 4 forming a memory cell . thus , the resistance value of the resistive element 34 can be set to an intermediate level between a resistance value r 0 of the tmr element 4 attained when the directions of magnetization are parallel and a resistance value r 1 of the tmr element 4 attained when the directions of magnetization are antiparallel , i . e ., half the sum of the resistance values r0 and r 1 , similarly to the second embodiment . the resistive element 34 is an example of the “ first resistive element ” according to the present invention . the tmr element 34 a is an example of the “ second resistive element ” according to the present invention , and the tmr element 34 b is an example of the “ third resistive element ” according to the present invention . the mram according to the third embodiment is similar in structure , effect , write operation and read operation to the mram according to the first embodiment except the aforementioned points . in an mram according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention , a resistive element 44 a connected to a reference bit line blr is formed by a tmr element having parallel directions of magnetization as shown in fig7 dissimilarly to the aforementioned second and third embodiments . the resistive element 44 a is an example of the “ first resistive element ” according to the present invention . in other words , a resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 a connected to the reference bit line blr is set identical to the resistance value of a tmr element 4 , having parallel directions of magnetization , forming a memory cell . thus , the resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 a is identical to the resistance value of the tmr element 4 of a selected cell connected to a selected bit line bl 2 . when the load capacity of the bit line bl 2 is rendered different from the load capacity of the reference bit line blr in this case , for example , potential difference is caused between the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr also when the resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 a is identical to the resistance value of the tmr element 4 , whereby a sense amplifier 53 can readily determine data . data can also be readily determined by rendering gate widths of transistors forming the sense amplifier 53 different from each other without rendering the load capacities of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr different from each other . when selecting another memory cell including a tmr element 4 having antiparallel directions of magnetization , the resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 a is smaller than the resistance value of the tmr element 4 of the selected memory cell , and hence data can be readily determined . the mram according to the fourth embodiment is similar in structure , effect , write operation and read operation to the mram according to the first embodiment except the aforementioned points . in an mram according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention , a resistive element 44 b connected to a reference bit line blr is formed by a tmr element having antiparallel directions of magnetization as shown in fig8 dissimilarly to the aforementioned fourth embodiment . the resistive element 44 b is an example of the “ first resistive element ” according to the present invention . in other words , a resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 b is set to the same value as the resistance value of a tmr element 4 having antiparallel directions of magnetization . thus , the resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 b exceeds the resistance value of the tmr element 4 of a selected cell connected to a selected bit line bl 2 . in this case , a sense amplifier 53 can readily determine data . when selecting another memory cell including a tmr element 4 having antiparallel directions of magnetization , the resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 b is identical to the resistance value of the tmr element 4 of the selected memory cell . also in this case , the potentials of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr lower at different speeds also when the resistance value rr of the resistive element 44 b is identical to the resistance value of the tmr element 4 if the load capacities of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr are rendered different from each other , for example , similarly to the aforementioned fourth embodiment , whereby potential difference is caused between the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr . thus , the sense amplifier 53 can readily determine the data . data can also be readily determined by rendering gate widths of transistors forming the sense amplifier 53 different from each other without rendering the load capacities of the bit line bl 2 and the reference bit line blr different from each other . the mram according to the fifth embodiment is similar in structure , effect , write operation and read operation to the mram according to the first embodiment except the aforementioned points . although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail , it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation , the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims . while a tmr element is employed as a storage element forming each memory cell in each of the aforementioned embodiments , for example , the present invention is not restricted to this but a storage element other than the tmr element can also be employed so far as the same exhibits ferromagnetic tunneling . an effect similar to those of the aforementioned embodiments can be attained also when employing a storage element , other than the storage element exhibiting ferromagnetic tunneling , exhibiting a magnetoresistance effect ( ferromagnetic resistance ). while the signals φp and φn for activating the sense amplifier 53 are activated on the basis of the output of the comparator 29 in the aforementioned first embodiment , the present invention is not restricted to this but the sense amplifier 53 may alternatively be activated only with the signal φn while keeping the signal φp regularly activated . | 6 |
the starting point of the process are synthetic antigens in accordance with the foregoing definition in the preamble , which contain in their known chemical structure at least one defined epitope of a pathogenic microorganism which can be recognized by the immune system . hereby the epitope can be a b - cell epitope , a t h - cell epitope , a t c - epitope or an arbitrary mixture of these epitopes . the so - called multiple antigen peptides ( map ), alone or in combination with a t c - epitope , preferably constitute the starting point of the process . the origin of the epitopes includes bacteria , viruses , protozoa and tumor cells . in accordance with the invention , the synthetic antigen is embedded into biodegradable microparticles . it is essential for the invention that biopolymers with specific physico - chemical properties are selected for producing the biodegradable microparticles . important properties are wettability , insolubility , swelling and biodegradability of the biopolymers and the spherical microparticles produced therefrom in aqueous media an physiological liquids . the extent of swelling of the biodegradation and their biodegrading time greatly determine the release kinetics of the antigens from the microcapsules . it has now been surprisingly found that these release kinetics also affect the time course of the immune response . examples of such biopolymers of varying wettability , swelling and biodegradation time are poly ( lactic acid ), poly ( lactic - co - glycolic acid ), poly ( hydroxybutyric acid ), poly ( hydroxybutyoric - co - valeric acid ), poly ( caprolactone ). embedding of the synthetic antigen into the biopolymer is performed by means of various known methods such as spray - drying , solvent evaporation or coacervation . antigen - loaded , spherical microparticles of a size of 1 to 200 μm result from this . in the second step , the antigen - loaded microparticles in accordance with the invention are placed into a dispersion medium which is suitable for the parenteral administration of the microparticles . in this connection it is essential for the invention that the dispersion medium be biocompatible and biodegradable and in addition have advantageous properties for potentiating the immune response . such advantageous dispersion media are , for example , aqueous or oily solutions of lecithin or aqueous - oily emulsions with lecithin at a concentration range of 0 . 1 to 20 %, preferably 2 to 10 %. further suitable dispersion media are so - called microemulsions comprising a water , oil , tenside and co - tenside component . biocompatible and biodegradable substances , such as natural or synthetic mono -, di - and triglycerides , lecithin , poloxamers and polysorbates are used for this . the dispersion media mentioned are charaterized by surprisingly good wetting and suspension properties for the biodegradable microparticles . these wetting and suspension properties are for example considerably better than those of the usually employed dispersion media , such as carboxymethyl cellulose or solutions . the dispersion of the microparticles in the dispersion medium can be performed simply by shaking , by means of in which an injectable preparation is created . the antigen - loaded microparticles suspended in the suspension medium are administered parenterally , whereby this administration can take place once or several times at defined intervals . the latter form of administration is known under the term “ booster ”. the first and second booster dose can be administered 1 to 4 weeks and 3 to 6 months after the initial injection , for example . a potentiated immune response lasting for several months is triggered following the single or multiple administration of the formulations in accordance with the invention . the potentiation of the immune response is generally measured in balb / c mice after a single , in exceptional cases also after a triple parenteral administration of the microparticles loaded with synthetic antigens in accordance with the invention . a map , produced from a universal t h - epitope of the tetanus toxin ( sequence 947 to 967 ) and a b - cell epitope of the repetitive region of the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium berghei , as well as a t c - epitope of the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium berghei ( sequence 252 to 260 ) are used as synthetic model antigens ( s . demotz et al ., j . of immunology 142 , 394 - 402 ( 1989 ); p . romero et al ., nature 341 , 323 ( 1989 ); j . l . weber et al . ; exp . parasitology 63 , 295 ( 1987 )). the intensity and length of the immune potentiation is measured by means of the specific antibody titers , the t - lymphocyte proliferation and the specific cytotoxic t - lymphocyte activity . these three parameters are determined in accordance with known immunological methods . [ 0025 ] fig1 illustrates schematically the relevant parameters of the immune potentiation achieved by means of the process in accordance with the invention . according to the present invention patent an immune potentiation means that the intensity during the time course of the immunological response as a result of an administered synthetic antigen has been potentiated with respect to an aqueous antigen solution and has been potentiated in a comparable or increased amount in respect to an ifa formulation on the levels of the antibody titer , the t - cell proliferation and the t c - stimulation . the possibility arises from this by means of mixing biopolymers of different wettability , swelling and biodegradation time to potentiate the humoral antibody response as well as the cellular t - lymphocyte response to an extent which is comparable or even greater than the potentiation achieved by means of incomplete freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant . in addition , the immune responses in accordance with this process can be time - controlled and are prolonged over several weeks in contrast to ifa and aqueous solutions . because of the custom - made properties of the biodegradable microparticles used , the process here described makes possible a specific potentiation of the humoral and cellular immune responses to synthetic antigens , in particular to the so - called maps , which can be controlled in its progression over course time . moreover , the process has the extraordinary advantage that it is possible to stimulate cytotoxic t - lymphocytes in addition to the specific and potentiated stimulation of b - and t h - lymphocytes , because of which it is also possible to successfully provide immunization against viruses , protozoa and tumor cells in particular . it was surprisingly possible to demonstrate this cytotoxic stimulation of t - lymphocytes here for the first time . in contrast to the immune potentiation described in ps ep - a2 - 333 , 523 and pct wo 92 / 19263 , the present one is primarily systemic , i . e . not mucosal , and can be controlled in intensity as well as duration or progression over time . furthermore , a narrow , exactly defined particle size distribution is not required for the immune potentiation , which entails technological advantages . the process here described is used for the immunization of humans and animals against diseases caused by bacteria , viruses , protozoa and tumor cells . in particular the immunization against viruses , protozoa and tumor cells , which can be achieved only in an unsatisfactory way with conventional vaccines , i . e . insufficiently and by accepting undesired side effects , represents a main application of this method . the stimulation of the cytotoxic t - cells by means of the process in accordance with the invention as well as the immune response lasting over an extended period of time constitute the basis for this application . example 1 describes the potentiation of the antibody response to the branched multiple antigen peptide identified as p30b2 , which is constructed from a universal t h - cell epitope of the tetanus toxin ( sequence 947 to 967 ) and a b - cell epitope of plasmodium berghei : 0 . 02 g p30b2 were dissolved in 2 . 00 g water and this solution was subsequently dispersed with the aid of an ultrasonic generator in a solution of 2 . 0 g poly ( d , 1 - lactic acid co - glycolic acid ) 50 : 50 ( resomer 502 , boehringer ingelheim ) in 40 . 0 g dichloromethane . spherical microparticles ( rg502 ) were produced from this dispersion by means of spray drying . microparticles loaded with antigen were subsequently suspended in a 5 % sterile solution of egg lecithin ( ovothin 170 , lukas meyer , d - hamburg ) by shaking . this suspension was subcutaneously injected into a group of 8 balb / c mice in respective amounts of 0 . 5 ml . the amount of antigen injected into each mouse was 30 μg . a second group of 8 balb / c mice was immunized with the same amount of antigen in incomplete freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant ( ifa ) as a control . the antibody titers were determined by means of elisa . [ 0030 ] fig2 shows the time course of the immune potentiation by rg502 in comparison to ifa , associated with example 1 . the antibody titers obtained from rg502 and ifa are comparable to each other during the first 15 weeks following immunization . after that the titers induced by ifa drop off , while the titers induced by the microcapsules regain constant over at least 28 weeks . antibody titers of 1 to 2 · 10 3 were obtained already two weeks after administration of a hydrophilic , strongly swelling , fast - releasing and fast degradable biopolymer such as plga 50 : 50 , and remain constant over a period of at least 28 . weeks . in contrast thereto , the titers measured following a single administration of an ifa preparation drop off already after 15 weeks and after 28 weeks are only level at 2 · 10 2 after 28 weeks . example 2 describes the potentiation of the antibody response to the branched multiple antigen peptide of the designation p30b2 ( in accordance with example 1 ), constructed from a universal t h - cell epitope of the tetanus toxin ( sequence 947 to 967 ) and a b - cell epitope of the repetitive region of the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium berghei : 0 . 02 g p30b2 were dissolved in 2 . 00 g water and this solution was subsequently dispersed with the aid of an ultrasonic generator in a solution of 2 . 0 g poly ( d , 1 - lactic acid ) ( resomer 206 , boehringer ingelheim ) in 40 . 0 g dichloromethane . spherical microparticles ( r206 ) were produced from this dispersion by means of coacervation , induced by the addition of silicon oil . microparticles loaded with antigen were subsequently suspended in a 5 % sterile solution of egg lecithin ( ovothin 170 , lukas meyer , d - hamburg ) by shaking . this suspension was subcutaneously injected into a group of 8 balb / c mice in respective amounts of 0 . 5 ml . the amount of antigen injected into each mouse was 30 μg . a second group of 8 balb / c mice was immunized with the same amount of antigen in incomplete freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant ( ifa ) as a reference . the antibody titers were determined by means of elisa . [ 0032 ] fig3 shows the time course of the immune potentiation by r206 in comparison to ifa , associated with example 2 . the antibody titers obtained from the hydrophobic , weakly swelling , slow - release and slowly biodegradable r206 continuously rise during the first 12 weeks and then reach the level which had been achieved with ifa already 2 weeks after immunization . while the ifa titers drop again steadily after approximately 15 weeks , the r206 titers remain constant over a period of at least 28 weeks . example 3 describes the potentiation of the antibody response to the branched multiple antigen peptide of the designation p30b2 ( in accordance with example 1 ), constructed from a universal t h - cell epitope of the tetanus toxin ( sequence 947 to 967 ) and a b - cell epitope of the repetitive region of the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium berghei : analogously to example 1 , p30b2 was incorporated into poly ( d , 1 - lactic acid - co glycolic acid ) 75 : 25 ( resomer rg752 , boehringer ingelheim ) and processed into spherical microparticles ( rg752 ). microparticles of rg752 , rg502 ( from example 1 ) and r206 ( from example 2 ) containing identical amounts of p30b2 were suspended in a 5 % sterile solution of egg lecithin ( ovothin 170 , lukas meyer , d - hamburg ) by shaking . this suspension was subcutaneously injected into a group of 8 balb / c mice in respective amounts of 0 . 5 ml . the amount of antigen injected into each mouse was 30 μg . a second group of 8 balb / c mice was immunized with the same amount of antigen in incomplete freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant ( ifa ) as a control . the antibody titers were determined by means of elisa . [ 0034 ] fig4 shows the time course of the immune potentiation obtained with a mixture of rg506 , rg752 and r206 in comparison to ifa , associated with example 3 . the antibody titers obtained from this microcapsule mixture of fast ,- amid slow - release biopolymers rises quickly and reaches after two weeks a level higher by a factor of 2 . 5 than the antibody titers achieved with ifa . while the ifa titers drop again steadily after approximately 15 weeks , the titers achieved with the microcapsule mixture remain relatively constant over a period of at least 28 weeks . example 4 describes the potentiation of the antibody response to the branched multiple antigen peptide of the designation p30b2 ( in accordance with example 1 ), constructed from a universal t h - cell epitope of the tetanus toxin ( sequence 947 to 967 ) and a b - cell epitope of the repetitive region of the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium berghei : analogously to example 1 , p30b2 was incorporated into poly ( d , 1 - lactic acid - co glycolic acid ) 50 : 50 ( resomer rg502 , boehringer ingelheim ) and processed into spherical microparticles ( rg502 ). the microparticles loaded with antigen were suspended in a 5 % sterile solution of egg lecithin ( ovothin 170 , lukas meyer , d - hamburg ) by shaking . this suspension was subcutaneously injected into a group of 8 balb / c mice in respective amounts of 0 . 5 ml . the amount of antigen injected into each mouse was 3 × 10 μg . the injection was repeated after 16 days ( first booster ) and 113 days ( second booster ). a second group of 8 balb / c mice was immunized with he same amount of antigen in incomplete freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant ( ifa ), used as reference , and according to the same vaccination schedule . the antibody titers were determined by means of elisa . [ 0036 ] fig5 shows the time course of the immune potentiation after booster injections with rg502 in comparison to ifa , associated with example 4 . the antibody titers obtained from rg502 and ifa rise comparatively . accordingly , the process in accordance with the invention is also suitable for the immune potentiation achieved by boosters . example 5 describes the potentiation of the t h - lymphocyte proliferations to the multiple antigen peptide of the designation p30b2 in accordance with examples 1 to 4 . p30b2 was incorporated into rg502 , rg752 and r206 analogously to the examples 1 , 2 and 3 and processed into spherical microparticles of different degrees of swelling . identical amounts of microparticles containing p30b2 were suspended in a 5 % sterile solution of egg lecithin ( ovothin 170 , lukas meyer , d - hamburg ) by shaking . this suspension was subcutaneously injected into a group of 8 balb / c mice in respective amounts of 0 . 5 ml . the amount of antigen injected into each mouse was 30 μg . a second group of 8 balb / c mice was immunized with the same amount of antigen in incomplete freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant ( ifa ) as a reference . the t - cell proliferation in the lymph nodes was determined in a known manner . [ 0038 ] fig6 shows the t - lymphocyte proliferation described in example 5 14 days after the administration of various microcapsule formulations as well as of an ifa preparation . it can be seen from this that all microcapsule formulations , i . e . rg502 with fast antigen release , rg752 with an antigen release of medium rate and r206 with a low antigen release rate , as well as the mixture of all three microcapsule types , all potentiate the t - lymphocyte proliferation in an at least comparable , sometimes even greater extent than an ifa preparation . example 6 describes the triggering of a cytotoxic t - lymphocyte reaction to a t c cell epitope of the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium berghei ( ctl 359a , sequence 252 to 260 ): 0 . 008 g of ctl 359a were dissolved in 1 . 0 g of water and this solution was subsequently dispersed by means of an ultrasonic generator in a solution of 4 . 0 g poly ( d , 1 - lactic acid - co glycolic acid ) ( resomer 502 , boehringer ingelheim ) in 60 . 0 g dichloromethane . spherical microparticles were produced by means of spray drying . the microparticles loaded with ctl 359a were mixed with microparticles loaded with p30b2 in accordance with example 1 in a ratio of ctl 359a 4p30b2 of 1 : 10 to increase the immune response to ctl359a . the mixture of the microcapsules was subsequently suspended in a 5 % sterile solution of egg lecithin ( ovothin 170 , lukas meyer , d - hamburg ) by shaking . this suspension was subcutaneously injected into a group of 2 balb / c mice in respective amounts of 0 . 5 ml . the amount of antigen injected into each mouse was 4 μg of ctl 359a and 40 μg of p30b2 . the t c - cell response was determined after 10 and 20 days by means of a cell lysis test . [ 0040 ] fig7 shows the t c - lymphocyte response associated with example 6 , which was determined 10 and 20 days after immunization , or administration of the formulations . the percentile cell lysis activity is represented as a function of the effect / target cell ratio e / t . in a surprising manner , the simultaneous administration of microencapsulated t c epitope and t h epitope ( p30b2 + ctl359a in rg502 ) induces a significant t c - lymphocyte stimulation which can be observed 20 days after administration . the time course of the t c response which , in contrast to the t h and antibody responses , requires a considerably longer time , appears to be of particular interest . it is essential for the invention that biodegradable spherical microparticles are proposed which potentiate the immune response to synthetic antigens . by determining the physico - chemical properties of the biopolymers used it is possible to control the extent and time course of this immune potentiation . the process furthermore makes it possible to stimulate also the cytotoxic t - lymphocytes in addition to the antibody and t h - lymphocyte potentiation . the extent of immune potentiation is at least comparable to the potentiation achieved by means of ifa preparations and its time course is clearly prolonged . a process is therefore available which can be employed in the immunization of humans and animals against diseases caused by viruses , bacteria , protozoa or tumor cells . | 0 |
fig1 illustrates the basic principle of the universal interconnection system of the present invention . it shows in diagram form two electrical appliances y and z each with different types of electrical connectors a , b and e , f which are required to be electrically connected together . in accordance with the invention , connection cables or leads 1 , 2 , 1 &# 39 ;, 2 &# 39 ;, each having one or more conductors , are fitted with connectors at one end corresponding with the specifications for both electrical appliance y and z , and can therefore be plugged into the mating terminals of connectors a , b or e , f . the other ends of the connection cables 1 , 2 , 1 &# 39 ;, 2 &# 39 ; are fitted with coupler connectors k1 , k2 , k1 &# 39 ; and k2 &# 39 ;, designed as individual plug - in connectors . the electrical contact for the mutually functional connection leads 1 and 1 &# 39 ; and 2 and 2 &# 39 ; is supplied by an interface module v3 consisting of two sections , v1 &# 39 ; and v2 &# 39 ;, into which the coupler connectors k1 and k2 on the one hand and k1 &# 39 ; and k2 &# 39 ; on the other can respectively be plugged . as explained further later on , the interface module v3 contains a contact plate , housed in both interface module sections v1 &# 39 ; and v2 &# 39 ;, the two interface module sections being locked together to form a single component unit . the contact plate comprises printed circuit lines which connect together the contacts or terminals of the coupler connectors . as also described further below , the coupler connectors can have the same number or a different number of contacts , and the interface module can be adapted to accommodate one or more coupler connectors . three contacts would appear to be a suitable number , so that the interface module is purposely given a contact plate that has three printed lines or a whole number multiple thereof , and is of correspondingly spacious construction . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 using the assumption that both coupler connectors k1 and k2 each has three contacts , the interface module would have six printed lines . a different number of contacts can of course be provided in accordance with other requirements . in certain cases , a coupler connector can be provided with only one contact ( with test purposes in mind , for example ). it can now be seen that the quantity of connecting cables that need to be held in storage is appreciably reduced , since connection leads only need to be held in a number corresponding with the number of different type specifications . stocks of interface modules v will also need to be held . in the embodiment represented by fig2 the plug - in connectors e and f of electrical appliance y are required to be electrically connected with the plug - in connectors a , b , c and d of two electrical appliances x and z . here the connection leads 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and 6 are used , with further leads 7 and 8 branching off from leads 3 and 4 , respectively . electrical linkage between the electrical appliances y and z is identical with the connection layout shown in fig1 . another interface module v6 provides for electrical connection between appliances x and y , in addition to interface module v3 , with plug - in receptacles a1 , a2 , b1 , and b2 , into which once again coupler connectors k1 , k3 and k5 can be plugged . coupler connectors k3 and k5 are in turn linked with connection leads 5 and 6 , which can be plugged into the plug - in in receptacles c and d of appliance x . the electrical appliances determine the respective type of leads required in terms of the type of plug - in connectors or receptacles at the inputs and outputs which need to be fitted with the corresponding plug - in connectors and coupler connectors respectively . the correct electrical or electronic connection with any other electrical appliance is determined by the interface module . in the foregoing embodiments , the interface modules v3 and v6 each have two plug - in receptacles o either side to provide a plug - in facility for two coupler connectors . there is , of course , no restriction on the number of plug - in receptacles ( placed side - by - side or superposed ) that the interface module may have , as shown in fig1 . in the succeeding embodiments a connector v , v3 for example , has two plug - in receptacles on both sides in each case . fig3 shows specific details of the interface module v3 together with coupler connectors k1 . the interface module v3 consists of two enclosure sections 9 and 10 , that can be assembled to form a closed housing enclosing a contact plate 11 in the form of a printed circuit board . contact plate 11 is made of insulating material , and preferably comprises a plurality of rectilinear , parallel , strip - like metal plating printed lines corresponding to the number of coupler connectors and their contacts . electrical connection is provided by these printed lines from one side to the other of interface module v3 . various electrical components 12 can be accommodated on the contact plate for electronic control of the electrical connection , and may be linked to the printed lines . the coupler connectors k1 can be mounted on either side of the interface module . each coupler connector k1 comprises a coupler enclosure 13 , with a continuous plug - in slot at the front , with one or more contact terminals 15 for each electrical connection , e . g . three , preferably fabricated by the stamping method . each contact terminal is shaped like a fork on the contact side and on the other side has a soldered lug 16 to provide a solder connection with the cores 17 of the appropriate connection leads 1 , 3 . as is explained in greater detail later , the fork - shaped parts of the contact terminals are positioned on either side of plug - in slot 14 inside the coupler enclosure 13 . the soldered joint and part of the end of the cable are covered with an insulation cover 18 . coupling is effected by the two opposite ends of the contact plate 11 serving as a contact blade , on which the slotted coupler connectors k1 can be mounted , with the contact terminal 15 coming into electrical contact with the printed lines of contact plate 11 . in this embodiment , the end flanges 19 of the insulating cover 18 are flush with the stop shroud 20 of interface module sections 9 and 10 . the only difference in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 as opposed to that illustrated in fig3 is that enclosure sections 9 &# 39 ; and 10 &# 39 ; of interface module v3 &# 39 ; are fitted with plug - in sleeves 21 in one piece , into which the respective coupler connectors k1 can be plugged . these extended plug - in sleeves 21 afford improved locking of coupler connectors k1 and improved electrical shielding for the contacting or soldering area , especially if , as explained below , the whole connector is provided with electrical shielding . fig5 to 10 show the interface module v3 in detail . its two enclosure sections 9 and 10 have their front faces turned towards one another . for example , lockable or form - close compatible connecting sections can be assembled together -- 10a , 10a &# 39 ;, 10b and 10b &# 39 ;-- and corresponding connecting sections engage when enclosure section 9 and 10 are assembled together . as is shown in fig6 and 7a , enclosure sections 9 and 10 are of identical construction . as seen in fig7 a , enclosure section 10 has an outer raised connecting lower section 10a , u - shaped , around one - half of the area of the enclosure , and a similar inner raised u - shaped connecting upper section 10a &# 39 ; in the other half of the enclosure , which is offset inwards by the width of the connecting section . in continuation of the outer connecting lower section 10a is an outer groove - like connecting upper section 10b , and in continuation of inner connecting upper section 10a &# 39 ; an inner connecting lower section 10b &# 39 ;, likewise in the form of a groove . enclosure section 9 is similarly constructed . this makes it possible , when connector v3 is assembled , to tilt and assemble one of these enclosure sections , e . g . 9 , at 180 degrees against the other enclosure section , e . g . 10 , in such a manner that the groove - like connecting sections interlock , and in this fashion hold the enclosure sections together . as is clear from fig6 and 7 , each of the identically constructed enclosure sections 9 and 10 has on either side of the rectangular hollow space in the enclosure section a pair of guide lugs 22 for guiding the contact plate 11 in the center of the hollow space 23 ( see also fig5 ). contact plate 11 also has a stop lug 24 on either side which , when contact plate 11 is inserted into one of the enclosure sections , e . g . 10 , comes up against a stop 25 . two locking dogs 26 also lock their tapered ends into a locking opening 27 on contact plate 11 . each of the enclosure sections 9 and 10 has a pair of these locking dogs 26 turned in towards each other . at the final assembly stage , as indicated by fig5 and 6 , locking dogs 26 lock into corresponding locking openings 27 , and both enclosure sections are axially fixed together ( see fig6 ) by form - close interlocking and locking of the locking dogs 26 . additionally , contact plate 11 is locked by means of locking shoulders 28 behind locking cam 29 . as fig7 shows , interface module v3 has two plug - in openings and two plug - in hollow spaces 30 and 31 for two coupler connectors , that are described later on . each enclosure section , e . g . 10 , has on each of the opposite facing sides of hollow spaces 30 , 31 a guide groove 32 located off - center in relation to the hollow - space axes . these guide grooves 32 come into mutual alignment when the two enclosure sections 9 , 10 are tilted when being assembled . the guide grooves 32 operate in conjunction with other guides on the coupler connectors . in the different versions illustrated by fig7 to 10 , the opposite facing sides of the plug - in hollow spaces 30 , 31 have affixed to them coding elements or keying fins 33 in a different geometrical arrangement , which work in conjunction with corresponding coding elements or keying slots on the coupler connectors to ensure that the interface module plug - in receptacle and the corresponding coupler connector are noninterchangeably plugged together . fig8 to 10 show , respectively , one half of the interface module . fig1 to 16 , like fig5 to 10 , illustrate the structure of a coupler connector , e . g . k1 , and different keying versions of the same , in which the keying elements of the interface module in accordance with fig7 to 10 match the keying elements of coupler connector k1 . as already mentioned , the coupler enclosure 13 , made of insulating material , has a continuous slot 14 on the front . the fork - shaped ends of the contact terminals 15 are a spring length away from the inner surfaces of plug - in slot 14 . the free ends of these contact terminals 15 have contact points 34 . as shown in fig1 , in this embodiment there are three contact terminals 15 inserted in every coupler enclosure 13 , separated from one another by a screen line distance of 2 . 5 mm . this screen line distance corresponds with the distances on the printed lines of contact plate 11 in the connector . at the other end , coupler enclosure 13 has a flange 35 for form - close connection with the extruded insulating sleeve 18 . this insulating sleeve 18 encloses part of coupler enclosure 13 , the soldering joint at 16 , and part of connection lead 3 , which is in this way firmly interconnected with coupler connector k1 . in fig1 to 16 , the reference number 36 represents guide fins , which act in conjunction with the interface module guide grooves . on the opposite side of coupler enclosure 13 there are keying slots 37 which act in conjunction with the interface module keying fins in the different keying versions . fig1 depicts a part of interface module v3 with a coupler connector k1 inserted into it . it can be seen that enclosure section 9 has an outside covering 37 . this is produced by injection molding or is in the form of a shrink - on sleeve . between covering 37 and the connection enclosure there is a piece of metal foil 38 serving as electrical screening or shielding material . alternatively , the connection enclosure can be made of an electrically conducting plastic , with covering 37 serving as external screening . in the embodiment shown in fig4 the electrical insulation should preferably be extended to cover the plug - in sleeves 21 . electrical contact with contact plate can also be made via the locking dogs 26 , which would also be given an electrically conducting covering for this purpose . fig1 explains how the capacity of an interface module v3 &# 34 ; can be expanded ( in terms of the number of plug - in receptacles ) through widening ( dash - dotted lines ) and / or the provision of several tiers 39 , 40 ( stacking ) with several contact plates . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , a connection enclosure 41 is provided comprising two enclosure sections 42 , 43 that can be assembled together . a contact plate 11 is fitted in enclosure section 42 that is connected to the soldered joint 44 by the wires of connection lead 1 . the other enclosure section 43 can be mounted onto enclosure section 42 . this section 43 is provided with an overlapping coupler section 45 containing contact terminals , thus creating a plug - in receptacle in the manner described . the contact terminals 15 are electroconductively connected by the printed lines of another contact plate 11 &# 39 ;, e . g . also by soldering , to soldering joints 46 . the reference number 47 indicates an insulation covering , an extrusion piece , for example , enveloping part of coupler enclosure 45 , contact plate 11 &# 39 ;, and part of the additional coupling enclosure 45 &# 39 ; affixed to the opposite side . likewise , a part of coupling enclosure 42 is enveloped by an insulating covering 48 , which secures connection lead 1 . contact plate 11 &# 39 ; is electrically connected with the additional projecting coupler enclosure 45 &# 39 ;, on which again a plug - in receptacle unit in the form of enclosure section 42 &# 39 ; ( wherein a contact plate and a connection lead 3 ) can be mounted , as indicated by the dot - and - dash lines . the universal system of cables and connectors can be readily understood from the table given below , wherein the designations used below correspond with those used for fig1 and 2 . ______________________________________combination of coupler interface plug - inappliances connector module receptacle______________________________________zab k1 / k2 b2 / b1 with v3yef k1 &# 39 ;/ k2 &# 39 ; a1 / a2zab k1 / k2 b2 / b1 with v3yef k1 / k3 a1 / a2xcd k5 / k3 b2 / b1 with v6yef k1 / k3 a1 / a2______________________________________ fig2 and 21 show contact plate 11 with printed lines 80 , and illustrate one layout version of an identification panel 81 . three lines for reception and three other lines for transmission are provided for the coupler connector . on the left - hand side of the identification panel , abbreviations can be seen for reception features , e . g ., for reception and recording , and for transmission features , e . g . for transmission and reproduction . the abbreviations for channel lines can be seen on the right - hand side of the identification panel , r = right - hand channel , ⊥= ground , l = left - hand channel . the ground line ⊥ should preferably be in the middle , in - between the two other lines . fig2 shows the wiring for coupler connector 82 with a two - pole plug - in connection . the necessary electrical connection from a stereo to a mono instrument is obtained by connecting the left - hand line l to the right - hand line r . fig2 shows the wiring for 5 or 6 pole plug - in connections 83 . here the contacts for reception are accommodated on coupler connector 83a , and those for transmission on coupler connector 83b . the preferred means of distinguishing between coupler connectors 83a and 83b is by color , since this is the general practice regarding coupler connectors . a number of coupler connectors that are in parallel can , either at the time of fabrication or subsequently through splicing , be combined to form one piece . it is especially advantageous if at least one of the contact terminals in the coupler connectors , e . g . the middle one , and in particular the one for the ground , is made to project slightly , so that it is the first to make contact on the contact plate . this arrangement also ensures that sufficient power is distributed for coupling together . although the interface modules as described above can be used with the majority of audio and video applications , problems may arise if it is desired to establish a large number of effective electrical connections and it happens that no direct electrical connection is readily admissible . this can occur in particular where electronic data - processing is concerned . especially for reasons of compatibility , not all electrical connections are admissible . however , further development of the basic principle of the universal interconnecting system ensures that a suitable connection facility can be secured . an initial type of application is illustrated by fig2 . in accordance with fig2 , two electrical appliances , y and z , need to be electrically connected . the appliances are respectively equipped with connectors a , b and c , d . but direct linking of the two appliances , either by traditional methods or by the methods set out in fig1 and 2 , is either inadmissible or not reasonably feasible . this is partly because the number of interconnections required for connectors c and d is very large , as is diagrammatically indicated for connectors c and d belonging to appliance y . furthermore , data - processing equipment is often provided with numerous connectors of the same type for which the connecting terminals are not fully documented , or for which different connections need to be made depending on the type of application . for the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , in conformity with the invention , a circuit enclosure 100 is provided , with a contact plate 11 of somewhat larger dimensions on which a printed circuit and also electrical and / or electronic components can be accommodated . for example , fig2 provides for an integrated circuit 135 , an electrical switch 136 , and an indicator light 137 . the operating knob 138 of switch 136 faces forward , and can be operated from the outside . the visual side of the indicator light 137 also faces forward , as shown . additionally , the enclosure 100 has several interface module enclosure sections on the rear side , of which in the present embodiment the following interface module enclosure sections are shown : v1 , v2 , v3 and v4 , each allocated to receive two coupling connectors . further , various leads are provided with coupler connectors k1 to k6 at one end and corresponding plug - in connectors at the other end , for electrical contact with the connectors a , b , c , d of the electrical appliances to be interconnected . the connection leads 1 and 2 correspond essentially with leads 1 and 2 as depicted in fig1 . connection lead 3 is only partially indicated , and together with leads 4 and 5 is jointly connected to connector d of appliance y . each of the leads 4 and 5 has a corresponding coupler connector k4 or k6 at the other end . a multicore connection cable 8 is connected to connector c of appliance y : this branches into cable sections 6 and 7 , which carry at their ends coupler connectors k5 and k3 respectively . the terminals of the different coupler connectors k1 to k6 are connected with corresponding terminals belonging to the different interface module enclosure sections v1 to v4 , whereby these terminals are accommodated on contact plate 11 . as illustrated , not all the connection possibilities offered by the interface module enclosure sections are utilized . this demonstrates that different line occupancy and / or programming is possible . it also shows that , with careful selection of the number of interface module enclosure sections v and suitable construction of the printed circuit on contact plate 11 , even appliances of a number of different makes can be interconnected with the use of only one circuit enclosure 100 . furthermore , all the connections of an electrical appliance can be interconnected by means of appropriate leads to the printed circuit on contact plate 11 in circuit enclosure 100 , so that , through an appropriately structured printed circuit and appropriate us of the electric switch 36 , changes in the function of an electrical appliance can now be readily effected without the need , as before , to make tedious changes in the connections on the appliance itself . the circuit enclosure 100 accordingly accommodates a number of switches 136 , and these in turn have a number of circuit elements that can be actuated by the operation of a single operating knob 138 . this kind of switch is customary in the trade . in this way appliances from a variety of different manufacturers can all be linked together . contact plate 11 accordingly accommodates interface circuits for two or more standard manufacturer &# 39 ; s specifications as well as signal decoding circuits , so that appliances made by different manufacturers which are not usually mutually compatible , can be interconnected . note that it is useful for the interface module enclosure sections v to be installed on one side , i . e ., the rear side 139 of circuit enclosure 100 , and that the operating and indicator elements , like operating knob 138 and indicator 137 , are preferably fitted on the front side 140 of circuit enclosure 100 . identification , particularly in reference to the different interface module enclosure sections , based on system specifications , can at the same time be inscribed on the front side 140 and the rear side 139 , to make it easier for the user to allocate the different coupler connectors k1 to k6 to individual interface module enclosure sections v1 to v4 and the terminals of contact plate 11 . fig2 , which will be discussed further below , shows the interconnection system of fig2 in detail . the interface module enclosure sections v can take the form illustrated in fig7 to 10 . this facilitates both warehousing and fabrication . however , this structure is not inevitably required . fig2 through 28 illustrate embodiments using an enclosure section 10 in the circuit enclosure 100 . each enclosure section 10 has on either side of the rectangular hollow enclosure section a pair of guide lugs 22 for guidance of the respective section of contact plate 11 in the center of the hollow space 23 in enclosure section 10 . for this purpose , the contact plate 11 is fitted in accordance with fig2 with suitable tongue - shaped lugs , short tongues 91 , that engage with it via guide lugs 22 of enclosure section 10 . contact plate 11 can for this purpose have a stop lug 24 at the tongue 91 that comes against a stop 25 when the contact plate 11 is inserted into enclosure section 10 . here again locking dogs 26 in enclosure section 10 lock into a locking opening 27 in tongue 91 on contact plate 11 via their projecting ends . each of the enclosure sections v1 to v4 is allocated at least one of these locking dog / locking opening assemblies , as can be clearly seen in particular from fig2 , illustrating the final assembly stage . in addition , tongue 91 of contact plate 11 has locking shoulders 28 that lock behind locking cams 29 ( fig2 ). as is shown by fig7 to 10 in conjunction with fig2 to 28 , there are two coupler connectors k1 that can be inserted into an interface module enclosure section v . there are also two plug - in openings and plug - in hollow spaces 30 and 31 provided for coupler connectors k1 , which is explained further later on . each enclosure section 10 has on the opposite facing sides of hollow spaces 30 , 31 a guide groove 32 located off - center in relation to the hollow space axes . these guide grooves 32 correspond basically with those illustrated in fig7 to 10 in relation to the enclosure sections , and operate in conjunction with the corresponding guide elements on the coupler connectors . in other embodiments , coding fins 33 can be in a different geometrical arrangement ; these work in conjunction with corresponding coding elements or keying slots or the coupler connectors to ensure that the connector receptacle and the corresponding coupler connector are noninterchargeably plugged in together . the difference in geometrical arrangement can be in terms of height , width , shape and / or the number of coding fins used . additionally , the geometrical arrangement can be such that several differently coded coupler elements in the manner of a superior and subordinate ordering can be inserted in a single hollow space or , conversely , a coupler element with a specific coding can be inserted in several differently coded hollow spaces . as indicated in fig2 the enclosure 10 can have locking cams 99 on the outside . the effect of this is that enclosure section 10 can be more securely affixed at the rear side 139 . enclosure section 10 is also inserted from outside circuit enclosure 100 in such a manner through a suitably dimensioned aperture 98 that the locking ca 99 becomes engaged behind the rear side 139 . at the same time , the surrounding raised rim 20 at the rear remains outside or engages in a corresponding indentation 97 ( fig2 ). fig2 illustrates another version of the locking method for enclosure section 10 and contact plate 11 and their respective tongues 91 . in this embodiment , a tongue - like projection 41 extends from enclosure section 10 with an appropriate locking dog 26a at the end , which engages in a corresponding locking opening 27a on tongue 91 . but this version is also basically applicable to the connecting device of fig7 to 10 , since the other enclosure section 10a can also be constructed in a similar way with a tongue - like lug 41a with locking dog 26 , that engages in a locking opening 27 on tongue 91 . the drawing shows that , here too , complete compatibility can be achieved . indeed , several such lugs 41 or 41a can be positioned side - by - side . the tongue - like lug can also have a supporting piece 42 for tongue 91 of contact plate 11 between the joint with enclosure section 10 and locking dog 26a , which provides superior support . ( with the use of a connector v as in fig7 to 10 , a superior clamping effect is attained .) fig2 shows in diagram form the basic construction of a coupler connector k and its allocation to an interface module section v in circuit enclosure 100 . the coupler connector k has a coupler enclosure 13 made of insulating material with a continuous slot at the front . the fork - shaped ends of the contact terminals 15 are a spring length away from the inner surfaces of the continuous slot 14 . the free ends of these contact terminals 15 have contact points 34 . at the other end , coupler enclosure 13 has a lug 16 that is soldered onto a conductor or shielding of cable 1 . in this area coupler enclosure 13 belonging to coupler connector k is enveloped by an insulating sleeve 18 , preferably produced by extrusion . this insulating sleeve 18 encloses a part of coupler enclosure 13 and in particular the soldered joint on lug 16 . coupler enclosure 13 has on its upwards - facing or downwards - facing surfaces the corresponding guide fins and grooves and / or keying or coding fins and slots of the kind previously described in relation to enclosure 10 . as indicated , the guide grooves can be provided for coupler enclosure 13 and the corresponding guide fins for enclosure 10 , and vice versa . the same applies to the coding fins and coding slots . contact terminals 15 positioned side - by - side in coupler enclosure 13 should preferably be distanced from one another by the same screen line distance 2 . 5 mm as is normally applied with printed circuits . in certain kinds of applications , it will not suffice to provide a single contact plate 11 in the circuit enclosure 100 if the variants that are worth the user &# 39 ; s while to strive for are to be rendered feasible . moreover , it is not always possible for all the variants sought after by users to be exploited merely through the provision of switches like those in fig2 . it is often necessary to provide at least one additional contact plate in the circuit enclosure 100 ( see fig3 ). in other instances it would prove useful to provide an additional programming and / or coding facility by installing supplementary equipment . fig2 depicts a version where the circuit enclosure 100 is supplemented by an additional circuit enclosure 100 &# 39 ;. both circuit enclosures 100 and 100 &# 39 ; are basically of similar construction , comprising contact plates 11 and 11 &# 39 ; to which the appropriate coupler connectors ( not shown ) can be connected via enclosure sections 10 and 10 &# 39 ;. supports 144 and 145 can additionally be fitted in the enclosures , as shown for circuit enclosure 100 , as supports for contact plate 11 . fig2 and 30 indicate slightly different forms of construction where enclosures 100 and 100 &# 39 ; can be stacked vertically , so that they are placed on top of each other . here it is necessary to establish an electrical connection , and if required , one that is codable , between the printed 20 circuits of contact plates 11 and 11 &# 39 ; in the two enclosures 100 and 100 &# 39 ;. for this purpose , coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; can , as shown , be soldered at their free ends to the respective printed circuits of contact plate 11 and 11 &# 39 ;. the respective plug - in slots are opposite each other through flush enclosure openings 146 and 147 . electrical contact is achieved with the aid of a contact plate 148 with printed conductors , that can be of the same design as contact plate 11 already described , in such a manner that electrical contact is established via the spring element of contact points 34 of contact terminals 15 in both coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ;. through an appropriate arrangement of coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; on contact plate 11 and coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; on contact plate 11 &# 39 ; in different supplementary circuit enclosures 100 &# 39 ;, an optional programming and / or coding facility can be provided with appropriate system allocation . as shown in fig3 , several coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; can be installed on contact plate 11 , and a number of enclosure openings 146 , 149 whereby contact plates 148 , 150 of a different construction can be inserted . fig3 illustrates an embodiment in which a contact plate 148 is allocated to a coupler enclosure 13 &# 39 ;, and projects through the opening 146 of the circuit enclosure 100 . besides this , an additional u - shaped shaped contact plate 150 is allocated to two coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; positioned side - by - side , and projects outward from the circuit enclosure 100 through a suitably dimensioned enclosure opening 149 . at the same time , in the embodiment represented here , the contact plate 150 has two tongues 151 and 152 on the side projecting outward . in this way , with connection being established with the circuit in circuit enclosure 100 &# 39 ;, in addition to the establishment of a programming and coding facility , greater protection is ensured against confusion and error . in the embodiment represented by fig2 , a coupler enclosure 13 &# 39 ; is allocated to each contact plate 11 and 11 &# 39 ;. it can however be useful to provide such a coupler enclosure 13 &# 39 ; for contact plate 11 only , with the contact plate 148 or 150 to be inserted in this coupler enclosure 13 being firmly connected with the circuit on contact plate 11 &# 39 ; belonging to the supplementary circuit enclosure 100 &# 39 ;. by this method in particular , both coding and error protection can be safeguarded . it can also be worthwhile to provide for a gap 153 between the two vertically stacked circuit enclosures 100 and 100 &# 39 ; as shown in the diagram of fig3 . supplementary supports 154 can be provided to support them in the form of feet . as indicated in fig3 , a number of contact plates can be arranged in one enclosure 100 that are in electrical contact with one another . fig3 shows contact plate 11 and an additional contact plate 61 . plate 61 , in circuit enclosure 100 , is shown in fig3 to have tongues 59 as does contact plate 11 , which , as is the case with enclosure 10 , project in a corresponding enclosure section 60 that is for practical reasons of the same type of construction as enclosure section 10 . the printed circuits of both contact plates 11 and 60 can be connected inside enclosure 100 . external programming is however a feasible option with the aid of a plug - in module 58 . plug - in module 58 has at both ends coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; constructed as already described , by means of which electrical contact can be established with the printed conductors on tongues 59 and 49 of the two contact plates 61 and 11 . direct electrical contact at least is achieved inside the plug - in module 58 , principally in the rigid connector part 57 , thus providing an optional coding facility . the connector part 57 can however also contain electrical and / or electronic components , offering basically the same facility options as those that have been explained to be available with the use of coupler connectors as described above , in terms of coding and control and the number of side - by - side contact terminals . use of a suitably dimensioned plug - in module 58 also enables the linking of contact plates 11 and 11 &# 39 ; of two vertically stacked enclosures 100 and 100 &# 39 ;, as shown in fig2 , to be plugged into the corresponding enclosure sections 10 and 10 &# 39 ;. as shown in fig3 , a riding facility can also be obtained with a configuration of a single contact plate 11 in a circuit enclosure 100 and a plug - in module 62 ; the latter , with an internal electrical circuit 63 as indicated in the diagram , has only one coupler enclosure 13 &# 39 ;, that is provided in an enclosure 10 to make contact with the printed conductors of the corresponding tongue 49 of contact plate 11 . here again , choice of the appropriate plug - in module 62 will provide a coding and / or programming facility , as for instance a termination with a specific resistance , a short - circuit , or other circuit components . fig3 demonstrates a further development in which horizontally stacked , i . e . side - by - side , circuit enclosures 100 and 100 &# 34 ; can be mutually linked by a plug - in module 64 . this module 64 also has coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; at the ends for making contact with the printed lines on contact plate 11 in circuit enclosure 100 and contact plate 65 in circuit enclosure 100 &# 34 ;. the connector part 66 can , like the connector part 57 of the plug - in module 58 ( see fig3 ), contain not only circuits and / or printed conductors but also , if so required , supplementary electronic components for coding and / or programming . as made clear in fig3 , an enclosure section 67 is also provided in the circuit enclosure 100 &# 34 ; that incorporates a corresponding tongue 68 on contact plate 65 and into which a coupler enclosure 13 &# 39 ; can be plugged . here also , guide grooves or coding slots can be provided , as already explained , for the prevention of confusion and errors . another from of construction is shown in fig3 . here , with the use of a plug - in module 69 that can contain electrical components like resistances , ics , or the like in the connector part 70 , a coding and / or programming facility , for change of function , for example , can be provided via the circuit on contact plate 11 in circuit enclosure 100 . in the embodiment in fig3 , two corresponding closure sections 10 are provided at the end , designed in such a way that , with the corresponding enclosure sections 10 in the plugged - in state , certain hollow spaces ( see fig7 ) will no longer be accessible . in this way faulty switching can be avoided after program selection . as indicated by the dashed lines , more that two such coupler enclosures 13 &# 39 ; can be provided for one plug - in module . other practical applications of plug - in modules are feasible ; as for instance any combinations of the plug - in modules 58 , 62 , 64 or 69 that have been described . as indicated for one of the enclosure sections 10 in fig3 , the enclosure sections 10 can be provided with an external cover 71 , and a piece of metal foil 73 can be provided between this cover 71 and the enclosure wall 72 ; this provides a metal shielding , as already explained earlier . it is at the same time expedient for the shielding 73 to be in electrical contact with contact plate 11 and the printed conductors on electrical tongue 91 ; this contact can be effected via the locking dogs 26 , for instance , as explained earlier , if they are given an electroconductive coating or similar . electrical shielding car also be afforded by means of an externally insulated electroconductive plastic . since it is common practice for shielded core leads to be used , it can be expedient to assign a contact terminal in each coupler connector for shielding , whereby corresponding contact with the shielding 73 is assigned to the appropriate printed conductor of contact plate tongue 91 . fig3 and 25 have in particular already demonstrated the basic construction of a coupler connector k . the insulating cover 18 also shows the use of facilitating cross - fins 74 , 75 . furthermore , lettering and / or markings can be provided on the side surfaces 76 ; the lettering and / or markings can be positively or negatively applied during spraying with the use of an appropriate jet mold . fig3 and 36 show a version of a coupler connector k that can be compared with the above . particularly so with fig3 , showing a version where , additionally , pull - relief 77 is provided for the cable 1 at the same time as the insulating cover is sprayed on . fig3 also shows the provisions of additional panels 78 , 79 for identification inscriptions that are also visible in the plugged - in state and with the side - by - side positioning of several similar coupler connectors . the inscriptions can be sprayed on in the same way , or can be done later . fig3 indicates that the coupler connector need not only have a coupler enclosure 13 , as already explained , but that , as shown by the dashed lines , a wider coupler enclosure 13 &# 34 ; can be installed , with the overall width of coupler enclosure 13 &# 34 ; being purposefully many times greater than that of coupler enclosure 13 . this form of construction allows a number of wires i to be joined firmly with a one - piece coupler connector k &# 39 ;. this also permits the provision of a larger inscribed panel 78 &# 39 ;, whereby use of the coding and programming facilities , that have already been described , safeguards against confusion and incorrect interchanges . a pull - relief 77 can be provided for each wire i , as can grip grooves 74 &# 39 ; and 75 &# 39 ;, in the manner previously described by fig2 . to avoid confusion , in addition to the provision of coding grooves and slots , guide fins and guide grooves , and the identifications inscribed on panels 78 , 79 and 78 &# 39 ;, different colored plastic materials can be used for the coupler enclosure 13 and / or the insulation coverings 18 . from the foregoing , it ran now be seen that the present invention comprises a system that is of universal application for the interconnection of widely different electrical and electronic appliances . the interconnection system is so structured that , relying only on simple connection components , it can provide for any form of electrical linkage , even in the case of comparatively complicated equipment of widely different makes , such as data - processing equipment . the present invention is therefore eminently suitable for standardization , particularly as the keying and programming facilities it can offer are virtually unlimited , and interchanges that could damage the instruments concerned can undoubtedly be avoided . moreover , the system of the present invention is suitable for systematizing all types of applications , so that the user can obtain the required electrical connections without any prior specialized knowledge . all in all , a complete and compatible bus system can be created that is not only suitable for commercial use but can be used professionally as well , and one that permits smooth and rapid changeovers whenever the user wishes . | 7 |
the cigarette - feeding device as shown in the drawings forms part of a machine designed for filling with cigarettes s the trays 1 by which the cigarettes s are , for example , conveyed from a cigarette - making machine to a cigarette - packing machine . these trays 1 consist , as it is well known , of prismatic containers , which are open at their top side and at their front end . the cigarettes s are contained in a cigarette - feeding hopper 2 with three side - by - side upright channels or ducts 3 extending downwardly from the bottom thereof , and terminating with their lower ends at a same level . once the lower mouths of the cigarette - guiding channels have been closed , the tray 1 which is to be filled will be threadedly engaged from below in lateral , matching lower guides 4 of hopper 2 , to such an extent as to have the bottom thereof moved close to the lower mouths of the said cigarette - guiding channels 3 , as shown in fig4 . the lower mouths of the upright cigarette - guiding channels 3 are then opened , so that the cigarettes s coming from the overlying cigarette - feeding hopper 2 into the channels 3 as a mass flow , are allowed to flow out of these channels , while the tray 1 will be gradually lowered as it is being filled , as shown in fig1 and 3 . means ( not shown ) are provided for controlling the lowering of the cigarette tray 1 at such a speed that the cigarette rate being delivered from the cigarette - guiding channels 3 will be taken up by the tray , and that the free surface of the cigarettes in the tray will be always kept at the required small distance from the mouths of the cigarette - guiding channels 3 . once the tray 1 has been filled , and must be replaced , the cigarette outflow from the lower mouths of the upstanding channels 3 will be stopped until the positioning of the next empty tray has been accomplished . both sides of each upstanding cigarette - guiding channel 3 are formed by the facingly arranged stretches of two pairs of small flat cog belts 5 -- 5 and 6 -- 6 . each pair of belts 5 -- 5 and 6 -- 6 is led about an upper , toothed small driving pulley 7 , 8 which is made integral of a respective , horizontally arranged driving shaft 107 , 108 , as well as about a toothed , lower small guide pulley 9 , 10 which is carried by a frame 11 , 12 swingably mounted onto the driving shafts 107 , 108 for the matching upper driving pulley 7 , 8 . a pulling spring 13 stretched between two horizontal pins 14 and 15 being integral with either one of the swingable frames 11 , 12 , urges these frames toward each other , thus causing the facingly arranged stretches of the two belt pairs 5 -- 5 and 6 -- 6 to converge downwardly toward one another . secured to pin 15 is a platelet 16 having a slot 116 , in which the end of the other pin 14 is engaged , whereby the reciprocal angular movement of both belt - supporting swingable frames 11 , 12 near to , and away from each other , and thus the degree of convergency of the facingly arranged stretches of both belt pairs 5 -- 5 and 6 -- 6 , will be restricted . about a horizontal pivot 17 , 18 provided on each belt - supporting swingable frame 11 and 12 at a distance below the upper driving pulleys 7 , 8 , a block 19 , 20 is rotatably mounted , so as to be inserted between the external stretches of the respective pair of belts 5 -- 5 and 6 -- 6 , and carries a downwardly extending arm 21 , 22 . secured to the lower end of these swingable arms 21 , 22 is a shoe 23 , 24 . around the outer pulleys 25 , 26 that are co - axial to , and are made integral of the inner pulleys 9 , 10 for guiding the two pairs of cog belts 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 , and around guide pulleys 27 , 28 and 29 , 30 that are mounted substantially at a same level onto either one of shoes 23 , 24 , at both sides of the lower mouth of each upstanding cigarette - guiding channel 3 , there are passed three pairs of small round belts 31 and 32 that through their oppositely arranged convergent stretches delimit laterally the mouth of the corresponding cigarette - guiding channel 3 . the convergency of these oppositely arranged stretches of belts 31 and 32 is greater than that of the overlying facingly arranged stretches of the belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 . both of the assemblies respectively comprising a block 19 , 20 , a swingable arm 21 , 22 , and the appertaining shoe 23 , 24 fitted with the guide pulleys 27 , 28 , and 29 , 30 , are set in an out - of - balance condition , namely their barycenters are so located relatively to the respective pivot 17 , 18 about which they swing , that the two shoes tend to be drawn near to , and come , for example , into contact with each other by their oppositely set pulleys 28 , 30 , whereby they close the lower mouth of the respective cigarette - guiding channel 3 , as shown in fig4 . the two shoes 23 , 24 can be so urged so to be drawn near to each other , and as to be moved into a position for closing the respective cigarette - guiding channel 3 , also owing to the tension of the relative belts 31 , 32 . during the step of filling a tray 1 , the cigarettes contained in hopper 2 descend into the channels 3 as a mass flow , that is to say , in form of a plurality of layers , by gravity , and under the thrust of the overlying cigarette mass , as well as under the action of the driving force being exerted by the facingly arranged stretches of the flat belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 and by the opposed stretches of the round belts 31 , 32 provided at the mouth of channel 3 . for this purpose , the driving shafts 107 , 108 are driven in opposite directions , such as by a reversible motor ( not shown ), whereby the facingly arranged stretches of the two belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 are caused to run downward ; these belt pairs will drive the underlying guide pulleys 9 , 10 , which in turn drive the respective belts 31 , 32 so as to cause the opposed convergent stretches of said belts 31 , 32 to run in the same direction , that is , downwardly . both the slightly converging upper belts 5 , 6 and the following more converging lower belts 31 , 32 also apply a small lateral pressure on the cigarette mass , due to the bias of spring 13 and the above - described out - of - balance condition of the shoes 23 , 24 . the descending cigarette mass being carried down along the cigarette - guiding channels 3 , in its turn exerts a thrust on the opposed stretches of belts 31 , 32 bounding the sides of said channel mouth , so that the shoes 23 , 24 will be moved apart and away from each other , and the shoe - supporting arms 21 , 22 will be caused to swing outwardly about the respective pivots 17 , 18 , so as to open the lower mouth of the cigarette - guiding channel , as shown in fig3 . the convergent inner branches of belts 31 , 32 help the issuing of the cigarettes s from the mouth of channel 3 , while the horizontal lower branches of said belts running outward in opposite directions , promote the distribution of the cigarettes s within the space between the shoes 23 , 24 and the bottom of tray 1 or the free surface of the cigarettes already held in tray 1 , as it appears evident from the arrows in fig3 . to close the lower mouth of the cigarette - guiding channels 3 , once the filling of a tray has been completed , in order to replace the full tray with an empty tray , the direction of rotation of both driving shafts 107 , 108 will be reversed for a period of time corresponding to the required mouth closure time , and therefore also the direction of movement of the two belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 and of the lower belts 31 , 32 will be reversed , so that the facingly arranged branches of the two belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 and the converging oppositely arranged stretches of the lower belts 31 , 32 are caused to run in the upward direction . thus , both the force driving down the cigarettes along channel 3 and the downward cigarette pressure inside the cigarette - guiding channel 3 , which is due to the force of gravity and the weight of the cigarette mass in the overlying hopper 2 , will be eliminated , since the cigarettes are being entrained upwards , and are compelled to ascend the channels 3 . in this way , it is annulled the thrust opening out the opposed converging sections of the lower belts 31 , 32 , as exerted thereon by the cigarettes , whereby the out - of - balance shoes 23 , 24 will be automatically drawn near to each other and caused to close the mouth of channel 3 , as previously described , and as shown in fig4 . in order to bring about the closure of the lower mouth of channel 3 , in place of reversing the movement of belts 5 and 6 , 31 and 32 , it may be sufficient to temporaneously stop the running of these belts , thus annulling only the downward driving force as exerted thereby on the cigarettes contained in the cigarette - guiding channel 3 , when the weight of the cigarettes and the pressure of the overlying mass of cigarettes contained in hopper 2 are not by themselves sufficient for moving apart the shoes 23 , 24 and for driving them into the position for opening the mouth of channel 3 . during the outflow of the cigarettes s from the lower mouth of the cigarette - guiding channel 3 , the possibility of having both shoes 23 , 24 with the respective opposed lower belts 31 , 32 moved away or apart from each other , against the returning force as determined by gravity , and / or , more particularly , by the two upper belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 with the respective belt - supporting frames 11 , 12 , against the returning force as exerted by spring 13 , allows to correct for any small and transient differences between the rate of the cigarettes flowing out of the mouth of the cigarette - guiding channel 3 and the rate of the cigarettes being accomodated by a gradually lowered tray 1 . thus , for example , when the lowering rate of tray 1 is slower than the rate as required for taking in all of the cigarettes issuing from the mouths of the cigarette - guiding channels 3 , the resistance as encountered by the cigarettes to flow out out the mouths of channels 3 and to settle in within the space underneath the shoes 23 , 24 increases , so that also the lateral pressure in the mass of cigarettes contained in channels 3 , will increase . this increase in the lateral pressure promotes the elastic opening out principally of both belt - supporting frames 11 , 12 , and then of the respective facingly arranged belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 , whereby the width , and therefore the capacity of the respective cigarette - guiding channel 3 , increases , and thus the transient and / or small excess in the cigarette flow along said channel 3 toward the mouth thereof will be accomodated . according to a further characteristic feature of the invention , extensometers 33 being , for example , provided at the bottom of shoes 23 , 24 , as diagrammatically shown in fig6 may be used for attaining a still greater accuracy . it is then possible to vary the speed of the belt pairs 5 -- 5 , 6 -- 6 and of the lower belts 31 , 32 as a function of the pressure values being measured by these extensometers 33 , for example by operating the two shafts 107 , 108 driving the belts 5 and 6 , 31 and 32 that are associated to each upright channel , by means of one respective motor of the variable speed type . | 0 |
it has been hypothesized that exogenously administered socs3 proteins could compensate for the apparent inability of endogenously expressed members of this physiologic regulator to interrupt constitutively active cancer - initiating jak / stat signaling and excessive cell cycle , resulting in the inhibition of the tumorigenesis . to prove our hypothesis , the socs3 recombinant proteins fused to novel hydrophobic cpps called amtds to improve their cell -/ tissue - permeability and additionally adopted solubilization domains to increase their solubility / yield in physiological condition , and then tested whether exogenous administration of socs3 proteins can reconstitute their endogenous stores and restore their basic function as the negative feedback regulator that attenuates jak / stat signaling . this art of invention has demonstrated “ intracellular protein therapy ” by designing and introducing cell - permeable form of socs3 has a great potential of anti - cancer therapeutic applicability in hepatocellular carcinoma . to address the limitation of previously developed hydrophobic cpps , novel sequences have been developed . to design new hydrophobic cpps for intracellular delivery of cargo proteins such as socs3 , identification of optimal common sequence and / or homologous structural determinants , namely critical factors ( cfs ), had been crucial . to do it , the physicochemical characteristics of previously published hydrophobic cpps were analyzed . to keep the similar mechanism on cellular uptake , all cpps analyzed were hydrophobic region of signal peptide ( hrsp )- derived cpps ( e . g . mts and mtd ). these 17 hydrophobic cpps published from 1995 to 2014 have been analyzed for their 11 different characteristics — sequence , amino acid length , molecular weight , pi value , bending potential , rigidity / flexibility , structural feature , hydropathy , residue structure , amino acid composition , and secondary structure of the sequences . two peptide / protein analysis programs were used ( expasy : http :// web . expasy . org / protparam /, sosui : http :// harriernagahama - i - bio . ac . jp / sosui / sosui_submit . html ) to determine various indexes , structural features of the peptide sequences and to design new sequence . followings are important factors analyzed . average length , molecular weight and pi value of the peptides analyzed were 10 . 8 ± 2 . 4 , 1 , 011 ± 189 . 6 and 5 . 6 ± 0 . 1 , respectively . bending potential ( bending or no - bending ) was determined based on the fact whether proline ( p ) exists and / or where the amino acid ( s ) providing bending potential to the peptide in recombinant protein is / are located . proline differs from the other common amino acids in that its side chain is bonded to the backbone nitrogen atom as well as the alpha - carbon atom . the resulting cyclic structure markedly influences protein architecture which is often found in the bends of folded peptide / protein chain . eleven out of 17 were determined as ‘ bending ’ peptide which means that proline should be present in the middle of sequence for peptide bending and / or located at the end of the peptide for protein bending . as indicated above , peptide sequences could penetrate the plasma membrane in a “ bent ” configuration . therefore , bending or no - bending potential is considered as one of the critical factors for the improvement of current hydrophobic cpps . since one of the crucial structural features of any peptide is based on the fact whether the motif is rigid or flexible , which is an intact physicochemical characteristic of the peptide sequence , instability index ( ii ) of the sequence was determined . the index value representing rigidity / flexibility of the peptide was extremely varied ( 8 . 9 - 79 . 1 ), but average value was 40 . 1 ± 21 . 9 which suggested that the peptide should be somehow flexible , but not too rigid or flexible . ( 4 ) hydropathy ( grand average of hydropathy : gravy ) and structural feature ( aliphatic index : ai ) alanine ( v ), valine ( v ), leucine ( l ) and isoleucine ( i ) contain aliphatic side chain and are hydrophobic — that is , they have an aversion to water and like to cluster . these amino acids having hydrophobicity and aliphatic residue enable them to pack together to form compact structure with few holes . analyzed peptide sequence showed that all composing amino acids were hydrophobic ( a , v , l and i ) except glycine ( g ) in only one out of 17 and aliphatic ( a , v , l , i , and p ). their hydropathic index ( grand average of hydropathy : gravy ) and aliphatic index ( ai ) were 2 . 5 ± 0 . 4 and 217 . 9 ± 43 . 6 , respectively . as explained above , the cpp sequences may be supposed to penetrate the plasma membrane directly after inserting into the membranes in a “ bent ” configuration with hydrophobic sequences adopting an a - helical conformation . in addition , our analysis strongly indicated that bending potential was crucial . therefore , structural analysis of the peptides conducted to determine whether the sequence was to form helix or not . nine peptides were helix and 8 were not . it seems to suggest that helix structure may not be required . in the 11 characteristics analyzed , the following 6 are selected namely “ critical factors ( cfs )” for the development of new hydrophobic cpps — advanced mtds : i ) amino acid length , ii ) bending potential ( proline presence and location ), iii ) rigidity / flexibility ( instability index : ii ), iv ) structural feature ( aliphatic index : ai ), v ) hydropathy ( gravy ) and vi ) amino acid composition / residue structure ( hydrophobic and aliphatic a / a ). since the analyzed data of the 17 different hydrophobic cpps ( analysis a ) previously developed during the past 2 decades showed high variation and were hard to make common - or consensus - features , additional analysis b and c was also conducted to optimize the critical factors for better design of improved cpps - amtds . in analysis b , 8 cpps used with each cargo in vivo were selected . length was 11 ± 3 . 2 , but 3 out of 8 cpps possessed little bending potential . rigidity / flexibility was 41 ± 15 , but removing one [ mtd85 : rigid , with minimal ( ii : 9 . 1 )] of the peptides increased the overall instability index to 45 . 6 ± 9 . 3 . this suggested that higher flexibility ( 40 or higher ii ) is potentially be better . all other characteristics of the 8 cpps were similar to the analysis a , including structural feature and hydropathy . to optimize the ‘ common range and / or consensus feature of critical factor ’ for the practical design of amtds and the random peptides , which were to prove that the ‘ critical factors ’ determined in the analysis a , b and c were correct to improve the current problems of hydrophobic cpps — protein aggregation , low solubility / yield , and poor cell / tissue - permeability of the recombinant proteins fused to the mts / mtm or mtd , and non - common sequence and non - homologous structure of the peptides , empirically selected peptides were analyzed for their structural features and physicochemical factor indexes . the peptides which did not have a bending potential , rigid or too flexible sequences ( too low or too high instability index ), or too low or too high hydrophobic cpp were unselected , but secondary structure was not considered because helix structure of sequence was not required . 8 selected cpp sequences that could provide a bending potential and higher flexibility were finally analyzed . common amino acid length is 12 ( 11 . 6 ± 3 . 0 ). proline should be presence in the middle of and / or the end of sequence . rigidity / flexibility ( ii ) is 45 . 5 - 57 . 3 ( avg : 50 . 1 ± 3 . 6 ). ai and gravy representing structural feature and hydrophobicity of the peptide are 204 . 7 ± 37 . 5 and 2 . 4 ± 0 . 3 , respectively . all peptides are consisted with hydrophobic and aliphatic amino acids ( a , v , l , i , and p ). therefore , analysis c was chosen as a standard for the new design of new hydrophobic cpps ( table 1 ). 1 . amino acid length : 9 - 13 2 . bending potential ( proline position : pp ): proline presences in the middle ( from 5 ′ to 8 ′ amino acid ) and at the end of sequence 3 . rigidity / flexibility ( instability index : ii ): 40 - 60 4 . structural feature ( aliphatic index : ai ): 180 - 220 5 . hydropathy ( grand average of hydropathy : gravy ): 2 . 1 - 2 . 6 6 . amino acid composition : hydrophobic and aliphatic amino acids — a , v , l , i and p for confirming the validity of 6 critical factors providing the optimized cell -/ tissue - permeability . all 240 amtd sequences have been designed and developed based on six critical factors ( tables 2 - 1 to 2 - 6 ). the amtd amino sequences are seq id nos : 1 to 240 , and the amtd nucleotide sequences are seq id nos : 241 to 480 . all 240 amtds ( hydrophobic , flexible , bending , aliphatic and helical 12 a / a - length peptides ) were practically confirmed by their quantitative and visual cell - permeability . to determine the cell - permeability of amtds and random peptides which do not satisfy one or more critical factors have also been designed and tested . relative cell - permeability of 240 amtds to the negative control ( random peptide , hydrophilic & amp ; non - alipatic 12a / a length peptide ) was significantly increased by up to 164 fold , with average increase of 19 . 6 ± 1 . 6 . moreover , compared with reference cpps ( mtm and mtd ), novel 240 amtds averaged of 13 ± 1 . 1 ( maximum 109 . 9 ) and 6 . 6 ± 0 . 5 ( maximum 55 . 5 ) fold higher cell - permeability , respectively . as a result , there were vivid association of cell - permeability of the peptides and critical factors . according to the result from the newly designed and tested novel 240 amtds , the empirically optimized critical factors are provided below . 1 . amino acid length : 12 2 . bending potential ( proline position : pp ): proline presences in the middle ( from 5 ′ to 8 ′ amino acid ) and at the end of sequence 3 . rigidity / flexibility ( instability index : ii ): 41 . 3 - 57 . 3 4 . structural feature ( aliphatic index : ai ): 187 . 5 - 220 . 0 5 . hydropathy ( grand average of hydropathy : gravy ): 2 . 2 - 2 . 6 6 . amino acid composition : hydrophobic and aliphatic amino acids — a , v , l , i and p these examined critical factors are within the range that we have set for our critical factors ; therefore , we were able to confirm that the amtds that satisfy these critical factors have much higher cell - permeability ( table 3 ) and intracellular delivery potential compared to reference hydrophobic cpps reported during the past two decades . based on these six critical factors proven by experimental data , newly designed advanced macromolecule transduction domains ( amtds ) have been developed , and optimized for their practical therapeutic usage to facilitate protein translocation across the membrane . for this present invention , cell - permeable socs3 recombinant proteins have been developed by adopting amtd165 ( table 4 ) that satisfied all 6 critical factors ( table 5 ). in the previous study , recombinant cargo ( socs3 ) proteins fused to hydrophobic cpp could be expressed in bacteria system and purified with single - step affinity chromatography ; however , protein dissolved in physiological buffers ( e . g . pbs , dmem or rpmi1640 etc .) was highly insoluble and had extremely low . therefore , an additional non - functional protein domain ( solubilization domain : sd ; table 6 ) has been fused to the recombinant proteins at their c terminus to improve low solubility / yield and to enhance relative cell -/ tissue - permeability . according to the specific aim , solubilization domain a ( sda ) and b ( sdb ) were first selected . we hypothesize that fusion of socs3 with sds and novel hydrophobic cpp , amtd , would greatly increase solubility / yield and cell -/ tissue - permeability of recombinant cargo proteins - socs3 — for the clinical application . sda is a soluble tag , a tandem repeat of 2 n - terminal domain ( ntd ) sequences of cp 000113 . 1 , which is a very stable soluble protein present in a spore surface coat of myxococcus xanthus . sdb , a heme - binding part of cytochrome , provides a visual aid for estimating expression level and solubility . bacteria expressing sdb containing fusion proteins appears red when the fused proteins are soluble . histidine - tagged human socs3 proteins were designed ( fig1 ) and constructed by amplifying the socs3 cdna ( 225 amino acids ) from nt 4 to 678 using primers [ table 7 ] for socs3 cargo fused to amtd . the pcr products were subcloned with ndei ( 5 ′) and bamhi ( 3 ′) into pet - 28a (+). coding sequences for sda or sdb were fused to the c terminus of his - tagged amtd - fused socs3 and cloned at between the bamhi ( 5 ′) and sali ( 3 ′) sites in pet - 28a (+) ( fig2 ). 4pcr primers for socs3 and sda and / or sdb fused to socs3 are summarized in tables 7 , 8 and 9 , respectively . the cdna and amino acid sequences of histidine tag are provided in seq id no : 481 and 482 , and cdna and amino acid sequences of amtds are indicated in seq id nos : 483 and 484 , respectively . the cdna and amino acid sequences are displayed in seq id nos : 485 and 486 ( socs3 ); seq id nos : 487 and 488 ( sda ); and seq id nos : 489 and 450 ( sdb ), respectively . the socs3 recombinant proteins were expressed in e . coli bl 21 - codonplus ( de3 ) cells , grown to an od 600 of 0 . 6 and induced for 3 hrs with 0 . 6 mm isopropyl - d - thiogalactopyranoside ( iptg ). the proteins were purified by ni2 + affinity chromatography and dissolved in a physiological buffer such as dmem medium . the histidine - tagged socs3 proteins were expressed , purified , and prepared in soluble form ( fig3 ). the yield of each soluble socs3 recombinant proteins was determined by measuring absorbance ( a450 ). socs3 recombinant proteins containing amtd165 and solubilization domain ( hm 165 s3a and hm 165 s3b ) had little tendency to precipitate whereas recombinant socs3 proteins lacking a solubilization domain ( hs3 and hm 165 s3 ) were largely insoluble . solubility of amtd / sd - fused socs3 proteins was scored on a 5 point scale compared with that of socs3 proteins lacking the solubilization domain ( fig4 ). yields per l of e . coli for each recombinant protein ( mg / l ) ranged from 1 to 47 mg / l ( fig4 ). yields of socs3 proteins containing an amtd and sdb ( hm 165 s3b ) were 50 % higher than his - tagged socs3 protein ( hs3 ). to examine protein uptake , socs3 recombinant proteins were conjugated to 5 / 6 - fluorescein isothiocyanate ( fitc ). raw 264 . 7 ( fig5 ) or nih3t3 cells ( fig6 ) were treated with 10 μm fitc - labeled socs3 recombinant proteins . the cells were washed three times with ice - cold pbs and treated with proteinase k to remove surface - bound proteins , and internalized proteins were measured by flow cytometry ( fig5 ) and visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy ( fig6 ). socs3 proteins containing amtd165 ( hm 165 s3 , hm 165 s3a and hm 165 s3b ) efficiently entered the cells ( fig5 and 6 ) and were localized to various extents in cytoplasm ( fig6 ). in contrast , socs3 protein ( hs3 ) containing lacking amtd did not appear to enter cells . while all socs3 proteins containing amtd165 transduced into the cells , hm 165 s3b displayed more uniform cellular distribution , and protein uptake of hm 165 s3b was also very efficient . 3 - 2 . amtd / sd - fused socs3 recombinant proteins enhance the systemic delivery to a variety of tissues to further investigate in vivo delivery of socs3 recombinant proteins , fitc - labeled socs3 proteins were monitored following intraperitoneal ( ip ) injections in mice . tissue distributions of fluorescence - labeled - socs3 proteins in different organs was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy ( fig7 ). socs3 recombinant proteins fused to amtd165 ( hm 165 s3 , hm 165 s3a and hm 165 s3b ) were distributed to a variety of tissues ( liver , kidney , spleen , lung , heart and , to a lesser extent , brain ). predictably , liver showed highest levels of fluorescent cell - permeable socs3 since intraperitoneal administration favors the delivery of proteins to this organ via the portal circulation . socs3 containing amtd165 was detectable to a lesser degree in lung , spleen and heart . amtd / sdb - fused socs3 recombinant protein ( hm 165 s3b ) showed the highest systemic delivery of socs3 protein to the tissues comparable to the socs3 containing only amtd ( hm 165 s3 ) or amtd / sda ( hm 165 s3a ) proteins . these data suggest that socs3 protein containing both of amtd165 and sdb leads to higher cell -/ tissue - permeability due to the increase in solubility and stability of the protein , and it displayed a dramatic synergic effect on cell -/ tissue - permeability . socs3 recombinant proteins lacking sd ( hs3 and hm 165 s3 ) were less soluble , produced lower yields , and showed tendency to precipitate when they were expressed and purified in e . coli . therefore , we additionally designed ( fig8 ) and constructed socs3 recombinant protein containing only sdb ( without amtd165 : hs3b ) as a negative control . as expected , its solubility and yield increased compared to that of socs3 proteins lacking sdb ( hs3 ; fig9 ). therefore , hs3b proteins were used as a control protein . we next investigated how of amtd165 - mediated intracellular delivery was occurred . the amtd - mediated intracellular delivery of socs3 protein did not require protease - sensitive protein domains displayed on the cell surface ( fig1 b ), microtubule function ( fig1 c ), or atp utilization ( fig1 d ), since amtd165 - dependent uptake [ compare to hs3 ( black ) and hs3b ( blue )] was essentially unaffected by treating cells with proteinase k , taxol , or the atp depleting agent , antimycin . conversely , amtd165 - fused socs3 proteins uptake was blocked by treatment with edta and low temperature ( fig1 a and e ), indicating the importance of membrane integrity and fluidity for amtd - mediated protein transduction . moreover , we also tested whether cells treated with amtd165 - fused socs3 protein could transfer the protein to neighboring cells . for this , cells transduced with fitc - hm 165 s3b ( green ) were mixed with cd14 - labeled cells ( red ), and cell - to - cell protein transfer was assessed by flow cytometry , scoring for cd14 / fitc double - positive cells . efficient cell - to - cell transfer of hm 165 s3b , but not hs3 or hs3b ( fig1 ), suggests that socs3 recombinant proteins containing amtd165 are capable of bidirectional passage across the plasma membrane . 4 - 1 . amtd / sd - fused socs3 protein inhibits the activation of stats induced by inf - γ the ultimate test of cell - penetrating efficiency is a determination of intracellular activity of socs3 proteins transported by amtd . since endogenous socs3 are known to block phosphorylation of stat1 and stat3 by ifn - γ - mediated janus kinases ( jak ) 1 and 2 activation , we demonstrated whether cell - permeable socs3 inhibits the phosphorylation of stats . all socs3 recombinant proteins containing amtd ( hm 165 s3 , hm 165 s3a and hm 165 s3b ), suppressed ifn - γ - induced phosphorylation of stat1 and stat3 ( fig1 ). in contrast , stat phosphorylation was readily detected in cells exposed to hs3 , which lacks the amtd motif required for membrane penetration ( fig1 ), indicating that hs3 , which lacks an mtd sequence and did not enter the cells , has no biological activity . 4 - 2 . amtd / sd - fused socs3 recombinant protein inhibits the secretion of inflammatory cytokines tnf - α and il - 6 we next investigated the effect of cell - permeable socs3 proteins on cytokines secretion . treatment of c3h / hej primary peritoneal macrophages with socs3 proteins containing amtd165 suppressed tnf - α and il - 6 secretion induced by the combination of ifn - γ and lps by 50 - 90 % during subsequent 9 hrs of incubation ( fig1 ). in particular , amtd165 / sdb - fused socs3 recombinant protein showed the greatest inhibitory effect on cytokine secretion . in contrast , cytokine secretion in macrophages treated with non - permeable socs3 protein ( hs3 ) was unchanged , indicating that recombinant socs3 lacking the amtd doesn &# 39 ; t affect intracellular signaling . therefore , we conclude that differences in the biological activities of hm165s3b as compared to hs3b are due to the differences in protein uptake mediated by the amtd sequence . in light of solubility / yield , cell -/ tissue - permeability , and biological effect , socs3 recombinant protein containing amtd and sdb ( hm165s3b ) is a prototype of a new generation of improved cell - permeable socs3 ( icp - socs3 ), and will be selected for further evaluation as a potential anti - tumor agent . 5 - 1 . icp - socs3 enhances the penetration into hepatocellular carcinoma cells and systemic delivery to liver although hepatocellular carcinoma ( hcc ) is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate , there are few drugs for treating this lethal disorder . since constitutive activation of stat3 is found in various types of tumors and socs3 is closely related to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma , we first chose the hepatocellular carcinoma as a primary indication of the icp - socs3 as an anti - cancer agent . to determine the cell - permeability of icp - socs3 in the hepatocellular carcinoma cells , cellular uptake of fitc - labeled socs3 recombinant proteins was quantitatively evaluated by flow cytometry . fitc - hm165s3b recombinant protein ( icp - socs3 ) promoted the transduction into cultured hcc hepg2 cells ( fig1 ). in addition , icp - socs3 proteins enhanced the systemic delivery to liver after intraperitoneal injection ( fig1 ). therefore , these data indicate that icp - socs3 protein could be intracellularly delivered and distributed to the hepatocytes and liver tissue , contributing for beneficial biotherapeutic effects . since the endogenous level of socs3 protein is reduced in hepatocellular carcinoma patient , and socs3 negatively regulates cell growth and motility in cultured hcc cells , we investigated whether icp - socs3 inhibits cell viability through socs3 intracellular replacement in hcc cells . as shown in fig1 , socs3 recombinant proteins containing amtd165 significantly suppressed cancer cell proliferation . hm165s3b ( icp - socs3 ) protein was the most cytotoxic to hep3b2 . 1 - 7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells — over 80 % in 10 μm treatment ( p & lt ; 0 . 01 )— especially compared to vehicle alone ( i . e . exposure of cells to culture media without recombinant proteins ; fig1 , left ). however , neither cell - permeable socs3 protein adversely affected the cell viability of non - cancer cells ( nih3t3 ) even after exposing these cells to equal concentrations ( 10 μm ) of protein over 4 days ( fig1 , right ). these results suggest that the icp - socs3 protein is not overly toxic to normal cells and selectively kills tumor cells , and would have a great ability to inhibit cell survival - associated phenotypes in hepatocellular carcinoma without any severe aberrant effects as a protein - based biotherapeutics . to further determine the effect of icp - socs3 on the tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells , we subsequently investigated whether icp - socs3 regulates apoptosis in hepg2 cells . hm165s3b protein ( icp - socs3 ) was a considerably efficient inducer of apoptosis in hepg2 cells , as assessed either by a fluorescent terminal dutp nick - end labeling ( tunel ) assay ( fig1 ) and annexin v staining ( fig1 ). consistently , no changes in tunel and annexin v staining were observed in hepg2 cells treated with hs3b compared to untreated cell ( vehicle ). in addition , hepg2 cells treated with hm165s3b protein ( icp - socs3 ) dramatically reduced the expression of anti - apoptotic protein such as b - cell lymphoma 2 ( bcl - 2 ) and increased the level of cleaved cysteine - aspartic acid protease ( caspase - 3 ; fig1 ). these results indicate that icp - socs3 induces apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and may suppress the cancer progression by this pathway . we next examined the ability of icp - socs3 to influence cell migration . hepg2 cells were treated with recombinant proteins for 2 hrs , the monolayers were wounded , and cell migration in the wound was monitored after 72 hrs ( fig2 ). hm 165 s3b protein ( icp - socs3 ) suppressed the repopulation of wounded monolayer although socs3 protein lacking amtd165 ( hs3b ) had no effect on the cell migration . consistent with this , hepg2 cells treated with hm 165 s3b recombinant protein ( icp - socs3 ) also showed significant inhibitory effect on their transwell migration compared with untreated cells ( vehicle ) and non - permeable socs3 protein - treated cells ( hs3b ; fig2 ). in addition , hepg2 cells treated with hm 165 s3b recombinant protein ( icp - socs3 ) caused remarkable decrease in invasion compared with the control proteins ( hs3b ; fig2 ). taken together , these data indicate that icp - socs3 contributes to inhibit tumorigenic activities of hepatocellular carcinoma cells . we assessed the anti - tumor activity of icp - socs3 against human cancer xenografts . balb / c nu / nu mice were subcutaneously implanted with tumor block ( 1 mm3 ) of hepatocellular carcinoma cells into the left side of the back . tumor - bearing mice were intravenously administered hm165s3b or control proteins ( hs3b ; 600 μg / head , respectively ) for 21 days and observed for 2 weeks following the termination of the treatment ( fig2 ). hm165s3b protein significantly suppressed the tumor growth ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) during the treatment and the effect persisted for at least 2 weeks after the treatment was terminated ( 80 % inhibition at day 21 ; 70 % at day 35 , respectively ). whereas , the growth of hs3b - treated tumors increased , matching the rates observed in control mice ( vehicle ; fig2 and 23 ). these results suggest that icp - socs3 inhibits the growth of established tumors as well as the tumor growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells . 6 - 2 . icp - socs3 regulates the expression of tumor - associated proteins in human tumor xenograft the anti - tumor activity of hm165s3b at day 35 was accompanied by changes in the expression of biomarkers linked to socs3 signaling , including p21 , bax and vegf ( fig2 ). expression of tumor suppressors ( p21 and bax ) was dramatically enhanced in tumor tissues treated with hm165s3b recombinant protein ( fig2 ), suggesting that icp - socs3 inhibits tumor growth by regulating tumor - specific protein expression in vivo . in addition , the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor ( vegf ), a pro - angiogenic factor , were inhibited in hm165s3b - treated tumors . in contrast , tumor biomarker expression was not affected in mice treated with the hs3b control protein , which lacks amtd sequence . these in vivo results suggest that icp - socs3 targets tumor cells directly and may be developed for use as novel therapy against hepatocellular carcinoma . the following examples are presented to aid practitioners of the invention , to provide experimental support for the invention , and to provide model protocols . in no way are these examples to be understood to limit the invention . h - regions of signal sequences ( hrsp )- derived cpps ( mtm , mts and mtd ) do not have a common sequence , a sequence motif , and / or a common structural homologous feature . in this invention , the aim is to develop improved hydrophobic cpps formatted in the common sequence and structural motif that satisfy newly determined ‘ critical factors ’ to have a ‘ common function ’, to facilitate protein translocation across the membrane with similar mechanism to the analyzed cpps . 6 critical factors have been selected to artificially develop novel hydrophobic cpp , namely advanced macromolecule transduction domain ( amtd ). these 6 critical factors include the followings : amino acid length of the peptides ( ranging from 9 to 13 amino acids ), bending potentials ( dependent with the presence and location of proline in the middle of sequence ( at 5 ′, 6 ′, 7 ′ or 8 ′ amino acid ) and at the end of peptide ( at 12 ′)), instability index ( ii ) for rigidity / flexibility ( ii : 40 - 60 ), grand average of hydropathy ( gravy ) for hydropathy ( gravy : 2 . 1 - 2 . 4 ), and aliphatic index ( ai ) for structural features ( ai : 180 - 220 ). based on these standardized critical factors , new hydrophobic peptide sequences , namely advanced macromolecule transduction domain peptides ( amtds ), in this invention have been developed and selected to be fused with the cargo protein , socs3 , to develop improved cell - permeable socs3 recombinant protein ( icp - socs3 ). histidine - tagged human socs3 proteins were constructed by amplifying the socs3 cdna ( 225 amino acids ) for amtd fused to socs3 cargo . the pcr reactions ( 100 ng genomic dna , 10 μmol each primer , each 0 . 2 mm dntp mixture , lx reaction buffer and 2 . 5 u pfu (+) dna polymerase ( doctor protein , korea )) were digested on the restriction enzyme site between nde i ( 5 ′) and sal i ( 3 ′) involving 35 cycles of denaturing ( 95 ° c . ), annealing ( 62 ° c . ), and extending ( 72 ° c .) for 45 sec each . for the last extension cycle , the pcr reactions remained for 10 min at 72 ° c . the pcr products were subcloned into 6 × his expression vector , pet - 28a (+) ( novagen ). coding sequence for sda or sdb fused to c terminus of his - tagged amtd - socs3 was cloned at bamhi ( 5 ′) and sali ( 3 ′) in pet - 28a (+) from pcr - amplified dna segments and confirmed by dna sequence analysis of the resulting plasmids . the recombinant proteins were purified from e . coli bl21 - codonplus ( de3 ) cells grown to an a600 of 0 . 6 and induced for 3 hrs with 0 . 6 mm iptg . denatured recombinant proteins were purified by ni2 + affinity chromatography as directed by the supplier ( qiagen , hilden , germany ). after purification , they were dialyzed against a refolding buffer ( 0 . 55 m guanidine hcl , 0 . 44 m l - arginine , 50 mm tris - hcl , 150 mm nacl , 1 mm edta , 100 mm ndsb , 2 mm reduced glutathione , and 0 . 2 mm oxidized glutathione ) and changed to a physiological buffer such as dmem medium . for quantitative cell - permeability , recombinant socs3 proteins were conjugated to 5 / 6 - fluorescein isothiocyanate ( fitc ) according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions ( sigma - aldrich , st . louis , mo .). raw 264 . 7 cells were treated with 10 μm fitc - labeled recombinant proteins for 1 hr at 37 ° c ., washed three times with cold pbs , and treated with proteinase k ( 10 μg / ml ) for 20 min at 37 ° c . to remove cell - surface bound proteins . cell - permeability of these recombinant proteins was analyzed by flow cytometry ( guava , millipore , darmstadt , germany ) using the flowjo cytometric analysis software . for visual cell permeability , nih3t3 cells were cultured on coverslips in 24 - well plates and with 10 μm fitc - conjugated recombinant proteins for 1 hr at 37 ° c . these cells on coverslips were washed with pbs , fixed with 4 % formaldehyde for 10 min , and washed three times with pbs at room temperature . coverslips were mounted with vectashield mounting medium ( vector laboratories , burlingame , calif .) with dapi ( 4 ′, 6 - diamidino - 2 - phenylindole ) for nuclear staining . intracellular localization of fluorescent signal was determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy ( lm700 , zeiss , germany ). icr mice ( 6 - week - old , female ) were injected intraperitoneally ( 600 μg / head ) with either fitc only or fitc - conjugated socs3 recombinant proteins . after 2 hrs , the liver , kidney , spleen , lung , heart , and brain were isolated , washed with an o . c . t . compound ( sakura ), and frozen on dry ice . cryosections ( 20 μm ) were analyzed by fluorescence microscopy ( carl zeiss , gottingen , germany ). raw264 . 7 cells were pretreated with different agents to assess the effect of various conditions on protein uptake : ( i ) 5 μg / ml proteinase k for 10 min , ( ii ) 20 μm taxol for 30 min , ( iii ) 10 μm antimycin in the presence or absence of 1 mm atp for 2 hrs , ( iv ) incubation on ice ( or maintained at 37 ° c .) for 60 min , and ( v ) 100 mm edta for 3 hrs . these agents were used at concentrations known to be active in other applications . the cells were then incubated with 10 μm fitc - labeled proteins for 1 hr at 37 ° c ., washed three times with ice - cold phosphate - buffered saline , treated with proteinase k ( 10 μg / ml for 5 min at 37 ° c .) to remove cell - surface bound proteins , and analyzed by flow cytometry . to assess cell - to - cell protein transfer , raw264 . 7 cells containing fitc - conjugated protein were prepared in the same way and mixed with untreated cells labeled with precp - cy5 . 5 - cd14 antibody for 2 hrs . cell - to - cell protein transfer , resulting in fitc - cy5 . 5 double - positive cells , was monitored by flow cytometry . panc - 1 cells ( korean cell line bank , seoul , korea ) were cultured in modified eagle &# 39 ; s medium ( dmem ; welgene , daege , korea ) supplemented with 10 % ( v / v ) fbs , penicillin ( 100 units / ml ), and streptomycin ( 10 μg / ml , gibco brl ) and pretreated with 10 μm of socs3 recombinant proteins for 2 hrs followed by exposing the cells to agonists ( 100 ng / ml ifn - γ ) for 15 min . cells were lysed with ripa lysis buffer ( 50 mm tris ph 8 . 0 , 150 mm nacl , 1 % nonidet p - 40 , 0 . 1 % sds , 0 . 5 % sodium deoxycholate , 10 mm naf , and 2 mm na3vo4 ) containing a protease inhibitor cocktail and then centrifuged at 13 , 000 × g for 15 min at 4 ° c . equal amounts of lysates were resolved by sds - page , transferred onto pvdf membranes , and probed with phospho ( py701 )- specific stat1 ( cell signaling , danvers , mass .). peritoneal macrophages were obtained from c3h / hej mice . peritoneal macrophages were incubated with 10 μm recombinant proteins ( 1 : hs3 , 2 : hm 165 s3 , 3 : hm 165 s3a and 4 : hm 165 s3b , respectively ) for 1 hr at 37 ° c . and then stimulated them with lps ( 500 ng / ml ) and / or ifn - γ ( 100 u / ml ) without removing icp - socs3 proteins for 3 , 6 , or 9 hrs . the culture media were collected , and the extracellular levels of cytokine were measured by a cytometric bead array ( bd biosciences , pharmingen ) according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions . cells originated from human hepatocellular carcinoma cell and mouse fibroblast ( nih3t3 ) were purchased ( atcc , manassas , va .) and maintained as recommended by the supplier . these cells ( 3 × 10 3 / well ) were seeded in 96 well plates . the next day , cells were treated with dmem ( vehicle ) or recombinant socs3 proteins for 96 hrs in the presence of serum ( 2 %). proteins were replaced daily . cell growth and survival were evaluated with the celltiter - glo cell viability assay ( promega , madison , wis .). measurements using a luminometer ( turner designs , sunnyvale , calif .) were conducted following the manufacturer &# 39 ; s protocol . apoptotic cells were analyzed using terminal dutp nick - end labeling ( tunel ) assay with in situ cell death detection kit tmr red ( roche , 4056 basel , switzerland ). cells were treated with either 10 μm socs3 recombinant protein or buffer alone for 16 hrs with 2 % fetal bovine serum . treated cells were washed with cold pbs two times , fixed in 4 % paraformaldehyde ( pfa , junsei , tokyo , japan ) for 1 hr at room temperature , and incubated in 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 for 2 min on the ice . cells were washed with cold pbs twice , and treated tunel reaction mixture for 1 hr at 37 ° c . in dark , washed cold pbs three times and observed by fluorescence microscopy ( nikon , tokyo , japan ). annexin v / 7 - aminoactinomycin d ( 7 - aad ) staining was performed using flow cytometry according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s guidelines . briefly , 1 × 10 6 cells were washed three times with ice - cold pbs . the cells were then resuspended in 100 μl of binding buffer and incubated with 1 μl of 7 - aad and 1 μl of annexin v - pe for 30 min in the dark at 37 ° c . flow cytometric analysis was immediately performed using a guava easycyte ™ 8 instrument ( merck millipore ). cells were treated with either dmem ( vehicle ) or 10 μm socs3 recombinant proteins , lysed in ripa lysis buffer containing proteinase inhibitor cocktail , incubated for 15 min at 4 ° c ., and centrifuged at 13 , 000 rpm for 10 min at 4 ° c . equal amounts of lysates were separated on 15 % sds - page gels and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane . the membranes were blocked using 5 % skim milk or 5 % albumin in tbst and incubated with the following antibodies : anti - bcl - 2 ( santa cruz biotechnology ) and anti - cleaved caspase 3 ( cell signaling technology ), then hrp conjugated anti - mouse or anti - rabbit secondary antibody . cells were seeded into 12 - well plates , grown to 90 % confluence , and incubated with 10 μm hs3 , hm 165 s3 , hm 165 s3a or hm 165 s3b in serum - free medium for 2 hrs prior to changing the growth medium . the cells were washed twice with pbs , and the monolayer at the center of the well was “ wounded ” by scraping with a pipette tip . cells were cultured for an additional 72 hrs and cell migration was observed by phase contrast microscopy . the migration is quantified by counting the number of cells that migrated from the wound edge into the clear area . the lower surface of transwell inserts ( costar ) was coated with gelatin ( 10 μg / ml ), and the membranes were allowed to dry for 1 hr at room temperature . the transwell inserts were assembled into a 24 - well plate , and the lower chamber was filled with growth media containing 10 % fbs and fgf2 ( 10 μg / ml ). cells ( 5 × 10 5 ) were added to each upper chamber , and the plate was incubated at 37 ° c . in a 5 % co2 incubator for 24 hrs . migrated cells were stained with 0 . 6 % hematoxylin and 0 . 5 % eosin and counted . the lower surface of transwell inserts ( costar ) was coated with gelatin ( 10 μg / ml ), the upper surface of transwell inserts was coated with matrigel ( 40 μg per well ; bd biosciences ), and the membranes were allowed to dry for 1 hr at room temperature . the transwell inserts were assembled into a 24 - well plate , and the lower chamber was filled with growth media containing 10 % fbs and fgf2 ( 10 μg / ml ). cells ( 5 × 10 5 ) were added to each upper chamber , and the plate was incubated at 37 ° c . in a 5 % co2 incubator for 24 hrs . migrated cells were stained with 0 . 6 % hematoxylin and 0 . 5 % eosin and counted . female balb / c nu / nu mice were subcutaneously implanted with hep3b2 . 1 - 7 tumor block ( 1 mm 3 ) into the left back side of the mouse . tumor - bearing mice were intravenously administered with icp - socs3 or the control proteins ( 600 μg / head ) for 21 days and observed for 2 weeks following the termination of the treatment . tumor size was monitored by measuring the longest ( length ) and shortest dimensions ( width ) once a day with a dial caliper , and tumor volume was calculated as width 2 × length × 0 . 5 . after protein treatment , mice were killed , and six organs ( brain , heart , lung , liver , kidney , and spleen ) from each were collected and kept in a suitable fixation solution until the next step . tissue samples were fixed in 4 % paraformaldehyde ( duksan ) for 3 days , dehydrated , cleared with xylene and embedded in paraplast . sections ( 6 μm thick ) of tumor were placed onto poly - l - lysine coated slides . to block endogenous peroxidase activity , sections were incubated for 15 min with 3 % h 2 o 2 in methanol . after washing three times with pbs , slides were incubated for 30 min with blocking solution ( 5 % fetal bovine serum in pbs ). rabbit anti - p21 antibody ( sc - 397 , santacruz ), mouse anti - bax antibody ( sc - 7480 , santacruz ) and rabbit anti - vegf ( ab46154 , abcam ) were diluted 1 : 1000 ( to protein concentration 0 . 1 μg / ml ) in blocking solution , applied to sections , and incubated at 4 ° c . for 24 hrs . after washing three times with pbs , sections were incubated with biotinylated mouse and rabbit igg ( vector laboratories ) at a 1 : 1000 dilution for 1 hr at room temperature , then incubated with avidin - biotinylated peroxidase complex using a vectorstain abc kit ( vector laboratories ) for 30 min at room temperature . after the slides are reacted with oxidized 3 , 3 - diaminobenzidine as a chromogen , they were counterstained with harris hematoxylin ( sigma - aldrich ). permanently mounted slides were observed and photographed using a microscope equipped with a digital imaging system ( eclipse ti , nikon , japan ). all data are presented as mean ± s . d . differences between groups were tested for statistical significance using student &# 39 ; s t - test and were considered significant at p & lt ; 0 . 05 or p & lt ; 0 . 01 . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above - described exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers all such modifications provided that they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 2 |
the figures show a sensor 10 constructed and used according to the teachings of the present invention . sensor 10 has a top portion or housing 12 made from invar . the top 12 has a planar area 14 and a slot or elongated air gap 16 formed through the flat planar area 14 . the slot 16 opens into an inner , central chamber 17 in top 12 . an invar sensor head or electrode 18 is rigidly fixed within slot 16 to provide an approximately equal air gap around all sides of the invar sensor head 18 . the sensor head 1b is fixed by screws 20 and 22 to a vycor support or plate 24 . the plate 24 is attached to the top 12 by screws 28 and 30 . the top 12 is rigidly fixed to a bottom plate or base 32 by means of screws 34 , 36 . top 12 has plate mounting seats 26 , located generally at the two opposed ends of the elongated air gap or slot 16 . the seats are adapted to receive the plate 24 and screws 28 and 30 holding the plate 24 to the top 12 . all adjacent materials in the top 12 with the exception of the screws are formed of the same material and all these component parts of the sensor 10 are rigidly affixed together . screws 20 and 22 project downwardly partially into recess 38 and aperture 40 . aperture 40 is a clear hole through the base 32 and may have an insulator 43 placed therein . a conductor 42 may be passed through aperture 40 and insulator 43 and may be secured to screw 22 . it is this conductor that transmits the signals necessary for determination of capacitance measurement . the conductor 42 extends into foundation 44 . the base 32 is provided with an aperture 52 leading to boring 53 . at or near the interior end 54 of boring 53 , the base 32 is provided with apertures 55 , 56 providing for fluid communication with chamber 17 . a vacuum fitting or port 57 is connected to aperture 52 and an air inlet and outlet tube 58 is attached to the port 57 . the sensor electrical connector 59 is shown in fig5 . this connector is used in completing the electrical connections between the sensor 10 and remaining components of the sensor system 70 ( see fig6 ). for control of sensor 10 motion and the vacuum , the sensor 10 is provided with solenoid valve electrical connection 60 . the sensor 10 also includes adjustment means 62 for positioning the sensor 10 relative to the sheet material being assessed . clips 63 are provided for air and electrical support lines and tubes 64 . it should be noted from the above description and fig1 - 4 that there is a fluid communication pathway between the air gap or slot 16 in top 12 around sensor head 18 into chamber 17 and thereby into boring 53 . thus , a vacuum applied or generated in chamber 17 will have the tendency to draw air downwardly toward and about the sensor head 18 through the fluid communication path , thereby creating a downward acting flow of air and force around the sensor head 18 . two of the advantages of the present invention should be noted specifically . first , as disclosed in copending application ser . no . 341 , 493 , the entire sensor device is relatively stable and unaffected by wide variations in temperature . secondly , applicants have constructed a novel sensor 10 having a fluid flow path whereby a vacuum creates a downwardly acting force at the area where the sensor top 12 comes into contact with a plastic film being accessed thus ensuring that the film remains in contact with the sensor head . reversing the air flow through the fluid communication or flow path enables the sensor top 12 to be freed from dust or other debris after the sensor 10 is withdrawn from the plastic film . fig6 depicts a sensing system 70 using the sensor 10 of the present invention and represents a typical on - line installation and use . a film die 65 is producing a continuous film of plastic 66 . the film 66 is transported in the direction away from the die indicated by arrow a . support rollers 67 , including a tensioning roller 68 , are provided to support and guide the film 66 . after passing over the sensing assembly 70 the film 66 continues in the direction of an accumulating roll ( not shown ). the total sensor assembly 70 is made up of the sensor 10 , a sensor transporter 71 and an analysis computer 72 . the sensor 10 is mounted for reciprocal motion across or transverse to the processing path of a film material 66 on parallel rails 74 and 76 . the sensor &# 39 ; s 10 transverse travel beneath the web or film 66 being accessed may be controlled by conventional means such as pneumatic power or mechanical linkages . the sensing assembly 70 depicted is easily movable and may be adapted to be inserted in virtually any on - line application ; the location depicted is for representational purposes only . the sensor 10 is connected to the analysis computer 72 by a computer communication link 78 . the computer 72 and related peripherals include display terminal 80 and input terminal 82 . the analysis computer 72 may be remote from the on - line location . the computer 72 and associated display terminal 80 may provide graphic and digital display of sensor 10 status , thickness value of the assessed film and sensor 10 position beneath the film . the present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or central essential attributes thereof . it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention . | 6 |
the preparation of this novel resin may start with aqueous formaldehyde solution of 35 - 55 % or urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate containing formaldehyde in the range of 50 - 57 % w / w and urea 20 - 25 % w / w . in particular , the process for preparing such a urea - formaldehyde resin comprises the following steps : a mixture of water and urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate or formaldehyde solution is stirred at a temperature of 25 - 30 ° c . and the ph value is adjusted to 5 . 2 - 6 . 5 . urea is then added in sufficient amount to obtain an f / u molar ratio of 2 . 3 - 3 . 5 : 1 . 0 and the mixture is heated up to a temperature of 50 - 85 ° c . herein , the ph is adjusted to 2 . 0 - 5 . 7 and polymerisation is allowed to proceed in two or three steps adding gradually a sufficient amount of urea to bring the f / u mole ratio to 1 . 95 - 1 . 4 . when the desired viscosity or water tolerance is reached , the condensation is terminated by increasing the ph to the slight alkaline range , and then a second amount of urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate may be added . in this case , the mixture is maintained for a certain time at 50 - 85 ° c . and then a final amount of urea is added to attain the desired final f / u mole ratio . the methylolation is allowed to proceed and vacuum distillation may be applied to obtain the desired level of resin solids . the mixture is cooled down to 25 - 35 ° c . and the ph is adjusted to above 8 . 0 if necessary . at this stage the synthesis is complete . in this novel process , the acidification of the resin reaction mixture can be effected by the use of a mineral or organic acid or combination of them , such as sulphuric , hydrochloric , phosphoric , p - toluene - sulphonic , phthalic and formic acid . for the neutralization of the resin solution any suitable inorganic or organic base or combination of them may be used such as sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , calcium hydroxide , triethanolamine or thiethylamine . the production parameters of this novel urea formaldehyde resin favour generation of substantially more methylene groups than ether groups , while using size exclusion chromatography sec ( gpc ) it was found that the molecular weight distribution of this novel resin contains mostly low and high molecular weight molecules unlike the conventional resins that have mostly molecules of the low and medium range . these structural modifications ensure the formation of a well cross - linked network during the curing of the resin and the fabrication of low formaldehyde emitting boards . the respective gpc chromatographs are presented in fig1 . this invention will be further illustrated by reference to the following examples in which all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated , temperatures are degrees celsius and molar ratios are the ratio of formaldehyde mole to urea mole unless expressly indicated otherwise . 1640 parts of urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate is mixed with 380 parts of water . the mixture is stirred and the ph is adjusted to 6 . 0 - 6 . 5 using phosphoric acid . then 315 parts of urea are added and the mixture is further heated up to 85 ° c . the reaction mass is then acidified with phosphoric acid as to obtain a ph of 2 . 0 . the reaction is allowed to proceed until a viscosity of 700 - 800 mpa · s is reached . herein , 266 parts of urea are added . the polymerization goes on until a viscosity of 800 - 1000 mpa · s is obtained and it is then terminated , by shifting the ph to the alkaline using caustic soda . other 856 parts of urea are added as to reach the desired final f : u mole ratio . the resin is then cooled to 30 ° c . and the ph is adjusted to above 8 . 0 , if necessary . according to this procedure , 3 . 5 kg of uf resin have been produced with the following specifications : 1378 parts of urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate is mixed with 447 parts of water . the mixture is stirred and the ph is adjusted to 6 . 0 - 6 . 5 with phosphoric acid . then 265 parts of urea are added and the mixture is further heated up to 85 ° c . the reaction mass is then acidified with phosphoric acid as to obtain a ph of 2 . 0 . the reaction is allowed to proceed until a viscosity of 700 - 800 mpa · s is reached . herein , other 224 parts of urea are added . the polymerization goes on until a viscosity of 800 - 1000 mpa · s . the ph is shifted to slight alkaline using caustic and 590 parts of urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate are added . the mixture is maintained at the reached temperature for 5 minutes . thereinafter , other 1237 parts of urea are added as to reach the desired final f : u mole ratio . the resin is then cooled to 30 ° c . at this stage the synthesis is complete and ph is adjusted to above 8 . 0 , if necessary . according to this procedure , 4 . 2 kg of uf resin have been produced with the following specifications : the reactor is charged with 4029 parts of aqueous formaldehyde solution 37 %. the solution is stirred and the ph is adjusted to 6 . 0 with addition of caustic soda . to this , 1105 parts of urea are added and the mixture is heated up to 85 ° c . then phosphoric acid is added to bring ph to 2 . 0 . the polymerization reaction starts and it is allowed to proceed until cloud point with water at 25 - 35 ° c . is observed . then , other 465 parts of urea are added . the polymerization goes on until cloud point with water at 45 - 55 ° c . is observed . then the ph is raised to alkaline using caustic soda and 1196 parts of urea are added . thereinafter , vacuum 80 % is applied to remove 1372 parts distillate as to obtain the desired solids . the resin is then cooled to 30 ° c . the ph is adjusted to above 8 . 0 if necessary . according to this procedure , 5 . 5 kg of uf resin have been produced with the following specifications : 1496 parts of urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate is mixed with 715 parts of water . the mixture is stirred and the ph is adjusted to 6 . 0 - 6 . 5 with phosphoric acid . then 288 parts of urea are added and the mixture is further heated up to 85 ° c . the reaction mass is then acidified with phosphoric acid as to obtain a ph of 2 . 0 . the reaction is allowed to proceed until a viscosity of 700 mpa · s is reached . herein , other 372 parts of urea are added . the polymerization goes on until a viscosity of 800 mpa · s is obtained . further , 309 parts of urea are added for a f / u mole ratio 1 . 3 : 1 . 0 . the polymerization reaction is allowed to proceed until a viscosity of 800 - 1000 mpa · s is reached . then , the ph is raised to alkaline with caustic and 264 part of urea - formaldehyde pre - condensate are added . the mixture is maintained at the reached temperature for 5 minutes . thereinafter , other 1494 parts of urea are added . the resin is then cooled to 30 ° c . the ph is adjusted to above 8 . 0 if necessary . according to this procedure , 5 kg of uf resin have been produced with the following specifications : particleboards were prepared using binders based on the resin of example 1 and of example 4 and the corresponding conventional resins . in each case the wood chips used had moisture content 3 . 5 % while the liquid resin binder was applied at a rate of 8 grams of resin solids per 100 grams of dry wood chips . a 3 % hardener was added on resin solids to catalyze the curing . laboratory particleboards of dimensions 44 cm × 44 cm × 1 . 8 cm were prepared using a single opening press and having total pressing time 7 . 0 s / mm and 8 . 5 s / mm respectively . after that , the boards were cooled at room temperature and cut in parts of certain dimensions according to the requirements of each test they were subjected to . the mechanical properties of the particleboards produced were measured according to the following european standards : en 317 : “ particleboards and fibreboards — determination of swelling in thickness after immersion in water ”. en 319 : “ particleboards and fibreboards — determination of tensile strength perpendicular to the plane of the board ”. en 322 : wood - based panels — determination of moisture content . the formaldehyde content of the particleboards was determined by an extraction method known as the “ perforator method ” according to the european standard en120 . the results are reported in the following tables : b ) the standard “ gel time ” measured as follows : to 50 grams of resin solution there was added a 2 % hardener based on resin solids . after being thoroughly mixed , a quantity of this catalyzed resin was poured into a 14 mm diameter test tube to a height of about one inch . the test tube was placed in boiling water and its contents were continuously stirred with a wooden stirring rod . a timer was started when the test tube was placed in the boiling water and stopped when the wooden rod could no longer be moved or pulled out because of the hardening of the resin . the recorded time was taken as the standard “ gel time ”. c ) the solids contents were determined by heating a 2 g sample at 120 ° c . for two hours under atmospheric pressure . d ) the viscosity was measured at 25 ° c . using a brookfield rvf viscometer with a no 18 spindle at 50 rpm ) e ) the water tolerance of the resin was measured as follows : 10 ml of the resin was placed in a cylinder of 100 ml and adjusted to 25 ° c . distilled water of the same temperature was added drop wise until water solubility overcomes . the total volume of the added water was recorded . the fraction of the volume of the totally added water to the resin &# 39 ; s volume gives the water tolerance of the resin . f ) buffer capacity : a quantity of resin based on its solids content was poured carefully into a 250 ml beaker and diluted with 120 ml of distilled water and 80 ml dmso . the mixture was titrated with 0 . 1 n h 2 so 4 to a ph of 4 . 0 . the ml of 0 . 1 n h 2 so 4 used to shift the ph to the value of 4 . 0 is equal to the buffer capacity of the resin . g ) cloud point : in a beaker of 250 ml containing water at a certain temperature , one to two drops of the reaction mass are poured . the cloud point ( c . p .) is told to be reached when a milky trace is left behind the drop of the reaction mass . | 2 |
mpeg - 4 and h . 263 , which are widely used as video coding methods , include various types of standardized headers . when data is transmitted in a real time protocol ( rtp ) while undergoing each layer of an internet protocol or a wireless protocol , the mpeg - 4 or h . 263 transmission format is used . accordingly , when one of these video coding methods is used , the header of each layer is added to a payload header . thus , only when the header of each layer and the payload header are safe from bit error can a receiving terminal perform suitable decoding . referring to fig3 a video codec unit 310 encodes data to a bit stream using an application program such as h . 323 . a protocol processing unit 320 transfers the bit stream encoded by the video codec unit 310 to each layer of a communication protocol , and simultaneously adds the header of each layer of the protocol to a payload . a packet processing unit 330 packetizes a bit stream processed by the protocol processing unit 320 and transmits the bit stream packet in a user datagram protocol ( udp ), which is an unacknowledged mode transmission protocol , and transmits only header information in a transmission control protocol ( tcp ), which is an acknowledged mode transmission protocol . in another embodiment , the packet processing unit 330 transmits a payload , with a bit stream processed by the protocol processing unit 320 , in an unacknowledged mode transmission protocol , and transmits only the added header information in an acknowledged mode transmission protocol . [ 0025 ] fig4 is a block diagram of an apparatus for relaying and receiving a video stream , according to the present invention . referring to fig4 a packet extractor 410 transfers to each layer a bit stream packet received in an unacknowledged or acknowledged mode transmission protocol , while separately extracting a payload and the header of each layer from the bit stream packet . an error determination processing unit 412 determines existence or non - existence of an error in the header information extracted by the packet extractor 410 . if it is determined that an error exists in the header information , the error determination processing unit 412 requests re - transmission . on the other hand , if it is determined that there are no errors in the header , a bit stream re - organizing unit 420 re - organizes a video bit stream using the header of each layer extracted by the packet extractor 410 . a video codec unit 430 decodes the bit stream re - organized by the bit stream re - organizing unit 420 . [ 0026 ] fig5 is a view illustrating a method of transmitting a video bit stream in a situation where a wireless network communicates with an internet network . referring to fig5 reference numeral 510 indicates a wireless terminal on a transmitting side including several layers , reference numeral 560 indicates a base station including several layers , reference numeral 570 indicates an inter working function ( iwf ), including several layers , and reference numeral 580 indicates an internet terminal on a receiving side including several layers . first , the wireless terminal 510 includes a video source codec layer 512 , which corresponds to an application layer , at the top , and sequentially includes an rtp layer 514 , an tcp / ip layer 516 , a radio link protocol ( rlp ) layer 522 , a mac layer 524 , a layer 1 ( l 1 ) 526 . here , a multimedia codec other than the video source codec can be used as the application layer . a video stream forms a packet made up of a header and a payload while passing through each layer . the video source codec layer 512 encodes a video source into a video bit stream using a video source coding method such as mpeg - 4 or h . 263 to form a payload header 532 and a video payload 534 as shown in ( a ). here , the payload header 532 and the video payload 534 can be replaced by multimedia data . then , the rtp layer 514 forms a packet by adding a video payload 545 filled with video data , a payload header 544 , and an rtp header 543 , the udp / ip or tcp / ip layer 516 adds an ip header 541 and an udp or tcp header 542 to the formed packet , as shown in ( b ). the rlp layer 522 and the mac , or l 2 , layer 524 add an rlp header 552 and an l 2 header 551 , respectively , to the packet ( b ) as shown in ( c ). next , a video bit stream to which the header of each layer is added is transmitted to the base station 560 including identical layers , through an udp or tcp . the video bit stream ( c ), including headers , can be divided into a portion which is transmitted through the udp , which is an unack transmission protocol , and a portion which is transmitted through the tcp , which is an ack transmission protocol . as described above , the wireless terminal 510 can transmit a video bit stream using the following methods . in a first embodiment of the first method , a video bit stream , to which header information is added , is transmitted in the udp , and the header information is separately transmitted in the tcp . when a bit stream is transmitted only in the udp , if header information included in the bit stream is damaged , it is difficult for a receiving side to process the bit stream . hence , in order to prevent the packet loss , the wireless terminal 510 individually packetizes the header of each layer ; that is , the l 2 header 551 , the rlp header 552 , the ip header 553 , the udp or tcp header 554 , the rtp header 555 and the payload header 556 , which are added to a video bit stream after the video bit stream passes through each layer . at the same time or when re - transmission is requested , the wireless terminal 510 stably transmits the packetized headers in a tcp . here , the data transmitted in the tcp at the request of re - transmission is ip packets or rlp packets . in a second embodiment of the first method , in order to solve delay that may occur in real time environment , a video bit stream to which header information is added is transmitted in an udp , and the header information is separately packetized and transmitted in an udp simultaneously or when re - transmission is requested . in the second method , according to an embodiment , a video bit stream is separated into a payload portion and a header portion , and these portions are separately packetized . the payload portion is transmitted in an udp , and simultaneously , the header portion is separately transmitted in a tcp . in another embodiment , the payload portion is transmitted in an udp , and simultaneously , the header portion is separately transmitted in an udp . in still another embodiment , in order to reduce a transmission time , a bit stream packet , except for a portion from which a bit error is removed by the tcp layer , can be transmitted to an udp layer . in the third method , according to an embodiment , when a bit stream transmitted via the tcp layer is re - transmitted a small number of times , the channel of transmission is determined to be stable to some extent . accordingly , a small bit stream normally transmitted via the udp can be transmitted via the tcp . the base station 560 relays the layers of a wireless protocol , that is , an rlp layer , an l 2 and an l 1 , to the layers of an internet protocol , an udp layer , an ip layer and an l 1 ( or atm ), in order to tunnel a bit stream received from the wireless terminal 510 . at this time , when re - transmission is requested , data transmitted in a tcp is re - transmitted in units of ip packets or rlps . the iwf 570 relays a bit stream , which has passed through the layers of the base station 560 , that is , an udp layer , an ip layer , and a l 1 layer , to an udp or tcp layer , an ip layer , and a l 1 layer , in order to interface with the internet terminal 580 . the internet terminal 580 , which is a final receiving side , decodes a bit stream received from the iwf 570 through a l 1 layer 576 , an ip layer 572 , an udp or tcp layer 566 , an rtp layer 564 , and a video source codec layer 562 . the internet terminal 580 can properly decode a video bit stream which probably has a bit error by using an error resilient tool of video coding and referring to a payload and separately - received header information , when a packet received via the udp layer has a bit error . the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment , and it is apparent that modifications to this particular embodiment may be effected by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention . that is , the present invention can be used when a bit stream is bi - directionally communicated in real time or streamed in a one - way system in a packet network such as an internet . the present invention can also be applied to a case where an audio source codec other than a video source codec , or a source codec having the same function as the audio source codec has an error resilient tool with respect to a payload or a function which conforms to the error resilient tool ; for example , an adaptive multi rate ( amr ) for a mpeg - 4 audio mobile , an amr for a universal mobile telephone network ( umts ), a speech codec , and the like . also , the above - described embodiment of the present invention can be written in a program that can be executed in computers , and can be realized in general - use digital computers which operate the program from a medium which is used in computers . the medium includes a magnetic storage medium ( for example , a rom , a floppy disc , a hard disc , and the like ), an optical read - out medium ( for example , a cd - rom , a dvd and the like ), and a storage medium such as a carrier wave ( for example , transmission via the internet ). according to the present invention as described above , header information or the like is stably transmitted separately from a payload when a wireless network and an internet network are linked , so that it can correct and check for bit error of a packet which has been passed through each layer . also , in contrast with an existing method of transmitting data according to priority , a packet to which the present invention is applied can be processed independently of a video syntax . furthermore , under an application environment where communication is achieved using an udp , a bit stream including a bit error can be appropriately decoded by separately - received header information using an error resilient tool . | 7 |
illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention . while the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications , it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto . those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications , applications , and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility . the present invention advances the art of mounting flat panel displays , such as plasmas and lcd televisions and video monitors , by teaching mounting bracket apparatus that enable adjustment of the mounted position of such displays vertically , horizontally and skew . the apparatus include wall brackets and display brackets . in use , the wall brackets are solidly attached to a wall , or other generally vertical surface , and the display brackets are attached to the back of a flat panel display . the display is supported by the wall when the wall brackets and display brackets are coupled together , typically using a flange and hanging clip or hook combination . a pair of traversing mounts is provided between the wall brackets and display brackets , which enable adjustment of the display position while the flat panel display is supported from the wall . if the traversing mounts are adjusted in synchronous , the display position is vertically adjusted . if the traversing mounts are adjusted in opposite directions , the display skew position is adjusted . infinite combinations of movement and adjustment are thereby realized . the horizontal position of the display is adjusted by moving the hanging clips laterally along the mounting flange . this approach greatly simplifies the “ fine tuning ” adjustments that are frequently required when a flat panel display is installed . the actuators for the traversing mounts extend to a common edge along the periphery of the mounting bracket , thereby providing convenient access after the flat panel display has been installed . adjustments are made using common hand tools , such as wrenches , screwdrivers , and other driving tools . reference is directed to fig1 and fig2 , which are prior art installation drawings for flat panel displays . a flat panel display 2 is mounted within a framed opening 4 . the use of a framed opening and concealment of flat panel displays is presented in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 901 , 987 to graham for furled decorative covering apparatus and method , also the inventor of the present invention . in addition to framed openings , flat panel displays are frequently aligned adjacent to objects that provide a visual queue as to orientation , such as the top of a mantle , wall seam , corner , adjacent wall hanging , and etc . the human eye is very sensitive to spatial misalignment . in fig1 , the display 2 is vertically misaligned , as the upper gap 6 is wider than the lower gap 8 , which is quite noticeable to the casual observer . this misalignment occurs because of the rather coarse initial positioning of the wall bracket ( not shown ). fig2 illustrates the problem of skew misalignment in a display , where the upper - left gap 10 is larger than the upper - right gap 12 , which is also readily apparent to the casual observer . the correction of skewed misalignment requires rotation of the display and mount about a plane lying in parallel to the plane of the wall or other mounting surface . in the prior art , the solution to these kinds of misalignment was to remove the display from the mounting bracket , attempt to remove and re - mount the wall bracket , then re - hang the display . re - mounted is a time consuming and often times frustrating process as the re - mounting process frequently revealed another misalignment of the mounted display . reference is directed to fig3 , fig4 , and fig5 , which are front view , side view , and top view drawing , respectively , of an adjustable mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the mounting bracket includes a wall bracket 20 that is rigidly attached to a wall surface 19 , typically using screws , lag bolts , toggle fasteners , or expansion anchors depending on the type wall construction involved . a first display bracket 22 and a second display bracket 24 , both of which include a traversing mount with actuators 26 , 28 are attached to the back of a flat panel display 2 using screws that fit existing mounting holes in the display 2 . the display brackets 22 , 24 are hung from the wall bracket 20 thereby supporting the display 2 from the wall 19 . after installation , the display bracket actuators 26 , 28 are rotated to actuate the traversing mounts , thereby independently adjusting the vertical position of both display brackets 22 , 24 relative to the wall bracket 20 . this arrangement enables an installer to mount the wall bracket 20 using a rather coarse approach to position and then hang the display 2 . if there is any misalignment noticed , the actuators 26 , 28 can be adjusted from beneath the display 2 using a suitable tool , all without having to remove the display from its hung position , hence the problem in the prior art is overcome . reference is directed to fig6 , fig7 and fig8 , which are front view , side view , and end view drawings , respectively , of the adjustable mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . these figures are a more detailed view of the aforementioned mounting bracket . the wall bracket 20 is shown , which includes an upper horizontal flange 42 and a lower horizontal flange 44 . the first display bracket 22 is supported from the upper horizontal flange 42 by a first traversing mount 30 . the first traversing mount 30 is held is position along a vertical axis of travel by a first threaded rod actuator 38 , which threadably engages the first traversing mount 30 . a first lock mount 34 is slidably positioned along the first threaded rod 38 , and is urged against the lower horizontal flange 44 of the wall mount 20 by first actuator 26 , which will be more fully discussed hereinafter . the second display bracket 24 is supported from the upper horizontal flange 42 by a second traversing mount 32 . the second traversing mount 32 is held in position along a vertical axis of travel by a second threaded rod actuator 40 , which threadably engages the second traversing mount 32 . a second lock mount 36 is slidably positioned along the second threaded rod 40 , and is urged against the lower horizontal flange 44 of the wall mount 20 by second actuator 28 , which will be more fully discussed hereinafter . the first and second lock mounts 34 , 36 are urged against the lower horizontal flange 44 of the wall bracket 20 after the position of the display is adjusted via the threaded rods 38 , 40 and the first and second traversing mounts 30 , 32 . this action binds the traversing mount 30 , 32 and the mount locks against the wall bracket 20 , thereby locking the position of the display brackets 22 , 24 relative to the wall mount 20 . the first and second actuators 26 , 28 include adjustments for the position of both the traversing mounts 30 , 32 and both mount locks 34 , 36 , which will be more fully discussed hereinafter . reference is directed to fig9 , fig1 and fig1 , which are front view , side view and top view drawings , respectively , of the wall bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the wall bracket 20 is formed from flat plate that is bent to form an upper horizontal flange 42 and a lower horizontal flange 44 . a first row of slotted holes 46 and a second row of slotted holes 48 are punched along the upper and lower portions of the plate to facilitate mounting the wall bracket to a wall . the rows of slotted holes enable flexible positioning of the wall bracket to a variety of wall construction environments . larger holes are punched in the central area of the wall bracket to reduce weight through removal of unneeded material . the design of the illustrative embodiment wall bracket achieves low cost through simplicity of design . reference is directed to fig1 , fig1 , and fig1 , which are front view , side section view , and top view drawings , respectively , of the first adjustable display bracket 22 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the second adjustable display bracket 24 is a similar structure , reflected about the vertical axis as compared to the first display bracket . display bracket 22 is formed as a ‘ c ’ channel with a flange extending from one edge , which is punched with plural mounting holes and slots 94 . the plural mounting holes and slots 94 facilitate the attachment of the display bracket 22 to a variety of flat panel display mounting hole patterns , as are known to those skilled in the art . each side of the ‘ c ’ channel shape 23 is punched with an upper pair of slots 68 , 72 and a lower pair of slots 84 , 88 , which acts as guides for the traversing mount 30 and mount lock 34 along their respective vertical axis travel paths . the slots are approximately one and one - half inch long in the illustrative embodiment . locating pins 66 , 70 slidably engage the traversing mount slots 68 , 70 , and similar locating pins 82 , 86 engage the mount lock slots 84 , 88 . this arrangement allows free vertical travel of the traversing mount 32 and the lock mount 34 within the one and one - half inch slot length . it has been empirically determined that one and one - half inches of travel is sufficient flexibility for a typical coarsely positioned wall bracket , to enable precise alignment of the installed display . other degrees of travel can be employed in alternative embodiments , depending on the application of the invention involved . the threaded rod 38 is supported near the central vertical axis of the ‘ c ’ channel 23 using a pair of nuts 60 , 62 that are rotatably joined to the ‘ c ’ channel using a thermoplastic bushing 62 . the nuts 60 , 64 are crimped or otherwise seized to the threaded rod 38 to prevent rotation relative thereto . thusly , the threaded rod 38 is free to rotate while being held in vertical alignment within the channel 23 . the traversing mount 32 has a hole bored through its vertical axis that is threaded to engage the threaded rod 38 . therefore , rotation of the threaded rod 38 causes the traversing mount 32 to travel up and down the threaded rod along the vertical axis of the display bracket 22 . the traversing mount 32 has a hook 74 and recess 76 that are configured to engage the upper horizontal flange of the wall bracket ( not shown ). thusly , the traversing mount 32 hangs from the upper horizontal flange of the wall bracket and supports the flat panel display , while being adjustable along its vertical axis . the mount lock also has a hook 78 and recess 80 , which may engage the lower horizontal flange on the wall mount ( not shown ). in an illustrative embodiment , the traversing mount and mount lock have identical hooks , 74 , 78 and recesses 76 , 80 , such that the entire display bracket can be mounted upside down , thereby enabling adjustment access from an upper peripheral location of the mounting bracket . the mount lock 34 has a hole bored through its vertical axis , however , the hole is oversize as compared to the threaded rod 38 , so that the mount lock 34 is free to slide up and down relative to the threaded rod 38 and the channel 23 . the travel of the mount lock 34 is limited by the locating pins 82 , 86 and the slots 84 , 86 . normally , the mount lock rest by gravity against the lock follower 92 portion at the upper end of the actuator assembly 26 . when the lock bolt 90 at the lower end of the actuator assembly 26 is rotated , the lock follower , which is threadably engaged to the threaded rod 38 , is driven to urge the mount lock 34 against the lower horizontal flange ( not shown ) of the wall bracket ( not shown ). counter rotation of the lock bolt 90 releases the mount lock by lowering it away from the flange . the actuator assembly 26 thereby controls the position of both the traversing mount 32 through rotation of the threaded rod , and the mount lock 34 from a peripheral location , the bottom , of the bracket assembly . the actuator assembly will be more fully discussed hereinafter . reference is directed to fig1 , which is a top view drawing of an adjustable display bracket according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention . the embodiment in fig1 is similar to that in fig1 , except for a few notable distinctions . in fig1 , the ‘ c ’ channel 100 with the mounting flange 102 is shallower . this is possible because the traversing mount 104 with the threaded rod 108 passing there through is also shallower . this is possible because the locating pins 110 , 112 do not pass all the way through the traversing mount 104 . note that in fig1 , the locator pins 66 , 70 pass all the way through so that there must be sufficient depth of the traversing mount 32 to accommodate both the threaded rod bore and the locator pin bores . in fig1 , such clearance is not required so the depth of the traversing mount 104 can be shallower . reference is directed to fig1 , fig1 , fig1 , and fig1 , which are back view , side view , front view , and bottom view drawings , respectively , of a traversing mount and a mount lock according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , the traversing mount and the mount lock are identical , except that the central bore 50 is threaded to engage the threaded rod in the case of a traversing mount , and , the central bore 50 is oversized to slide along the length of the threaded rod in the case of a mount lock . for the remainder of this description , the block will be referred to as the traversing mount . two holes 52 , 54 are formed laterally through the traversing mount to engage the aforementioned locator pins . a recess 56 is formed to engage the flanges on the aforementioned wall bracket , which is guided into position by the hook extension 58 . the surfaces of the block leading to the recess 56 and hook 58 are tapered to guide the hook and recess into the proper location when they are positioned onto the flange . note that the surface of the hook 58 and recess 56 are arcuate . this allows the display bracket to rotate within a plane parallel to the plane of the wall on which the mounting bracket is mounted so that the skew of the display can be corrected . the arcuate surfaces provide smooth and contiguous contact about a few degrees of rotation within that plane . the present invention generally contemplates some degree of flexibility in the connection between the traversing mount and the display bracket or the wall bracket , depending upon the configuration of the structure . this is to allow for the skew adjustment of the installed flat panel display . the skew adjustment occurs when the two traversing mounts are positioned at different points along their vertical travel , and thus requires some degree of flexibility in the connections . reference is directed to fig2 and fig2 , which are a front view detail and a side section view drawing , respectively , of the mount lock 34 and actuator 26 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the display bracket channel 23 guides the mount lock 34 along its vertical axis , which is retained in position by the threaded rod 38 and the locator pins 82 , 86 as they traverse the mount lock slots 84 , 88 . the threaded rod 38 does not threadably engage the mount lock 34 central bore , enabling the mount lock to slide freely . the lower extreme of the threaded rod 38 has a torx socket 118 formed therein for engaging a torx wrench ( not shown ), which is used as the tool to rotate the threaded rod 38 , thereby adjusting the position of the traversing lock , as described herein before . the torx socket 118 is a first portion of the actuator 26 function . the second portion of the actuator function adjusts the position of the mount lock 34 . the second portion of the actuator 26 function is accomplished through use of a lock bolt 90 that slideably engages a lock follower 92 . the lock bolt 90 is retained on the end of the treaded rod 38 using a snap - ring ( not shown ), which engages an annular groove ( not shown ) in the threaded rod 38 . the snap ring allows the lock bolt 90 to rotate relative to the threaded rod 38 , while preventing the lock bolt 90 from moving up or down the vertical axis of the threaded bold 38 . the lock bolt has a hex nut 120 at its lower end , which is used to engage a hex wrench ( not shown ) that us used to rotate the lock bolt 90 during adjustment operations by a user . the lock bolt 90 has a pair of drive tongs 122 that extend upwardly and engage a corresponding pair of driven tongs 124 on the lock follower 92 . note that the lock bolt 90 and drive tongs 122 are free to rotate on the threaded rod 38 without engaging the threads . the inside diameter of the lock follower 92 is threadably engaged to the threaded rod 38 . thusly , when the driven tongs 124 are forced to rotate through engagement with the drive tongs 122 , the lock follower rotates with respect to the threaded rod 38 , urging the lock follower against the mount lock 34 . the vertical movement of the lock follower 92 is isolated from the fixed position of the lock bolt 90 through the slideable engagement of the drive tongs 122 and the driven tongs 124 . with this arrangement , the torx socket 118 and the hex nut 120 provide the points of input for actuating the traversing mount and mount lock , respectively . these are located at a convenient access position about the periphery of the mounting bracket assembly . reference is directed to fig2 , fig2 , and fig2 , which are side view installation drawings of an adjustable mounting bracket according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . fig2 shows a flat panel display 142 positioned in the center of the range of travel of the illustrative embodiment mounting bracket 144 and attached to a vertical wall surface 140 . fig2 shows the same display 142 at the lower limited of the mounting bracket 144 travel . fig2 shows the same display 142 at the upper limit of the mounting bracket 144 travel . the illustrative embodiment mounting bracket 144 differs somewhat from the previous embodiment , however it shares several essential features of the invention . these include a wall bracket portion , a display bracket portion , a pair of traversing mounts , and a mount lock feature . reference is directed to fig2 , which is an exploded diagram of the adjustable mounting bracket according to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention illustrated in fig2 . in fig2 the wall bracket 146 is shown separated from the traversing mount plate 148 and a pair of display brackets 150 , 152 . each of these elements will be more fully described in the subsequent drawing figures and corresponding descriptions . reference is directed to fig2 and fig2 , which are a side view and front view drawing , respectively , of a wall bracket 146 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the wall bracket 146 includes of a wall plate 147 that is essentially a large ‘ c ’ channel form . a first row of slotted holes 180 along the upper edge of the channel 147 and a second row of slotted holes 182 along the lower edge of the channel 147 are provided to enable flexible mounting to a wall or other vertical surface . a pair of traversing mount actuators 154 , 158 , which are threaded rods in the illustrative embodiment , are rotatably supported from the flanges of the ‘ c ’ channel shape . at the upper end of the threaded rods 154 , 158 is a nut and plastic washer 160 , 164 . the nuts 160 , 164 are cinched or otherwise seized to the threaded rods 154 , 158 to prevent rotation with respect thereto . there are a pair center rod supports 166 , 168 , which rotatably supports the respective threaded rods 154 , 158 , thereby providing additional support . the lower end of each threaded rod 154 , 158 , which are rotatably supported by the lower flange of the channel 147 , is a torx head socket used to engage a tool to rotate each of the threaded rods 154 , 158 , thereby enabling actuation of the traversing mounts , discussed hereinafter . the wall bracket 146 further includes a mount lock actuator 156 , which is another threaded rod rotatably supported by the channel 147 . the mount lock actuator 156 is also rotatably supported and retained by a cinched nut and plastic washer 162 at the upper end , in the same fashion as the traversing mount actuators . at the lower end of the mount lock actuator 156 is a torx socket 172 , which engages a tool used to actuate the actuator . thus , is can be seen that all of the actuators 154 , 156 , 158 are accessed from a lower peripheral location on the mounting bracket . the mount lock actuator threaded rod 156 threadably engages a lock bar 184 such that rotation of the actuator 156 causes the lock bar 184 to travel up and down the actuator threaded rod 156 . the lock bar 184 extends across the width of the channel 147 and reaches at least as for as the two traversing mount actuators 154 , 158 . the lock bar has a pair of holes formed therein through which the traversing mount actuators 154 , 158 freely pass . this arrangement retains the lock bar 184 against rotation as the mount lock actuator 156 is actuated , and also insures that the lock bar 184 is urged against the display bracket hooks , thereby locking the display brackets to the wall brackets , which will be more fully discussed hereinafter . a traversing mount plate is an integral part of the wall bracket in the illustrative embodiment . reference is directed to fig2 and fig2 , which are a side view drawing and a front view drawing , respectively , of a traversing mount plate 148 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the traversing mount plate 148 includes a horizontal upper flange 190 that supportably engages the display brackets , discussed hereinafter . the traversing mount plate 148 includes four traversing mount brackets 192 , 194 , 196 , and 198 that are rigidly affixed thereto . the traversing mount brackets flexibly retain four corresponding nuts ( illustrated in the side view of fig2 ) that threadably engage the traversing mount actuator threaded rods 154 , 158 . as such , when the thread rod are rotated , the nuts flexibly retained in the traversing mount brackets 192 , 194 , 196 and 198 are driven up or down the threaded rods 154 , 158 . there are two nuts threaded to each rod , as illustrated . the flexible retention of the nuts in the corresponding brackets 192 , 194 , 196 , and 198 allow for vertical misalignment of the traversing mounts , which corrects for skew misalignment in the mounted flat panel display . the nuts are retain against rotation with respect to the rotating threaded rod , but are flexible in rotation with respect to the vertical plane parallel to the wall on which the mount bracket is mounted . the assembled view of fig3 provides further clarification of the assembled mounting bracket . reference is directed to fig3 , which is a side view of the assembled adjustable mounting bracket 144 according to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the wall plate channel 147 rotatably supports the threaded rod traversing mount actuator 154 and provides actuation access to the torx socket 170 located on the lower periphery of the mount 144 . a pair of the traversing mount brackets 192 , 194 flexibly retain their corresponding nuts , which are flexibly supported within the brackets 192 , 194 . thusly , as the torx socket 170 is actuated , the threaded rod 154 turns and drives the traversing mounts 192 , 194 and mount plate 148 up and down the vertical axis . a pair of display brackets 150 , 152 are hung from and supported by the upper horizontal flange 190 of the mount plate 148 . reference is directed to fig3 and fig3 , which are a side view drawing and front view drawing , respectively , the display brackets 150 , 152 according to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , two independent display brackets 150 , 152 are provided so that they may be independently positioned along the upper horizontal flange 190 of the mount plate 148 . this arrangement allows for adaptation to displays with varying mount hole locations and for adjustment of the horizontal position of the mounted display . the display brackets 150 , 152 include a row of holes and slots 204 that enable connection to various flat panel displays . there is also a pair of mount plate hooks 200 , 202 on each display bracket . the pair of hooks 200 and 202 provide for a coarse adjustment in vertical position . either hook 200 , 202 can be employed to engage the upper horizontal flange 190 on the mount plate 148 . thus , the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application . those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications , applications and embodiments within the scope thereof . it is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications , modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention . | 5 |
for understanding the structure of the present invention , reference should be made to fig1 and 2 , which respectively show a three dimensional assembly view and an exploded view of the expansion joint according to the present invention . the expansion joint comprises a sustaining pedestal 1 which is further formed of two sustaining l shaped members 111 and 112 . the top edge of each sustaining member 111 or 112 is formed into a hinge bracket 114 or 115 with a hinge hole . several expansion shim assemblies 12 each containing a bifurcated tooth like shim 121 hinged to both side sustaining members 111 and 112 are indented one another with those arrayed at opposite member . each expansion shim assembly 12 includes an independent tongue piece 122 hinged to the sustaining member 111 or 112 and is interposed in a gap 121 of the bifurcated expansion shim s and indented each other with opposite one . the contact edges of the respective expansion shims s can be made into an arcuate shape or the like according to actual requirement . a hinge pin 12 a or 12 b is used to connect each hinge bracket 114 or 115 of the sustaining member 111 or 112 with a lug 117 or 118 of the expansion shim assembly 12 such that the expansion shim assemblies 12 are turnably connected to the sustaining members 111 and 112 . the sustaining members 111 and 112 can be reinforced with several reinforcement ribs 113 in case it is considered necessary . a foundation 3 formed of two l shaped side members having a slide surface 33 or 34 at each bottom surface thereof is provided with several fins b with several holes a at both outer sidesurfaces , and a guide rail 31 or 32 is formed along each outer edge of the slide surface 33 or 24 . a stepped bench unit 2 formed of a pair of benches disposed at different elevation is slidably mounted on both side surfaces of the foundation 3 . a water receptacle 4 made of watertight material and having flanges 41 and 42 along both side edges is inlaid the flanges 41 and 42 into the guide rails 31 and 32 of the foundation 3 respectively to collect the water coming from the roadway or bridge surface and twickling the water away therefrom ( see fig2 a ). the sustaining pedestal 1 , the stepped bench unit 2 , and the foundation 3 are engaged with screws m at proper positions thus completing an entire expansion joint assembly . for understanding rapid response of the expansion joint of the present invention to deformation of road way or bridge in vertical direction , reference should be made to fig3 a . when a roadway or bridge surface c is displaced in vertical direction , the deformation of roadway or bridge is maintained within an allowable limit e without collapsing by coorperated function of the independent tongue pieces 122 in the gaps 121 and the expansion shims s with the aid of the expansion shim assemblies 12 turning about the hinge pins 12 a and 12 b . at this time , the water tightness of the water receptacle 4 is free from destruction as it is made of watertight material . for understanding rapid response of the expansion joint of the present invention to deformation of roadway or bridge in horizontal direction , reference should be made to fig3 b . when a roadway or bridge surface is displaced in horizontal direction by an external force exceeding the engaging strength of the screws m , the screws m may possibly be broken by a shearing force produced among the sustaining pedestal 1 , stepped bench unit 2 and the foundation 3 . as a result , sustaining pedestal 1 may slip on the stepped bench unit 2 , or the stepped bench unit 2 may slip on the slide surfaces 33 and 34 . in this version it is helpful for readjusting and repairing the roadway or bridge surface c without affecting its strength . similarly , the water receptacle 4 is able to remain its normal function as it is made of a water tight material . [ 0036 ] fig4 is an illustrative view showing the structure of an expansion shim assembly 12 of the present invention . as shown in fig4 the contact edge of the respective expansion shim can be made into an arcuate shape or the like according to actual requirement . an expansion shim 13 contains a gap 131 and a tongue piece 132 . the lugs 137 and 138 at each end of the expansion shims 13 are turnably conjoined with hinge pins 12 a and 12 b . [ 0037 ] fig5 is an illustractive view showing the stepped bench unit 2 a of the present invention . the tilted angle d between the benches 21 a and 22 a can be determined according to the grade of the roadway or bridge . for understanding how the expansion shim assemblies work in case asymmetrical deformation of roadway or bridge surface occurs , reference shoulb be made to fig6 a to 6 b , as shown in fig6 b , variation in state of expansion shim assemblies is clearly observed where the expansion shims s still rewain the allowable limit . in this version , the deformed expansion joint is repairable and reusable . for understanding how a clearance gage h is used for construction of an expansion joint of the present invention , reference should be made to fig7 and 8 . the clearance gage h is actually a supporting saddle h 1 with two parallely erected plates h 21 and h 22 spacing in predetermined distance at both sides . the through holes a on the fins b of the foundation 3 can be strung together before pre - burying the foundation 3 in the roadway or bridge so as to intensify binding force therebetween . referring to fig2 and 8 , the construction of the expansion joint comprises the steps of : 1 . setting the clearance gage h on the slide surfaces 33 and 34 of the foundation 3 to check the precise distance between the two foundation members , and removing the clearance gage h . 2 . setting the bottom of the stepped bench unit 2 on the slide surfaces 33 and 34 . 3 . setting the sustaining pedestal 1 on the stepped bench unit 2 . 4 . connecting the expansion shim assemblies 12 and the sustaining pedestal 1 with hinge pins 12 a and 12 b and adjusting mutual positional relation . 5 . engaging the sustaining pedestal 1 , the stepped bench unit 2 , and the foundation 3 with tightening screws m . 6 . installing the water receptacle 4 . it emerges from the description of the above example that the invention has several noteworthy advantages , in particular : 1 . the expansion joint of the present invention is simply constructed , easy for installation and maintenance thereby cutting down the necessary cost . 2 . it is applicable to horizontal , verticall and asymmetrical deformation of roadway and bridge , especially effective in prolonging bridge lifetime . 3 . using a specially designed clearance gage to determine the related precise dimensions in construction at site results in getting an accurate and effective structure for an expansion joint . those who are skilled in the art will readily perceive how to modify the invention . therefore , the appended claims are to be construed to conver all equivalent structures which fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention . | 4 |
the present invention provides a volume - filling prosthesis insertable into the stomach for treatment of morbid obesity by taking up space in the stomach to reduce its capacity and by exerting pressure to create a sensation of being full , particularly on the upper fundus . [ 0013 ] fig1 illustrates a central portion of the alimentary canal including the distal segment of the esophagus 10 , the stomach 12 , and the duodenum 14 ( proximate segment of the small intestine ). the esophagus 10 opens into the stomach 12 toward the top of the lesser curvature 16 adjacent to the fundus 18 . the pyloric part 20 of the stomach leads to the duodenum by way of the gastric outlet or pylorus 22 which forms the distal aperture of the stomach and has an enclosing circular layer of muscle which is normally contracted to close the aperture but which relaxes to provide an open but restricted passage . although subject to substantial variation in different individuals , representative dimensions for the stomach are approximately 8 cm long ( fundus to pylorus ) by 5 cm wide ( greatest distance between lesser and greater curvatures ), with the esophageal opening being approximately 2 cm in diameter and the pylorus having a maximum open diameter of about 2 cm . in accordance with the present invention , an oblate , volume - filling prosthesis 24 is held within the stomach , sized for reception in the proximate portion adjacent to the opening of the esophagus and fundus . such prosthesis preferably is a porous body formed of a loose weave of thin polymer filaments 26 , having large spaces between filaments for an open area of at least about 80 %, preferably more than 90 %, so as not to impede the flow of gastric juices or other functioning in the stomach . the filaments 26 have substantial memory characteristics for maintaining the desired oblate shape and size . however , the filaments preferably are sufficiently soft and flexible to avoid abrasion of the mucus coat forming the inner lining of the stomach and to enable normal flexing and shape changes . the size of the prosthesis 24 is substantially greater than the opening of the esophagus , at least about 3 cm in the narrowest dimension , preferably at least about 4 cm . the longer dimension of the oblate prosthesis is greater than 4 cm , preferably at least about 5 cm to prevent the prosthesis from free movement within the stomach . the size and shape of the prosthesis tend to maintain it in the position indicated in fig1 adjacent to the fundus 18 and remote from the pyloric part 20 . thus , while the prosthesis occupies a substantial portion of the volume of the stomach , preferably approximately one - half the volume , the prosthesis does not interfere with normal digestion of food , such as by gastric juices ( hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes ) nor with passage of food through the pyloric part 20 and its opening 22 to the duodenum 14 . with reference to fig2 the prosthesis can be formed from a substantially cylindrical stent 28 having the desired porous weave and large open area . the filaments 26 and weave pattern are selected to achieve memory characteristics biasing the prosthesis to the cylindrical condition shown . in the preferred embodiment , the opposite ends 30 of the stent are reverted , the end portions are rolled inward , and the ends are secured together such as by suturing . alternatively , a disk of the same pattern and material can be used in securing the reverted ends together . the resiliency of the filaments tends to bulge the resulting prosthesis 26 outward to the desired oblate shape . prior to reversion of the ends , stent 28 in the condition shown in fig2 can be approximately 2 - 3 cm in diameter and approximately 8 - 10 cm long , in a representative embodiment . the filaments can have a diameter of about 0 . 010 inch to about 0 . 25 inch . the filaments may be coated or impregnated with other treating agents , such as appetite suppressants , or agents to decrease the likelihood of gastric problems , such as ulcers , due to the presence of a foreign object . however , such problems are unlikely due to the biocompatible nature and the resilient flexibility of the prosthesis . it is preferred that the filaments 26 be formed of a bioabsorbable polymer such as a polyglycolic acid polymer or polylactic acid polymer . similar materials are used for some bioabsorbable sutures having “ forgiving ” memory characteristics and sufficient “ softness ” that tissue abrasion is inhibited . the absorption characteristics of the filaments 26 can be selected to achieve disintegration of the prosthesis 26 within the range of three months to two years , depending on the severity of obesity . in the preferred embodiment , the prosthesis will absorb and pass naturally from the stomach approximately 6 months after deployment . nonbioabsorbable materials may be used , such as nitinol , which exhibit the desired springiness but which would require that the prosthesis be retrieved . an advantage of the preferred , bioabsorbable embodiment of the invention is that delivery can be through the esophagus , with no additional intervention being required . with reference to fig4 preferably from the condition shown in fig3 the prosthesis 26 can be compressed to a generally cylindrical shape having a diameter of no more than about 2 cm such that the compressed prosthesis can be carried in a short ( approximately 5 cm to 6 cm long ) loading tube 32 . the loading tube can be advanced along the esophagus by a central tube 34 of smaller diameter , under the visualization allowed by a conventional endoscope 36 . the tube 34 can enclose a core wire 38 to actuate a pusher mechanism 40 for ejecting the prosthesis 26 when the opening of the esophagus into the stomach has been reached . the endoscope and deployment mechanism can then be retracted . while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described , it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , while it is preferred that the prosthesis be sized for self - retention in the desired position in the stomach , it also may be secured in position by a few sutures applied endoscopically , preferably in or adjacent to the fundus area of the stomach . | 0 |
fig1 shows the basic molded resilient seal configuration of this invention wherein radiused one end support rings 1 are connected to both ends of a resilient moldable material portion 2 , which is formed and connected by bonding to the support rings during the molding process . typical of the resilient material portion 2 are a middle section 2b , which is curved convexly on the outside and inside surfaces , and cylindrical sections 2a formed on both ends of section 2b . the centers and magnitudes of radii forming the outside and inside of section 2b are selected by design calculation to intersect the cylindrical sections 2a outside and inside near the support rings for minimum cross - section compression and ease of installing the seal over a mandrel or into a seal bore . sufficient resilient material and space for material movement is provided without the material being compressed between support rings and seal bore , and possibly cut . high pressure differentials are sealingly retained without high shear and compressive stresses in the resilient material near the support rings . for this purpose , angles b in fig1 should be preferably 5 - 30 degrees and less than 40 degrees resulting in lower over mandrel installation and seal bore entry forces as angles b decrease during installation and insertion in a seal bore . resilient material compressive and shear stresses are minimized , when sealing high differential pressures , by the large radius support rings which also provide greater surface areas for enhanced connecting bonds of resilient material to support rings . angles a , fig1 have been determined to be preferably 30 - 35 degrees , within a workable range of 15 - 75 degrees . fig2 shows the seal of fig1 installed over tool mandrel m and retained in sealing engagement on the tool mandrel smooth turned outside diameter by retaining ring r engaged in groove g . the tool mandrel with seal s has been inserted into and sealingly engages seal bore b , and pressure differential p force has moved the molded resilient material toward the support ring - seal bore and turn clearances c . fig3 shows the molded seal portion 2 of fig1 with support rings of a cross - section which remain connected to the resilient material even though the mold formed connecting bond between support ring and resilient material partially or totally fails . this additional molded connection has been found to increase the longevity and / or the pressure holding capability of seals not having connected support rings . a number of openings 1 are formed in a tongue portion 3 of the support rings 4 . during the molding process , resilient material bonds to the support rings and bonds to itself through the openings , providing the additional mechanical connection . fig4 shows the seal portion 2 of fig1 to which four &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; cross - section concentric support rings 1 and 3 form an inward facing &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; cross - section and are bonded at each end to the resilient material during molding . as differential pressure thrust moves and compresses sealingly engaged resilient seal material , the deformable supports away from high pressure are deformed and spread by the compressed resilient material within to close clearances sealed and increase the pressure holding ability of the seal . fig5 shows the bonded seal material and support rings of fig4 wherein a number of shouldered pins p have been installed from inside through holes or openings 1 in &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; section support rings ( pair of 2 &# 39 ; s ) to keep the pins from falling out . the resilient material is molded around and bonded to the pins to provide a mechanical connection after bond failure . fig6 shows one - piece &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; cross - section end support rings mechanically connected to the molded material by molding around pins 1 bradded in support ring openings 2 . fig7 shows deformable one - piece &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; section support rings 1 bonded to the molded seal portion 2 of fig1 . the support rings of fig7 ( like those of fig4 ) may be deformed by compressive forces induced in the resilient seal material by differential pressure thrust and spread to reduce support ring - seal bore clearances and increase differential pressures held by the seal . if deforming forces become great enough , the deformable support rings may be moved outwardly and inwardly far enough to contact the outside of the seal mandrel and inside of the seal bore and close clearances into which the resilient material may be forced or possibly extruded through , increasing to a maximum pressure holding capabilities of the seal . if deforming force induced stresses exceed the support ring material elastic limit , the support rings will be permanently deformed and not return to their original shape when deforming force is reduced . fig8 shows the seal of fig7 wherein the deformable support rings have been rolled or crimped inwardly to remain connected to the molded resilient material portion after the support ring - resilient material bond has been partially or totally destroyed . | 8 |
fig3 shows a first embodiment of the present invention . the chromatography column consists of a base plate 50 to which the bottom edge of the tube 52 is attached . one can form a flange ( not shown ) on the bottom edge of the tube , if desired , either as a part of the tube or separately . unlike in the prior art , as the tube does not bear any longitudinal load , the flange does not need to have significant structural strength , thus one can easily make a flange on an acrylic or glass column . alternatives to the flange can be used to secure the bottom of the tube to the base plate 50 . the base plate 50 has diameter greater than that of the tube 52 . arranged around the base plate 50 , external to the tube 52 are two or more stanchions 54 . the stanchions are structurally strong and typically formed of engineered materials that provide such strength such as metals , including stainless steel and aluminum , composites such as graphite or carbon composites and engineered plastics or composite plastics . the stanchions 54 have a height equal to or greater than that of the tube 52 . preferably , they have a height that is greater than the tube 52 . a yoke 56 is connected to the two or more stanchions and it spans the width and centerline of the tube 50 . the yoke 56 is retained to the stanchions 54 by means such as slot 58 ( as shown ), a ring or other device that can affirmatively hold the yoke in place . a central adjuster 60 is formed in the yoke 56 over the centerline of the tube 52 . the adjuster 60 , as shown , uses a screw - threaded rod 62 connected to the top surface 64 of the movable end 66 . this central adjuster 60 is used to change the height of the movable end 66 within the tube 52 . the yoke 56 may be permanently attached to the two or more stanchions 54 or if one wishes , it may be removably connected to the stanchions 54 by bolts , clevis pins , cotter pins , clamps and the like . in one preferred embodiment , the yoke 56 is attached to one stanchion 54 by a bolt and the other stanchion by a clevis pin so that when the end 66 is withdrawn from the column by retracting the central adjuster 60 to its uppermost position , the yoke 56 can be pivoted vertically about the stanchion 54 containing the bolt and moved up and out of the way of the tube 50 so as to allow easy access to the column interior . fig4 shows that embodiment in the retracted / pivoted position . alternatively , one can form hooks , eyelets or openings ( not shown ) in or on the yoke 56 such that one may use a crane , come along winch or other such whincing device to vertically lift the yoke 56 , central adjuster 60 and end 66 off of the system in order to provide access to the column interior . in another embodiment , the yoke 56 can also rotate in a horizontal circular motion away from the mouth of the column . in a further embodiment , the yoke 56 can be detachable from all but one stanchion 54 . that stanchion 54 is of a height that the end 66 is out of the tube 52 when the central adjuster 60 is fully retracted . the yoke 56 does not pivot vertically . the stanchion 54 however is capable of horizontal , circular motion away from the tube . if desired , one may form a stop ( not shown ) on the yoke 56 or stanchion 54 about which it rotates vertically so as to limit the yoke &# 39 ; s 56 range of motion so that it does not pivot to a position where the yoke 56 or end 66 can be damaged . in a further embodiment , the yoke 56 remains fixed to the one or more stanchions 54 . the stanchions 54 have a height that is greater than the height of the tube 52 so that the end may be fully removed from the tube 52 and provide adequate space for one to enter the tube . the central adjuster 60 may be manually , pneumatically , electrically or hydraulically adjustable between positions or a combination of actuation methods maybe used . non - manual actuation maybe preferable when additional force , speed or convenience is required . as the tube wall of the column does not bear any of the longitudinal forces , the materials selected for the tube do not have to be structurally supportive . glass and various plastics can be used . suitable plastics are preferably translucent to allow for the viewing of the interior of the column tube . such plastics include but are not limited to acrylics , styrene , polycarbonate and tpx ® polymethylpentene ® resin . if desired , metals , such as stainless steel , and other materials typically used in chromatography columns may also be used . the tube may range in diameter from about 70 mm inner diameter to about 450 mm inner diameter . its height may also vary from about 500 mm to about 1200 mm . the base plate may be formed of a metal such as stainless steel , aluminum and the like , a structurally rigid plastic such as tpx plastic or a composite material such as graphite or carbon composite materials . the diameter of the base plate should be large enough so as to accommodate the column and the stanchions . preferably , it is circular in shape , to mirror the column , but it need not be so limited . it may be a polygonal shape such as a square , rectangle , pentagon , hexagon , decagon and the like . alternatively , it may be irregular , providing sufficient area for the column and then having two or more ears extending from it on which the stanchions are mounted . the stanchions may be formed of any material that provides the necessary strength required . metals , such as stainless steel , epoxy - coated steel and aluminum are preferred , while engineered plastics such as tpx ® plastic or graphite or carbon composites may be used . depending upon the load to be supported by the stanchions , they may be solid or hollow . they may also be formed as one piece or if desired several pieces , which are connected together by means such as bolts , clevis pins , mating screw threads and the like . the multiple piece stanchions would allow one to vary the height of the stanchions in relation to the column and would allow one to have a modular column in which different tubes of different heights and / or diameters could be used with a single base and stanchions that are capable of being varied in height . the stanchions are secured to the base by a variety of means such as welding , bolts , and the like . fig5 shows preferred chromatography system according to the present invention in cross - sectional view , as it would be used in a lab or on a production floor . the system 100 is comprised of a base 102 that is supported on three or more legs 104 . each leg 104 has a caster wheel 106 on its lower end . the caster wheel 106 may have a lockable brake ( not shown ) if desired . the base 102 contains a closable opening 108 , which forms either an inlet or outlet of the column . in another embodiment , the inlet or outlet on either the central adjuster or base is a more complex valve as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 123 , 849 . the column tube 110 is mounted on top of the base 102 and secured to it by a series of two or more bolts 112 . surrounding the tube 100 are two or more stanchions 114 . the two or more stanchions 114 are spaced apart from the tube 110 and have a height greater than that of the tube 110 . if two stanchions 114 are used , they are diametrically opposite each other . if more than two are used , they are equally spaced about the tube 110 . in that embodiment , the yoke 116 will also be formed of several equal arms running from a stanchion 114 to the central adjuster 118 . in embodiment of fig5 , two stanchions 114 being used , the yoke 116 is a straight single piece , formed of two arms in alignment with each other end meeting at the central adjuster 118 . as shown , the central adjuster has a threaded rod 120 that mates with fixed threads of the adjuster 118 . a preferred mechanism is a threaded thrust ring 119 although other means may be used . a rotatable handle 122 is used to move the rod 120 via rotation of its threads against those fixed threads of the adjuster 118 . the lower end of the rod 118 is attached to the movable end plate 124 via a series of equally spaced arms 126 that distribute the force equally around the top of the end plate 124 . alternatively , one could eliminate those arms 126 if they were deemed unnecessary or if other alignment mechanisms were used instead . the yoke 116 is fixed at each end to the respective stanchions 114 by a locking device 127 such as a nut and bolt , a clevis pin , a spring loaded ball and detent system and the like . as stated above , the yoke 116 may instead be permanently fixed to the stanchions 114 , such as by forming the stanchions and yoke of a single piece of material or by welding or adhering the components together . it is preferred however that the yoke 116 be capable of being removed from the stanchions 114 for versatility sake . a cap 128 may be used over the top of the stanchions 114 after the yoke 114 is in place . also as shown in fig5 , the yoke 116 has an upwardly tapered profile in cross - section . this is desired but not necessary . the use of a tapered yoke 116 provides additional strength with little material or cost . alternatively , one could use a linear yoke 116 and make its thickness greater in order to achieve the same result . if desired , the yoke can be forged , machined from a single piece , molded to be a structural beam of regular or irregular shape , formed of a lamination of materials or formed of a series of thinner layers bolted or welded together . a structural beam or laminated beam would be lighter in weight and lower cost and provide all the force transferring properties necessary for the invention . the top lip of the tube 110 has an optional end plate guide 130 that is used to direct and align the end plate 124 as it moves into and out of the tube 110 . the end plate 124 is typical of that used in a chromatography column and contains a backer plate 132 and a distributor plate 134 and an upper frit or distributor screen 136 . the stanchions 114 are attached to the base 102 and into a threaded recess in the bottom portions of the stanchions 114 . a device as shown in fig5 is operated in the following manner . to load the column , the central adjuster 118 is retracted so that the end plate 124 is out of the tube 110 . if desired , the yoke 116 has either been pivoted out of the way or it may be removed altogether as explained above . the media is placed within the column . if the yoke 116 had been pivoted or removed , it is reattached to the stanchions 114 . the end plate 124 is then driven down into the tube 110 past the guide ring 130 by the central adjuster 118 . the end plate is adjusted to the desired height , given the type and amount of media used and the desired pressures to be applied . the chromatography process is run , the captured material eluted and the system is flushed . to open the column , for example to remove the media , the end plate 124 is retracted from the tube 114 and either left hanging from the yoke 116 above the tube or the yoke is either then pivoted away or removed altogether . the media is then removed either through the top opening of the tube or if desired , through the fixed plate which is arranged with the base plate so as to be removable without the need to disassemble the entire column . this embodiment allows one to simply push the spent media out of the bottom into a catch basin . the various alternative embodiments presented by the present device are nearly endless . the present invention allows one to use a common base for different sized columns . for example , one could select a series of base plates of varying diameters that allows one to use column tubes of different sizes with basically the same device . for example , the same base plate , yoke and top plate can be used with 70 mm , 100 mm and 140 mm tubes . the stanchions if of sufficient height would not need to be changed . if additional height is required , one can use the multiple piece stanchions discussed above . alternatively , one can form a single base plate and have an open in its center into which the end plate fits . various extensions or fixed end plate widths can be formed and used with the same base plate to enable one to use columns of different diameters and heights . likewise , as discussed above , stanchions of different heights can be created by using multiple piece stanchions , allowing one to use tubes of different heights with the same equipment . also the present invention allows one an easy means for removing or repairing one component of the column without the difficult and time consuming task of disassembling the entire column as was required in the prior art . as can be appreciated , the present invention provides a chromatography column with several advantages over the prior art . through the use of the stanchions and yoke , one eliminates the imposition of longitudinal forces on the column itself . this allows for one to use lighter , less rigid materials for the column tube . it also eliminates the need for many rods attached to the outside of the column , thus making viewing access possible and eliminating the time consuming task of aligning the rods during assembly and removing them during disassembly . additionally , by providing a yoke capable of being vertically pivoted and / or horizontally rotated or being capable of removal altogether , one obtains a simple means for retaining the end plate in a position where it is unlikely to be damaged or contaminated during maintenance or repairs . the system allows for a modular system where columns of different heights or diameters can be used with the same basic equipment . the system of the present invention allows one to remove or repair of the top plate , tube or bottom plate of the column without complete disassembly of the column . | 6 |
hereinafter , the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the attached drawings . in the present embodiment , as shown in fig1 , it is assumed that lots of network - connected cameras are disposed in a place such as a stadium or the like , a user determines desired pov ( point of view ) position and direction , the user causes a client computer to transmit information representing the desired pov position and direction a server computer , the server computer generates based on the transmitted information a still image viewed from the desired pov position and direction by performing predetermined interactions with the disposed cameras , and the server computer returns the generated still image to the client computer . in fig1 numeral 101 denotes a server computer , numeral 102 denotes a digital camera having a communication function , numeral 103 denotes a client computer , numeral 104 denotes a lan for connecting lots of the cameras to the server computer 101 , and numeral 105 denotes the internet . fig2 is a block diagram showing the server computer 101 according to the present embodiment . in fig2 , numeral 201 denotes an image reconstruction unit which constitutes an image of the set pov position and direction , and numeral 202 denotes a pov position / direction reception unit which receives pov position / direction information ( i . e ., the information representing the pov position and direction desired by the user ) from the client computer 103 through the internet 105 . numeral 203 denotes a pov position / direction transmission unit which transmits the pov position / direction information received by the pov position / direction reception unit 202 simultaneously to lots of digital cameras including the digital camera 102 through the lan 104 , and numeral 204 denotes a pixel information reception unit which receives pixel information of various pixel positions from lots of the digital cameras including the digital camera 102 through the lan 104 . numeral 205 denotes a reconstructed image transmission unit which transmits the image information reconstructed by the image reconstruction unit 201 to the client computer 103 through the internet 105 . fig3 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the server computer 101 according to the present embodiment . in fig3 , numeral 301 denotes a cpu which operates according to a program for achieving a later - described procedure , and numeral 302 denotes a ram which provides a storage area necessary for the operation based on the program . numeral 303 denotes a rom which stores the program for achieving the later - described procedure , numeral 304 denotes a communication device which is connected to the lan 104 and the internet 105 and performs communication to the client computer 103 , and digital camera 102 and the like , and numeral 305 denotes a bus through which necessary data are transmitted . fig4 is a block diagram showing the digital camera 102 according to the present embodiment . in fig4 , numeral 401 denotes an image pickup unit , and numeral 402 denotes an image holding unit which holds and stores image data obtained by photographing an image . numeral 403 denotes an effective pixel obtaining unit which extracts the pixel information effective for the server computer to reconstruct the image of the set pov position and direction from the image information transferred from the image pickup unit 401 . numeral 404 denotes an effective pixel holding judgment unit which judges whether or not the image information transferred from the image pickup unit 401 include the pixel information effective for the server computer to reconstruct the image of the set pov position and direction . numeral 405 denotes a camera position direction holding unit which holds information concerning the position and direction of the digital camera 102 itself , and numeral 406 denotes an effective pixel information transmission unit which transmits the pixel information obtained by the effective pixel obtaining unit 403 to the server computer 101 through the lan 104 . numeral 407 denotes a pov position / direction reception unit which receives the set pov position / direction information from the server computer 101 through the lan 104 . fig5 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the digital camera 102 according to the present embodiment . in fig5 , numeral 501 denotes a cpu which operates according to a program for achieving a later - described procedure , and numeral 502 denotes a ram which provides a storage area necessary for the operation based on the program . moreover , the image holding unit 402 holds and stores the obtained image data on the ram 502 . numeral 503 denotes a rom which stores the program for achieving the later - described procedure , and numeral 504 denotes a communication device which is connected to the lan 104 and performs communication to the server computer 101 . numeral 505 denotes a ccd which obtains an external image , and numeral 506 denotes a bus through which necessary data are transmitted . fig6 is a block diagram showing the client computer 103 according to the present embodiment . in fig6 , numeral 601 denotes a pov position / direction input unit through which the user inputs desired pov position and direction , and numeral 602 denotes a pov position / direction transmission unit which transmits the input pov position / direction information to the server computer 101 through the internet 105 . numeral 603 denotes a reconstructed image reception unit which receives the image information reconstructed by the server computer 101 through the internet 105 , and numeral 604 denotes a display unit which causes a display to display an image based on the image information received by the reconstructed image reception unit 603 . fig7 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the client computer 103 according to the present embodiment . in fig7 , numeral 701 denotes a cpu which operates according to a program , and numeral 702 denotes a ram which provides a storage area necessary for the operation based on the program . numeral 703 denotes a rom which stores the program , and numeral 704 denotes a communication device which is connected to the internet 105 and performs communication to the server computer 101 . numeral 705 denotes a display which displays the reconstructed image , and numeral 706 denotes a bus through which necessary data are transmitted . hereinafter , an operation of the server computer 101 and an operation of the digital camera 102 according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to a flow chart shown in fig8 . first , the server computer 101 obtains the pov position / direction information of the image intended to be generated , from the client computer 103 ( step s 801 ). here , the pov position is the three - dimensional position ( x , y , z ) of the pov , and the pov direction is the direction ( θ , φ ) from the pov . besides , the pov position and direction is a set of the pov position and the pov direction which is desired by the user and designated by the user on the client computer 103 . then , the server computer 101 transmits the pov position / direction information ( x , y , z , θ , φ ) to lots of the cameras including the digital camera 102 ( step s 802 ). when the pov position / direction information ( x , y , z , θ , φ ) transmitted from the server computer 101 is received by the pov position / direction reception unit 407 of the digital camera 102 ( step s 808 ), the effective pixel holding judgment unit 404 judges whether or not the pixel information effective to reconstruct the image of the pov position and direction is included in the image photographed by the digital camera 102 itself ( step s 809 ). incidentally , pov position / direction information ( x 1 , y 1 , z 1 , θ 1 , φ 1 ) of the digital camera 102 has been previously stored in the effective pixel holding judgment unit 404 of the digital camera 102 . therefore , the effective pixel holding judgment unit 404 performs the above judgment based on the principle explained with reference to fig1 , by using the pov position / direction information ( x 1 , y 1 , z 1 , θ 1 , φ 1 ) of the digital camera 102 and the pov position / direction information ( x , y , z , θ , φ ) of the image received by the pov position / direction reception unit 407 . that is , if the line extending between the pov position ( x , y , z ) and the pov position ( x 1 , y 1 , z 1 ) is included in both the angle of view of the virtual camera ( x ) indicated by the set pov position and direction and the angle of view of the digital camera 102 itself , it is judged that the pixel information effective to reconstruct the image of the pov position and direction is included in the image photographed by the digital camera 102 itself . meanwhile , if it is judged that the pixel information effective to reconstruct the image of the pov position and direction is not included in the image photographed by the digital camera 102 itself , the flow returns to the step s 808 . then , if it is judged that the pixel information effective to reconstruct the image of the pov position and direction is included in the image photographed by the digital camera 102 , the effective pixel obtaining unit 403 extracts the pixel information effective for the server computer to reconstruct the image of the set pov position and direction ( simply called effective pixel information or color information ) from the image holding unit 402 in which the image data obtained by the image pickup unit 401 has been stored ( step s 810 ), and then the effective pixel information transmission unit 406 transmits the obtained effective pixel information to the server computer 101 through the lan 104 . in the present embodiment , it is unnecessary to transmit the entire image photographed by the digital camera 102 but it is necessary to transmit only the necessary pixel information , whereby a communication amount can be reduced . when the pixel information from the digital camera 102 ( i . e ., lots of the cameras including the digital camera 102 ) is received by the pixel information reception unit 204 ( step s 803 ), the server computer 101 reflects the received pixel information on the corresponding pixel on the reconstructed image by using the image reconstruction unit 201 ( step s 804 ). for example , in fig1 , when pixel information b 2 is received from the camera ( b ), the received information is copied to a pixel x 2 . after then , an image reconstruction end condition is judged ( step s 805 ). thus , if the end condition is satisfied , a post - process is performed ( step s 806 ), and the reconstructed image ( data ) is transmitted to the client computer 103 through the internet 105 . here , the end condition is judged by judging whether or not the pixel information sufficient to reconstruct the image has been accumulated from lots of the cameras including the digital camera 102 , and more simply , by judging whether or not the image information for all pixel positions can be obtained . alternatively , even if the image information for all the pixel positions cannot be obtained , the end condition is satisfied when it is judged to be able to infer the image information for all the pixel positions by some kind or another interpolation process . here , when it is premised that the interpolation process is performed , it is performed in the post - process of the step s 806 . after then , the reconstructed image ( data ) is transmitted from the reconstructed image transmission unit 205 to the client computer 103 through the internet 105 . in the first embodiment , the still image viewed from the pov position and direction desired by the user is reconstructed and transmitted to the client computer . on the other hand , in the present embodiment , a method of reconstructing a moving image ( or an animation ) viewed from the pov position and direction desired by the user will be explained . in the present embodiment , a video camera capable of shooting a moving image is used as the digital camera 102 , and the data of the shot moving image is recorded as a gathering of the still images at an arbitrary time t . then , in a step s 811 of the flow chart shown in fig8 , information ( x , y , r , g , b , t ) which includes pixel position information ( x , y ), color information ( r , g , b ) and shooting time information ( t ) as the effective pixel information at the arbitrary time t is transmitted from the digital camera 102 to the server computer 101 . this operation is performed with respect to each of the continuously changed arbitrary times t . then , in the step s 804 , the server computer 101 gathers , from among the received effective pixel information ( x , y , r , g , b , t ), the effective pixel information of which the time information ( t ) is the same as one image , thereby reconstructing the still image at the time t . meanwhile , if the end condition is satisfied , the process ends in the video camera ( digital camera ) 102 ( step s 812 ). in any case , when the gathered pixel information having the time information ( t ) satisfies the image reconstruction end condition in the step s 805 , the necessary post - process such as the interpolation process is performed by the server computer 101 ( step s 806 ). then , the reconstructed and obtained image information is transmitted as the image at the time t to the client computer 103 ( step s 807 ). this operation is performed with respect to each of the continuously changed arbitrary times , whereby resultingly the moving image viewed from the set pov position and direction can be reconstructed and generated . in the above first and second embodiments , the image reconstruction from the desired pov position and direction is requested from one client computer , i . e ., one user . meanwhile , in the present embodiment , it is possible for plural users to request the image reconstruction from the desired pov position and direction . that is , in a case where the pov position / direction information set from a user a ( not shown ) is transmitted from the server computer 101 to the digital camera 102 , the server computer 101 adds a user identifier a to the pov position / direction information ( x , y , z , θ , φ ). thus , the obtained pov position / direction information ( x , y , z , θ , φ , a ) is transmitted to the digital camera 102 . when the pov position / direction information ( x , y , z , θ , φ , a ) is received , the digital camera 102 adds the user identifier a to the effective pixel information to be transmitted , and then sends back the obtained information to the server computer 101 . subsequently , the server computer 101 gathers the effective pixel information including the same user identifier a , generates the image based on the gathered effective pixel information , and then transmits the reconstructed image to the client computer of the user a . therefore , in the case where there are the plural users requesting the image reconstruction from the desired pov position and direction , it is possible to transmit the reconstructed image to these users . in the above embodiments , the server computer broadcasts the set pov position and direction to lots of the digital cameras , each camera judges in response to the sent information whether or not the camera itself includes the effective pixel , and then the cameras which judged to include the effective pixel send back the effective pixel information to the server computer 101 . on the other hand , in the present embodiment , the camera including the effective pixel is previously discriminated and selected by the server computer 101 . fig1 is a block diagram showing the server computer 101 according to the fourth embodiment . in fig1 , numeral 1101 denotes an image reconstruction unit which constitutes an image of the set pov position and direction , and numeral 1102 denotes a pov position / direction reception unit which receives user &# 39 ; s desired pov position / direction information from the client computer 103 through the internet 105 . numeral 1103 denotes an effective camera selection unit which discriminates and selects , from among lots of the cameras , the camera including the pixel effective for the set pov position and direction ( this camera is also called an effective camera ), and numeral 1104 denotes a camera position / direction holding unit which holds or stores information concerning the positions and directions of the respective cameras . numeral 1105 denotes a necessary pixel position information transmission unit which transmits position information concerning the effective pixel for the set pov position and direction to each camera selected by the effective camera selection unit 1103 . numeral 1106 denotes a pixel information reception unit which receives pixel information of various pixel positions from lots of the digital cameras including the digital camera 102 through the lan 104 , and numeral 1107 denotes a reconstructed image transmission unit which transmits the image information reconstructed by the image reconstruction unit 1101 to the client computer 103 through the internet 105 . fig1 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the digital camera 102 being one of lots of the cameras according to the present embodiment . in fig1 , numeral 1201 denotes an image pickup unit , and numeral 1202 denotes an image holding unit which holds and stores image data obtained by photographing an image . numeral 1203 denotes an effective pixel obtaining unit which extracts pixel information corresponding to necessary pixel position information transmitted from the server computer 101 , and numeral 1204 denotes an effective pixel information transmission unit which transmits the pixel information obtained by the effective pixel obtaining unit 1203 to the server computer 101 through the lan 104 . numeral 1205 denotes a necessary pixel position information reception unit which receives and obtains the set necessary pixel position information from the server computer 101 through the lan 104 . here , it should be noted that the hardware structure and its operation of the client computer 103 are the same as those in the first embodiment , whereby the explanation thereof will be omitted . hereinafter , an operation of the server computer 101 and an operation of the digital camera 102 according to the present embodiment will be explained with reference to a flow chart shown in fig1 . first , the server computer 101 obtains the pov position / direction information of the image intended to be reconstructed , from the client computer 103 ( step s 1301 ). in the server computer 101 , the camera position / direction holding unit 1104 holds or stores the information concerning the respective positions and directions of lots of the cameras including the digital camera 102 . then , based on the held information and the set pov position / direction information of the image intended to be reconstructed , the server computer 101 judges according to the principle explained with reference to fig1 whether or not each camera includes the pixel information ( i . e ., effective pixel information ) effective for reconstructing the image viewed from the corresponding pov position and direction ( step s 1302 ). subsequently , the server computer 101 calculates position information concerning the effective pixel included in each camera which has been judged to include the effective pixel information , similarly according to the principle explained with reference to fig1 . for example , in fig1 , it is calculated that the pixel b 2 is the effective pixel with respect to the camera ( b ) and the pixel cl is the effective pixel with respect to the camera ( c ). after then , the position information ( x , y ) of the calculated effective pixel is transmitted as the necessary pixel position information from the server computer 101 to the corresponding camera ( step s 1303 ). when it is judged to include the effective pixel , the digital camera 102 comes to obtain the necessary pixel position information ( x , y ) from the server computer 101 ( step s 1309 ). thus , the digital camera 102 performs image photographing , and thus obtains the pixel information corresponding to the necessary pixel position information ( x , y ) ( step s 1310 ). then , the obtained pixel information is transmitted from the digital camera 102 to the server computer 101 ( step s 1311 ). as the result , it is unnecessary to transmit the entire image photographed by the digital camera 102 but it is necessary to transmit only the necessary pixel information , whereby a communication amount can be reduced . incidentally , if the end condition is satisfied , the process ends in the digital camera 102 ( step s 1312 ). when the pixel information sent back from the digital camera 102 ( i . e ., lots of the cameras including the digital camera 102 ) is received ( step s 1304 ), the server computer 101 respectively performs the processes in steps s 1304 , s 1305 , s 1306 , s 1307 and s 1308 which are respectively the same as those in the steps s 803 , s 804 , s 805 , s 806 and s 807 of fig8 , thereby reconstructing the image viewed from the set pov position and direction . in the above fourth embodiment , the still video viewed from the user &# 39 ; s desired pov position and direction information based on the corresponding pov position / direction information is reconstructed . besides , it is needless to say that also a moving image can be reconstructed and generated by applying the method as shown in the second embodiment to the third embodiment . in the above fourth and fifth embodiments , the image reconstruction from the desired pov position and direction is requested from one client computer , i . e ., one user . meanwhile , in the present embodiment , it is possible for plural users to request the image reconstruction from the desired pov position and direction . that is , in a case where necessary pixel position information ( x , y ) obtained from the pov position / direction information set from a user a ( not shown ) is transmitted from the server computer 101 to the selected digital camera 102 , the server computer 101 adds a user identifier a to the necessary pixel position information ( x , y , a ). then , when the necessary pixel position information ( x , y , a ) is received , the digital camera 102 adds the user identifier a to the effective pixel information to be transmitted , and then sends back the obtained information to the server computer 101 . subsequently , the server computer 101 gathers the effective pixel information including the same user identifier a , generates the image based on the gathered effective pixel information , and then transmits the reconstructed image to the client computer of the user a . therefore , in the case where there are the plural users requesting the image reconstruction from the desired pov position and direction , it is possible to transmit the reconstructed image to these users . in the above embodiments , the ccd is actually used when the image is photographed by the digital camera 102 . however , a cmos ( complementary metal - oxide semiconductor ) may be used instead of the ccd . in that case , the hardware structure of the digital camera 102 is shown in fig1 . in any case , when a cmos 1405 is used , it is possible to obtain the pixel information of the effective pixel position without recording the entire photographed image on a ram 1402 , whereby a use amount of the ram 1402 can be remarkably reduced . incidentally , in fig1 , numerals 1401 , 1403 , 1404 and 1406 respectively denote a cpu , a rom , a communication device , and a bus . moreover , in the above embodiments , the desired pov position and direction is set . in other words , the above embodiments are explained on the premise that the angle of view has a predetermined fixed value . however , the angle of view may be arbitrarily set . in that case , according to the principle shown in fig1 , if the angle of view of the image intended to be reconstructed is changed , the range including the digital cameras each having the effective pixel only changes , and the image can be generated or reconstructed based on the arbitrarily set angle of view . moreover , in the above embodiments , the desired pov position and direction is set . in other words , the above embodiments are explained on the premise that resolution has a predetermined fixed value . however , the resolution may be arbitrarily set . in that case , according to the principle shown in fig1 , to infer a pixel x of a virtual camera ( x ), an actual camera only has to exist on the line extending between the position of the pixel x and the pov position of the virtual camera ( x ). here , if the requested resolution becomes high , more cameras are needed . there is actually a limit in the number of cameras which can be set , whereby the pixel of the virtual camera ( x ) which cannot be inferred directly from the pixel of the image actually photographed by the camera exists , and a probability of appearing such pixels increases if the requested resolution becomes high . however , even in such a case , the pixel which cannot be directly inferred from the pixel of the image actually photographed by the camera can be properly inferred by using the values of proximate pixels in some kind or another interpolation process . moreover , although the program is stored in the rom in the above embodiments , the present invention is not limited to this . that is , the program may be stored in an arbitrary storage medium and some kind or another circuit . incidentally , the present invention may be applied to a system including plural devices , as well as to an apparatus consisting of a single device . it is needless to say that the object of the present invention may also be achieved by supplying a storage medium storing program codes of software for achieving the functions of the above embodiments to a system or an apparatus and causing a computer ( or cpu or mpu ) of the system or the apparatus to read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium . in that case , the program codes themselves which are read from the storage medium provide the functions of the above embodiments , and thus the storage medium which stores the program codes constitutes the present invention . the storage medium for supplying the program codes may be , e . g ., a . flexible disk , a hard disk , an optical disk , a magnetooptical disk , a cd - rom , a cd - r , a magnetic tape , a nonvolatile memory card , a rom , or the like . moreover , it is needless to say that the functions of the above embodiments may be achieved not only by causing the computer to read and execute the program codes but also by causing , e . g ., an operating system ( os ) running on the computer to execute some or all of the actual processes on the basis of instructions of the program codes . furthermore , it is needless to say that the functions of the above embodiments may also be achieved by writing the program codes read from the storage medium to a memory of a function extension board inserted in the computer or a memory of a function expansion unit connected to the computer and causing a cpu of the function extension board or a cpu of the function expansion unit to execute some or all of the processes on the basis of instructions of the program codes . while the present invention has been described with reference to what are presently considered to be the preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . on the contrary , the present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . the scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions . | 6 |
consistent with the present invention , described below are exemplary embodiments of a distributed application with components for providing file delivery of large email attachments . at least one exemplary embodiment provides a seamless , enterprise wide file delivery for enabling collaboration through large email attachments by providing a framework for their storage , transport , access , and lifecycle maintenance . in general , file distribution systems consistent with the present invention work by extracting large file attachments from the traditional mail - flow of specific users based on configurable policies that are driven by system parameters . for example , the policy can be that only specified senders are able to have attachments extracted or only certain attachments that meet a threshold size or destination are extracted . these attachments may be further encapsulated inside larger units referred to as “ attachment packets .” certain embodiments of the present invention transfer these large attachment packets in an efficient manner to a remote server capable of communicating on any one of a set of protocols through an integrated transport system . other embodiments of the present invention are capable of leveraging on any of a set of several protocols and methods for large file transfer . the transfer can be optionally governed by configurable parameters such as but not limited to : the upload destination , transport protocols , minimum allowable transfer rates and time - outs and upload caches . examples of the transport protocols include http , https , ftp , udp based transport protocols . the system can further use conventional methods of transport as available on a computer network . among other criteria , the protocols can be chosen based on security and performance needs of the enterprise . the original email may then be retransmitted to all recipients after replacing large attachments with embedded links or locator objects ( urls ) which can be used to retrieve the attachment from the internet or intranet . certain systems consistent with the present invention help ensure that the risk of a bottleneck occurring in the process of large attachment extraction , transport , and management is reduced by processing multiple emails simultaneously , such that even while attachments are being extracted , packaged , and transferred , other emails may continue to be examined and passed through the system . each set of attachments to an email may be treated as an attachment packet . along with the attachments , each attachment package may optionally contain meta information regarding the package itself . for example , this meta information can include , but is not limited to , the sender &# 39 ; s email address or content , information identifying one or more recipients , and a list of attachments as well as attributes such as size and type . the meta information can optionally include various attributes of the email itself such return receipt . certain embodiments of the present invention enable seamless usage of existing email workflow for collaboration on large files without disrupting or impacting other applications and services . additionally , certain embodiments may allow policy - based management of attachments through optional parameters like threshold of attachment size for extraction and attachment lifetime on storage location . certain systems may also be configured to have separate rules for inbound and outbound traffic . an option may be provided for recipient authentication based on enterprise directory standards like the lightweight directory access protocol ( ldap ) to prevent attachment forwarding , delivery confirmation to allow the sender of emails to be notified when recipients download their email attachments and automated background replication of attachments to recipient preferred remote server . an option may also be provided for securing of the previously non - secured method of collaboration via email attachments . one example of a distributed network of mail servers and email clients typically used by a geographically spread out enterprise is shown in fig1 . in this example , a sender 20 sends out an email 22 with an attachment 24 to multiple recipients 26 over a network 27 as shown in fig1 . it can be seen that the email 22 with the attachment 24 traverses a tortuous and inefficient route over the network of mail servers until the email 22 and the attachment 24 are received by all the recipients 26 . fig2 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the present invention , that is , an attachment distribution system 28 comprising mail servers in a network configuration similar to that shown in fig1 . however , in network 30 of fig2 , choking by attachment traffic and bottlenecks on the servers are avoided , resulting in optimal delivery of attachments to recipient systems 102 . fig3 illustrates an attachment distribution method 300 , as may be used by , and with reference to , the attachment distribution system 28 of fig2 . attachment distribution method 300 illustrates one exemplary method for managing the flow of email attachments , such as over network 30 . as shown in fig2 and 4 , attachment distribution system 28 may comprise a detacher 34 , an uploader 36 , and at least one hosting server 38 . each of detacher 34 and uploader 36 may be a software module that may reside within the attachment distribution system 28 on a mail server 40 as shown in fig4 . when an email 42 containing one or more attachments 44 is received from a sender system 100 by the attachment distribution system 28 , email 42 may be processed 42 in accordance with step 310 of fig3 by , for example , detacher 34 of fig2 . the email 42 contains a message and the attachment 44 portions . the message and / or attachment 44 portions of email 42 are identified , such as by detacher 34 . in certain embodiments , as shown in step 310 , the attachment 44 may be detached from the email 42 only when the email 42 complies with a set of processing rules 48 . generally , detacher 34 will only engage with an email that has file attachments 44 . each email 42 received may be categorized into incoming email , which includes emails from a sender system 100 external to the organization , or outgoing email , which includes emails from a sender system 100 within the organization . a first processing rule may be used to enable the detacher 34 to engage emails 42 from a sender system 100 that is recognized as a ‘ qualified sender system 100 ’ for outgoing emails . an application administrator may provide a list of qualified sender systems 100 . a second processing rule may be used to regulate processing of the email 42 based on the size of the attachment 44 . the second processing rule , for example , may set a processing threshold such that email 42 will not be processed if the size of the attachment 44 is smaller than the processing threshold . however , the detacher 34 may proceed to process the attachment 44 when the size of the email 42 is at least of the processing threshold . the second processing rule may prevent smaller attachments 44 from being detached from the email 42 due to their insignificance when compared with the bandwidth of the network 30 carrying the attachments 44 . certain embodiments of the present invention include multiple processing thresholds for catering to different types of emails 42 . for example , in certain embodiments , there could be three distinct processing thresholds that can be set to govern whether or not an attachment is detached from the email : an internal threshold may be applied if the email 42 is destined for recipient systems 102 internal to the enterprise ; an external threshold may be applied if the email 42 is destined for recipient systems 102 external to the enterprise ; and an inbound threshold may be applied to all inbound email 42 . in certain cases , such as where an email 42 is sent to both internal and external recipient systems 102 , a threshold parameter may be used for determining which processing threshold to apply for all emails . the threshold parameter can be universal for a given email , so if there are both internal and external recipient systems 102 of that email , any one processing threshold being exceeded may result in the corresponding attachment 44 being removed from the email 42 for all recipient systems 102 . the threshold parameter can also be applied on the sum total of the attachments in the email . alternatively , the threshold parameter is used for applying the processing threshold to the largest attachment 44 in the email 42 or to each attachment 44 in the email 42 . emails that do not qualify for detachment based on the first and / or second processing rules may be sent to the intended recipient systems 102 without any further examination or processing in a transparent manner . once an email 42 qualifies for attachment 44 extraction , the meta - data related to the email is extracted and / or generated by , for example , detacher 34 . the meta - data may include , for example , data from the email header and from the profile of the sender system 100 residing on the mail server 40 . attachment 44 is removed from the email 42 by , for example , detacher 34 . in step 312 of fig3 , the meta - data may be compiled into a meta - file and combined with the extracted attachment 44 to form an attachment packet 56 . the attachment packet 56 may be written to a pre - configured package directory on the mail server 40 for subsequent uploading onto the hosting server 38 . the specific meta - data gathered may include , but is not limited to , the sender system 100 email address , recipient system list , mail server profile for internal recipient systems 102 , including department and default location , if available , and attachment file name and extension . in certain embodiments , the extracted attachment 44 is replaced with a locator object 58 , such as by detacher 34 . in step 314 of fig3 , a locator code is generated by , for example detacher 34 . the locator code may be a secured uniform resource locator ( secured url ). the locator code may be stored onto a database 62 and associated with the extracted attachment 44 . in step 316 , a locator object 58 may be generated from the locator code , also for example by detacher 34 . the locator object 58 may be referred to as a “ link ” for embedding into an email . in an email example , a locator object may be generated from a locator code being associated with an attachment . the locator object may be embedded as a linked object within the email and sent to a recipient system 102 . at the recipient system 102 , a user may activate the locator object embedded within the email . upon the locator object being activated by the user , in the email example , the attachment associated with the locator code may be downloaded from a server to the recipient system 102 . in step 314 , the locator object 58 may be generated dynamically by , for example , detacher 34 , and may encompass security features to prevent unauthorized access to the attachment packet 56 . exemplary security features include , but are not limited to , cryptographic tokens , shared keys and other authentication mechanisms . for example , locator object 58 may use a shared key as a means of authentication on a remote storage server and a 128 - bit encryption for secured delivery of the attachment packet 56 . the security features can further include an expiry date and time . the expiry date and time establishes the life of the locator object 58 , subsequent to which the attachment packet 56 may not be downloadable from a server storing the attachment packet 56 . the locator code for generating the locator object 58 can include parameters to specify whether the recipient system 102 should be verified before downloading the attachment and whether a download confirmation should be sent to the sender system 100 upon successful downloading of the attachment packet 56 by the recipient system 102 . in certain embodiments , detacher 34 may be integrated with the mail server 40 at a low system level . such placement may prevent interference with existing auxiliary email services such as virus scanning and other mail scanning technologies . detacher 34 may be adapted for processing multiple emails simultaneously , such that even when one email are being processed , other emails continue to be examined and passed through the system . uploader 36 may be an application responsible for uploading the attachment packet 56 generated by the detacher 34 from the mail server 40 to the hosting server 38 . in step 318 of fig3 , the attachment packet 56 may be uploaded to the hosting server 38 by , for example , uploader 36 as shown in fig2 . the meta - data may be used by mail server 40 and hosting server 38 for optimizing delivery of and managing access to the attachment packet 56 . uploader 36 operates based on a number of parameters such as , for example , a server list 64 containing a plurality of servers . the servers contained in the server list 64 may be arranged in sequence based on preference . one server may be selected from the server list 64 and identified as the hosting server 38 . such selection may be performed , for example , by uploader 36 . before uploading occurs , the readiness of the selected server may first be determined . in some situations , the selected server may not be accessible and / or ready . when it is determined that the selected server is not ready , by for example uploader 36 , another server may be selected from the server list 64 and identified as the hosting server 38 . upon determining that a selected server is ready , the attachment packet 56 is uploaded onto the hosting server 38 by , for example , uploader 36 . in certain embodiments , uploader 36 is an integrated transport system , capable of transmitting data using any known file transfer protocol and / or method for large file transfer . for example , uploader 36 can communicate with the hosting server 38 using the http , https , ftp or the like file transfer protocols supported by the mail server 40 and hosting server 38 . the file transfer protocol used may depend on a parameter or by determined by the needs of the application . for example , http or ftp may be the best option for efficient file transfer and may be the best option for file transfer over the internet as it may ensure transport layer security . additionally , certain embodiments of uploader 36 and hosting server 38 may use user - based authentication for securing of the file transfer operations . in some cases , uploader 36 may be capable of improving efficiency of uploading of the attachment packet 56 by parallel processing . parallel processing is enabled by leveraging on multiple network connections , for example , by being configured to use multiple https tunnels for uploading multiple attachment packets 56 to corresponding hosting servers 38 . the number of https tunnels may be determined by balancing system performance with system resource utilization , for example bandwidth , cpu and memory on the hosting system 38 . additionally , a threshold can be determined above which , the attachment packet 56 may be broken into several smaller portions . the several smaller portions may be uploaded in parts separately to the hosting server 38 wherein the several smaller portions are joined to re - generate the original attachment packet 56 . this feature would allow the capability of resuming broken uploads by only uploading the portions of a file that could not be uploaded due to a bad or broken connection , which may in turn improve efficiency . in certain embodiments consistent with the present invention , attachment package 56 may be “ fingerprinted ” and compared with packages already stored or previously uploaded . “ fingerprinting ” may be performed by , for example , hashing the contents of the attachment package using conventional hashing technologies , such as md5 . by doing so , certain embodiments of the present invention may avoid uploading and storing an attachment packet twice , thereby saving bandwidth and / or storage space . certain embodiments of the present invention may involve other configurable parameters , such as thresholds for minimum allowable transfer rate and time allowable for file transfers to the hosting server 38 . such exemplary thresholds may be used to prevent excessive upload times and allow recovery from file transfers that should be aborted due poor connectivity . other embodiments may employ an optional parameter such as an uploader cache setting which decides how long package contents will be held on the mail server 40 after their successful upload . this type of parameter may be used , for example , by an administrator wanting to manage the balance between safety and storage utilization on the mail server 40 . uploader 36 may also be tasked with updating the configuration of detacher 34 . it supports the application of any changes in the aforementioned configurable parameters . components may be retrieved from a central server for updating the detacher 34 application . additionally , uploader 36 may contain logging and error reporting features that allow the administrator to monitor the application performance and set up automated application support . activities of the attachment distribution system 28 may be logged at different configurable levels and it is may also be possible to configure the time that log files remain available . such parameters may be useful , for example , for diagnostics purposes , thereby allowing the retention of critical information while controlling data storage growth . the generated logs can be periodically transferred from the mail server 40 to the hosting server 30 for mining and for generating reports . error reporting can be automated through an email notification system . for example , severe error conditions may be reported via email to the configurable administrator from a configurable sender at a configurable frequency . the hosting server 38 of fig2 provides a remote file system like functionality for uploading , retrieving and obtaining a listing of files besides allowing typical operations like move or delete on the search result set . such hosting servers 38 include , but are not limited to , http servers , ftp servers or the like servers running any protocol that is capable of storing and delivering files . in addition to providing file system functionality in a secure , fast and reliable manner , hosting server 38 may also provide facilities for user registration and authentication by maintaining a user database . information provided by the detacher 34 , in the meta - data of the attachment packet 56 , may be used by the hosting server 38 to drive policies for storage , replication , transport , access , and life - cycle management . the meta - data in the attachment packet 56 may contain information on the sender system 100 , a recipient system list , the profile of the mail server 40 for internal recipient systems 102 , including department and location and file name and extension . the hosting server 38 receiving the attachment packet 56 can optionally replicate the uploaded attachments to the server of choice of the recipient systems 102 whose profiles may exist either in the organization &# 39 ; s directory server or in the registered user database . such replication can optionally occur immediately after the upload to allow the minimum download time for each recipient system 102 . in certain embodiments , the locator object 58 inserted in the email can be activated at the recipient system 102 to retrieve the attachment packet 56 associated with the locator object 58 . such retrieval may occur either directly without authentication or after being password authenticated as so configured on the system . this configuration may be done either on the hosting server 38 or may , for example , be encapsulated as a component in the locator object 58 . if the recipient system 102 authentication is required , then the authentication may be performed by querying pre - determined directory servers like the ldap server for the organization or by searching in the registered user database . the hosting server 38 can prompt a user to enter a email address which would can be further verified against the original recipient system list obtained from the meta - data of the email . the recipient system 102 may also be required to enter a password for verification by the hosting server 38 . this provides a framework for verifying the recipient system 102 before the download so that only the original recipient systems 102 can download the attachment packet 56 . in situations where the recipient system 102 does not exist , then a new user profile is created for which the user can submit a password and preferred location for future deliveries . if the email address is not found in the recipient system list or the password is incorrect then the download is disallowed , otherwise , the locator object 58 is authenticated for validity by the hosting server 38 . thus , the hosting server 38 can be configured to disable download by any recipient systems 102 not on the original mailing list via mail forwarding in addition to the authentication mechanism for file delivery described above . if the sender system 100 requested “ return receipt ” using a standard email client feature , the hosting server 38 can send a download confirmation the sender system 100 in the form of an email after successfully downloading the attachment packet 56 by recipient system 102 . file life - cycle management may be governed by parameters and can be globally enforced , or enforced on a file or hosting server - specific basis . this policy can be driven by frequency of access or timeframe . for example , the attachment distribution system 28 could be configured so that the attachment packet 56 is deleted after all recipient systems 102 have downloaded the file , or simply after two weeks regardless of access . administration of the attachment distribution system 28 may involve the setting up and modification of the various parameters that decide the policies governing the functioning of the attachment distribution system 28 . administration may be performed manually by an administrator on each the mail server 40 . the administrator can set or change the servers on the server list 64 , thereby changing the hosting server 38 . the administrator can change the processing rules 48 for the attachment packet 56 . the administrator can add or remove qualified sender systems 100 whose mails will be intercepted by the system . the administrator can decide the life of the attachment packet 56 on the mail server 40 . the administrator can set or change the time for which the links inserted in the mail will cease to be valid after insertion . the administrator can enable or disable automated notification by email upon each successful download . the administrator can enable or disable the feature of recipient system 102 authentication , for example , the ability to configure whether or not a recipient system 102 must enter a password before downloading an attachment packet 56 . uploader 36 may comprise a polling feature which may enable hosting server 38 to make changes to the parameters of the attachment distribution system 28 . such changes may be reflected immediately upon the detection of the changes to the parameters by the uploader 36 on each mail server 40 . the hosting server 38 can also provide administration of the registered recipient systems 102 , addition of new mail recipient system 102 profiles to the database and setting or changing of recipient system 102 profile information such as password & amp ; download location preference . for example , administrators could view sender systems 100 who have used the attachment distribution system 28 and the mail servers 40 which have intercepted the mails sent by them . the logs uploaded by the uploader 36 and the information maintained by the hosting server 38 can be used to create reports at the file level , to provide a comprehensive understanding of attachment packet 56 resources , their availability , usage and their cost . the same can be done by any event capturing software in place of logs at the hosting server , in essence it is the capturing and processing of events that allow such reports to be created . the attachment upload events captured in such logs could be used to generate access statistics details on a per sender system 100 basis . resources , such as bandwidth and storage usage , can be quantified to track and control expense as well as monitor business practices on a hosting server 38 basis as well as per sender system 100 basis . the download logs can be used to create reports that help track individual attachments by date , recipient system 102 user - id , file size and time for download . described hereinafter with reference to fig5 to 8 , is an example of an application of the attachment distribution system 28 . in this example and as shown in fig5 , john 200 , an employee of acme corporation in new york sends an email 42 with a large - sized attachment 44 to three recipients , namely jane 202 , a co - worker in kuala lumpur , jim 204 , who works for a customer of acme in kuala lumpur and lynn 206 , an employee of great printers in taiwan . fig5 shows the sequence of events triggered when john 200 sends out the mail . john &# 39 ; s 200 mail reaches the new york mail server 40 in the acme corporate network where the email 42 is processed by the detacher 34 which finds that the mail attachment size of the attachment 44 is larger than the size allowed to be sent unhindered . the detacher 34 also checks if john &# 39 ; s 200 email address is in the list of qualified senders and upon verification of this fact proceeds to extract the attachment portion 44 from the email , replace it with a locator object 58 , and create an attachment packet 56 containing the attachment portion 44 of the email 42 and meta - data containing information extracted from the email 42 about the recipient systems 102 . the email 42 is then sent out in the normal manner to all the three recipients with the attachment 44 being replaced by the locator object 58 , for example a url . meanwhile , uploader 36 may be looking for new attachment packets 56 and , upon finding an attachment packet 56 , immediately uploads the attachment packet 56 to the hosting server it is configured for which happens to be a new york hosting server 38 a . it is to be noted that , in this example , only jane 202 has used a particular server so far for receiving attachment packets 56 and is registered with a recipient profile . fig6 shows the automation of replication of attachment packets 56 for optimizing the delivery to registered recipient systems 102 . in this example , jane 202 has already used this system and has a registered profile indicating a kuala lumpur hosting server 38 b as the hosting server . therefore , as soon as the new york hosting server 38 a receives the new attachment packet 56 , it looks at the meta - data to check if any of the recipient systems 102 are registered with its database . since jane 202 is already registered , the attachment packet 56 is scheduled for replication in the background to the preferred location for jane 202 , in this example , the kuala lumpur hosting server 38 b . since jim 204 and lynn 206 are not yet registered no further action is required for the present . the delivery of the email 42 and attachment packet 56 is shown in fig7 after all the three recipients get the same email 22 with the locator object 58 . when jane 202 clicks on the locator object 58 in the email 42 , the attachment packet 56 begins to download immediately from the kl hosting server 38 b and no further user action is required . however when jim 204 clicks on the same locator object 58 , a web page 208 is launched for prompting jim 204 to register his profile with the system by entering his email address , password and a preferred location ( selected from a list ) for future replication . jim 204 is then able to select that he too wants to download from the kl hosting server 38 b and since the attachment packet 56 is already replicated for jane 202 , jim 204 also downloads the attachment packet 56 from the kl hosting server 38 b . thus one copy of the attachment packet 56 at kl hosting server 38 b would be enough for serving the requirements of all recipients registered with the kl hosting server 38 b . fig8 describes the process of attachment packet 56 delivery to lynn 206 who is also not registered and upon clicking on the link is prompted to register using the registration page 208 in the same manner as jim 204 in kl . lynn 206 selects the closest location which is a taiwan hosting server 38 b and is able to seamlessly download the attachment packet 56 after the registration process . furthermore , future replication and delivery for lynn 206 will be based on her specific profile which states the taiwan hosting server 38 c as the preferred location of delivery for her . certain embodiments of the present invention fulfill the need for a high - speed , distributed file transfer and storage enhancement of an existing corporate email infrastructure and enable enterprises to significantly improve their collaborative environment , while providing a platform for future application integration . although only certain embodiments of the invention have been disclosed , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure that numerous changes and / or modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . | 7 |
in accordance with fig1 , a receiving element comprises a bolt 2 , and a tip 4 that is produced as a separate component having an end section 6 which engages in a recess 8 of the bolt 2 at a forward end of the latter . the bolt 2 comprises or contains wear - resistant sintered material , preferably oxide ceramics , such as , for example , al 2 o 3 or zro 2 , or non - oxide ceramics such as si 3 n 4 , or mixtures thereof . the forward section 10 of the pin 4 projects axially out of the bolt 2 and presents an exterior surface 12 that is at least approximately and / or largely conical . in the exit area from the bolt 2 , the tip 4 or the forward section 10 thereof includes a maximum external diameter 14 that is smaller by a prescribed amount than the external diameter 16 of the bolt 2 or the exterior surface 18 thereof . the recess 8 in the forward end of the bolt 2 is preferably embodied as a blind hole , and the end section 6 extends axially over only a fraction of the entire length of the bolt 2 . the exterior surface 18 runs largely parallel to the longitudinal axis 20 of the bolt or the entire receiving element and is advantageously embodied as a cylindrical exterior surface that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis 20 . alternatively , the exterior surface 18 can have a polygonal exterior contour . as can be seen , a transition area 22 that tapers toward the end section 6 is present between the forward , advantageously conical , end section 6 and the exterior surface 18 of the bolt 2 . while the transition area 22 is usefully a component of the bolt 2 , the transition area 22 can alternatively also be a component of the tip 4 . the receiving element includes a stepped exterior contour with the forward section 10 of the tip 4 projecting out of the bolt 2 , the maximum external diameter 14 being substantially smaller than the external diameter 16 of the bolt . the transition area 22 presents a substantially smaller axial extension than the end section 6 . moreover , the takeout angle or cone angle of the transition area 22 is preferably substantially larger than the takeout angle or cone angle of the end section 6 . due to the substantially smaller external diameter 14 of the forward section 10 relative to the external diameter 16 of the bolt 2 and / or due to the transition area 22 according to the invention , certain introduction of the receiving element into an associated bore of the components to be centered by virtue of the receiving element , especially metal sheet and threaded female element , is assured . the tip 4 comprises metal , advantageously steel or high - quality steel , so that , even when the external diameters of the receiving element and the bolt 2 are quite small , the tip 4 will not be damaged or broken off and / or a long service life or useful life is attained for the receiving element . in a particularly advantageous embodiment , the direct connection of the tip 4 or the end section 6 thereof in the correspondingly embodied recess 8 is provided as an adhesive joint , shrink fit , press fit , or clamp connection . the recess 8 is advantageously coaxial with the longitudinal axis 20 . for precise axial positioning of the tip 4 in the bolt 2 , a step 24 is present between the axially projecting forward section 4 and the end section 6 arranged in the recess 8 , such that the maximum external diameter 14 of the forward section 10 is larger by a prescribed amount than the external diameter 26 of the end section 6 . the step 24 thus forms a defined stop , in particular during insertion and / or when producing the connection between the bolt 2 and the tip 4 , which provides exact axial positioning and ultimately a defined axial length of the entire receiving element . moreover , impermissibly high loading or even destruction of the connection between the tip 4 and the bolt 2 is avoided by virtue of the step 24 . the bolt 2 contains a fastening body 30 at an end facing away from the tip 4 for placing the receiving element in a tool , for example , a pressure welding tool . the fastening body 30 contains a flange , advantageously embodied as a radial extension for placement in the tool . as noted above , the receiving element is preferably embodied as a centering pin or receiving pin , and is used for centering and receiving components , in particular a plurality of metal sheet parts or at least one metal sheet part having a threaded female element . furthermore , the receiving element is provided primarily for employment and / or use in welding tools , in particular pressure welding tools or apparatus or machines . moreover , the inventive receiving element is characterized by relatively small external dimensions . thus , the external diameter 16 of the bolt 2 is largely in the range of 3 to 12 mm , preferably 3 . 5 to 10 mm , and in particular from 4 to 8 . 5 mm . thus , when using the inventive receiving element , even very small threaded female elements having internal diameters of m4 or m5 or m6 or m8 threads can be centered by means of the receiving element or received thereby and in associated machines or tools , such as , for example , pressure welding machines , can be joined to metal sheet parts , whereby even with such small radial dimensions , the tip is prevented with certainty from breaking off due to the suggested embodiment of the metal tip 4 and its integration into the bolt 2 made of high - performance ceramics and / or wear - resistant sintered material and ultimately high functional security and / or service life is attained . fig2 illustrates another exemplary embodiment , according to which the fastening body 30 is not an integral component of the bolt 2 but rather is joined to the bolt 2 as a separate component . the fastening body 30 comprises a special electrically insulating material , for example , plastic , in order to assure additional and / or improved electrical insulation of the receiving element with respect to the tool , in particular a pressure welding tool . as can be seen , at a back end , the bolt 2 contains a second recess 32 in which a connecting section 34 of the fastening section 30 engages . the connecting section 34 is joined in the second recess 32 by an adhesive joint , shrink fit , press fit or clamp connection . furthermore , the fastening body contains a radial expansion and / or a flange 36 , the external diameter of which is greater than the external diameter of the bolt 2 . a step is present between the connecting section 34 and the flange 36 , which serves to provide defined placement and / or axial alignment of the fastening body 30 with respect to the bolt 2 . as in the exemplary embodiment in accordance with fig1 , between the two recesses 8 and 32 the bolt 2 contains a massive intermediate area 38 that assures high stability and / or strength of the bolt 2 and thus of the entire receiving element . alternatively , in the framework of the invention , the bolt 2 can have a single central recess that extends across the entire axial length . if , corresponding to fig2 , a separate fastening body 30 is provided at the back end , however , there is no immediate axial connection between the tip 4 arranged at the forward end and the fastening body 30 and consequently axial connecting forces between the tip 4 and the fastening body 30 are avoided in an advantageous manner . it is hereby also further stated that an interiorly situated recess can extend axially through the entire length of the bolt , including the integrally formed connecting body thereof , as well , alternatively to the embodiment in accordance with fig1 . however , the connecting area in such an embodiment is provided solely on the forward end of the bolt 2 . | 1 |
a voip ( voice over internet protocol ) gateway device ( which will hereinafter be abbreviated to voipgw ) according to a first embodiment of the present invention , will be described with reference to the drawings . a configuration of the first embodiment is an exemplification , and the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the first embodiment . to begin with , a network architecture of a voip call system configured by the voipgw according to the first embodiment , will be explained referring to fig1 . fig1 is a view showing the network architecture of this voip call system . the network in this voip call system is configured by public switched telephone networks ( which will hereinafter be abbreviated to pstns ) 10 , 20 , and 30 , and an ip network 3 , wherein the pstns 10 , 20 and 30 are respectively connected to the ip network 3 via voipgws 11 , 21 and 31 according to the embodiment . telephones 15 , 16 , 25 , 26 and 35 serving as subscriber terminals are connected to the pstns , wherein the voip call system provides a call service to each of these telephones . the respective pstns are built up by stm ( synchronous transport module ), in which the voipgws 11 , 21 and 31 voice - packetize digital signals ( stm - 1 , stm - 4 , etc .) transferred and received over the pstns and relay the voice packets toward the ip network 3 , thereby actualizing interconnections . note that the subscriber terminal may be an ip telephone connectable directly to the ip network 3 as in the case of an h323 terminal 6 in fig1 . further , an ftp ( file transfer protocol ) server 1 and a call agent ( which will hereinafter be abbreviated to ca ) 2 are connected to the ip network 3 . the ftp server 1 retains digital data ( which will hereinafter be referred to as voice source data ) etc . into which a guidance message of a talkie etc . is voice - coded by utilizing an itu - t g . 711 system ( μ - law 64 kbs pcm ( pulse coded modulation ) and so on , and provides the voice source data to each voipgw . the ca 2 controls a call from the subscriber terminal and makes the ip network 3 function as a relay switched network between the respective pstns . accordingly , the voipgws 11 , 21 and 31 , the ftp server 1 , etc . execute the respective functions based on control instructions given from the ca 2 . the voip call system has a function of sending the guidance message of the talkie etc . to each telephone as the subscriber terminal . the following is an explanation of an outline of an operation of each device within the viop call system on the occasion of providing the voice message service . the following discussion will exemplify a case that the voip call system sends the voice message to the telephone 15 in the network architecture shown in fig1 . in the voip call system , when providing the voice message service , at first , the voice source data retained on the ftp server 1 are transferred to the voipgw 11 in response to an instruction signal from the ca 2 . namely , the ca 2 instructs the ftp server 1 to transfer the voice source data to the voipgw 11 , and the ftp server 1 transfers the voice source data to the voipgw 11 in response to this instruction . the voipgw 11 receiving the voice source data retains the transferred voice source data . when actually providing the voice message service , the voip call system controls each device to send a target voice message among pieces of voice source data retained on the voipgw 11 in response to a call from the subscriber terminal . to be specific , the ca 2 performs call control in response to the call of the telephone 15 and , as a result of this , notifies the voipgw 11 of call control information such as call setting , a voice source data add instruction , etc . the voipgw 11 notified of the call control information adds the voice source data into a designated timeslot ( a channel corresponding to the call ) in the stm from the pstn 10 , thus sending the voice source data to the target telephone 15 . next , a functional configuration of the voip gateway device according to the first embodiment will be explained with reference to fig2 through 4 . the following discussion will exemplify the voipgw 11 shown in fig1 . fig2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the voipgw 11 . fig3 is a block diagram showing a detailed functional configuration of a voice source data transfer unit in the voipgw 11 . fig4 is a block diagram showing a detailed functional configuration of a packet processing unit in the voipgw 11 . note that each of the voipgws 11 , 21 , and 31 in the first embodiment is the same device and has the same functional configuration . the voipgw in the first embodiment is constructed of , as shown in fig2 , a control unit 110 , an stm switch control unit 111 , a voice source data transfer unit 112 , a codec unit 113 ( corresponding to a packet processing unit , a transmitting unit and a packet transmitting unit according to the present invention ), a packet processing unit 114 , a packet buffer 115 , and an ip switch unit 117 ( corresponding to a receiving unit , a packet receiving unit and a data receiving unit according to the present invention ). the packet buffer 115 further includes a voice source data storage buffer 116 ( corresponding to a storage unit and a packet storage unit according to the present invention ). the following are individual descriptions of the respective function units . the control unit 110 receives a call control instruction , a voice source data transfer instruction , a voice source data add instruction , etc . from the ca 2 , and transmits instruction signals corresponding these instructions to other respective function units . the control unit 110 extracts a variety of instruction information of the ca 2 from a control packet transmitted from the ca 2 . the call control instruction represents a control instruction about the call given from the subscriber terminal within the pstn 10 . this call control instruction contains instructions related to various types of control for establishing a call channel between a self - telephone and a partner telephone in response to the call from the telephone during a period till the call is disconnected since the call was connected . in the case of receiving the voice source data transferred from the ftp server 1 , the control unit 110 transfers the voice source data to the voice source data transfer unit 112 ( a dotted line with an arrowhead shown in fig2 ). then , the control unit 110 transmits control signals to the voice source data transfer unit 112 , the codec unit 113 and the packet processing unit 114 so as to transfers the voice source data via the codec unit 113 to the packet processing unit 114 and further transfer the voice source data to the voice source data storage buffer 116 ( one - dotted chain lines with arrowheads shown in fig2 ). the stm switch control unit 111 takes in an stm line from the pstn 10 and serves as a pstn interface . the stm switch control unit 111 executes , based on the call control instruction given from the ca 2 , control such as associating a call from the subscriber terminal with the stm channel , and so forth . the stm switch control unit 111 outputs a switch - controlled stm channel to the codec unit 113 . the voice source data transfer unit 112 temporarily stores the voice source data transferred from the ftp server 1 , and transfers the voice source data to the voice source data storage buffer 116 by the instruction of the control unit 110 . the voice source data transfer unit 112 transfers the voice source data toward the codec unit 113 by using a specified voice source data transfer channel designated by the ca 2 in the stm between the stm switch control unit 111 and the codec unit 113 . fig3 is a diagram showing a detailed functional configuration of the voice source data transfer unit 112 of the voipgw in the first embodiment . the detailed functional configuration of the voice source data transfer unit 112 will be explained with reference to fig3 . the voice source data transfer unit 112 is constructed of a local bus control unit 131 , a voice source data transfer control unit 132 and a voice source data temporary memory 133 . these function units will be described as below . the voice source data temporary memory 133 is a memory for temporarily storing the voice source data transferred from the ftp server 1 . the local bus control unit 131 , based on the instruction given from the control unit 110 , transmits and receives the control signals within the local bus , thereby controlling the voice source data add control unit 131 and the voice source data temporary memory 133 . for instance , the voice source data transferred from the ftp server 1 are stored on the voice source data temporary memory 133 in accordance with the control signal given from the local bus control unit 131 . the voice source data transfer control unit 132 adds the voice source data stored on the voice source data temporary memory 133 onto a specified voice source data transfer channel by the voice source data transfer instruction given from the ca 2 ( the control unit 110 ). the voice source data transfer control unit 132 adds the voice source data in a way that reads the data on a byte - by - byte basis from the voice source data temporary memory 133 for every stm frame ( 125 μs ) sent from the pstn 10 . further , the voice source data transfer control unit 132 , when finishing adding a last piece of voice source data , notifies the local bus control unit 131 of the end of the voice source data transfer . the notification showing the end of the voice source data transfer is delivered eventually to the ca 2 . the codec unit 113 has the voice data subjected to data compression etc . by a predetermined method , thus voice - packetizing the voice data . as a codec method , there are standardized methods as defined by itu - t g . 711 , itu - t g . 729 , etc . the codec unit 113 performs encoding / compressing etc . of the voice data in accordance with the codec method ( codec type ) contained in the control information given from the ca 2 . the codec unit 113 , when the voice source data are transferred to the voice source data storage buffer 116 from the voice source data transfer unit 112 , encodes the voice source data corresponding to the codec type , and packetizes the encoded voice source data with a predetermined packet translation period ( e . g ., 20 ms ). the thus - packetized voice source data are transmitted as ip packets to the packet processing unit 114 . the ip packet transmitted at that time involves using , e . g ., an rtp ( real - time transport protocol )/ rtcp ( rtp control protocol ) packet , wherein a predetermined port number for transferring the voice source data may be set in a udp ( user datagram protocol ) header field . the packet processing unit 114 can know that the received packet is the voice source data transfer packet , by referring to this port number . conversely , with respect to the voice packet transferred from the packet processing unit 114 , the codec unit 113 decodes the voice data contained in the voice packet in accordance with the codec type which the packet processing unit 114 notifies of , thus effecting conversion into stm digital signals . the codec unit 113 adds the voice source data thus - converted to stm digital signals onto a target stm channel . the packet processing unit 114 receives the voice source data packet packetized by the codec unit 113 , or the voip packet transmitted from the ip switch unit 117 , and executes a variety of processes corresponding to the received packets . when receiving the voice source data packet from the codec unit 113 , the packet processing unit 114 stores the received voice source data packet on the voice source data storage buffer 116 . further , the packet processing unit 114 controls the transmission of the voice source data packet stored on the voice source data storage buffer 116 by the instruction of the control unit 110 . fig4 is a diagram showing a detailed functional configuration of the packet processing unit of the voipgw in the first embodiment . the detailed functional configuration of the packet processing unit 114 will be explained with reference to fig4 . the packet processing unit 114 actualizes the packet processing by use of , in addition , a receiving unit 141 , a transmitting unit 142 , a local bus control unit 143 , a voice source data transmission control unit 144 , a voice source data storage control unit 145 , a voice source data storage information table 147 and a voice source data transmission management table 146 . these function units will be described as follows . the receiving unit 141 receives the ip packet , and the transmitting unit 142 transmits the ip packet . the receiving unit 141 receives the ip packet transmitted from the ip switch unit 117 and the ip packet transmitted from the codec unit 113 . the received ip packets are transferred to the packet processing unit 114 . the transmitting unit 142 transmits the predetermined ip packet to the ip switch unit 117 or the codec unit 113 . the local bus control unit 143 performs the control for notifying the respective function units in order to execute the packet processing based on the instruction given from the control unit 110 . the voice source data transmission control unit 144 , based on a voice source data add instruction given from the ca 2 ( the local bus control unit 143 ), refers to the voice source data storage information table 147 , and notifies the packet processing unit 114 of various items of information ( a storage address etc .) about the designated voice source data . upon the notification from the voice source data transmission control unit 144 , the packet processing unit 114 reads the designated voice source data packet from the voice source data storage buffer 116 . the packet processing unit 114 , which has read the voice source data packet , updates a destination of this voice source data packet into an address indicating the codec unit 113 , further updates the udp port number into a port number indicating a transmission destination subscriber , and transmits the packet toward the codec unit 113 . the control unit 110 previously notifies of the port number indicating the transmission destination subscriber terminal . the packet processing unit 114 , based on a voice source data storage starting instruction given from the ca 2 ( the local bus control unit ), when judging from the port number of the received ip packet that this ip packet is a packet for transferring the voice source data , stores the voice source data packet on the voice source data storage buffer 116 . the voice source data storage control unit 145 receives information about storing the voice source data from the packet processing unit 114 , and stores the information in the voice source data storage information table 147 . note that the packet processing unit 114 may continue to store the received packet on the voice source data storage buffer 116 till a voice source data storage finishing instruction comes from the local bus control unit 143 . the voice source data transmission management table 146 manages management information of the voice source data packet stored on the voice source data storage buffer 116 on a destination - by - destination basis of the voice source data transmission . the voice source data transmission management table 146 has , on the destination - by - destination basis , has pieces of information about a port number , a message number , header information , directional information , a next transmission voice source data packet buffer address and a timer . the port number is an id assigned to every transmission destination subscriber terminal and is set as a udp port number . the message number is an id determined for every voice message and is the same as the information stored in the voice source data storage information table 147 . the header information is information used for updating the header when transmitting the voice source data packet . the directional information is information indicating a transmitting direction ( toward pstn / ip network ) of the voice source data packet . the next transmission voice source data packet buffer address is information representing a storage address of the data that should be transmitted next in the case of sequentially sending the voice source data packets . the timer has setting of a packet transmission interval period determined based on the voice - packetization , and is employed for taking a timing when sending the next packet . the voice source data storage information table 147 is a table stored with , on a voice - source - data - by - voice - source - data basis ( e . g ., a guidance message ), pieces of information about the voice source data packet stored on the voice source data storage buffer 116 . the voice source data storage information table 147 is stored with , on the voice - source - data - by - voice - source - data basis , pieces of information such as a message number , a codec type , a start buffer address , a last buffer address , a chain count and an in - use count . the message number is an id determined for every voice message , and the ca 2 gives an instruction to send the predetermined voice source data by use of this message number . the codec type is a type of the codec for the voice source data . the start buffer address , the last buffer address and the chain count are information representing addresses where the voice source data are stored on the voice source data storage buffer 116 , and , if stored in division , the number of divisions ( the chain count ). the in - use count is information showing whether or not the voice source data are being transmitted at the present , wherein the in - use count may be , for example , counted up each time the voice source data are transmitted and may also be cleared ( becomes “ 0 ”) if there is no partner destination to which the data are being transmitted . the packet buffer 115 is a memory area used when transmitting and receiving the voip packets . the voice source data storage buffer 116 is a memory area provided in the packet buffer 115 and serving to store the voice source data packets . the voice source data are stored in a state of being packetized by the codec unit 113 . note that a storage mode may be direct storage of the voice source data packet given the header etc . or may also be storage of only the voice source data in the packet . the ip switch unit 117 becomes an interface with the ip network 3 . next , an example of the operation of the voip gateway device in the first embodiment will be described with reference to fig5 through 7 . herein , the operation of the voip gateway device is explained in separation into a case of storing the voice source data transferred from the ftp server 1 on the voice source data storage buffer 116 , a case of deleting the stored voice source data , and a case of sending the stored voice source data to the pstn . the following discussion will exemplify the voipgw 11 shown in fig1 , wherein an assumption is a case that the voipgw 11 sends the voice message to the telephone 15 . to begin with , an operation of the voipgw 11 in the case of storing the voice source data storage buffer 116 with the voice source data transferred from the ftp server 1 , will be described with reference to fig5 . fig5 is a flowchart showing voice source data storing procedure of the voipgw in the first embodiment . the voipgw 11 , when storing the voice source data , receives the voice source data and the voice source data information from the ftp server 1 connected to the ip network 3 ( s 501 ). these pieces of information are transmitted as , e . g ., ftp packets from the ip network 3 and are therefore received by the control unit 110 via the ip switch unit 117 and the packet processing unit 114 . the voice source data information in the packet contains a message number showing a voice message serving as a source of the voice source data , a data size of the voice source data , a codec type , an stm channel information for transferring the voice source data , a udp port number , etc . the control unit 110 , which has received the voice source data and the voice source data information , transmits the voice source data and the data size to the voice source data transfer unit 112 ( s 502 ). with this operation , the voice source data transfer unit 112 stores the voice source data temporary memory 133 with the received voice source data by the notified data size . then , the control unit 110 notifies the packet processing unit 114 of the message number of the should - be - transferred voice source data , the codec type and the port number , and also notifies the packet processing unit 114 of a voice source data storage starting instruction ( s 503 ). subsequently , the control unit 110 notifies the codec unit 113 of the codec type and the port number , and instructs the codec unit 113 to open the voice source data transfer channel ( s 504 ). following this instruction , the codec unit 113 opens the voice source data transfer channel , and prepares for acquiring the voice source data that will be transferred . then , when acquiring the voice source data , the codec unit 113 encodes the voice source data , corresponding to the notified codec type , thus voice - packetizing the voice source data . the codec unit 113 , when effecting this voice - packetization , translates the notified port number into a udp port number and transmits the udp port number to the packet processing unit 114 . the control unit 110 instructs the voice source data transfer unit 112 to start transferring the voice source data ( s 505 ). based on this voice source data transfer starting instruction , the voice source data are relayed sequentially to the stm switch control unit 111 and the codec unit 113 and thus transferred to the packet processing unit 114 ( s 506 ). thereafter , the control unit 110 waits till receipt of a transfer end notification informing of an end of transferring the voice source data from the voice source data transfer unit 112 ( s 507 , s 507 ; no ). upon receiving the transfer end notification ( s 507 ; yes ), the control unit 110 instructs the packet processing unit 114 to finish storing the voice source data ( s 508 ). the control unit 110 further instructs the codec unit 113 to close the voice source data transfer channel ( s 509 ). with this operation , the voipgw 11 terminates the voice source data transfer process ( s 510 ; no ). note that if there exist other voice source data ( s 510 ; yes ), the transfer process is continuously executed ( s 502 ). an operation of the packet processing unit 114 with respect to such a voice source data storage process will hereinafter be explained with reference to fig6 . fig6 is a flowchart showing the voice source data storage process in the packet processing unit 114 . the packet processing unit 114 , when receiving a voice source data storage starting instruction from the control unit 110 ( s 601 ), executes the following voice source data storage process . the packet processing unit 114 , following the instruction , receives a message number of the should - be - transferred voice source data , a codec type and a port number from the control unit 110 ( s 602 ). with this receipt , the packet processing unit 114 , for a start of storing the voice source data , waits for an ip packet in which the notified port number is set , i . e ., the voice source data packet ( s 603 , s 603 ; no ). upon receiving the ip packet containing the port number set therein , the packet processing unit 114 judges that this packet is the voice source data packet , and stores this packet on the voice source data storage buffer 116 ( s 604 ). at this time , a single voice message is received in a segmented state into a plurality of voice source data packets , and hence the packet processing unit 114 stores the voice source data packets in a way that generates a chain for every packet . as the storage of the voice source data is ended , the packet processing unit 114 judges whether or not the voice source data storage finishing instruction is received from the control unit 110 ( s 605 ), and , if not received ( s 605 ; no ), the packet processing unit 114 comes again to the waiting state for receiving the voice source data packet ( s 603 ). namely , the packet processing unit 114 continues the voice source data storage process till the receipt of the voice source data storage finishing instruction from the control unit 110 . when receiving the storage finishing instruction from the control unit 110 , the packet processing unit 114 recognizes an end of the should - be - stored voice source data , and stores various items of information about the stored voice source data in the voice source data storage information table 147 ( s 606 ). next , an operation of the voipgw 11 in the case of deleting the stored voice source data will be described with reference to fig7 . fig7 is a flowchart showing a voice source data delete process of the voipgw 11 in the first embodiment . the control unit 110 of the voipgw 11 , when deleting the voice source data , receives a voice source data delete instruction from the ca 2 ( s 701 ). notification of this instruction is given through a control packet , wherein a should - be - deleted message number is contained in this control packet . the control unit 110 receiving this instruction designates the should - be - deleted message number and instructs the packet processing unit 114 to delete the voice source data ( s 702 ). the packet processing unit 114 , upon receiving this instruction , confirms that the voice source data corresponding to the designated message number is not in the process of its transmission , and , if not so , deletes the same voice source data ( s 703 ). an operation of the packet processing unit 114 with respect to such a voice source data delete process will be described as below with reference to fig8 . fig8 is a flowchart showing the voice source data delete process in the packet processing unit 114 . the packet processing unit 114 , when receiving the should - be - deleted message number and the voice source data delete instruction from the control unit 110 ( s 801 ), executes the following voice source data delete process . the packet processing unit 114 , based on the instruction , judges whether or not the voice source data corresponding to the designated message number are under the transmission , by referring to an in - use count in the voice source data storage information table 147 ( s 802 ). when judging from the in - use count that the target voice source data are not in use ( s 802 ), the packet processing unit 114 refers to the start buffer address , the last buffer address , the chain count , etc ., of the voice source data storage information table 147 and thus deletes the chain of the voice source data stored in the voice source data storage buffer 116 ( s 803 ). with this operation , it follows that the designated voice source data are deleted from the voice source data storage buffer 116 . finally , the packet processing unit 114 deletes all the information about the deleted voice source data from the voice source data storage information table ( s 804 ). next , an operation of the voipgw 11 in the case of sending the stored voice source data to the pstn will be explained with reference to fig9 . fig9 is a flowchart showing the voice source data transmission process of the voipgw in the first embodiment . the control unit 110 of the voipgw 11 , when sending the voice source data , receives a voice source data transmission instruction from the ca 2 ( s 901 ). this voice source data transmission instruction contains pieces of information such as a destination ip address , a channel number / udp port number , a message number , a codec number , etc . an address of the codec unit 113 that should transmit the voice source data packet in the case of transmitting the voice source data to the pstn is set to the destination ip address field . then an ip address of the partner destination user terminal to which the voice source data should be transmitted in the case of transmitting the voice source data toward the ip network is designated to the destination ip address field . if the partner destination user terminal is the h323 terminal 6 shown in fig1 , an ip address of the h323 terminal 6 is designated . a channel number / udp port number associated with the call of the transmission destination user terminal is designated in the channel number / udp port number field . the control unit 110 , upon receiving the instruction , notifies the codec unit 113 of a channel number associated with the transmission destination user terminal , a codec type for decoding the voice source data packet transmitted from the packet processing unit 114 and a udp port number associated with the call of the transmission destination user terminal , and instructs the codec unit 113 to open the designated channel ( s 902 ). subsequently , the control unit 110 notifies the packet processing unit 114 of the designated message number , the destination ip address and the udp port number , and instructs the packet processing unit 114 to start transmitting the voice source data ( s 903 ). the packet processing unit 114 receiving the transmission starting instruction reads the voice source data packet associated with the designated message number from the voice source data storage buffer 116 , updates the udp port number in this voice source data packet into the designated udp port number , and transmits the voice source data packet to the codec unit 113 specified by the destination ip address ( s 904 ). the control unit 110 waits till receipt of transmission end notification informing of an end of the voice source data transmission from the ca 2 ( s 905 , s 905 ; no ). when receiving the transmission end notification ( s 905 ; yes ), the control unit 110 instructs the codec unit 113 to close the channel corresponding to the transmission destination user terminal ( s 906 ). an operation of the packet processing unit 114 with respect to such a voice source data transmission process will be described as below with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a flowchart showing the voice source data transmission process in the packet processing unit 114 . the packet processing unit 114 , when receiving a voice source data transmission starting instruction from the control unit 110 ( s 1001 ), executes the following voice source data transmission process . the packet processing unit 114 , based on the instruction , registers information about the target voice source data in the voice source data transmission management table 146 ( s 1002 , s 1003 , s 1004 ). the port number specifying the transmission destination user terminal that is set in the udp header of the to - be - transmitted packet ( s 1002 ) and the address in the voice source data storage buffer 116 stored with the voice source data that should be transmitted next time ( s 1003 ), are registered as the information about the voice source data , and the timer value is cleared ( s 1004 ). the packet processing unit 114 judges whether the timer in the voice source data transmission management table is cleared or not ( s 1005 ). if the timer is judged to be cleared ( s 1005 ; yes ), the voice source data packet is read from the voice source data storage buffer 116 on the basis of the address set in the next transmission voice source data buffer address field in the voice source data transmission management table ( s 1006 ). the packet processing unit 114 updates the destination ip address , the udp port number , etc . of the readout voice source data packet , and sends the updated packet to the codec unit 113 ( s 1006 ). the packet processing unit 114 , for registering the address where the voice source data packet , which should be transmitted when reading next , are stored , updates the next transmission voice source data buffer address in the voice source data transmission management table ( s 1007 ). further , the packet processing unit 114 resets the timer in the voice source data transmission management table 146 to a packet transmission period as the initial value ( s 1008 ). the packet processing unit 114 , upon finishing the process , judges whether or not the voice source data transmission finishing instruction comes from the control unit 110 ( s 1009 ). if the voice source data transmission finishing instruction comes in ( s 1009 ; yes ), the packet processing unit 114 deletes a record containing the port number specifying the user terminal becoming the transmission destination this time is entered in the port number field in the voice source data transmission management table ( s 1010 ). whereas if the voice source data transmission finishing instruction does not come from the control unit 114 ( s 1009 ; no ), the packet processing unit 114 continues the voice source data transmission process ( s 1005 ). the packet processing unit 114 continues the voice source data transmission process till the voice source data transmission finishing instruction comes from the control unit 110 , in other words , till the call of the transmission destination user terminal is disconnected or otherwise and till the ca 2 judges that the transmission of the voice message to its transmission destination is ended . herein , operations and effects of the voip gateway device in the first embodiment discussed above , will be described . fig1 is a diagram showing an outline of control flows of the respective function units with respect to the voice source data storage process , the voice source data delete process and the voice source data transmission process of the voipgw 11 . the description of the operation might involve referring to fig1 as the necessity arises . in the voipgw 11 in the first embodiment , on the occasion of providing the guidance message of a talkie etc . to each telephone as the subscriber terminal , at first , the guidance message is digitized , and the packetized voice source data packets are stored on the voice source data storage buffer 116 . in this voice source data storage process , the voipgw 11 receives the voice source data retained on the ftp server 1 , and temporarily stores the received voice source data on the voice source data transfer unit 112 . thereafter , in the voipgw 11 , the codec unit 113 packetizes the voice source data during a period till a voice source data storage finishing instruction is received since a voice source data storage starting instruction was received from the ca 2 , and the voice source data storage buffer 116 is sequentially stored with the packetized voice source data packets ( a process ( 1 ) shown in fig1 ). the voipgw 11 , upon receiving the voice source data storage finishing instruction given from the ca 2 , registers the stored information about the voice source data packet stored this time in the voice source data storage information table 147 , wherein the message number as the voice message id is used as a key ( a process ( 2 ) shown in fig1 ). thus , the voip gateway device in the first embodiment digitizes and packetizes the voice message provided to the subscriber terminal such as the telephone etc ., and stores the voice source data packet on the voice source data storage buffer in the packet buffer . with this operation , the voip gateway device in the first embodiment has no necessity of adding any memory dedicated to the voice source data to within the device , and part of the buffer within the memory that is normally employed for the packet processing is efficiently used , thus enabling the voice source data to be retained . further , the codec unit 113 , when assembling the voice source data packet , effects the voice - compression , whereby a data capacity itself of the should - be - stored voice source data can be reduced , and , by the same token , the memory capacity for storing the voice source data can be saved . the voipgw 11 , when actually providing the voice message service , sequentially reads the voice source data packets stored beforehand on the voice source data storage buffer 116 and transmits the voice source data packets in accordance with the voice source data transmission starting instruction given from the ca 2 . when reading the voice source data , the voipgw 11 assigns the predetermined port number to every transmission destination and registers the voice source data transmission information in the voice source data transmission management table 146 ( a process ( 3 ) shown in fig1 ). further , as the voice source data are packetized and thus stored , the packet transmission timing is managed by the timer in the voice source data transmission management table 146 , and the stored voice source data packet is transmitted with the period set in the timer ( processes ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) shown in fig1 ). the voipgw 11 deletes the record concerning the target partner destination terminal registered previously in the voice source data transmission management table 146 in accordance with the voice source data transmission finishing instruction ( a process ( 6 ) shown in fig1 ). thus , the voip gateway device in the first embodiment handles , on the packet basis , the voice source data that are packetized and thus retained on the occasion of transmitting the voice source data . with this scheme , in a case such as building up the voice source data storage buffer by use of dram ( dynamic random access memory ), the high - speed memory accessing can be attained by employing a burst access function of the dram , and , by the same token , it is possible to increase the number of voice source data simultaneous transmission channels . in this respect , fig1 shows a result of examination made by exemplifying such a case that the voice source data storage buffer involves adopting sdram ( synchronous dram ) ( 32 - bit width , 100 mega - hertz ( mhz ) memory clock ) of ddr ( double data rate ) 200 . the reason why the effect with respect to the simultaneous transmission channel count in the first embodiment is obtained , will be elucidated with reference to fig1 . in the example shown in fig1 , there is given a case in which a voice source data packet transmission interval is set to 10 millisecond ( ms ), and a voice source data packet length is set to 128 bytes . in the sdram in this example , the memory access time is approximately 0 . 2 microsecond ( μs ) in terms of specifications thereof , and hence a memory accessible count with one - packet period ( 10 ms ) is considered to be approximately 50 , 000 . accordingly , simply the simultaneous accessing can be done for 50 , 000 channels at the maximum . hence , as compared with the voice source data adding in the general type of stm switch control unit , the simultaneous accessible channel count can be remarkably increased . the voipgw 11 , when receiving the voice source data delete instruction from the ca 2 , extracts the storage information about the delete target voice source data from the voice source data storage information table 147 , and deletes the target voice source data from the voice source data storage buffer 116 on the basis of the extracted storage information ( processes ( 7 ) and ( 8 ) shown in fig1 ). thus , in the voip gateway device in the first embodiment , the voice source data management can be conducted as the buffer management . this management mode facilitates , on such an occasion as to add , delete and change the voice message , managing the target voice source data , and enables obviation of troublesomeness of the memory management in the conventional system . a voip gateway device in a second embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described . the voip gateway device according to the first embodiment discussed earlier receives the should - be - transmitted voice source data from the ftp server and stores the voice source data . the voip gateway device in the second embodiment has a function of transferring the voice source data to other voip gateway device ( which will hereinafter be referred to as an other - device transfer function ). the network architecture shall be the same as that in the first embodiment shown in fig1 . a configuration of the second embodiment that will hereinafter be described is an exemplification , and the present invention is not limited to the following configuration . the voip gateway device according to the second embodiment is constructed of the same function units as those in the first embodiment , however , the operations of the respective function units are somewhat different . the function units operating differently from the first embodiment will be explained with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a diagram showing functional configurations of voipgws 11 , 21 and a control flow in the second embodiment , and showing the control flow in the case of transferring the voice source data packet from the voipgw 11 to the voipgw 21 . further , in the following discussion , the explanations of the same function units as those in the first embodiment are omitted . the control unit 110 of the transmission - side voipgw 11 , when executing the other - device transfer , as in the first embodiment , receives the call setting for transferring the voice source data and the voice source data transfer instruction from the ca 2 . this voice source data transfer instruction contains pieces of information such as the message number , the codec type , the channel number , the port number and a destination ip address , wherein a different point from the first embodiment is to contain the destination ip address . this destination ip address is employed by the packet processing unit 114 , and an address of the other transfer destination voip gateway device ( voipgw 21 ) is designated as the destination ip address . other pieces of information are the same as those in the first embodiment . the control unit 110 , upon receiving the voice source data transfer instruction , notifies the packet processing unit 114 of the port number specifying the voice source data packet and the destination ip address associated with this port number ( 2 - dotted chain lines shown in fig1 ). the notification given to other function units is the same as in the case of transferring voice source data in the first embodiment . moreover , a control unit 110 - 2 of the receiving - side voipgw 21 receives the call setting for transferring the voice source data and the voice source data storage instruction from the ca 2 . this voice source data storage instruction contains pieces of information such as the message number of the voice source data packet that is transferred to this side , the codec type and the port number . based on this voice source data storage instruction , the control unit 110 - 2 controls the respective function units . the packet processing unit 114 ( corresponding to a transfer unit according to the present invention ) has the following function in addition to that in the first embodiment . the transmitting - side packet processing unit 114 , when receiving the voice source data packet transmitted from the codec unit 113 , updates the destination ip address of voice source data packet with the destination ip address which the control unit 110 has notified of , and sends the address - updated packet to the ip switch unit 117 . with this operation , it follows that the ip switch unit 117 transmits the packet toward the ip network 3 , and the packet is forwarded to the voipgw 21 . note that the packet processing unit 114 , other than sending the voice source data packet toward the ip network 3 , may store the voice source data storage buffer 116 with the voice source data packet as in the first embodiment . a receiving - side packet processing unit 114 - 2 , upon receiving the packet having setting of the port number which the control unit 110 - 2 has notified of , judges this packet as the voice source data packet , and stores the packet on a self voice source data storage buffer 116 - 2 . next , an example of the operation of the voip gateway device in the second embodiment will be described with reference to fig1 a and 14b . fig1 a and 14b are diagrams showing a sequence of the other - device transfer process in the second embodiment . for actualizing the other - device transfer of the voice source data , the voipgw needs being stored with the voice source data . such being the case , to begin with , the ftp server 1 transmits the voice source data to the transmitting - side voipgw 11 ( s 1401 ). when finishing the transfer , the ca 2 sends a control packet containing the voice source data storage instruction to the receiving - side voipgw 21 ( s 1402 ), and subsequently transmits the voice source data transfer instruction to the transmitting - side voipgw 11 ( s 1403 ). the voice source data storage instruction and the voice source data transfer instruction contain a call setting instruction for transferring the voice source data and voice source data transfer information . the voice source data transfer information to the voipgw 21 contains a message number about the voice source data that are transferred to this side , a codec type and a port number . the voice source data transfer information to the voipgw 11 contains a message number about the voice source data that should be transferred , a codec type , a channel number , a port number and a destination ip address . the voipgw 11 receiving the voice source data and the voice source data transfer instruction executes the same process as the voice source data storage process in the first embodiment . the voipgw 11 temporarily stores the voice source data on the voice source data transfer unit 112 ( s 1404 ). thereafter , the voipgw 11 instructs the codec unit 113 and the packet processing unit 114 to transfer the voice source data as preparation for transferring the voice source data ( s 1405 , s 1406 ). the packet processing unit 114 is notified of the port number specifying the voice source data packet , the destination ip address of the transfer destination , etc . ( s 1405 ). the codec unit 113 is notified of the codec type and the port number together with an instruction to open the voice source data transfer channel ( s 1406 ). when sending the voice source data transfer starting instruction to the voice source data transfer unit 112 from the voipgw 11 ( s 1407 ), the transfer of the voice source data is started ( s 1409 ). the voice source data are transferred to the codec unit 113 via the designated channel of the stm , and , after being voice - packetized ( into the voice source data packet ) by the codec unit 113 , transferred to the packet processing unit 114 . the packet processing unit 114 changes the transmission destination ip address of the voice source data packet that has been transferred to this side into the pre - notified destination ip address , whereby the packet is forwarded toward the ip network 3 . on the other hand , the receiving - side voipgw 21 , based on the voice source data storage instruction ( s 1402 ), gives the voice source data storage instruction to a packet processing unit 114 - 2 ( s 1408 ). this instruction contains pieces of information ( the message number , the codec type and the port number ) about the voice source data that are transferred to this side . with this operation , the voipgw 21 comes to a voice source data packet transfer waiting state , wherein the voipgw 21 stores a self voice source data storage buffer 116 - 2 with the voice source data packet each time the packet having setting of the notified port number reaches . the transmitting - side voipgw 11 continues to transfer the voice source data till the transfer of the voice source data is completed ( s 1410 , s 1410 ; no ), and , when finishing transferring all the voice source data ( s 1410 ; yes ), notifies of an end of the voice source data transfer ( s 1411 ). upon notifying of the end of the voice source data transfer , the voipgw 11 , as a voice source data transfer finishing process , instructs the codec unit 113 to close the voice source data transfer channel ( s 1413 ) and instructs the packet processing unit 114 to cancel a voice source data transfer route ( s 1414 ). the receiving - side voipgw 21 waits for the voice source data storage finishing instruction from ca 2 ( s 1412 ), then instructs the packet processing unit 114 - 2 to finish storing the voice source data at a point of time when receiving this instruction ( s 1415 ), and finishes the voice source data storage process . in the second embodiment , the voipgw 11 packetizes the voice source data temporarily stored on the voice source data transfer unit 112 provided in the self stm switch control unit , and transfers the packet to the other voipgw 21 . on the other hand , the voipgw 21 receiving the transferred voice source data packet stores this voice source data packet on the self voice source data storage buffer 116 - 2 . with this operation , in the second embodiment , the number of the gateway devices provided in the stm switch control unit and each having the voice source data transfer function can be limited . as a matter of course , the multi - function device becomes expensive , and therefore , in the system employing the voip gateway device , the system can be configured in a way that restrains the costs . the following is a description of a voip gateway device according to a third embodiment of the present invention . the voip gateway device according to the second embodiment discussed earlier has the function of transferring the voice source data transferred from the ftp server to the other gateway device from the voice source data transfer unit provided in the stm switch control unit . the voip gateway device according to the third embodiment has a function of transferring the voice source data packet stored on the self voice source data storage buffer to the other gateway device ( which will hereinafter referred to as an inter - buffer transfer function ). the network architecture shall be the same as that in the first embodiment shown in fig1 . a configuration of the third embodiment that will hereinafter be described is an exemplification , and the invention is not limited to the following configuration . [ configuration of device ] the voip gateway device according to the third embodiment is constructed of the same function units as those in the first embodiment , however , the operations of the respective function units are somewhat different . the function units operating differently from the first embodiment will be explained with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a diagram showing functional configurations of the voipgws 11 , 21 and a control flow in the third embodiment , and showing the control flow when the voice source data packet stored on the voipgw 11 is forwarded to the voipgw 21 . further , in the following discussion , the explanations of the same function units as those in the first embodiment are omitted . the control unit 110 on the transmitting - side voipgw 11 , for actualizing the inter - buffer transfer function , receives an already - stored voice source data transfer instruction from ca 2 . this transfer instruction contains pieces of information such as a message number , a port number , a destination ip address , etc . the destination ip address is employed by the packet processing unit 114 , and an address of the other voip gateway device ( voipgw 21 ) as the transfer destination is entered in this destination ip address field . the control unit 110 , based on this transfer instruction , controls the packet processing unit 114 . on the other hand , the control unit 110 - 2 on the receiving - side voipgw 21 receives the voice source data storage instruction from the ca 2 . this storage instruction contains pieces of information such as a message number , a port number , etc . the control unit 110 - 2 controls the packet processing unit 114 - 2 on the basis of this storage instruction . the packet processing unit ( corresponding to a data transmitting unit according to the present invention ) has the following function in addition to the function in the first embodiment . the transmitting - side packet processing unit 114 , when receiving the already - stored voice source data transfer instruction from the control unit 110 , reads the voice source data packet associated with the designated message number from the voice source data storage buffer 116 . the packet processing unit 114 updates the port number and the transmission destination ip address in the readout voice source data packet into the designated port number and designated destination ip address . note that on the occasion of transferring this voice source data packet , the packet processing unit 114 may add a predetermined packet header for the inter - buffer transfer function to the readout voice source data packet . the packet processing unit 114 forwards the updated voice source data packet not as the voice packet ( taking account of the packet transmission period etc .) but as a normal data packet to the ip switch unit 117 ( toward the ip network 3 ). note that the packet processing unit 114 may also forward the packet by the ftp transfer in which this voice source data packet is handled as the data ( datagram ). next , an example of the operation of the voip gateway device in the third embodiment will be explained with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a diagram showing a sequence of the inter - buffer transfer process of the voipgw in the third embodiment . actualization of the inter - buffer transfer of the voice source data requires storing the voice source data on the voipgw , however , the voice source data storage process thereof is the same as that in the first embodiment . the following operation is an operation conducted in such a state that the voice source data packet is already stored on the voice source data storage buffer 116 of the voipgw 11 . the ca 2 sends the already - stored voice source data transfer instruction to the transmitting - side voipgw 11 ( s 1601 ). this already - stored voice source data transfer instruction contains pieces of information such as a port number , a message number , a destination ip address , a call setting instruction for the transfer , etc ., which are used for transferring the voice source data packet . subsequently , the ca 2 sends the voice source data storage instruction to the receiving - side voipgw 21 ( s 1602 ). this voice source data storage instruction contains a message number , a port number , a codec type and a packet count . herein , the packet count represents the number of the voice source data packets that are transferred to this side . the voipgw 11 receiving the already - stored voice source data transfer instruction notifies the packet processing unit 114 of the already - stored voice source data transfer instruction ( s 1603 ). the packet processing unit 114 , when receiving this instruction , transfers all the voice source data packets corresponding to the designated voice message as the data packets to the designated destination ( s 1604 ). on the other hand , the voipgw 21 receiving the storage instruction instructs the packet processing unit 114 - 2 to start storing the voice source data ( s 1605 ), and receives the transferred data packets by the notified packet count . the transferred data packet is identified with the packet associated with the voice source data packet from the port number and is stored on the message storage buffer 116 - 2 ( s 1606 ). in the third embodiment , the voipgw 11 transfers the voice source data packet stored on the self voice source data storage buffer 116 as the normal data packet to the other voipgw 21 . on the other hand , the voipgw 21 receiving the transferred data packet stores the voice source data packet contained in the data packet on the self voice source data storage buffer 116 - 2 . with this operation , in the third embodiment , the voice source data can be handled and transferred in the same way as the normal data can be without transmitting the data with the predetermined period etc . as in the case of the voice packet . this makes it possible to copy the voice source data held by one device to the plurality of devices by the simple method . the disclosures of japanese patent application no . jp2005 - 079630 , filed on mar . 18 , 2005 including the specification , drawings and abstract are incorporated herein by reference . | 7 |
polymerizable dental materials include materials used to repair , replace , protect , or otherwise complement the surface of a tooth . such materials include , for example , sealants , adhesives , composites , restoratives , and the like , which are well known in the dentistry arts . the chemistry of the polymerizable dental material can be any chemistry , but the invention can be especially useful in combination with polymerizable dental materials whose cure can be inhibited by exposure to oxygen , especially free - radically polymerizable materials . examples of such dental materials include materials commonly referred to as “ resins ,” “ resin composites ,” and “ compomers .” generally speaking , resins and resin composites are materials that typically cure or harden by free - radical addition polymerization activated by chemicals or more usually by radiation , commonly visible light . the term “ resin ” generally refers to the polymerizable component of a composition ( alone or with other materials ) while “ resin composite ” refers to the resin in combination with a filler material . thus , resins and resin composites may contain inert inorganic fillers ( silica , barium glass , zirconia / silica glass are some examples ) to modify properties . these types of materials adhere micromechanically to tooth enamel , especially after acid etching , and bond to dentin via application of an acid conditioner followed by a primer and / or adhesive , after which a combination of micromechanical and interdiffusion bonding occurs . many different types of resins and resin composites are commercially available , and typically vary in the type , concentration , and properties of the filler . representative examples of commercially available resin composites include , but are not limited to , revolution ( kerr corporation , orange , calif . ); silux ( 3m , st paul , minn . ); h r v herculite ( kerr corporation , orange calif . ); restorative z100 ( 3m , st paul , minn . ); and alert ( pentron inc , wallingford , conn .). glass ionomers may optionally be included in a polymerizable composition , in combination with a polymerizable resin . glass ionomers , sometimes referred to as polyalkenoate cements , set and / or harden via an acid - base reaction wherein an acidic polymer or copolymer aqueous solution reacts with an ion - leachable glass . glass ionomers are well known in the dental arts , and include , for example , poly ( acrylic acid ) and related copolymers which can react with a fluoroaluminosilicate glass ( fas ) to give a product including a core containing unreacted fas surrounded by the acid - base reaction products . such materials are commercially available , for example from ketac - cem radiopaque ( espe america , inc , norristown pa .). polymerizable compositions that include a glass - ionomer are sometimes referred to as “ resin - modified glass - ionomers ” and can be used in situations where properties intermediate between those of resins and glass - ionomers are desired . resin - modified glass - ionomers set and harden via a combination of an acid - base reaction and a free - radical polymerization reaction , which may be activated chemically and by radiation , e . g ., visible light . resin - modified glass - ionomers are well - known and commercially available . one representative example of a commercially available resin - modified glass - ionomer composition is gc fuji ii lc improved ( gc america inc , alsip , ill .). compomers are another class of polymerizable dental materials that can be advantageously used where properties intermediate between those of resins or resin composites and glass - ionomers are desired . compomers are polyacid - modified resin composites that polymerize via a free - radical polymerization mechanism . compomers are well - known and commercially available . one example of a commercially available compomer includes is compoglass ® ( ivoclar north america inc , amherst , n . y .). the specific chemistry of the polymerizable dental material can preferably be any chemistry whose polymerization would be inhibited by oxygen . many sealants include a mixture of monomers , usually including acrylates , e . g ., di ( meth ) acrylates ( as used herein , the term “( meth ) acrylate ” refers to both acrylates and methacrylates ). specific examples of dimethacrylates used in sealant formulations include bis - gma ( bisphenol a glycidyl methacrylate , often referred to as “ bowen &# 39 ; s resin ”), bis - dma , tegdma ( triethylene glycol dimethacrylate ), and udma ( urethane dimethacrylate ). inert inorganic filler can be included to modify the appearance and / or mechanical properties of the sealant . some products claim to contain fluoride - containing components . pit and fissure sealants may be classified according to their setting mechanism . according to standard specifications ( ansi / ada specification no . 39 - 1992 ; iso 6874 : 1988 ; british standard specification bs 7180 : 1989 ) there are two types of materials . type 1 materials include a chemical setting mechanism , meaning that they contain a chemical activator . type 2 materials are described as “ external - energy - cured ,” meaning they cure upon application of an external source of energy such as visible light of an appropriate wavelength and intensity . type 2 materials are often referred to as visible - light cure ( vlc ) materials . both types of sealant set ( i . e ., polymerize ) essentially by free - radical addition polymerization . examples of commercially available sealants include concise ™ white sealant , available as type 1 or a type 2 material ( 3m company , st . paul , minn . ), fluoroshield ™ ( type 2 , dentsply / caulk , milford , del . ), helioseal ® ( type 2 , ivoclar / vivadent , buffalo , n . y . ), prisma - shield ® ( type 2 , dentsply / caulk , milford , del . ), sealite ™ ( type 2 , kerr usa , romulus , mich .) and seal - rite ™ ( type 2 , pulpdent , watertown , mass .). according to the invention , a barrier material is applied to the polymerizable dental material prior to polymerization , e . g ., after the material has been placed in the mouth . the barrier material can cover or mask the taste of the polymerizable dental material . the barrier material can also impart its own desirable flavor and aroma into the process , allowing for improved patient comfort and cooperation ; in this regard the barrier material can impart the flavor and odor of an essential oil and can optionally and preferably act as a vehicle for incorporating additional flavor or aroma such as by an added flavoring . moreover , the barrier material can act as a barrier to prevent oxygen from contacting the polymerizable dental material , providing improved polymerization of the polymerizable material . as noted above , polymerization of polymerizable materials can be inhibited by oxygen . according to the invention , the barrier material is placed on a surface of the material to prevent oxygen from contacting the material where the oxygen would inhibit polymerization . because the barrier material is being used in dentistry environments , a number of features are important . the barrier material should be biocompatible , consisting of materials acceptable for oral use . when the barrier material is used with a radiation - curable dental material , the barrier material should be able to transmit such radiation . this is true , for example , when using the invention with type 2 sealant materials where light must reach the sealant to activate polymerization . a barrier material should preferably form a continuous film over the polymerizable dental material . the barrier material should be chemically compatible with the polymerizable dental material and not cause chemical degradation . this of course will depend on the composition of the polymerizable dental material . the barrier material should be of a character that will at least cover up or mask a flavor of the polymerizable dental material , or ideally have a flavor and aroma that is tasteful . and , the barrier material should be convenient to apply to a tooth in a patient &# 39 ; s mount . the barrier material can preferably be a liquid comprising or based on an oil . preferred oils include essential oils , for example soybean oil , safflower oil , sesame oil , olive oil , sunflower oil , canola oil , walnut oil , peanut oil , orange oil , eucalyptus oil , cod liver oil , castor oil , or a combination of two or more of these oils . essential oils are suitable for use as a barrier material because many exhibit one or more properties including suitable flavor and / or liquidity for ease of application , chemical inertness , film - forming capability , and transparency to electromagnetic radiation . also , essential oils are known to be compatible with resin based filling materials ( see generally applicants &# 39 ; u . s . patent application ser . nos . 09 / 427 , 876 , 09 / 427 , 943 , the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference ). an essential oil may be used by itself as the barrier material , a mixture of essential oils may be used , or an essential oil may be used with other ingredients ( e . g ., flavoring agents ) included in amounts that do not unduly hinder the ability of the barrier material to cover a flavor or odor of the polymerizable dental material or to reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the polymerizable dental material . those with an understanding of polymerizable dental materials will understand that materials other than essential oils , for example other types of oils , may also be used in a barrier material , singly or in combination with essential oils or other materials . for example , liquids such as glycerol and propylene glycol can be used in combination with an essential oil . a flavor included in a barrier material may be any of a variety of desirable flavors , for example cherry , strawberry , blueberry , watermelon , lemon , lime , raspberry , apple , grape , cranberry , coconut , banana , tangerine , pineapple , bubble gum , almond , hazelnut , chocolate , etc . the barrier material is applied to a surface of a polymerizable dental material , preferably by first placing the polymerizable dental material in the mouth , particularly at a tooth , and then applying the barrier material . next , the polymerizable dental material can be polymerized . the polymerizable dental material is typically applied to a tooth after some preparation of the tooth , as is appropriate for the specific dental procedure and material being used . this can include cleaning and often some application of a primer or other treatment to promote adhesion . the polymerizable dental material is then applied to the prepared surface , as needed . following placement of the polymerizable dental material , the barrier material is applied to the exposed surface of the dental material , and the dental material is then polymerized by appropriate means . the barrier material covers or masks the flavor of the dental material , and also reduces the amount of oxygen contacting the polymerizable dental material , preferably to entirely prevent environmental oxygen from contacting the dental material . the barrier material is applied to the polymerizable dental material in any fashion that will accomplish this , preferably in a fashion that will result in a continuous coating ( e . g ., a film ) of barrier material over the surface of the polymerizable dental material . examples of methods of applying the barrier material to a polymerizable composition include dropping , spreading , spraying , or brushing the barrier material onto the polymerizable dental material specifically with respect to sealants , application of a sealant involves preparation of the tooth by first cleaning and drying a tooth surface . an etchant , usually based on phosphoric acid , is applied to the surface , e . g ., a fissure , for typically 15 seconds , and the surface is washed to remove etching debris and thoroughly dried . the sealant is applied to the etched surface . according to the invention , a barrier material is applied to the exposed surface of the sealant , preferably in an amount and manner to form a continuous film over the sealant . the sealant is then polymerized . optionally the barrier material can be washed away by rinsing with water . a type 2 fissure sealant ( helisoseal ®, ivoclar / vivadent , buffalo , n . y .) was used in this study , tested by the method of section 6 . 6 of ansi / ada specification no . 39 - 1992 ). a drop of the sealant was placed on a microscope slide and covered with a glass cover slip to give an approximately round mass of sealant , with an edge of the material exposed to air and the two flat surfaces covered by glass . polymerization was activated using a dental vlc unit ( caulk “ the max ” model 106 , caulk / dentsply , milford del .) with output 470 - 480 nm wavelength and minimum intensity of 450 mw / square centimeter . the light was applied for 10 seconds . on examining the disc of material , visually , using a microscope , an oxygen inhibited zone was detected . the above experiment was repeated , except that olive oil was placed on the drop of material before the application of the cover slip . when the cover slip was applied , the oil flowed and formed a barrier to air at the circumference of the material . following polymerization as above , no oxygen inhibited zone could be detected microscopically . | 0 |
the illustrative embodiment according to fig1 shows a brake arrangement of a rail vehicle ( not represented ), comprising an electrical brake device 1 containing an electronic brake control 2 . connected up to the brake control 2 is an electropneumatic regulator 3 . the electropneumatic regulator 3 has a vent valve 4 and a stop valve 5 . connected up to an output a 1 of the electropneumatic regulator 3 is an input e 1 of a shuttle valve device 6 , which in the represented illustrative embodiment is formed by a double check valve . a further input e 2 of the shuttle valve device 6 is connected by a connecting line to a pneumatic output a 3 of an emergency brake device 8 . the emergency brake device 8 has a pressure reducer 9 , with which an electromagnetic emergency brake valve 10 is arranged in series . this emergency brake valve 10 operates according to the closed - circuit principle , i . e . it is normally constantly loaded with current and hereby keeps the emergency brake valve closed . the emergency brake valve 10 can be actuated via an emergency brake loop current circuit 11 . an output a 2 of the shuttle valve device 6 is connected to a control valve device in the form of a load brake relay valve 12 , to be precise to one input e 3 thereof ; a further input e 4 is pressurized with a load pressure p 1 , so that , in a known manner , a brake cylinder 13 arranged downstream of the load brake relay valve 12 can be subjected to a load - dependent brake pressure . via a further input e 5 , the load brake relay valve 12 is connected in a customary manner through a line r to the so - called r - container , i . e . the compressed air reservoir , which may be shut off from the main container air line with a check valve . as is also shown by fig1 , a pressure sensor 14 of the electropneumatic regulator 3 is connected with its pressure input e 6 to the output a 2 of the shuttle valve device 6 or the input e 3 of the load brake relay valve 12 . via a pressure line 15 , the pressure sensor 14 is thus subjected to a pilot pressure cv . a corresponding current is fed from the pressure sensor 14 via a line 16 to the brake control 2 . in addition , it should also be pointed out that , for monitoring and load registration purposes , a further pressure sensor 17 is connected up with its pressure input to the input e 4 of the load brake relay valve 12 and is connected with its output , via a line 18 , to the brake control 2 . the brake device represented in fig1 operates as follows : in a standard service braking , the emergency brake valve 10 is energized , and hence activated , via the emergency brake loop current circuit 11 . this means that the emergency brake valve is shut off and thus a pressure of 0 bar is present at the input e 2 of the shuttle valve device 6 . if a brake set value signal is generated by the train driver , similarly as in the prior art by a master controller ( not represented ), which signal is evaluated by the vehicle control system , then , via a vehicle bus ( not represented ), an appropriate set value for the electropneumatic regulator 3 is transmitted to the brake control 2 . this hereupon controls the pilot pressure cv at the input e 3 of the load brake relay valve 12 with the aid of the stop valve 5 and the vent valve 4 . the pressure in the brake cylinder 13 can here be increased by the energization of the stop valve 5 and vent valve 4 and maintained by the energization of the stop valve 5 ; the pilot pressure cv is reduced by the de - energization of both valves 4 and 5 . by means of the pressure sensor 14 , the pilot pressure cv is registered and regulated . the load brake relay valve 12 then converts the pilot pressure cv , with allowance for the load pressure p 1 , into the pressure in the brake cylinder 13 . should the brake be released , the stop valve and the vent valve 4 and 5 are no longer energized and the brake cylinder 13 thus becomes pressureless . in the case of an emergency braking , the emergency brake loop current circuit 11 becomes dead , whereby the emergency brake valve 10 drops out , and the emergency brake pressure set by the pressure reducer 9 is let through ; at the input e 2 it acts upon the shuttle valve device 6 , whereupon this relays the emergency brake pressure to the load brake relay valve 12 . in addition , the emergency brake pressure , by way of a back - up , is set by the brake control 2 and the electropneumatic regulator 3 by means of the pressure sensor 14 . any occurring failure of the emergency brake valve 10 , i . e . lingering in the activation setting , can thereby be compensated . moreover , the possibility exists of deliberately performing with the aid of the electropneumatic regulator 3 an overload , i . e . of delivering to the brake cylinder 13 a brake pressure higher than the emergency brake pressure in the event of an emergency braking . in the illustrative embodiment according to fig2 , a direct brake arrangement is likewise at issue . in fig2 , elements corresponding to those according to fig1 are provided with the same reference symbols . contrary to the illustrative embodiment according to fig1 , in the brake arrangement according to fig2 , a relay valve 20 , instead of a load brake relay valve , is used for the control valve device , which relay valve 20 is connected with its input e 20 to the output a 2 of the shuttle valve device 6 . downstream of the relay valve 20 is arranged , in turn , the brake cylinder 13 . an input e 21 of the relay valve 20 is also wired up in the same way as already described above in connection with the description of fig1 . the relay valve 20 converts the small volumetric flow flowing to it from the shuttle valve device 6 into a large volumetric flow , without , however , making an adaptation to the load pressure . in this illustrative embodiment , account is taken of higher load pressure in that the respective load pressure is registered by means of an additional pressure sensor 21 and a corresponding current is fed to the brake control 2 . by means of the electropneumatic regulator 3 , a pressure corresponding to the load pressure is delivered to the shuttle valve device 6 , so that the relay valve 20 then acquires a pressure adapted to the respective weight of the rail vehicle . consequently , a possibly higher brake pressure is then delivered by the relay valve 20 to the brake cylinder 13 . the emergency brake pressure is here set by the pressure reducer 9 such that , when the rail vehicle is empty , for instance , the brake pressure required for the preset deceleration is generated . in an emergency braking situation , in the event of failure of the electropneumatic regulator 3 or another brake control of the rail vehicle , the illustrative embodiment according to fig2 also enables this failure to be compensated , by increasing the brake pressure in another brake control path . the brake arrangement according to fig2 operates in a similar manner to that according to fig1 . if a brake set value is generated by the train driver , then a set value for the electropneumatic regulator 3 is transmitted to the brake control 2 via , for instance , the vehicle bus ( not represented ). the brake control 2 registers the load pressure by virtue of the additional pressure sensor 21 and subsequently calculates the pressure in the pressure cylinder 13 which is required for the set value . after this , the brake control 2 controls the pilot pressure cv with the aid of the stop valve and vent valve 4 and 5 . this pressure is registered and regulated by means of the pressure sensor 14 . the relay valve 20 then converts the pilot pressure cv into the brake pressure for the brake cylinder 13 . only an adaptation of the volumetric flow is carried out . should the brake be released , the stop valve and the vent valve 4 and 5 are no longer energized and the brake cylinder 13 thus becomes pressureless . in the case of an emergency braking also , the brake arrangement according to fig2 operates similarly to that according to fig1 , yet with the difference that , in the event of failure of the emergency brake valve 10 , the emergency brake pressure is adjusted by the brake control 2 and the electropneumatic regulator 3 . in this case , however , the load pressure is registered by the brake control 2 and the emergency brake pressure which is actually required is computed . in the case of a loading of the rail vehicle , with the aid of that pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 3 which has been superimposed by the shuttle valve device 6 the emergency brake pressure is increased to the brake pressure necessary for the deceleration , whereby a load adjustment of the brake pressure is enabled . fig3 shows a brake arrangement according to the invention which acts both as a direct and as an indirect brake . here too , parts corresponding to those according to fig1 and 2 are provided with the same reference symbols . a fundamental difference between the embodiment according to fig3 and that according to fig1 consists in the fact that the shuttle valve device 6 here consists of a first shuttle valve 30 and a second shuttle valve 31 . the first shuttle valve 30 is connected with its input e 301 to the output a 1 of the electropneumatic regulator 3 and with its second input e 302 to the output a 3 of the emergency brake device 8 . the output a 30 of the first shuttle valve 30 is connected to one input e 311 of the further shuttle valve 31 , which with its other input e 312 is connected up to the output a 32 of a control valve 32 which is constituted by a valve as is defined , for instance , in uic leaflets uc541 - 01 , and thus possesses a so - called a - chamber , which stores the maximum pressure in the main air line hl as a reference pressure ; the output of the second shuttle valve 31 forms the output of the shuttle valve device 6 . connected up to the output a 2 of the shuttle valve device 6 are — as already described in connection with fig1 — the pressure sensor 14 and the load brake relay valve 12 . in a further embodiment , the pressure sensor 14 can also be connected up to the output a 1 of the electropneumatic regulator or to the output a 30 of the shuttle valve 30 . in the indirectly operating brake arrangement represented in fig3 , the brake set value , in addition to the electric signals , is distributed in the rail vehicle via the main air line hl . this is described in the pressureless state , i . e . in order to release a brake , in the main air line hl the pressure must normally measure 5 bar . for braking , this pressure is then lowered and , in the event of a pressure differential of 1 . 5 bar , the maximum pressure must be reached in the brake cylinder 13 . in order to convert the signal into a brake pressure , the control valve 32 which has already been described above is used , which control valve stores in its a - chamber the maximum pressure in the main air line hl as a reference value . if a pressure differential is recognized by the control valve 32 due to a braking operation , a control pressure is generated at the output a 32 of the control valve 32 . if the pressure differential measures more than 1 . 5 bar , then 3 . 8 bar are generated as the control pressure , which , by means of the second shuttle valve 31 , is superimposed on the pressure generated by the electropneumatic regulator 3 and pilots the load brake relay valve 12 . this converts the control pressure , in dependence on the load pressure registered by the further pressure sensor 17 , into a brake pressure in the brake cylinder 13 . in addition , an overloading can here be achieved by generation of an increased pressure with the aid of the electropneumatic regulator 3 . for the illustrative embodiment according to fig4 , extensive explanations are no longer necessary with regard to the statements relating to fig1 to 3 , in particular with regard to the description of fig3 , because the indirect brake arrangement represented in fig4 differs from that according to fig3 essentially only inasmuch as , instead of a load brake relay valve as the control valve device , a relay valve similar to the relay valve 20 according to fig2 is used . in this illustrative embodiment , the load pressure is registered with an additional pressure sensor 21 in accordance with fig2 . | 1 |
as used herein , the term “ oxybutynin ” is intended to encompass not only oxybutynin as an anhydrous powder , but any salt or derivative of oxybutynin having antispasmodic , anticholinergic activity like oxybutynin , and which is non - toxic and pharmacologically acceptable , for example , oxybutynin chloride . “ an effective amount ,” as used herein , is an amount of the pharmaceutical composition that is effective for treating urinary incontinence or pulmonary disease , i . e ., an amount of oxybutynin of a defined particle size suitable for absorption in the lungs , that is able to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of urinary and stress incontinence , asthma and copd . “ a pharmaceutical composition ,” as used herein , means a medicament for use in treating a mammal that comprises oxybutynin in a dry powder form of a defined particle size prepared in a manner that is suitable for pulmonary administration to a mammal . a pharmaceutical composition according to the invention may also , but does not of necessity , include a non - toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . “ a defined particle size ,” as used herein , means particles having a size sufficiently small so as to be delivered to the lungs . for optimal delivery to the lungs , the dry powder form of the oxybutynin preferably should be micronized or spray dried to a maximum powder size of 0 . 5 - 10 microns , preferably 1 - 6 microns . “ a systemically therapeutically effective amount ” as used herein will vary with the age , weight and general physical condition of the individual , frequency of dosing , severity of incontinence , and whether urge or stress incontinence , or asthma or copd is being treated . generally , for treating urge incontinence , a systemically therapeutically effective amount will comprise the active ingredient in a quantity of from 1 micron to 20 mg / day , preferably 1 to 10 mg / day . the active ingredient may be given once a day . preferably , however , the active ingredient will be administered in smaller doses two or three or more times a day to maintain more consistent plasma levels . when used for treating stress incontinence , a systematically therapeutically amount will comprise the active ingredient in a quantity of from 1 to 15 mg / kg per dose , preferably 5 to 10 mg / kg per dose , generally administered as a single dose , or as needed . generally fore treating respiratory diseases , a systemically therapeutically effective amount will comprise the active ingredient in a quantity of from 1 micron to 20 mg / day , preferably 1 to 10 mg / day . the active ingredient may be given once a day . preferably , however , the active ingredient will be administered in smaller doses two or three or more times a day to maintain more consistent plasma levels . the dry powder oxybutynin may then be put into a conventional dry powder inhaler ( dpi ) in a systemically effective unit dose delivery amount . for treating symptoms of stress urinary incontinence , a dose of oxybutynin should be taken at the first sign of stress , or upon onset of the first sign of urgency or just prior to anticipated onset of stress , e . g . just before a patient is scheduled to talk in front of an audience . similarly , for treating symptoms of respiratory distress , a dose of oxybutynin should be taken at the first sign of respiratory distress . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the dry powder oxybutynin is packaged for delivery in a piezo - electronic dry powder inhaler such as described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 026 , 809 . the dry powder pulmonary delivery of oxybutynin to the respiratory tract can be used advantageously to treat both urge urinary incontinence and symptoms of stress urinary incontinence . unlike conventional oral and transdermal delivery of oxybutynin which require chronic dosing with significant side effects and require hours to reach therapeutically active blood levels , dry powder pulmonary delivery of oxybutynin permits a patient to enjoy relief at significantly lower doses with concomitant reduction in side effects such as reduced risk of urinary retention . dry powder pulmonary delivery of oxybutynin also permits a patient to enjoy relief from symptoms of stress urinary incontinence on an as - needed basis . similarly , dry powder pulmonary delivery of oxybutynin permits a patient to enjoy prophylactic relief from symptoms of respiratory distress or on an as needed basis . the following examples are provided to further illustrate the present invention : oxybutynin in crystalline form is micronized to a maximum particle size of about 10 microns . the powder is packaged in a dry powder inhaler ( dpi ) made in accordance with u . s . pat . no . 6 , 026 , 809 . example 1 was repeated , using micronized oxybutynin chloride of maximum particle size of about 10 microns in place of oxybutynin . delivery of micronized particles of oxybutynin directly to the lungs , as needed , was found to provide relief to patients suffering from urge urinary incontinence and symptoms of stress urinary incontinence . while the invention has been described in detail herein in accordance with certain preferred embodiments thereof , many modifications and changes therein may be affected by those skilled in the art . accordingly , it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and changes as may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention . | 0 |
a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings . [ 0029 ] fig1 is a system block diagram of a digital mammographic apparatus ( radiographic apparatus ). x - rays emitted from an x - ray tube 11 pass through an object 13 through a compression plate 12 and reaches a sensor section 14 . since this embodiment discloses a mammographic apparatus , a human breast is assumed as the object ( also referred to as a target ) 13 . for the compression plate 12 , a material having a predetermined strength and capable of passing x - rays is used . as the sensor section 14 , an amorphous silicon sensor or crystal silicon sensor is used . the pixel size is 50 to 100 μm 2 . the outer size of the entire sensor is about 20 cm × 25 cm . the x - rays that have passed through the object 13 become incident on a grid and a phosphor screen ( neither are shown ) inserted between the object 13 and the sensor section 14 . the grid removes scattered x - rays . the phosphor screen changes the x - rays to visible light . the sensor section 14 is driven by an image collection section 15 . the sensor section 14 integrates charges in synchronism with the x - ray irradiation timing . images collected by the image collection section 15 are processed by an image processing section 16 and displayed on an image display section 17 . the image processing section 16 comprises preprocessing such as offset correction and gain correction and post processing such as irradiation field extraction , sharpening , and tone conversion to obtain images suitable for diagnosis by a doctor . the image processing section 16 , image display section 17 , and a control section 19 can be constituted by computers . the apparatus is operated from an operation console 18 . when mammography is instructed from the operation console 18 , the control section 19 implements the following series of functions . prior to imaging , the object 13 is appropriately arranged between a sensor frame 32 and the compression plate 12 . in arranging the breast , it must be confirmed whether movement of the compression plate 12 that moves during imaging will not injure the patient . the start of imaging is instructed from the operation console 18 . in accordance with a command from the control section 19 , a compression plate moving section 22 operates to move the compression plate 12 . the compression plate 12 slidably moves in the lateral direction ( the direction perpendicular to the compression direction ) of the compression plate 12 so that the breast as the object 13 rolls . when x - rays are emitted in synchronism with the movement of the compression plate 12 , and an image is obtained , the stereoscopic distribution or stereoscopic structure of calcification or a tumor can be observed . on the other hand , a pulse for x - ray irradiation is generated by a pulse generation section 20 in synchronism with the movement of the compression plate 12 . when the generated pulse is input to an x - ray control section 21 , x - rays are emitted from the x - ray tube 11 . the moving amount of the compression plate 12 is about 20 to 30 mm . during this time , three to five mammograms are obtained . since the x - ray irradiation interval is set to 300 to 500 ms , the entire imaging time is about 1 or 3 sec . in this example , the compression plate 12 is moved only in one direction . however , various moving forms can be applied , and for example , the compression plate may be reciprocally moved . in the above example , the compression plate 12 is slid in the lateral direction to roll the object 13 in sensing the moving image of the object 13 . the compression plate 12 may be moved to change the compression distribution ( also referred to as a compression direction ) or the strength degree of compression on the object 13 . to move the compression plate to change the compression distribution , the compression plate is oscillated about an axis perpendicular to the compression direction . since the compression plate tilts with respect to the compression direction and compresses the object 13 , the compression distribution changes . to change the strength degree of compression , the compression plate is moved in the compression direction to change the compression force on the object 13 . simultaneously with moving the compression plate 12 , the sensor frame 32 or tube frame 31 shown in fig2 a can be rotated . accordingly , object images can be collected from imaging directions in a wide range . this further facilitates stereoscopic observation of morbid parts . the sensor frame 32 and tube frame 31 are rotated by a sensor frame rotating section 24 and tube frame rotating section 23 , respectively . [ 0036 ] fig2 a to 2 c are views showing the mechanism of the x - ray imaging apparatus according to this embodiment . fig2 a is a side view of the mammographic apparatus according to this embodiment . the sensor frame 32 is attached to a column 33 to be rotatable about an axis ax . the sensor frame rotating section 24 which rotates the sensor frame 32 about the axis ax is arranged . the sensor section 14 , compression plate 12 , and tube frame 31 are connected to the sensor frame 32 . the tube frame 31 is connected to the sensor frame 32 to be rotatable about the axis ax . the tube frame 31 is rotated by the tube frame rotating section 23 about the axis ax independently of the sensor frame 32 . in this example , the sensor frame 32 and tube frame 31 are rotated about the same rotary axis ( axis ax ) but may be rotated about different axes . the compression plate 12 is connected to the sensor frame 32 to be movable along two axes ( x direction and z direction ). the compression plate 12 can be moved in these directions by the compression plate moving section 22 . when the compression plate 12 is moved in the x direction , the object 13 can roll . when the compression plate 12 is moved in the z direction , the strength degree of compression on the object 13 can be changed . to change the compression distribution , the compression plate 12 is made rotatable ( oscillatable ) about the y - axis . the x - ray tube 11 is attached to the tube frame 31 . the object 13 is sandwiched between the sensor frame 32 and the compression plate 12 . fig2 b is a front view of the x - ray imaging apparatus . this state can be regarded as the imaging start position . imaging is started from this position . x - ray imaging is executed while moving the compression plate 12 in the x direction , as shown in fig2 c . that is , x - ray irradiation is executed a plurality of number of times while rolling the object 13 . images corresponding to the respective irradiation cycles are acquired . [ 0039 ] fig5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the x - ray imaging apparatus according to this embodiment . this processing is implemented by causing the control section 19 to execute a control program stored in a memory ( not shown ). first , in step s 101 , it is determined whether an x - ray imaging start instruction is input from the operation console 18 . if yes in step s 101 , the flow advances to step s 102 to instruct the pulse generation section 20 to start x - ray imaging . upon receiving this instruction , the pulse generation section 20 generates a pulse at an interval of 300 to 500 ms , as described above , and outputs the generated pulse to the x - ray control section 21 . every time the pulse signal from the pulse generation section 20 is received , the x - ray control section 21 drives the x - ray tube 11 . the image collection section 15 is also operated in accordance with the pulse signal to acquire an x - ray image . simultaneously with the start of x - ray imaging in step s 102 , movement of the compression plate 12 starts in step s 103 . more specifically , the control section 19 instructs the compression plate moving section 22 to start moving the compression plate . upon receiving this instruction , the compression plate moving section 22 moves the compression plate 12 in the x direction shown in fig2 b at a predetermined speed . in steps s 102 and s 103 , x - ray imaging is executed while moving the compression plate 12 ( i . e ., while rolling the breast as the object 13 ). when the compression plate 12 has moved by a predetermined amount , the flow advances from step s 104 to step s 105 to end x - ray imaging ( the pulse generation section 20 is instructed to end x - ray imaging ). simultaneously , movement of the compression plate 12 is ended . the compression plate moving section 22 may monitor the moving amount of the compression plate 12 , and the movement may be automatically ended when the compression plate moving section 22 detects the end of movement of the compression plate . in this case , the control section 19 receives a movement end signal from the compression plate moving section 22 and ends x - ray imaging in accordance with this signal . in the above example , the compression plate 12 is moved in the x direction during x - ray imaging . however , the moving form of the compression plate during x - ray imaging is not limited to this . for example , when the compression plate 12 is moved in the compression direction ( z direction ) during x - ray imaging , x - ray imaging can be executed while changing the strength degree of compression on the object 13 . when the compression plate 12 is rotated about a rotary axis in a direction ( y direction ) perpendicular to the compression direction of the compression plate 12 , the compression plate can be tilted with respect to the compression direction . accordingly , x - ray imaging can be executed while changing the compression distribution on the object 13 . as described above , even when the deformation state of the object is changed by changing the compression form , the three - dimensional information of the object can be obtained . each of the above - described compression plate moving forms may be used independently . alternatively , some forms may be combined . the compression plate moving forms to be used or a combination thereof may be designated from the operation console 18 . in this embodiment , the compression plate 12 is moved while executing x - ray imaging . in addition , the sensor frame 32 and / or the tube frame 31 is rotated . with this operation , the x - ray incident angle on the object can further largely be changed . whether the x - ray incident angle should be changed can be set from the operation console 18 . [ 0046 ] fig3 a to 3 c show imaging in which the sensor frame 32 is rotated simultaneously with the movement of the compression plate 12 . referring to fig3 c , the sensor frame 32 is rotated . hence , the change in x - ray incident angle can be made larger than that in only rolling by the movement of the compression plate 12 . for this reason , a more effective stereoscopic vision can be obtained ( in the arrangement illustrated , if the sensor frame 32 is to be rotated while keeping the tube frame 31 standing still , as shown in fig3 c , the tube frame 31 must be rotated in the reverse direction ). fig4 a to 4 c show imaging in which the tube frame 31 is rotated simultaneously with the movement of the compression plate 12 . referring to fig4 c , the tube frame 31 is rotated . hence , the change in x - ray incident angle can be made larger than that in only rolling by the movement of the compression plate 12 , as in fig3 c . for this reason , a more effective stereoscopic vision can be obtained . as described above , according to this embodiment , a large change in stereoscopic visual field ( the imaging direction to the object ) can be obtained by a small motion of the compression plate 12 . hence , in mammography , images that allow stereoscopic observation can easily be obtained . for this reason , in mammography , images that allow recognition of the three - dimensional structure of a tumor or the three - dimensional distribution of calcified parts , i . e ., stereoscopic observation can be obtained . this is useful for distinction between benign and malignant tumors of a breast part of interest . in the above embodiment , it is important to execute x - ray imaging in a plurality of movement states of the compression plate . the relationship between the compression plate position and the x - ray imaging timing at the time of x - ray imaging or the relative positional relationship between the compression plate and the sensor frame or tube frame at the time of x - ray imaging is not limited to the above - described example . the relationship between the compression plate movement state and the x - ray imaging timing may be a synchronous relationship in which x - ray imaging is executed every time the compression plate is moved by a predetermined amount or an asynchronous relationship . alternatively , for example , an operation of moving the compression plate 12 by a predetermined amount ( e . g ., 5 mm ), stopping the compression plate , and executing x - ray imaging of one cycle may be repeated a predetermined number of times . the object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a storage medium which stores software program codes for implementing the functions of the above - described embodiment to a system or apparatus and causing the computer ( or cpu or mpu ) of the system or apparatus to read out and execute the program codes stored in the storage medium . in this case , the program codes read out from the storage medium implement the functions of the above - described embodiment by themselves , and the storage medium which stores the program codes constitutes the present invention . as the storage medium for supplying the program codes , for example , a floppy disk ( trademark ), hard disk , optical disk , magnetooptical disk , cd - rom , cd - r , magnetic tape , nonvolatile memory card , rom , or the like can be used . the functions of the above - described embodiment are implemented not only when the readout program codes are executed by the computer but also when the operating system ( os ) running on the computer performs part or all of actual processing on the basis of the instructions of the program codes . the functions of the above - described embodiment are also implemented when the program codes read out from the storage medium are written in the memory of a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer , and the cpu of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of actual processing on the basis of the instructions of the program codes . as has been described above , according to the present invention , stereoscopic imaging of an object or acquisition of three - dimensional information can be performed with a simple arrangement . as many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the claims . | 0 |
the micro fiber cleaning apparatus of the present invention is provided in several different embodiments , all of which enable removal of a cleaning pad from the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad . in the description to follow , the concept of the invention is described employed on a floor mop apparatus . it should be understood that this environment of the concept of the invention is illustrative only , and is not intended to limit the concept of the invention to use on only floor mops . the concept of the invention may be used on various different types of apparatus that support a cleaning pad in use . each embodiment of the apparatus of the invention to be described is basically comprised of a mop head , a micro fiber cleaning pad or other equivalent type of cleaning pad that is removably attached to the mop head , and an elongate handle that is attached to and extends from the mop head . each of the component parts of the invention , apart from the micro fiber cleaning pad , can be constructed of a plastic material as is conventional in the art . furthermore , although the apparatus of the invention is described as comprising a micro fiber cleaning pad , other types of cleaning pads may be used with the invention . fig1 shows a first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention . the apparatus is basically comprised of a mop head that includes a lower panel 12 and an upper panel 14 , a cleaning pad 16 that is removably attached to the mop head , and a handle 18 that extends from the mop head . these basic component parts of the apparatus are employed in each embodiment of the apparatus to be described . the cleaning pad 16 has a rectangular configuration with opposite top 22 and bottom 24 surfaces . the pad has a peripheral edge 26 that gives the pad its rectangular configuration and separates the pad top surface 22 from the pad bottom surface 24 . the bottom surface 24 of the pad is configured as the pad cleaning surface . the top surface 22 of the pad is designed to be removably attached to the mop head of the apparatus . one or more cleaning pad connector members 32 are mounted on the cleaning pad top surface 22 . the connector members 32 can be separately secured to the cleaning pad top surface 22 or can be made a part of the cleaning pad . for example , the connector members 32 could be a loop portion of a loop and hook releasable fastener , such as a velcro ® type fastener . the loop portion of the fastener could be secured to the cleaning pad top surface 22 as the connector member 32 , or the material of the cleaning pad itself could function as the loop portion of the fastener . the lower panel 12 has basically the same rectangular configuration as the cleaning pad 16 . the lower panel has opposite top 34 and bottom 36 surfaces , and a rectangular peripheral edge 38 that separates these surfaces . one or more openings 42 extend through the lower panel . as best seen in fig2 and 3 , the lower panel openings 42 correspond in shape , dimension , and position with the connector members 32 on the cleaning pad top surface 22 . when the cleaning pad top surface 22 is positioned opposite and / or against the lower panel bottom surface 36 , the connector members 32 of the cleaning pad 16 are exposed through the lower panel openings 42 . a handle connector 44 is provided on a central portion of the lower panel top surface 34 . the handle connector 44 in the preferred embodiment of the invention is a universal type coupling that enables pivoting movement about two perpendicular axes of the connector 44 . the upper panel 14 has basically the same size and shape configuration as the lower panel 12 . the upper panel 14 has opposite top 46 and bottom 48 surfaces that are separated by a rectangular peripheral edge 52 of the panel . the upper panel bottom surface 48 is provided with a plurality of projecting surface areas 54 that can be seen in fig2 . the surface areas 54 are the same in number and have basically the same shape as the lower panel openings 42 . the surface areas 54 are positioned on the upper panel bottom surface 48 in the same spatial arrangement as the openings 42 in the lower panel 12 . a pair of planar projections 56 project outwardly from one side of the upper panel 12 . these projections 56 are basically positioned in the same plane as the upper panel 14 . a second pair of hooked projections 58 project outwardly from the opposite side of the upper panel 14 . as seen in fig1 , the hooked projections 58 extend outwardly from the upper panel top surface 46 and then curve outwardly over the upper panel peripheral edge 52 , forming the hooked configurations of the projections . a connector mechanism in the form of a hinge assembly 62 , 64 connects the upper panel 14 to the lower panel 12 . the connector mechanism 62 , 64 enables relative movement between the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 . other types of connector mechanisms that enable relative movement between the two panels could be used in lieu of the hinge assembly of the connector mechanism 62 , 64 . as shown in the drawing figures , the hinges of the connector mechanisms 62 , 64 connect the lower panel 12 to the upper panel 14 along one edge of each of the two panels . the connection enables relative movement between the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 where the upper panel moves between first and second positions of the upper panel relative to the lower panel . fig1 shows the first position of the upper panel 14 relative to the lower panel 12 where the upper panel bottom surface 48 directly opposes the lower panel top surface 34 . in this position of the upper panel 14 , the projecting surface areas 54 on the upper panel bottom surface 48 extend through the openings 42 in the lower panel 12 . fig2 shows the relative positions of the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 where the upper panel has been moved to its second position relative to the lower panel . in the second position of the upper panel 14 , the upper panel bottom surface 48 no longer opposes the lower panel top surface 34 , and the projecting surface areas 54 on the upper panel 14 have been removed from the openings 42 in the lower panel 12 . the upper panel 14 is provided with a central opening 66 in the area of the handle connector 44 on the lower panel 12 . this enables the handle connector 44 to extend through the upper panel central opening 66 when the upper panel 14 is moved to its first position relative to the lower panel 12 shown in fig1 . a plurality of upper panel connector members 72 are provided on the projecting surface areas 54 of the upper panel 14 . the upper panel connector members 72 are releasably connectable to the cleaning pad connector members 32 by being pressed against the cleaning pad connector members . the upper panel connector members 72 are removable from the cleaning pad connector members 32 by being pulled from the cleaning pad connector members . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , the upper panel connector members 72 are the other of a loop portion or a hook portion of a velcro ® type fastener from the portion of the fastener employed as the cleaning pad connector members 32 . other equivalent types of connector mechanisms may be used . when the upper panel 14 is moved to its first position relative to the lower panel 12 , the projecting surface areas 54 on the upper panel position the upper panel connector members 72 in engagement with the cleaning pad connector members 32 when the cleaning pad 16 it is positioned adjacent the lower panel bottom surface 36 . when the upper panel 14 is moved to its second position relative to the lower panel 12 shown in fig2 , the upper panel connector members 72 are separated from the cleaning pad connector members 32 and the cleaning pad 16 is free to separate from the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 . the handle 18 is connected to the handle connector 44 of the mop head . the handle 18 is preferably an elongate rod having opposite proximal 74 and distal 76 ends . the handle proximal end 74 is secured to the handle connector 44 , and thereby the handle 18 is secured to the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 . the universal connection provided by the handle connector 44 enables the lower panel 12 , upper panel 14 and cleaning pad 16 of the mop head to pivot along two perpendicular axes relative to the handle 18 in use of the cleaning apparatus of the invention . fig5 shows a specialized bucket that is designed for use with the first embodiment of the apparatus described . the bucket 82 has a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls that give the bucket a general cubic configuration . the bucket side walls terminate at top edges 84 of the side walls that surround a top opening 86 of the bucket . in the particular embodiment of the bucket 82 shown in fig5 , a rod 88 extends across the bucket opening 86 . the opposite ends of the rod 88 are secured to opposite side wall top edges 84 of the bucket . as shown in fig5 , the rod 88 is positioned over the bucket opening 86 to enable insertion of the mop head cleaning pad 16 , lower panel 12 and upper panel 14 over the bucket opening 86 between the rod 88 and an adjacent bucket side wall top edge 84 . the positioning of the rod 88 relative to the bucket top edge 84 enables the mop head of the apparatus to be positioned over the bucket opening 86 , with the upper panel planar projections 56 engaging against the side wall top edge 84 and the upper panel hooked projections 58 engaging over the rod 88 . this supports the upper panel 14 over the bucket opening 86 as shown in fig5 . in the relative positions of the lower panel 12 , the upper panel 14 and the cleaning pad 16 shown in fig5 , the cleaning pad 16 is held to the lower panel bottom surface 36 by the releasable engagement between the cleaning pad connector members 32 and the upper panel connector members 72 through the lower panel openings 42 . with the upper panel 14 supported on the bucket 82 as shown in fig5 , pushing downwardly on the handle 18 will cause the lower panel 12 to separate from the upper panel 14 . the lower panel 12 pivots about the connector mechanism 62 , 64 and passes through the bucket opening 86 while the upper panel 14 is supported on the bucket top edge 84 and the bucket rod 88 . this relative movement between the lower panel 12 and the upper panel 14 causes the upper panel connector members 72 on the upper panel projecting surface areas 54 to be pulled out of the lower panel openings 42 , causing the upper panel connector members 72 to disconnect from the cleaning pad connector members 32 . this releases the cleaning pad 16 from its connection to the upper panel 14 , and the cleaning pad 16 falls away from the lower panel 12 into the bucket 82 . in this manner the cleaning pad 16 can be separated from the mop head of the apparatus without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad . fig6 and 7 show a second embodiment of the apparatus of the invention . the cleaning pad 16 used with the second embodiment of the apparatus is the same as that employed with the first embodiment . therefore , the cleaning pad 16 is not shown in fig6 and 7 . the lower panel 12 of the mop head is also basically the same as the lower panel 12 employed in the first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention . therefore , the features of the lower panel 12 shown in fig6 and 7 are labeled with the same reference numbers employed in describing the lower panel 12 of the first embodiment of the apparatus . the upper panel 14 of the mop head shown in fig6 and 7 is also basically the same as the upper panel of the first embodiment of the apparatus . therefore , features of the upper panel 14 shown in fig6 and 7 that are the same as those of the first embodiment of the apparatus are labeled by the same reference numbers . the upper panel 14 of fig6 and 7 is different from that of the first embodiment in that it does not have the planar projections 56 and the hooked projections 58 of the first embodiment . instead , the upper panel 14 has a pair of spaced flanges 92 that project upwardly from the upper panel top surface 46 . the flanges 92 are spaced from each other and are positioned between the upper panel peripheral edge 52 and the central opening 66 through the upper panel . an actuator connector 94 that has basically the same construction as the handle connector 44 is mounted between the upper panel flanges 92 . the actuator connector 94 is a universal type of connector that is capable of pivoting about two mutually perpendicular axes . an actuator rod 96 is connected to the actuator connector 94 . the actuator rod 96 has a length with a proximal end having fork prongs 98 pivotally connected to opposite sides of the actuator connector 94 . this connection of the actuator rod 96 to the upper panel 14 by the actuator connector 94 and the upper panel flanges 92 allows the rod 96 to pivot through two mutually perpendicular planes relative to the upper panel 14 . the opposite distal end of the actuator rod 96 is formed with a pair of distal end prongs 102 . a tubular actuator sleeve 104 is mounted on the handle 18 for reciprocating sliding movement of the sleeve over the handle . a sleeve flange 106 projects outwardly from the sleeve proximal end and is connected by a pivot pin connection to the actuator rod distal end prongs 102 . this provides an operative connection between the actuator sleeve 104 and the mop head upper panel 14 . the operative connection between the actuator sleeve 104 and the mop head upper panel 14 controls movement of the upper panel 14 between its first and second positions relative to the lower panel 12 by reciprocating movements of the actuator sleeve 104 on the handle 18 . movement of the actuator sleeve 104 toward the mop head moves the upper panel 14 to its first position relative to the lower panel 12 . movement of the actuator sleeve 104 away from the mop head moves the upper panel 14 away from the lower panel 12 to its second position relative to the lower panel . movement of the upper panel 14 from its first position to its second position relative to the lower panel 12 in response to movement of the actuator sleeve 104 on the handle 18 also causes the cleaning pad 16 to separate from the mop head in the same manner as the first embodiment of the apparatus . thus , by moving the actuator sleeve 104 on the handle 18 away from the mop head , the cleaning pad 16 is released from its connection to the upper panel 14 of the second embodiment of the apparatus , and the cleaning pad 16 falls away from the lower panel 12 . in this manner , the cleaning pad 16 can be separated from the mop head of the second embodiment of the apparatus shown in fig6 and 7 without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad . fig8 and 9 show a third embodiment of the apparatus of the invention . the third embodiment of the apparatus is basically the same in construction as the second embodiment , except that the length of the upper panel flanges 112 are shorter than those of the second embodiment . in addition , the length of the actuator rod 114 in the third embodiment is shorter than that of the second embodiment . the pair of lower panel flanges 116 that pivotally support the handle connector 118 on the mop head lower panel 12 are also longer than those of the first and second embodiments , whereby the handle connector 116 extends a slightly greater distance through the upper panel central opening 66 . these differences in construction enable the handle 18 to be oriented at an angle relative to the mop head , where the angled orientation of the handle 18 is reversed 1800 from that of the handle relative to the mop head in the first and second embodiments of the apparatus . thus , where the mop head connector mechanism 62 connecting the upper 14 and lower 12 panels of the first and second embodiments is at the trailing edge of the mop head when the mop head is pushed by the handle , in the third embodiment shown in fig8 and 9 , the connector mechanism 62 is at the leading edge of the mop head when the mop head is pushed by the handle 18 . apart from these differences , the operation of the third embodiment of the apparatus shown in fig8 and 9 is basically the same as that of the previously described second embodiment of the apparatus shown in fig6 and 7 . fig1 and 11 show a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the invention . again , the cleaning pad 16 used with the fourth embodiment of the apparatus is the same as that employed with the first embodiment . therefore , the cleaning pad 16 is not shown in fig1 and 11 . the lower panel 12 of the mop head is also basically the same as the lower panel 12 employed in the first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention . therefore , the features of the lower panel 12 shown in fig1 and 11 are labeled with the same reference numbers employed in describing the lower panel 12 of the first embodiment of the apparatus . the upper panel 14 of the mop head shown in fig1 and 11 is also basically the same as the upper panel of the first embodiment of the apparatus . therefore , the features of the upper panel 14 shown in fig1 and 11 that are the same as those of the first embodiment of the apparatus are labeled by the same reference numbers . the lower panel 12 of fig1 and 11 is different from that of the first embodiment in that it does not have the handle connector 44 projecting upwardly from the middle of the lower panel top surface 34 . apart from this one difference , the lower panel 12 of the fourth embodiment of the apparatus shown in fig1 and 11 is basically the same in construction as the lower panel 12 of the first described embodiment . as in the first described embodiment , the connector mechanisms 62 , 64 connects the lower panel 12 to the upper panel 14 along side edges of each of the two panels . the upper panel 14 of fig1 and 11 is different of that of the first embodiment in that it does not have the planar projections 56 and the hooked projections 58 of the first embodiment . in addition , the upper panel 14 does not have the central opening 66 of the first embodiment . instead , the upper panel 14 of the fourth embodiment shown in fig1 and 11 is provided with a pair of upper panel flanges 122 that project upwardly from the central portion of the upper panel top surface 46 . the handle connector 124 is mounted between the pair of flanges 122 for pivoting movement of the connector relative to flanges . as in the first embodiment , the handle connector 124 is a universal connector that allows pivoting movement about two mutually perpendicular axes . the upper panel 14 of the fourth embodiment shown in fig1 and 11 also differs from that of the first embodiment in that it is provided with a central opening 126 through the upper panel that is positioned on an opposite side of the pair of upper panel flanges 122 from the connector mechanism 62 . fork prongs at the handle proximal end 74 are connected to the handle connector 124 . the connection provided by the handle connector 124 allows the handle 18 to pivot through two mutually perpendicular planes relative to the mop head . a tubular actuator sleeve 128 is mounted on the handle 18 for reciprocating sliding movement of the sleeve over the handle . a pair of sleeve prongs 132 , 134 project outwardly from the sleeve proximal end . as seen in fig1 and 11 , one of the sleeve prongs 132 is longer than the other of the sleeve prongs 134 . the longer sleeve prong 132 is positioned on the handle 18 so that it aligns with the upper panel opening 126 . as in the previously described embodiments , reciprocation of the actuator sleeve 128 on the handle 18 controls the movement of the upper panel 14 between its first and second positions relative to the lower panel 12 . by moving the actuator sleeve 128 from its position shown in fig1 , toward the mop head as shown in fig1 , the longer actuator sleeve prong 132 will pass through the upper panel opening 126 and engage against the lower panel top surface 34 . with the upper panel 14 secured to the handle 18 by the handle connector 124 , the movement of the actuator sleeve 128 toward the mop head causes the longer actuator sleeve prong 132 to push the lower panel 12 away from the upper panel 14 . the movement of the upper panel 14 from its first position relative to the lower panel 12 shown in fig1 to its second position relative to the lower panel 12 shown in fig1 causes the cleaning pad 16 to separate from the mop head in the same manner as the first embodiment of the apparatus . thus , by moving the actuator sleeve 128 on the handle 18 toward the mop head , the longer actuator sleeve prong 132 causes relative movement between the lower panel 12 and upper panel 14 . this relative movement of the panels causes the cleaning pad 16 to be released from its connection to the upper panel 14 , and the cleaning pad 16 falls away from the lower panel 12 . in this manner , the cleaning pad 16 can be separated from the mop head of the fourth embodiment of the apparatus shown in fig1 and 11 without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad . all of the embodiments of the apparatus discussed above provide the advantage of enabling a used cleaning pad to be separated from the apparatus mop head without requiring manually touching the cleaning pad . although the subject matter of the invention has been described above by reference to particular embodiments , it should be understood that modifications and variations may be made to the invention without departing from the intended scope of protection provided by the following claims . | 0 |
fig1 illustrates an apertured - mask color television picture tube 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention comprising an evacuated glass envelope 22 . the envelope 22 includes a rectangularly - shaped flat faceplate panel 24 , a funnel 26 , and a neck 28 . a three - color phosphor - viewing screen 30 is supported on the inner surface 32 of the faceplate panel 24 . an electron - gun assembly 34 , positioned in the neck 28 , includes three electron guns ( not shown ), one for each of the three color phosphors on the viewing - screen 30 . a rectangular apertured mask 36 is positioned in the envelope 22 adjacent the viewing screen 30 . the electron - gun assembly 34 is adapted to project three electron beams through the apertured mask 36 to strike the viewing - screen structure 30 with the mask 36 serving as a color selection electrode . a magnetic deflection yoke 38 is positioned on the envelope 22 near the intersection of the funnel 26 and the neck 28 . when suitably energized , the yoke 38 causes the electron beams to scan the screen 30 in a rectangular raster . the apertured mask 36 further depicted in fig2 is corrugated or somewhat sinusoidally curved along the horizontal axis ( in the direction of the longer dimension of the mask ) with the corrugations extending vertically ( between long sides of the mask or in the direction of the shorter dimension of the mask ). it should be understood that the term corrugated is herein defined broadly to include various shapes including a sawtooth waveform as well as sinusoidal shapes . although the mask 36 is shown without any curvature vertically , it should be understood that a mask having some curvature along the vertical axis also is included within the scope of the present invention , an example of which will be presented later . the mask 36 includes a plurality of slit - shaped apertures 40 aligned in vertical columns . in order to keep acceptable line formation on the screen , that is maintaining even spacing or nesting between the phosphor lines , the horizontal spacing between aperture columns is varied as a function of the spacing between the mask 36 and the screen 30 according to the following formula . ## equ1 ## where : a -- the horizontal spacing between aperture columns . l -- the distance from the screen to the electron beam deflection plane . s -- the spacing between a center and outer beam at the deflection plane . therefore , once the mask contour &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; is established to obtain desired strength and / or rigidity , the parameter &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; is allowed to vary horizontally over the mask in accordance with such mask contour . generally , the peak - to - peak wavelength dimension ( e . g . from point a to point b ) of the corrugated or sinusoidal variation in the mask should be at least twice as great as the spacing between adjacent apertures . as shown in fig2 the apertured mask 36 is mounted to the faceplate panel 24 by a plurality of flexible supports 42 positioned along corrugated sides of the mask 36 and rigid supports 44 positioned at the straight sides of the mask 36 . each of the flexible supports 42 is l - shaped , comprising two flanges 46 and 48 , and is attached to the faceplate panel 24 at the bottom flange 46 by suitable means such as by being sealed with a glass frit . the second flange 48 of each flexible support 42 is cantilevered out from the faceplate panel 24 and provides the flexible portion of the support 42 . the mask 36 is connected to the flexible supports 42 on the corrugated sides at points of inflection where the direction of curvature of the mask changes . such points are on the centerline of the corrugated or sine - wave mask shape . the cantilever structure of the supports 42 permits flexibility in the direction of the corrugations , i . e . in the vertical direction ( as determined by the tube in its normal operating orientation ) thus allowing for thermal expansion of the mask in this direction . since the phosphor lines extend vertically , there is no misregister caused by mask expansion in the vertical direction . in the perpendicular or horizontal direction , however , the supports 42 are very rigid . correspondingly , the supports 44 on the side of the mask 36 are rigid in both the horizontal and vertical directions and hold the center of the mask from movement . an alternative version of a mask supporting embodiment that provides a similar type of mask suspension is shown in fig3 . in this embodiment , the flexible supports at the top and bottom of the mask are replaced with two metal bars 50 having low expansion characteristics relative to the mask material . for example , if the material of the mask 36 is steel , the bars 50 may be invar . the mask is connected to the support bars 50 along the centerline of its corrugated or sine - wave shaped sides . the bars 50 in turn are mounted to the faceplate panel 24 by flexible supports 52 that are attached near each end of each bar 50 . side supports 54 for the mask 36 are attached to the short sides of the mask and perform the same function as described with respect to the supports 44 of the previous embodiment , that of fixing the position of the center of the mask . an advantage of the mask support of the present invention can be appreciated by comparing an embodiment of the invention with an embodiment suggested by the prior art . fig4 shows a flat faceplate 56 having a spherically contoured apertured mask 58 mounted thereto by means of rigid support members 60 . fig5 shows a similar view of the faceplate and mask assembly of the tube of fig1 . the dashed lines 59 and 37 in fig4 and 5 , respectively , represent the configuration the masks take in a condition of thermal expansion due to bombardment by the electron beams . the spherical mask 58 of fig4 being held at its edges by the supports 60 , domes substantially toward the faceplate 56 . however , the mask 36 of fig5 is held at various points by the supports 42 and therefore only domes between these support points . the net effect of this doming is illustrated in fig6 and 7 , which are enlargements of the indicated areas of fig4 and 5 , respectively . as shown in fig6 the landing spot of an electron beam 66 passing through an aperture 64 of the heated domed mask 59 is displaced a distance from the landing spot of an electron beam 62 passing through an aperture 68 of an unheated mask 58 . however , in a tube using the present invention , displacement of the heated mask is much less . fig7 shows the position of the heated mask 37 only slightly moved from the position of the unheated mask 36 . the resultant shift of the beam spot is designated ε &# 39 ;, which from the illustrations can be seen to be considerably less than the shift encountered with the prior art tube because of the reduced mask movement . although the invention has been described with respect to a flat faceplate , it should be appreciated that the invention is also applicable if the faceplate has curvature . fig8 and 10 depict a faceplate panel assembly 70 having a rectangular faceplate 72 that is cylindrically curved and to which an apertured mask 74 is mounted by means of flexible and rigid supports , 76 and 78 , respectively . the mask 74 is corrugated with the points of inflection of the corrugations lying in a curved or cylindrical plane . the flexible supports 76 extend from the faceplate 72 and are attached to the long sides of the mask 74 at the points of inflection . the rigid supports 78 also extend from the faceplate 72 and are attached to the mask 74 at the center of its short sides . in another embodiment , illustrated in fig1 , 12 and 13 , a faceplate panel assembly 80 is shown with a spherically curved faceplate 82 . a mask 84 is attached to the faceplate 82 by means of flexible and rigid supports 86 and 88 , respectively . the mask 84 is spherically curved similar to the faceplate 82 and has vertically extending corrugations superimposed thereon . like the previous embodiment , the flexible supports 86 extend from the faceplate 82 and are attached to the points of inflection along the long sides of the mask 84 and the rigid supports 88 are attached to the centers of the short sides of the mask . although the preceding embodiments have been shown with the corrugated masks attached to the supports at the points of inflection at the corrugated sides of the masks , the scope of the invention can include other mounting points . for example , the mounting points may be at any other regular points on the mask that are a fixed distance from a reference plane such as at the points on the mask nearest the faceplate panel . fig1 and 15 show such a mask support system . in fig1 , a corrugated mask 90 is shown mounted to a flat faceplate panel 92 by means of flexible and rigid supports 94 and 96 , respectively . the flexible supports 94 are affixed to the panel 92 and are attached to the corrugated sides of the mask at points on the mask closest to the faceplate panel . correspondingly , fig1 shows a corrugated mask 98 mounted at its corrugated sides to a faceplate panel 100 with metal bars 102 which are attached to and at least partially supported by flexible supports 104 similar to those shown with respect to the embodiment of fig3 . it should be appreciated , however , that the effect of doming in the embodiments of fig1 and 15 , although much less than the single arch embodiment of fig4 will be somewhat greater than the embodiment of fig5 wherein the mask is supported at points of inflection since the mask span between supports is greater . in all of the foregoing embodiments the mask supports have been shown extending directly from the edges of the viewing portion of the tube faceplate as illustrative examples . this is only one possible arrangement of the supports within the scope of the present invention . the supports also can be extended from the sidewalls of the tube faceplate instead of from the viewing portion . alternately , the supports can also extend between the mask and a frame which in turn is suspended within the tube faceplate . fig1 , 17 and 18 illustrate another embodiment incorporating the present invention wherein a corrugated rectangular apertured mask 110 is attached to a peripheral frame 112 . the frame 112 is suspended within a flat rectangular faceplate panel 114 by a plurality of spring supports 116 that are removably mounted on conical studs 118 embedded within a peripheral sidewall 120 of the panel 114 . the attachment of the mask 110 to the frame 112 is made by means of a plurality of tabs 122 formed integrally as part of the mask structure . each tab 122 extends from a side of the mask 110 at a point of inflection on the corrugated cross - section and is welded to a flange of the frame 112 . two additional tabs 124 are located at the center of the two opposite vertical sides of the mask to prevent vertical displacement of the mask during tube operation . the tabs 122 and 124 are preferably formed by adding their outline to the photographic masters that are used to expose the aperture pattern during mask fabrication . the final shape of the mask and tabs are then defined when the mask is etched . | 7 |
referring to the block diagram of fig1 a pump motor 11 is connected to a three - phase power source by means of three power cables 13 . the measuring means for measuring pressure and temperature at the motor 11 includes a downhole unit 15 that is located normally at the bottom of the motor and in communication with the lubricating oil contained in the motor . through pressure compensators , the lubricating oil will be at about the same pressure as the pressure of the well fluid . downhole unit or assembly 15 includes a power supply 17 that supplies a regulated dc level . the power supply receives ac power through inductive coupling means from the windings 18 in motor 11 . windings 18 are the normal windings of the stator ( not shown ) of the motor . in the preferred embodiment , the inductive coupling means comprises a loop of wire or winding 19 that is looped through the stator slots the entire length of the stator and connected to the power supply 17 . winding 19 serves as the secondary of a transformer to receive ac power through induction from the windings 18 . this avoids the need for physically tapping for power onto the power cables 13 or windings 18 of the motor 11 . power supply 17 supplies dc power to the components of the downhole unit , these components including an oscillator 21 . oscillator 21 supplies a 10 khz ( 10 , 000 cycles per second ) carrier signal , which is much higher than the normal power frequency of about 60 cycles per second . a switch 23 receives the carrier signal from oscillator 21 and selectively blocks and allows the carrier signal to pass . switch 23 is controlled by a modulator circuit 25 . the modulator circuit 25 is connected to a pressure transducer 27 and a temperature transducer 29 . the transducers 27 and 29 serve as means for providing electrical changes that correspond to a physical parameter of the motor environment . in the preferred embodiment , the transducers 27 and 29 are of the type that provide a variable resistance corresponding to the temperature and pressure . the modulator 25 directs current through the pressure transducer for a time interval that depends upon the pressure . it then switches to direct current through the temperature transducer for a time interval that depends upon the temperature . when the pressure transducer 27 is active , the modulator 25 will provide an output or pulse to switch 23 , which in the preferred embodiment is an enabling output . when the temperature transducer 29 is active , the modulator 25 will provide a disabling output to switch 23 . switch 23 thus allows a signal to pass at the carrier frequency for a duration depending upon the pressure . switch 23 blocks the carrier frequency for a duration depending upon the temperature . switch 23 is connected to a line driver 31 for applying the modulated carrier frequency to two of the power cables 13 . filters 33 , 35 and 37 allow the modulated carrier frequency to pass onto the lines , but block the three - phase power frequency from the measuring components of the downhole unit 15 . all of the filters are resonant at the carrier frequency . filter 33 is parallel resonant to shunt the power frequency , but not the carrier frequency . filters 35 and 37 are series resonant to provide a low impedance to the carrier frequency and a high impedance to other frequencies . referring to fig2 the waveform a ( point a in fig1 ) comprises controlling pulses at the output of the modulator 25 and the input of the switch 23 . waveform b of fig2 shows the modulated carrier signal at point b in fig1 which is the output of line driver 31 . the duration of the signal of carrier frequency corresponds to the pressure . in the preferred embodiment , the time interval between the active portions is proportional to the reciprocal of the temperature being sensed . at the surface unit 39 , taps are connected to two of the cables 13 for receiving the modulated carrier signal . series resonant filters 41 and 43 pass the carrier frequency and block other frequencies . filter 45 shunts other frequencies and blocks the carrier frequency , it being a parallel resonant filter . an active filter and amplifier 47 provides a better signal to noise ratio . the waveform c ( fig2 ) at point c in fig1 shows the carrier frequency and shows by the expanded portion that it is sinusoidal . the modulated carrier frequency signal is applied to a comparator 49 . the signal is also applied to an inverter 51 and a comparator reference circuit 53 . the inverted signal is in turn applied to a second comparator 55 , identical to comparator 49 . comparators 49 and 55 provide a rectified waveform d , as shown in fig2 . there is a time constant within the system which results in a certain buildup time and tail off of the modulated carrier frequency received at the surface . the comparator reference circuit 53 functions to set the switching level of the comparators 49 and 55 approximately at the midpoint amplitude of the signal . this minimizes timing error associated with the buildup and decay time of the signal . the two comparators double the effective time resolution of the system . the combined output of the comparators 49 and 55 is applied to a nand schmitt trigger 57 , which provides pulses at point e as shown by waveform e in fig2 . the pulses are applied to a retriggerable monostable multivibrator which functions as an envelope detector 59 . the time constant of the envelope detector 59 is slightly longer than one - half the period of one cycle of the carrier frequency . a high output of envelope detector 59 switches by means of the switch 61 a fixed voltage to integrator 63 . the output f of the envelope detector 59 is shown as waveform f in fig2 . envelope detector 59 also sets a flip - flop 62 , which is connected to integrator 63 . the switch 61 output g is shown as waveform g in fig2 . the integrator output h provides a ramp as shown by the waveform h in fig2 . the flip - flop 62 output k is shown by the waveform k in fig2 . when the output of envelope detector 59 goes low , integrator 63 terminates and a monostable multivibrator 65 is activated . the output i from the monostable multivibrator 65 enables a sample and hold circuit 67 to read the peak value of the ramp voltage from integrator 63 . the output i is shown as waveform i in fig2 . the output of monostable multivibrator 65 through a delay circuit 69 also resets flip - flop 62 after the integrator 63 output has been sampled . a high output level of flip - flop 62 places the integrator 63 in a reset condition in preparation for the next cycle . the integrator 63 peak output is proportional to the period of the active portion of the modulated carrier signal . the voltage from the sample and hold circuit 67 is applied to a buffer amplifier and scaler 71 . this output , which is displayed on a panel meter 73 , is available as a control or monitor signal . the envelope detector 59 also has an output l which is shown in fig2 . this output is applied to a second channel for providing a temperature readout corresponding to the duration between envelopes . the temperature channel has essentially identical circuits to those of the pressure channel . these circuits include the bilateral switch 61 , flip flop 62 , integrator 63 , monostable multivibrator 65 , sample and hold circuit 67 , buffer amplifier and scaler 71 , meter display 73 , and delay circuit 69 . the scaling circuits are slightly different since the temperature signal is a reciprocal function . the electrical schematic for the downhole assembly 15 is shown in fig3 except for the power supply 17 ( fig1 ), which may be of various types so long as it is capable of handling a wide range of ac inputs and fairly high temperatures and provides the regulated output voltages . the oscillator 21 ( fig1 ) portion of the downhole assembly is of a conventional nature and includes a resistor 75 that is connected to the positive input of an operational amplifier 77 . a capacitor 79 is connected between resistor 75 and the output of amplifier 77 . a capacitor 81 is connected between the positive input of amplifier 77 and ground . a resistor 83 is connected between the positive input of amplifier 77 and ground . a resistor 85 is connected between the negative input and the output of amplifier 77 . a resistor 87 is connected between the negative input of amplifier 77 and the drain of a fet transistor 89 . a resistor 91 is connected between the negative input of amplifier 77 and the source of transistor 89 . a resistor 93 is connected between the gate and source of transistor 89 . a capacitor 95 is connected in parallel with resistor 93 . a 7 . 5 volt zener diode 97 is connected between resistor 93 and the anode of diode 99 . the cathode of diode 99 is connected to the output of amplifier 77 . the oscillator amplifier as well as the other operational amplifiers are powered by a negative 15 volt source and a positive 15 volt source ( not shown ). resistor 101 provides a bias voltage to the amplifier . the oscillator operates in a conventional manner to deliver a 10 khz signal to a buffer transistor 107 through a resistor 105 . the collector of buffer transistor 107 is connected to line 109 , which is supplied with a positive 15 volt potential . the emitter of transistor 107 is connected to a switching means for switching on and off the carrier frequency being provided from the emitter of transistor 107 . this switching means includes two fet transistors 111 and 113 . further circuitry in the switching means includes a resistor 115 connected between the drain of transistor 111 and line 103 . the gates of transistors 111 and 113 are each connected to a resistor 117 , which in turn is connected to a line 119 . a positive input on line 119 will allow both transistors 111 and 113 to conduct . one of the transistors , 113 , blocks the signal during the negative half of the carrier frequency while the other transistor blocks the signal during the positive half of the frequency . a negative potential on line 119 causes transistors 111 and 113 to block the carrier signal . line 119 is connected through oppositely facing zener diodes 121 and 123 to ground . the modulating portion of the circuit for modulating the carrier signal includes a differential amplifier 125 . differential amplifier 125 is part of the means for varying the potential on line 119 to control the transistors 111 and 113 . a pair of capacitors 127 and 129 are connected in parallel from ground to the negative input of amplifier 125 . the output of amplifier 125 is connected through a resistor 131 to line 119 . a voltage dividing network including resistors 133 and 135 is connected between line 119 and ground . resistors 133 and 135 provide approximately half the voltage on line 119 to a resistor 137 , which is connected between the junction of resistors 133 and 135 and the positive input of amplifier 125 . a capacitor 139 is connected in parallel with resistor 137 . an operational amplifier 141 has its negative input connected to the cathode of a diode 143 . the anode is connected to the output of amplifier 141 . the negative input of amplifier 141 is also connected to a pressure transducer 145 . pressure transducer 145 is a variable resistance type , with the resistance increasing with pressure . pressure transducer 145 serves as sensing means for providing an electrical change corresponding to a physical parameter in the vicinity of the electrical motor . transducer 145 is connected to the negative input of amplifier 125 through a resistor 147 . an amplifier 149 has its output connected to the cathode of a diode 151 . the anode of diode 151 is connected to the negative input of amplifier 149 . the negative input of amplifier 149 is also connected to a temperature transducer 153 . temperature transducer 153 is of a variable resistance type that provides an increase in resistance with a decrease in temperature . transducer 153 also serves as sensing means for sensing a physical parameter in the environment of the electrical motor and providing an electrical response thereto . the other side of transducer 153 is connected to a resistor 155 , which is connected to the negative input of amplifier 125 . the positive input of amplifier 149 is connected to the positive input of amplifier 141 , these inputs also being connected to line 119 . in the operation of the modulator , amplifier 125 will provide a positive output when the positive input is greater than the negative input . the positive output enables the transistors 111 and 113 to allow the carrier frequency to pass . when the positive input to amplifier 125 is greater than the negative input , the positive output will be applied to the positive input of amplifier 141 . amplifier 141 will thus provide a positive output , which passes through diode 143 , pressure transducer 145 , and resistor 147 to capacitors 127 and 129 . capacitors 127 and 129 will store energy , causing an increase in voltage at the negative input of amplifier 125 , as shown by waveform m in fig4 of amplifier 125 . the negative input o of amplifier 141 ( waveform o in fig4 ) is at the positive value of the zener voltage when current is flowing through pressure transducer 145 . no current will be flowing through temperature transducer 153 while pressure transducer 145 is receiving current . the reason is that the positive voltage on line 119 will be applied to the positive input of amplifier 149 , resulting in a positive output . the positive output is blocked by the diode 151 , preventing current from flowing through temperature transducer 153 . when capacitors 127 and 129 charge to a certain level , the negative input of amplifier 125 will equal that of the positive input , thus causing amplifier 125 output to switch to a low or negative value as shown by waveform n in fig2 . the negative output will be applied to the positive inputs of the amplifiers 141 and 149 . this results in negative outputs on both amplifiers 141 and 149 , however , the diode 143 will block current flow , preventing any current from flowing through the pressure transducer 145 . diode 151 will allow current to flow through the temperature transducer 153 , thus allowing the capacitors 127 and 129 to discharge . waveform p in fig4 shows the waveform at the anode of diode 151 . waveform m shows the resulting waveform at the negative input of amplifier 125 . when the capacitors 127 and 129 have discharged sufficiently the negative input to amplifier 125 will again drop below the positive input , causing a positive output of amplifier 125 and thus repeating the cycle . the time t 1 ( waveform n ) for the capacitors 127 and 129 to charge depends on the resistance of pressure transducer 145 , while the time t 2 for the capacitors 127 and 129 to discharge depends on the resistance of temperature transducer 153 . the diodes 143 and 151 and the amplifiers 151 and 149 serve as directing means for directing current through one of the transducer means 145 or 153 until the capacitors 127 and 129 charge to a selected level , then for directing the current through the other of the transducer means until the capacitors discharge to a selected level . referring still to fig3 the line driver 31 ( fig1 ) comprises a standard complimentary push - pull amplifier . the amplifier includes diodes 157 and 159 , the junction of which is connected to the drain of transistor 113 . the base of a pnp transistor 161 is connected to the cathode of diode 159 . a resistor 163 is connected between the collector and base of transistor 161 . the collector of transistor 161 is also connected to line 103 , which has a negative 15 volt potential . a npn transistor 165 has its base connected to the anode of diode 157 . a resistor 167 is connected between the collector and base of transistor 165 . the collector of transistor 165 is connected to line 109 , which has a positive 15 volt potential . the emitters of transistors 161 and 165 are connected together , with the output leading to a filter 33 ( fig1 ). filter 33 ( fig1 ) comprises an inductor 169 and capacitor 171 connected in parallel and to ground . inductor 169 and capacitor 171 are sized to resonate at the carrier frequency . this shunts any other frequencies to ground , such as any power frequencies from the power cables 13 ( fig1 ). two filters 35 and 37 ( fig1 ) are connected to the emitters of transistor 161 and 165 and to the power cables 13 ( fig1 ) through resistors 173 and 179 . one of the filters comprises inductor 175 and capacitor 177 in series . inductor 181 and capacitor 183 are in series and comprise the other filter . the inductors and capacitors of these filters are dimensioned to resonate at carrier frequency , allowing the carrier frequency to pass , but blocking other frequencies such as the power frequency . the resistors 173 and 179 prevent a short circuit to ground on either of lines 13 from shorting out the line driver output signal . fig5 shows the electrical schematic of the surface equipment , which serves as conversion means for converting the modulated signal into a readout signal proportional to the temperature and pressure . filters 41 , 43 and 45 ( fig1 ), are not shown in fig5 but are the same type as the filters 35 , 37 and 33 ( fig1 ) respectively . waveform c ( fig2 ) is applied to an active filter amplifier 47 ( fig1 ) which comprises amplifiers 185 , 187 and 189 . these operational amplifiers are connected conventionally to improve the signal to noise ratio . amplifier 185 has its positive input connected to a resistor 191 , which receives the modulated carrier wave . a resistor 193 is connected between the negative input and the output of amplifier 185 . a resistor 195 is connected between the negative input of amplifier 185 and the output of amplifier 189 . a resistor 199 is connected between the positive input of amplifier 185 and a resistor 201 . a resistor 203 is connected between ground and the junction between resistors 199 and 201 . a resistor 205 is connected between the output of amplifier 185 and the negative input of amplifier 187 . a capacitor 207 is connected between the negative input and the output of amplifier 187 . a resistor 209 is connected between the output of amplifier 187 and the negative input of amplifier 189 . a capacitor 211 is connected between the negative input and the output of amplifier 189 . a capacitor 213 is connected to the output of amplifier 210 and a resistor 215 . the output of amplifier 187 passes through resistor 212 to an amplifier 210 which has a gain of about 10 at the carrier frequency . a resistor 214 and capacitor 216 are connected in parallel between the input and output of amplifier 210 . the output of amplifier 210 passes through a capacitor 213 and a resistor 215 to a first amplifier or comparator 217 . a diode 219 is connected between the negative input and the output of comparator 217 . a diode 221 has its cathode connected to resistor 215 and the anode of diode 219 . a zener diode 223 has its anode connected to the anode of diode 221 . another diode 225 has its anode connected to the output of comparator 217 . a second comparator 231 has diodes 265 , 267 , 269 and a zener diode 271 connected in a similar manner as the first comparator 217 . the output of amplifier 210 is also connected to the negative input of an inverting amplifier 235 through a resistor 233 . a resistor 237 is connected between the negative input and the output of inverter 235 . a resistor 239 is connected between the output of inverter 235 and the negative input of a second comparator 231 . a resistor 241 is connected between the output of inverter 235 and an amplifier 243 , which serves as part of the comparator reference circuit 53 ( fig1 ). the negative input of amplifier 243 is connected to ground through a resistor 245 . a diode 247 is connected between the negative input and the output of amplifier 243 . a diode 249 has its cathode connected to amplifier 243 and its anode connected to a resistor 251 . resistor 251 is connected to an amplifier 253 . a capacitor 255 is connected between the negative input and the output of amplifier 253 . a resistor 257 is connected in parallel with capacitor 255 . a resistor 259 connects the output of amplifier 253 to the positive input of amplifier 243 . the output of amplifier 253 is also connected to a potentiometer 261 , which in turn is connected to ground . the wiper of potentiometer 261 is connected to the resistors 227 and 229 , which in turn are connected to the comparators 217 and 231 . in the operation of the comparators 217 and 231 , the modulated carrier signal is applied to comparators 217 and 231 . comparator 231 allows the positive half of the carrier signal to pass because it was inverted by amplifier 235 , while comparator 217 allows the negative half of the signal to pass . at the same time , the comparator reference circuit 53 ( fig1 ) sets the switching level of the comparators at approximately the midpoint amplitude of the carrier signal . this results in the waveform d ( fig2 ). the comparator reference circuit accomplishes this by receiving the carrier signal at inverter 235 , and passing it to the operational amplifiers 243 and 253 . amplifier 243 functions as a rectifier . diode 249 will allow only the negative half of the carrier signal to pass to the input of amplifier 253 . amplifier 253 operates with capacitor 255 and associated resistors to provide peak signal averaging . the output to potentiometer 261 depends upon the peak amplitude of the carrier signal . the potential on the wiper of potentiometer 261 adds to the carrier signal being received at the inputs of the comparators 217 and 231 , setting their switching level . the potentiometer 261 is adjusted so that the comparators 217 and 231 will always trigger at about the midpoint of the amplitude of the carrier signal , regardless of the amplitude . this avoids errors due to the time build up and tail off in the modulated carrier signal . the combined output from the comparators 217 and 231 is applied to a schmitt trigger 273 . schmitt trigger 273 is connected to a positive 15 volt source and provides a series of pulses as shown by waveform e ( fig2 ). these pulses trigger an integrated circuit 275 that is a retriggerable monostable multivibrator , which functions as an envelope detector . envelope detector 275 provides a waveform f ( fig2 ) at pin 6 that is equal to the duration of the envelope . waveform f is used to provide a readout of pressure . an inverted waveform l ( fig2 ) at pin 7 is used to provide a readout of temperature through substantially identical circuitry ( not shown ). envelope detector 275 has a resistor 277 connected between pin 16 and pin 1 . pin 16 is in contact with a positive 15 volt potential . a capacitor 279 is connected between pins 1 and 2 . envelope detector 275 is a conventional circuit available as cd4098be . the waveform at pin 6 of envelope detector 275 is applied to the gate of a fet transistor 281 . transistor 281 serves as the switch 61 ( fig1 ) to allow current flow to the negative 2 . 5 volt source . the gate of transistor 281 is connected to a - 15 . volt source through a resistor 285 . a resistor 287 is connected between the gate and pin 6 of envelope detector 275 . transistor 281 is turned on during the on duration of the envelope by pin 6 of envelope detector 275 , as indicated by waveform f in fig2 . a potentiometer 289 allows adjustment of the span or full scale range of the pressure signal . the potentiometer 289 is connected to a resistor 291 , which in turn is connected to the negative input of an integrator 293 . integrator 293 provides a voltage ramp while the transistor 281 is on , as shown by waveform h in fig2 . associated circuitry with the integrator includes a resistor 295 connected between the positive input and ground and a capacitor 297 connected to pin 1 and ground . integrator 293 is a conventional integrated circuit , ca3140e . a capacitor 299 is connected between the negative input and the output of integrator 293 . the voltage ramp is the charge build up on capacitor 299 as current flows through the capacitor , resistors 291 and 289 and the switch 281 . at the same time that pin 6 of envelope detector 275 goes high at the beginning of the envelope , a flip - flop 301 ( flip flop 62 in fig1 ) is set . flip - flop 301 is connected to pin 6 of detector 275 by means of its pin 6 . flip - flop 301 is a conventional integrated circuit identified by cd4013be . flip - flop 301 , when set by the high output of envelope detector 275 , provides a low output on pin 2 that opens a cmos switch 303 . waveform k in fig2 shows the output from flip - flop 301 . when switch 303 is open , integrator 293 is allowed to continue ramping . when flip - flop 301 provides a high output to close switch 303 , the capacitor 299 discharges to prevent ramping . switch 303 is a conventional switch identified by cd4016be . the envelope waveform f at pin 6 of envelope detector 275 also triggers a monostable multivibrator 305 . multivibrator 305 is an integrated circuit that corresponds to multivibrator 65 shown on the block diagram of fig1 . it may be a cd 4098be . multivibrator 305 provides a high on its pin 6 when its pin 5 goes low at the end of the envelope . a high output at pin 6 of multivibrator 305 closes a cmos bilateral switch 307 . normally the switch 307 will be open , blocking the ramp output of integrator 293 . associated circuitry with multivibrator 305 include a capacitor 309 connected between pins 1 and 2 and a resistor 311 connected between pins 2 and 16 . the closing of switch 307 connects the integrator 293 output to the capacitor 315 and also to the sample and hold amplifier 313 . amplifier 313 is a voltage follower amplifier having its positive input connected through capacitor 315 to ground . when switch 307 conducts , the output of integrator 293 charges capacitor 315 to the value of the ramp voltage at the instant switch 281 opens . this peak value is applied to amplifier 313 . amplifier 313 , switch 307 and capacitor 315 comprise the sample and hold circuit 67 of fig1 . the peak value held by amplifier 313 is applied through a resistor 317 to a buffer amplifier 319 . buffer amplifier 319 is connected to scaling circuitry , which includes a potentiometer 321 connected to a 15 volt supply and resistors 323 and 325 . the output of amplifier 319 is applied to a digital voltmeter ( not shown ). the positive input to amplifier 319 is connected to ground through resistor 327 . resistor 338 connects the output of amplifier 319 to its negative input . potentiometer 321 is a means of adjusting the zero or minimum signal level of this data channel . when the pulse waveform ( i of fig2 ) of the monostable multivibrator 305 goes low again , switch 307 opens . capacitor 315 will maintain the peak value of the ramp at the input to amplifier 313 . the pulse waveform i from the monostable multivibrator also is applied to a schmitt trigger 329 through a resistor 331 . schmitt trigger 329 serves as part of a delay circuit 69 ( fig1 ). a capacitor 333 is connected to the input of schmitt trigger 329 . the output of schmitt trigger 329 is applied through a capacitor 335 , resistor 337 and diode 339 to pin 4 of the flip - flop 301 . this resets the flip - flop after the integrator 293 output has been sampled by the amplifier 313 . flip - flop 301 , as shown by waveform k , closes switch 303 which discharges capacitor 299 . this resets the integrator output to zero to allow integrator 293 to begin a ramp voltage from zero level at the occurrence of the next envelope . a high level of flip - flop 301 output at pin 2 maintains the integrator 293 in a reset condition in preparation for the next cycle . the circuitry contained within the dotted lines 341 is duplicated for the readout of the temperature being sensed . the inverse of the temperature is proportional to the duration between envelopes . there will be some differences in scaling , such as in resistors 321 , 323 , and 325 , but otherwise identical components are used . the input to the temperature circuitry is through pin 7 of envelope detector 275 . in addition to the circuitry shown in fig5 a blanking circuit ( not shown ) is used to blank out the meter display if the amplitude of the carrier signal being received at the surface is below a minimum amount . this blanking circuit may be of various types , and in general is a circuit that senses the carrier signal amplitude , such as at potentiometer 261 , compares it to a preset value , and if below , applies it to a delay circuitry . if the duration of the below minimum signal is sufficient , the delay circuitry will send a signal to blank out the meter display to avoid possibly erroneous readings . spurious drops in amplitude with durations less than the delay minimum will not blank out the meter display . the invention has significant advantages . temperature and pressure are accurately sensed and monitored at the surface . the system does not require dc to be superimposed onto the power cables , as in the prior art . accurate information can be transmitted to the surface even if one phase of the power cables is grounded . leakage in power cable insulation will not affect the accuracy of the readings . more than two physical parameters can be measured , although not shown , by the use of different carrier frequencies for different parameters . the insulation of the power cables can be tested under high voltage conditions without being influenced by the downhole pressure and temperature transducers . all of the components of the system are conventional and available commercially . while the invention has been shown in only one of its forms , it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the scope of the invention | 4 |
the present application defines an a - to - d converter system that provides an efficient solution to the problem of supplying the reference voltage . in one aspect , the solution considers implementation of the a - to - d converter in compact micro - power level circuits . for example , an array of a - to - d converters is used in cmos image sensors . these sensors can include active pixel sensors ( aps ) and charge - coupled devices ( ccd ). the image sensor is arranged into an array of column pixels and row pixels . each pixel collects electrical charge when exposed to light . control signals provided to the pixels periodically enable the controllers to transfer the collected charge to the array of a - to - d converters . the collected charge is converted to digital data and stored in the column - parallel latches . since the available chip area and power is limited in column parallel circuits , it is advantageous to provide a substantially compact design where the reference voltage uses the existing supply voltage . further , by adjusting the total capacitance of the binary - weighted conversion capacitors , the effective reference voltage can be changed . a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the a - to - d converter system 300 is shown in fig3 . the converter system 300 eliminates the need for the internally - generated or externally - supplied reference voltage 210 by using the rail supply voltage ( v dd ) 304 . the converter system 300 allows the capacitors 302 to use the existing supply voltage 304 by providing an adjustable reference capacitor ( c ref ) 308 at the positive input signal node 306 . initially , the bottom plates of the capacitors 302 are grounded . during the conversion process , the bottom plates of the capacitors 302 are successively connected to the supply voltage 304 . the adjustable reference capacitor 308 provides additional capacitance at the positive input signal node 306 . thus , the maximum capacitance at the positive input signal node 306 increases to the least - significant bit ( lsb ) voltage is equal to v lsb = v max c max = v dd ( 2 n - 1 ) * c + c ref . ( 3 ) in one example , if the value of c ref 308 is adjusted to equal the total capacitance ( 2 n − 1 )* c ) of the conversion capacitors 302 , the maximum capacitance at the positive input signal node 306 becomes 2 *( 2 n − 1 )* c . therefore , the effective reference level of the a - to - d converter 300 that is required to match the input signal swing 310 is reduced to one - half that of the conventional a - to - d converter 200 . further , the actual capacitance value of c ref 308 can be adjusted to reduce the effective reference voltage level by any amount within some tolerance value . in some embodiments , the metal - oxide silicon field - effect transistor ( mosfet ) switches 312 are appropriately modified for a low - voltage application when the supply voltage 304 is used in place of the internally - generated or externally - supplied reference voltage 210 . for example , when the supply voltage 304 is about 1 . 2 volts and the threshold voltages of the switches 312 are more than 0 . 6 volts , the n - channel switches cannot effectively pass voltages close to one - half of the supply voltage 304 . therefore , the p - channel mosfet switches 312 are used to connect the bottom plates of the conversion capacitors 302 to the supply voltage 304 . fig4 shows a flowchart of an a - to - d conversion process . according to an illustrated embodiment , the conversion process uses the supply voltage instead of the externally - supplied or internally - generated reference voltage . at step 400 , a reference capacitor at the positive input signal node is adjusted to appropriately reduce an effective reference signal level . once the reference capacitance is adjusted to some optimum value , the conversion capacitors are selectively connected to the supply voltage at step 402 . the selective connection programs the reference signal level . at step 404 , the input signal is compared to the programmed reference signal level . if the comparison match is found ( step 406 ), a digital output value is read out from the latches at step 408 . although the above - described solution slightly increases the dynamic power consumption in an a - to - d converter , the solution reduces the overall system power consumption . this solution is especially beneficial to low - voltage , low - power cmos imagers because the supply voltage ( approximately 1 . 2 to 1 . 5 volts ) is close to the required reference voltage ( approximately 1 . 0 volt ). other advantages include overall circuit simplification and no decoupling capacitors that are required to stabilize the reference voltage . fig5 shows an example of a cmos image sensor integrated circuit chip 500 . the chip 500 includes an array of active pixel sensors 502 and a controller 504 . the controller 504 provides timing and control signals to enable read out of signals stored in the pixels . for some embodiments , arrays can have dimensions of 128 × 128 or some larger number of pixels . however , in general , the size of the array 502 will depend on the particular implementation . the image array 502 is read out a row at a time using a column - parallel readout architecture . the controller 504 selects a particular row of pixels in the array 502 by controlling the operation of the vertical addressing circuit 506 and row drivers 508 . charge signals stored in the selected row of pixels are provided to a readout circuit 510 . the pixels read from each of the columns can be read out sequentially using a horizontal addressing circuit 514 . differential pixel signals ( v in + , v in − ) are provided at the output of the readout circuit 510 . the differential pixel signals are converted to digital values by an a - to - d converter 512 having a reference capacitor . this capacitor can be used to reduce the effective capacitance at the positive input signal node . as shown in fig6 the array 502 includes multiple columns 600 of cmos active pixel sensors 602 . each column includes multiple rows of sensors 602 . signals from the active pixel sensors 602 in a particular column can be read out to a readout circuit 604 associated with that column . signals stored in the readout circuits 604 can be read to an output stage 606 . this output stage 606 is common to the entire array of pixels 502 . the analog output signals are sent to a differential a - to - d converter 608 . a further aspect of the a - to - d converter 700 is shown in fig7 . an offset signal is provided at the negative input signal node . in one embodiment , the offset signal is generated by an offset adjustment circuit 702 to remove dark signals appearing on the pixel array 502 . in other embodiments , the offset signal electronically increases the brightness of the image or compensates for some artificial offset added in the signal processing chain in the readout circuit 510 . the offset adjustment circuit 702 includes two capacitors 704 , 706 . a larger - valued capacitor 704 is connected between the negative input signal node 708 and ground . a smaller - valued capacitor is , in general , a variable capacitor 706 . the top plate of the variable capacitor 706 is connected to the negative input signal node 708 . the bottom plate of the variable capacitor 706 is connected either to a reference voltage or to ground . when a positive offset is desired during sampling , an offset enable signal 710 is asserted . otherwise , if a negative offset is desired during sampling , an offset clamp signal 712 is asserted . this signal is then de - asserted to turn the clamp switch 716 off and turn the enable switch 718 on . during conversion , if a positive offset is desired , an offset clamp signal 712 is asserted . other embodiments and variations are possible . for example , a variable offset can be achieved by either using the variable capacitor 706 or a variable reference voltage 714 . further , the reset capacitor 704 can be omitted if the offset signal is relatively large compared to the full input voltage swing . moreover , all references to voltages are for illustrative purposes only . the term “ voltage ” can be replaced with “ current ”, “ power ”, or “ signal ” where appropriate . all these are intended to be encompassed by the following claims . | 7 |
fig1 shows a read - out device for reading out a storage phosphor plate 1 . a laser 2 generates a stimulating light beam 3 that is deflected by a deflection element 4 in such a way that the stimulating light beam moves along a line 8 across the storage phosphor plate 1 to be read out . the deflection element 4 has a reflecting area , in particular in the form of a mirror , that is made to move oscillatingly by a drive device 5 . alternatively , the deflection element 4 can have a polygon mirror that is made to move rotatively by the drive device 5 , in this case a motor , and deflects the stimulating light beam 3 across the storage phosphor plate 1 . during the movement of the deflected stimulating light beam 3 ′ across the storage phosphor plate 1 , this storage phosphor plate emits emission light depending on the x - ray information stored therein , which emission light is collected by an optical collection device 6 , for example an optical fiber bundle or a suitable mirror device , and detected by an optical detector 7 , preferably a photomultiplier ( pmt ), and is thereby converted into a corresponding detector signal s . the detector signal s is transmitted to a processing device 9 , in which digital image signal values b for individual pixels of the read out x - ray image are derived . the transport of the storage phosphor plate 1 in the transport direction t by a transport device has the effect that individual lines 8 of the storage phosphor plate 1 are successively read out , and a two - dimensional composite x - ray image is thereby obtained that is composed of individual pixels with respectively one associated image signal value b . in the example shown , the transport device comprises a roller 10 which is put into rotation about the rotational axis 11 by a roller drive ( not shown ). the storage phosphor plate 1 is supported on its underside by the roller 10 and is conveyed by a rotation of the roller 10 in the direction t as a result of the frictional engagement that arises hereby . the roller 10 has magnetic , preferably permanently magnetic or electromagnetic , areas that interact with ferromagnetic areas that are provided in the storage phosphor plate 1 so that the storage phosphor plate 1 is attracted by the roller 10 , which significantly reinforces the frictional engagement . this will be illustrated hereinafter in greater detail with reference to further figures . fig2 shows a side view of a first example of the roller 10 . the roller 10 preferably has the form of a plain cylinder composed of a ferromagnetic material . alternatively , however , the roller can also be formed as an elongated hollow cylinder . instead of using a ferromagnetic material , the roller 10 can also be made of a paramagnetic material , such as , for example , aluminum . the outer circumferential area 12 of the roller 10 is provided with a strip - like area 14 containing a permanently magnetic material and being helically wound around the outer circumferential area 12 of the roller 10 . the permanently magnetic material contained in the strip - like area 14 generates magnetic field lines that are schematically indicated by horizontal lines in the strip - like area 14 . preferably , the magnetic material in the strip - like area 14 is oriented and / or the gradient of the helical course of the strip - like area 14 is selected so that the magnetic field lines run substantially parallel to the rotational axis 11 of the roller 10 . fig2 further shows a cross - sectional view of a storage phosphor plate 1 . a storage phosphor layer 1 a in the form of storage phosphor particles contained in a supporting matrix ( so - called powder image plate , pip ) or in the form of needle - shaped storage phosphor structures ( so - called needle image plate , nip ) is applied to a base layer 1 b which is ferromagnetic at least in a partial area . this can preferably be realized by coating the base layer 1 b with a plastic layer in which ferromagnetic particles , for example iron particles , are embedded . alternatively or additionally , however , it is also possible that at least a partial surface of the base layer 1 b comprises a ferromagnetic material , for example in the form of a steel sheet , which is optionally provided with a plastic layer on the side facing the storage phosphor layer 1 a and / or on the side opposite to the storage phosphor layer 1 a . when the base layer 1 b of the storage phosphor plate 1 comes into contact with the strip - like magnetic area 14 of the roller 10 , the frictional forces that hereby occur are significantly increased as a result of the magnetic forces acting between the strip - like area 14 and the base layer 1 b so that a rotation of the roller 10 — as shown in fig1 — is by itself sufficient to reliably transport the storage phosphor plate 1 , without an additional counter - roller having to be arranged over the roller 10 . the helical course of the strip - like area 14 offers the advantage , compared to simply sheathing the roller 10 with a magnetic layer , that during a rotation of the roller 10 by 360 ° no abutting edges or overlapping ends , respectively , of the sheathing occur , thus ensuring a shock - free transport of the storage phosphor plate 1 . this is also advantageous from a manufacturing point of view in that a precise edge - to - edge cutting of the magnetic layer — such as is required in case of a simple sheathing — can be omitted thanks to the helical course of the area 14 . not least , the helical course of the strip - like area 14 offers the advantage that , thanks to the absence of abutting or overlapping at the ends of the sheathing , even a 360 ° rotation will not cause abrupt jumps in the magnetic field lines , which additionally enhances the shock - free nature of the transport of the storage phosphor plate . fig3 shows a second example of a roller 10 represented in a side view . contrary to the roller shown in fig2 , the width b of the strip - like area 14 and the gradient angle α of the helical course of the strip - like area 14 are selected so that any gaps between the individual loops of the strip - like area 14 are substantially excluded so that the substantial part of the outer circumferential area 12 of the roller 10 is covered by the helically extending strip - like area 14 . in this embodiment , particularly high magnetic attraction forces between the ferromagnetic base layer 1 b of the storage phosphor plate 1 and the roller 10 are achieved . moreover , the absence of any gaps between the individual gradient sections of the strip - like area 14 allows to achieve a particularly smooth transport of the storage phosphor plate 1 . moreover , the statements in connection with the example shown in fig2 apply correspondingly . fig4 shows an example of a cross - sectional view through a magnetic foil by which the strip - like area 14 ( see fig2 and 3 ) can be realized . the magnetic foil comprises a paramagnetic layer 14 a whose bottom side is provided with an adhesive layer 14 b that allows adhesively bonding it to the outer circumferential area 12 of the roller 10 . as stated hereinbefore , the roller 10 can be formed ferromagnetically at least in its outer circumferential area 12 so that the permanently magnetic layer 14 a is additionally kept adhered to the roller 10 by magnetic attraction forces . however , in case of a ferromagnetic circumferential area 12 of the roller 10 , the additional adhesive layer 14 b can also be omitted inasmuch as the magnetic attraction forces between the permanently magnetic layer 14 a and the roller 10 are sufficiently strong . fig5 shows a third example of a roller 10 whose interior is provided with a helically extending area 15 made of permanently magnetic material . this can be realized , for example , by forming the roller 10 as a cylindrical hollow body whose cylindrical inner wall is provided with the strip - like area 15 , for example by adhesively bonding and / or by magnetic attraction forces , in case the roller 10 having the form of a hollow cylinder is ferromagnetic . apart from the advantages already illustrated in the context of fig2 and 3 , this embodiment offers the particular advantage that , on the one hand , the frictional forces occurring when the base layer 1 b comes into contact with the storage phosphor plate 1 and the outer circumferential area 12 of the roller 10 are sufficiently large — because of the magnetic attraction forces — to ensure a reliable transport of the storage phosphor plate 1 , and , on the other hand , any wear of the base layer 1 b caused by a direct contact with the roller 10 can be reduced . fig6 shows a fourth example of a roller 10 whose circumferential area 12 is provided with a helically extending area 14 made of permanently magnetic material . contrary to the example shown in fig2 , the magnetic field lines of the strip - like area 14 do not run parallel to the rotational axis 11 of the roller 10 , but substantially along the helical course , i . e . parallel to the gradient of the helical course . the magnetic field lines hereby form an angle to the rotational axis 11 of the roller 10 that corresponds to the gradient of the helical course of the strip 14 about the rotational axis 11 . this implementation offers the advantage , compared to the example shown in fig2 , of minimizing the cutting scraps when cutting out the strip 14 from a magnetic foil , the magnetic field lines of which generally run parallel or perpendicular , respectively , to the lateral edges of the foil . moreover , at not too small gradient angles , in particular more than 15 °, in particular more than 22 °, this variant too allows to achieve relatively high magnetic attraction forces between the storage phosphor plate 1 and the roller 10 and to simultaneously minimize interruptions or jumps of the magnetic field lines during a rotation of the roller 10 . while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above , it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . the scope of the present invention , therefore , is to be determined solely by the following claims . | 6 |
other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings , which is set forth hereinafter . after repeated research to achieve the aforementioned technological objects , a dye - sensitized solar cell of the present invention is developed by paying attention to the fact that akylimidazol ionic liquid remains in the state of liquid at a room temperature and a high temperature and has ionic properties and that it is non - volatile and uninflammable at a wide range of temperatures by reacting against non - metal ions . the dye - sensitized solar cell uses 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide as electrolyte . the present invention presents a dye - sensitized solar cell that includes a semiconductor electrode , a confronting electrode , and electrolyte of 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide inserted between the semiconductor electrode and the confronting electrode . desirably , the electrolyte includes 1 to 30 mol % iodide ( i 2 ) of the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide . more desirably , it has the iodide dissolved in the concentration of about 5 to 10 mol %. with reference to the drawings , preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described , hereafter . [ 0017 ] fig1 is a cross - sectional view illustrating a dye - sensitized solar cell in accordance with the present invention . referring to the drawing , the dye - sensitized solar cell includes the semiconductor electrode 10 as its cathode , the confronting electrode 20 as its anode , and the liquid - type electrolyte 30 inserted between the anode and the cathode . the semiconductor electrode 10 is formed of a conductive transparent glass substrate 12 and a transitive metal oxide layer 14 coating the transparent glass substrate 12 . on the transitive metal oxide layer 14 , dye molecules are adsorbed chemically . the confronting electrode 20 that faces the semiconductor electrode 10 is formed of a conductive transparent glass substrate 22 and a platinum layer 24 coating the conductive transparent glass substrate 22 . the dye - sensitized solar cell of the present invention which has the above - described structure is manufactured as follows . first , to manufacture the semiconductor electrode 10 , the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 coated with ito or sno 2 is prepared , and titanium dioxide is prepared to be used as the transitive metal oxide . the titanium dioxide is prepared in the form of colloid having 15 to 30 nm titanium dioxide particles . it is prepared by preparing titanium dioxide colloid solution through hydrothermal synthesis of titanium ( iv ) isopropoxide and acetic acid in an autoclave in which temperature is maintained at 220 ° c ., and evaporating solvent of the titanium dioxide colloid solution until the content of titanium dioxide within the solution becomes 10 to 15 w %. if polyethylene glycol and polyethylene oxide are added to the colloid solution containing nano - size titanium dioxide particles to occupy around 40 w % of the total weight of titanium dioxide , viscous titanium dioxide colloid solution is obtained . the viscous titanium dioxide colloid solution is applied to the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 already coated with ito or sno 2 in a thickness of 10 to 30 μm . then the resulting material goes through annealing at a temperature of 450 to 550 ° c . to thereby remove polyethylene glycol and polyethylene oxide in the solution . as a result , the nano - sized oxide particles contact and fill each other . the viscous titanium dioxide colloid solution is applied to the entire surface of the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 , leaving its fringes unapplied around 1 cm in four directions . subsequently , the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 coated with titanium dioxide is maintained in a dye solution containing ruthenium complex for 24 hours . during the process , the ruthenium complex reacts upon the titanium dioxide and adsorbs on the transitive metal oxide layer 14 to thereby form a semiconductor electrode 10 . the confronting electrode 20 is formed by preparing a conductive transparent glass substrate 22 which is the same as the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 used for fabricating the semiconductor electrode 10 , coating the upper surface of the conductive transparent glass substrate 22 with platinum to thereby form a platinum layer 24 . just as the coating of the transitive metal oxide on the semiconductor electrode , the platinum coated on the confronting electrode 20 also applied to the entire surface of the conductive transparent glass substrate 22 , leaving its fringes unapplied around 1 cm in four directions . in accordance with the present invention , the liquid - type electrolyte 30 for a dye - sensitized solar cell inserted in the semiconductor electrode and the confronting electrode is a liquid mixture in which iodine is dissolved in 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide . the electrolyte can be prepared by adding n - vinylimidazol to a reaction chamber containing trichloroethylene solvent and mixing them . during the mixing process , argon gas is injected to the trichloroethylene solvent to maintain the reaction chamber in the ambient of argon . subsequently , hexyliodide is added to the reaction chamber slowly and the reaction chamber is maintained at 70 ° c . for four hours for reaction . the hexyliodide can be substituted by alkyliodide such as methyliodide , ethyliodide , propyliodide , butyliodide , heptyliodide and the like . the added alkyliodide reacts to the n - vinylimidazol within the reaction chamber to thereby synthesize 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide . the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide remains in the state of liquid at room temperature and polarized due to iodide ion ( i − ) contained therein . as a result , it remains separated from other non - polarized reactants within the reaction chamber due to the polarization difference . therefore , the reaction product 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide can be separated and obtained easily . in order to make the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide more stable in temperature when it is used as the electrolyte for the dye - sensitized solar cell , it can exist in the form of polymer by polymerization , desirably . finally , a predetermined amount of iodine is dissolved in the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide solution to thereby complete the preparation of the electrolyte for the dye - sensitized solar cell . a desirable amount of iodine dissolved in the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide solution is 1 to 30 mol % of a total weight of the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide and , more desirably , 5 to 10 mol %. the dissolved iodine reacts to iodide ions in the 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide solution to thereby generate i − and i 3 − ions . the reaction products react as oxidation and reduction species of the electrolyte for the dye - sensitized solar cell in the present invention . hereafter , a method for fabricating a solar cell by using the semiconductor electrode 10 , confronting electrode 20 , and 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide liquid - type electrolyte 30 will be described . first , the semiconductor electrode 10 and the confronting electrode 20 are placed to face each other . here , the transitive metal oxide layer 14 of the semiconductor electrode 10 faces the platinum layer 24 of the confronting electrode 20 . subsequently , the transitive metal oxide - uncoated area of the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 of the semiconductor electrode 10 is connected with the platinum - uncoated area of the conductive transparent glass substrate 22 of the confronting electrode 20 through a 30 to 50 μm polymer layer 40 , such as surlyn which is a name of product by du pont company . to make the polymer layer 40 adhere strongly to the conductive transparent glass substrate 12 of the semiconductor electrode 10 and the conductive transparent glass substrate 22 of the confronting electrode 20 , it is adhered with about 1 to 2 atmospheric pressure on a heating plate of about 100 to 140 ° c . after the semiconductor electrode 10 and the confronting electrode 20 are connected with the polymer layer 40 , a fine opening 26 is formed in the area of the confronting electrode 20 where the platinum layer 24 is not coated . then , the liquid - type electrolyte 30 is inserted to fill the inside of a hexahedral cylinder with the 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide liquid - type electrolyte 30 . when the inside of the hexahedral cylinder is filled up with the liquid - type electrolyte 30 , heat is applied to the hexahedral cylinder instantly by using a glass product 50 such as surlyn produced by du pont company to close up the fine opening 26 . followings are experimental examples for appraising the thermal stability and temperature stability of the solar cell fabricated in accordance with the present invention . the experiments are carried out with respect to a liquid - type electrolyte prepared by adding 5 mol % iodine of the total weight of 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide to 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide . thermal stability is measured by testing the amount of volatilization . 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide was maintained in the ambient of nitrogen and the amount of volatilization is measured by raising the temperature from a room temperature to 600 ° c . in a temperature ascending rate of 5 ° c ./ min . fig2 is a graph showing the result of the volatility test for 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide . the 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide showed little loss in weight until about 200 ° c . and it began volatilization at more than about 230 ° c . 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide had been maintained at 150 20 c . for five days and the change in its weight was measured to test its stability to temperature . fig3 is a graph presenting the test result of 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide in accordance with the present invention . the electrolyte of the present invention showed a very slow rate of loosing its weight . for the five days , it lost about 2 . 5 % of its weight . from the results of fig2 and 3 , it can be analogized that the electrolyte of the present invention is barely volatilized in the solar cell by a direct ray of light , when the actual usage of the electrolyte inserted between the cathode and anode of the solar cell is considered . the photoconversion efficiency of the dye - sensitized solar cell of the present invention was observed in this experiment . the solar cell used in the experiment included liquid - type electrolyte prepared by adding iodine in 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide in an amount of 5 mol % of the total weight of 1 , 3 - vinylhexylimidazolium iodide . light source was xenon lamp ( oriel , 91193 ). solar condition ( am 1 . 5 ) was corrected with a standard solar cell ( frunhofer institute solare engeriessaysteme , certificate no . c - ise369 , type of material : mono - si + filter ). [ 0040 ] fig4 is a graph showing the photoconversion efficiency test result of the dye - sensitized solar cell in accordance with the present invention . according to the result , a maximum available electric current ( i sc ), a maximum available electric voltage ( v oc ) and a fill factor are measured to be 8 . 12 ma / cm 3 , 0 . 62v and 0 . 6 , respectively . the photoconversion efficiency for converting solar energy into electric energy is calculated as a ratio of generated electric energy ( current × voltage × fill factor ) to incident energy per unit area ( 100 mw / cm 2 ). fig4 shows that the photoconversion efficiency of the solar cell of the present invention is 3 . 05 %. the dye - sensitized solar cell of the present invention , which includes 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide as electrolyte can solve a volatility problem caused by using organic solvent as electrolyte in conventional technologies . thus , it is possible to provide a long - lasting dye - sensitized solar cell with excellent stability to heat and temperature . also , since 1 , 3 - vinylalkylimidazolium iodide can remain in the state of liquid in a wide temperature band ranging from a room temperature to a high temperature , even when it is mixed with iodine , the ion conductivity of oxidation and reduction species is excellent . this gives high energy conversion efficiency to the solar cell . while the present invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims . | 7 |
referring now to fig1 there is shown a perspective view of a single heater element ( resistor ) 11 surrounded by a barrier material 12 forming an ink channel 13 immediately adjacent to the resistor 11 . the barrier material 12 also forms an ink cavity region 14 exterior to the ink channel 13 . this type of three sided barrier layer construction is generally well known in the art and is disclosed for example in howard h . tabu et al u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 794 , 410 and 4 , 794 , 411 assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference . fig2 is a cross section view which would be taken through the center of the resistor in fig1 when the printhead structure therein , including the orifice plate , is completed . fig2 further illustrates that the ink cavity 14 is formed between an underlying substrate 15 and an outer orifice plate 16 . an orifice 17 is positioned immediately above the resistor 11 , and ink from an ink feed system 18 is drawn into the ink cavity 14 and into the ink channel 13 regions by a capillary force . as the resistor 11 is fired by a suitable pulse applied thereto , a drop of ink is ejected from the orifice 17 . an ink jet printhead operating in this manner is considered to be operating in the &# 34 ; equilibrium mode &# 34 ;. immediately after drop ejection in the equilibrium mode , the meniscus of the ink at the orifice 17 will oscillate from the equilibrium position 19 as indicated in fig3 a and achieves a maximum extension 20 and a minimum extension 21 as indicated in fig3 b to 3c . these &# 34 ; natural oscillations &# 34 ; continue for a length of time , labeled the &# 34 ; dead time &# 34 ;, to , with a decaying amplitude as shown in fig4 a . during this time , ejection of an additional drop of ink is not permitted . in accordance with the present invention , a piezoelectric material 22 such as quartz or barium titanate crystals or a kynar piezoelectric film is introduced into the ink cavity 14 as shown in fig5 or is mounted externally on the outer surface of the orifice plate 16 as shown in fig6 . the material 22 is connected in such a manner that it can be energized with a controlled electrical signal , and this signal induces oscillations , of controlled frequency and magnitude , within the material 22 . this action in turn produces a positive ink pressure within the ink cavity 14 and the ink channel 13 and thereby behaves as an ink pump . both internally and externally mounted piezoelectric systems function in an equivalent manner . there are various available piezoelectric driving circuits suitable for providing the piezoelectric drive signals described herein , and the choice of circuit design of these drivers is considered well within the skill of the art . therefore , a detailed description of specific driver circuit design has been omitted for sake of brevity . however , piezoelectric driver circuits have been described in many u . s . patents , such as u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 714 , 935 , 4 , 717 , 927 , 4 , 630 , 072 , 4 , 498 , 089 and 4 , 521 , 786 . piezoelectric driver circuits have also been enclosed in the following four textbook references , and these four textbook references as well as the above patents are incorporated herein by reference : 1 . precision frequency control ; e . a . gerber , ed . academic press , 1985 . 2 . acoustic waves : devices , imaging and analog signal devices ; gordon kino , prentice - hall , 1987 . 3 . standard methods for the measurement of equivalent circuits ; american national standards , electronic industries association , 1985 . 4 . pvf2 - models , measurements , device ideas , john linvill , stanford technical report number 4834 - 3 , stanford university , 1978 . the oscillations of the piezoelectric material 22 produce a constant , symmetric and continuous oscillation of the ink meniscus as shown in fig4 b . these continuous , induced , symmetric and controlled meniscus oscillations of frequency , fm , and amplitude , im , in fig4 b are superimposed on the &# 34 ; natural oscillations &# 34 ; in fig4 a . the net result of this superposition of these two kinds of meniscus oscillations is a virtual &# 34 ; swamping out &# 34 ; of the natural meniscus oscillations in fig4 a , and the virtual elimination of the &# 34 ; dead time &# 34 ;, to , which is responsible for limiting the maximum operating frequency , f max , of the ink jet printhead . the timing of the firing of resistor 11 with respect to the meniscus amplitude , im , of the induced meniscus oscillations is crucial . if the resistor 11 is fired at the equilibrium position , or points ( t ) in fig4 b , the ink jet printhead is operating in the &# 34 ; equilibrium mode &# 34 ; and medium volume ink drops , veq , are ejected . these ejected ink drops are of a volume equal to the case where the piezoelectric material is not pulsed . the maximum achievable operating frequency , f max , of the ink jet printhead operating in the &# 34 ; equilibrium mode &# 34 ; is limited only by the frequency of induced meniscus oscillations , fm . if the resistor 11 is fired at the maximum meniscus extension position , namely at points ( u ) in fig4 b , then the ink jet printhead is operating in the &# 34 ; rich mode &# 34 ; and maximum volume ink drops , v max , are ejected . if the resistor 11 is fired at the minimum meniscus extension position , which is point ( v ) in fig4 b , then the ink jet printhead is operating in the &# 34 ; lean mode &# 34 ; and minimum volume ink drops , vmin , are ejected . firing the resistor 11 at different points between the rich and lean modes will cause ink drops to be ejected in varying and controlled volumes . the range of ejected ink drop volume may be extended by employing dual independently controlled piezoelectric systems within an ink jet printhead . fig7 illustrates such a system where both independently controlled piezoelectric drivers 22 are incorporated within the ink cavity 14 . fig8 illustrates another system where the piezoelectric drivers 22 are incorporated both inside and outside the ink cavity 14 , with the outside driver mounted on the orifice plate 16 . the method of operation of both these systems in fig7 and 8 is the same . each independently driven piezoelectric driver 22 may be energized with a controlled signal and caused to oscillate which in turn induces a symmetric meniscus oscillation as described above . if both piezoelectric drivers within an ink jet printhead are caused to oscillate in phase with each other and with equivalent amplitudes , then the induced meniscus oscillation remains symmetric as described above with reference to fig4 b . within the ink jet printhead , both piezoelectric drivers 22 may be caused to : 1 ) oscillate out of phase with each other at the same frequency and amplitude ; or 2 ) oscillate out of phase with each other at the same amplitude and with a different frequency . the combination of frequency , amplitude and phase shift may be selected to induce a meniscus oscillation which is asymmetric as shown in fig9 a and 9b . if the induced asymmetric meniscus oscillation is skewed to the positive as shown in fig9 a , the maximum volume ink drop , vmax , ejected may be further extended from the symmetric case due to the greater meniscus extension in the asymmetric case . the limiting situation is attained when the asymmetric positive meniscus extension is so great that actual drop ejection begins to occur . large positive asymmetric meniscus extensions may be favored by suitable choice of ink viscosity and surface energy of the ink . alternatively , if the asymmetric meniscus oscillation is skewed to the negative as shown in fig9 b , the minimum volume ink drop , vmin , ejected may be further extended from the symmetric case . the limiting situation is attained when the asymmetric negative meniscus extension is so great that the printhead will begin to aspirate air through an orifice opening in the orifice plate of the printhead . air aspiration may be modified by suitable choice of ink viscosity and ink surface energy . the pumping action of the added piezoelectric system described above enables the ink jet printhead to be used not only with current inks , with their low viscosities (& lt ; about 3 cps ) and higher surface tensions (& gt ; about 55 dyne / cm ), but also with inks having a lower surface tension and a higher viscosity . generally , higher viscosity inks penetrate slower into the surface of paper such that the print quality on a variety of papers , and particularly on xerographic or bond papers , is improved . printheads using higher viscosity inks therefore print more consistently on a wider set of plain papers . the ability to use both high viscosity and low surface tension inks yield faster drytimes on plain papers as well . the ability to use higher viscosity inks with a lower surface tension has significant advantages over current technology . standard ink technology , which employs soluble dyes in a usually aqueous based vehicle , could be expanded to use a much larger group of allowable solvents . for example , higher molecular weight glycols , ethers , ketones , and the like could be used in conjunction with water to obtain the desired vehicle properties . this expanded group of solvents allow dyes to be used in the new printhead described herein which are not currently acceptable because of solubility or reactivity with the ink vehicle . these additional dyes improve contrast , color , hue and print quality on the printed medium . besides the improved print quality inherent in higher viscosity inks , other solvent and dye mixtures could yield improved waterfastness , reliability , smearfastness , lightfastness and archivability . also , additional color dyes could be used , with a possible attendant improvement in color gamut and bleed characteristics . the ability to lower the requirements of surface tension and raise the allowable limit on viscosity would enable the printhead to be used with &# 34 ; non standard &# 34 ; ink jet inks ( e . g . non - aqueous , dye based ). for example , pigment based , microemulsion or encapsulation inks could be used . these new colorant systems would offer higher waterfastness , improved smearfastness , better color gamut , better reliability and better lightfastness and bleed . various modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of this invention . for example , the present invention is not strictly limited to the specific printhead cross - section geometries shown and may be practiced using various printhead geometries including the well known &# 34 ; side shooter &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; face shooter &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; edge - shooter &# 34 ; constructions and the use of offsets between heater resistor center lines and orifice centers . additionally , the geometries of the ink feed channel and the ink reservoir cavities may be modified in accordance with the design constraints applicable to a variety of thermal ink jet printhead applications , and may include various state of the art hydraulic tuning and crosstalk reduction features . | 1 |
as required , detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein . the disclosed embodiments are merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms , and combinations thereof . as used herein , for example , “ exemplary ,” and similar terms , refer expansively to embodiments that serve as an illustration , specimen , model or pattern . while the present technology is described primarily herein in connection with longevity of trucks , the technology is not limited to such vehicles or products . the concepts can be used in a wide variety of applications , such as in connection with aircraft , marine craft , farm equipment , construction equipment , major home appliances , and other . according to one embodiment , fig1 shows a system 10 configured to perform methods such as the method 100 shown in fig2 . fig1 illustrates schematically features of the system 10 . the system 10 includes a computing unit 30 . the computing unit 30 includes a processor 40 for controlling and / or processing data , input / output data ports 42 , and a memory 50 . connecting infrastructure within the system 10 , such as one or more data buses and wireless transceivers , is not shown in detail in order to simplify the figures . the processor could be multiple processors , which could include distributed processors or parallel processors in a single machine or multiple machines . the processor could include virtual processor ( s ). the processor could include a state machine , application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), programmable gate array ( pga ) including a field pga , or state machine . when a processor executes instructions to perform “ operations ,” this could include the processor performing the operations directly and / or facilitating , directing , or cooperating with another device or component to perform the operations . the memory 50 can include a variety of computer - readable media , including volatile media , non - volatile media , removable media , and non - removable media . the term “ computer - readable media ” and variants thereof , as used in the specification and claims , includes storage media . storage media includes volatile and / or non - volatile , removable and / or non - removable media , such as , for example , ram , rom , eeprom , flash memory or other memory technology , cdrom , dvd , or other optical disk storage , magnetic tape , magnetic disk storage , or other magnetic storage devices or any other medium that is configured to be used to store information that can be accessed by the processor 40 . while the memory 50 is illustrated as residing proximate the processor 40 , it should be understood that at least a portion of the memory can be a remotely accessed storage system , for example , a server on a communication network , a remote hard disk drive , a removable storage medium , combinations thereof , and the like . thus , any of the data , applications , and / or software described below can be stored within the memory and / or accessed via network connections to other data processing systems ( not shown ) that may include a local area network ( lan ), a metropolitan area network ( man ), or a wide area network ( wan ), for example . the memory 50 includes several categories of software and data used in the computing unit 30 including applications 60 , a database 70 , an operating system 80 , and input / output device drivers 90 . the operating system 80 may be any operating system for use with a data processing system . the input / output device drivers 90 may include various routines accessed through the operating system 80 by the applications to communicate with devices , and certain memory components . the applications 60 can be stored in the memory 50 and / or in a firmware ( not shown ) as executable instructions , and can be executed by the processor 40 . the applications 60 include various programs that , when executed by the processor 40 , implement the various features of the computing unit 30 . the applications 60 include applications described in further detail with respect to exemplary methods . the applications 60 are stored in the memory 50 and are configured to be executed by the processor 40 . the term “ application ,” or variants thereof , is used expansively herein to include routines , program modules , programs , components , data structures , algorithms , and the like . applications can be implemented on various system configurations , including single - processor or multiprocessor systems , minicomputers , mainframe computers , personal computers , hand - held computing devices , microprocessor - based , programmable consumer electronics , combinations thereof , and the like . the applications 60 may use data stored in the database 70 . the database 70 includes static and / or dynamic data used by the applications 60 , the operating system 80 , the input / output device drivers 90 and other software programs that may reside in the memory 50 . it should be understood that fig1 and the description above are intended to provide a brief , general description of a suitable environment in which the various aspects of some embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented . while the description refers to computer - readable instructions , embodiments of the present disclosure also can be implemented in combination with other program modules and / or as a combination of hardware and software in addition to , or instead of , computer readable instructions . fig2 shows an exemplary method 100 that facilitates analyzing vehicle longevity , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . it should be understood that the steps of the method 100 are not necessarily presented in any particular order and that performance of some or all the steps in an alternative order is possible and is contemplated . the steps have been presented in the demonstrated order for ease of description and illustration . steps can be added , omitted and / or performed simultaneously without departing from the scope of the appended claims . it should also be understood that the illustrated method 100 can be ended at any time . in certain embodiments , some or all steps of this process , and / or substantially equivalent steps are performed by execution of computer - readable instructions stored or included on a computer readable medium , such as the memory 50 of the computing unit 30 described above , for example . referring to fig2 , the method 100 begins 102 and flow proceeds to blocks 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , 118 . blocks 106 , 108 are associated with computer executable instructions for identifying a threshold separation point based on an aggregated vio residual time series . the separation point represents a point in time where vehicles are failing due to aging . blocks 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 are associated with computer executable instructions for calculating a current longevity value based on a make vio residual time series and the threshold separation point . block 118 is associated with computer executable instructions for calculating a future longevity value for based on a make vio residual time series and an adjusted time window . in block 104 , the processor 40 accesses an aggregated data set 200 and make data sets 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 that are stored in the memory 50 . as used herein , the aggregated data set 200 is associated with a segment of vehicles . for purposes of teaching , a segment of vehicles is a category of vehicles . for example , a segment of vehicles is full - size pickup trucks , mid - size pickup trucks , or any other category of vehicles . the aggregated data set 200 is an aggregation of data based on the make data sets 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 . the make data sets 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 are associated with different makes ( e . g ., the various makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 shown in fig5 ) of the vehicles in the segment of vehicles . for example , a make in a segment is full - size pickup trucks for a single manufacturer . referring momentarily to fig4 , the make data sets 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 each include a vehicle in operation ( vio ) residual time series for a respective make 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 , referred to as a make vio residual time series ( first make vio residual time series 402 associated with first make 502 shown in fig4 ). for example , each vio residual ( e . g ., data point ) in the first make vio residual time series 402 is a vio residual of the respective make for a model year ( my ). a vio residual , calculated as a percentage (%), for a model year and make , is the number of vehicles that remain in operation divided by the total historical number of vehicles in operation . similarly , referring momentarily to fig3 , the aggregated data set 200 includes a vehicle in operation ( vio ) residual time series for all of makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 in a segment , referred to as an aggregated vio residual time series 300 . for example , each vio residual ( e . g ., data point ) in the aggregated vio residual time series 300 is a vio residual for a model year ( my ), calculated as a percentage (%), and is the number of vehicles that remain in operation for all of makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 in the segment divided by the total historical number of vehicles in operation for all makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 in the segment . the data is screened for data anomalies and outliers . for example , a vio residual that is higher than 100 % is a data anomaly . in alternative embodiments , the aggregated product data set is associated with a product group and is an aggregation of individual product data sets ( e . g ., a lower level of granularity with respect to the aggregated product data ). referring to fig2 and 3 , at the block 106 , the aggregated vio residual time series 300 is generated at a particular point in time ( e . g ., end of june , 2014 ). the y - axis is vio residual (%) and the x - axis is time ( t ) with model years indicated . as described above , each vio residual ( e . g ., data point ) in the aggregated vio residual time series 300 is calculated based on a sum of the number of vehicles in that remain in operation for all of makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 in the segment divided by a sum of the total historical number of vehicles in operation for all makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 in the segment . in fig3 , a vio residual of close to 100 % is the vio residual of model year 2013 ( e . g ., close to 100 % of model year 2013 vehicles in this segment are on the road at the end of june 2014 ). that vio residual gradually decreases moving in a direction toward later model years . the 1998 model year has a vio residual of about 25 %. the aggregated vio residual time series 300 does not decrease at a constant rate as the model year decreases . rather , in general , the aggregated vio residual time series 300 decreases at a slower rate over the more recent model years ( e . g ., those model years closer to 2013 ) and decreases at a faster rate over the older model years ( e . g ., those model years closer to 1998 ). to illustrate this , a first constant slope line 310 is shown overlaying the aggregated vio residual time series 300 of the more recent years and a second constant slope line 312 is shown overlaying the aggregated vio residual time series 300 of the older model years . the first constant slope line 310 fits the aggregated vio residual time series 300 for a first stage time period 320 and the second constant slope line 312 fits the aggregated vio residual time series 300 for a second stage time period 322 . the aggregated vio residual time series 300 in the first stage time period 320 represents attrition during the earlier years of the life of the vehicle and the aggregated vio residual time series 300 in the second stage time period 322 represents attrition during the later years of the life of the vehicle . the slope of the second constant slope line 312 is approximately five times the slope of the first constant slope line 310 . the change in slope represents different stages of attrition related to vehicle aging . accordingly , the age - related vehicle attrition is more likely in the second stage time period 322 than in the first stage time period 320 . for example , the first stage time period 320 may be approximately the first ten years of the life of the vehicle . here , all makes may perform similarly in terms of longevity . attrition in the first stage time period 320 may be driven by exogenous factors such as flooding , fires , or accidents rather than the age of the vehicle . in other words , vehicle age is not the primary driver of vehicle attrition . as used herein , exogenous factors are those which are unrelated to vehicle durability . the first - stage time period 320 and the second - stage time period 322 may be assumed to abut one another , separated by a separation point 330 . because there is generally not an exact point where the slope changes ( e . g ., the change is gradual ), a range of separation points are possible ( e . g ., optimal values for separation points ). the separation point 330 may be any point within a range of separation points 340 , as described in further detail below . the range of separation points 340 is bounded by a lower separation boundary 342 and an upper separation boundary 344 . at the block 108 , the range of separation points 340 is determined by identifying the lower separation boundary 342 and the upper separation boundary 344 . a method , such as piecewise linear regression , is used to identify the lower separation boundary 342 and the upper separation boundary 344 . the following equations are used with piecewise linear regression : y = ( b 0 + b 1 * c )+ b 2 *( x − c ) for x & gt ; c where y is the vio residual , x is the time or model year , c is the separation point , b 0 is the intercept at the y - axis , b 1 is the slope of the line 312 , and b 2 is the slope of the line 310 . first , test values for separation point ( element 330 in fig3 and variable c in equations ) are selected . the test values for separation point 330 ( c ) can be determined , for example , by selecting a range of values around the bend in the aggregated vio residual time series 300 . a test value in the range of test values for separation point 330 ( c ) is used as an input to the equations , thereby defining each of the first stage time period 320 ( e . g ., c to 2103 ) and the second stage time period 322 ( e . g ., 1998 to c ). a linear regression analysis is performed to fit a line ( e . g ., line 312 ) to the aggregated vio residual time series 300 in the second stage time period 322 , generating constants b 0 , b 1 . a linear regression analysis is performed to fit a line ( e . g ., line 310 ) to the aggregated vio residual time series 300 in the first stage time period 320 , using constants b 0 , b 1 and generating constant b 2 . each test value for separation point 330 ( c ) is in the range of separation points 340 if the variables b 0 , b 1 , b 2 that result from each linear regression analysis fit a line ( e . g ., lines 310 , 312 ) to the aggregated vio residual time series 300 in a respective stage time period , for example , with a statistical confidence level greater or equal to 95 % ( or another suitable confidence level ). particularly , a test value for separation point 330 ( c ) is one of the lower separation boundary 342 and the upper separation boundary 344 if the variables b 0 , b 1 , b 2 that result from each linear regression analysis fit a line ( e . g ., lines 310 , 312 ) to the aggregated vio residual time series 300 in a respective stage time period with a statistical confidence level approximately equal to 95 %. each of the values in the range of separation points 340 objectively represents a structural break , which is also referred to as breakpoint , bend , kink , or flexion point . in other words , the range of separation points 340 includes values for separation point 330 ( c ) for which there is a 95 % confidence level that the value is acceptable for use as the separation point 330 ( c ). using the values for the range of separation points 340 and a make vio residual time series ( e . g ., the first make vio residual time series 402 ), longevity is quantified for the make ( e . g ., first make 502 ). at the block 110 of the method 100 of fig2 , the second stage time period 322 is defined by a value in the range of separation points 340 . referring to fig4 , a value for the separation point 330 ( c ) defines an end of the second stage time period 322 . for example , using the different values of the separation boundaries 342 , 344 as the value of the separation point 330 changes the width of the second stage time period 322 . at the block 112 , the first make vio residual time series 402 is numerically integrated over the second stage time period 322 to calculate a value for the first make longevity 512 . in other words , a first area 412 under the first make vio residual time series 402 is calculated . the first area 412 represents the average vio residual in the second stage time period 322 . the average vio residual in the second stage time period 322 represents the first make longevity 512 of the first make 502 . the first area 412 represents vehicle longevity because more area indicates more vehicles survived . by integrating only over the second stage time period 322 , the weight placed on longevity in the first stage time period 320 is essentially zero . in other words , the years between the current date ( e . g ., 2013 ) and the separation point 330 are given weight of zero . referring momentarily to fig5 , a range of values for a first make longevity 512 are calculated . because the range of separation points 340 includes values for separation point 330 ( c ) for which there is a 95 % confidence level that the value is acceptable for use as the separation point 330 ( c ), the calculated range of values for the first make longevity 512 are similarly acceptable to a 95 % confidence level . the value of the lower separation boundary 342 is used to calculate a lower first make longevity boundary 522 and the upper separation boundary 344 is used to calculate an upper first make longevity boundary 532 . using the value for the lower separation boundary 342 to define the second stage time period 322 , the first make vio residual time series 402 is integrated over the second stage time period 322 to calculate a value for the lower first make longevity boundary 522 . using the value for the upper separation boundary 344 to define the second stage time period 322 , the first make vio residual time series 402 is integrated over the second stage time period 322 to calculate a value for the upper first make longevity boundary 532 . the blocks 110 , 112 are repeated for each make 504 , 506 , 508 resulting in values for second make longevity 514 , third make longevity 516 , fourth make longevity 518 . for example , a value in the range of separation points 340 is used to define the second stage time period 322 and a respective one of a second make vio residual time series , a third make vio residual time series , and a fourth make vio residual time series is integrated over the second stage time period 322 . similarly , using values of the lower separation boundary 342 and the upper separation boundary 344 to define the second stage time period 322 , a respective one of the second make vio residual time series , the third make vio residual time series , and the fourth make vio residual time series is integrated over the second stage time period 322 to calculate the lower second make longevity boundary 524 , the lower third make longevity boundary 526 , the lower fourth make longevity boundary 528 , the upper second make longevity boundary 534 , the upper third make longevity boundary 536 , and the upper fourth make longevity boundary 528 . referring to fig5 , at the block 114 , an object 500 is generated . here , the object 500 is a bar graph visually displaying the values for make longevity 512 , 514 , 516 , 518 , each with its respective lower make longevity boundary 522 , 524 , 526 , 528 and upper make longevity boundary 532 , 534 , 536 , 538 , for each of the makes 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 . the boundaries of the values for longevity can be compared to determine a statistically significant ( to a 95 % confidence level ) difference in values for make longevity 512 , 514 , 516 , 518 . for example , the lower second make longevity boundary 524 is above the upper third make longevity boundary 536 so it is clear that the value of second make longevity 514 is greater than the value of third make longevity 516 . at the block 118 , a value of longevity for a future year is calculated based on current make vio residual timelines . using the current make vio residual time series , the second stage time period 322 is adjusted to approximate a future year , and the current make vio residual time series is numerically integrated over the adjusted second stage time period 322 to calculate the future value of longevity . by calculating future values of longevity for different makes , the makes can be compared as above into the future to estimate how long a current longevity claim will be valid . one approach of adjusting the second stage time period 322 for each future year is to slide the second stage time period 322 forward in time one year while keeping the same width ( by dropping the oldest years and adding a newest year ). this approach mimics what happens as vehicles age as the oldest model year in the first stage time period 320 becomes the newest model year in the second stage time period 322 . this approach assumes that any differences in the first stage time period 320 persist into the second stage time period 322 . for example , a make is a certain percentage better in a model year that is currently in the first stage time period 320 , it is assumed that the make stays that much better when that model year becomes part of the second stage time period 322 . a second approach is to expand the second stage time period 322 by , for each future year , adding a newest year to the second stage time period 322 . the newest year is one year more than the current separation point 330 . a third approach is to shrink the second stage time period 322 by , for each future year , dropping the oldest year in the second stage time period 322 . this approach assumes that there is industry parity after the separation point 330 and the only years that make a difference in longevity are the years that remain in the second stage time period 322 . various embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein . the above - described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure . variations , modifications , and combinations may be made to the above - described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims . all such variations , modifications , and combinations are included herein by the scope of this disclosure and the following claims . | 6 |
fig1 to 5 show various configurations of an extruded profile that creates various embodiments of the initial shows that forms the lighting strip . each profile is uniquely configured to mate with the insulated roof panel from different manufacturers . in fig5 the lighting strip is configured from an assembly of three pieces where the bottom piece 24 is the extrusion that is shown in fig4 . a lighting strip 10 is preferably made from extruded aluminum of a thickness between 0 . 0625 ″ and 0 . 1875 ″, between 6 ″, 8 ″ and 12 ″ wide and between 3 ″, 6 ″ and 8 ″ high , depending on version . the light strip is essentially an open - topped rectangular box , shaped on the sides to interlock 30 - 33 with foam insulated room panels ( 3 ″- 8 ″ thick ) used in the construction of patio covers , patio enclosures , sunrooms and all other residential and commercial applications which use insulated roof panels . while these specific dimensions are stated they are variable based upon the insulated wall or roof panel they are mated with . in a single piece body construction with a solid bottom ( as shown in fig1 - 4 ), the solid bottom 40 is cut and fitted with one to eight or more listed recessed light fixture having 4 ″- 8 ″ diameter circular recessed lights 70 , wired in series , then capped with a separate weather resistant top 50 as shown in fig6 . end cap ( s ) 60 ( front and rear ) may be attached for additional weather resistance . either end cap 60 , as well as the top cap 50 , can be fitted with an electrical junction box 80 ( as shown in fig7 to allow wiring to the home and to additional lighting strips . products will vary from 2 ′- 30 ′ in length , depending on individual application . all elements listed prior to this are essential to the finished product . dimmer switches could be added to the lighting circuit to vary the amount of light at any one time . special orders could be placed for color matching the extruded framework to existing panels . one to eight or more listed recessed light fixture 70 is fitted into holes 41 cut in a framework 40 of extruded aluminum and then wired in series . this wired construct is then capped with a weather resistant top 50 . the sides of the finished construct are shaped during the extrusion process to provide an interlocking 30 - 33 connection between foam insulated panels marketed for roof construction in patio covers , patio enclosures , sunrooms and a wide range of residential and commercial applications . the front and rear of the box are fitted with protective weather resistant caps 60 , and either can be fitted with the electrical connection point or junction box 80 to join the strip to the home lighting circuit and / or another light strip . the shape of the body is two - fold . the interior box construction allows for the cutouts for insertion of the recessed lighting fixtures and all associated wiring . wiring for any additional accessory items such as speakers , security cameras , etc . would also be run inside this interior space . the exterior shape of the sides provides for the connection between the construct itself and the insulated foam panels previously mentioned for construction purposes . the aluminum extrusion would be capped 50 with a separate aluminum top cap 50 which is insulated on the interior . this top cap 50 is to be caulked 51 and attached with screws 52 to provide weather resistance . lighting strips made from materials other than aluminum will have appropriate caps constructed of a like or similar strength material to ensure the required strength / span limitations are met or exceeded . end caps 60 will provide additional weather resistance , and also allow for the attachment of an electrical junction box 80 to allow for connection to the home / business &# 39 ; electrical power and / or additional lighting strips . aluminum is extruded into the desired shape to allow interlocking with foam insulated panels , and of a size to contain the required number of recessed light fixtures . the lighting strip 10 can be made from any ferrous or non - ferrous metals besides aluminum or any material such as plastic , carbon fiber or fiberglass capable of being formed into the required shape while maintaining a requisite strength and weather resistance . holes 41 are cut to an appropriate size for the insertion of desired circumference lighting fixtures 70 and these are wired in series and sealed in their respective holes , with an appropriate amount of wiring extended for attaching to a power circuit and / or another lighting strip . a separate top cap 50 is shaped for attachment and attached with caulking 51 and screws 52 to provide additional weather resistance . end cap ( s ) 60 are caulked 51 and attached with screws 52 to provide additional weather resistance and to provide an attachment point for an electrical junction box 80 to allow connection to a power circuit or to additional lighting strips . different sized or colored lights , dimmers , effects ( strobes , etc .) could be used . the shape of the box could be altered to allow the lighting to be cast at an angle , such as instead of a flat bottom it could be “ v ” shaped . also , directional lighting adapters could be placed in the fixed sockets to project the lighting in alternate directions . light fixtures could be placed closer or farther apart . the lighting strip could be made taller and / or wider , allowing for upward directional lighting as well as downward , also horizontal “ security ” or “ mood ” or “ area ” lighting could shine outward from the strip . entertainment or security options such as music or communications speakers as well as security or internet cameras could be installed inside the lighting strip with the lights . the interior of the lighting strip 10 provides additional space for additional wiring . it is also contemplated that heat lamps could either replace or be used in conjunction with regular lighting to provide heat or other health benefits . the lighting strips 10 can also be placed vertically as a wall structure in order to space light evenly throughout a space , for example , a paint booth or photographic studio . fig5 shows an isometric view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the recessed lighting strip using the strip from fig4 . in fig4 the recessed lighting strip is an extruded shape 40 having an essentially flat bottom surface , a left surface and a right surface that are essentially perpendicular with said essentially flat bottom 40 . the left surface is configured to connect through a compliant coupling 34 to an upper left surface 25 . the right surface is configured to connect through a second compliant coupling 35 to an upper right surface 26 . the left surface , the upper left surface 25 , the right surface and the upper right surface 26 are configured with complementary interlocking features 30 - 33 that are configured to interlock with roof or wall panels . the extruded bottom shape further can have at least one hole to accept an electrical device such as , but not limited to a light , heat lamp or speaker . this invention would be used to provide recessed lighting for a patio cover , patio enclosure , sunroom and all other residential and commercial applications which use insulated roof panels , by having this invention installed concurrently with , and as part of , the construction / decoration project . retrofitting an existing structure / application would also be possible with some disassembly of the original , and reassembling while placing the lighting strips between the insulated foam panels . the embodiment shown in fig7 is fabricated from bent sheet metal top 50 and bottom 53 pieces that are shown mated with standard roof panel members 54 . the lighting fixture 70 is shown inserted through the bottom sheet metal panel with an electrical junction box 80 mounted on the outside of the sheet metal top cover 50 . the outer ears 55 of the sheet metal top cover bend over the mated bottom pieces 54 . the sheet metal top 50 cover is sealed with caulking 51 and further secured with screws 52 . fig8 shows a sectional view of a panel with mating foam cores . this cross section shows the metal top 50 mated onto the extruded frame . the light strip is essentially an open - topped rectangular box , shaped on the sides to interlock 30 - 33 with foam insulated room panels ( 3 ″- 8 ″ thick ) 82 . the height 81 of the metal top 50 is generally dictated by the height of the lighting fixture 70 plus some additional clearance for convection cooling when the lighting fixture 70 is secured into the bottom 40 of the extruded shape . the metal top 50 is secured or screwed 52 to the extruded housing through a lip 83 that is created between metal top 50 and the extrusion . thermal breaks in the form of a compliant coupling 34 bridges or joins the open - topped rectangular box . the connection between adjoining sections are sealed 51 or caulked to eliminate an air gap between interlocks 30 - 33 and lock adjoining male and female parts 54 together . the width dimension of the light panel is preferably 6 inches across 84 but other wider and narrower dimensions are contemplated . thus , specific embodiments of a recessed lighting strip that interlocks between insulated roof panels have been disclosed . it should be apparent , however , to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein . the inventive subject matter , therefore , is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims . | 5 |
in one embodiment the present invention provides an image interpolation method and apparatus that utilizes polyphase filters and adaptively selects and / or combines their outputs to achieve a better image interpolation result . as noted , a control strategy is provided to adaptively select or combine the filter output values based on local image high - frequency levels , so that the image interpolation artifacts mentioned above can be avoided . according to polyphase filter theory for image interpolation , the filters are designed as low pass filters with a cutoff frequency that is directly related to the number of phases of the filter . according to said embodiment of the present invention , the polyphase filters comprise one - dimensional ( 1d ) finite impulse response ( fir ) digital filters . using a one - dimensional filter , a two dimensional image interpolation can be achieved by interpolation along horizontal direction and vertical direction separately . as such , an example image interpolation method according to the present invention utilizes two polyphase filters . one of the filters comprises a “ sharp filter ” having a sharp frequency transition band , and the other filter comprises a “ smooth filter ” having a smooth frequency transition band . the sharp filter and the smooth filter have different characteristics for image interpolation . the output from the sharp filter preserves the sharpness of the original image edge . however , it generates some ringing artifacts in smooth image areas that have a sharp edge in the vicinity . the output from the smooth filter has no ringing artifact , but it can smooth and blur the sharpness of edges . therefore , according to the present invention , the functions of the two filters are adaptively ( selectively ) combined to avoid those artifacts . as such , for a given interpolation position in a video image frame , both the sharp filter and the smooth filter are applied . then the filtering output values from the two filters are adaptively combined to obtain an interpolation value for the given pixel location . to adaptively combine the two filter outputs , weighting coefficients are calculated for each of the filter outputs , based on an estimation of local image high frequency level . in one estimation example , for a given interpolation position , the neighboring original image pixels at locations / positions that are within the filtering range of interpolation are checked . the image high frequency is calculated at these original pixel locations , and used to estimate the image high frequency level at the given interpolation position . then , the weighting coefficients are determined based on the estimation results . as such , if image high frequency level at the given interpolation position is estimated high , the output from the sharp filter is given more weight in determining the interpolation value for the given location . otherwise , the output from the smooth filter is given more weight . through such an example adaptive combination of the filter output values from a sharp filter and a smooth filter in the interpolation process , the sharpness of image edges can be well preserved without introducing either noticeable blurring edge artifacts or ringing artifacts . fig2 shows a functional block diagram of an example interpolation system 100 that implements the above method according to an embodiment of the present invention . the system 100 comprises a sharp polyphase filter 110 ( denoted as f ), a smooth polyphase filter 120 ( denoted as g ) and a control unit 130 . both the sharp polyphase filter 110 and the smooth polyphase filter 120 are 1d low pass fir digital filter . the sharp filter 110 has a sharp frequency transition band and the smooth filter has a smooth frequency transition band . the sharp filter 110 provides sharp interpolation results with good edge quality , but it also causes some ringing artifacts in smooth image areas that have a sharp edge in the vicinity . the smooth filter 120 does not cause ringing artifacts , however , it may smooth and blur the sharpness of edges . the control unit 130 generates said weighting coefficients that are applied to the output from each of the polyphase filters 110 , 120 , using combiners ( e . g ., multipliers ) 140 and 150 , respectively , to generate weighted filter output values . then , the two weighted filter output values are combined ( e . g ., added ) together using a summing node 160 to provide the interpolation value for a given position . according to the example described herein , the sharp filter 110 and the smooth filter 120 are 1d , fir , polyphase filters . each of the filters 110 and 120 comprises a group of sub - filters , wherein each sub - filter is used for a different phase of interpolation . assuming each of the filters 110 and 120 is a n tap , m phase polyphase filter , then each of the filters 110 and 120 has a filter length of l = n * m , which can be sub - divided into m sub - filters . for example , the sub - filters of the filter 110 are denoted as f j , j = 0 , 1 , . . . m − 1 , wherein j is the interpolation phase . likewise , the sub - filters of the filter 120 are denoted as g j , j = 0 , 1 , . . . m − 1 . the filter length of each sub - filter f j or g j is n . the value of n can be an odd or even integer . when n is an even number , sub - filter coefficients can be denoted as f i j and g i j , where i = - n 2 + 1 , … , 0 , … , n 2 . when n is an odd number , sub - filter coefficients can be denoted as f i j and g i j wherein i = - n - 1 2 , … , 0 , … , n - 1 2 . for simplicity of explanation in the example described herein , the value of n is assumed to be an even number . for image interpolation with a fixed and integer ratio , the value of m can be simply set equal to the interpolation ratio . however , for an image interpolation application that requires arbitrary or variable interpolation ratios , m should be designed large enough to provide a proper interpolation resolution . the number of phases of a polyphase filter determines the number of essentially different interpolation values that can be generated between two neighboring original image pixels . with a phase value of m , a polyphase filter can interpolate m − 1 essentially different interpolation values between each two neighboring original image pixels . therefore , with a larger value of m , the filter can provide better interpolation resolution . in one example , a phase value larger than 10 is used for digital tv related applications . with a good interpolation resolution , a given interpolation position can be approximated by an interpolation phase that is closest to it . according to the example described herein , it can be assumed that the image pixel data input to the system 100 is a one dimensional data stream . as such , image interpolation is conducted along horizontal direction and vertical direction separately . if the length of the sub - filters is n ( n is assumed to be an even number ), for a given interpolation position , the original pixel samples within the filtering range of interpolation can be denoted as fig3 shows such one dimensional image data to be interpolated . it can be either part of an image line or column 300 , comprising pixels 310 ( solid circles ). fig3 depicts an interpolation position q 320 ( hollow circle ) and the neighboring original image pixels 310 in an image line or column 300 , that can be used for the interpolation at the given position . for the example in fig3 , the value n is assumed to be 6 for the given interpolation position 320 . the two closest neighboring original pixels 310 for the given interpolation position 320 are p 0 and p 1 . the six pixels within the filtering range for the given position 320 are p i , i =− 2 ,− 1 , 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 . for description simplicity , p i is used to refer both a pixel &# 39 ; s location and value in the following . similarly , q is used to refer both an interpolation position and the interpolation value at that position . assuming the interpolation phase for the given position q is j , ( 0 ≦ j & lt ; m ), the output values r and s from the sharp filter 110 and the smooth filter 120 ( fig2 ), respectively for the position q , can be expressed according to relations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) below : in relations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), filter coefficients of both f j and g j are assumed to be normalized ( i . e ., the sum of filter coefficients of either f j or g i is equal to 1 ). referring back to fig2 , the weighting coefficients generated by the control unit 130 are combined with the filter output values r and s . the final interpolation value q of the interpolation position 320 ( fig3 ) is performed according to the example relation ( 3 ) below : wherein α and ( 1 − α ) are the weighting coefficients generated by the control unit 130 for the sharp filter 110 and the smooth filter 120 , respectively ( 0 ≦═≦ 1 ). in relation ( 3 ) above , when α takes a value of 1 , the interpolation value q will be equal to the sharp filter output r , which may contain ringing artifacts around sharp image edge area . when α takes a value of 0 , the interpolation value q will have the same value as the smooth filter output s , which may have smoothed or blurred edge artifacts . according to the present invention , the values r and s are adaptively combined to essentially eliminate those artifacts , based on the value of α calculated by the control unit 130 . in this example implementation , determination of the value of α in the control unit 130 is based on an estimation of image high frequency level at the given interpolation position 320 . the estimation can be obtained through the image high frequency components calculated at original pixel locations 310 neighboring the interpolation position 320 . in one case , only the two closest original pixel locations to the given interpolation position 320 are considered . in another case , all the original pixel locations that are within the filtering range of interpolation to the given interpolation position can be considered . in general , other number of neighboring pixel positions on the current image line ( or column ), and even some pixel positions from neighboring image lines ( or columns ) may be used . as such , in fig3 , at an original pixel location p i , the image high frequency level φ can be measured through a high - pass filtering process ( e . g ., using a high - pass fir filter ). for example , image high frequency level φ can be simply measured according to the relation : wherein the high pass filter is a 3 - tap fir filter with coefficients of {− ½ , 1 ,− ½ }. in a simple method , image high frequency level at the given interpolation position 320 is estimated based on the high frequency components calculated at the two closest original pixel locations to the given interpolation position . as shown in fig3 , when the length n of a sub - filter is an even number value , the two closest original pixels to the interpolation position 320 are p 0 and p 1 . assuming that the distances between the given interpolation position and its two closest original pixels are d 0 and d 1 respectively , and that the distance between neighboring original samples is 1 , such that : then , image high frequency components φ 0 and φ 1 at pixel location p 0 and p 1 , respectively , can be calculated according to relation ( 4 ) above . then , based on the values of φ 0 , φ 1 and d 0 , d 1 , an estimation of the image high frequency level , φ , can be further calculated according to the relation : wherein φ is used as an estimation of the image high frequency level at the given interpolation position 320 . in another embodiment , the image high frequency level at the given interpolation position 320 can be estimated based on the high frequency components calculated at all the original pixel locations , within the filtering range of interpolation to the given position . in the example shown in fig3 , when the polyphase filter includes 6 taps , the pixels p i , i =− 2 ,− 1 , 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 are within the filtering range to the interpolation position 320 . in general , when the polyphase filter has n taps ( n is an even number ), then pixels p i , i = - n 2 + 1 , … , 0 , … , n 2 , are all the pixels within the filtering range . accordingly , image high frequency component ϕ i , i = - n 2 + 1 , … , 0 , … , n 2 , can be calculated using relation ( 4 ) above . then the value of φ can be calculated according to relation : φ = ∑ i = - n 2 + 1 n 2 ( 0 . 5 * ( f - i + 1 j + g - i + 1 j ) * ϕ i ) ( 7 ) wherein j is the interpolation phase for the given interpolation position and 0 ≦ j & lt ; m , and m is the number of phases of the polyphase filters 110 and 120 . the value of φ estimated through either relation ( 6 ) or ( 7 ), can reflect the image high frequency level around the given interpolation position . if φ has a relatively large value , then there is rich image high frequency around the interpolation position 320 . in this case , the output from the sharp filter 110 should be given more weight in calculating the interpolation value for the given position so that edges can be better interpolated without being smoothed or blurred . on the other hand , if φ has a relatively small value , it means that the given interpolation position 320 is in a flat image area . in this case , the output from the smooth filter 120 should be given more weight in calculating the interpolation value so that ringing artifacts can be avoided . once the estimation of the image high frequency level φ around the given interpolation position is available , the weighting coefficient α can be calculated according to the relation : wherein t 1 and t 2 are two pre - determined threshold values ( t 2 & gt ; t 1 ≧ 0 ). according to relation ( 8 ), when the value of φ is greater than t 2 , then α takes a value of 1 . in this case , the output from the sharp filter 110 is used as the interpolation value for the given interpolation position 320 . when the value of φ is smaller than t 1 , then α takes a value of 0 . in this case , the output from the smooth filter 120 is used as the interpolation value for the given position . and , when the value of φ is between t 1 and t 2 , then α takes a value between 0 and 1 . in this case , the output values from the sharp filter 110 and the smooth filter 120 are mixed together as the interpolation value q for the given position 320 . in one implementation , the values of t 1 and t 2 are determined in an empirical fashion . to do so , once the sharp filter 110 and the smooth filter 120 are designed , a group of testing images can be selected . image interpolation is performed with different interpolation ratios with these test images accordingly . during this process , the values of t 1 and t 2 can be manually adjusted according to the interpolated result . if obvious ringing artifacts appear , the values of t 1 and t 2 can be adjusted higher . otherwise , if there is blurred edge artifact due to interpolation , the values of t 1 and t 2 can be adjusted lower . fig4 shows an example flowchart of the image interpolation method above , wherein image high frequency level at a given position is estimated based on the image high frequency components calculated at the two original image sample positions that are closest to the given position . as such , initially image data p i , i = - n 2 + 1 , … , 0 , … , n 2 , is obtained , and the interpolation phase j is determined ( step 400 ). then outputs r and s of the sharp and smooth filters 110 and 120 , respectively , are determined ( step 410 ). using the above values φ 0 and φ 1 , and d 0 and d 1 , image high frequency level φ at the given interpolation position is determined as φ = d 1 * φ 0 + d 0 * φ 1 ( step 420 ). the weighting coefficient is determined as α = min ( 1 , max ( 0 ,( φ − t 1 )/( t 2 − t 1 )))( step 430 ), and the interpolation value is calculated as q = r * α + s *( 1 − α ) ( step 440 ). it is determined if all necessary positions have been interpolated ( step 450 ). if so , the process ends , otherwise the next interpolation position is selected for processing ( step 460 ) and the process returns to step 400 . fig5 shows the flowchart of another embodiment of image interpolation according to the present invention , wherein image high frequency level at a given position is estimated based on the image high frequency components calculated at all the original image sample positions that are within the filtering range of interpolation to the given position . p i , i = - n 2 + 1 , … , 0 , … , n 2 , is obtained , and the interpolation phase j is determined ( step 500 ). then outputs r and s of the sharp and smooth filters 110 and 120 , respectively , are determined ( step 510 ). using relation ( 7 ) above , the image high frequency level φ at the given interpolation position is estimated based on values ϕ i , i = - n 2 + 1 , … , 0 , … , n 2 ( step 520 ). the weighting coefficient is determined as α = min ( 1 , max ( 0 ,( φ − t 1 )/( t 2 − t 1 ))) ( step 530 ), and the interpolation value is calculated as q = r * α + s *( 1 − α ) ( step 540 ). it is determined if all necessary positions have been interpolated ( step 550 ). if so , the process ends , otherwise the next interpolation position is selected for processing ( step 560 ) and the process returns to step 500 . as those skilled in the art will recognize , the process steps in fig4 and 5 are performed for the vertical and horizontal direction separately according to the relations detailed above . using the above example method , an image can be interpolated in an adaptive manner with polyphase filters . both the blurred edge artifact and the ringing artifact can be successfully avoided in the interpolated image . in addition , because the polyphase filters are 1d fir filters , computation requirement and complexity of a system according to the present invention is low , making such a system suitable for real - time applications . although in the example description herein two polyphase filters are utilized , as those skilled in the art will recognize , the present invention contemplates using three or more polyphase filters having different frequency transition bands , ranging from very smooth to very sharp . in that case the controller 130 determines weighting coefficients for each of the plurality of the filters . then the weighted output of the filters is combined to determine the interpolated output value . while this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms , there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail , preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated . the aforementioned system 100 according to the present invention can be implemented in many ways , such as program instructions for execution by a processor , as logic circuits , as application - specific integrated circuit ( asic ), as firmware , etc ., as is known to those skilled in the art . therefore , the present invention is not limited to the example embodiments described herein . the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof ; however , other versions are possible . therefore , the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein . | 6 |
similar parts in the various figures are identified as much as possible by identical reference numbers . fig1 shows a hydraulic transformer . it shows a bent housing 3 in accordance with the bent housing of an axial piston pump , from which said hydraulic transformer is more or less derived . at one side in the bent housing 3 , a swivel axle is rotatably mounted by means of two swivel axle bearings 15 . the swivel axle 1 is able to freely rotate around a rotation axis 16 . the bent housing 3 comprises also a rotatable rotor 2 , mounted on an axis 13 . the rotor 2 rotates around the axis 13 which is mounted on the swivel axle 1 . a rotation axis 11 of the rotor 2 forms an angle with the rotation axis 16 of the swivel axle 1 , whereby said rotation axes 11 and 16 intersect . the swivel axle 1 is also provided with pistons 14 , which can move in the longitudinal direction in the cylindrical chambers 12 of the rotor 2 . the pistons 14 couple the rotation of the swivel axle 1 with the rotation of the rotor 2 . the joint rotation of the rotor 2 and the swivel axle 1 , and the fact that the rotation axis 11 of the rotor 2 and the rotation axis 16 of the swivel axle 1 form an angle , cause the pistons 14 in the cylindrical chambers 12 to move to and fro , thereby causing the volume of the cylindrical chambers 12 to vary between a minimum and a maximum . via a rotor conduit a , each of the cylindrical chambers 12 is in communication with face plate gates 30 located in a sealing surface v 1 . the rotor 2 is sealingly fastened to a face plate 10 by means of the sealing surface v 1 , and the face plate 10 is sealingly fastened to a housing 5 by means of a sealing surface v 2 . the housing 5 and the bent housing 3 are attached to one another by means of bolts , which are not shown . the face plate 10 is rotatably mounted in the housing 5 by means of face plate bearings 9 , whereby it is able to rotate around a rotation axis 11 which coincides with the rotation axis 11 of the rotor 2 . the bearings 9 are designed such that the face plate 10 is able to move in the direction of the rotation axis 11 , that in the cylindrical chambers 12 the rotor 2 , under the influence of the oil pressure pushes , among other things , against the face plate 10 , and the face plate against the housing 5 . any oil leakage along the surfaces v 1 and v 2 is thereby avoided as much as possible . by means of an adjusting shaft 8 , the face plate 10 can be rotated and thus adjusted . the rotation of the face plate 10 is limited to approximately 180 ° by means of a pin 4 . in the housing 5 radial housing bores 6 are provided and a central housing bore 7 . the bearings 9 of the face plate 9 are necessary to prevent the face plate from tilting under the influence of the asymmetrical pressures in the sealing surfaces v 1 and v 2 . these asymmetrical pressures develop due to the varying oil pressures in the various orifices in the face plate 10 and they depend , among other things , on the rotation position of the face plate 10 . should the face plate 10 be able to tilt , inadmissible leakages could develop along the surfaces v 1 and v 2 . the bearings 9 are therefore designed such that the face plate 10 is able to move in the axial direction but cannot tilt . in order to further minimize the leakage in the surfaces v 1 and v 2 ensuing from tilting of the face plate 10 which could occur due to play in the bearings 9 , the surfaces v 1 and v 2 are spherical with the centre of the sphere being located on the rotation axis and the surface of the sphere being directed outward . this diminishes the extent to which tilting affects leakage . the rotor 2 can rotate around the rotation axis 11 , thereby varying the volume of the cylindrical chambers 12 . via the face plate gates 30 and the conduits b in the face plate 10 , the cylindrical chambers 12 are in communication with one or two of the radial housing bores 6 of the central housing bore 7 . the face plate 10 is kept in the housing 5 at a more or less constant rotation position , unless said face plate is being adjusted by means of the adjusting shaft 8 . due to the effect of the different pressures prevailing in the central housing bore 7 and the radial housing bores 6 , the pressure in the various cylindrical chambers 12 varies , with the result that at the various chambers different forces are brought to bear upon the rotor 2 , causing the rotor 2 to rotate . this induces the flow of oil through the housing bores 6 and 7 , the pressure ratio in the various housing bores depending , among other things , on the position of the face plate 10 . the sealing surfaces v 1 and v 2 are , in accordance with the known art , finished with care , so that there is hardly any leakage between the rotor 2 and the face plate 10 or between the face plate 10 and the housing 5 respectively . the cylindrical chambers 12 have a varying volume which during rotation of the rotor 2 is periodically sealed by the face plate 10 at the face plate gate 30 . while being sealed , the volume in the cylindrical chambers 12 still varies , causing the pressure to rise or drop due to the rotation of the rotor 2 . if the cylindrical chamber 12 , sealed by surface v 1 , has a dead volume of at least 25 to 50 % of the stroke volume of the piston 14 , there is no cavitation which shows that the pressure drop is staying within acceptable limits . this means that the maximum volume sealable by the face plate is smaller than three to five times the minimum of the sealable volume . due to the fact that the expanding oil prevents the pressure in the cylindrical chamber 12 from dropping too low , cavitation is prevented . this in turn reduces wear and the noise level . as a result of the cylindrical chambers 12 being sealed and of there being a limited number of cylindrical chambers , for example , in this case 7 chambers , the rotation of the rotor 2 caused by the pressure variations in the cylindrical chambers 12 and the ensuing fluctuation of the torque on the rotor 2 , is not completely regular and are the rotation of the rotor 2 and the swivel axle 1 subject to deceleration and acceleration . this will cause the hydraulic transformer to exert a varying torque on its bedplate which , through resonance , may cause noise nuisance . noise nuisance can be prevented by placing the hydraulic transformer on rubber blocks , thereby allowing it to make small movements and by making the lines flexible . fig2 shows the face plate 10 in the sealing surface v 1 with a high - pressure rotor gate 17 , a first rotor gate 18 and a second rotor gate 18 ′. these gates collaborate with the face plate gates 30 . between the rotor gates 17 , 18 and 18 ′ wide walls 23 are provided , the width of the wide wall 23 being such that a cylindrical chamber 12 via the face plate gate 30 is always only in contact with one of the rotor gates 17 , 18 or 18 ′. as discussed above , it has been shown that when the rotor 2 rotates , the torque exerted by the swivel axle fluctuates as a result of the different fluid pressures in the cylindrical chambers 12 . if there are three rotor gates 17 , 18 and 18 ′, this undesirable fluctuation can be limited by having as many cylindrical chambers 12 as possible . by providing cylindrical chambers 12 in multiples of three , the axial force exerted by the rotor 2 on the face plate 10 is minimal , resulting in a reduction of wear . preferably there are nine or twelve cylindrical chambers because this is the number with which to achieve the above - mentioned advantages in the most optimal manner . over a curve of , for example , approximately 180 ° the circumference of the face plate 10 is provided with toothing 22 and the other 180 ° are provided with a groove 19 interacting with the earlier - mentioned pin 4 . the adjusting shaft 8 engages the toothing 22 . the lengths of the rotor gates 17 , 18 and 18 ′ may be identical but , depending on the application , may also be different . due to the groove 19 and the toothing 22 provided over half of the circumference , the rotation of the face plate 10 in the housing 5 is restricted to about 180 °, the high - pressure rotor gate 17 being able to rotate over 90 ° to both sides in relation to the position in which the volume of the cylindrical chamber 12 is the smallest ( this position is called the top dead centre tdc ). by shortening the groove 19 or by using two pins 4 , the maximum rotation angle can be reduced to less than 90 ° either side . this limits the maximally attainable pressure ratios , so that , for example , the pressure in the first or second rotor gate is restricted to twice the pressure in the high - pressure rotor gate , or whereby the maximum pressure in the one load direction can be made different to that in the other direction . in accordance with an embodiment of the face plate 10 , the rotor gates 17 , 18 and 18 ′ and the walls 23 are dimensioned such that the axial forces from the rotor 2 on the face plate 10 are at all rotation positions as low as possible . the rotor gates 18 and 18 ′ are identical in size and symmetrical in relation to one another , and the centres of the walls 23 form an angle with one another which is a multiple of the pitch angle between the rotor gates 30 , distributed evenly over the circumference . the width of a wall 23 in the direction of rotation is approximately , with a tolerance of one degree , the same as the width of a face plate gate 30 in the direction of rotation . in this embodiment the rotor 2 may also assume a rotation position in which the walls 23 are covered by the portion of the rotor 2 that is located between the face plate gates 30 . the oil leakage between the rotor gates 17 , 18 and 18 ′ is then minimal . in the situation where the face plate 10 is adjusted such that , subject to the load from the users connected to the hydraulic transformer there is no oil flow , the pressures in the cylindrical chambers 12 and the forces on the rotor 2 will cause the same to come to a stand - still , because this is the most stable position . the face plate 10 is rotated by means of the axle 8 . in order to realize an engagement without play between the toothed wheel on the axle 8 and the toothing 22 , several known measures can be taken , such as rendering the centre - to - centre distance between the axle 8 and the rotation axis of the face plate 10 adjustable . to this end the bush in which an axle 8 rotates is designed in the known manner as eccentric bush . the axle 8 may be driven by means of a manually operated lever . as will be shown below , the axle 8 may also be driven by means of a servo - motor comprising a control system . alternatively , the manual operation may be limited by blockages which are adjustable by means of a control system . fig3 shows a cross section of the face plate 10 . it can be seen how via a conduit b , the high - pressure rotor gate 17 is in communication with the centrally positioned high - pressure housing gate 21 . via a conduit b the first rotor gate 18 is in communication with a first housing gate 20 , located at a radius at the side of the gate plate 10 facing the housing 5 . fig4 shows the view of the surface v 2 of the face plate 10 . the position of the first housing gate 20 , a second housing gate 20 ′ and the high - pressure housing gate 21 are visible . the length of the first housing gate 20 and the second housing gate 20 ′ is slightly less than 90 °. in fig5 the housing 5 is shown , illustrating the connections of the radial housing bores 6 and the central housing bores 7 , which terminate in the sealing surface v 2 with a face plate gate 24 . in the centre of surface v 2 a central housing bore 7 is provided , and surrounding it are the four evenly distributed face plate gates 24 . between the face plate gates 24 there is a narrow wall 25 . the central housing bore 7 adjoins the high - pressure housing gate 21 , and the face plate gates 24 adjoin the first housing gate 20 and second housing gate 20 ′. the dimensions of the first housing gate 20 and the second housing gate 20 ′ are such that they cover approximately one face plate gate 24 . it is essential that in the various positions of the face plate 10 , always two face plate gates 24 work together such as to allow the oil to flow from the first housing gate 20 or the second housing port 20 ′ with little loss of current . fig6 and 7 schematically show the connections of a hydraulic transformer ht , the manner in which they are provided with energy via a feed pressure p , and the oil discharge having a tank pressure t , and how a rotating motor 27 is connected in the case of a varying load device . fig6 schematically shows the face plate 10 , positioned at a adjusting angle δ . the face plate gates 24 are represented schematically as the curved lines 24 a , 24 b , 24 c and 24 d and correspond to the face plate gates 24 shown in fig5 . the first housing gate 20 works together with two face plate gates 24 a and 24 b . due to the adjusting angle δ , the first housing gate 20 has a working pressure b , the second housing gate 20 ′ has the tank pressure t , if the high - pressure cylinder gate has a feed pressure p . said pressures bear a certain relation to one another which , among other things , depends on the adjusting angle δ . for the working pressure b to be able to take on a value that may exceed that of the feed pressure p by approximately 50 %, it is necessary that the adjusting angle δ can be adjusted to a maximum of 90 °. the first housing gate 20 is then in open communication with the two face plate gates 24 a and 24 b . via a shuttle valve 26 , said conduit gates 24 a and 24 b are in communication with one another and are coupled to a first connection 29 of the rotating motor 27 . in a similar manner the face plate gates 24 c and 24 d connected with the second housing gate 20 ′, are connected with a second connection 28 of the rotating motor 27 . when comparing fig6 and 7 , wherein the adjusting angle δ in fig7 has acquired an opposite value with the result that the pressures on the rotating motor 27 have also acquired an opposite value , the necessity for the first housing gate 20 to also be in communication with the face plate gate 24 c becomes obvious , and for that purpose the shuttle valve is turned . the adjustment of the shuttle valve 26 depends entirely on the position of the face plate 10 and may thus be coupled thereto . this may be a mechanical coupling ; the face plate 10 may , for example , be a cam disc which operates the shuttle valve 26 . it may also be an electro - mechanical mechanical or electrohydraulic coupling . the face plate 10 may also be provided with gates ( not shown ) which work together with orifices in the housing so that they have the effect of valve 26 . instead of coupling the shuttle valve 26 with the face plate 10 , it is also possible to adjust the shuttle valve 26 in relation to the pressure at the motor connections 28 and 29 , since they also depend on the adjusting angle δ . apart from the above embodiment having a central housing bore 7 working together with the high - pressure housing gate 21 , there are also other possible embodiments . for example , a first alternative embodiment is that instead of the central housing bore 7 in surface v 2 , a annular conduit is provided in housing 5 or in the face plate 10 , working together with a bore in the face plate 10 or the housing 5 respectively . said annular conduit is then provided at a different radius to that of the face plate gates 24 . a second alternative embodiment is , for example , that the above - mentioned annular conduit is provided at the circumference of the face plate 10 , either in the face plate 10 or in the housing 5 . said annular conduit then also works together with a bore provided in the housing 5 or in the face plate 10 , respectively . this embodiment has the advantage that if the pressure in the annular conduit varies , the forces exerted in the direction of the rotation axis 11 on the face plate 10 , do not vary ; as a result of which the forces on the face plate 10 ensuing from the pressures in the various gates can be equilibrated more easily in the different work situations . instead of the above - mentioned embodiment comprising an annular conduit and a bore , with the annular conduit extending over the maximal rotation angle of the face plate 10 , it is also possible to provide two annular conduits , one in the housing and one in the face plate 10 , the length of the annular conduits being such as to allow the face plate 10 to make the desired rotation . in the embodiment shown , the face plate 10 is bearing - mounted in bearings 9 . the face plate may also be provided with different bearings , always ensuring that rotation and axial displacement are possible and that tilting is prevented . for example , it is possible to use static oil pressure bearings , or to provide an axle or tube at the rotation axis 11 projecting into the housing 5 and being bearing - mounted in the housing , and which can simultaneously be employed for the rotation of the face plate 10 . the tubular axle may then be in coupled with the central housing bore 7 . the above - described construction comprising a shuttle valve 26 is in particular necessary if the face plate 10 is required to rotate over a wide angle , as is the case in the embodiment shown . if the rotation angle is permitted to be smaller , for example , because chambers are used whose volume acquires a minimum and a maximum value twice or more often per rotator rotation , and if the embodiment of the face plate is adapted , the rotation the face plate is required to make to operate is smaller , and it is not necessary to use a shuttle valve to ensure that the flow orifices are large enough . however , there may be occasions when their use will nevertheless give better results . in the interior of the bent housing 3 , leak - off oil will flow along the separation surfaces v 1 and v 2 . since the bent housing 3 does not have a rotating exiting axle with a pressure - sensitive seal — as the swivel axle 1 is not driven — the development of an overpressure in the bent housing 3 is permissible . as the overpressure may be equal or higher than the tank pressure t , the interior of the housing 3 is , in a manner not shown , in communication with the face plate gate 24 c and consequently with the tank connection t . fig8 shows schematically the application of the hydraulic transformer when the same is connected to a rotating motor 27 , as indicated in the fig6 and 7 . the description is applicable in a similar manner if instead of a rotating motor 27 a double - acting hydraulic cylinder as linear motor is coupled to the hydraulic transformer . instead of rotation and torque , displacement and load are then involved . in the diagram of fig8 the rotation speed of the motor 27 is plotted in four quadrants on the horizontal axis against the loaded torque . in a first quadrant i the motor moves forward at a positive speed ω , driving , for instance , a device or object at a positive torque t . in the second quadrant ii the motor moves forward at a positive speed ω , the device or object mass is being decelerated at a negative torque t . in the third quadrant iii the motor moves in the opposite direction and the speed ω is negative and the device or object is driven in that direction also , such that the torque t is also negative . in the fourth quadrant iv the direction of movement of the device or object is still opposite so that the speed ω is negative , but this negative speed is being decelerated due to the torque being positive . the torque t of the motor 27 is limited by the maximally allowable pressure in the system which is formed by the hydraulic transformer , the coupling lines and the motor ; the speed ω is limited by the allowable speed of the motor , and each quadrant is also limited by the maximum power to be produced , which is shown by the hyperbolical boundary of the quadrants . as shown in the diagram , the pressure ratio at the rotor gates 17 , 18 and 18 ′ is determined by the rotation position of the face plate 10 , in the diagram indicated by the adjusting angle δ in relation to tdc , which is the top dead centre , that is the position of the rotor 2 at which the volume of the cylindrical chamber 12 is maximal . as discussed above , the first rotor gate 18 and the second rotor port 18 ′ are joined with the connections of the motor 27 , and the feed pressure p is joined with the high - pressure rotor gate 17 . the rotation of the motor 27 at rotation speed ω occurs through the effect of the torque t , which torque t depends , among other things , on the resistance and the acceleration and deceleration of the devices and objects driven by the motor 27 . the rotation of the motor 27 causes the flow of oil and also the rotation of the rotor 2 at a rotation speed r . the direction of the rotation and the speed r of the rotor 2 depend on the direction of the rotation and the rotation speed ω of the motor 27 . in order to be able to react to varying loads , the face plate has to be quickly adjustable and rotatable . for example , when the hydraulic transformer is used with the motor in a mobile drive , it is essential that it is possible to quickly switch from movement to deceleration , and to this end it is necessary that within 500 msec the load of the motor 27 can be completely reversed by means of a 180 ° rotation of the face plate 10 . this means that within 500 msec the face plate 10 can be turned 180 ° from the first extreme operative position to the second extreme operative position , transforming the maximal working pressure from the first motor connection 28 to the second motor connection 29 and vice versa . in order for the system to respond properly to load fluctuations due to , for example , varying loads , a feed - back control system is used for the drive of the face plate , wherein feedback may be effectuated through measuring the speed of the motor ( speed feedback ) or through measuring the load of the motor ( load feedback ). speed feedback may ensue when the rotation speed r of the rotor is measured or when the pressure drop at throttling resulting from an oil flow , is measured . load feedback may ensue when the pressure difference between the first housing gate 20 and the second housing gate 20 ′ is measured . the drive of the face plate 10 and the applied control system are attuned such that a response frequency of minimally 3 . 5 hz , and preferably a response frequency of minimally 7 hz is realized . this means that the face plate 10 has to be able to rotate quickly from the intermediate position to the maximum position , in other words 900 , for instance within 100 to 200 msec . to this purpose the drive of the face plate 10 may comprise an electric servomotor coupled to the adjusting axle 8 . alternatively , the face plate 10 can be adjusted by means of a hydraulic cylinder comprising a rack which engages ( not shown ) the toothing 22 of the face plate 10 , and which is adjustable by means of a servo valve . fig9 shows a double - acting hydraulic cylinder 32 comprising a housing 31 with a vertically movable piston 33 . the piston is movable in both directions x and in doing so , is able to exert a force p in both directions . thus the double - acting hydraulic cylinder 32 can be used in a similar manner as in the application of the rotatable hydromotor described in fig8 , and is therefore suitable for four - quadrant use . at the bottom side , the housing 31 and the piston 33 form a chamber 34 which via a connecting line 38 is in communication with a connection of a hydraulic transformer 40 . via a connecting line 37 , a chamber 35 formed by the top of the piston 33 and the housing 31 , is in communication with the hydraulic transformer 40 . the hydraulic transformer 40 is a simple embodiment of the hydraulic transformer described in the preceding figures . the simplification consists in the fact that the line connections such as the high - pressure line p and the connecting line 37 and 38 are in communication with the three conduits in the face plate . to ensure that in certain load situations the mass continues to be appropriately equilibrated in the hydraulic transformer 40 , it is necessary to transport fluid from or to the tank connection t . to ensure that said transport to the pressure - less line of the hydraulic transformer 40 takes place , a valve 36 is provided which operates via the position of the face plate or the pressure in the connecting lines 37 and / or 38 . the leak - off oil in the hydraulic transformer 40 is discharged to the tank connection t via a leak - off oil drainage 39 . fig1 shows a single - acting hydraulic cylinder 41 comprising a housing 31 and a piston 33 . the piston 33 is movable in both directions x and is able to exert a force in one direction p . thus the single - acting hydraulic cylinder 41 is only suitable for use in a first and fourth quadrant as shown in fig8 , where instead of torque and rotation one has to read load and displacement . a connection line 38 couples the single - acting hydraulic cylinder 41 to a hydraulic transformer 41 , which is comparable to the above - mentioned hydraulic transformer 40 , and in which the rotation of the face plate is limited so that the pressure in the connecting line 37 never exceeds the pressure in the tank connection t . due to inertia of the piston 33 or the mass connected with it , it is possible that when the face plate is being adjusted , the connecting line 38 becomes pressure - less to the extent that said pressure line 38 or the chamber 34 become cavitated . in order to avoid this , the connecting line 38 is in communication via a non - return valve 43 with the tank connection t . the diagram of fig1 shows the working range of a hydraulic transformer , wherein the same is fed from a high - pressure line having a constant pressure p , and is coupled to a motor , for example , a rotating hydromotor . the constant working pressure p is generated by means of an aggregate . in the diagram the pressure p is plotted against the volume oil flow q to the hydromotor . to protect the hydraulic transformer , the connecting lines and the motor against overloading , the pressure is limited to p max by restricting the rotation of the face plate . as already known , p max may be higher than the pressure in the high - pressure line p , so that in a limited number of places in an installation , it is possible to use motors with a higher allowable pressure . the values for pressure p and volume flow q shown in the diagram correspond to the load from the hydromotor and the rotation speed of the hydromotor respectively . the power produced by the hydraulic transformer and thus also by the hydromotor is indicated by the dash - dot - lines p 1 , p 2 and p 3 . the motor coupled with the hydraulic transformer is controlled by varying the pressure , which causes the motor to rotate and the volume to flow through the hydraulic transformer . in a high - pressure line having a constant pressure p , the volume flow may increase without limitation as long as the load produced by the motor is greater than the load used by the machine that is being driven . the motor could develop an inadmissible speed , or inadmissibly much power could be used from the high - pressure line . the place in the diagram indicated by w is the used power p 1 and the fluid flow q 2 . the working range is then a + b + c + d , and it is the objective to limit this . by limiting the fluid flow q to q 1 , the maximum power produced becomes p 2 and the working range becomes a + b . this may result in the hydromotor using too much power , so that the aggregate cannot supply enough oil . by limiting the power to be produced by the hydraulic transformer to p 3 , the working range is reduced to a + c ; it should be borne in mind , however , that there is no restriction to q 2 , so that during load reduction the revolutions of the hydromotor may still be inadmissibly high . by combining the limitation of the fluid flow and the power , the working range is reduced to a . fig1 shows how the working range can be limited by means of a control system . a schematically indicated hydraulic transformer 44 comprises an adjustment mechanism for the face plate , which adjustment mechanism 45 is operated by an actuator 46 . the actuator 46 is controlled by a control system 47 which is designed to make the motor move in a particular manner . in the high - pressure line from a pressure source p to the hydraulic transformer 44 , a sensor 50 is provided which is able to measure the flow rate , or which at least emits a signal if the flow rate exceeds a set value . the hydraulic transformer 44 is connected with a hydromotor 48 by means of connecting lines 51 . the connecting lines 51 are provided with a sensor 49 , which is similar to sensor 50 . the sensors 49 and 50 are coupled with the control system 47 . by measuring the oil flow to the hydraulic transformer 44 by means of the sensor 50 , the power used is measured and the face plate can be adjusted by means of the actuator 46 such that the power used by the hydraulic transformer can be limited to a set value . by measuring the oil flow in the connecting line 51 by means of the sensor 49 , the fluid flow can be limited . instead of measuring the fluid flow directly in the connecting line 51 , it can also be determined in another manner , for example , by counting the revolutions of the rotor of the hydraulic transformer 44 or of the hydromotor 48 . in addition to the embodiment described above it is also possible for the control system 47 to comprise an algorithm for calculating the various flow rates and / or the power used . for this purpose , the pressure in the high - pressure line is known in the control system 47 , for example , via a sensor or as preset value ; for example , via the position of the actuator 46 , the position of the face plate is known and one of the rates in the system , such as the flow rate in the high - pressure line to the hydraulic transformer 44 , the flow rate in a connecting line 51 , the rotation speed of the hydraulic transformer &# 39 ; s rotor or the speed of movement of the motor 48 , are known . fig1 shows a simplified embodiment for limiting the fluid flow through the hydraulic transformer 44 , wherein the adjustment mechanism 45 of the face plate is operated manually . in order to limit excessively high speeds of the motor 48 controlled by the hydraulic transformer 44 , a mechanism is provided for restricting the stroke of the adjustment mechanism 45 if the flow rate in the connecting lines 51 exceed a preset value . to the adjustment mechanism 45 a rod 52 is attached , which can slide into a bush . the bush 53 is fastened to a hydraulic cylinder 55 , whose piston , when there is insufficient pressure in a signal line 56 , is retained in an extreme position by a spring 54 . in this position the rod 52 can move freely in the bush 53 and the adjustment mechanism 45 can be moved freely . in both flow directions in the connecting line 51 , a restriction 57 is built in after a non - return valve 58 , which above a particular flow rate in the signal line 56 or a signal line 60 , causes a build - up of pressure . the pressure in the signal line 56 pushes the piston in opposition to the spring pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 55 toward its second extreme position , and pushes the adjusting means 45 into a direction such that the flow rate will decrease . if the flow rate is too high in the opposite direction , the pressure will increase in the signal line 60 , so that an identical cylinder will move the adjustment mechanism 45 into the opposite direction . in addition to , or instead of limiting the flow rate as shown here , the power can be limited in a similar manner . the above - described embodiment comprising limitation of power to be produced by a motor , is deployed in situations where several motors and other users are coupled to a common high - pressure line . by means of the control system 47 it is possible to limit the power used by the various motors which may , for instance , be necessary if the hydraulic power to be produced by an aggregate is limited , and if parts of the installation always have to be available for use . in addition to the above - described limitation of power and / or speed , in which the adjustment is more or less non - dissipative , a simpler embodiment is possible , wherein a flow - limiting valve is provided in the high - pressure line to the hydraulic transformer and / or in the connecting line to the hydromotor . limitation of the flow is realized by throttling the oil flow so that energy is lost . because of the simplicity of the embodiment and the considerable operational reliability , this solution may be applied as safeguard in addition to the above - mentioned more advanced control system . an example of the above - described installation is a fork - lift truck comprising a hydraulic aggregate , where always enough energy must be available , for example , for lifting the load . in this deployment the power used because of the movable drive is , for example , limited to 90 % of the aggregate &# 39 ; s power , so that always sufficient energy remains available for the lift drive . the control means 47 discussed above may also be used to control the hydraulic transformer 44 such that displacements at low speed are possible . the hydraulic transformer controls the movement of the hydromotor 48 by means of fluid pressure with the consequence that , due to the compressibility of the fluid in the hydraulic transformer and due to pressure fluctuations during rotation of the hydraulic transformer &# 39 ; s rotor , the hydromotor does not immediately start when the adjustment mechanism 45 is being operated , so that extra provisions are required . small movements of the hydromotor are possible if during actuation by the adjustment mechanism the face plate oscillates around the adjusted position with a deflection of preferably 10 degrees . the oscillation frequency depends on the hydraulic transformer , the hydromotor 48 and the connecting lines 51 , and may be between 3 and 16 hz or higher . in order to avoid loss of energy during adjustment of the face plate , the frequency chosen is preferably as low as possible . in practice , 7 hertz has been proven to be a good oscillation frequency . the oscillation of the face plate around an adjusted position in the afore - described manner induces pressure oscillations of the same frequency in the connecting line , and it allows the hydromotor 48 to move at low speed over a relatively large distance , facilitating precise displacements . an additional advantage is that the face plate always moves inside the housing , so that there is always an oil film between the housing and the face plate , with the consequence that less energy is required for adjusting the face plate . in addition to the above - described manner for oscillating the face plate by means of an actuator 46 controlled by a control system 47 , the adjusting mechanism 45 may carry out a hydraulically driven oscillation around the adjusted value , so that said oscillation can also be applied , for example , in a manually controlled embodiment as described in fig1 . instead of the above - described oscillation of the face plate around the adjusted position it is possible to obtain the same effect if the hydraulic transformer is provided with a mechanism by which the top dead centre tdc oscillates around a position of equilibrium by means of , for example , allowing the bent housing 3 ( see fig1 ) to oscillate in relation to the housing 5 . this distinguishes the oscillation from the adjustment of the face plate 10 , making it more simple to adjustment the face plate . | 5 |
a detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the figures . referring to fig1 a tubular arrangement configured to enable pressure actuation of an actuator is illustrated at 10 . the tubular arrangement 10 includes a base pipe 14 with perforations 18 through a wall 22 thereof and a sleeve 26 positioned radially of the base pipe 14 defining a passageway 30 in the annular space 34 therebetween . fluidic communication is established between an inside 42 and an outside 46 through at least the annular space 34 and the perforations 18 . additional flow channels , such as a screen 48 and an equalizer 74 , as shown in this embodiment , may also be included in the passageway 30 . the sleeve 26 is sealingly attached to the base pipe 14 at an end 35 . a plug 38 occludes the passageway 30 thereby preventing fluidic communication between the inside 42 and the outside 46 of the tubular arrangement 10 . the plug 38 is configured to support differential pressure between the inside 42 and the outside 46 . the differential pressure may be sufficient to actuate an actuator ( item 58 of fig2 ). for example , the differential pressure could inflate a bladder of an inflatable packer or move a piston 62 ( fig2 ), such as the packer and the piston disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 621 , 322 to arnold et al . incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . the plug 38 is also configured to dissolve after being exposed to an environment , after which fluid communication between the inside 42 and the outside 46 is established via the passageway 30 . such fluid communication prevents further building pressure differential between the inside 42 and the outside 46 . the plug 38 may be made of a high strength controlled electrolytic metallic material that is degradable / dissolvable in environments that include one or more of brine , acid , and aqueous fluid . for example , a variety of suitable materials and their methods of manufacture are described in united states patent publication no . 2011 / 0135953 ( xu et al . ), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . exposing the plug 38 to the degradable environment can be controlled in different ways . for example , fluid containing the aforementioned brine , acid or aqueous fluid can be introduced via pumping through the base pipe 14 and the perforations 18 to the plug 38 . referring to fig2 , alternately , the brine , acid or aqueous fluid 50 can be stored near the plug 38 in a chamber 54 , for example , and then allowed to access the plug 38 after actuation of an actuator 58 . the actuator 58 illustrated in this embodiment includes the piston 62 sealably engaged with both the tubulars 14 and 26 by seals 64 thereby defining the chamber 54 . a releasable member 66 , illustrated herein as a shear screw , fixes the piston 62 relative to the tubulars 14 , 26 until pressure acting on the piston 62 is sufficient to release the releasable member 66 . air or other compressible fluid stored in the chamber 54 with the brine , acid or aqueous fluid 50 prior to release of the releasable member 66 can facilitate generating longitudinal force on the piston 62 in response to differential pressure across the piston 62 . upon release of the releasable member 66 , the piston 62 moves toward the chamber 54 ( rightward in the figure ) until the seal 64 crosses a channel 70 in the base pipe 14 ( note the channel 70 could just as well be formed in the sleeve 26 ) thereby allowing the fluid 50 to flow through the channel 70 by the seal 64 and out of the chamber 54 . once the brine , acid or aqueous fluid 50 is out of the chamber 54 it can make contact with the plug 38 , thereby initiating dissolution thereof the foregoing results in delay of initiation of dissolution of the plug 38 until after the actuation of the actuator 58 has taken place . it should be noted that additional actuation of actuators other than the actuator 58 can also be performed via differential pressure built against the plug 38 . by causing other such actuations at pressures lower than that needed to release the releasable member 66 , any practical number of actuations are possible prior to removal of the plug 38 . in yet another alternate embodiment , the plug 38 can be exposed to a degradable environment that occurs in response to positioning of the tubular arrangement 10 within a given environment . for example , in a downhole hydrocarbon recover or carbon dioxide sequestration application , exposure of the plug 38 can be initiated by simply positioning the tubular arrangement 10 downhole within an anticipated environment . in such an embodiment , degradation of the plug 38 can begin upon initial exposure to fluid , temperatures and pressures , for example , of the downhole environment that reach the plug 38 after flowing from the outside 46 through the screen 48 the equalizer 74 and the annular space 34 to reach the plug 38 . in this embodiment the plug 38 can be configured so that a selected amount of time passes after exposure to the degrading environment has begun to allow the differential pressure to form and the actuation to take place before the plug 38 degrades enough to prevent maintaining the differential pressure . the equalizer 74 , shown positioned within the annular space 34 , can permit additional control of fluid flow between the outside 46 and the inside 42 after the plug 38 has been removed . while the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims . also , in the drawings and the description , there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and , although specific terms may have been employed , they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation , the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited . moreover , the use of the terms first , second , etc . do not denote any order or importance , but rather the terms first , second , etc . are used to distinguish one element from another . furthermore , the use of the terms a , an , etc . do not denote a limitation of quantity , but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item . | 4 |
fig1 and 2 depict an excavator bucket 10 having a bottom section 20 and a curved heel section 30 . normal to the bottom section 20 and heel section 30 are two side sections 40 and 50 . the bottom section 20 includes a base edge 21 on which are mounted several adapters , tips , and base edge protectors , which are commonly referred to as ground engaging tools , or get . one or more steel plates forming a part of the bottom section 20 may be joined to a wrapper 31 which forms a part of the heel section 30 . each side section 40 , 50 includes a side plate 41 , 51 , a side bar 42 , 52 , and a side wear plate 43 , 53 . different basic bucket elements and structure may be used to form the bucket 10 , as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in this art . joining the heel section 30 and the side sections 40 , 50 is the top assembly ( sometimes called hinge assembly ) 100 . the top assembly includes a top plate 110 , a bottom plate 120 , and a pair of hinge plates 130 , 140 . fig1 depicts the top assembly 100 in an assembled state and joined with the rest of the bucket 10 . in this view , the top plate 110 and hinge plates 130 , 140 are visible , but the top plate 110 obscures the view of the remaining top assembly 100 structure . in fig2 , the top plate 110 has been removed to reveal the underlying structure . fig3 is a sectional view taken through one of the hinge plates 130 , 140 . fig4 is a sectional view taken through the center of the bucket 10 . the hinge plate 130 includes two bores 131 and 132 . likewise , hinge plate 140 includes two bores 141 and 142 . bores 131 and 141 are axially aligned and will support a stick pin that passes through the stick of the excavator . bores 132 and 142 are axially aligned and will support a linkage pin that passes through the power link of the excavator which causes the bucket &# 39 ; s curling motion about the stick pin . thus , the hinge plates 130 , 140 form two sets of two axially aligned bores ( 131 and 141 form a first set of two axially aligned bores , and 132 and 142 form a second set of two axially aligned bores ). elements of the top assembly 100 cooperate to form a torque tube 150 . torque tube 150 is designed to transfer torque from its middle section to its ends . the torque tube 150 functions to transfer “ curling ” torque about the center of the stick pin created by the power link and linkage pin , to the side sections 40 , 50 and the rest of the bucket 10 . when the bucket base edge 21 penetrates into material , the force propelling the base edge is transferred to the base edge in part by this torsional force created about the stick pin by the power link . in addition to torque , a variety of other load paths exist through the torque tube 150 . the torque tube 150 must be capable of transferring all of these large sustained and shock loads and torques . the torque tube is formed in part through joining the top plate 110 , bottom plate 120 , and hinge plates 130 , 140 to form a rigid , tube - like structure . the top plate 110 defines a top surface 111 , a bottom surface 112 , a front edge 113 , and a rear edge 114 . the bottom plate 120 defines a top surface 121 , a bottom surface 122 , a front edge 123 , and a rear edge 124 . the bottom surface 112 and the top surface 121 are part of the inside surfaces of the generally enclosed torque tube 150 . the top surface 111 and the bottom surface 122 are part of the outside surfaces of the torque tube 150 . the bottom plate 120 is formed from flat steel plate stock . for ease of manufacturing , the bottom plate 120 may not include any bends , nor any relatively complex cuts or shapes formed in it . the top plate 110 is also formed from flat steel plate stock . the top plate 110 may include two bends , with a first bend having an included angle of approximately 105 - 125 °, and more specifically approximately 115 °, and a second bend having an included angle of approximately 100 - 120 °, and more specifically approximately 110 °. each bend is approximately parallel to the front edge 113 of the top plate 110 . each of the included angles faces toward the bottom plate 120 when assembled to help form the enclosed , tube - like structure of torque tube 150 . the outside surface profile of torque tube 150 created by these bends in top plate 110 helps the torque tube to be effectively positioned relative to certain existing , traditional quick couplers which may be used to attach bucket 10 to an excavator . the top plate 110 may easily be formed by first cutting its shape from plate stock , and then by creating the bends in a brake press or other type of press . although the top plate may include two bends , it is still relatively easy to manufacture because it does not require any complex shapes or machining . the assembly of top assembly 100 can begin by attaching hinge plates 130 , 140 to bottom plate 120 so that the hinge plates are parallel to one another and normal to the bottom plate . each of the hinge plates includes a flat bottom edge 133 , 143 which butts against and is welded to the top surface 121 of bottom plate 120 . one of these weld joints is illustrated in fig4 with the reference character a . each of the flat bottom edges 133 , 143 is approximately the same length as the distance between the front edge 123 to the rear edge 124 . thus , the hinge plate 130 , 140 to bottom plate 120 butt joint extends approximately from the front edge 123 to the rear edge 124 . advantageously , the butt joint need not extend beyond the rear edge 124 ( as it does in some prior art designs where the hinge plates 130 , 140 also are joined to the wrapper 31 ) in order to permit joining the hinge plates 130 , 140 to bottom plate 120 in an assembly which can be fully completed before being joined to the rest of bucket 10 . optional rib or ribs 160 may be included between hinge plates 130 , 140 and bottom plate 120 . the rib 160 may reinforce the connection between the hinge plates 130 , 140 and the bottom plate 120 , add stiffness to the torque tube 150 , as well as aid in maintaining alignment during welding and assembly . both the hinge plates 130 , 140 and the rib 160 may include a slot cut in each — a portion of the rib fitting into the slot in each hinge plate , and vise versa — forming an interlocking halved joint therebetween . the rib 160 may be welded to the hinge plates 130 , 140 and to the bottom plate 120 around the same time as welding between the hinge plates and the bottom plate . hinge plates 130 , 140 may pass through and divide the top plate 110 . this allows hinge plates 130 , 140 to be welded to the bottom plate 120 as well as the top plate 110 , forming a stronger and stiffer torque tube 150 . some prior art designs do not have hinge plates which are welded to both a top plate and a bottom plate , having instead hinge plates which are only welded to a top plate , which results in a weaker torque tube . hinge plates 130 , 140 may divide the top plate 110 into three separate segments 110 a , 110 b , and 110 c . segments 110 a and 110 c are outboard of the hinge plates , meaning they are between one of the hinge plates and one of the sides of the bucket 10 . segment 110 b is inboard of the hinge plates , or between the two hinge plates in the middle of the bucket 10 . the hinge plates 120 , 130 and segments 110 a , 110 b , and 110 c are welded at a weld joint formed at their intersection and along the top surface 111 . one of these weld joints is illustrated in fig4 with the reference character b . top plate 110 and bottom plate 120 are joined to each other along a first and a second weld joint . a first weld joint may be formed at the intersection of the rear edge 114 of top plate 110 and the bottom plate 120 , along the top surface 121 . this weld joint is illustrated in fig4 with the reference character c . the bottom plate 120 may overlap the top plate 110 ( i . e . the bottom plate extends further than the intersection of the top plate and bottom plate , and the top plate terminates at the intersection ) to permit this joint . because the rear edge 114 is joined to the bottom plate 120 , and does not extend further to intersect or join with wrapper 31 , the assembly between the top plate 110 and bottom plate 120 can be completed before the top assembly 100 is joined to the remainder of bucket 10 . a second weld joint may be formed at the intersection of the front edge 123 with the top plate 110 , along the bottom surface 112 . this weld joint is illustrated in fig4 with the reference character d . in order to make this joint , the top plate 110 may overlap the bottom plate 120 . this construction advantageously permits this weld joint to be made with a continuous , non - interrupted welding pass from one end of torque tube 150 to the other . in other prior art designs where the bottom plate 120 overlaps the top plate 110 , this weld joint is formed at this intersection but on the top surface 121 , and the weld joint is segmented or broken because it is interrupted by the hinge plates . it has been determined by the inventors that the breaks in this second weld joint result in weak areas , or stress risers , which are an important cause of bucket failures . by eliminating the weld starts and stops in this second weld joint , the stress risers are minimized and the bucket is stronger . this second weld joint resides in a high load path region of the torque tube 150 , so minimizing stress risers in this region is very beneficial . the foregoing construction of the top assembly 100 permits it to be completely assembled as an independent module before attaching to the remaining components of the bucket . constructing the top assembly 100 as an independent module can present several advantages . the many welds in the top assembly 100 can all be performed before attaching the remaining components of bucket 10 . the top assembly 100 is smaller and lighter than the entire bucket 10 so the top assembly is easier to move around and position , making these welds simpler to perform . bores 131 , 132 , 141 , and 142 formed in hinge plates 130 , 140 , typically require tight tolerances . traditionally , these bores are formed through machining after the hinge plates have been fixed to the bucket . because hinge plates 130 , 140 are completely assembled into the top assembly 100 , these bores 131 , 132 , 141 , and 142 can be machined after top assembly 100 is assembled , but before top assembly 100 is joined to the rest of the bucket . positioning top assembly 100 on a boring machine for making these bores can be a much simpler task than positioning the entire bucket 10 on a boring machine , and a smaller boring machine may be used . for manufacturing workflow , the top assembly 100 can be completed and then wait for the remaining components to be gathered together for assembly into the final bucket 10 . the top assembly 100 can even be designed to work as a top assembly for more than one size and / or type of bucket . so a single top assembly 100 can be constructed and then fit to different remaining components to form a variety of buckets . after the top assembly 100 is assembled , it can be attached to the heel section 30 and side sections 40 , 50 . the wrapper 31 is welded to the bottom plate 120 . the side bars 42 , 52 include ears 44 , 54 , which overlap the ends of the torque tube 150 . the ends of torque tube 150 are welded to these ears 44 , 54 . a fully assembled bucket 10 is illustrated in fig1 . the foregoing excavator bucket top assembly may be used in the construction of excavator buckets for use in many industries including construction and mining . | 4 |
as indicated above , embodiments of the disclosure are directed to car monitoring and diagnostic systems , methods and devices . an example of one such system 10 is illustrated in fig1 . as presented here , the system includes a sensor array 12 . the sensor array 12 , an example of which is shown in detail in fig1 a and 2 is comprised of : near infrared spectroscopy ( nirs ) oximetry elements 14 for optical emission and detection of optical signals ; an applanation tonometry pressure sensing device 16 ; a sensor patch 18 of compliant material that contains the nirs sensor 14 and applanation tonometry pressure sensor 16 in a desired geometric configuration ; a mechanism for digitization , preamplification , and prefiltering of the nirs and pressure signals ; and a mechanism of data transmission of the signals ( cable , bluetooth ® transmitter , etc .) 20 to a signal processing member 22 . applanation tonometry measures relative blood pressure changes , such that pressure waveform morphology and lead time relationships can be calculated . in addition to the sensor array , the embodiment shown in fig1 includes a headset frame 24 to which the sensor array 12 is mounted . in this embodiment shown in fig1 aspects of the sensor array are mounted at selected points on the headset . for example , the nirs oximetry sensing member 14 is firmly appositioned to the forehead scalp , or other scalp area of the patient . correct positioning of the nirs sensor 14 is achieved by tensioning of an adjustable band 26 that serves the purpose of providing a firm headset fit for a range of cranium sizes . the applanation pressure sensing member 16 is positioned between two force - bearing contact pads 18 in order to mechanically isolate the apposition pressure of the applanation sensor 16 from the headset pressure due to the tensioning of the adjustable band 26 . in at least one embodiment , the nirs sensor 14 with nirs optical elements 15 and signal amplifiers is mounted in the headset and located over a region of the forehead with a secure apposition of the nirs sensor 14 to the skin . separately the applanation tonometry pressure ( atp ) sensor 16 is mounted in the same headset 24 such that the atp sensor 16 is located over a region of the superficial temporal artery for optimal sensitivity of arterial pressure variations . in some embodiments , the headset 24 includes a feature that may be located in a preferred location relative to an anatomical feature of the test subject . for example , the positioning of the atp sensor 16 is optimally located over a preferred segment of the superficial temporal artery . in at least one embodiment , the anatomical feature is the tragus , such that the feature of the headset design enables positioning of the atp sensor 16 near , or in a desired position relative to , the tragus . in at least one embodiment , the atp sensor 16 is distinct or separate from the headset 24 so that it may be placed over the radial artery in the wrist of a patient , instead of over the temporal artery . in at least one embodiment , the atp sensor 16 is placed over the brachial artery for arterial pressure applanation . alternately , the pressure sensor 16 may be placed noninvasively over any artery in which pressure variations may be transmitted to the signal processor 22 . as is shown in fig3 analysis of the nirs sensor 14 and pressure sensor 16 data is performed by the signal processing element 22 to determine , among other things , time delays between the parameters , phase differences , and related characteristics of nirs parameters and blood pressure variations . results are displayed on the graphical user interphase ( gui ) 30 . the signal processing element 22 is in communication with the sensor array 12 by direct ( wired ) or wireless communication comprised of : an input section 32 capable of receiving wireless data from the nirs sensor 14 and pressure sensor 16 ; amplifiers for bandpass filtering and amplification of the applanation blood pressure signal ; filtering and pre - conditioning of the optical signal from the nirs optical detection element ; hardware and software 34 for implementing an algorithm for analysis of the nirs and pressure signals to generate a cross correlation result representative of the lead time between the nirs and pressure signals ; and display of the analysis results in a graphic user interface ( gui ) 30 showing numerical and trending data . in at least one embodiment , the signal processor 22 includes a processing algorithm for analysis of the raw nirs signals and produces an estimate of the oxy - hemoglobin concentration , deoxy - hemoglobin concentration , total hemoglobin concentration , or other parameter derived from the raw nirs signals , prior to analysis to generate a cross correlation result . in at least one embodiment of the invention the sensor array 12 detects and measures two physiological parameters , namely blood pressure ( via the atp sensor or module 16 ) and cerebral oxygen concentration ( via the nirs sensor 14 ) over multiple periods of time or episodes . episodes of interest are identified in the time series of the first parameter , then an assessment is made of the presence and temporal relationships of corresponding episodes in the second parameter . in some embodiments , the first parameter may be arterial applanation tonometry pressure measured by applanation of an artery . the second parameter may be blood velocity measured in a cerebral artery , or regional cerebral oxygen saturation , as a surrogate for time - varying changes in cerebral blood flow . in embodiments of the disclosure , the system may be designed , with the use of signal bandpass filtering to , measure time - varying magnitude changes occurring only over relatively long intervals , such as 30 - 120 seconds or even several minutes ; or only over relatively shorter time intervals , such as 3 - 15 seconds , in order to evaluate physiological effects occurring within a certain range of time scales . cerebrovascular blood flow autoregulation may be measured with the device by an evaluation of a series of time delays of regional oxygen saturation waveforms relative to arterial applanation tonometry pressure waveforms during episodes of interest in the pressure parameter . as discussed , the system of fig1 - 3 includes a device for measuring cerebral pressure autoregulation by the use of arterial blood pressure and regional cerebral oxygen saturation ( first and second parameters ). the device detects whether slow arterial blood pressure changes are having an effect on cerebral blood flow , and by this means assesses whether cerebral pressure autoregulation is functional . a continuous measure of arterial pressure is used to track slow blood pressure changes . regional oxygen saturation is measured to track the cerebral blood flow changes . this substitution is possible because , over the time scales of interest , cerebral blood flow changes are directly reflected in regional cerebral oxygen saturation changes . example time series of monitored first 40 and second 50 physiological parameters are shown in fig4 and 5 respectively . fig4 depicts a time series of measurements of a first parameter ( blood pressure ) 40 during a 4 - minute episode . slow arterial pressure variations are not cyclic changes with a regular frequency , but are highly non - stationary . this is readily seen in the example of fig4 . the various devices and approaches described in the prior art for measurement of cerebral pressure autoregulation all lack appreciation for this characteristic . therefore it is a novel aspect of the present invention that slow arterial pressure variations are each considered as a separate event , with no requirement for stationary cyclic behavior of the parameter . in order to measure the effect of arterial blood pressure ( abp ) changes 40 on regional cerebral oxygen ( rso2 ) 50 , the system measures the correspondence of rso2 changes relative to atp that occur over time scales of 30 - 120 seconds , such as in the manner shown in fig6 and 11 . atp and rso2 time series measurements may be sampled at a higher data rate and then digitally filtered to remove energy outside the bandwidth of 0 . 008 - 0 . 033 hz , which is not of interest . a change in atp is characterized as a waveform which has a beginning at a minimum value , followed by a rising segment during which atp increases to a maximum value , followed ( in some cases ) by a maximum plateau , followed by a decreasing segment during which atp decreases and returns to a minimum value , followed ( in some cases ) by a baseline segment which precedes the beginning of the next waveform . the rising segment of a waveform is referred to herein as an “ episode of interest ”, which is an abp response to a neurogenic effect which raises blood pressure . these episodes of interest are identified as e 1 , e 2 , etc in fig4 - 9 . the time intervals e 1 - e 5 shown in fig4 identify episodes of interest in the first parameter atp . in this example , an episode of interest is the occurrence of an increasing signal magnitude beginning from a local minimum value and ending at a local maximum value , which includes a zero - crossing or crossing of a threshold value . the episodes of interest have varying temporal characteristics , each corresponding to the rising portion of a waveform . fig5 shows a time series of measurements of a second parameter of cerebral oxygen or rso2 during a 3 - minute episode . the episodes of interest e 1 - e 4 , corresponding to the rising portion of the most significant waveforms , are identified for illustration purposes . in practice the episodes used for evaluation are defined by the episodes of interest in only one parameter , and typically the first parameter . fig6 shows an example 4 - minute time series of both the first and the second parameters over a time interval which includes five episodes of interest ( e 1 - e 5 ) in the first parameter , represented by the solid line . the second parameter , represented by the dashed line , shows no similarity to the first parameter . fig7 shows an example 4 - minute time series of both the first and the second parameters over a time interval which includes four episodes of interest ( e 1 - e 4 ) in the first parameter . in this instance , the second parameter ( dashed line ) exhibits a significant similarity of pattern to the first parameter . fig8 shows an example measurement of the lead times of the waveforms of the second parameter relative to the first parameter in fig6 , as measured during each of the five episodes of interest . the lead time alternates between large negative and positive values , indicating that the second parameter episodes ( or waveforms ) are independent of the first parameter . fig9 shows a measurement of time delays of the waveforms of the second parameter relative to the first parameter in fig7 , as measured during the four episodes of interest . in this case the lead times are all within a relatively narrow range of values , indicating a consistent temporal relationship between the second parameter episodes ( or waveforms ) and those of the first parameter . by visual examination of fig7 it is evident that the second parameter waveforms do indeed show a consistent similarity of pattern in which the episodes of interest ( i . e ., the rising segments of the waveforms ) are time - shifted to the left relative to the first parameter episodes of interest . the rso2 ( second parameter ) changes depicted on the examples of fig5 - 9 are also characterized as waveforms which have the same basic segments . the rso2 waveforms may not have a similar morphology to that of the abp ( first parameter ) waveforms . a typical difference is illustrated by comparison of fig4 and 5 . slow rso2 waveforms may be the result of cerebral blood flow responses to arterial carbon dioxide or cerebral metabolic processes , as noted above , or they may be caused by a failure of the cerebral pressure autoregulation ( i . e ., car ) mechanisms to adjust cerebrovascular resistance in order to minimize the effects of arterial pressure on cerebral blood flow . system of fig1 - 3 measures the contributory effect of abp as a cause of rso2 changes by evaluating the correspondence of episodes of interest ( i . e ., the rising segments ) of rso2 waveforms relative to contemporaneous atp waveforms . absence of rso2 waveforms indicates no effect of abp variations on rso2 , and therefore intact car . in the presence of rso2 waveforms , a lack of correspondence indicates that the rso2 changes , or waveforms , are the result of other effects , and therefore that car is functional . close correspondence between the episodes of interest in the two sets of waveforms indicates that the rso2 changes are correlated with abp , and therefore that cerebral pressure autoregulation is not fully functional . correspondence is evaluated by measuring the lead time of the rso2 ( second parameter ) versus atp ( first parameter ) episodes of interest for each of a series of atp waveforms , such as is depicted in fig8 and 9 . in practice the lead times may be either positive or negative . consecutive small or zero lead times over a series of waveforms shows a high degree of correspondence , whereas large lead time variability shows lack of correspondence . referring to the figures , episodes of interest are first identified in a series of atp and rso2 waveforms , as illustrated in fig4 and 5 . for each atp waveform , a measurement is made of the average lead time of the most contemporaneous rso2 waveform during the atp episode of interest . fig6 illustrates a series of atp and rso2 waveforms which do not show correspondence with each other . fig7 illustrates a series of atp and rso2 waveforms that show correspondence , in which a rso2 ( dashed line ) waveform lead time is evident . fig8 is an example of a device output for the waveforms shown in fig6 . the rso2 lead times vary from − 20 to + 15 seconds , confirming a lack of correspondence which is visually evident in fig6 . the interpretation of the device output would be that cerebral pressure autoregulation is healthy and functional . fig9 shows the device output for the waveforms shown in fig7 , in which the last three rso2 lead times are consistently between 5 and 10 seconds . this is evidence of a corresponding effect of abp on rso2 changes , and absence of cerebrovascular resistance adjustments . the interpretation of the device output would be dysfunction of cerebral pressure autoregulation . analysis and comparison of the monitored parameters may be accomplished in a variety of ways and mechanisms by the signal processor ( see fig3 ). in some embodiments , the digitized nirs and pressure signals are bandpass filtered by the signal processor to remove signal frequencies outside the range of interest . as indicated above , the frequency range of interest may be 0 . 008 hz to 0 . 033 hz ; alternative higher frequency ranges may also be used for analysis , including 0 . 008 - 0 . 06 hz , or other bandwidth . in some embodiments , an initial analysis of the slow wave features of either the nirs or atp signals is made to determine an optimal frequency range of interest . for example , fourier analysis may be made to determine whether a significant proportion of the low frequency power is between 0 . 03 and 0 . 06 hz . alternatively , an analysis of the wavelengths of slow waves may be made to determine whether a significant proportion of slow waves occur with wavelengths from 16 - 33 seconds . from this initial analysis , a frequency range of interest for bandpass filtering and lead time calculations may be chosen . in at least one embodiment , the signal filtering is performed using a kaiser - bessel filter whose coefficients have been selected to produce a zero phase shift . in at least one embodiment , calculation of the lead time relationship between the bandpass filtered nirs parameter and atp signal is performed for each discrete pressure waveform in a time series of the data by generating a cross correlation function ( ccf ) based on a predetermined portion of the atp waveform and the corresponding nirs waveform as defined above . in such an embodiment , the time delay nτ corresponding to the maximum value of the cross correlation function f ( n ), in which τ is the time interval between successive digitized data points , is interpreted to represent a real - time estimate of the time delay between the two filtered signals . in some embodiments , a phase delay is calculated in degrees as the ratio of nτ divided by the wavelength of the atp waveform , multiplied by 360 degrees . in another embodiment , the lead time relationship for each discrete pressure waveform within a selected recent epoch of time ( the “ phase history ”), as illustrated in fig8 and 10 , may be displayed in the gui as shown in fig3 . in a related embodiment , calculation of the phase relationship is performed for each discrete nirs waveform , instead of each discrete pressure waveform , in a time series of the data . in some embodiments , the lead time relationships within the selected epoch may be further analyzed with statistical methods to determine a trend ; characterize variability ( e . g ., calculate standard deviation ); calculate a mean lead time relationship ; estimate the probability that the mean lead time is greater or less than a predetermined lead time , which may be defined as a critical or threshold value ; or calculate a confidence interval defining a range within which the mean lead time likely occurs . one or more of these outputs may be used to characterize the extent to which nirs fluctuating values are passively dependent on pressure variations , as an index of car dysfunction . in another embodiment , the analysis may be performed only on atp waveforms that meet certain criteria . alternatively , the analysis may be performed only when nirs waveforms meet certain criteria , or only when both the atp and corresponding nirs waveforms respectively meet certain criteria . for example , exclusion criteria may include low amplitude , high amplitude , presence of artifact ( e . g ., motion artifact ), large difference in wavelength relative to the wavelength of one or more previous waveforms , or large difference in wavelength between the pressure waveform and corresponding nirs waveform . in at least one embodiment , the atp sensing module and headset include structural features that prevent transfer of the headset tension to the applanation pressure sensing member . the structural features may include force bearing members on opposite sides of the atp sensing member , combined with a constant force device within the atp sensing module that applies a constant contact force for the atp sensing member against the skin . a constant force device may include a spring loading , a pressurized bladder , or other device . in at least one embodiment , a measurement procedure may be performed in the following steps : first , place the headset which includes the nirs sensing module and the atp sensing module on the subject to be tested , with the nirs sensor located over the forehead and the atp sensing member positioned over a segment of the temporal artery . fixation is facilitated by a member of the headset extending over the top of the head which has a means of adjusting the tension . second , verify that the nirs and pressure signals are free of artifacts that may result from poor placement technique , and adjust placement of the sensors as necessary . third , assure that the surroundings are suitable for stable measurements , and in particular remove noise and other cognitive distractions , while making the patient comfortable . next , begin data acquisition and analysis . in this part of the procedure , the signal processor receives the digitized data from the two sensors , and then applies bandpass filtering to successive overlapping epochs of data from each sensor . ideally the epochs will be sufficiently long to include at least two of the lowest frequency waveforms within the passband ( i . e ., at least two wavelengths ). for example , if the passband is 0 . 008 - 0 . 03 hz , the filtered epoch may be 2 / 0 . 008 = 250 seconds or more . next , the signal processor identifies the time of the beginning of the pressure rise in a first selected waveform ( t p , min ), and also the time of the peak pressure in the first selected waveform ( t p , max ). next , the signal processor calculates a non - normalized cross correlation function ( ccf ), defined as the sum of the products of the atp values and time - delayed nirs values over the interval from t p , min to t p , max for each of the predetermined time delay ( nτ ) values . therefore , for the first pressure waveform , where τ is the sampling interval ( i . e ., 1 / sample rate ), and f ( n ) is calculated over the time interval from t = t p , min to t p , max and over a predetermined range of n that is sufficient to capture a maximum value of f ( n ) ( typically the maximum nτ is about one half the wavelength of the pressure waveform , and f ( n ) is calculated for both positive and negative n values ). see fig1 . in at least some embodiments each of the two waveforms is normalized to a range of − 1 to + 1 prior to calculation of the ccf , and this normalization is performed separately for each successive waveform pair . next the signal processor determines the value of nτ for which f ( n ) is maximum , τ · n ccf max . this represents the calculated time delay of the nirs waveform relative to the pressure waveform . the value of n ccfmax may be negative or positive . next the signal processor identifies the time of the beginning of the pressure rise from its minimum level , t p , min for the next waveform . the time interval between the two minima is defined as the wavelength λ of the first pressure waveform . next the signal processor calculates a phase angle φ in degrees using the calculated τ · n ccf max and the calculated wavelength , λ , as follows : next the signal processor updates the gui with the numerical and graphical representation of the phase angle . next , after sufficient acquisition of new data , the signal processor applies bandpass filtering to a new epoch of data overlapping with the first epoch , and sufficiently long to include at least the next waveform . then using the t p , min already determined for the next waveform , the steps of determining t p , max and calculating the ccf , τ · n ccf max , λ , and φ will be repeated , and the gui will be updated . these steps will continue to repeat until a satisfactory characterization of the behavior of the lead time or phase angle φ can be made . for example , a stable , small lead time may provide a confident assessment within a few wavelengths of time , whereas a variable lead time may require a longer time for an assessment and characterization with acceptable confidence intervals . in some embodiments , the signal processing member may include several frequency passbands ; software for analysis of the relative phase delay between the nirs and pressure parameters within each passband ; an algorithm for determining the frequency dependence of the phase delay ; and an algorithm for calculating a maximum , minimum , or optimum coherence and phase delay between the two parameters . in some embodiments , the signal processing member may include an algorithm and software for determining the signal power or wavelengths in bandpass - filtered nirs and pressure parameters over a predetermined time interval . the predetermined time interval may be 5 minutes , or any other duration that is longer than 2 ÷ f m where f m is the minimum frequency within the frequency bandpass range . the algorithm and software may include a calculation of signal quality based on the signal power of either parameter . the algorithm and software may further use the signal quality calculation to determine a level of confidence in other calculated parameters . in another embodiment , a car assessment protocol includes cognitive stress to provoke a cerebral metabolic change while nirs and pressure data are acquired . cognitive stress may be induced by working memory tasks , problem solving , or other method . lead time calculations prior to and after the stress challenge may be compared for use as an index of dysfunction . in another embodiment , a car assessment protocol includes physical exertion to introduce a cardio - respiratory challenge and a cerebrovascular response while nirs and pressure data are acquired . physical exertion may be induced by isometric exercise , aerobic exercise , or other physical activity . in another embodiment , two or more nirs sensing members may be used . the sensing members may be placed bilaterally on the forehead and temporal regions . alternatively , the sensing members may be placed on two or more scalp locations that are located over different regions of the brain , with the single atp sensing member placed over the temporal artery , radial artery , or other artery . for example , one nirs sensing member may be placed on or near a location of contusion which is associated with a concussive injury , and another nirs sensing member may be placed ipsilaterally or contralaterally over a different region of the brain . the signal processing member may include software that compares the results from the sensing members . a local car dysfunction may be assessed on the basis of , for example , sufficiently large differences in analysis results between the two locations . a global car dysfunction may be assessed on the basis of similar car dysfunction indexes obtained at two or more locations . in another embodiment , a test protocol includes first having the subject breathe normally for a first time interval , preferably at a regular constant respiration rate , for a predetermined duration while nirs and pressure data are acquired and analyzed as described above , which may be 5 minutes or other duration . after some elapsed time , the subject may breathe normally for a second time interval , preferably at a regular constant respiration rate , for a predetermined duration while nirs and pressure data are acquired and analyzed as described above . the elapsed time may be 15 minutes , 30 minutes , or other time . this procedure may be repeated for an extended time or number of time intervals as may be desired for dysfunction assessment . an additional assessment protocol is then performed by the software in the signal processing member to calculate a level of dysfunction on the basis of one or more of the lead time assessments performed in the sequence of time intervals . in some embodiments , the test subject may follow a pattern of activity while nirs and pressure data are acquired , that may include normal daily routines , physical exertion , cognitive exertion , reading , eating , sleeping , or other activities . in this embodiment the test subject &# 39 ; s respiration rate may not be regular , but may vary according to what is a comfortable rate during each activity . the assessment protocol may include an algorithm and software that selects optimum epochs for car assessment . selection criteria for optimum epochs include : absence of apparent artifacts ; stable pressure and nirs waveform amplitudes ; or other criteria . in some embodiments , the input section of the signal processing member includes a means of entering event markers that may be used to identify activities of interest in order to facilitate analysis of test results . activities of interest may include physical exertion , cognitive exertion , hyperventilation , onset of neuropsychological symptoms , heightened stress response to external stimuli , or other stimulus . in another embodiment , the signal processing member includes a means of communicating the test results to an external device . the external device may be a smartphone , tablet computer , or other handheld device . communication to the external device may be either via a cable , such as a usb cable , or via a wireless protocol , such as bluetooth . the external device may include a means of communicating current test results , historical test results , test subject identification and information , and related data to a remote computer or server using an available communications protocol such as internet protocol , file transfer protocol , or other internet or telecommunication protocols . in at least one embodiment , a device such as a smartphone or tablet computer comprises at least a portion of the signal processing member and performs at least some of the functions of the signal processing member . the many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the above description . numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art . since such modifications are possible , the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described . rather , the present invention should be limited only by the following claims . | 0 |
relative to fig1 wherein the black liquor flow stream is schematically shown in progression through the several process stages of the concentration plant . one pound of 12 % solids , 190 ° f black liquor is received at the entrance station a per unit for mixture at station b with 1 . 336 pounds of process effluent . simultaneously , 0 . 229 pound and 0 . 103 pound of thin phase yield , predominantly water , is withdrawn from exit stations w 1 and w 2 . 0 . 282 pound of 42 % solids concentrate is withdrawn at exit station s . the total of the system exit mass is the collective sum across exit stations w 1 , w 2 and s which is equal to one pound . the flow system is , therefore , in balance with the inflow and outflow streams of equal magnitude . however , 1 , 336 pounds of recycle material is mixed with the virgin black liquor stream for further recoveries . therefore , the total mass processed at station 1 is 2 . 336 pounds of 10 % solids solution . in the first stage , the flow stream is reduced in temperature to approximately 8 ° f thereby crystallizing a certain percentage of water therein . although the nucleus of individual water crystals is of pure water composition , the growth thereof from numerous , homogenously dispersed nucleation points occludes solids within the interstices between adjacent crystals . moreover , as the crystal grows with diminishing temperature , the chemical composition thereof graduates from pure water to other , dilute inorganic compounds . further in the first stage , the slurry comprising a thin phase of particulate crystals in the presence of a residual liquid thick phase is screened for a preliminary or gross mechanical separation of the crystal particles from the liquid . thereafter , the screened crystals are subjected to an axial pressing by means such as that disclosed by j . schmidt in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 617 , 274 . specifically , the specification of axial pressing refers to an absence of shear force between the adjacent crystals . of course , absolute avoidance of shear in the compaction of a crystalline mass is an impossibility due to the migration and transport of crystals during the early stages of diminishing volume . however , once the crystalline mass is conglomerated , the structural integrity of the conglomeration should not be disturbed by the wiping of shearing action of an archimedes screw or a roll nip . press forces on the ice mass should be limited to an unidirectional plane . the magnitude of pressure required to express the residual thick phase is variable relative to the magnitude of surface area available to drainage conduits as a percentage function of the total thin phase mass surface area . an exposed surface area in the order of 10 % will require from 50 to 100 psi . conversely , an exposed surface area of only 1 % may require from 1500 to 2000 psi . obviously , the particular geometry of the press apparatus will determine the relative magnitude of exposed area . it is also appropriate to state that the screening and pressing steps described herein need not be distinct in that the functions are performed on separate apparatus . for example , the screening may occur simultaneously with the volumetric closure of a reciprocating piston press as described by j . schmidt . under the stress induced heat of the axial pressing step , the lower freezing point compounds attached to the crystals reliquefy to provide a fluid vehicle within which occluded solids are washed from the crystalline mass to be combined with the initially screened liquid . consequently , approximately 0 . 951 pound of material comprising 2 . 7 % solids remains with the crystalline mass . in the case of the first freezing stage , the residual crystalline mass is , after the first press step , gently slurried to homogenize the remaining solids which were entrapped within the interstitial maze of the compacted crystal mass . thereafter , without additional cooling , the ice mass is mechanically pressed again to express additional solids . this secondary first stage pressing separates 0 . 385 pound of 0 . 05 % solid content material from 0 . 565 pound of 4 . 5 % solids content material . the thin phase 0 . 05 % solid content material is removed from the concentration flow stream at exit station w 1 . however , the thick phase 4 . 5 % solids material is further cooled at station 1 b to remove additional heat of fusion to crystallize additional solvent at the same 8 ° f temperature . subsequently , station 1 b screening and pressing separates 0 . 229 pound of 0 . 08 % solid material from 0 . 336 pound of 7 . 5 % solids material . the thin phase 0 . 08 % solid material is removed from the concentration flow stream at exit station w 1 whereas the thick phase 7 . 5 % solids material is recycle makeup to be combined with virgin black liquor at mixing station b . returning now to the thick phase liquid separated by the first , stage 1 screening and pressing , 1 . 385 pounds of 15 % solids material was produced . this 15 % solids material is advanced to a stage 2 cooling unit which reduced the temperature thereof to 2 ° f . subsequent screening and pressing separates 0 . 512 pound of 4 . 8 % solids thin phase material from 0 . 873 pound of 21 % solids thick phase material . the stage 2 , 4 . 8 % solids thin phase product is , at stage 2 a , reslurried without additional refrigeration and pressed again to separate 0 . 103 pound of 0 . 4 % solid thin phase material from 0 . 409 pound of 6 . 0 % solids thick phase material . the 0 . 04 % solid material is removed from the concentration flow stream at exit station w 2 . the 6 . 0 % solids material contributes to the mixing station b recycle makeup . the 21 % solids thick phase material separated at stage 2 is further refrigerated at stage 3 to - 5 ° f . subsequent screening and pressing separates 0 . 303 pound of 7 . 8 % solids thin phase material from 0 . 570 pound of 28 % solids thick phase material . the 0 . 303 % solid material contributes to the mixing station b recycle makeup whereas the 28 % solids material advances to stage 4 . stage 4 refrigeration reduces the flow stream to - 10 ° f and screening and pressing separates 0 . 164 pound of 13 % solids thin phase material from 0 . 406 pound of 45 % solids thick phase material . the 13 % solids material contributes to mixing station b recycle makeup whereas the 34 % solids material advances to stage 5 . stage 5 refrigeration sustains the heavy flow stream at - 10 ° f by removing additional heat of fusion before screening and pressing separates 0 . 070 pound of 14 . 6 % solids thin phase material from 0 . 336 pound of 38 % solids thick phase material . the 14 . 6 % solids material contributes to mixing station b recycle makeup whereas the 38 % solids material advances to stage 6 . stage 6 refrigeration reduces the thick phase flow stream to - 15 ° f and screening and pressing separates 0 . 054 pound of 16 . 7 % solids thin phase material from 0 . 284 pound of 42 % solids thick phase material . the 16 . 7 % solids material contributes to mixing station b recycle makeup whereas the 42 % solids material is heated by the incoming virgin black liquor flow stream to facilitate pumping flow to a conventional direct contact evaporator where additional water is evaporatively removed to increase the thick phase solids concentration to the order of 65 % prior to furnace injection as fuel . fig2 illustrates a more detailed schematic of the invention and shows the exploitation of direct and indirect heat exchange equipment to efficiently manage the internal heat flow of the system . specific operating parameters for the fig2 system , as described hereafter , are tabulated in fig7 . the 190 ° f , 12 % solids virgin black liquor enters the concentration system at station a and is heat exchanged at x 1 with thick , 42 % solids thick phase effluent from the system . the x 1 heat exchange reduces 12 % liquor flow stream to 153 ° f . the flow stream is heat exchanged again at x 2 with closed cycle water circulating between heat exchangers x 2 and x 8 . upon leaving heat exchanger x 2 , the virgin liquor flow stream has 105 ° f sensible heat content and is heat exchanged again at x 3 with thin phase effluent from screener - presser units p 1a , p 1b and p 2a . the x 3 exchange reduces the virgin liquor stream to 78 . 2 ° f for combination with recycle material at mixing station b . from the mixing station b the 2 . 336 pounds flow stream has 10 % solids at 34 ° f for delivery to the stage 1 refrigerator r 1 for reduction in temperature to 8 ° f . as described , all refrigeration systems are shown to be conventional ammonia mechanical systems comprising a compressor e , a condenser c and an accumulator d . an external plant water system cools the compressed ammonia gas in preparation for subsequent heat absorptive expansion in r 1 . it should be understood , however , that other heat transfer mechanisms are suitable for the purposes herein described and that my invention is not limited to this particular mechanism . from the refrigerator r 1 the 10 %, 8 ° f liquor flow stream is screened and pressed at p 1 to produce a 0 . 951 pound , 2 . 7 % solids thin phase yield which is slurried and further pressed at p 1a . a 0 . 565 pound , 4 . 5 % solids thick phase yield from press p 1a is refrigerated at r 1a only to remove additional heat of fusion and sustained at 8 ° f before further pressing at p 1b . the 0 . 385 pound , 0 . 05 % solid , 8 ° f thin phase yield from press p 1a is combined with thin phase yield from subsequent press stations p 1b and p 2a to absorb condenser water heat at exchanger x 6 . the 0 . 336 pound , 7 . 5 % solids , 8 ° f thick phase from press p 1b is combined with other flow streams for heat exchange with condenser water at x 7 . relative to the 1 . 385 pounds , 15 % solids , 8 ° f thick phase from press p 1 , it is refrigerated to 2 ° f at r 2 , screened and pressed at p 2 . the 0 . 512 pound , 4 . 8 % solids , 2 ° f thin phase yield from press p 2 is reslurried and pressed again at p 2a leaving a second stage thin phase yield of 0 . 103 pound of 0 . 04 % solid , 2 ° f material for the x 6 exchanger combination . the 0 . 409 pound , 6 % solids thick phase yield from press p 2a is directed to condensing water heat exchanger x 7 . from press p 2 , the 0 . 873 pound , 21 % solids , 2 ° f thick phase yield is further cooled to - 5 ° f by refrigerator r 3 , screened and pressed at p 3 . the 0 . 303 pound , 7 . 8 % solids , - 5 ° f thin phase yield from press p 3 is combined with other sources for recycle . the 0 . 570 pound , 28 %, - 5 ° f thick phase yield from press p 3 is further cooled to - 10 ° f by refrigerator r 4 , screened and pressed at p 4 . the 0 . 164 , 13 % solids , - 10 ° f thin phase yield from press p 4 is directed to the condensing water exchanger x 7 combination . the 0 . 406 pound , 34 % solids , - 10 ° f thick liquid phase yield from press p 4 is sustained at - 10 ° f but an additional portion thereof crystallized by refrigerator r 5 to remove additional heat of fusion before being screened and pressed at p 5 . the 0 . 070 pound , 14 . 6 % solids , - 10 ° f thin phase yield from press p 5 is directed to the recycle mixing station b . the 0 . 336 pound , 38 % solids , - 10 ° f thick phase yield from press p 5 is further cooled by refrigerator r 6 , screened and pressed at p 6 . the 0 . 054 pound , 16 . 7 % solids , - 15 ° f thin phase yield from press p 6 is directed to the heat exchanger x 7 . the 0 . 284 pound , 42 % solids , - 15 ° f thick phase yield from press p 6 is next directed to heat exchanger x 1 where the temperature thereof is increased by 158 ° to 143 ° f . the heating medium of the exchanger x 1 is the 190 ° f virgin black liquor stream entering the concentration system . from heat exchanger x 1 , the 0 . 284 pound , 42 % solids stream is passed through heat exchanger x 4 to absorb sensible heat from the heated , refrigeration condenser coolant which will further increase the thick phase stream to 200 ° f . apparatus h in the thick phase flow stream may be either an auxiliary fuel heater to further raise the stream temperature to an efficient pumping temperature of 230 ° f or a direct contact evaporator further concentrating the thick phase stream prior to injection into the hearth of a steam generation furnace where the organic compounds thereof are burned for heat release . the furnace ash or smelt residual to combustion may be further processed by known techniques to recover the inorganic chemical values . for additional purification of the thin phase yield from a press , the conglomerated crystalline mass may be thawed sufficiently to permit the lower heat of fusion compounds , which contain the residual solids , to melt . upon liquefaction , these solid carrying compounds may be simply drained away from the remaining higher heat of fusion ice . fig3 illustrates the performance of this technique wherein the ordinate describes three parameters relative to the solid content of the original crystalline mass , as plotted against the abscissa . the first parameter , residual thin phase , describes , as a weight percentage of the original pressed ice mass , how much of the original mass should be allowed to melt for optimum yield . a greater solid content in the original mass requires a greater percentage of that mass to be liquefied for optimum solids separation . the solid content parameters indicate the weight percentage quantity of solids to be extracted with the respective thin and thick phases , such weight percentages corresponding with the plotted optimum liquefaction parameter . in the aforedescribed plant system , such a melt separation technique may be applied to the thin phase yield from each press . for greatest thermal efficiency , however , melt separation would be limited to the thin phase yield from the auxiliary presses p 1a , p 1b and p 2a respective to the first two line stages . it will be noted from the plant system description that each refrigeration stage freezes only a discreet percentage of solution supply . fig4 and 6 disclose corresponding optimum data from kraft pulping process black liquors , all plotted against the weight percentage solids content of the supply stream . fig4 and 5 are considered collectively to determine the temperature ( fig4 ) required to crystallize the optimum percentage of solvent ( fig5 ). fig6 describes the weight percentage of solids present in a thin phase yield pursuant to fig4 and 5 . it will be appreciated that for each refrigeration stage , an infinite combination of corresponding thin and thick phase percentages may be developed . this range of selection must be viewed from the perspective of absolutes and energy requirements incident thereto . for example , by removing sufficient energy from a flow stream sample , the entire sample may be solidified . such an exercise would not accomplish the separation objective , however . although some separation may be acquired from liquefaction incident to the axial pressing step , obviously such a technique does not represent the most efficient utilization of the energy expenditure . by operating each separation stage pursuant to an approximation of the fig4 and 5 data , energy efficiencies may be optimized . it will be noted that the present invention has been described relative the concentration of a 12 % solids , virgin black liquor flow stream to one of 42 % solids . there is nothing limiting however , in these particular solids concentration quantities or to any of the intermediate concentrations incident to this description . moreover , more or less freeze - press stages may be used in the manner disclosed to obtain , respectively , more or less , solids concentration . however , the thermal efficiency of greater concentration by freezing diminishes rapidly as compared to thermal concentration . accordingly , the 42 % concentration level , or approximately thereabout , by freezing is deemed an appropriate optimum for kraft process pulping liquors . | 8 |
with reference to the attached drawings , four series , respectively a first 10 ( fig1 ), a second 110 ( fig2 ), a third 210 ( fig3 ) and a fourth 310 ( fig4 ) of sports shoes 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 , of variable size , are shown schematically . in general , in all the series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 according to the present invention each ski boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 comprises a respective casing 12 , 112 , 212 and 312 of a different size for each series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 and with which a sole 13 , 113 , 213 and 313 is associated underneath , of a fixed length for each series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 . moreover , each ski boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 comprises inside it an inner boot 15 , 115 , 215 and 315 , able only to make the ski boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 more comfortable for the user to put on and wear . with particular reference to fig1 , a first series 10 is shown in which the boots 11 all have a sole 13 of fixed length l 1 , for example comprised between about 285 mm and about 290 mm , advantageously 288 mm . in this first series 10 , on three soles 13 of equal length , three respective distinct casings 12 are provided , each shaped in a different way from the others , so as to define respective three internal compartments 12 a , 12 b and 12 c , of a different size , variable in a discrete manner ( half a size , a size or a desired fraction of a size ), into which the specific inner boot 15 is inserted . in this case , the internal compartment 12 a has a usable internal length of about 235 mm , that is , about size 36 or 36½ european , the internal compartment 12 b has a usable internal length of about 245 mm , that is , about size 37½ , 38 , while the internal compartment 12 c has a usable internal length of about 255 mm , that is , about size 39 , 39½ . with particular reference to fig2 , a second series 110 is shown in which the boots 111 all have a sole 113 with a fixed length l 2 , for example comprised between about 315 mm and about 320 mm , advantageously 318 mm . in this second series 110 , on three soles 113 of equal length , three respective distinct casings 112 are provided , each shaped in a different way from the others , so as to define respective three internal compartments 112 a , 112 b and 112 c , variable in a discrete manner , of a different size , into which the specific inner boot 115 is inserted . in this case , the internal compartment 112 a has a usable internal length of about 265 mm , that is , about size 40 , 41 , the internal compartment 112 b has a usable internal length of about 275 mm , that is , about size 42 , 42½ , while the internal compartment 112 c has a usable internal length of about 285 mm , that is , about size 43 , 44 . with particular reference to fig3 , a third series 210 is shown in which the boots 211 all have a sole 213 with a fixed length l 3 , for example comprised between about 340 mm and about 350 mm , advantageously 348 mm . in this third series 210 , on three soles 213 of equal length , three respective distinct casings 212 are provided , each shaped in a different way from the others , so as to define respective three internal compartments 212 a , 212 b and 212 c , variable in a discrete manner , of a different size , into which the specific inner boot 215 is inserted . in this case , the internal compartment 212 a has a usable internal length of about 295 mm , that is , about size 45 , 45½ , the internal compartment 212 b has a usable internal length of about 305 mm , that is , about size 46½ , 47 , while the internal compartment 212 c has a usable internal length of about 315 mm , that is , about size 48 , 48½ . with particular reference to fig4 , a fourth series 310 is shown in which the boots 311 all have a sole 313 with a fixed length l 4 , for example comprised between about 375 mm and about 380 mm , advantageously 378 mm . in this fourth series 310 , on three soles 313 of equal length , three respective distinct casings 312 are provided , each shaped in a different way from the others , so as to define respective three internal compartments 312 a , 312 b and 312 c , variable in a discrete manner , of a different size , into which the specific inner boot 315 is inserted . in this case , the internal compartment 312 a has a usable internal length of about 325 mm , that is , about size 49 , 49½ , the internal compartment 312 b has a usable internal length of about 335 mm , that is , about size 50 , 50½ , while the internal compartment 312 c has a usable internal length of about 345 mm , that is , about size 51 , 51½ . in this way , by combining together the four series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 made according to one embodiment of the present invention , it is possible to cover , with only four different lengths l 1 , l 2 , l 3 and l 4 of soles 13 , 113 , 213 and 313 , a number of foot sizes that goes from 36 to 51½ . the boots 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 of each of the series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 described above are made by pressure die - casting of polymer material . in one embodiment , the molding equipment , not shown , has a first part substantially the same for all the boots 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 of the same series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 and has pre - determined size . in this first part the sole 13 , 113 , 213 and 313 of each ski boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 is made . in this embodiment , the molding equipment also comprises a second part , modified or selectively modifiable in a front segment and / or in a rear segment thereof , for each boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 of the same series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 so as to make different casings 12 , 112 , 212 and 312 for each series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 . as shown schematically by a line of dashes in the attached drawings , the variation in thickness and / or inclination of the tip of the casing 12 , 112 , 212 and 312 and / or the variation in thickness and / or inclination in the heel part of the same determines the discrete variation of the relative internal volume 12 a , 12 b , 12 c ; 112 a , 112 b , 112 c ; 212 a , 212 b , 212 c ; 312 a , 312 b , 312 c , of the casings 12 , 112 , 212 and 312 and hence of the foot size of the boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 . according to an alternative embodiment , a specific mold is made for each boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 to be made . in this embodiment , the second part is shaped specifically to define the relative internal volume 12 a , 12 b , 12 c ; 112 a , 112 b , 112 c ; 212 a , 212 b , 212 c ; 312 a , 312 b , 312 c , of the casings 12 , 112 , 212 and 312 . according to another alternative embodiment , a single mold is made , at least one for each series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 . in this solution , the second part of the mold is selectively modifiable by suitably positioning inserts , thicknesses , blocks or other , in the front segment and / or rear segment of the mold , so as to define , on each occasion , a desired internal volume 12 a , 12 b , 12 c ; 112 a , 112 b , 112 c ; 212 a , 212 b , 212 c ; 312 a , 312 b , 312 c , of the casings 12 , 112 , 212 and 312 . in this way , whether distinct molds are used for every boot 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 , or whether the same modifiable mold is used for each series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 , we have the advantage of being able to provide the common production of at least a part of the mold for all the boots 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 of the same series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 . it is clear , however , that modifications and / or additions of parts may be made to the series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 as described heretofore , without departing from the field and scope of the present invention . for example , it comes within the field of the present invention to provide that there is a different number of series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 other than four , and also that each series 10 , 110 , 210 and 310 provides a different number of boots 11 , 111 , 211 and 311 , other than three , between one series and the other . for example , it comes within the field of the present invention to provide a combination of five series of sports shoes , in which the first series comprises two boots , the second series comprises four boots , the third series comprises three boots and the fourth and fifth series each comprises two boots of different sizes . it is also clear that , although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples , a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of series of sports shoes , such as ski boots , snowboard boots or suchlike , of different sizes , and relative production method , having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby . | 0 |
a novel method and apparatus are described for arranging two logical frame buffers into a single memory system for display operations of a computer . the particular electronic implementation of the present invention should not be seen as limiting because the present invention may be suitable for use in any electronically controlled system requiring the use of at least two logical frame buffers for display operations . throughout this detailed description numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention , for example , multiple references are made to specific data word bit - widths of communication lines . these specific values are exemplary only . to one skilled in the art , however , it will be appreciated that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details and that a wide range of data - word - bit - width values can be used within the scope of the present invention . in other instances , well - known methods , procedures , control structures and gate level circuits have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the present invention . with today &# 39 ; s device technology , the development of specialized integrated circuits and programmable logic generally do not require the rendering of fully detailed circuit diagrams . the definition of logic functionality allow computer design techniques to design the desired logic and circuits . additionally , microcontrollers are known to operate based on a desired flow diagram rendered into software that is compatible with a selected microcontroller . accordingly , portions of the present invention will be described primarily in terms of functionality to be implemented by a microcontroller and other associated electronic components . this functionality will be described and those of ordinary skill in the art , once given the following descriptions of the various functions to be carried out by the present invention will be able to implement the necessary microcontroller structure and logic for various logic devices or custom designed integrated circuits in suitable technologies without undue experimentation . fig3 is a block diagram illustrating a partial computer system 300 in accordance with the present invention . this computer system 300 comprises a system bus 310 and a video bus 325 for carrying information , a cpu 320 coupled to the system bus 310 for processing information and instructions , a video display controller 330 coupled to the video bus 325 for processing image information and for directing the processed image information to an associated display 335 , and moreover two logical frame buffers a and b 342 , 344 both being operatively stored in a single memory 340 . this memory 340 is coupled singly to the system bus 310 and the video bus 325 for receiving and dispatching image information , and coupled to the video display controller 330 for receiving control signals , and being further coupled to the video display controller 330 via a sequential , multiple - bit line 350 . a preferred line bit - width for the memory 340 is 32 bits for carrying a four - byte word worth of information per data clock cycle . the display 335 utilized with the computer system 300 may be a liquid crystal device , cathode ray tube , or other display devices suitable for creating graphic images and alphanumeric characters recognizable to the user . in fact , the display 335 is generic in that it could represent more than one display . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , a four - byte word worth of data from the lower bit - per - pixel frame buffer , for example , frame buffer a 342 , is clocked out to the video display controller 330 via the multi - bit line 350 among the four - byte words of data from the higher bit - per - pixel frame buffer b 344 so image data from both frame buffers are transferred to the input port of the video display controller 330 &# 34 ; simultaneously &# 34 ;. for example , fig4 a shows the frame buffer a 342 stores image data at 8 bits per pixel and the frame buffer b 344 stores data at 16 bits per pixel . fig4 a further illustrates how these frame buffers 342 , 344 are viewed by software , which is also how each frame buffer would be physically stored in the memory 340 if it were the only frame buffer . on the other hand , fig4 b illustrates how the two logical frame buffers 342 , 344 are physically interleaved and stored together in the memory 340 . in this manner , each pixel data clock cycle will cause the video display controller 330 to receive either 4 data pixels from the frame buffer a 342 or 2 pixels of data from the frame buffer b 344 . the video display controller 330 knowing the sequence of the interleaved image data from the two frame buffers 342 , 344 , separates the data stream on the multi - bit line 350 into two data streams and stores them separately and in a timed manner into two registers . the video display controller 330 then uses the image data one pixel &# 39 ; s - worth at a time from each of the two registers , compares one frame buffer &# 39 ; s pixel data to that of another , and basing on the comparison result sends the pixel data from one register or the other on to the remainder of the display system such as the display 335 . in another embodiment , each frame buffer is to be used by a separate display ; and in this case , the video display controller 330 processes and separates the interleaved data stream into two and directs each of them to its associated display for usage . in a preferred embodiment where the two frame buffers 342 , 344 store data at the same bit - per - pixel rate , for example , 16 bits per pixel , the typical 32 bits of the multi - bit line 350 leading to the video display controller 330 must be clocked at the full pixel clock rate , i . e ., two clock cycles provide two pixels from each of the two frame buffers , 342 , 344 . but as shown in fig5 a and 5b , if both frame buffers 342 , 344 are stored at a rate of 8 bits per pixel , then the image data output from the memory 340 would occur at half the frequency needed for the 16 - bit - per - pixel embodiment . obviously , at 4 , 2 or 1 bit - per - pixel rate for both frame buffers 342 , 344 , the image data output would occur correspondingly less frequent . in the event that the frame buffer a 342 stores data at half of the bit - per - pixel rate of the frame buffer b 344 , being &# 34 ; simultaneous &# 34 ; now means delivering to the video display controller 330 the image data from the frame buffer a 342 at half of the rate of the frame buffer b 344 . in other words , the video display controller 330 receives the frame buffer a 342 data in one 32 - bit word out of three , and receives the frame buffer b 344 data in the other two of three words . for example , fig6 a illustrates the corresponding timing relationship for memory data output between the frame buffer a 342 at 8 bits per pixel and the frame buffer b 344 at 16 bits per pixel . clock pulses for the frame buffer b 344 output occur on the full 32 bits of the multi - bit line 350 once for every two pixel clock cycles , and the pulses for the frame buffer a 342 are interleaved , once for every four pixel clock cycles . in this case , if the video bus width is reduced from 32 bits to 16 bits , then one would have to clock the memory 340 at double the pixel clock rate . similarly , referring to fig6 b , when the frame buffer a 342 stores data at 1 / 4 the bit - per - pixel rate of the frame buffer b 344 , in that case , the frame buffer a 342 stores data in one 32 - bit word out of five , while the frame buffer b 344 stores data in the other four of five words . in general , when one frame buffer stores image data at 1 / n the bit - per - pixel rate of the other frame buffer , the lower bit - per - pixel frame buffer stores data in one word out of n + 1 , while the higher bit - per - pixel frame buffer stores data in the other n of n + 1 data words . this principle can be extended to cases in which one or both buffers store data at 24 bits per pixel or higher , but the multi - bit line 350 in those cases must be made wider than 32 bits , e . g ., 64 bits or 128 bits , or the input port of the video display controller 330 must be clocked at a multiple of the pixel clock rate . in an interleaved image data stream , data from either frame buffer could appear first , however , it is preferred and more advantageous for placing data from the lower bit - per - pixel frame buffer first into the data stream . this is because more pixels could be stored into a single 32 - bit word for the lower bit - per - pixel frame buffer . this way , therefore , data from the two frame buffers 342 , 344 can be compared or used as soon as each subsequent 32 - bit word containing pixel data from the higher bit - per - pixel frame buffers arrives at the video display controller 330 . a more general embodiment for these two frame buffers , therefore , includes a video bus having a sequence of t - bit data words for carrying image information and frame buffer # 1 and frame buffer # 2 . both frame buffers transfer their image information onto the video bus via separate t - bit data words and that both frame buffers having p 1 bits per pixel and p 2 bits per pixel respectively where the following conditions should be observed : 1 ) p 2 / p 1 = n , and n is a number ranging from 1 to t ; 3 ) x 1 and x 2 being integers and are numbers of pixels separately stored in each t - bit data word for the first logical frame buffer and the second logical frame buffer respectively , x 1 ranging from 1 to truncate ( t / p 1 ) and x 2 ranging from 1 to truncate ( t / p 2 ); and 4 ) the sequence of the t - bit data words carrying the image information in a repeating pattern such that for each x 1 pixels of the first frame buffer carried there is an immediate corresponding x 1 pixels of the second frame buffer also being carried by the sequence so that the pattern repeats itself after every 2x 1 pixels . this general embodiment described is for a two - frame - buffer - in - a - single - memory system ; similarly , a multiple - frame - buffer - in - a - single - memory system could also be implemented without undue experimentation . because the two frame buffers 342 , 344 are physically stored into a single memory system , the cpu access of these frame buffers 342 , 344 must be adapted for passing those addresses to the memory 340 so the image data stored can be shifted out sequentially in the manner illustrated by fig5 a , 5b , 6a and 6b . in addition , fig7 is an address table illustrating the least significant column bits of the memory addresses to be accessed in sequence by the input port for image data of the video display controller 330 , and the appropriate least significant bits of the cpu addresses used by software to access the frame buffer data stored at those memory address . for the multi - bit line 350 , cpu address bits a1 - 0 ( not shown ) are typically used as byte address bits within a 32 - bit word . each column in fig7 shows the addressing mapping for different bit - per - pixel ratios between the frame buffer a 342 and that of the frame buffer b 344 . in general , if the bit - per - pixel rate of the data stored in the frame buffer b 344 is n times that of the frame buffer a 342 , and data from the frame buffer a 342 is placed into the data stream first , then the following transformation must be done to each cpu address ( excluding , of course , the byte address bits , e . g ., a1 - 0 ) so as to generate a vram address for frame buffer access . where address div n is equivalent to shifting the address right y bit positions , where 2 y = n , which removes y least significant bits from the address . now , if data from the frame buffer b is placed into the data stream before that of the frame buffer a , meaning if n words of frame buffer b data is followed by one word of frame buffer a data , then : in cases where the multi - bit line 350 is different from 32 bits in width , other than the expected variability for the number of the byte address bits , the above transformation holds . instead of storing data in the memory in a sequential manner , one could take advantage of the fact that software can define a frame buffer in memory as a series of bytes storing the data for the first horizontal line of the display , followed by a fixed gap of unused bytes , and continuing on the next row by another series of bytes for the next line of the display , then another gap of unused bytes , and so on . for a 640 × 480 display , this makes a frame buffer of 480 lines , each containing the number of bytes needed to store the data for 640 pixels plus a fixed number of unused gap bytes . in practice , using the minimum memory size needed to store the data for a 640 × 480 display at any given number of bit - per - pixel rate typically leaves sufficient excess memory to make the number of bytes per line ( i . e ., pixel bytes plus gap bytes ) equal to the nearest power - of - two bytes that is larger than the pixel bytes alone . for example , it takes 307 , 200 bytes to store the data for a 640 × 480 display at 8 bits per pixel , 480 lines of 640 bytes each . the minimum memory size needed to store this data is 512k bytes ( see fig1 a , 1b ). as shown in fig8 it is possible to define the frame buffer as 480 lines of 1024 bytes each ( 1024 is the next power of 2 greater than 640 ), with a gap of 384 unused bytes at the end of each line of display data . similarly , fig9 illustrates a 4 - bit - per - pixel frame buffer could be stored in a 512k memory with 704 unused bytes following each line of display data . therefore , another preferred embodiment interleaves data bytes of the frame buffers in fig8 and 9 only within a given horizontal display line . in other words , as shown in fig1 , this is effectively storing a line of second frame buffer &# 39 ; s data in the unused gap bytes at the end of the corresponding data line of the first frame buffer . for this embodiment wherein the bit - per - pixel rate of the frame buffer b is n times that of the frame buffer a , the following address transformation should be applied to the portions of the cpu addresses that constitute the r bits of row address and the c bits of column address software uses to access the logical frame buffer : ______________________________________ for accessing the frame buffer a 342 : vram column address = c lsb &# 39 ; s of { cpu columnaddress + n ( cpu column address )}; and for accessing the frame buffer b 344 : vram column address = c lsb &# 39 ; s of { cpu columnaddress + ( cpu column address div n ) + 1 }; ______________________________________ where lsb represents least significant bit and where address div n is equivalent to shifting the address right y bit positions , where 2 y = n , which removes y least significant bits from the address . an advantage for this embodiment is that the conversion of each cpu address to a memory address described above is applied only to the column portion of the cpu address . the row portion of each cpu address is used unchanged as the row address to the memory . this is important because every calculation used in determining the memory &# 39 ; s row address delays access to the memory content , and therefore adversely affects overall performance of the video system . the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed , and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application , to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents . | 6 |
reference is now made to fig1 wherein there is shown the source collimator comprising this invention . the collimating unit 1 includes integral combination of the collimator structure 2 and the radiation source 3 . in general , the radiation source 3 is positioned within the housing 4 and enclosed by the cap or end member 5 in combination with the sealing member 6 . the other side of the radiation source 3 is enclosed by means of the cylindrical mounting support 7 of the collimator 2 and the sealing member 8 . fastening means such as the bolt members 10 are utilized to secure the mounting support 7 to the source support 4 while bolt members such as that illustrated at 11 are used to secure the end cap 5 to the source support 4 . the other end of the mounting support 7 of the collimator 2 is provided with an end plate 12 and sealing member 13 secured in position by means of the bolt members 14 . the area designated at 15 in fig1 comprises a plurality of collimating members shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . these collimating members are housed within the cylindrical housing 16 mounted within the support 7 . the collimating members as illustrated in fig2 and 3 represent two specific configurations for such members . as shown in fig2 the collimating members 17 comprise a plurality of elongated parallel rod members 17 which are provided to have identical cross - sectional areas and are all of equal length . on the other hand as shown in fig3 the collimating members 18 are tubular . in both cases the collimating members 17 and 18 are bound together to form a rigid assembly within the housing 16 . it should be readily understood that the collimating members 17 and 18 as assembled form a plurality of elongated parallel passages generally indicated in fig2 and 3 at 20 which provide for a highly collimated radiation beam for purposes of transmission of the radiation energy provided by source 3 . due to the length of the collimator 2 as illustrated in fig1 a highly collimated beam can be produced which has a substantially narrow beam width and capable of being transmitted for substantially long distances without a substantial loss in the intensity of radiation detected . thus , the high collimation of such radiation is accomplished by collimator configurations as shown in fig2 and 3 through the means of the formation of the elongated passages 20 as well as in addition to the inner tubular passages 21 of the collimator members 18 of fig3 . the design of the source collimator as shown in fig1 has been found to alleviate the problem of the necessity of a higher level of radiation intensity to be employed at the radiation source container such as the case of gamma ray transmission , particularly in connection with the transmission of such rays or beams over distances of fifty feet or more . the collimator 2 accomplishes the relative maintenance of a high level radiation intensity over such long distances by producing a highly collimated beam with the employment of medium or low energy radiation . because of the narrowness of the width or diameter of the collimator compared to its length , as shown in fig2 the radiated beam permits detection at greater distances as compared with the broad beam type of transmission . this is because a broad beam is spread over a larger solid angle . the narrow radiation beam delineated by the collimating members 15 can be pinpointed on the detector within the confines of the detector crystal . the radiation intensity between the radiation source and the detector will begin to gradually decrease in regards to count rate only when the beam width or diameter as produced by the aggregate of the elongated , parallel passages , begins to become slightly larger than the diameter of the detector crystal . at a point more distant from the source , the portion of the beam resulting from a single parallel passage begins to exceed the diameter of the detector crystal . from this point the radiation intensity of the beam will commence to follow an inverse square relationship , that is , the intensity measured by counts per minute will begin to decrease inversely with the square of the distance from the radiation source . the important point to be established here is that the application of the inverse square law does not apply for a large distance . long distance transmission of nuclear radiation , such as a gamma radiation , can be realized for purposes of detection , indication and measuring when utilizing the source collimator comprising this invention . by the same token , the beam or signal produced is quite safe to working personnel within the area of the radiant energy transmission system . the level of radiation at the source or at any distance from the source along the radiation beam or signal as produced is much less than the standard set by the atomic energy commission at 10 c . f . r . 20 . 105 ( b ) for &# 34 ; unrestricted &# 34 ; areas which is less than or equal to two millirems / hr . a typical application of the radiant energy transmission system disclosed herein is illustrated diagrammatically in fig4 . in general , there is shown a hot strip mill lane wherein the slab 22 is proceeding down the conveyor system 23 toward the crop shear 24 and descaler 25 . in fig4 there is provided four source collimators 1a through 1d positioned in a manner to provide the respective highly collimated radiation beams or signals 28a through 28d which are aligned toward the respective detectors 26a through 26d , each of which is provided with a detector crystal 30a through 30b , respectively . each of the detectors 26a to 26d is also provided with a signal circuit means generally indicated at 27a to 27d . the circuit means 27a to 27d , as is well known in the art , are responsive to the detector crystal 30a to 30d which is excited by means of the radiation beam 28a to 28d . from the foregoing description , it can readily be seen that as the slab 22 moves along the conveyor 23 , the slab will readily be detected by detectors 26a to 26c as the slab 22 interrupts the established radiation beam or signals 28a to 28c . the electrical signal produced by the circuit means 27a to 27c can be used to operate the hot strip mill equipment such as the shear 24 . also , the slab 22 while traveling along the conveyor 23 will interrupt the established radiation signal 28d between the radiation source 1d and detector 26d . the signal produced by the circuit means 27d can be utilized to operate the descaler 25 after the slab 22 has passed the shear 24 . as previously explained , the type of detection system utilized in the past for this particular application has been one that employs infrared energy . the beam or signal established by such energy is not reliable in connection with a hot strip mill since steam and heavy vaporous conditions caused by quenching operations interfere or otherwise obstruct the infrared signal from reaching the detector . in connection with the radiant energy transmission system of this invention , the source employed is productive of gamma radiation which is not interfered with or otherwise obstructed by the heavy vaporous atmosphere produced during the operation of the hot strip mill . at the same time , the collimating unit of this invention provides a highly collimated , low intensity beam which is detectable at greater distances than previously employed . the unit also provides for safe transmission which is not hazardous to working personnel in the immediate vicinity of the hot strip mill lane . the photon emission rate in terms of the number of photons per second with a 2 mr / hr dose rate at exit surface 40 of the collimating unit shown in fig1 can be calculated by the equation of where &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; represents the number of photons per second , &# 34 ; k &# 34 ; is the number of photons / cm 2 sec / mr ./ hr ; &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; represents the area of the source , that is its diametrical extent , and &# 34 ; f &# 34 ; represents the free space area fraction , that is , the ratio of the total area of spaces or passages provided between the collimating members 17 and 18 as shown respectively in fig2 and 3 to the area of the source 3 . the count rate ( the detected fraction of the photon emission rate ) is also established by this equation or formula . as shown in fig5 and 6 the count rate , as so established is fairly constant until the diametrical extent or width of the radiation beam diverges to such an extent that it becomes larger than the diametrical extent of the detector crystal such as those shown in fig4 at 30a to d . when this drop in count rate or radiation intensity takes place at this point , its diminishing strength with regard to the distance of its travel would first be only gradual . this is because the radiation emerging from individual parallel passages has not diverged sufficiently to be greater in cross - sectional extent than the detector . when this happens the count rate commences to drop sharply . the distance along the beam is measured from the exit surface 40 and is represented by &# 34 ; r &# 34 ;, in the relationship of wherein &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; equals the length of the collimating members , &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; is equal to the diametrical extent of the detector crystal and &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; is the approximate average diameter of the passages 20 , as shown in fig2 or depicted in fig3 at 20 and 21 . at this distance r , the count rate will begin to diminish in accordance with the inverse square law rule . thus , from the foregoing , it can readily be seen that the construction of the collimator 2 , particularly in connection with the collimating members depicted generally at 15 in fig1 can be selected in accordance with their length and diametrical size when taking into consideration the transmission range or distance desired , the diametrical extent of the detector crystal , the tolerable diameter of the radiation beam as transmitted , and the minimum signal to background radiation level that is required in connection with the particular application . in order to better understand the foregoing relationship as well as the advantages obtained by using the collimator unit 1 of the type shown in fig1 the following examples are representative of the type of long distance transmission that may be utilized when employing low energy level gamma radiation sources . a one curie americium - 241 source collimator having a radiating face diameter of 0 . 92 inches was chosen having an average dose rate at its front face of approximately 0 . 40 mr . per hr . the detector crystal had a diameter of 1 . 5 inches . the collimating members were chosen to be a plurality of closely packed stainless steel tubes such as shown in fig3 . these tubes had an outside diameter of 0 . 125 inches and an inside diameter of 0 . 085 inches and were selected to be 7 inches long . it was found that the dose rate at the steel tube openings at the outer end of the collimator unit 2 had a maximum rate of 0 . 44 mr ./ hr . thus , the atomic energy commission limits , as previously explained in connection with radiation exposure , were not exceeded at the forward surface 40 of the collimator or the exit end plate 14 in fig1 . the free space area fraction , f , was about 0 . 6 , and the value for k was approximately 8 . 9 × 10 3 photons / cm 2 sec / mr ./ hr . by employing equation ( 1 ) to calculate emission rate c , and by empirically determining count rates at various distances from the am - 241 source collimator , the results shown in fig5 are obtained . the line 30 of fig5 shows count rate as a measure of radiation intensity versus the distance from the radiation source . the background radiation level in connection with a particular experimental application is also shown . a diagonal line 31 representing the theoretical count rate in that situation where the radiated beam would follow an inverse square relationship is shown . the collimated radiation signal or beam has approximately a 1 inch width at the front face 12 of the collimator and 8 inch width at 50 feet from the collimator unit 1 . it will be readily noted upon examination of fig5 that the count rate as a function of radiation intensity does not fall off with an inverse square relationship immediately upon the emergence of the collimated radiation beam from the exit surface 40 of the collimator unit 2 . in fact , by employing the equation ( 2 ) for determining the approximate maximum distance wherein the diminishing rate of the radiation intensity will follow an inverse square relationship , it will be seen that the distance as shown by fig5 is approximately 10 feet . in the particular example here , the length of the collimators being 7 inches , the diameter d of the detector crystal being 1 . 5 inches , and the diametrical extent of one of the passages 21 as shown in fig2 being approximately 0 . 085 inches , the distance obtained from equation ( 2 ) is calculated to be approximately 10 feet . it also should be noted that in connection with fig5 at point 30 the signal even at 50 feet from the radiation source is ten times the background radiation level . with conventional prior art collimators , using the same beam intensity , this same level could be obtained only at approximately 7 feet from the source as depicted at 31 . the beam diameter at point 30 was determined to be approximately 8 inches . the signal to background ratio can be significantly increased by shielding the detector crystal . also pulse height discrimination can be utilized in connection with the signal circuit means to obtain a better detection system at such distances . a collimator unit 2 was chosen employing collimating members such as 17 shown in fig2 which specifically were 0 . 04 inch diameter tungsten rods being 1 % thoriated . an 1 . 0 curie cesium - 137 source with an 0 . 92 inch radiating face was employed and the maximum experimental dosage rate at the exit surface 40 of the collimator was determined to be 1 . 3 mr . per hr ., which is well within the atomic energy commission exposure limits . the free space area fraction f , was approximately 0 . 08 while the parameter k equalled approximately 8 . 1 × 10 2 photons / cm 2 sec / mr ./ hr . by using these values with formula ( 1 ) the photon emission rate , c , at the exit surface 40 can be calculated . the collimated radiation signal or beam was found to have a diametrical extent of approximately 1 inch at the collimator and only 2 inches at 50 feet from the collimator unit 1 ; which is point 32 in fig6 . fig6 shows the count rate versus distance from the cesium - 137 source collimator . as predicted by the maximum distance equation for r , using the data previously mentioned , as depicted in fig6 it was found that an inverse square relationship was not followed by the radiation beam until approximately 60 feet . the count rate data obtained in employing this particular source collimator shows this to be true . the background radiation level in fig6 was the same as that in fig5 so that if the disclosed collimator were not employed , the effective distance of transmission of a radiating beam of the same intensity would be only slightly more than 3 feet , which is point 33 in fig6 . from the foregoing it can readily be seen that for long distance gamma ray transmission , that is , from about 50 feet upwards to several hundred feet , it is advantageous to employ a highly collimated radiation beam or signal which is effective with regard to background radiation levels . for such long distance transmission it can readily be sen that the signal to background radiation level can be significantly larger , as much as 10 to 1 or more . from the examples just explained , the gamma radiation beam or signal is so highly collimated that its diameter at 50 feet in connection with the am - 241 source is only 8 inches and with respect to the cesium - 130 source is only 2 inches . thus , the radiation exposure level with respect to working personnel in the area of the radiant energy transmission system is very much minimized . it should be understood that the distance of effective transmission of the gamma radiation beam or signal is a function of the length of the collimator members , the diametrical extent of the detection crystal at the detector , as well as the approximate diametrical extent of the passages provided by the collimator members as shown assembled in fig2 and 3 . one can relatively design and construct a collimator unit 2 as shown in fig1 to meet the requirements of a particular detection crystal as well as the necessary transmission range by properly choosing the ratio of the length of the collimator members relative to the diametrical extent of a collimating passage provided by the bundled and assembled collimator members , such as depicted at 20 in fig2 in the case of the collimator rods 17 and at 20 and 21 in fig3 in the case of the collimator tubes 21 . thus , a more highly collimated beam can be obtained within practical limits by optimizing the length of the collimating members while minimizing the size or diametrical extent of the collimating members . although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity , it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed . | 6 |
in order to enable a ue in an lte - a system to determine which mode is adopted for carrier scheduling of a component carrier supported by the ue , an embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining a carrier scheduling mode in an lte - a system , and in this method , a network device in the lte - a system transmits a first indicator of whether to adopt a cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier to a user equipment to instruct the user equipment to determine from the first indicator whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier supported by the user equipment . referring to fig6 , a method for determining a carrier scheduling mode in an lte - a system according to an embodiment of the invention includes the following operations . operation 60 : a network device transmits a first indicator of whether to adopt a cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier to a user equipment to instruct the user equipment to determine from the first indicator whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier supported by the user equipment . operation 61 : the user equipment determines from the received first indicator whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier supported by the user equipment . in a first embodiment , the network device carries in a system message the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier and broadcasts the system message to respective user equipments subject to the network device in the operation 60 . correspondingly , the user equipment determines from the received system message whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment in the operation 61 . particularly , when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being adopted for resource scheduling of a component carrier is carried in the system message , the user equipment determines the cross - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment ; or when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being not adopted for resource scheduling of a component carrier is carried in the system message , the user equipment determines the intra - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment . preferably , the network device may further carry in a system message or radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling a reconfigured second indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of the component carrier and transmit the system message or the rrc signalling to the user equipment after the network device transmits the first indicator to the user equipment ; and the user equipment determines again from the system message or the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or the intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment upon reception of the system message or the rrc signalling . in a second embodiment , the network device carries in a system message the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier and broadcasts the system message to the user equipment over the component carrier in the first indicator in the operation 60 . correspondingly , the user equipment determines from the received system message whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the indicator in the operation 61 . particularly , when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being adopted for resource scheduling of a component carrier is carried in the system message , the user equipment determines the cross - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator ; or when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being not adopted for resource scheduling of a component carrier is carried in the system message , the user equipment determines the intra - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator . preferably , the network device may further carry in a system message or rrc signalling a reconfigured second indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of the component carrier and transmit the system message or the rrc signalling to the user equipment over the component carrier in the second indicator after the network device transmits the first indicator to the user equipment ; and the user equipment determines again from the system message or the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or the intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier upon reception of the system message or the rrc signalling . in a third embodiment , the network device carries in rrc signalling a first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of all component carriers supported by the user equipment and transmits the rrc signalling to the user equipment in the operation 60 . correspondingly , the user equipment determines from the received rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment in the operation 61 . particularly , when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being adopted for resource scheduling of all component carriers supported by the user equipment is carried in the rrc signalling , the user equipment determines the cross - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment ; or when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being not adopted for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment is carried in the rrc signalling , the user equipment determines the intra - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment . preferably , the network device may further carry in rrc signalling a reconfigured second indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of all component carriers supported by the user equipment and transmit the rrc signalling to the user equipment after the network device transmits the first indicator to the user equipment ; and the user equipment determines again from the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or the intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment upon reception of the rrc signalling . in a fourth embodiment , the network device carries in rrc signalling the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a specific component carrier supported by the user equipment and transmits the rrc signalling to the user equipment in the operation 60 . correspondingly , the user equipment determines from the received rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator in the operation 61 . particularly , when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being adopted for resource scheduling of the specific component carrier supported by the user equipment is carried in the rrc signalling , the user equipment determines the cross - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator ; or when the first indicator of the cross - carrier scheduling mode being not adopted for resource scheduling of the specific component carrier supported by the user equipment is carried in the rrc signalling , the user equipment determines the intra - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator . preferably , the network device may further carry in rrc signalling a reconfigured second indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of the specific component carrier supported by the user equipment and transmit the rrc signalling to the user equipment after the network device transmits the first indicator to the user equipment ; and the user equipment determines again from the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or the intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the second indicator upon reception of the rrc signalling . after the operation 61 , the user equipment detects a physical downlink control channel ( pdcch ) over the component carrier , for which the cross - carrier scheduling mode is determined to be adopted for resource scheduling , in accordance with a downlink control information ( dci ) format corresponding to the cross - carrier scheduling mode ; or the user equipment detects a pdcch over the component carrier , for which the cross - carrier scheduling mode is determined not to be adopted for resource scheduling , in accordance with a dci format corresponding to the intra - carrier scheduling mode . the dci format corresponding to the cross - carrier scheduling mode includes at least information on the number of the carrier where the scheduled physical resource is located , so that the ue can acquire a resource scheduling instruction of the corresponding carrier from the number of the carrier included in the dci by monitoring the carrier where the pdcch is located and further transmit and receive data over the scheduled carrier resource . the dci format corresponding to the intra - carrier scheduling mode does not include information on the number of any carrier . preferably , the network device may further transmit identifiers of all or a part of component carriers supported by the lte - a system to the user equipment when the network device transmits the first indicator or the second indicator to the user equipment in the operation 60 ; and the user equipment may determine a frequency point location of a component carrier from the received identifier of the component carrier . the method in the present invention may be performed in the following several solutions . a user equipment is notified of whether the system adopts cross - carrier scheduling , i . e ., whether to adopt the pdcch 1 b mode , from the network side by broadcasting a system message . this solution is applicable to cross - carrier scheduling configuration in which one cc is not distinguished from another at the system level , that is , each ue is configured at the network side to have the cross - carrier scheduling mode enabled or not enabled , that is , the same configuration value is broadcasted over each cc participating in broadcasting the system message . information on the carrier number of each cc that can be aggregated in the system may further be broadcasted from the network side . if cross - carrier scheduling is configured to be enabled in the system message broadcast , the configuration is validated if a ue receiving the broadcast is capable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling , i . e ., the ue performs cross - carrier scheduling in the pdcch 1 b mode by using the carrier number ; or the ue performs resource scheduling only in the intra - carrier scheduling ( i . e ., pdcch 1 a ) mode if the ue is incapable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling . if cross - carrier scheduling is configured not to be enabled in the system message broadcast , each ue receiving the broadcast enables only the intra - carrier scheduling mode and disables the pdcch 1 b mode . if a configuration scheme regarding cross - carrier scheduling is changed in the system , this will be reflected in a change to the system message , and the ue can acquire information on the changed carrier scheduling configuration by monitoring the changed system message ; and a connected ue can further be notified of the change to the carrier scheduling configuration scheme from the network side in dedicated rrc signalling . a user equipment is notified of whether to enable cross - carrier scheduling for each component carrier in the system from the network side by broadcasting a system message . this solution is applicable to cross - carrier scheduling configuration in which one cc is distinguished from another at the system level , that is , each ue is configured at the network side to have the cross - carrier scheduling mode enabled or not enabled for each cc that can be aggregated , i . e ., a configuration value of the carrier scheduling mode over each cc participating in broadcasting the system message is broadcasted over the corresponding cc . information on the carrier number of each cc participating in broadcasting the system message or the carrier numbers of all the other ccs that can be aggregated may further be broadcasted over the corresponding cc . if cross - carrier scheduling is configured to be enabled in the system message broadcast over a specific cc , the configuration over that carrier is validated ( that is , cross - carrier scheduling is performed in the pdcch 1 b mode by using the carrier number ) if a ue receiving the broadcast is capable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling ; or the ue enables only the intra - carrier scheduling ( i . e ., pdcch 1 a ) mode over that carrier if the ue is incapable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling . if cross - carrier scheduling is configured not to be enabled in the system message broadcast over a specific cc , each ue receiving the broadcast enables only the intra - carrier scheduling mode and disables the pdcch 1 b mode . if a configuration scheme regarding cross - carrier scheduling over a specific cc is changed in the system , this will be reflected in a change to the system message over that cc , and the ue can acquire information on the changed carrier scheduling configuration by monitoring the changed system message over that cc ; and a connected ue may further be notified of the change to the carrier scheduling configuration scheme of a specific cc or some ccs in dedicated rrc signalling . a ue is notified of whether to enable cross - carrier scheduling from the network side in dedicated rrc signalling . this solution is applicable to cross - carrier scheduling configuration in which one cc is not distinguished from another at the ue level , that is , each ue can be configured with a different carrier scheduling scheme at the network side but without distinguishing one cc from another while configuring a specific ue with a carrier scheduling scheme , that is , the ue is configured to have the pdcch 1 b mode enabled separately , and a different carrier scheduling scheme can be enabled for a different ue in the same system . 1 - bit information can be used at the network side in rrc signalling , in which a carrier scheduling scheme of a ue is configured , to indicate whether the pdcch 1 b mode is enabled for the ue , and also information on the numbers of all the current aggregated carriers or all the carriers that can be aggregated of the ue can optionally be carried in the signalling for use in the cross - carrier scheduling mode . a carrier scheduling scheme configured for a specific ue can be reconfigured separately at the network side in dedicated rrc signalling . a ue is notified of whether to enable cross - carrier scheduling for a specific component carrier from the network side in dedicated rrc signalling . this solution is applicable to cross - carrier scheduling configuration in which one cc is distinguished from another at the ue level , that is , each carrier that can be aggregated of each ue can be configured with a different carrier scheduling scheme at the network side . 1 - bit information can be used at the network side in rrc signalling , in which a carrier scheduling scheme over a specific carrier of a ue is configured , to indicate whether the pdcch 1 b mode is enabled over that cc , and also information on the number corresponding to that cc or the numbers of all the current aggregated carriers of the ue can optionally be carried in the signalling for use in the cross - carrier scheduling mode . a carrier scheduling scheme configured for a specific cc in a set of ccs that can be aggregated for a specific ue can be reconfigured separately at the network side in dedicated rrc signalling . this embodiment corresponds to the foregoing first solution and is particularly as follows . there are three component carriers in an lte - a system , denoted with cc 1 , cc 2 and cc 3 respectively , each of which is a backward compatible carrier . the cross - carrier scheduling mode being configured in the system to be enabled is broadcasted over each of the cc 1 , the cc 2 and the cc 3 together with information on the carrier numbers of all the ccs , {{ cc 1 , 00 }, { cc 2 , 01 }, { cc 3 , 10 }}. a ue 1 capable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling enables the pdcch 1 b mode to use the cc 1 in scheduling data transmission over the cc 1 , the cc 2 and the cc 3 , a ue 2 capable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling enables the pdcch 1 b mode to use the cc 2 in scheduling data transmission over the cc 2 and the cc 3 , and a ue 3 incapable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling disables the pdcch 1 b mode and enables the intra - carrier scheduling mode . this embodiment corresponds to the foregoing second solution and is particularly as follows . there are three component carriers in an lte - a system , denoted with cc 1 , cc 2 and cc 3 respectively , where the cc 1 and the cc 2 are backward compatible carriers and the cc 3 is an extended carrier . the cross - carrier scheduling mode is configured in a system message over the cc 1 not to be enabled for that carrier ; the cross - carrier scheduling mode is configured in a system message broadcasted over the cc 2 to be enabled for that carrier , and information on the carrier numbers of the cc 2 and the cc 3 , {{ cc 2 , 01 }, { cc 3 , 10 }} is broadcasted ; and no system message broadcast is set over the cc 3 . each ue capable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling in the system disables the pdcch 1 b mode over the cc 1 and enables intra - carrier scheduling for data transmission over the cc 1 as well as enables the pdcch 1 b mode over the cc 2 for cross - carrier scheduling for data transmission over the cc 2 and the cc 3 . other ues incapable of supporting cross - carrier scheduling enables the intra - carrier scheduling mode . this embodiment corresponds to the foregoing third solution and is particularly as follows . there are three component carriers in an lte - a system , denoted with cc 1 , cc 2 and cc 3 respectively , where the cc 1 and the cc 2 are backward compatible carriers and the cc 3 is an extended carrier . a ue 1 operates with aggregation over the cc 1 and the cc 2 , and a ue 2 operates with aggregation over all the three ccs . cross - carrier scheduling is configured in rrc signalling from the network side to the ue 1 not to be enabled and is configured in rrc signalling to the ue 2 to be enabled . upon reception of the respective rrc configuration signalling , the ue 1 disables the pdcch 1 b mode over both the cc 1 and the cc 2 and enables the intra - carrier scheduling mode to schedule data transmission over the respective carriers , and the ue 2 disables the pdcch 1 a mode over the cc 1 and enables cross - carrier scheduling for data transmission over the cc 1 , the cc 2 and the cc 3 . this embodiment corresponds to the foregoing fourth solution and is particularly as follows . there are three component carriers in an lte - a system , denoted with cc 1 , cc 2 and cc 3 respectively , where the cc 1 and the cc 2 are backward compatible carriers and the cc 3 is an extended carrier . a ue 1 operates with aggregation over the cc 1 and the cc 2 , and a ue 2 operates with aggregation over all the three ccs . cross - carrier scheduling is configured in rrc signalling from the network side to the ue 1 to be enabled for both the cc 1 and the cc 2 and is configured in rrc signalling to the ue 2 to be enabled for the cc 1 and the cc 3 but not for the cc 2 . upon reception of the respective rrc configuration signalling , the ue 1 enables cross - carrier scheduling over the cc 1 for data transmission over the cc 1 and the cc 2 ; and the ue 2 enables cross - carrier scheduling over the cc 1 for data transmission over the cc 1 and the cc 3 and enables the intra - carrier scheduling mode over the cc 2 . a carrier scheduling mode is reconfigured in rrc signalling in this embodiment particularly as follows . there are three component carriers in an lte - a system , denoted with cc 1 , cc 2 and cc 3 respectively , where the cc 1 and the cc 2 are backward compatible carriers and the cc 3 is an extended carrier . a ue 1 operates with aggregation over all the three ccs and complies with currently received rrc configuration signalling by enabling cross - carrier scheduling over the cc 1 for data transmission over the cc 1 and the cc 3 and enabling the intra - carrier scheduling mode over the cc 2 . thereafter rrc reconfiguration signalling is transmitted from the network side to the ue 1 to indicate cross - carrier scheduling being not enabled for the cc 1 but enabled for the cc 2 and the cc 3 . the ue 1 enables cross - carrier scheduling over the cc 2 for data transmission over the cc 2 and the cc 3 and enables the intra - carrier scheduling mode over the cc 1 upon reception of the reconfiguration signalling . a carrier scheduling mode is reconfigured by broadcasting a system message in this embodiment particularly as follows . there are three component carriers in an lte - a system , denoted with cc 1 , cc 2 and cc 3 respectively , where the cc 1 and the cc 2 are backward compatible carriers and the cc 3 is an extended carrier . at this time , cross - carrier scheduling is configured in a system message over the cc 1 not to be enabled ; the cross - carrier scheduling mode is configured in a system message broadcasted over the cc 2 to be enabled , and information on the carrier numbers of the cc 2 and the cc 3 , {{ cc 2 , 01 }, { cc 3 , 10 }} is broadcasted ; and no system message broadcast is set over the cc 3 . a connected ue 1 receiving the broadcast operates over the three component carriers with intra - carrier scheduling being enabled over the cc 1 and data transmission over the cc 2 and the cc 3 being scheduled over the cc 2 . then there is such a change to the carrier scheduling scheme of the system that the cross - carrier scheduling mode is configured to be enabled for each cc . thus , cross - carrier scheduling is configured in both of the system messages over the cc 1 and the cc 2 to be enabled , and the carrier number of the cc 1 , { cc 1 , 00 } is broadcasted over the cc 1 . the ue 1 acquires the changed carrier scheduling scheme of the system by monitoring the change to the system messages over the cc 1 and the cc 2 and enables the cc 1 in scheduling data transmission over the cc 1 , the cc 2 and the cc 3 . referring to fig7 , an embodiment of the invention further provides a system for scheduling a carrier resource , and this system includes : a network device 70 configured to transmit a first indicator of whether to adopt a cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier to a user equipment ; and the user equipment 71 configured to determine from the received first indicator whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier supported by the user equipment . in a first embodiment , the network device 70 is configured to carry in a system message the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of all component carriers in the system and broadcast the system message to the user equipment . correspondingly , the user equipment 71 is configured to determine from the broadcasted system message whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment . in a second embodiment , the network device 70 is configured to carry in a system message the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a specific component carrier and broadcast the system message to the user equipment over the component carrier . correspondingly , the user equipment 71 is configured to determine from the broadcasted system message whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier . in a third embodiment , the network device 70 is configured to carry in radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of all component carriers supported by the user equipment and transmit the rrc signalling to the user equipment . correspondingly , the user equipment 71 is configured to determine from the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment . in a fourth embodiment , the network device 70 is configured to carry in radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a specific component carrier supported by the user equipment and transmit the rrc signalling to the user equipment . correspondingly , the user equipment 71 is configured to determine from the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier . the user equipment 71 is further configured to detect a pdcch over the component carrier , for which the cross - carrier scheduling mode is determined to be adopted for resource scheduling , in accordance with a dci format corresponding to the cross - carrier scheduling mode ; or to detect a pdcch over the component carrier , for which the cross - carrier scheduling mode is determined not to be adopted for resource scheduling , in accordance with a dci format corresponding to the intra - carrier scheduling mode . the network device 70 is further configured to transmit identifiers of all or a part of component carriers supported by the lte - a system to the user equipment . correspondingly , the user equipment 71 is further configured to determine a frequency point location of a component carrier from the received identifier of the component carrier . referring to fig8 , an embodiment of the invention further provides a network device applicable to a system for scheduling a carrier resource , and this network device includes : a determining unit 80 configured to determine whether to adopt a cross - carrier scheduling mode for a component carrier ; and a transmitting unit 81 configured to transmit a first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of the component carrier to a user equipment . the transmitting unit 81 includes one or any combination of a first indicating unit , a second indicating unit , a third indicating unit and a fourth indicating unit . the first indicating unit is configured to carry in a system message the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of all component carriers and broadcast the system message to the user equipment . the second indicating unit is configured to carry in a system message the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a specific component carrier and broadcast the system message to the user equipment over the component carrier . the third indicating unit is configured to carry in radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of all component carriers supported by the user equipment and transmit the rrc signalling to the user equipment . the fourth indicating unit is configured to carry in radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling the first indicator of whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a specific component carrier supported by the user equipment and transmit the rrc signalling to the user equipment . the transmitting unit 81 is further configured to transmit identifiers of all or a part of component carriers supported by the lte - a system to the user equipment . referring to fig9 , an embodiment of the invention provides a user equipment including : a receiving unit 90 configured to receive a first indicator , transmitted from a network device , of whether to adopt a cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier ; and a determining unit 91 configured to determine from the first indicator whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier supported by the user equipment . in a first embodiment , the receiving unit 90 is configured to receive a system message , broadcasted from the network device , carrying the first indicator . correspondingly , the determining unit 91 is configured to determine from the system message whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment . in a second embodiment , the receiving unit 90 is configured to receive a system message carrying the first indicator over the component carrier . correspondingly , the determining unit 91 is configured to determine from the system message whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator . in a third embodiment , the receiving unit 90 is configured to receive radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling , transmitted from the network device , carrying the first indicator . correspondingly , the determining unit 91 is configured to determine from the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over all component carriers supported by the user equipment . in a fourth embodiment , the receiving unit 90 is configured to receive radio resource control ( rrc ) signalling , transmitted from the network device , carrying the first indicator . correspondingly , the determining unit 91 is configured to determine from the rrc signalling whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode or an intra - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier in the first indicator . a detecting unit 92 configured to detect a pdcch over the component carrier , for which the determining unit determines the cross - carrier scheduling mode to be adopted for resource scheduling , in accordance with a dci format corresponding to the cross - carrier scheduling mode ; or to detect a pdcch over the component carrier , for which the determining unit determines the cross - carrier scheduling mode not to be adopted for resource scheduling , in accordance with a dci format corresponding to the intra - carrier scheduling mode . the network device in the invention can be a base station or any other device at the network side capable of communication with the user equipment . in the embodiments of the invention , a network device transmits an indicator of whether to adopt a cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling of a component carrier to a user equipment ; and the user equipment determines from the received indicator whether to adopt the cross - carrier scheduling mode for resource scheduling over the component carrier supported by the user equipment , so that a ue supporting multi - carriers in an lte - a system can determine which mode is adopted for carrier scheduling of a specific component carrier or some component carriers and further receive corresponding scheduling signalling according to the scheduling mode to thereby transmit and receive data over a scheduled data resource . those skilled in the art shall appreciate that the embodiments of the invention can be embodied as a method , system or computer program product . therefore , the invention can be embodied in the form of an all - hardware embodiment , an all - software embodiment or an embodiment of software and hardware in combination . furthermore , the invention can be embodied in the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer useable storage mediums ( including but not limited to a disk memory , a cd - rom , an optical memory ) in which computer useable program codes are contained . the invention has been described in a flow chart and / or a block diagram of the method , device ( system ) and computer program product according to the embodiments of the invention . it shall be appreciated that respective flows and / or blocks in the flow chart and / or the block diagram and combinations of the flows and / or blocks in the flow chart and / or the block diagram can be embodied in computer program instructions . these computer program instructions can be loaded onto a general - purpose computer , a specific - purpose computer , an embedded processor or a processor of another programmable data processing device to produce a machine so that the instructions executed on the computer or the processor of the other programmable data processing device create means for performing the functions specified in the flow ( s ) of the flow chart and / or the block ( s ) of the block diagram . these computer program instructions can also be stored into a computer readable memory capable of directing the computer or the other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner so that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory create an article of manufacture including instruction means which perform the functions specified in the flow ( s ) of the flow chart and / or the block ( s ) of the block diagram . these computer program instructions can also be loaded onto the computer or the other programmable data processing device so that a series of operations are performed on the computer or the other programmable data processing device to create a computer implemented process so that the instructions executed on the computer or the other programmable device provide operations for performing the functions specified in the flow ( s ) of the flow chart and / or the block ( s ) of the block diagram . although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described , those skilled in the art benefiting from the underlying inventive concept can make additional modifications and variations to these embodiments . therefore , the appended claims are intended to be construed as encompassing the preferred embodiments and all the modifications and variations coming into the scope of the invention . it will be appreciated that one skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention . accordingly , if these modifications and alterations to the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents , the present invention intends to include all these modifications and alterations . | 7 |
according to the embodiment ( s ) of the present invention , various views are illustrated in fig1 - 9 and like reference numerals are being used consistently throughout to refer to like and corresponding parts of the invention for all of the various views and figures of the drawing . also , please note that the first digit ( s ) of the reference number for a given item or part of the invention should correspond to the fig . number in which the part is first identified . one embodiment of the present invention comprising a method and apparatus for partially severing the hock joint leaving the feet attached , re - hanging the bird on an evisceration shackle , inspecting the bird and completely severing the hock which teaches a novel apparatus and method for harvesting edible feet . birds are hung on the kill line shackles by their feet . in a typical poultry plant in the u . s ., at one point they go through a scald process where the birds ( including their feet ) are immersed in hot water . kill line shackles may go through one or a series of brushes that capture feet and remove most of cuticle and any surface contaminants like fecal balls off the feet . in most cases , a hock cutter is used to severe hock joint to separate feet from the rest of the carcass . however , this invention requires that hock joint be not completely cut so that the feet remain tenuously ( either by skin or by skin and a few tendons ) attached to the rest of the bird . this can be performed by an adjustable blade that can be adjusted to sever the hock joint without completely severing through the joint . the birds are unloaded from the kill line shackles and transferred to evisceration line shackles either manually or mechanically . on the evisceration shackles , the carcasses hang by the hock joint with feet folded over such that the joint is on one side of the shackle and the feet extend through the shackle and out on the opposing side so that the hock joint is fully visible to usda inspectors . the carcasses go through the evisceration process as they always have . there are no changes to be made in any of the evisceration equipment to process birds hanging with the feet folded over the hock joint . when the carcasses are inspected by usda inspectors , if they decide to condemn a carcass , the feet are condemned with it 100 % of the time . the remaining portion of the invention is physically located on the evisceration line after the inspectors . as the carcasses and the shackles enter the machine , a specially designed mechanism captures the shackles holding them steady . the mechanism comprises a sprocketed or tabbed belt where the sprockets or the tabs extend horizontally outward from the belt portion extending between the legs of the carcass thereby holding or forcing the carcass downward such that the carcass hock joint is held in the shackle . this holds the shackle steady . the mechanism also assures that the carcasses stay rigid and do not move in any direction . simultaneously , a double bird guide bar or guide rail gently captures the feet . the guide bar or guide rail is angled away from the approaching carcass to pull the foot away from the bird . all evisceration shackles are modified so that there is a bend in the evisceration shackle at a certain point above the bottom of the shackle creating a wider open area through which the hock joint can be released . the guide bar is inclined so that as the evisceration shackle moves horizontally , the feet in the shackle tend to rise with the incline of the guide rails , and as the feet portion of the joint rises to pop out and through the bend in the shackle , a specially designed knife separates the feet from the rest of the carcass . the guide bar or guide rail has an upper and lower portion and the feet of the carcass are positioned between the upper and lower portions . the upper and lower guide rails have an equidistant gap therebetween over at least a portion of their length . the guide rails also preferably have extension members or extension portions that angle outward from each other to assure the feet are received in the gap . the blade is mounted on a blade mount assembly . the blade can be stationary and positioned such that the hock joint moves across the edge of the blade as it pops out or is released out and through the open area of the shackle at the bend in the shackle . the blade can be canted upward to engage the hock joint as the carcass is conveyed through the station . the blade can be an upwardly curved crescent shaped blade or an upwardly canted straight blade or any other appropriate blade design . the bend in the shackle assists in allowing the hock joint to pop up slightly such that the remaining tendons and skin can be positioned to be severed by the blade . a powered rotatable sprocketed guide wheel which is preferably hydraulically driven moves the feet along the guide bar and feeds them into a cylindrical wheel of a paw cutter . the guide wheel is sprocketed such that it positions and indexes the feet appropriately . the paw cutter in its concept and design is the subject of an application for which the applicant has already applied for a patent . the paw cutter blade cuts the knuckle portion off , which falls on to a slide and can either be captured or discarded . the produced paws are pumped to a picker scalder for further processing . the details of the invention and various embodiments can be better understood by referring to the figures of the drawing . referring to fig1 the feet harvest and paw production portion of the apparatus 100 is shown . the carcass arrives at this apparatus after the hock joint has been partially severed and the carcass has been rehung on the modified shackle . the feet harvest and paw production apparatus 100 is positioned on the evisceration portion of the line after the usda inspection station . the feet harvest and paw production portion of the apparatus 100 includes a main frame assembly 102 which supports the conveyor 104 which carries the series of evisceration shackles 106 . the evisceration shackles 106 are conveyed on conveyor 104 past the blade mount assembly 108 and the blade 110 such that the hock joint can be passed across the blade 110 thereby completely severing the hock joint severing the feet from the carcass . as the carcass is being conveyed on the evisceration shackles approaching the blade mount assembly 108 , upper and lower guide rails 116 and 118 respectively capture the feet within the gap therebetween to position the feet for complete severing of the hock joint . the upper and lower guide rails 116 and 118 are canted upward or inclined in such a manner to raise up and pop the hock joint through the evisceration shackle at the bend point as it passes over the blade 110 . the feet harvesting positioning and indexing mechanism 112 comprises a blade assembly frame mounted to a main frame , and a sprocketed feet indexing wheel which indexes and positions the feet and is mounted to the blade assembly frame is operable to sever the hock joint as the hock joint passes over the blade 110 . the completely severed feet are then conveyed to the sprocketed paw cutting index wheel 114 where the completely severed feet are captured by the paw cutting wheel before subsequent cutting of the paw portion . referring to fig2 a side view of the feet harvesting and paw production apparatus is shown . the side view again shows the conveyor 104 extending through an evisceration line area with the evisceration shackles 106 being conveyed thereon . the evisceration shackles 106 are conveyed on an overhead rail where the evisceration shackles are attached to the overhead rail by a track wheel . as the carcasses that are hanging in the evisceration shackles are conveyed toward the blade apparatus 108 , guide rails 116 and 118 are designed to capture and position the feet within the uniform equidistant gap 200 for appropriate positioning of the hock joint as it passes over the blade 110 . the guide rails 116 and 118 are canted upward or inclined such that the gap 200 is canted upward as well which will cause the feet to move upward in the evisceration shackle such that the hock joint rises up and is released or pops through the bend in the evisceration shackle at the appropriate time thereby causing the hock joint to be completely severed as it passes across the blade 110 . the sprocketed paw cutting wheel 114 then captures the completely severed foot such that the paw can be separated at the knuckle by the circular blade 206 . without the bend in the shackle and the appropriate incline of the guide bar a consistent uniform cut of the hock is not achieved . referring to fig3 a front right side perspective view is shown which again reveals the feet harvest and paw production apparatus 100 for positioning along an evisceration line area . a front right side perspective view of the positioning and indexing apparatus 112 is partially shown . the blade mount assembly 108 and the sprocketed paw cutting indexing wheel 114 are also shown . the drive motors 302 and 304 for the feet indexing wheel and the paw indexing wheel are also shown . referring to fig4 a rear right side perspective view of the feet harvest and paw production apparatus 100 is shown . again the main frame assembly is shown upon which the conveyor and other components are mounted . the feet harvesting and indexing apparatus 112 having a frame which is shown mounted to the frame assembly at mount points 400 , 404 and 402 . the feet harvesting and indexing apparatus 112 is pivotable about pivot points or pivot members 406 and 408 for appropriate alignment of the feet indexer . referring to fig5 a rear right side perspective view of the feet harvesting positioner and indexer assembly 112 is shown . the mounting bars 504 and 506 are shown which are used to mount the feet harvesting and indexing assembly to the main frame assembly . the feet indexing assembly 112 comprises a sprocketed wheel assembly 514 which is mountably attached to mounting bars 504 and 506 . the sprocketed wheel assembly 514 is mounted to mounting bars 504 and 506 by slotted bracket 508 . the sprocketed wheel assembly 514 can be adjustably mounted to slotted bracket 508 by mounting members 512 along slot 510 . the guide bars 116 and 118 are mounted to bars 504 and 506 by c - mounts 500 and 502 . the upper end of the c - mount is attached to the upper guide bar 116 and the lower portion of the c - mount is attached to the lower guide bar 118 . the c - bar positions the guide rails 116 and 118 such that a uniform gap 200 is therebetween . mounting of the feet harvesting assembly 112 can be such that the assembly is angled away from the oncoming carcasses and such that the guide bars are inclined upward . as the feet are conveyed along the inclined gap the feet are pulled upward raising the hock joint in the shackle . the incline has the appropriate pitch such that the hock joint is raised and pulled through the bend in the shackle releasing the hock joint at the appropriate moment to be severed by the blade . referring to fig6 a perspective view of the hock cutting blade mount assembly 108 is shown . the blade 606 of the blade mount assembly is shown with a dashed shadow line . the blade 606 can be adjustably mounted using a plurality of mounting holes 604 . the blade mount assembly is mounted to the main frame of the apparatus by mounting tabs 600 and 602 . the blade mount assembly 108 is mounted at the appropriate position and the blade 606 is adjustably mounted along mounting holes 604 . the blade 606 can be a blade design having alternative shapes . the blade can be an elongated rectangular shaped blade with a sharpened edge , a crescent shaped or curved blade , a triangular blade as shown in fig6 or any other appropriate shape or design . the blade is positioned such that as the hock joint pulls through the bend in the evisceration shackle releasing it , the hock joint will pass across the blade 606 thereby completely severing the feet from the carcass . referring to fig7 a and 7 b the prior art evisceration shackle is shown in fig7 a . the evisceration shackle that is part of the present invention is shown in fig7 b and is not in the prior art . the evisceration shackle shown in fig7 b includes a mounting bearing 700 through which a pin is inserted thereby mounting the evisceration shackle to the conveyor . the mounting of the bearing 700 to the conveyor by a pin allows the evisceration shackle to freely swing back and forth in a multi - directional fashion . a rod 702 extends from the mounting bearing 700 to the hangar portion 712 of the evisceration shackle . the hanger portion 712 of the evisceration shackle is a rod formed to create left and right shackle hanging open areas 706 and 704 respectively on which the hock joints of the carcasses are hung . the left and right shackle areas 706 and 704 are tapered to narrow at the lower end of the shackle area . the prior art shown in fig7 a teaches a uniform taper for receiving and holding the hock joint . the present invention teaches a shackle area having a lower end with a straight upper portion and a tapered lower portion thereby creating a bend 710 . this bend allows the hock joint to consistently pull through at the bend 710 as it is raised due to the incline of the guide bars at the appropriate moment such that the hock joint is completely severed by the stationery blade of the present invention . the bend 710 allows the feet side of the hock joint to consistently slip through the shackle at the bend therefore allowing for consistent complete cutting of the hock joint . the shackle can be described as two adjacent rod members forming the left and right shackle hanging open areas 706 and 704 where the lower end of the rod members each form a substantially u - shaped elongated bend for receiving both hock joints in the bend where each of the substantially u - shaped bends for adjacent elongated leg pairs extending upward from each bend and said leg portions are parallel over a portion of their length and at least one of each of the adjacent leg pairs inwardly tapers . referring to fig8 a top plane view of the feet harvest and paw production apparatus 100 is shown . the top plane view reveals that the assembly for the feet cutting and paw cutting are positioned at an angle with respect to the conveyor 104 . this angle assists in removing the feet from the carcass by pulling feet away from the carcass and allows the carcass to continue down the conveyance path unobstructed once the feet have been severed . the top plane view also reveals a plurality of laterally extending sprockets 800 or tabs where the sprockets or the tabs extend horizontally and laterally outward from a conveyance belt such that the sprockets extend between the legs of the carcass being conveyed , and thereby holding and / or forcing the carcass downward such that the carcass hock joint is held securely in the shackle . forcing the carcass downward also tends to hold the shackle steady as it is conveyed adjacent the feet cutting and paw cutting assemblies . the mechanism also assures that the carcass remains somewhat rigid and does not move in any direction . therefore , when the guide rails 116 and 118 captures the feet of the carcass and pulls the hock joint through the bend in the shackle due to the upward cant of the guide bar , the carcass is held firmly below by the sprocketed or tabbed conveyor . guide rail 802 is shown which urges the shackle laterally towards the feet harvesting and paw production stations . referring to fig9 a front view of the feet harvesting and paw production apparatus 100 is shown . the front view shows the shackle 106 hanging from the conveyor 104 and extending downward to a position adjacent the paw cutting and feet harvesting stations . guide rails 802 and 900 are shown which urge the shackle laterally towards the feet harvesting and paw production stations . these guide rails 802 and 900 in addition to the guide bars 116 and 118 and the sprocketed conveyor 904 with the sprockets 800 extending therefrom to assist in positioning the carcass and more specifically in positioning the hock joint for complete severing of the feet from the carcass . the feet harvesting and paw production apparatus 100 is located in the evisceration line area after the inspection station for systemic issues and after evisceration . carcasses are segregated based on whether they are accepted or rejected by the inspector . if the inspector accepts the carcass they are conveyed to apparatus 100 for further operation to remove feet . referring to fig1 a , 10 b and 10 c , the poultry carcass 1000 is shown hanging from a shackle 1004 . the hock joint 1008 is partially severed and the feet 1002 of the carcass are folded over such that the hock joint extends through the opening 1006 of the shackle to one side of the shackle 1004 and the folded over feet 1002 extended through the opening 1006 to the opposing side of the shackle . referring to fig1 oc , an illustration of an adjustable hock joint blade 1016 is shown having an adjustable blade 1014 whose cutting depth can be bi - directionally adjusted as indicated by arrow 1024 to sever the hock joint 1018 . shadow lines 1020 show the feet of the poultry carcass prior to partially severing the hock joint 1018 . referring to fig1 b , arrow 1010 illustrates the direction that the hock joint moves as the feet are conveyed through the guide rails . the hock joint moves upward as indicated by arrow 1010 towards the bend in the shackle such that the lower portion of the hock joint pulls through at the bend as indicated by arrow 1012 such that the remaining tendons and skin are severed in order to totally sever the hock joint . the severed foot 1022 is then captured for separating the paw from the remainder of the severed foot 1022 . the various embodiments and various feet harvesting methods and apparatus examples shown above illustrate a method and apparatus for harvesting edible feet from a poultry carcass . a user of the present invention may choose any of the above embodiment , or an equivalent thereof , depending upon the desired application . in this regard , it is recognized that various forms of the subject feet harvesting method and apparatus could be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . as is evident from the foregoing description , certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein , and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications , or equivalents thereof , will occur to those skilled in the art . it is accordingly intended that the claims shall cover all such modifications and applications that do not depart from the sprit and scope of the present invention . other aspects , objects and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings , the disclosure and the appended claims . | 0 |
according to an embodiment , the invention is an optical component , such as a mirror , placed very closely to an endface of a waveguide substrate . since the input / output ports of the waveguide substrate do not collimate light exiting therefrom , any light exiting the waveguide ports diverges . therefore , as explained previously , it is advantageous that light signals leaving the substrate from different ports be spatially isolated one from another . the mirror allows two beams each exiting a separate but closely spaced output port to be spatially separated and thus acted upon independently by independent optical components as desired . this is very convenient when different components are required to act on the different optical signals . referring to fig7 in a first embodiment , a mirror in the shape of a cube is placed near the waveguide output ports . the mirror 41 is at approximately 45 ° to the substrate 42 . the mirror is disposed such that a corner thereof is approximately central to the two waveguides for separating two light signals exiting the ports before their divergence causes them to overlap . the two light signals , now propagating in different directions are easily acted upon independently by separate optical components . in this case , the two light signals are each directed into a lens 43 and 44 . the lens 43 collimates the light signal propagating therethrough whereas the lens 44 focuses the other light signal . a lens used to focus a light signal should be sufficiently large to ensure that the entire light signal is channeled through the focusing region of the lens . referring again to fig7 it is clear that if there is a need to increase the optical path length between the lenses and the corresponding waveguide output port then it may be necessary to use larger lenses . while the figure illustrates the operation of the invention it does not accurately demonstrate the size and positioning of the components . since waveguide substrates are very expensive it is preferable to make them as small as possible . with a small waveguide substrate , the waveguide output ports are closely spaced . when the waveguide output ports are much closer than those shown it is necessary to bring the mirror 41 closer to the substrate 42 to isolate the two signals . referring to fig8 if the mirror 41 is sufficiently close to the substrate 42 then the substrate itself becomes an obstacle for the light signals 45 and 46 . referring to fig9 a solution to the aforementioned problem is to use a substrate 48 whose corner have been chamfered allowing the light signals 45 and 46 to propagate without interference . typically , the chamfer would be created by a cleaving operation . unfortunately , the cleaving of the corners of the waveguide substrate introduces other problems such as , the extra handling needed to position the waveguide substrate for cleaving , unintended damage caused by the cleaving itself , and the extra cost of the additional cleaving operations and a loss of real estate within the waveguide device . as such , there is a delicate balance between mirror spacing from the substrate and lens size in order to ensure that most of the light exiting the output port reaches the lens and that the lens is optically close to the output port . though in the above example , it was found that a cube having sides at right angles to each other was sufficient , when output port spacing is even closer , it is sometimes desirable to provide faces at an acute angle in order to increase the space available for positioning a lens adjacent the mirror surface . typically , this is preferred over using a much smaller mirror substrate since smaller mirror substrates are difficult to position and affix reliably . referring to fig1 , in a second embodiment , a prism with a mirrored surface is placed in close proximity to the waveguide substrate 50 . light exiting the waveguide structure through the first port 51 diverges and reflects off the mirror surface 52 . the light is reflected away from the prism 53 . light exiting the waveguide structure through the second port 54 diverges and enters the prism 53 . while the beam continues to diverge as it propagates through the prism , it does not substantially overlap with the first beam — there is no overlap shown in the drawing . referring to fig1 , an embodiment of the invention is shown . this particular configuration is analogous to the second embodiment of the invention . a prism in the form of a grin ( graded index ) lens with an angled reflective surface 62 is placed in close proximity to the waveguide substrate 60 . light exiting the waveguide structure through the first port 61 diverges and reflects off the mirror surface 62 . the light is reflected away from the prism 63 . light exiting the waveguide structure through the second port 64 diverges and enters the prism 63 . the prism 63 acts as a lens affecting the second light signal in a predetermined manner . as a result , the light signal exiting the substrate is , in this example , collimated by the prism 63 . referring to fig1 , here only one of the two beams interact with the prism 73 . a first beam 79 and a second beam 78 are shown diverging from the waveguide substrate 72 . a prism 73 is carefully positioned to ensure that the first beam 79 is properly deflected while the prism 73 remains outside the optical path of the second beam 78 to allow the diverging second beam to propagate unaffected thereby . referring to fig1 , a simple variation of the above embodiment is demonstrated . a first beam 79 and a second beam 78 are shown diverging from the waveguide substrate 72 . a slab mirror 77 is fixed to a block 76 ensure that the first beam 79 is properly deflected while the slab mirror 77 remains outside the optical path of the second beam 78 to allow the diverging second beam to propagate unaffected thereby . this design requires that the slab mirror be very thin to ensure that it does not interfere with the second beam 78 . when a small mirror must be handled , aligned and then fixed to a block it is preferable to make the mirror thick . the thick mirror is easier to handle and less subject to deformation caused by , for example , different expansion and contraction of differing materials as a result of temperature changes . referring to fig1 , in another embodiment , the waveguide substrate 80 comprises three closely spaced waveguides terminating in three closely spaced ports . a light signal exiting the first port 88 is reflected off a first prism 82 . the light signal exiting the second port 89 is reflected off the second prism 84 . the light signal exiting the third port 87 propagates between the prisms . thus all three beams are separated and may be acted upon independently . of course , it is generally a simpler manufacturing process to place the two reflective surfaces on a single optically transparent substrate such that the light signal exiting the third port 87 propagates through the material . when desired , the optically transparent material is in the form of an optical component such as a lens for affecting the propagation of the light therein . numerous other embodiments may be envisaged without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . | 6 |
a known optical incremental transmitter 1 comprises a pulse disc 11 and associated scanning devices 12 and 13 , which may be sensors or pickups . the outputs of scanning devices 12 and 13 produce voltages designated with sin x and cos x , which correspond to the motions of optical incremental transmitter 1 . the signals sin x and cos x are shifted in phase with respect to one another by 90 °, and are approximately sinusoidal . in the vicinity of their crossing , illustratively between - 45 ° to about + 45 °, the sin x and cos x signals have a practically linearly increasing shape . this results as an inherent property of the sinusoidal function , and as a result of the design of the transmitter itself , particularly an optical transmitter . a non - linear transmission member ( not shown ) can be provided for compensating for deviations between the sine voltage and a straight line . a plurality of squarewave voltages v1 and v2 are generated from the voltage sin x and cos x which are shifted in phase by 90 °. moreover , a periodic squarewave voltage v3 having twice the frequency of voltages v1 and v2 is also generated . the flanks of periodic squarewave voltage v3 always fall between the flanks of the voltages v1 and v2 . in fig1 forward and backward counting pulses are conducted to a counter 7 from a logic circuit 6 which generates the pulses from squarewave voltages v1 and v2 in a known manner . the count of counter 7 is representative of the distance traveled by counting the periods t , as shown in fig2 . in addition to the foregoing , there is further generated from the two transmitter voltages sin x and cos x , which are shifted in phase by 90 ° with respect to one another , a triangular signal having a slope which is proportional to its frequency . this is accomplished in a simple manner by forming the absolute values of the two voltages | sin x | and | cos x |, as shown by the dashed curves in fig4 line ( a ), and always using the smaller of the two voltage values . this results in the triangular voltage v d which is shown within the individual circular segments shown as octants a1 to a8 within a period t of the angle of rotation x . two absolute value formers 21 and 22 are used for forming triangular voltage v d . the absolute formers provide at their outputs the voltages sin x and cos x as absolute values | sin x | and | cos x |, in an absolute value former arrangement 2 , as shown in fig1 . these two voltages , | sin x | and | cos x | are compared against one another in a voltage discriminator 3 , and only the smaller of the two voltages is evaluated . in the specific illustrative embodiment , the selection of one of the voltages is indicated by the fact that the ouputs of absolute value formers 21 and 22 are conducted selectably via switches 31 and 32 which are controlled by voltage discriminator 3 . the thus generated triangular voltage v d is then conducted to an analog - digital converter 4 which operates as an instantaneous value coder with comparator ( not shown ). in other words , analog - digital converter 4 forms a corresponding digital value from the present triangular voltage . in this manner , an unambiguous digital value is assigned to each of the staircase steps within a branch a1 to a8 , as shown in fig4 line ( a ). the digital value can be fixed , for example , by the switching states of the individual comparators , assigned to the particular staircase step , in the analog - digital converter in the form of the voltages v4 to v10 which correspond to the logical output signals shown in fig4 lines ( c ). by the use of squarewave voltages v1 to v3 which are present at the output of a multivibrator logic unit 5 shown in fig1 and which are depicted on fig4 at lines ( b ), the particular branch at which the actual distance value happens to be can be determined unambiguously . moreover , by using the state combination of the voltages v4 to v10 which form the respective digital value , the actual distance value within the branch can be determined . the respective state combinations of voltages v1 and v10 are therefore used as addresses of a read - only memory 8 in which , for example , 64 equidistant positions within the period t are stored . if one of these positions is unambiguously assigned to each of the 64 possible addresses , particularly in the form of an absolute value , then the actual distance value which is present within the period can be read at the output of read - only memory 8 under the respective address , and can be transferred to a memory 9 . the distance measuring system therefore operates in an absolute manner cyclically with the periods . the period count in the coarse counter 7 and the position value within the period in memory 9 can then be called at predetermined time intervals , if required , by a computer or the like . the above - mentioned evaluating arrangement can be used for measuring the speed of rotation or velocity such that the change of the actual distance value within the period is determined within definite sampling time periods , and serves as a measure of the velocity . it should further be noted that it may on occasion be of advantage , if already available control elements are to be used , that new pulse sequences are derived from the voltages v1 to v10 , as is already known in the evaluation of the two squarewave voltages v1 and v2 for forming counting pulses . due to the multiplicity of further periodic squarewave voltages v3 to v10 , however , the frequency of these derived pulse sequences can be increased considerably , illustratively by a factor of 20 . in optical transmitters , the triangular signal can also be used for controlling the light flux , for example , in such a manner at the maxima of the triangular voltage , which are unambiguously defined by the corresponding addresses , an interrogation is conducted whether the maximum has been reached , and the lamp current in the transmitter is changed responsively . this can be achieved from the standpoint of circuitry in a simple manner by providing a pulse which arrives at the defined points at a counter 16 via read - only memory 8 . counter 16 counts forward or backward depending upon whether the maximum value of the triangular voltage v d is larger or smaller than a reference voltage v r . the reference voltage is determined by a comparator 15 . weighted resistors 18 are connected to the outputs of counter 16 and connected to ground , depending upon the count . thus , a varying number of resistors 18 are connected into the circuit of lamp 14 parallel to a base resistor 17 , and the lamp current is thereby changed accordingly . the absolute values of the sinusoidal voltages which serve for generating the triangular signal can also be used for monitoring amplitudes or phase disturbances . for this purpose , the largest value is selected from the absolute values | sin x | and | cos x | by means of diodes 23 and 24 . this largest value appears at resistor 25 in fig6 as voltage v *. the voltage v * is compared against a reference voltage vs . if the voltage composed of the absolute values falls below this reference value vs , a multivibrator stage 27 responds and a trouble indicator light is illuminated . although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications , persons skilled in the art , in light of this teaching , can generate additional embodiments without exceeding the scope or departing from the spirit of the claimed invention . accordingly , the drawings and descriptions in this disclosure are proffered to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof . | 7 |
a description will now be given , with reference to fig3 and 4 , of a structure of a first embodiment of the present invention . fig3 is a block diagram of an occupant restraint system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention . fig4 is an illustration for explaining the structure of the entire system shown in fig3 . as shown in fig4 the occupant restraint system 10 is provided on a vehicle 12 . the occupant restraint system 10 has airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 which are inflated for restraining passengers seated in the vehicle 12 . the airbags 14 and 16 are provided for a driver &# 39 ; s seat . the airbag 14 is accommodated inside the center pad of a steeling wheel , and the airbag 16 is accommodated inside the door panel on the driver side . the airbags 18 and 20 are provided for a front passenger seat . the airbag 18 is located under a dash board , and the airbag 20 is accommodated inside the door panel on the passenger side . an electronic control unit ( ecu ) 22 is provided in the vehicle 12 for controlling the actuation of the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 . the ecu 22 comprises , as shown in fig3 a central processing unit ( cpu ) 22a and analog to digital ( a / d ) converters 22b and 22c . a front - to - rear g sensor 24 , which senses a front - to - rear component of the acceleration generated in the vehicle 12 , is connected to the a / d converter 22b . a side - to - side g sensor 26 , which senses a side - to - side component of the acceleration generated in the vehicle 12 , is connected to the a / d converter 22c . switching elements 14a , 16a , 18a and 20a are connected to the cpu 22 . these switching elements constitute a part of a driving circuit of the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 . squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20b , which initiate inflation of the airbags , are connected to the switching elements 14a , 16a , 18a and 20a , respectively . the squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20b are connected to safety sensors 14c , 16c , 18c and 20c , respectively . the safety sensors 14c , 16c , 18c and 20c are connected to the respective power source . each of the safety sensors 14c , 16c , 18c and 20c is a mechanical sensor comprising a spring and a weight which is moved by inertia . if a deceleration exceeding a predetermined value is generated in the vehicle 12 , an electrical contact in each of the safety sensors 14c , 16c , 18c and 20c is closed . in the above - mentioned structure of the present embodiment , if a driving signal is supplied to the switching elements 14a , 16a , 18a and 20a while a deceleration is generated , the magnitude of which is such that the electrical contact of each of the safety sensors 14c , 16c , 18c and 20c is closed , a predetermined current flows to each of the squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20b . this actuates each of the squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20 and , thus , the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 are inflated . the purpose of providing the mechanical sensors in the driving circuit is to prevent an undesired actuation of the airbags due to an erroneous operation of the electronic circuit caused by a noise . it should be noted that the occupant restraint system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention determines the actuation of the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 by considering the direction of an external force exerted on the vehicle 12 . that is , the present embodiment protects passengers from being injured regardless of direction in which the external force is applied to the vehicle 12 . fig5 is a flowchart of a process performed by the cpu 22a so as to achieve the above - mentioned function . this process is performed to actuate the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 when an acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold value is generated in a predetermined direction . when the routine shown in fig5 is started , a front - to - rear component gx and a side - to - side component gy of the acceleration generated in the vehicle 12 are input , in step 100 , to the respective front - to - rear g sensor 24 and the side - to - side g sensor 26 . in step 102 , feature values fx and fy are calculated for the respective components gx and gy . the determination whether the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 are actuated should be made based on the magnitude and direction of an external force exerted on the vehicle 12 . the values used for the determination are not limited to the components gx and gy , and other values which substantially represent the components gx and gy of the acceleration may be used . the feature values fx and fy calculated in step 102 correspond to such values . that is , as shown in fig6 when an acceleration g ( gx , gy ) is generated in the vehicle 12 , the feature of the acceleration g is related to the velocity v ( vx , vy ) and the displacement s ( sx , sy ) and further related to the feature value f ( fx , fy ). the velocity v is obtained by an integral of the acceleration g . the displacement s is obtained by a double integral of the acceleration g . the feature value f is obtained by n times integral of the acceleration g . in this case , an easier calculation can be made when the feature value f is used rather than the case in which the value of the acceleration g is directly used . the magnitude and direction of the external force which causes the acceleration g is represented by &# 34 ;( fx 2 + fy 2 ) 1 / 2 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; tan - 1 ( fx / fy )&# 34 ;, respectively , as shown in fig6 . in the present embodiment , the velocity v , which is obtained by an integration of the acceleration g , is used as the feature value f . the feature value f can be obtained by integrating the outputs gx and gy of the front - to - rear g sensor 24 and the side - to - side g sensor 26 . additionally , the feature value f may be obtained by an interval integral of the outputs gx and gy for a predetermined time interval dt , or by filtering the outputs gx and gy with a low - pass filter . when the feature value f is used , a stable result of the calculation is obtained since a high - frequency oscillation component of the output gx and gy is eliminated in the feature value f . this allows the feature value f to reflect a variation of the acceleration during a short time interval . thus , a quick response as a result of the calculation is achieved . in step 104 , it is determined whether or not the x - component of the feature value f is less than a lower limit guard value fxmin . in this process , since the direction of the external force is determined by a calculation &# 34 ; tan - 1 ( fx / fy )&# 34 ;, the determination in step 104 is made . if the x - component fx is less than the lower limit guard value fxmin , the result of the feature calculation may be diverged . accordingly , if it is determined that the x - component fx is less than the lower limit guard value fxmin , the routine returns to step 100 . the routine proceeds to step 106 only when the determination in step 104 is negative . in step 106 , the magnitude of the external force exerted on the vehicle 12 is determined by a calculation in accordance with the equation &# 34 ; f =( fx 2 + fy 2 ) 1 / 2 &# 34 ;. in step 108 , the direction of the external force is determined by a calculation in accordance with the equation &# 34 ; θ = tan - 1 ( fy / fx )&# 34 ;. thereafter , the routine proceeds to step 110 in which the magnitude fα ( hereinafter referred to as a projective magnitude ) of the projected vector of the external force with respect to a predetermined direction . in the present embodiment , as shown in fig7 the predetermined direction ( hereinafter referred to as the α - direction ) is defined as a direction of α degree with respect to the front - to - rear direction of the vehicle 12 . accordingly , the projectire magnitude fα of the external force is obtained by a simple calculation in accordance with the equation &# 34 ; fα = fcos ( θ - α )&# 34 ;. in step 112 , it is determined whether or not the projective magnitude fα is greater than a predetermined threshold value fth ( α ). the threshold value fth ( α ) is determined by experiments on the assumption that the passengers in the vehicle must be restrained if the magnitude of an external force applied in the α - direction is equal to the threshold value fth ( α ). accordingly , if it is determined , in step 112 , that the projective magnitude fα is not greater than the predetermined threshold value fth ( α ), the routine returns to step 100 without actuating the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 . on the other hand , if it is determined , in step 112 , that the projective magnitude fα is greater than the predetermined threshold value fth ( α ), the routine proceeds to step 114 . in step 114 , the squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20b are ignited since the determination in step 112 indicates that the passengers in the vehicle 12 must be restrained , and then the routine is ended . as mentioned above , in the present embodiment , the determination whether or not an acceleration is generated in an arbitrary direction ( the α - direction ), which determination must be reflected to the inflation of the airbags , is made by a simple process . thus an appropriate and precise determination on the actuation of the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 can be made in a short time . although the occupant restraint system 10 has the four airbags in total , the airbag 20 which is located on the passenger side is not required to be inflated , for example , when an external force is exerted on the vehicle 20 from the driver side . in this embodiment , since the direction θ of the external force is obtained in step 108 , it can be easily determined as to which airbags , among the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 , are to be inflated in accordance with the direction θ . accordingly , in step 114 , only squibs selected from among the squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20b may be ignited , the selection being made in accordance with the direction θ . in order to make a precise determination on the actuation of the airbags , it is effective to sense the generation of acceleration which exceeds the threshold value in various directions . that is , the threshold value fth ( α ) is determined for each direction shown in fig8 . if an acceleration exceeding the corresponding threshold value fth ( α ) is generated , the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 are inflated . in this manner , when a condition to restrain the passengers in the vehicle 12 is established in any one of the directions , the determination to actuate the airbags is ensured . it should be noted that the example shown in fig8 is provided with eleven directions ( hereinafter referred to as αn ) from the angle α =- 75 ° to the angle α =+ 75 ° with an interval of 15 °. the threshold values fth ( αn ) are indicated along the corresponding directions αn . in fig8 the threshold value fth ( αn ) is decreased as the absolute value of the angle α is increased . this is because the airbags should be inflated with a less magnitude of an external force when the external force is exerted from a side of the vehicle 12 . fig . 9 is a flowchart of a process for determining the actuation of airbags in accordance with the threshold values fth ( αn ) shown in fig8 . in fig9 steps which are the same as the steps shown in fig5 are given the same reference numerals , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . in the process shown in fig9 step 200 is performed before step 100 . in step 200 , a variable n is set to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; first . thereafter , steps 100 to 108 are performed so as to calculate the magnitude f and direction θ of the external force based on the feature values fx and fy . then , the routine proceeds to step 202 to increment the variable n . the variable n corresponds to the suffix attached to α in fig8 . in the first execution of the routine , &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is set to the variable n . in the following step 204 , the projective magnitude fαn is calculated for the direction αn . it is then determined , in step 206 , whether or not the projective magnitude fαn is greater than the corresponding threshold value fth ( αn ). if the projective magnitude fαn is greater than the corresponding threshold value fth ( αn ), the routine proceeds to step 114 to ignite the squibs 14b , 16b , 18b and 20b . on the other hand , if it is determined , in step 206 , that the projective magnitude fαn is not greater than the corresponding threshold value fth ( αn ), the routine proceeds to step 208 . it is then determined , in step 208 , whether or not the variable n is equal to &# 34 ; 11 &# 34 ;. if the variable n is equal to &# 34 ; 11 &# 34 ;, the routine returns to step 200 . if it is determined that the variable n is not equal &# 34 ; 11 &# 34 ; to , the routine returns to step 202 to repeat steps 202 to 208 until the variable n becomes equal to &# 34 ; 11 &# 34 ;. as a result , if any one of the projective magnitudes fαn exceeds the corresponding threshold value fth ( αn ), a determination is made to inflate the airbags . accordingly , a reliable determination on the actuation of the airbags can be achieved with a simple operation . additionally , a quick determination can be achieved as compared to the conventional occupant restraint apparatus . it is appreciated that a time period spent on determining the inflation of the airbags is required to be as short as possible . in the present embodiment , the time period for the determination is further reduced by setting the threshold values fth ( αn ) to appropriate values . a description will now be given , with reference to fig1 to 29b , of a method of setting the appropriate values to the threshold values fth ( αn ). fig1 and 11 show variation in the x - component gx and y - component gy of the acceleration g with respect to elapsed time when the external force exerted on the vehicle 12 does not have a magnitude which requires the airbags to be actuated . the external force which is insufficient to actuate the airbags is hereinafter referred to as a small force . fig1 and 13 show variation in the x - component vx and y - component vy of the velocity v with respect to elapsed time which is used as the feature values fx and fy in the process shown in fig9 . the x - component vx and the y - component vy are obtained by integration of gx and gy shown in fig1 and 11 , respectively , by setting a start time to be the time when the external force begins to be exerted . accordingly , the external force corresponding to the velocity v shown in fig1 and 13 is a small force . fig1 and 15 show variation in the magnitude and the direction θ of the velocity v shown in fig1 with respect to elapsed time calculated in accordance with vx and vy mentioned above , respectively . fig1 a and 16b show variation in the projective magnitude vα with respect to elapsed time when the angle α is set to α1 to α11 ; fig1 a shows the case where α ≧ 0 ; fig1 b shows the case where α ≦ 0 . in this case , since the small force is exerted on the vehicle 12 , each threshold value fth ( αn ) must be set to be greater than the corresponding projective magnitude vα shown in fig1 a and 16b . as previously mentioned , the feature value f can also be obtained by a time interval integration of gx and gy . fig1 and 18 show variation in the magnitude v30 and direction θ30 with respect to elapsed time , respectively . the magnitude v30 and the direction θ30 are calculated as interval integral on gx and gy with respect to an interval of 30 ms . fig1 a and 19b show variation in the projective magnitude v30α with respect to elapsed time when the angle α is set to α1 to α11 ; fig1 a shows the case where α ≧ 0 ; fig1 b shows the case where α ≦ 0 . in this case , since the small force is exerted on the vehicle 12 , each threshold value fth ( αn ) must be set to be greater than the corresponding projective magnitude v30α shown in fig1 a and 19b . on the other hand , fig2 and 21 show variation in the x - component gx and y - component gy of the acceleration g with respect to elapsed time when the external force exerted on the vehicle has a magnitude which requires the airbags to be actuated . the external force which is sufficient to actuate the airbags is hereinafter referred to as a large force . fig2 and 23 show variation in the x - component vx and y - component vy of the velocity v with respect to elapsed time which are obtained by gx and gy shown in fig2 and 21 , respectively . fig2 and 25 show variation in the magnitude and the direction θ of the velocity v shown in fig2 with respect to elapsed time which are calculated in accordance with vx and vy mentioned above , respectively . fig2 a and 26b show variation in the projective magnitude v30α with respect to elapsed time when the angle α is set to α1 to α11 ; fig2 a shows the case where α ≧ 0 ; fig2 b shows the case where α ≦ 0 . fig2 and 28 show variation in the magnitude v30 and direction θ30 with respect to time elapse , respectively . the magnitude v30 and the direction θ30 are calculated as a time interval integration of gx and gy with respect to an interval of 30 ms . fig2 a and 29b show variation in the projective magnitude v30α with respect to elapsed time when the angle α is set from α1 to α11 ; fig2 a shows a case where α ≧ 0 ; fig2 b shows a case where α ≦ 0 . in this case , since the large force is exerted on the vehicle 12 , each threshold value fth ( αn ) must be set to be smaller than the corresponding projective magnitude v30α shown in fig2 a and 29b . when an external force is exerted on the vehicle 12 , if the direction of the external force is not equal to 0 degree , the vehicle 12 is rotated due to a rotational force caused by the external force . if the external force is strong , the vehicle 12 is strongly rotated . if the external force is not so strong , there is little effect to the vehicle with respect to the rotation of the vehicle 12 . accordingly , if the external force exerted on the vehicle 12 is a large force , the vehicle 12 is strongly rotated , and if the external force is a small force , the vehicle 12 is barely rotated . therefore , the projective magnitude v30α in fig1 a ( α ≧ 0 ) and that shown in fig1 b ( α ≦ 0 ) are almost a same since the external force is the small force . on the other hand , the projective magnitude v30α in fig2 a ( α ≧ 0 ) is different from that shown in fig2 b ( α ≦ 0 ) since the external force is a large force which causes rotation of the vehicle 12 . the above - mentioned phenomena indicates that change in the velocity in the left side ( α is minus ) is almost equal to that in the right side ( α is plus ) at the initial stage when a relatively small external force is exerted , while change in the velocity in the left side is significantly different from that in the right side at the initial stage when a relatively large force is exerted . a relatively sharp change ( increase ) is observed in either one of the left and right directions when the large force is exerted on the vehicle 12 . in the present embodiment , if the threshold value fth ( αn ) is set to be slightly greater than the maximum value of the projective magnitude v30αn shown in fig1 a and 19b , the projective magnitude v30αn exceeds the corresponding threshold value fth ( αn ) at the angle α of - 75 °, - 60 ° and - 45 ° in fig2 b before a time period of 40 ms elapses . according to the process shown in fig9 the determination to actuate the airbags is made if the projective magnitude v30αn is greater than the corresponding threshold value fth ( αn ) at any one of the angles α1 to α11 . thus , a quick determination as to actuation of the airbags is achieved by considering rotation of the vehicle due to the external force applied in a direction oblique to the front - to - rear direction of the vehicle 12 . in the above - mentioned embodiment , the external force exerted on the vehicle 12 is determined by sensing the front - to - rear component and the side - to - side component of the acceleration generated in the vehicle 12 . however , the directions of sensing the components are not limited to the front - to - rear direction and the side - to - side direction , and any directions may be selected if the external force can be calculated by synthesizing the components in such directions . a description will now be given of a second embodiment of the present invention . the construction of the second embodiment is the same as that of the above - mentioned first embodiment as shown in fig3 . the first embodiment determines the actuation of the airbags in accordance with the projective magnitude which is obtained from the synthesized vector in accordance with the feature values fx and fy . however , the second embodiment does not use the vector calculation as in the first embodiment to perform the determination for actuation of the airbags . only one magnitude f and only one direction θ is determined if the feature values fx and fy are determined , and only one threshold value fth ( θ ) is also determined when the angle θ is determined . this means that it is possible to prepare beforehand a table including determination information which indicates determination of whether or not the relationship f =( fx 2 + fy 2 ) 1 / 2 & gt ; fth ( θ ) is satisfied for arbitrary feature values fx and fy . fig3 is an illustration showing such a table . in the table shown in fig3 , &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; indicates that the above relationship is satisfied and &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; indicates that the above relationship is not satisfied . the determination information in this table is prepared based on a decreased threshold value as an absolute value of fy is increased . accordingly , the determination information indicates &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; at a less value of fx when an absolute value of fy is increased . by searching the information in the table shown in fig3 for the feature values fx and fy , determination as to the actuation of the airbags can be made without comparing , each time , the feature value with the threshold value fth ( θ ). fig3 is a flowchart of a process executed by the cpu 22a of the second embodiment . in fig3 , steps which are the same as the steps shown in fig5 are given the same reference numerals , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . when the process shown in fig3 is started , the feature values fx and fy are calculated according to gx and gy in steps 100 and 102 . then , a column ( hereinafter referred to as a reference column ) to be referred to in the table shown in fig3 is determined , in step 300 , in accordance with the feature value fy . the determination information is then read from the table at an intersection of the reference column and a row indicated by the feature value fx . it is then determined , in step 302 , whether or not the determination information indicates &# 34 ; on &# 34 ;. if it is determined that the determination information indicates &# 34 ; on &# 34 ;, the routine proceeds to step 114 to actuate the airbags and the routine is then ended . if it is determined that determination information does not indicate &# 34 ; on &# 34 ;, the routine proceeds to step 100 to repeat steps 100 to 302 . in the present embodiment , the determination of the actuation of the airbags can be made by referring to the table prepared beforehand without performing complex calculation . thus a reliable determination can be made with a simple operation . in the present embodiment , the determination of the actuation of the airbags may be made in accordance with a two - dimensional map in which the threshold value fxth is changed stepwise according to a value of fy . in such a case , a column to be referred to in the two - dimensional map is determined first according to the value of fy . it is then determined whether or not fx is greater than fxth . if fx is greater than fxth , a determination is made to actuate the airbags . it should be noted that , in the present invention , the airbags 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 are provided as occupant restraining means . however , in an alternative , other device such as a preloader which unwind an excessive length of seat belt may be provided as the occupant restraining means . the present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments , and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . | 1 |
fig1 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a communications system 100 . at a transmitter unit 110 , data is sent , typically in packets , from a data source 112 to a transmitter data processor 114 that formats , encodes , and processes the data to generate one or more analog signals . the analog signals are then provided to a transmitter 116 that amplifies , filters , quadrature modulates , and upconverts the analog signals to generate a modulated signal suitable for transmission over a communications channel 120 via an antenna 118 . at a receiver unit 130 , the transmitted signal is received by an antenna 132 and provided to a receiver 134 . within the receiver 134 , the signal is amplified , filtered , frequency downconverted , quadrature demodulated , and digitized to provide inphase ( i ) and quadrature ( q ) samples . the samples may be digitally processed and then provided to a receiver data processor 136 that further processes and decodes the samples to recover the transmitted data . the processing and decoding at the receiver data processor 136 are performed in a manner complementary to the processing and encoding performed at transmitter data processor 114 . the decoded data is then provided to a data sink 138 . fig2 is an exemplary signal model with adaptive lms equalization . the exemplary signal model is used to represent transmitted symbols y ( k ) modulated by a carrier propagating though a dispersive communications channel c ( t ) 120 corrupted by awgn ( additive white gaussian noise ) n ( t ). the receiver 130 is modeled with a sampler 202 followed by a linear filter 204 , such as an fir ( finite impulse response ) filter h ( f ). the signal is sampled at a rate t s which can be different from the symbol rate t . the filter 240 provides soft estimates ŷ ( k ) of the transmitted symbols y ( k ). the transmitted symbols may include a pilot sequence and a data sequence . during the pilot sequence of the transmission , the linear filter 204 adapts its coefficients by means of an unconstrained lms algorithm . during the data sequence of the transmission , the receiver generates hard symbol estimates from the soft symbol estimates . the output of the linear filter can be defined as follows : ŷ ( k )=( α re + jα im ) y ( k )+ w ( k ) ( 1 ) where w ( k )+ jα im y ( k ) is the remaining undesired component at the output of the linear filter . for the ideal filter , there would be no imaginary component on the bias α . the desired component is α re y ( k ). since the pilot sequence of the transmission y ( k ) is non - zero and known , the real component of the bias α re can be estimated . by way of example , assuming that y ( k ) and w ( k ) are uncorrelated , one could compute the following statistic : α ^ re = re { 1 n ∑ k = 1 n y ^ ( k ) y ( k ) } ( 2 ) once the real component of the bias α re is estimated , one skilled in the art will recognize that there are numerous ways to minimize or eliminate its impact on the symbol estimates . by way of example , the symbol estimates could be divided by the real component of the bias { circumflex over ( α )} re to effectively scale the received constellation to the reference constellation . alternatively , the reference constellation can be scaled by the real component of the bias { circumflex over ( α )} re to effectively shrink the reference constellation to the received constellation . having estimated the real component of the bias α re , the performance of the receiver can now be estimated . by way of example , the c / i at the output of the linear filter can be estimated by dividing the square of the mean energy of the transmitted symbols y ( k ) by the square of the mean noise energy . as indicated above in connection with equation ( 1 ), the undesired remaining component at the output of the linear filter is w ( k )+ jα im y ( k ). taking into account the real component of the bias α re when computing the mean square energy , the estimated c / i at the output of the linear filter can be expressed as : c ⩓ i = α ^ re 2 { 1 n ∑ k = 1 n y ( k ) 2 } 1 n ∑ k = 1 n { w ( k ) 2 + α im 2 y ( k ) 2 } ( 3 ) the denominator in equation ( 3 ) can be computed using a derivation of a mean square error ( mse ) estimate . the mse is estimated by a temporal average in place of the statistical expected value : mse ⩓ = 1 n ∑ k = 1 n { y ( k ) - y ^ ( k ) 2 } ( 4 ) substituting equation ( 1 ) for ŷ ( k ) into equation ( 4 ), the mse can be rewritten as : by inspecting equation ( 5 ), one can see that the last term in equation ( 5 ) is the same as the denominator in equation ( 3 ). accordingly , equation ( 3 ) can be rewritten as : c ⩓ i = α ^ re 2 { 1 n ∑ k = 1 n y ( k ) 2 } mse ⩓ - ( 1 - α re ) 2 · 1 n ∑ k = 1 n { y ( k ) 2 } ( 6 ) where the first term in the denominator is the mse estimate defined in equation ( 4 ) and n represents the number of pilot symbols . the final step is to replace the bias α re in equation ( 6 ) with the estimated bias α re derived in equation ( 2 ) as follows : the implementation of equation ( 6 ) allows one to use the real portion of the bias estimate from equation ( 2 ) with the mse estimate of equation ( 4 ) to compute the c / i . the generality of exemplary signal model can be extended to any receiver that requires an estimate of its performance . by way of example , the exemplary signal model can be applied to receivers supporting mobile radio systems . one such mobile radio system is a code division multiple access ( cdma ) communications system . the cdma communications system is a modulation and multiple access scheme based on spread - spectrum communications . in a cdma communications system , a large number of signals share the same frequency spectrum and , as a result , provide an increase in user capacity . this is achieved by transmitting each signal with a different pseudo - random binary sequence that modulates a carrier , and thereby , spreads the spectrum of the signal waveform . the transmitted signals are separated in the receiver by a correlator that uses a corresponding pseudo - random binary sequence to despread the desired signal &# 39 ; s spectrum . the undesired signals , whose pseudo - random binary sequence do not match , are not despread in bandwidth and contribute only to noise . for cdma communications systems designed to transmit at higher data rates , such as a high data rate ( hdr ) communications system , a variable data rate request scheme may be used to communicate at the maximum data rate that the c / i can support . the hdr communications system is typically designed to conform to one or more standards such as the “ cdma2000 high rate packet data air interface specification ,” 3gpp2 c . s0024 , version 2 , oct . 27 , 2000 , promulgated by a consortium called “ 3 rd generation partnership project .” the contents of the aforementioned standard is incorporated by reference herein . an exemplary hdr communications system employing a variable rate data request scheme is shown in fig3 . the exemplary hdr communications system 300 includes a subscriber station 302 in communication with a land - based data network 304 by transmitting data on a reverse link to a base station 306 . the base station 306 receives the data and routes the data through a base station controller ( bsc ) 308 to the land - based network 304 . conversely , communications to the subscriber station 302 can be routed from the land - based network 304 to the base station 306 via the bsc 308 and transmitted from the base station 306 to the subscriber station 302 on a forward link . the forward link refers to the transmission from the base station to the subscriber station and the reverse link refers to the transmission from the subscriber station to the base station . the communications system shown in fig3 depicts a single base station 306 in communication with a single subscriber station 302 for ease of explanation . as those skilled in the art will appreciate , the forward link transmission can occur between the base station and one or more subscriber stations . similarly , the reverse link transmission can occur between one subscriber station and one or more base stations . in the exemplary hdr communications system , the forward link data transmission from the base station 306 to the subscriber station 302 should occur at or near the maximum data rate which can be supported by the forward link . initially , the subscriber station 302 establishes communication with the base station 306 using a predetermined access procedure . in this connected state , the subscriber station 302 can receive data and control messages from the base station 306 , and is able to transmit data and control messages to the base station 306 . the subscriber station 302 then estimates the c / i of the forward link transmission from the base station 306 . the c / i of the forward link transmission can be obtained by measuring the pilot signal from the base station 306 . based on the c / i estimation , the subscriber station 302 transmits to the base station 306 a data request message ( drc message ) on the data request channel ( drc channel ). the drc message can contain the requested data rate or , alternatively , an indication of the quality of the forward link channel , e . g ., the c / i measurement itself , the bit - error - rate , or the packet - error - rate . the base station 306 uses the drc message from the subscriber station 302 to efficiently transmit the forward link data at the highest possible rate . fig4 is block diagram illustrating the basic subsystems of the exemplary hdr communications system . the bsc 308 interfaces with a packet network interface 402 , a pstn 404 , and all base stations in the exemplary hdr communication systems ( only one base station 306 is shown for simplicity ). the bsc 308 coordinates the communication between numerous subscriber stations in the exemplary hdr communications system and other users connected to packet network interface 402 and the pstn 404 . the pstn 404 interfaces with users through the standard telephone network ( not shown in fig4 ). the bsc 308 contains many selector elements , although only one selector element 406 is shown for simplicity . one selector element 406 is assigned to control the transmissions between one or more base stations in communication with the subscriber station 302 . if selector element 406 has not been assigned to the subscriber station 302 , a call control processor 408 is informed of the need to page the subscriber station 302 . the call control processor 408 then directs base station 306 to page the subscriber station 302 . a data source 410 contains the data which is to be transmitted to the subscriber station 302 . the data source 410 provides the data to the packet network interface 402 . the packet network interface 402 receives the data and routes the data to the selector element 406 . the selector element 406 sends the data to each base station in communication with the subscriber station 302 . each base station maintains a data queue 412 which contains the data to be transmitted to subscriber station 302 . the data from the data queue 412 is coupled to a channel element 414 . the channel element 414 partitions the data into packets and appends control fields , frame check sequence bits , and code tail bits to each data packet . the channel element 414 then encodes the data packets and interleaves ( or reorders ) the symbols within the encoded packets . next , the interleaved packet is scrambled with a scrambling sequence and covered with walsh covers . the scrambled data packet is then punctured to accommodate a pilot signal and power control bits , and spread with a long pn code and short pn i and pn q codes . the spread data packet is quadrature modulated , filtered , and amplified by a transmitter within an rf unit 416 . the forward link signal is transmitted over the air through an antenna 417 on the forward link 418 . the system control and scheduling functions can be implemented in various ways such as a channel scheduler 430 . the location of the channel scheduler 430 is dependent on whether a centralized or distributed control / scheduling processing is desired . by way of example , for distributed processing , the channel scheduler 430 can be located within the base station 306 . conversely , for centralized processing , the channel scheduler 430 can be located within the bsc 308 and can be designed to coordinate the data transmissions for multiple base stations . in the described exemplary embodiment , the channel scheduler 430 coordinates the forward link data transmissions of the base station 306 . the channel scheduler 430 connects to the data queue 412 and the channel element 414 within the base station 306 and receives the queue size , which is indicative of the amount of data to transmit to the subscriber station 302 , and the drc message from the subscriber station 302 . in response , the channel scheduler 430 schedules the data rate for the forward link transmission to maximize data throughput and minimize transmission delay . the forward link pilot channel provides a pilot signal which can be used by the subscriber station 302 for initial acquisition , phase recovery , timing recovery , and ratio combining . in addition , the pilot signal can also used by subscriber station 302 to perform the c / i measurement . a diagram illustrating the forward link pilot signal is shown in fig5 . in the described exemplary embodiment , each time slot 500 is 2048 chips long with two pilot bursts 502 a and 502 b occurring at the end of the first and third quarters of the time slot . each pilot burst 502 is 96 chips in duration . turning back to fig4 , the forward link transmission is received by an antenna 420 at the subscriber station 302 . the received signal is routed from the antenna 420 to a receiver within a front end 422 . the receiver filters and amplifies the signal , downconverts the signal to baseband , quadrature demodulates the baseband signal , and digitizes the baseband signal . the digitized baseband signal is coupled to a demodulator 424 . the demodulator 424 includes carrier and timing recovery circuits and further includes an equalizer . the equalizer compensates for isi and generates soft symbol estimates from the digitized baseband signal . the soft symbol estimates are coupled to a controller 432 to generate the drc message in a manner to be described in greater detail later . the soft symbol estimates are despread with the long pn code and the short pn i and pn q codes , decovered with the walsh covers , and descrambled in the demodulator 424 . the demodulated data is provided to a decoder 426 which performs the inverse of the signal processing functions done at the base station 306 , specifically the de - interleaving , decoding , and frame check functions . the decoded data is provided to a slicer 427 which generates a hard symbol estimates . the hard symbol estimates are coupled to a data sink 428 . in addition to generating the drc message , the controller 432 can be used to support data and message transmissions on the reverse link . specifically , the controller 432 provides synchronization and timing between a data source 433 , an encoder 434 and a modulator 436 . the controller 432 can be implemented in a microcontroller , a microprocessor , a digital signal processing ( dsp ) chip , an asic programmed to perform the function described herein , or any other implementation known in the art . the data source 433 provides data to the encoder 434 for reverse link transmission from the subscriber station 302 to the base station 306 . the encoder 434 generates and appends to the data a set of crc bits , and a set of code tail bits . the encoder 434 encodes and interleaves the data and the appended bits . the interleaved data is provided to a modulator 436 . the modulator 436 can be implemented in a variety of fashions . in the described exemplary embodiment , the interleaved data is covered with walsh codes , spread with a long pn code , and further spread with the short pn codes . in addition , the drc message from the controller 432 is covered by a walsh code and time division multiplexed with a pilot signal . the drc message and pilot signal are spread with short pn codes and summed with the spread data . the summed data is provided to a transmitter within the front end 422 . the transmitter modulates , upconverts , filters , amplifies , and transmits the summed data over the air , through the antenna 420 , on a reverse link 438 . a diagram of the exemplary reverse link slot structure is illustrated in fig6 . in the described exemplary embodiment , the reverse link slot structure is similar to the forward link slot structure in that each time slot is 2048 chips long . however , on the reverse link , the data is not time division multiplexed , but rather occupies a single code channel all of the time . the pilot signal and the drc message are time division multiplexed and occupy a single code channel different from the data code channel . in the time domain , the code channels appear on top of each other . turning back to fig4 , the reverse link signal is received by the antenna 417 at the base station 306 and provided to the rf unit 416 . the rf unit 416 filters , amplifies , downconverts , demodulates , and digitizes the signal and provides the digitized signal to the channel element 414 . the channel element 414 despreads the digitized signal with the short pn codes and the long pn code . the channel element 414 also performs the walsh code decovering , and pilot and drc extraction . the base station 306 uses the drc message to efficiently transmit forward link data at the highest possible rate . the channel element 414 then reorders the demodulated data , decodes the de - interleaved data , and performs the crc check function . the decoded data is provided to the selector element 406 in the bsc 308 . the selector element 406 routes the data or message to the appropriate destination . fig7 is an exemplary functional block diagram of a portion of the controller used to generate the drc message from the soft symbol estimates generated by the equalizer . in the described exemplary embodiment , the generation of the drc message can be performed in the controller 432 ( see fig4 ). alternatively , the drc message generation can be performed in the decoder 426 , the encoder 434 , or in any other functional block described herein in connection with the subscriber station 302 . the real component of the bias α re introduced by the equalizer is computed during the pilot sequence of the forward link transmission . specifically , the soft symbol estimates from the equalizer are coupled to a bias estimator 702 together with the pilot symbol sequence stored in memory 704 . since the pilot symbol sequence transmitted on the forward link is known a priori , the identical symbol sequence can be stored in memory 704 at the subscriber station . the bias estimator 702 is used to perform the algorithm set forth in equation ( 2 ). if the pilot symbol sequence is two streams of (+ 1 ) and (− 1 ), one for the i component and one for the q component , equation ( 2 ) can be rewritten as follows : α ^ re = 1 n ∑ 1 2 re { y ^ ( k ) · y ( k ) * } ( 8 ) where []* represents the complex conjugate . if the i and q components of the pilot symbol sequence is anything other than (+ 1 ) and (− 1 ), the scaling component introduced must be accounted for in the bias estimation . equation ( 8 ) can be implemented with a multiplier 706 and a bias accumulator 708 . the multiplier 706 extracts the real component of the dot product between each soft symbol estimate and its corresponding pilot symbol . the real component of each dot product from the multiplier 706 is accumulated by the bias accumulator 708 . the final accumulation is then divided by the number of dot products fed to the bias accumulator 708 to generate the real component of the bias α re . once the real component of the bias α re is estimated , it can be fed back to the equalizer in the demodulator 424 ( see fig4 ) to scale the soft symbol estimates fed to the decoder . this approach has the effect of scaling the received constellation to a reference constellation . alternatively , the real component of the estimated bias α re can be used to scale the reference constellation to the received constellation . either way , by accounting for the bias α introduced by the equalizer , the symbol error rate should be reduced thereby improving overall system performance . the soft symbol estimates from the equalizer are also coupled to an mse estimator 710 together with the pilot symbol sequence from memory 704 . the mse estimator 710 is used to estimate the mse to perform with algorithm set forth in equation ( 4 ). specifically , the mse estimate can be computed using a difference operator 712 and an mse accumulator 714 . the difference operator 712 generates an output sequence comprising the square of the difference between each soft symbol estimate from the equalizer and its corresponding pilot symbol from memory 704 . the output sequence of the difference operator 712 is accumulated by the mse accumulator 714 . the final accumulation is then divided by the number of times the output sequence was accumulated , e . g ., the number of symbols in the pilot sequence . the real component of the estimated bias α re from the bias estimator 702 and the estimated mse from the mse estimator 710 are provided to a parameter generator 716 . in the described exemplary embodiment , the parameter generator 716 computes the c / i using equation ( 7 ). although the procedures for estimating the c / i have been described with the real component of the bias α re and the mse estimated beforehand , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the c / i estimation can be computed directly in the parameter generator by manipulating equation ( 7 ) without the need to separately compute the real component of the bias estimate α re or the mse . moreover , as those skilled in the art will appreciate , various other algorithms may be implemented to perform a c / i estimation that takes into account the bias α re introduced by the equalizer without departing from the scope of the present invention . the estimated the c / i from the parameter generator 716 can be provided to a drc generator 718 for generating the drc message . in the described exemplary embodiment , the data rates supported by the base station 306 ( see fig4 ) are predetermined and each supported data rate is assigned a unique drc message . the drc generator selects one of the drc messages based on the c / i estimate using any conventional approach known in the art such as a look - up table . an exemplary look - up table is shown below and identified as table 1 . the precise implementation of the drc generator 718 can take on various forms including , by way of example , an algorithm implemented in hardware , firmware or software , or a look - up table stored in memory such as an eeprom or ram . with reference to table 1 , the number of data rates supported is generally limited by the quality of the c / i estimate . as the number of supported data rates increase the rate difference between the supported rates decrease ( assuming that the minimum and maximum data rates remain essentially unchanged ). as a result , improved c / i estimates are needed to discriminate between different data rates that can be demodulated at the subscriber station . accordingly , a c / i estimate that takes into account the bias a introduced by the equalizer will generally be able to support a greater number of data rates than conventional approaches to c / i estimation . the particular data rate that can be supported by a given c / i estimate is a function of the receiver architecture , i . e ., the ability of the subscriber station to decode a signal in the presence of noise . accordingly , this relationship is not shown in table 1 . the relationship between the data rate and the c / i estimate can be readily determined by techniques well known in the art based on the specific design of the subscriber station and other system parameters . since the drc message constitutes part of the packet overhead on the reverse link transmission , a further trade - off exists between the number of data rates supported and the number of bits needed for the drc message . in the described exemplary embodiment , the number of data rates supported is twelve ( 12 ) and a 4 - bit drc message is used to identify the requested data rate . as those skilled in the art will appreciate , numerous variations from table 1 are within the scope of the present invention . by way of example , the number of data rates supported can be different , the specific data rates identified in table 1 can be different , and the relationship between the c / i estimates and the supported data rates can also be different . in cdma communications systems , or any other type of communications system which uses diversity techniques to combat fading , a rake receiver may be used in addition to , or instead of the equalizer described above in connection with the demodulator of fig4 . the rake receiver in a cdma communications system typically utilizes independent fading of resolvable multipaths to achieve diversity gain . specifically , the rake receiver can be configured to process one or more multipaths of a forward link transmission . each multipath signal is fed into a separate finger processor to perform pn code despreading , walsh code decovering , and coherent demodulation . the rake receiver then combines the demodulated signal from each finger processor to recover the symbols transmitted over the forward link . in most practical implementations employing a rake receiver , the noise at the outputs of the finger processors are assumed to be uncorrelated . under this assumption , the c / i at the output of the rake receiver is the sum of the c / i estimates for each finger processor . however , if the outputs of the finger processors are correlated , e . g ., when the finger processors are placed relatively close to each other , this method of estimating combined c / i can be inaccurate . the exemplary c / i estimations described above can be applied to the rake receiver to yield an accurate estimate of the c / i with little computational complexity , i . e ., without matrix inversions . recognizing that the symbols at the output of the rake receiver can also be described by equation ( 1 ), the real component of the bias α re estimate from equation ( 2 ) can then be used to compute a c / i estimation in the manner described in connection with fig7 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks , modules , circuits , and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein maybe implemented as electronic hardware , computer software , or combinations of both . to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software , various illustrative components , blocks , modules , circuits , and algorithms have been described above generally in terms of their functionality . whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system . skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application , but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention . the various illustrative logical blocks , modules , and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor , a digital signal processor ( dsp ), an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) or other programmable logic device , discrete gate or transistor logic , discrete hardware components , or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein . a general purpose processor may be a microprocessor , but in the alternative , the processor may be any conventional processor , controller , microcontroller , or state machine . a processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices , e . g ., a combination of a dsp and a microprocessor , a plurality of microprocessors , one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a dsp core , or any other such configuration . the methods or algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware , in a software module executed by a processor , or in a combination of the two . a software module may reside in ram memory , flash memory , rom memory , eprom memory , eeprom memory , registers , hard disk , a removable disk , a cd - rom , or any other form of storage medium known in the art . an exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from , and write information to , the storage medium . in the alternative , the storage medium may be integral to the processor . the processor and the storage medium may reside in an asic . the asic may reside in a user terminal . in the alternative , the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal . the previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention . various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the generic principles defined herein maybe applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein . | 7 |
one aspect of the present invention relates to certain new and useful compounds , namely certain novel heterocyclic derivatives as depicted in general formula i : — r and r 1 are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; — r 2 and r 3 are taken together to form a five - or six - membered ring selected from ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ chc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ n ( ch 2 ) 3 n ( r 8 )—, ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) s —, ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) o —, ═ chch ═ chch ═ n —, ═ nn ═ chn ( r 8 )—, ═ nn ═ nn ( r 8 )—, — och ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 ) n ═, and tautomers thereof ; r 6 and r 7 are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; r 8 is selected from hydrogen , alkyl , amino , nitro , cyano , formyl , — ch 2 r 9 —, — ch 2 or 9 , — c ( o ) r 9 , — c ( o ) or 9 , — ch 2 oc ( o ) r 9 , — c ( o ) n ( r 9 )( r 10 ), — s ( o ) n r 9 —, — s ( o ) n n ( r 9 )( r 10 ) where n is 0 , 1 , or 2 , — si ( r 9 ) 3 , — ch ═ n ( r 9 ), — p ( o )( or 9 )( or 10 ), — p ( o )( nr 9 r 10 )( nr 9 r 10 ), and y , wherein y represents i ) an n - oxide of said five - or six - membered ring , or ii ) forms an or a linkage wherein r a is selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; and , r 9 and r 10 are independently selected from hydrogen , alkyl , alkylcarbonyl , alkoxycarbonyl aryl , arylalkyl , and heteroaryl , wherein aryl is optionally substituted with one or more substituent independently selected from halogen , alkyl , or haloalkyl ; — r 4 and r 5 are taken together to form a fused ring selected from — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—, — sc ( r 15 )═ c ( r 16 )—, — c ( r 15 )═ c ( r 16 ) s —, and — ch ═ c ( r 15 ) n ═ ch —, r 11 and r 14 are independently selected from hydrogen , halogen , and methyl ; r 12 is selected from hydrogen , halogen , amino , ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl , methoxy , halomethoxy , r 13 is selected from hydrogen , halogen , cyano , ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl , hydroxy , methoxy , halomethyl , and ( c 2 - c 3 ) alkynyl ; r 15 and r 16 are independently selected from hydrogen , halogen , cyano , amino , ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl , ( c 2 - c 3 ) alkenyl , ( c 2 - c 3 ) alkynyl halomethyl , hydroxy , methoxy , and halomethoxy ; — x is selected from — chr 17 —, — ch 2 chr 17 —, — c 3 h 6 —, — c 4 h 8 —, — o —, — och 2 —, — oc 2 h 4 —, — oc 3 h 6 —, — ch 2 o —, — ch 2 och 2 —, — ch 2 oc 2 h 4 —, — s —, — sch 2 —, — ch 2 s —, — ch 2 s ( o )—, — ch 2 s ( o ) 2 —, — n ( r 17 ) ch 2 —; and — ch 2 n ( r 17 )—; r 17 is selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; and agriculturally - acceptable salts thereof ; with the proviso that when r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, where r 7 and r 8 are hydrogen ; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—; and x is — chr 17 , where r 17 is hydrogen ; then at least one of r 11 , r 12 , r 13 , or r 14 is other than hydrogen ; and , with the further proviso that when r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—; where r 6 , r 7 , and r 8 are hydrogen ; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—, and x is — chr 17 , where r 17 is hydrogen ; then i ) when r 11 , r 13 and r 14 are hydrogen , then r 12 is other than methyl ; ii ) when r 11 is hydrogen , r 13 is methyl , and r 14 is bromo , then r 12 is other than hydrogen ; iii ) when r 11 and r 14 are hydrogen , and r 12 is methoxy , then r 13 is other than methoxy , and iv ) when x is — ch 2 chr 17 —, or — och 2 —; r 17 is hydrogen ; r 11 and r 14 are hydrogen , r 12 is methoxy , and r 13 is methyl ; then r 8 is other than — s ( o ) n r 9 , where n is 2 , and r 9 is methyl . excluding those compounds set forth in the provisos above , preferred species are those compounds of formula i where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, or ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, and tautomers thereof , where r 8 is selected from hydrogen , cyano , — s ( o ) n n ( r 9 )( r 10 ), and — p ( o )( or 9 )( or 10 ), where n is 2 , and r 9 and r 10 are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; r 4 and r 5 are taken together to form a fused ring , where r 4 and r 5 together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 ), where r 11 is hydrogen , r 12 is selected from halogen and methoxy , and r 13 is selected from halogen and ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl ; and , x is selected from — chr 17 —, — ch 2 chr 17 —, — och 2 —, and — sch 2 —. particularly preferred are those compounds where r 9 and r 10 are each methyl ; r 12 is selected from chlorine and methoxy ; r 13 is selected from chlorine and methyl ; and , r 14 is selected from hydrogen , chlorine and methyl ; and x is selected from — ch 2 chr 17 — and — och 2 —, where r 17 is hydrogen . in addition , in certain cases the compounds of the present invention may possess asymmetric centers , which can give rise to optical enantiomorphs and diastereomers . the compounds may exist in two or more forms , i . e ., polymorphs , which are significantly different in physical and chemical properties . the compounds of the present invention may also exist as tautomers , in which migration of a hydrogen atom within the molecule results in two or more structures , which are in equilibrium , for example compounds 256 - 278 of the present invention . the compounds of the present invention may also possess acidic or basic moieties , which may allow for the formation of agriculturally acceptable salts or agriculturally acceptable metal complexes . this invention includes the use of such enantiomorphs , polymorphs , tautomers , salts and metal complexes . agriculturally acceptable salts and metal complexes include , without limitation , for example , ammonium salts , the salts of organic and inorganic acids , such as hydrochloric acid , sulfonic acid , ethanesulfonic acid , trifluoroacetic acid , methylbenzenesulfonic acid , phosphoric acid , gluconic acid , pamoic acid , and other acid salts , and the alkali metal and alkaline earth metal complexes with , for example , sodium , potassium , lithium , magnesium , calcium , and other metals . another aspect of the present invention relates to compositions containing an insecticidally effective amount of at least one compound of formula i with at least one insecticidally compatible carrier therefor . another aspect of the present invention relates to compositions containing an insecticidally effective amount of at least one compound of formula i , and an effective amount of at least one second compound , with at least one insecticidally compatible carrier therefor . another aspect of the present invention relates to methods of controlling insects by applying an insecticidally effective amount of a composition set forth above to a locus of crops such as , without limitation , cereals , cotton , vegetables , and fruits , or other areas where insects are present or are expected to be present . the present invention also includes the use of the compounds and compositions set forth herein for control of non - agricultural insect species , for example , dry wood termites and subterranean termites ; as well as for use as pharmaceutical agents and compositions thereof . as used in this specification and unless otherwise indicated the substituent terms “ alkyl ” and “ alkoxy ”, used alone or as part of a larger moiety , includes straight or branched chains of at least one or two carbon atoms , as appropriate to the substituent , and preferably up to 12 carbon atoms , more preferably up to ten carbon atoms , most preferably up to seven carbon atoms . the term “ alkenyl ” and “ alkynyl ” used alone or as part of a larger moiety , includes straight or branched chains of at least two carbon atoms containing at least one carbon - carbon double bond or triple bond , and preferably up to 12 carbon atoms , more preferably up to ten carbon atoms , most preferably up to seven carbon atoms . the term “ aryl ” refers to an aromatic ring structure , including fused rings , having four to ten carbon atoms , for example , phenyl or naphthyl . the term “ heteroaryl ” refers to an aromatic ring structure , including fused rings , in which at least one of the atoms is other than carbon , for example , without limitation , sulfur , oxygen , or nitrogen . the term “ gc analysis ” refers to gas chromatographic analysis of , for example , a reaction mixture . the term “ dmf ” refers to n , n - dimethylformamide . the term “ thf ” refers to tetrahydrofuran . the term “ halogen ” or “ halo ” refers to fluorine , bromine , iodine , or chlorine . the term “ hyperactivity ” or “ insect hyperactivity ” refers to an abnormal physical state of an insect , for example , a cotton aphid , where the insect walks excessively thereby removing itself from , for example , a crop plant . the term “ ambient temperature ” or “ room temperature ” often abbreviated as “ rt ”, for example , in reference to a chemical reaction mixture temperature , refers to a temperature in the range of 20 ° c . to 30 ° c . the term “ pesticidal ” or “ pesticide ” refers to a compound of the present invention , either alone or in admixture with at least one of a second compound , or with at least one compatible carrier , which causes the destruction or the inhibition of action of insects or acarids , or insects and acarids . the heterocyclic derivatives of formula i can be synthesized by methods that are individually known to one skilled in the art from intermediate compounds readily available in commerce . scheme i below illustrates a general procedure for synthesizing heterocyclic derivatives of formula i , inter alia , where , for example , r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—; and x is — chr 17 —, ch 2 chr 17 —, — och 2 — or — sch 2 — where r 6 , r 7 , r 8 , and r 17 are hydrogen : the heterocyclic ring where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, as shown in schema i , represents one tautomeric form in which this moiety can exist . in a first step as set forth in scheme i , an appropriate carboxylic acid ( intermediate ( i )) was prepared . the synthetic route by which the carboxylic acid ( i ) was prepared depends upon what the moiety x is . for example , where x is — chr 17 —, an appropriately substituted phenyl bromide , such as 5 - bromo - 2 - methoxytoluene , was lithiated at reduced temperature , and then was treated with dmf in an appropriate solvent , affording the corresponding aldehyde derivative . the aldehyde derivative was in turn condensed at elevated temperature with 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane - 4 , 6 - dione , then decarboxylated and reduced with triethylamine - formic acid salt , yielding the corresponding carboxylic acid ( i ). when x is — ch 2 chr 17 —, an appropriately substituted phenyl bromide was reacted at elevated temperature with an appropriate alkynyl alcohol , such as 3 - butyn - 1 - ol , copper ( i ) iodide , and triethylamine , in the presence of a catalyst in an appropriate solvent , affording the corresponding phenyl - substituted alkynyl alcohol . the so - prepared alkynyl alcohol was then hydrogenated in the presence of a catalytic amount of 10 % palladium on carbon in an appropriate solvent , affording the corresponding phenyl - substituted alkyl alcohol , which was in turn treated with jones reagent , thereby providing the corresponding carboxylic acid ( i ). when x is — och 2 — or — sch 2 —, an appropriately substituted phenol or thiophenol , for example , 3 - methylphenol or 3 - methylthiophenol was reacted with a haloalkyl alcohol or a haloalkyl ester under basic conditions , yielding the corresponding phenoxyalkyl alcohol or the phenylthioalkyl ester . the phenoxyalkyl alcohol was then treated with jones reagent and the phenylthioalkyl ester was treated with a strong base , affording the corresponding carboxylic acid ( i ). in an alternate method , where x is — och 2 —, an appropriately substituted phenol , for example , 3 - methyl - 4 - methoxyphenol was reacted with acrylonitrile in the presence of a base , affording the corresponding propanenitrile , for example , 3 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenoxy ) propanenitrile . the propanenitrile was then treated with concentrated hydrochloric acid , yielding the corresponding carboxylic acid ( i ). in a second step as depicted in scheme i , when x is — chr 17 —, or — ch 2 chr 17 —, the carboxylic acids ( i ) were then converted to cyclic ketones ( intermediate ( ii )) by treatment with eaton &# 39 ; s reagent , yielding , for example , 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindan - 1 - one ( x is — chr 17 —), or 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 2 , 3 , 4 - trihydronaphthalen - 1 - one ( x is — ch 2 chr 17 —). when x is — och 2 —, the carboxylic acid ( i ) was first converted to the corresponding acid halide at reduced temperature in an appropriate solvent , which was then treated with aluminum chloride , affording the corresponding cyclic ketone ( ii ), for example , 7 - methylchroman - 4 - one . in a third step as depicted in scheme i , the cyclic ketones ( ii ) were then converted a ) directly to an unsaturated nitrile ( intermediate ( iii )), b ) directly to a saturated nitrile ( intermediate ( iv )), or c ) to mixtures of ( iii ) and ( iv ). when x is — chr 17 —, the cyclic ketone ( ii ), for example , 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindan - 1 - one , was reacted with lithium cyanide and diethyl cyanophosphonate at elevated temperature , then treated with boron trifluoride diethyl etherate in an appropriate solvent , yielding the corresponding unsaturated nitrile ( iii ), for example , 5 - methoxy - 6 - methylinden - 3 - carbonitrile . using an alternate method when x is — ch 2 chr 17 —, the cyclic ketone ( ii ), for example , 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 2 , 3 , 4 - trihydronaphthalen - 1 - one , was reacted with trimethylsilyl cyanide in the presence of a catalytic amount of aluminum chloride at elevated temperature , affording a silaethoxy intermediate . the silaethoxy intermediate was then treated with sodium iodide , trimethylsilyl chloride , and water in an appropriate solvent , yielding a corresponding mixture of unsaturated nitrile ( iii ), and saturated nitrile ( iv ); for example , a mixture of 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthalenecarbonitrile and 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydronaphthalenecarbonitrile , respectively . when x is — och 2 — or — sch 2 —, the cyclic ketone ( ii ), for example , 7 - methylchroman - 4 - one or 7 - methyl - 2h , 3h - benzo [ e ] thiin - 4 - one , was also reacted with trimethylsilyl cyanide in the presence of a catalytic amount of aluminum chloride , then treated with sodium iodide , trimethylsilyl chloride , and water in an appropriate solvent , directly yielding the corresponding saturated nitrile ( iv ); for example , 7 - methylchromane - 4 - carbonitrile or 7 - methyl - 2h , 3h - benzo [ e ] thiin - 4 - carbonitrile . in a forth step as depicted in scheme i , unsaturated nitrites ( iii ), and mixtures of unsaturated nitrile ( iii ) and saturated nitrile ( iv ), prepared as set forth above , were converted to saturated nitrites ( iv ) by hydrogenation in the presence of at least one catalyst , such as 10 % platinum on carbon and / or 10 % palladium on carbon , in an appropriate solvent . in a fifth step as depicted in scheme i , where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—; the saturated nitrites ( iv ) were converted to compounds of formula ( i ) by reaction of the saturated nitrites with the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid at elevated temperatures . examples 1 - 3 , 5 and 6 set forth below provide in detail those synthetic routes shown in scheme i . scheme ii below illustrates a general procedure for synthesizing yet other heterocyclic derivatives of formula i , inter alia , where , for example , r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—; and x is — chr 17 —, ch 2 chr 17 —, — och 2 —, or — sch 2 — where r 7 , r 8 , and r 17 are hydrogen : as set forth in scheme ii , the heterocyclic ring where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )— is synthesized prior to its reaction with a cyclic ketone ( ii ), yielding the corresponding intermediate ( viii ) penultimate to compounds of formula ( i ). the heterocyclic ring where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, as shown in schema ii represents one tautomeric form in which this moiety can exist . as depicted in scheme ii , imidazole was reacted with iodine under basic conditions at reduced temperature in an appropriate solvent , yielding a mixture of iodoimidazoles ( v ), for example , 2 , 4 , 5 - triiodoimidazole and 2 , 5 - diiodoimidazole . the mixture of iodoimidazole derivatives ( v ) was then treated with aqueous sodium sulfite at elevated temperature in an appropriate solvent , yielding a single iodo derivative ( vi ), for example , 5 - iodoimidazole . the free amine in the 1 - position of the iodoimidazole ( vi ) ring was then protected by reacting it with triphenylmethyl chloride under basic conditions in an appropriate solvent , affording the corresponding 1 -( triphenylmethyl )- 4 - iodoimidazole ( vii ). the iodoimidazole ( vii ) was in turn treated with ethylmagnesium bromide in an appropriate solvent , then reacted with an appropriate cyclic ketone ( ii ), for example , 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindan - 1 - one ( x is — chr 17 —), affording the corresponding 1 , 2 - unsaturated heterocyclic derivative ( viii ), for example , 3 -( imidazol - 5 - yl )- 5 - methoxy - 6 - methylindene . heterocyclic derivative ( viii ) was then hydrogenated under conditions set forth above , yielding the corresponding compounds of formula ( i ), for example , 1 -( imidazol - 5 - yl )- 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindane . example 4 set forth below provides in detail the synthesis route shown in scheme ii . scheme iii below illustrates a general procedure for synthesizing yet other heterocyclic derivatives of formula i , inter alia , where , for example , r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ( r 8 ) c ( r 7 )═ n —; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—; and x is — chr 17 —, ch 2 chr 17 —, — och 2 —, or — sch 2 — where r 7 and r 17 are hydrogen , and r 8 is a substituent other than hydrogen : as set forth in scheme iii , the iodo analog of the heterocyclic ring where r 2 and r 3 are taken together is ═ chn ( r 8 ) c ( r 7 )═ n —, where r 7 is hydrogen and r 8 is , for example , — so 2 n ( ch 3 ) 2 is commercially available . the heterocyclic ring where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ( r 8 ) c ( r 7 )═ n —, as shown in schema iii represents one tautomeric form in which this moiety can exist . the iodo - substituted heterocyclic rings , such as that set forth above can be reacted with intermediates previously described to prepare additional compounds of formula ( i ). as depicted in scheme iii , intermediate ( ii ), previously described , for example , 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - one , was reacted with the grignard reagent prepared from treatment of the iodo analog of the heterocyclic ring , for example , [( 4 - iodoimidazolyl ) sulfonyl ] dimethylamine , with ethylmagnesium bromide , affording the corresponding 4 - hydroxy intermediate ( viii ), for example , {[ 4 -( 4 - hydroxy - 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine . the hydroxy intermediate ( viii ) was then dehydrated with a dehydrating agent , for example , trifluoroacetic acid , yielding the corresponding unsaturated intermediate ( ix ), for example , {[ 4 -( 6 - methoxy - 7 - methyl ( 2h - chromen - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine . lastly , intermediate ( ix ) was reduced with hydrogen gas in the presence of appropriate catalysts , for example , 10 % palladium on carbon and 5 % platinum on carbon , in an appropriate solvent , yielding a compound of formula ( i ), for example , {[ 4 -( 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine . example 7 set forth below provides in detail the synthesis route shown in scheme iii . scheme iv below illustrates a general procedure for synthesizing yet other heterocyclic derivatives of formula i , inter alia , where , for example , r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—; and x is — chr 17 —, ch 2 chr 17 —, — och 2 —, or — sch 2 — where r 6 , r 7 , r 8 and r 17 are hydrogen : as set forth in scheme iv , the heterocyclic ring where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )— was coupled with , for example , a trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy derivative of a cyclic ketone ( ii ), wherein the r 8 position is protected by a leaving group , such as ch 2 och 2 ch 2 si ( ch 3 ) 3 , affording , in a step - wise manner , compounds of formula ( i ). as depicted in scheme iv , intermediate ( ii ), previously described , for example , 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 2 , 3 , 4 - trihydronaphthalen - 1 - one , was treated with lithium hexamethyldisilazane , then reacted with n - phenyltrifluoromethanesulfonimide in an appropriate solvent , yielding a trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy intermediate ( x ), for example , 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthyl ( trifluoromethyl ) sulfonate . as a separate reaction , an intermediate where r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, such as imidazole , was treated with , for example , sodium hydride , then reacted with 2 -( trimethylsilyl ) ethoxymethyl chloride in an appropriate solvent , yielding the corresponding silabutane intermediate ( xi ) in which the r 8 position is protected . intermediate ( xi ), for example , 1 -( imidazolylmethoxy )- 3 , 3 - dimethyl - 3 - silabutane was then treated with 1 ) n - butyllithium , then 2 ) zinc chloride in an appropriate solvent ; after which time intermediate ( x ) was introduced , along with a catalyst , such as tetrakis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( 0 ), which yielded the appropriate silabutane intermediate ( xii ), for example , 1 -{[ 2 -( 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl ( 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthyl )) imidazolyl ] methoxy }- 3 , 3 - dimethyl - 3 - silabutane . the r 8 position of intermediate ( xii ) was then de - protected by reacting it with , for example , concentrated hydrochloric acid , yielding the corresponding intermediate wherein r 8 is hydrogen ( xiii ), for example , 4 - imidazol - 2 - yl - 6 - methoxy - 7 - methyl - 1 , 2 - dihydronaphthalene . intermediate ( xiii ) was then was reduced with hydrogen gas in the presence of appropriate catalysts , for example , 10 % palladium on carbon and platinum oxide , in an appropriate solvent , yielding a compound of formula ( i ), for example , 1 - imidazol - 2 - yl - 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydronaphthaline . example 8 set forth below provides in detail the synthesis route shown in scheme iv . compounds of formula ( i ) of the present invention can be further reacted to provide additional compounds of formula ( i ). for example , those compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 8 is hydrogen can be reacted with an appropriately substituted halide under basic conditions in an appropriate solvent , yielding compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 8 is a substituent . in one method , for example , compounds of formula ( i ) were reacted with cyanogen bromide , or n , n - dimethylaminosulfonyl chloride , or chlorodimethylphosphate and n , n - diisopropylamine in an appropriate solvent , yielding compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 8 is cyano , — so 2 n ( ch 3 ) 2 , or — p ( o )( och 3 ) 2 , respectively . examples 9 - 11 set forth below provide in detail these syntheses routes . the present invention also relates to insecticidal compositions that combine insecticidally effective amounts of the active compounds with adjuvants and carriers normally employed in the art for facilitating the dispersion of active ingredients for the particular utility desired . such insecticidal compositions of the present invention include at least one of an insecticidally effective amount of a compound of formula i and at least one insecticidally compatible carrier therefor , wherein the compound of formula i is : — r and r 1 are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; — r 2 and r 3 are taken together to form a five - or six - membered ring selected from ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ chc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ n ( ch 2 ) 3 n ( r 8 )—, ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) s —, ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) o —, ═ chch ═ chch ═ n —, ═ nn ═ chn ( r 8 )—, ═ nn ═ nn ( r 8 )—, — och ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 ) n ═, and tautomers thereof ; r 6 and r 7 are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; r 8 is selected from hydrogen , alkyl , amino , nitro , cyano , formyl , — ch 2 r 9 —, — ch 2 or 9 , — c ( o ) r 9 , — c ( o ) or 9 , — ch 2 oc ( o ) r 9 , — c ( o ) n ( r 9 )( r 10 ), — s ( o ) n r 9 —, — s ( o ) n n ( r 9 )( r 10 ) where n is 0 , 1 , or 2 , — si ( r 9 ) 3 , — ch ═ n ( r 9 ), — p ( o )( or 9 )( or 10 ), — p ( o )( nr 9 r 10 )( nr 9 r 10 ), and y , wherein y represents i ) an n - oxide of said five - or six - membered ring , or ii ) forms an or a linkage wherein r a is selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; and , r 9 and r 10 are independently selected from hydrogen , alkyl , alkylcarbonyl , alkoxycarbonyl aryl , arylalkyl , and heteroaryl , wherein aryl is optionally substituted with one or more substituent independently selected from halogen , alkyl , or haloalkyl ; — r 4 and r 5 are taken together to form a fused ring selected from — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—, — sc ( r 15 )═ c ( r 16 )—, — c ( r 15 )═ c ( r 16 ) s —, and — ch ═ c ( r 15 ) n ═ ch —, r 11 and r 14 are independently selected from hydrogen , halogen , and methyl ; r 12 is selected from hydrogen , halogen , amino , ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl , methoxy , halomethoxy , r 13 is selected from hydrogen , halogen , cyano , ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl , hydroxy , methoxy , halomethyl , and ( c 2 - c 3 ) alkynyl ; r 15 and r 16 are independently selected from hydrogen , halogen , cyano , amino , ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl , ( c 2 - c 3 ) alkenyl , ( c 2 - c 3 ) alkynyl halomethyl , hydroxy , methoxy , and halomethoxy ; — x is selected from — chr 17 —, — ch 2 chr 17 —, — c 3 h 6 —, — c 4 h 8 —, — o —, — och 2 —, — oc 2 h 4 —, — oc 3 h 6 —, — ch 2 o —, — ch 2 och 2 —, — ch 2 oc 2 h 4 —, — s —, — sch 2 —, — ch 2 s —, — ch 2 s ( o )—, — ch 2 s ( o ) 2 —, — n ( r 17 ) ch 2 —; and — ch 2 n ( r 17 )—; r 17 is selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; and agriculturally - acceptable salts thereof ; with the proviso that when r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, where r 7 and r 8 are hydrogen ; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—; and x is — chr 17 , where r 17 is hydrogen ; then at least one of r 11 , r 12 , r 13 , or r 14 is other than hydrogen ; and , with the further proviso that when r and r 1 are hydrogen ; r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—; where r 6 , r 7 , and r 8 are hydrogen ; r 4 and r 5 taken together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 )—, and x is — chr 17 , where r 17 is hydrogen ; then i ) when r 11 , r 13 and r 14 are hydrogen , then r 12 is other than methyl ; ii ) when r 11 is hydrogen , r 13 is methyl , and r 14 is bromo , then r 12 is other than hydrogen ; iii ) when r 11 and r 14 are hydrogen , and r 12 is methoxy , then r 13 is other than methoxy , and iv ) when x is — ch 2 chr 17 —, or och 2 —; r 17 is hydrogen ; r 11 and r 14 are hydrogen , r 12 is methoxy , and r 13 is methyl ; then r 8 is other than — s ( o ) n r 9 , where n is 2 , and r 9 is methyl . excluding those compositions of compounds set forth in the proviso above , preferred insecticidal compositions of compounds of formula i are those wherein r 2 and r 3 taken together is ═ nch ( r 6 ) ch ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, ═ nc ( r 6 )═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, or ═ chn ═ c ( r 7 ) n ( r 8 )—, and tautomers thereof , where r 8 is selected from hydrogen , cyano , — s ( o ) n n ( r 9 )( r 10 ), and — p ( o )( or 9 )( or 10 ), where n is 2 , and r 9 and r 10 are independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl ; r 4 and r 5 are taken together to form a fused ring , where r 4 and r 5 together is — c ( r 11 )═ c ( r 12 ) c ( r 13 )═ c ( r 14 ), where r 11 is hydrogen , r 12 is selected from halogen and methoxy , and r 13 is selected from halogen and ( c 1 - c 2 ) alkyl ; and , x is selected from — chr 17 —, — ch 2 chr 17 —, — och 2 —, and — sch 2 —. particularly preferred insecticidal compositions of compounds are those wherein r 9 and r 10 are each methyl ; r 12 is selected from chlorine and methoxy ; r 13 is selected from chlorine and methyl ; and , r 14 is selected from hydrogen , chlorine and methyl ; and x is selected from — ch 2 chr 17 — and — och 2 —, where r 17 is hydrogen . one skilled in the art will of course recognize that the formulation and mode of application of a toxicant may affect the activity of the material in a given application . thus , for agricultural use the present insecticidal compounds may be formulated as a granular of relatively large particle size ( for example , 8 / 16 or 4 / 8 us mesh ), as water - soluble or water - dispersible granules , as powdery dusts , as wettable powders , as emulsifiable concentrates , as aqueous emulsions , as solutions , or as any of other known types of agriculturally - useful formulations , depending on the desired mode of application . it is to be understood that the amounts specified in this specification are intended to be approximate only , as if the word “ about ” were placed in front of the amounts specified . these insecticidal compositions may be applied either as water - diluted sprays , or dusts , or granules to the areas in which suppression of insects is desired . these formulations may contain as little as 0 . 1 %, 0 . 2 % or 0 . 5 % to as much as 95 % or more by weight of active ingredient . dusts are free flowing admixtures of the active ingredient with finely divided solids such as talc , natural clays , kieselguhr , flours such as walnut shell and cottonseed flours , and other organic and inorganic solids which act as dispersants and carriers for the toxicant ; these finely divided solids have an average particle size of less than about 50 microns . a typical dust formulation useful herein is one containing 1 . 0 part or less of the insecticidal compound and 99 . 0 parts of talc . wettable powders , also useful formulations for insecticides , are in the form of finely divided particles that disperse readily in water or other dispersant . the wettable powder is ultimately applied to the locus where insect control is needed either as a dry dust or as an emulsion in water or other liquid . typical carriers for wettable powders include fuller &# 39 ; s earth , kaolin clays , silicas , and other highly absorbent , readily wet inorganic diluents . wettable powders normally are prepared to contain about 5 - 80 % of active ingredient , depending on the absorbency of the carrier , and usually also contain a small amount of a wetting , dispersing or emulsifying agent to facilitate dispersion . for example , a useful wettable powder formulation contains 80 . 0 parts of the insecticidal compound , 17 . 9 parts of palmetto clay , and 1 . 0 part of sodium lignosulfonate and 0 . 3 part of sulfonated aliphatic polyester as wetting agents . additional wetting agent and / or oil will frequently be added to a tank mix for to facilitate dispersion on the foliage of the plant . other useful formulations for insecticidal applications are emulsifiable concentrates ( ecs ) which are homogeneous liquid compositions dispersible in water or other dispersant , and may consist entirely of the insecticidal compound and a liquid or solid emulsifying agent , or may also contain a liquid carrier , such as xylene , heavy aromatic naphthas , isphorone , or other non - volatile organic solvents . for insecticidal application these concentrates are dispersed in water or other liquid carrier and normally applied as a spray to the area to be treated . the percentage by weight of the essential active ingredient may vary according to the manner in which the composition is to be applied , but in general comprises 0 . 5 to 95 % of active ingredient by weight of the insecticidal composition . flowable formulations are similar to ecs , except that the active ingredient is suspended in a liquid carrier , generally water . flowables , like ecs , may include a small amount of a surfactant , and will typically contain active ingredients in the range of 0 . 5 to 95 %, frequently from 10 to 50 %, by weight of the composition . for application , flowables may be diluted in water or other liquid vehicle , and are normally applied as a spray to the area to be treated . typical wetting , dispersing or emulsifying agents used in agricultural formulations include , but are not limited to , the alkyl and alkylaryl sulfonates and sulfates and their sodium salts ; alkylaryl polyether alcohols ; sulfated higher alcohols ; polyethylene oxides ; sulfonated animal and vegetable oils ; sulfonated petroleum oils ; fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols and the ethylene oxide addition products of such esters ; and the addition product of long - chain mercaptans and ethylene oxide . many other types of useful surface - active agents are available in commerce . surface - active agents , when used , normally comprise 1 to 15 % by weight of the composition . other useful formulations include suspensions of the active ingredient in a relatively non - volatile solvent such as water , corn oil , kerosene , propylene glycol , or other suitable solvents . still other useful formulations for insecticidal applications include simple solutions of the active ingredient in a solvent in which it is completely soluble at the desired concentration , such as acetone , alkylated naphthalenes , xylene , or other organic solvents . granular formulations , wherein the toxicant is carried on relative coarse particles , are of particular utility for aerial distribution or for penetration of cover crop canopy . pressurized sprays , typically aerosols wherein the active ingredient is dispersed in finely divided form as a result of vaporization of a low - boiling dispersant solvent carrier may also be used . water - soluble or water - dispersible granules are free flowing , non - dusty , and readily water - soluble or water - miscible . in use by the farmer on the field , the granular formulations , emulsifiable concentrates , flowable concentrates , aqueous emulsions , solutions , etc ., may be diluted with water to give a concentration of active ingredient in the range of say 0 . 1 % or 0 . 2 % to 1 . 5 % or 2 %. the active insecticidal compounds of this invention may be formulated and / or applied with one or more second compounds . second compounds include , but are not limited to , other pesticides , plant growth regulators , fertilizers , soil conditioners , or other agricultural chemicals . in applying an active compound of this invention , whether formulated alone or with other agricultural chemicals , an effective amount and concentration of the active compound is of course employed ; the amount may vary in the range of , e . g . about 0 . 01 to about 3 kg / ha , preferably about 0 . 03 to about 1 kg / ha . for field use , where there are losses of insecticide , higher application rates ( e . g ., four times the rates mentioned above ) may be employed . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other pesticides such as herbicides , the herbicides include , without limitation , for example : n -( phosphonomethyl ) glycine (“ glyphosate ”); aryloxyalkanoic acids such as ( 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxy ) acetic acid (“ 2 , 4 - d ”), ( 4 - chloro - 2 - methylphenoxy ) acetic acid (“ mcpa ”), (+/−)- 2 -( 4chloro - 2 - methylphenoxy ) propanoic acid (“ mcpp ”); ureas such as n , n - dimethyl - n ′-[ 4 -( 1 - methylethyl ) phenyl ] urea (“ isoproturon ”); imidazolinones such as 2 -[ 4 , 5 - dihydro - 4 - methyl - 4 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 5 - oxo - 1h - imidazol - 2 - yl ]- 3 - pyridinecarboxylic acid (“ imazapyr ”), a reaction product comprising (+/−)- 2 -[ 4 , 5 - dihydro - 4 - methyl - 4 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 5 - oxo - 1h - imidazol - 2 - yl ]- 4 - methylbenzoic acid and (+/−) 2 -[ 4 , 5 - dihydro - 4 - methyl - 4 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 5 - oxo - 1h - imidazol - 2 - yl ]- 5 - methylbenzoic acid (“ imazamethabenz ”), (+/−)- 2 -[ 4 , 5 - dihydro - 4 - methyl - 4 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 5 - oxo - 1h - imidazol - 2 - yl ]- 5 - ethyl - 3 - pyridinecarboxylic acid (“ imazethapyr ”), and (+/−)- 2 -[ 4 , 5 - dihydro - 4 - methyl - 4 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 5 - oxo - 1h - imidazol - 2 - yl ]- 3 - quinolinecarboxylic acid (“ imazaquin ”); diphenyl ethers such as 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoic acid (“ acifluorfen ”), methyl 5 -( 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxy )- 2 - nitrobenzoate (“ bifenox ”), and 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- n -( methylsulfonyl )- 2 - nitrobenzamide (“ fomasafen ”); hydroxybenzonitriles such as 4 - hydroxy - 3 , 5 - diiodobenzonitrile (“ ioxynil ”) and 3 , 5 - dibromo - 4 - hydroxybenzonitrile (“ bromoxynil ”); sulfonylureas such as 2 -[[[[( 4chloro - 6 - methoxy - 2 - pyrimidinyl ) amino ] carbonyl ] amino ] sulfonyl ] benzoic acid (“ chlorimuron ”), 2 - chloro - n -[[( 4 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazin - 2 - yl ) amino ] carbonyl ] benzenesulfonamide ( achlorsulfuron ”), 2 -[[[[[( 4 , 6 - dimethoxy - 2 - pyrimidinyl ) amino ] carbonyl ] amino ] sulfonyl ] methyl ] benzoic acid (“ bensulfuron ”), 2 -[[[[( 4 , 6 - dimethoxy - 2 - pyrimidinyl ) amino ] carbonyl ] amino ] sulfonyl ]- 1 - methyl - 1h - pyrazol - 4 - carboxylic acid (“ pyrazosulfuron ”), 3 -[[[[( 4 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazin - 2 - yl ) amino ] carbonyl ] amino ] sulfonyl ]- 2 - thiophenecarboxylic acid (“ thifensulfuron ”), and 2 -( 2 - chloroethoxy )- n [[( 4 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazin - 2 - yl ) amino ] carbonyl ] benzenesulfonamide (“ triasulfuron ”); 2 -( 4 - aryloxyphenoxy ) alkanoic acids such as (+/−)- 2 [ 4 -[( 6 - chloro - 2 - benzoxazolyl ) oxy ] phenoxy ] propanoic acid ( fenoxaprop ”), (+/−)- 2 -[ 4 [[ 5 -( trifluoromethyl )- 2 - pyridinyl ] oxy ] phenoxy ] propanoic acid (“ fluazifop ”), (+/−)- 2 -[ 4 -( 6chloro - 2 - quinoxalinyl ) oxy ] phenoxy ] propanoic acid (“ quizalofop ”), and (+/−)- 2 -[( 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxy ) phenoxy ] propanoic acid (“ diclofop ”); benzothiadiazinones such as 3 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 1h - 1 , 2 , 3 - benzothiadiazin - 4 ( 3h )- one - 2 , 2 - dioxide (“ bentazone ”); 2 - chloroacetanilides such as n -( butoxymethyl )- 2 - chloro - n -( 2 , 6 - diethylphenyl ) acetamide (“ butachlor ”), 2 - chloro - n -( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl )- n -( 2 - methoxy - 1 - methylethyl ) acetamide (“ metolachlor ”), 2 - chloro - n -( ethoxymethyl )- n -( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl ) acetamide (“ acetochlor ”), and ( rs )- 2 - chloro - n -( 2 , 4 - dimethyl - 3 - thienyl )- n -( 2 - methoxy - 1 - methylethyl ) acetamide (“ dimethenamide ”); arenecarboxylic acids such as 3 , 6 - dichloro - 2 - methoxybenzoic acid (“ dicamba ”); pyridyloxyacetic acids such as [( 4 - amino - 3 , 5 - dichloro - 6 - fluoro - 2 - pyridinyl ) oxy ] acetic acid (“ fluoroxypyr ”), and other herbicides . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other pesticides such as other insecticides , the other insecticides include , for example : organophosphate insecticides , such as chlorpyrifos , diazinon , dimethoate , malathion , parathion - methyl , and terbufos ; pyrethroid insecticides , such as fenvalerate , deltamethrin , fenpropathrin , cyfluthrin , flucythrinate , alpha - cypermethrin , biphenthrin , resolved cyhalothrin , etofenprox , esfenvalerate , tralomehtrin , tefluthrin , cycloprothrin , betacyfluthrin , and acrinathrin ; carbamate insecticides , such as aldecarb , carbaryl , carbofuran , and methomyl ; organochlorine insecticides , such as endosulfan , endrin , heptachlor , and lindane ; benzoylurea insecticides , such as diflubenuron , triflumuron , teflubenzuron , chlorfluazuron , flucycloxuron , hexaflumuron , flufenoxuron , and lufenuron ; and other insecticides , such as amitraz , clofentezine , fenpyroximate , hexythiazox , spinosad and imidacloprid . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other pesticides such as fungicides , the fungicides include , for example : benzimidazole fungicides , such as benomyl , carbendazim , thiabendazole , and thiophanate - methyl ; 1 , 2 , 4 - triazole fungicides , such as epoxyconazole , cyproconazole , flusilazole , flutriafol , propiconazole , tebuconazole , triadimefon , and triadimenol ; substituted anilide fungicides , such as metalaxyl , oxadixyl , procymidone , and vinclozolin ; organophosphorus fungicides , such as fosetyl , iprobenfos , pyrazophos , edifenphos , and tolclofos - methyl ; morpholine fungicides , such as fenpropimorph , tridemorph , and dodemorph ; other systemic fungicides , such as fenarimol , imazalil , prochloraz , tricyclazole , and triforine ; dithiocarbamate fungicides , such as mancozeb , maneb , propineb , zineb , and ziram ; non - systemic fungicides , such as chlorothalonil , dichlofluanid , dithianon , and iprodione , captan , dinocap , dodine , fluazinam , gluazatine , pcnb , pencycuron , quintozene , tricylamide , and validamycin ; inorganic fungicides , such as copper and sulphur products , and other fungicides . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other pesticides such as nematicides , the nematicides include , for example : carbofuran , carbosulfan , turbufos , aldecarb , ethoprop , fenamphos , oxamyl , isazofos , cadusafos , and other nematicides . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other materials such as plant growth regulators , the plant growth regulators include , for example : maleic hydrazide , chlormequat , ethephon , gibberellin , mepiquat , thidiazon , inabenfide , triaphenthenol , paclobutrazol , unaconazol , dcpa , prohexadione , trinexapac - ethyl , and other plant growth regulators . soil conditioners are materials which , when added to the soil , promote a variety of benefits for the efficacious growth of plants . soil conditioners are used to reduce soil compaction , promote and increase effectiveness of drainage , improve soil permeability , promote optimum plant nutrient content in the soil , and promote better pesticide and fertilizer incorporation . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other materials such as soil conditioners , the soil conditioners include organic matter , such as humus , which promotes retention of cation plant nutrients in the soil ; mixtures of cation nutrients , such as calcium , magnesium , potash , sodium , and hydrogen complexes ; or microorganism compositions which promote conditions in the soil favorable to plant growth . such microorganism compositions include , for example , bacillus , pseudomonas , azotobacter , azospirillum , rhizobium , and soil - borne cyanobacteria . fertilizers are plant food supplements , which commonly contain nitrogen , phosphorus , and potassium . when the active insecticidal compounds of the present invention are used in combination with one or more of second compounds , e . g ., with other materials such as fertilizers , the fertilizers include nitrogen fertilizers , such as ammonium sulfate , ammonium nitrate , and bone meal ; phosphate fertilizers , such as superphosphate , triple superphosphate , ammonium sulfate , and diammonium sulfate ; and potassium fertilizers , such as muriate of potash , potassium sulfate , and potassium nitrate , and other fertilizers . the following examples further illustrate the present invention , but , of course , should not be construed as in any way limiting its scope . the examples are organized to present protocols for the synthesis of the heterocyclic derivatives of the present invention , set forth a list of such synthesized species , and set forth certain biological data indicating the efficacy of such compounds . a stirred solution of 180 ml ( 1 . 6 molar in hexane : 0 . 29 mole ) of n - butyllithium in 250 ml of thf was cooled to below − 60 ° c ., and a solution of 50 grams ( 0 . 26 mole ) of 5 - bromo - 2 - methoxytoluene ( commercially available ) was added at a rate to maintain the reaction mixture temperature below − 55 ° c . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was cooled to about − 60 ° c . to − 70 ° c . where it stirred for 70 minutes . after this time , 80 ml ( 0 . 99 mole ) of dmf was added to the reaction mixture at a rate to maintain the reaction mixture temperature below − 50 ° c . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was poured into an aqueous dilute sodium chloride solution , and then it was extracted with two portions of diethyl ether . the combined extracts were washed with one portion of an aqueous dilute sodium chloride solution , with one portion of an aqueous saturated sodium chloride solution , and then dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 35 . 7 grams of a residual oil . the oil was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of hexane and ethyl acetate as eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 23 . 2 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . formic acid , 40 . 3 grams ( 0 . 88 mole ), was stirred and cooled to below 5 ° c ., to which was added 36 . 9 grams ( 0 . 37 mole ) of triethylamine at a rate to maintain the reaction mixture temperature below 20 ° c . upon completion of addition , 22 . 0 grams ( 0 . 15 mole ) of ( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenyl ) formaldehyde was added to the reaction mixture , followed by 22 . 2 grams ( 0 . 15 mole ) of 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane - 4 , 6 - dione . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was warmed to 60 ° c . where it stirred for about 15 minutes . the source of heat was removed , during a period when an exothermic reaction with evolution of gas took place within the reaction vessel . the heat source was returned once the exothermic reaction subsided , and heating of the reaction mixture was resumed for about two hours at 75 ° c . to 95 ° c . after this time the reaction mixture was cooled in an ice and water bath , and 200 ml of water , followed by 100 ml of aqueous 4n hydrochloric acid were added . the mixture was then extracted with two portions of diethyl ether . the combined extracts were washed with two portions of an aqueous dilute sodium chloride solution , with one portion of an aqueous saturated sodium chloride solution , and then dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding a residual solid . the solid was dissolved in an aqueous solution of 1n potassium carbonate and washed with two portions of diethyl ether . the aqueous layer was acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid , and then it was extracted with two portions of diethyl ether . the combined ether extracts were washed with one portion of an aqueous dilute sodium chloride solution , and then dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 26 . 3 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . under a dry nitrogen atmosphere , a stirred solution of 5 . 0 grams ( 0 . 029 mole ) of 3 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenyl ) propanoic acid ( i ) in 100 ml of eatons reagent was heated to about 39 ° c ., at which time an exothermic reaction took place , which raised the reaction mixture temperature to about 49 ° c . the heat source was removed , and the reaction mixture temperature was allowed to return to 35 ° c . the heat source was replaced , and the reaction mixture was again warmed to about 39 ° c . where it stirred for eight hours . after this time the reaction mixture was poured into ice and water , and the mixture was extracted with two portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts were washed with three portions of an aqueous saturated sodium bicarbonate solution . the organic layer was dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of petroleum ether and methylene chloride , then pure methylene chloride , as eluants . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this reaction was repeated a second time , yielding a total for the two reactions of 10 . 7 grams of subject compound . a solution of 10 . 7 grams ( 0 . 061 mole ) of 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindan - 1 - one ( ii ), 29 . 7 grams ( 0 . 182 mole ) of diethyl cyanophosphonate , and 6 . 1 grams ( 0 . 182 mole ) of lithium cyanide in 250 ml of anhydrous thf was stirred at ambient temperature for five hours . gc analysis of the reaction mixture indicated that the reaction was not complete . the reaction mixture was warmed to 45 ° c ., where it was stirred for about 16 hours . after this time , an aliquot of the reaction mixture was placed water and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate . gc analysis of the extract indicated that the reaction was about 10 % complete . an additional 0 . 182 mole each of diethyl cyanophosphonate and lithium cyanide were added to the reaction mixture , and heating at 45 ° c . was continued for about an additional eight hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into about 300 ml of an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride , and then it was extracted with two 300 ml portions of ethyl acetate . the combined extracts were then washed with three portions of an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride and dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was dissolved in toluene and again concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was taken up in 500 ml of toluene and 20 . 7 grams ( 0 . 182 mole ) of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for about six hours . the reaction mixture was treated as set forth above , yielding a residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of hexane and diethyl ether as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 2 . 8 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . under a nitrogen atmosphere , 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % palladium on carbon and 0 . 05 gram ( catalyst ) of 5 % platinum on carbon were placed in a 250 ml parr hydrogenation bottle , followed by a solution of 2 . 5 grams ( 0 . 014 mole ) of 5 - methoxy - 6 - methylinden - 3 - carbonitrile ( iii ) in 100 ml of ethyl acetate . the mixture was hydrogenated in a parr hydrogenation apparatus for about 45 minutes , during which time the theoretical amount of hydrogen was taken up by the reaction . the reaction mixture was then washed through a pad of diatomaceous earth with methylene chloride . the methylene chloride wash was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 2 . 4 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . step f synthesis of the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid as an intermediate a mixture of 50 grams ( 0 . 263 mole ) of p - toluenesulfonic acid hydrate and 30 ml of water in 150 grams of ice was stirred , and 22 . 1 grams ( 0 . 368 mole ) of ethylenediamine was added in one portion . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred for about 90 minutes . after this time , the reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to remove a majority of the water , leaving a residue . the residue was taken up in 2 - propanol and again concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the addition and removal of 2 - propanol from the residue was repeated twice more , yielding 61 . 2 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a mixture of 2 . 4 grams ( 0 . 013 mole ) of 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindanecarbonitrile ( iv ) and 11 . 2 grams ( 0 . 045 mole ) of the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid was stirred and heated to about 140 ° c .- 160 ° c . where it was maintained for about 4 . 5 hours . the reaction mixture was then cooled to ambient temperature and dissolved in a mixture of aqueous 5 % potassium carbonate and methylene chloride . the organic layer was removed , and the aqueous layer was extracted with two portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts and organic layer were washed with one portion of aqueous 5 % potassium carbonate . the organic layer was dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a solid residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on grade ii basic alumina ( 3 % water ) using mixtures of methylene chloride and methanol as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding about 2 . 1 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 4 . 6 grams ( 0 . 023 mole ) of 5 - bromo - 2 - methoxytoluene ( commercially available ), 3 ml ( 0 . 040 mole ) of 3 - butyn - 1 - ol , 0 . 30 gram ( 0 . 002 mole ) of copper ( i ) iodide , 14 ml ( 0 . 100 mole ) of triethylamine , and 0 . 25 gram ( 0 . 0004 mole ) of dichlorobis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( ii ) in 60 ml of dmf was heated at 90 ° c . for about 18 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into water and extracted with diethyl ether . the ether extract was dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of hexane and ethyl acetate as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 1 . 5 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step e of example 1 , by the hydrogenation of 1 . 4 grams ( 0 . 0074 mole ) of 4 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenyl ) but - 3 - yn - 1 - ol in the presence of 0 . 05 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % palladium on carbon in 150 ml of methanol . the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of hexane and ethyl acetate as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 8 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this reaction was repeated on a larger scale . a stirred solution of 1 . 7 grams ( 0 . 009 mole ) of 4 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenyl ) butan - 1 - ol in 50 ml of acetone was cooled to 0 ° c .- 4 ° c ., and about 15 to 20 ml ( excess ) of jones reagent was added dropwise . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for two hours , then it was allowed to warm to ambient temperature , where it stirred for an additional three hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was diluted with isopropanol and filtered . the filter cake was washed with acetone , and the combined filtrate and wash were concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was partitioned with methylene chloride and water and the separated organic layer was washed with water . the organic layer was then dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was dried under vacuum , yielding 1 . 1 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . the reaction was repeated to obtain an additional amount of subject compound . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step c of example 1 , by the reaction of 0 . 9 gram ( 0 . 0043 mole ) of 4 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenyl ) butanoic acid ( i ) in 30 ml of eaton &# 39 ; s reagent . the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of hexane and ethyl acetate as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 6 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 0 . 6 gram ( 0 . 0032 mole ) of 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 2 , 3 , 4 - trihydronaphthalen - 1 - one ( ii ), 2 . 2 ml ( 0 . 0170 mole ) of trimethylsilyl cyanide , and a catalytic amount of aluminum chloride in 20 ml of toluene was warmed to 70 ° c . where it was maintained for about 18 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was cooled and taken up in 100 ml of hexane and filtered through diatomaceous earth . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residual oil , which was an intermediate product ; namely : 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 -( 1 , 1 - dimethyl - 1 - silaethoxy )- 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydronaphthalenecarbonitrile ( cyano - silyl intermediate ). the so - prepared 1 - silaethoxy intermediate was then taken up in 100 ml of acetonitrile , along with 2 . 0 grams ( 0 . 013 mole ) of sodium iodide , 1 . 8 ml ( 0 . 014 mole ) of trimethylsilyl chloride , and 0 . 1 ml of water , and stirred at ambient temperature for about 72 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into water and extracted with ethyl acetate . the extract was washed in turn with an aqueous dilute solution of sodium metabisulfite and with water , and then it was dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue , which was a mixture of subject compound and an intermediate product , namely : 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthalenecarbonitrile ( intermediate ( iii )). in a manner analogous to that of step e of example 1 , the mixture of subject compound and the 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthalenecarbonitrile intermediate was subjected to hydrogenation using a parr hydrogenator , in the presence of 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % platinum on carbon and 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % palladium on carbon in 100 ml of ethyl acetate . following a 90 minute hydrogenation period , the reaction mixture was filtered through diatomaceous earth . the filter cake was washed with methylene chloride and the combined wash and filtrate were concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . nmr analyses of the residue indicated that it was still a mixture of subject compound and the 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthalenecarbonitrile intermediate . the hydrogenation of the mixture of subject compound and the 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthalenecarbonitrile intermediate was repeated during a period of seven hours of reaction time . the reaction mixture was then worked - up in the manner set forth above , yielding about 0 . 25 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step g of example 1 , by the reaction of 0 . 1 gram ( 0 . 0005 mole ) of 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydronaphthalenecarbonitrile ( iv ) and 1 . 2 grams ( 0 . 0048 mole ) of the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid ( prepared in step f of example 1 ). the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of methylene chloride and methanol as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 07 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 25 grams ( 0 . 23 mole ) of 3 - methylphenol and 18 . 8 grams ( 0 . 20 mole ) of 3 - chloropropan - 1 - ol in 100 ml of aqueous 10 % sodium hydroxide was heated at reflux for about 40 minutes . after this time , the reaction mixture was cooled to ambient temperature and extracted with three 100 ml portions of diethyl ether . the combined extracts were then washed with three 50 ml portions of an aqueous dilute sodium hydroxide solution and dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 29 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step c of example 2 , by the reaction of 2 . 0 grams ( 0 . 012 mole ) of 3 -( 3 - methylphenoxy ) propan - 1 - ol and 10 ml of jones reagent in 30 ml of acetone . the yield of subject compound was 1 . 5 grams . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 5 . 0 grams ( 0 . 028 mole ) of 3 -( 3 - methylphenoxy ) propanoic acid ( i ) and 5 . 3 grams ( 0 . 042 mole ) of oxalyl chloride in 100 ml of methylene chloride was cooled to − 5 ° c . and a few drops of dmf was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to ambient temperature where it stirred for about two hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue : which was 3 -( 3 - methylphenoxy ) propanoic acid chloride . the acid chloride was stored under a nitrogen atmosphere for about 18 hours , and then it was dissolved in 50 ml of methylene chloride . the stirred solution was cooled to − 4 ° c . and 4 . 1 grams ( 0 . 031 mole ) of aluminum chloride was added portionwise while maintaining the reaction mixture temperature at 5 ° c . or less . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was maintained at 5 ° c . for about three hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into ice and extracted with three 100 ml portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts were washed with two 50 ml portions of water and dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered , and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of ethyl acetate and hexane as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 3 . 5 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step e of example 2 , by 1 ) the reaction of 1 . 0 gram ( 0 . 006 mole ) of 7 - methylchroman - 4 - one ( ii ) with 1 . 8 gram ( 0 . 018 mole ) of trimethylsilyl cyanide , in the presence of 0 . 2 gram ( catalyst ) of aluminum chloride in 30 ml of toluene , affording an intermediate product , namely : 7 - methyl - 4 -( 1 , 1 - dimethyl - 1 - silaethoxy ) chromane - 4 - carbonitrile ( cyano - silyl intermediate ), then 2 ) the reaction of the 1 - silaethoxy intermediate with 3 ml ( 0 . 024 mole ) of trimethylsilyl chloride , 3 . 6 grams ( 0 . 024 mole ) of sodium iodide , and 0 . 2 ml of water in 30 ml of acetonitirile , yielding 0 . 8 gram of subject compound . contrary to step e of example 2 , the hydrogenation step was not necessary to obtain the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step g of example 1 , by the reaction of 0 . 6 gram ( 0 . 003 mole ) of 7 - methylchromane - 4 - carbonitrile ( iv ) and 2 grams ( 0 . 008 mole ) of the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid ( prepared in step f of example 1 ). the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on grade ii basic alumina ( 3 % water ) using mixtures of methylene chloride and methanol as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 25 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . step a synthesis of a mixture of 2 , 4 , 5 - triiodoimidazole and 2 , 5 - diiodoimidazole ( v ) as an intermediate a stirred solution of 15 . 0 grams ( 0 . 220 mole ) of imidazole ( commercially available ) in 10 ml of aqueous 2n sodium hydroxide was cooled to about 10 ° c . and an additional 540 ml of aqueous 2n sodium hydroxide was added . solid iodine , 168 grams ( 0 . 661 mole ), was taken up in 500 ml of methylene chloride , in which some of the iodine did not dissolve . an additional 500 ml of methylene chloride was added to the iodine mixture , which also failed to dissolve all of the iodine . the solution of dissolved iodine was then added dropwise to the aqueous solution of imidazole during a one hour period while maintaining the reaction mixture temperature about 10 ° c . upon completion of addition , the undissolved iodine was then added portion wise to the imidazole solution during an additional one hour period . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to ambient temperature , where it stirred for about 18 hours . the aqueous layer was separated from the reaction mixture and was treated with solid sodium bisulfate to decompose any unreacted iodine in it . the ph of the aqueous layer was then adjusted to about 5 with concentrated hydrochloric acid , and the mixture was extracted with three portions of ethyl acetate . the combined extracts were dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . thin layer chromatographic analysis of the residue indicated that it was a mixture of 2 , 4 , 5 - triiodoimidazole and 2 , 5 - diiodoimidazole . the residue was triturated with a small amount of ethyl acetate and filtered to collect a solid . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue , yielding when dried about 17 . 9 grams of 2 , 4 , 5 - triiodoimidazole . the solid collected by filtration was dried , yielding about 41 . 7 grams of 2 , 5 - diiodoimidazole . the nmr spectra of 2 , 4 , 5 - iodo and the 2 , 5 - iodo derivatives were consistent with the proposed structure . a solution of a mixture of 17 . 9 grams ( 0 . 040 mole ) of 2 , 4 , 5 - triiodoimidazole and 41 . 7 grams ( 0 . 130 mole ) of 2 , 5 - diiodoimidazole ( v ) and 500 ml of ethanol in 1500 ml of water was stirred , and 75 grams ( 0 . 595 mole ) of sodium sulfite was added portion wise . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was warmed to reflux , where it stirred for about 18 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was cooled to ambient temperature and concentrated under reduced pressure to remove ethanol . the aqueous concentrate was extracted with two 700 ml portions of ethyl acetate and two 250 ml portions of n - butanol . the combined extracts were dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was slurried in water , and the resultant solid was collected by filtration , yielding when dried about 13 . 2 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . dmf , 100 ml , was stirred , and 13 . 2 grams ( 0 . 068 mole ) of 5 - iodoimidazole ( vi ) was added , followed by 18 . 9 grams ( 0 . 068 mole ) of triphenylmethyl chloride , and 3 . 3 grams ( 0 . 033 mole ) of triethylamine . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 18 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into crushed ice where it stirred until the ice melted . the resultant solid was then collected by filtration and triturated with diethyl ether . a solid was collected by filtration and washed with diethyl ether , yielding the subject compound . the diethyl ether filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue , and re - triturated with diethyl ether , yielding additional subject compound . the total yield of subject compound was about 5 . 0 grams . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 5 . 0 grams ( 0 . 012 mole ) of 1 -( triphenylmethyl )- 4 - iodoimidazole ( vii ) in about 200 ml of anhydrous methylene chloride was cooled to about 21 ° c ., and 3 . 84 ml ( 3 . 0m in diethyl ether : 0 . 012 mole ) of ethylmagnesium bromide was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred for about one hour at 23 ° c ., and then a solution of 2 . 0 grams ( 0 . 012 mole ) of 6 - methoxy - 5 - methylindan - 1 - one ( ii ) ( prepared in a manner analogous to step d of example 1 ) in 50 ml of methylene chloride was added in one portion . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for about 18 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into a separatory funnel containing an aqueous saturated solution of ammonium chloride . the organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with two portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts and organic layer were dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was dissolved in methanol and aqueous 4n hydrochloric acid was then added to the solution . upon completion of addition , the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for about 18 hours . after this time , the methanol was removed from the mixture under reduced pressure , leaving an aqueous residue . the residue was washed with three portions of diethyl ether , then the ph of the residue was adjusted to about 8 - 9 by the addition of solid sodium carbonate . the mixture was then extracted with methylene chloride , and the extract was dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was again treated with aqueous 4n hydrochloric acid , and the mixture was washed with diethyl ether . the ph of the aqueous layer was adjusted to about 8 - 9 by the addition of solid sodium carbonate . the mixture was then extracted with methylene chloride , and the extract was dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding about 0 . 5 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step e of example 1 , by the hydrogenation of 0 . 5 gram ( 0 . 0022 mole ) of 3 -( imidazol - 5 - yl )- 5 - methoxy - 6 - methylindene ( viii ) in the presence of 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % palladium on carbon and 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of platinum oxide hydrate in 40 ml of ethanol . the yield of subject compound was 0 . 42 gram , mp 68 - 70 ° c . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a solution of 7 . 0 grams ( 0 . 050 mole ) of 3 - methyl - 4 - methoxyphenol ( known compound ) in 20 ml of acrylonitrile was stirred , and 0 . 4 ml of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide ( triton ® b ) was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was warmed to reflux where it stirred during a 21 hour period . the reaction mixture was then cooled to ambient temperature and diluted with 100 ml of diethyl ether . the mixture was then first washed with three 50 ml portions of an aqueous solution of 10 % potassium hydroxide , then with three 50 ml portions of aqueous 4n hydrochloric acid . the organic layer was dried with sodium sulfate , and the mixture was filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 6 . 0 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 4 . 0 grams ( 0 . 048 mole ) of 3 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenoxy ) propanenitrile in 100 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid was heated at reflux during a six hour period . the reaction mixture was then allowed to cool to ambient temperature as it stirred during an additional 18 hour period . after this time a solid precipitate was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then it was dissolved in aqueous 10 % potassium hydroxide . the resultant solution was filtered , and the filtrate was acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid . the resultant precipitate was collected by filtration , washed with water , and then it was dissolved in ethyl acetate . the solution was dried with sodium sulfate and the mixture was filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 2 . 4 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step c of example 3 , by the reaction of 0 . 1 gram ( 0 . 00056 mole ) of 3 -( 4 - methoxy - 3 - methylphenoxy ) propanoic acid ( i ), 0 . 1 gram ( 0 . 00084 mole ) of oxalyl chloride and a few drops of dmf in 10 ml of methylene chloride at about 5 ° c ., yielding the corresponding propanoic acid chloride . the acid chloride was then treated with 0 . 08 gram ( 0 . 00061 mole ) of aluminum chloride in 10 ml of methylene chloride at about 0 ° c ., yielding 0 . 09 gram of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . the reaction was repeated on a larger scale . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step e of example 2 , by 1 ) the reaction of 0 . 9 gram ( 0 . 0046 mole ) of 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - one ( ii ) with 1 . 40 grams ( 0 . 0138 mole ) of trimethylsilyl cyanide , in the presence of 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of aluminum chloride in 30 ml of toluene , affording an intermediate product , namely : 6 - methoxy - 7 - methyl - 4 -( 1 , 1 - dimethyl - 1 - silaethoxy ) chromane - 4 - carbonitrile ( cyano - silyl intermediate ), then 2 ) the reaction of the 1 - silaethoxy intermediate with 2 . 35 ml ( 0 . 0184 mole ) of trimethylsilyl chloride , 2 . 8 grams ( 0 . 0184 mole ) of sodium iodide , and 0 . 12 ml of water in 30 ml of acetonitirile , yielding 0 . 6 gram of subject compound . contrary to step e of example 2 , the hydrogenation step was not necessary to obtain the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step g of example 1 , by the reaction of 0 . 5 gram ( 0 . 002 mole ) of 7 - methyl - 6 - methoxychromane - 4 - carbonitrile ( iv ) and 2 grams ( 0 . 008 mole ) of the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid ( prepared in step f of example 1 ). the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on grade ii basic alumina ( 3 % water ) using a 99 : 1 mixture of methylene chloride and methanol , respectively , as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 30 gram of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . triethylamine , 0 . 8 gram ( 0 . 009 mole ), was added to a solution of 1 . 0 gram ( 0 . 008 mole ) of 3 - methylbenzenethiol and 1 . 4 grams ( 0 . 009 mole ) of methyl 3 - bromopropanoate in 10 ml of dmf . upon completion of addition , the reaction caused the reaction mixture temperature to rise to about 30 ° c . the reaction mixture was then shaken during a one hour period using a mechanical shaker . after this time , gc analysis of the reaction mixture indicated the reaction was complete . nmr analysis of the reaction mixture indicated that the subject compound was obtained . the reaction was repeated by cooling a solution of 15 . 7 grams ( 0 . 126 mole ) of 3 - methylbenzenethiol and 23 . 3 grams ( 0 . 139 mole ) of methyl 3 - bromopropanoate in about 140 ml of dmf in an ice water bath prior to the addition of 14 . 1 grams ( 0 . 139 mole ) of triethylamine . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to ambient temperature where it stirred for an 18 hour period . the reaction mixture was then poured into 200 ml of water , and the mixture was extracted with three 200 ml portions of ethyl acetate . the combined extracts were washed with water , and then with three 50 ml portions of an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride . the organic layer was dried with sodium sulfate , and the mixture was filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue , yielding 23 . 5 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a solution of 22 . 0 grams ( 0 . 105 mole ) of methyl 3 -( 3 - methylphenylthio ) propanoate in 200 ml of methanol was stirred , and 40 ml of aqueous 10 % potassium hydroxide was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature during an 18 hour period . gc analysis of the reaction mixture indicated that the reaction was not complete . an additional 30 ml of the aqueous 10 % potassium hydroxide was added , and the reaction mixture was stirred for an additional three hours . after this time , 100 ml of water was added to the reaction mixture and the methanol was removed under reduced pressure . the residue was washed with three 50 ml portions of diethyl ether . the cooled residue was then acidified with aqueous 10 % hydrochloric acid , and extracted with 100 ml of diethyl ether . the extract was dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to an oily residue . the residue was stirred with hexane and cooled , resulting in a solid material being formed . the solid was collected by filtration and dried , yielding 17 . 0 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step c of example 3 , by the reaction of 15 . 0 grams ( 0 . 077 mole ) of 3 -( 3 - methylphenylthio ) propanoic acid ( i ), 14 . 5 grams ( 0 . 116 mole ) of oxalyl chloride and a few drops of dmf in 200 ml of methylene chloride at about 5 ° c ., yielding the corresponding propanoic acid chloride . the acid chloride was then treated with 11 . 3 grams ( 0 . 085 mole ) of aluminum chloride in 200 ml of methylene chloride at about 0 ° c . the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using mixtures of ethyl acetate and hexane as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 7 . 0 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step e of example 2 , by 1 ) the reaction of 3 . 5 grams ( 0 . 0196 mole ) of 7 - methyl - 2h , 3h - benzo [ e ] thiin - 4 - one ( ii ) with 11 . 2 grams ( 0 . 0588 mole ) of trimethylsilyl cyanide , in the presence of 0 . 3 gram ( catalyst ) of aluminum chloride in about 100 ml of toluene , affording an intermediate cyano - silyl product , then 2 ) the reaction of the cyano - silyl product with 8 . 5 grams ( 0 . 0784 mole ) of trimethylsilyl chloride , 11 . 8 grams ( 0 . 0784 mole ) of sodium iodide , and 0 . 52 ml of water in 100 ml of acetonitirile , yielding 3 . 3 grams of the subject compound . contrary to step e of example 2 , the hydrogenation step was not necessary to obtain the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step g of example 1 , by the reaction of 2 . 0 grams ( 0 . 0106 mole ) of 7 - methyl - 2h , 3h , 4h - benzo [ e ] thiin - 4 - carbonitrile ( iv ) and 6 grams ( 0 . 024 mole ) of the ethylenediamine salt of p - toluenesulfonic acid ( prepared in step f of example 1 ). the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on grade ii alumina ( basic - 3 % water ) using a 99 : 1 mixture of methylene chloride and methanol , respectively , as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 1 . 2 grams of subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a solution of 4 . 6 grams ( 0 . 016 mole ) of [( 4 - iodoimidazolyl ) sulfonyl ] dimethylamine ( commercially available ) in 10 ml of dry methylene chloride was stirred and 5 . 7 ml ( 0 . 018 mole ) of ethylmagnesium bromide ( 3m in diethyl ether ) was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred during a 2 . 5 hour period . after this time , 3 . 0 grams ( 0 . 016 mole ) of 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - one ( ii ) ( prepared in step c of example 5 ) was added , and the reaction mixture was stirred for an additional 18 hours . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into 100 ml of an aqueous solution of ammonium chloride and extracted with three 100 ml portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts were washed with one 50 ml portion of water , and dried with sodium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on grade ii basic alumina ( 3 % water ) using a 99 : 1 mixture of methylene chloride and methanol , respectively , as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 3 . 3 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 0 . 1 gram ( 0 . 00027 mole ) of {[ 4 -( 4 - hydroxy - 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine ( ix ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride was cooled in an ice water bath , and 0 . 2 ml of trifluoroacetic acid was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to ambient temperature as it stirred during a one hour period . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into 20 ml of an aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate . the mixture was extracted with three 30 ml portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts were dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . an nmr spectrum of the residue was consistent with the proposed structure . the reaction was repeated on a larger scale , using 1 . 5 grams ( 0 . 0041 mole ) of {[ 4 -( 4 - hydroxy - 6 - methoxy - 7 - methylchroman - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine ( ix ); yielding 1 . 3 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a mixture of 0 . 1 gram ( 0 . 0004 mole ) of {[ 4 -( 6 - methoxy - 7 - methyl ( 2h - chromen - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine ( ix ), 0 . 01 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % palladium on carbon , and 0 . 005 gram ( catalyst ) of 5 % platinum on carbon in 75 ml of methanol was subjected to hydrogenation conditions during a two hour period using a parr hydrogenator . after this time , the reaction mixture was passed through a column of silica gel to remove the catalysts . the eluate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . an nmr spectrum of the residue was consistent with the proposed structure . the reaction was repeated on a larger scale , using 1 . 1 grams ( 0 . 0044 mole ) of {[ 4 -( 6 - methoxy - 7 - methyl ( 2h - chromen - 4 - yl ) imidazolyl ] sulfonyl } dimethylamine . the reaction product was purified by column chromatography on grade ii alumina ( basic - 3 % water ) using methylene chloride and a 99 . 5 : 0 . 5 mixture of methylene chloride and methanol , respectively , as eluants . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 38 gram of the subject compound , mp 138 - 139 ° c . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred suspension of 1 . 2 grams of 60 % sodium hydride ( 0 . 03 mole - in mineral oil ) in 25 ml of thf was cooled to 0 ° c . to 5 ° c ., and a solution of 2 . 0 grams ( 0 . 03 mole ) of imidazole in 30 ml of thf was added dropwise . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for an additional 15 minutes , then a solution of 4 . 7 grams ( 0 . 03 mole ) of 2 -( trimethylsilyl ) ethoxymethyl chloride in 10 ml of thf was added dropwise . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to ambient temperature as it stirred during an 18 hour period . after this time , the reaction mixture was stirred with 50 ml of water , and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate . the extract was washed with an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride and was then dried with magnesium sulfate . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residual oil . the residue was distilled under reduced pressure , yielding 3 . 8 grams of the subject compound ; bp 71 ° c ./ 0 . 1 torr . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that set forth by pal ( synthesis 1995 , 1485 ), by the reaction of 4 . 2 grams ( 0 . 022 mole ) of 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 2 , 3 , 4 - trihydronaphthalen - 1 - one ( ii ), 22 ml ( 0 . 022 mole ) of lithium hexamethyldisilazane ( 1m solution ), and 7 . 8 grams ( 0 . 022 mole ) of n - phenyltrifluoromethanesulfonimide in 30 ml of thf . the yield of the subject compound was 4 . 1 grams . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 1 . 7 grams ( 0 . 009 mole ) of 1 -( imidazolylmethoxy )- 3 , 3 - dimethyl - 3 - silabutane ( xi ) in 20 ml of thf was cooled to − 78 ° c ., and 5 . 63 ml ( 0 . 009 mole ) of n - butyllithium ( 1 . 6m in hexane ) was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at about − 70 ° c . during a one hour period , then 25 ml ( 0 . 025 mole ) of zinc chloride ( 1 . 0m in diethyl ether ) was added . the reaction mixture was then stirred at about − 78 ° c . during a 15 minute period , after which time it was allowed to warm to ambient temperature as it stirred during an additional one hour period . following this , 2 . 6 grams ( 0 . 009 mole ) of 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl - 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthyl ( trifluoromethyl ) sulfonate ( x ), then 0 . 05 gram ( catalyst ) of tetrakis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( 0 ) were added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was warmed to 60 ° c . where it stirred during a two hour period . the reaction mixture was then cooled and concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using a mixture of 97 : 3 methylene chloride and methanol , respectively , as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 3 . 4 grams of the subject compound . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 3 . 0 grams ( 0 . 0081 mole ) of 1 -{[ 2 -( 7 - methoxy - 6 - methyl ( 3 , 4 - dihydronaphthyl )) imidazolyl ] methoxy }- 3 , 3 - dimethyl - 3 - silabutane ( xii ), 5 ml of aqueous 3n hydrochloric acid , and 25 ml ( 0 . 025 mole ) of tetrabutylammonium fluoride ( 1 . 0m in thf ) was warmed to 50 ° c . where it stirred for about two hours . after this time , analysis of the reaction mixture using thin layer chromatography indicated that the reaction had not gone to completion . the reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue and 15 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature during an 18 hour period . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into a mixture of aqueous 50 % sodium hydroxide and ice . the mixture was stirred until the ice melted , and a solid was collected by filtration . the solid was washed with ethyl acetate and dried , yielding 1 . 2 grams of the subject compound , mp 197 - 229 ° c . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of step c of example 7 , by the hydrogenation of 0 . 7 gram ( 0 . 003 mole ) of 4 - imidazol - 2 - yl - 6 - methoxy - 7 - methyl - 1 , 2 - dihydronaphthalene ( xiii ) using a parr hydrogenator , in the presence of 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of platinum oxide and 0 . 1 gram ( catalyst ) of 10 % palladium on carbon in 50 ml of ethanol . the yield of the subject compound was 0 . 34 gram , mp 168 - 169 ° c . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . in a 9 . 5 dram screw cap vial was placed 0 . 20 gram ( 0 . 0008 mole ) of compound 50 ( prepared as set forth in example 2 ), 0 . 11 gram ( 0 . 0008 mole ) of n , n - diisopropylethylamine , and 25 ml of methylene chloride ; followed by 2 . 4 ml ( 0 . 0008 mole ) of a stock solution of 1 ml of cyanogen bromide in 30 ml of methylene chloride . the reaction mixture was then gently shaken during an 18 hour period using a mechanical shaker . after this time the reaction mixture was poured into ice water in a separatory funnel , and the mixture was extracted with three portions of methylene chloride . the combined extracts were dried with sodium sulfate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residual oil . the residual oil was purified by column chromatography on grade ii alumina ( basic - 3 % water ) using methylene chloride as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 19 gram of compound 201 . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . a stirred solution of 0 . 2 gram ( 0 . 00081 mole ) of compound 89 ( prepared as set forth in example 5 ) and 0 . 16 gram ( 0 . 00081 mole ) of n , n - diisopropylethylamine in 10 ml of methylene chloride was cooled in an ice water bath for 10 minutes , then 2 . 63 ml ( 0 . 00081 mole ) of a stock solution prepared from 1 ml of n , n - dimethylsulfonyl chloride in 30 ml of methylene chloride was added . upon completion of addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to ambient temperature as it stirred during an 18 hour period . after this time , the reaction mixture was poured into a separatory funnel , followed by an aqueous solution saturated with ammonium chloride , and then methylene chloride . the mixture was shaken and the organic layer was separated , which was then washed with three portions of an aqueous solution saturated with ammonium chloride . the organic layer was dried with sodium sulfate , and the mixture was filtered . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to a residue . the residue was then dissolved in methylene chloride and placed on a grade ii basic alumina ( 3 % water ) column for purification . elution was accomplished using methylene chloride . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding 0 . 16 gram of compound 203 . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . this compound was prepared in a manner analogous to that of example 10 , by the reaction of 0 . 2 gram ( 0 . 00081 mole ) of compound 89 ( prepared as set forth in example 5 ), 2 . 63 ml ( 0 . 00081 mole ) of a stock solution prepared from 1 ml of chlorodimethylphosphate in 30 ml of methylene chloride , and 0 . 16 gram ( 0 . 00081 mole ) of n , n - diisopropylethylamine in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the crude product was purified by column chromatography on grade ii basic alumina ( 3 % water ) using a 99 . 5 : 0 . 5 mixture of methylene chloride and methanol , respectively , as an eluant . the appropriate fractions of eluate were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure , yielding about 0 . 19 gram of compound 204 . the nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure . the following table sets forth some additional examples of compounds of the present invention : one method for assessing the insecticidal activity of a compound , for example , a compound of formula i of the present invention , can be a comparison of the changes in insect populations during a period of time in treated and untreated loci that initially have known insect populations . for example , cotton aphid may vacate a treated host plant in a state of hyperactivity caused by coming in contact with a test compound . once the cotton aphid has left the treated host plant , it most likely will die from lack of nutrients that it normally would gather by feeding on the host plant . accordingly , the compounds of the present invention were tested for insecticidal activity by observing any decrease in population of cotton aphid ( aphis gossypii ) on treated cotton plants from aphid hyperactivity caused by a test compound , when compared to like populations of cotton aphid on untreated plants . these tests were conducted in the following manner : for each rate of application of test compound , two seven - to - ten days old cotton seedlings ( gossypium hirsutium ) grown in 7 . 6 cm diameter pots were selected for the test . each test plant was infested with about 120 adult cotton aphids by placing onto each test plant cuttings of leaves from cotton plants grown in a cotton aphid colony . once infested , the test plants were maintained for up to about 12 hours to allow complete translocation of the aphids onto the test plant . a solution comprising 300 part per million ( ppm ) of each test compound was prepared by dissolving 3 milligrams of the test compound in 1 ml of acetone . each solution was then diluted with 9 ml of a solution of 0 . 03 ml of polyoxyethylene ( 10 ) isooctylphenyl ether in 100 ml of water . about 2 . 5 ml of solution of each test compound was needed to spray each replicate of test plant ( 5 ml total for each test compound ). if needed , the solution of 300 ppm of test compound was serially diluted with a solution of 10 % acetone and 300 ppm of polyoxyethylene ( 10 ) isooctylphenyl ether in water to provide solutions of each test compound for lower rates of application , for example , 100 ppm , 10 ppm , or 3 ppm . each replicate of test plant was sprayed with the solutions of test compound until run - off on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves . all the test plants were sprayed using a devilbus atomizer model 152 ( sunrise medical , carlsbad , calif .) at a pressure of about 0 . 63 - 0 . 74 kilogram per square centimeter from a distance of about 30 . 5 centimeters from the test plants . for comparison purposes , a solution of a standard , such as amitraz or demethylchlordimeform ( dcdm ), prepared in a manner analogous to that set forth above , as well as a solution of 10 % acetone and 300 ppm of polyoxyethylene ( 10 ) isooctylphenyl ether in water containing no test compound were also sprayed onto test plants . upon completion of spraying the solutions of test compound , the solution of standard , and the solution containing no test compound , the plants were allowed to dry . upon completion of drying , the test plants were placed in a tray containing about 2 . 5 centimeters of water , where they were maintained in a growth chamber for at least 24 hours . after this time , each plant was assessed for decreased aphid population from aphid hyperactivity caused by the test compound when compared to the population of aphids on test plants not treated with test compound . a test compound was designated as possessing insecticidal activity ( sa ) if there was at least a 50 % reduction in cotton aphid population on plants sprayed with that compound . if at least 75 % of the cotton aphid population had left the test plant , a test compound was designated as being more insecticidally active ( a ). if few or no cotton aphids had left the plant , the test compound was termed as inactive ( i ). insecticidal activity data at selected rates of application are provided in table 3 . the test compounds of formula i are identified by numbers that correspond to those in table 1 . unless noted otherwise , insects exposed to plants for 24 hours ( 24 hour exposure period ) that were treated at an application rate of 300 ppm of test compound . 1 insects exposed to treated plants for 48 hours ( 48 hour exposure period ). 2 insects exposed to treated plants for 72 hours ( 72 hour exposure period ). 3 insects exposed to plants for 72 hours ( 72 hour exposure period ) that were treated at an application rate of 1000 ppm of test compound . as set forth in the foregoing table , the majority of the compounds of formula i in table 3 caused at least a 75 % reduction ( a ) in population of cotton aphid , while the remaining compounds of formula i in table 3 caused at least a 50 % reduction ( sa ) in cotton aphid population . while this invention has been described with an emphasis upon preferred embodiments , it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that variations of the preferred embodiments may be used and that it is intended that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims . | 2 |
a first embodiment of an outboard motor carrier of the present invention is illustrated in fig1 and 2 , generally indicated by the numeral 10 . this embodiment of the outboard motor carrier 10 is designed for attachment to the rear of a motor vehicle 12 , and in particular to a trailer hitch assembly 14 , as will be described further below . the outboard motor carrier 10 is provided with a means for supporting an outboard motor 16 in a generally vertical position to maintain the drive casing 18 and its associated propeller 20 lower than the engine casing 22 . the outboard motor carrier is also provided with a means for supporting the gasoline tank 24 for the outboard motor 16 , also in a generally vertical and secure position . the details of the construction of the outboard motor carrier 10 of the first embodiment are illustrated in fig2 . the outboard motor carrier 10 has a support arm 26 extending upwardly from the trailer hitch 14 to which is attached a rectangular metal frame 28 holding the outboard motor attachment means and gasoline tank attachment means . the support arm 26 at the lower end is provided with a means for attaching to a tralier hitch assembly . this means for attaching to the trailer hitch assembly will vary depending upon the nature of the trailer hitch assembly , in particular , the class of the trailer hitch assembly . a class 1 trailer hitch assembly has the trailer ball platform directly connected to the motor vehicle . for these types of trailer hitches , a support arm would be provided with a bolt to enable the support arm to be bolted to the trailer hitch assembly , utilizing the hole provided in the platform for the trailer ball . class 2 and class 3 trailer hitch assemblies utilize a square socket which accepts an extension arm of a trailer ball hitch platform . for these classes of trailer hitch assemblies , the support arm 26 at the lower end is provided with an attachment arm 30 , sized to be inserted into the trailer hitch assembly 14 and attached thereto . the lower end of the support arm 26 is also preferably provided with a trailer ball hitch platform 32 having a trailer ball 34 to enable a trailer to be towed by the motor vehicle 12 even when the support arm assembly 26 is being used . when utilized with class 1 trailer hitch assemblies where the support arm 26 is attached to the hole for the typical trailer ball , a means for preventing rotation of the outboard motor carrier 10 may be provided . this means may be provided as extension plates on the sides of the support arm 26 which would lie against the edges of the trailer ball hitch platform to prevent rotation of the support arm . this would be of particular importance if the outboard motor carrier 10 is also provided with a trailer ball hitch platform 32 and trailer ball 34 to enable the trailer to be towed . the support arm 26 may also utilize part of a typical bicycle carrier rack for attachment to trailer hitch assemblies . the upper end of such a support arm 26 curves over to provide a generally horizontal extension 36 with clamps 38 for holding one or more bicycles . the rectangular frame 28 of the outboard motor carrier 10 is constructed of a tubular metal material to provide for the required strength for supporting the outboard motor 16 and gasoline tank 24 . the rectangular frame 28 of the embodiment of the outboard motor carrier 10 illustrated in fig1 and 2 is constructed of square tubular metal welded together to provide for the rectangular frame 28 . the outboard motor carrier 10 could also be constructed of round tubular metal in place of the square tubular metal however the square tubular metal has been found to be most suitable . the tubular metal frame is preferably rectangular in shape with one end being provided with a plate 40 preferably of wood to mimic the transom of a boat to allow the outboard motor 16 to be attached thereto . the outboard motor 16 is attached to the plate 40 in a typical manner , utilizing the clamps which clamp the outboard motor 16 to a transom of a boat . in order to secure the outboard motor 16 to the plate 40 of the outboard motor carrier 10 a lock may be inserted through the holes provided in the handles of the clamps of the outboard motor 16 in the usual manner . this lock prevents the handles of the clamps from turning and thus releasing the motor from the plate 40 . by locking the handles in this manner , the handles would not be able to be turned by a person which would provide security for the motor attached to the outboard motor carrier 10 . in addition , during motion of the motor vehicle , the vibration could cause the handles to turn and the clamps to loosen , if the handles are not locked in a secure position . to provide for further security , the motor may also be provided with a secondary security attachment to the carrier , such as a wire releasably attached to the motor and to the outboard motor carrier . a second end of the rectangular frame 28 is provided with a suitable carrier 42 for carrying the gasoline tank 24 . the rectangular frame 28 has a top bar 44 and a bottom bar 46 joined together by sidebars 48 . to strengthen the frame 28 diagonal bars 50 are provided extending from the inside corners between the top bar 44 and side bars 48 to the bottom bar 46 . a crossbar 52 is located joining the two diagonal bars 50 , crossbar 52 being spaced from the top bar 44 a height sufficient to enable the lower edge of the wooden plate 40 to be attached to the crossbar 52 . the rectangular frame 28 is constructed by cutting the tubular metal pieces to the proper length and configuration and welding the frame together . the rectangular metal frame 28 of the outboard motor carrier 10 of the embodiment illustrated fig1 and 2 is adapted to be attached to the support arm 26 . the top bar 44 is provided with a first attachment means 54 centrally located on the top bar 44 . similarly the bottom bar 46 is provided with a second attachment means 56 centrally located on the bottom bar 46 . the attachment means 54 and 56 are preferably u - shaped bar stock with the bases 58 and 60 attached to the top bar 44 or bottom bar 46 respectively and the arms 62 and 64 extending outwardly from the top bar 44 and bottom bar 46 respectively . the attachment of the attachment means 54 and 56 may be effected by bolting the means 54 and 56 to the rectangular frame 28 or they may be permanently attached by welding the bases to the frame 28 . the arms 62 and 64 of the attachment means 54 and 56 are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the support arm 26 to which the outboard motor carrier 10 is to be attached . the arms 62 and 64 of the attachment means 54 and 56 and the support arm 26 are provided with holes 66 which overlie one another when the outboard motor carrier 10 is attached to the support arm 26 . suitable bolts 68 are provided to pass through the holes 66 in the attachment means 54 and 56 and the support arm 26 and nuts 70 are attached to the ends of the bolts 68 to secure the outboard motor carrier 10 to the support arm 26 . alternatively , the support arm may be permanently attached to the outboard motor carrier 10 such as by welding . the plate 40 for attaching the outboard motor 16 to the outboard motor carrier 10 is preferably located at an upper corner of the rectangular frame 28 and attached to the rectangular frame by a suitable means such as bolts 72 . the gasoline tank securing means comprises a cage , which is attached to the rectangle frame 28 of the outboard motor carrier 10 . while the embodiment of the outboard motor carrier 10 illustrated in the figures , has a plate 40 for attaching the outboard motor 16 on the upper right corner and the gasoline tank securing means on the lower left corner , it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the positions of these two may be reversed . this may be easily accomplished either by providing holes at both of the upper corners for the bolts 72 for attaching the plate 40 to the outboard motor carrier 10 and holes for the attachment of the cage of the gasoline tank securing means at both of the lower corners . alternatively , the orientation of the plate 40 and gasoline tank securing means may be varied merely by reversing the orientation of the rectangular frame 28 prior to attachment of the attachment means 54 and 56 to the rectangular frame in those cases where the attachment means 54 and 56 are attached by bolts . the cage of the gasoline securing means is preferably provided by a plurality of tubular metal members bent into u - shapes and joined to one another to form the cage . thus , as shown in the figures two u - shaped main members 74 having a base 76 and arms 78 and 80 are joined by one or more cross members 82 also having a base 84 and arms 86 . the bases 76 of the main members 74 and base 84 of the cross member 82 are of a dimension to allow a typical gasoline tank 24 to be held within the cage of the gasoline tank securing means . the arms 78 of the main members 74 are attached to the rectangular frame 28 with the base 76 and other arm 80 extending away from the rectangular frame 28 . the cross member 82 provides for lateral support of the gasoline tank 24 contained within the cage of the gasoline tank securing means . the arms 86 of the cross member 82 and the arms 78 and 80 of the main members 74 are provided with holes 88 . the holes on the arms 78 of the main member 74 are utilized for securing the gasoline securing means to the rectangular frame 28 . the holes 88 on the arms 86 of the cross member 82 and on the shorter arms 80 of the main members are utilized for securely tying the gasoline tank 24 to the gasoline tank securing means by using bungee cords or other suitable rope . alternatively , or in addition to this , a belt or strap may be used to strap the gasoline tank 24 to the cage . this prevents the gasoline tank 24 from moving when the motor vehicle 12 is in motion . a second embodiment of an outboard motor carrier of the present invention is illustrated in fig3 and 4 generally indicated by the numeral 100 . this embodiment of the outboard motor carrier 100 is designed to attach to a rooftop carrier 102 , which is typically found on pop - up campers . alternatively the outboard motor carrier 100 may also be utilized in association with a rooftop carrier 102 utilized on a motor vehicle . the outboard motor carrier 100 has a rectangular frame 104 of a suitable tubular material constructed similar to the first embodiment . the rectangular frame 104 is attached to the cross supports 106 of the rooftop carrier 102 by passing u bolts 108 around the cross supports 106 of the rooftop carrier 102 , through holes 110 provided in the rectangular frame 104 and then securing the bolts 108 with suitable nuts 112 . the outboard motor carrier 100 is provided with an outboard motor securing means at one end of the rectangular frame 104 and a gasoline tank securing means at the second end of the rectangular frame 104 . the outboard motor securing means has a wooden plate 114 attached to a tubular frame 116 which is in turn secured to the rectangular frame 104 of the outboard motor carrier 100 . the outboard motor 16 is attached and secured to the plate 114 in a manner similar to the first embodiment . the tubular frame 116 of the outboard motor securing means is angled upwardly from the horizontal to maintain the drive casing 18 of the outboard motor 16 below the engine casing 22 to prevent any water which may be in the drive casing 18 of the motor 16 from being able to flow into the engine casing 22 . the tubular frame 116 of the outboard motor securing means is also provided with braces 118 between the elevated end of the tubular frame 116 and the rectangular frame 104 to prevent flexing of the outboard motor securing means when the outboard motor 16 is attached and the vehicle is in motion . the outboard motor securing means is also provided with a drive shaft housing support located on a bridging member 120 which bridges the two sides on the rectangular frame 104 to provide for further support of the rectangular frame 104 . the drive shaft housing support has a u - shaped member 122 , which surrounds the drive shaft housing and is secured to a plate 124 , attached to the bridging member 120 . the gasoline tank securing means is provided as a rectangular frame 126 of a size to accommodate the gasoline tank 24 . the rectangular frame 126 is provided with holes 128 along its periphery for attachment of suitable rope or bungee cords whereby the gasoline tank 24 may be secured to the gasoline tank securing means . in addition , a belt or strap as in the first embodiment may be used . the outboard motor carrier of the present invention provides for secure carrying and transport of not only an outboard motor but also the gasoline tank associated with the outboard motor . by carrying both the outboard motor and the gasoline tank on exterior of the vehicle the potential for harmful fumes in the interior of the motor vehicle is eliminated . in addition the outboard motor and gasoline tank no longer take up interior space and thus increase the carrying capacity of the motor vehicle . a further benefit of the outboard motor carrier of the present invention is that the outboard motor and the gasoline tank are securely transported minimizing the potential for damage to the outboard motor or the gasoline tank while the car is in motion as there is reduced likelihood of the outboard motor or the gasoline tank shifting during sudden starts or stops of the motor vehicle . the outboard motor carrier of the present invention is simple to manufacture and easy to use as it is easily attached to a trailer hitch assembly of the motor vehicle for the first embodiment or the rooftop carrier for the second embodiment . when the carrier is not in use it is easily removed from the motor vehicle and may be utilized for storing the outboard motor and gasoline tank by leaving them attached to the carrier . although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims . | 5 |
the following is a detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention presently deemed by the inventor to be the best mode of carrying out his invention . the method of the invention comprises the step of coating produce with an aqueous solution including trehalose . the produce may be fresh or fresh and minimally processed , i . e ., abraded , scraped , peeled , sliced , diced or shredded . the coating may be applied in any manner conventional in the produce processing industry , e . g ., soaking , dipping , spraying , cascading fall , tumbling , etc . trehalose is the particular sugar . other sugars , such as monosaccharides , that can be used in combination with trehalose , are sucrose , mannose , glucose , fructose and ribose , and the ester , aldehyde and ketone derivatives of these sugars . other additives and stabilizers can be used such as anti - oxidants , anti - microbials and surfactants , and wetting agents to lower the surface tension of the coating solution . the concentration of the sugar or sugars in the aqueous solution may range from 1 to 50 % by weight . the concentration of trehalose in the aqueous solution is at least about 1 % by weight , and may range from about 1 to 20 % by weight , with about 3 % to about 5 % by weight being preferred . the produce to be treated is preferably soaked in the aqueous solution for a period of 1 to 20 minutes depending upon the trehalose concentration , the produce involved and compatibility with the manufacturing process being used to process and package the produce . no special packaging is required . conventional packaging and modes of transport will suffice . to 500 ml ( milliliters ) of fresh water , 250 g ( grams ) of fresh baby carrots were added and allowed to soak 3 minutes . they were removed from the water , shaken to remove excess water , and placed uncovered in a refrigerator set at 41 ° f . the carrots had extensive white blush on the surface within 12 hours . to 500 ml of fresh water , 50 g of trehalose was added and allowed to dissolve . then 250 g of fresh cut baby carrots were placed in the solution for 3 minutes , removed , shaken and then stored uncovered in a refrigerator set at 41 ° f . the carrots remained fresh looking with no blush for 3 days . to 500 ml of fresh water , 100 g of trehalose was added and allowed to dissolve . then 250 g of fresh cut baby carrots were placed into the solution for 3 minutes , removed , shaken and placed uncovered in a refrigerator set at 41 ° f . the carrots remained fresh looking with no blush for 7 days . washed and sliced radishes were placed uncovered in a refrigerator set at 45 ° f . the radishes shriveled and the skin turned black within 3 days . washed and sliced radishes were immersed in a 5 % by weight aqueous solution of trehalose for 15 minutes and placed uncovered in a refrigerator set at 45 ° f . after 3 days , the radishes exhibited no change in physical condition or appearance and the skin remained radish red . washed and sliced green peppers were placed uncovered in a refrigerator set at 47 ° f . after 3 days , the peppers were somewhat shriveled and appeared dehydrated or dry . washed and sliced green peppers were immersed for 15 minutes in a 5 % by weight aqueous solution of trehalose and placed uncovered in a refrigerator set at 47 ° f . after 3 days , the peppers remained bright green and appeared moist , fresh and appetizing . the invention therefore provides an improved method for preserving the natural color and appearance of fresh and minimally processed produce , for inhibiting white blush and other discoloration on carrots and other fruits and vegetables , and for inhibiting dehydration of the same . while preferred embodiments of the invention have been herein described , it is to be appreciated that various changes , rearrangements and modifications may be made therein , without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 0 |
the invention dynamically responds to changes in workload characteristics in a computer system . the computer system may comprise a single small computer , e . g . a personal computer , a single large computer ( e . g . an enterprise server ), or a network of larger and / or small computers . the computers , particularly the large computers , or the network may be divided into protection domains or partitions . each partition may be running its own operating system . in any event , the inventive mechanism preferably allows the administrator to think in terms of performance goals rather than computer system resources and requirements . consequently , the administrator preferably defines a variety of performance goals with different priorities between them , and the inventive mechanism will preferably make any necessary adjustment of the resources . the goals can be preferably set without regard to partitions . for example , a goal for a database portion of the computer system could be that a retrieval transaction should not take more than 10 milliseconds . the inventive mechanism would then manipulate the resources to achieve this goal . for multiple partition computer systems , the resources may be manipulated within a partition , e . g . processor time being allocated among applications , or the resources may be manipulated between partitions , e . g . reassigning a processor from one partition to other ( effectively resizing the partitions ), or combination of both . note that the resources may be located on one physical computer and are allocated to an application or partition located on another physical computer . the inventive mechanism preferably includes a partition load manager ( plm ) that receives resource request information from the partitions of the system . the plm preferably examines the resource request information , and compares the request information with the available resources . based on the comparison , the plm may increase , decrease , or leave unchanged , a particular partition &# 39 ; s resources . if the performance of a partition is lagging , e . g ., if transactions are taking longer than the goals , then the partition may request an increase in the resource entitlement from the plm . if a partition is over - achieving , then the partition may inform the plm that it has excess resources , and the plm may decrease its entitlement and allocate it to another partition or partitions . each partition preferably includes a work load manager ( wlm ) which operates similarly to the plm , but operates within a particular partition . the wlm is more fully explained in u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 493 , 753 entitled “ dynamic management of computer workloads through service level optimization ,” filed jan . 28 , 2000 , which is hereby incorporated herein by reference . each wlm also receives goal information and priority information from a user or administrator . note that such goal and priority information may be the same for all partitions or the information may be specific to each partition or groups of partitions . the wlm also receives performance information from performance monitors , which are processes that monitor the performance of the applications and devices within the partition . the wlm examines the information from the performance monitors and compares the information with the goals . based on the comparison , the wlm may increase , decrease , or leave unchanged , an application &# 39 ; s entitlement . if the performance of an application is lagging , e . g ., if transactions are taking longer than the goal , then the wlm increases the entitlement . if an application is over - achieving , then the wlm will decrease its entitlement and allocate it to another application . the wlms also interacts with the plm . each wlm initially and periodically , after determining its resource needs , sends resource request information to the plm . the plm , after receiving such requests , then allocates system resources between the partitions . each wlm , after receiving information about its partitions resources , then allocates its allotted resources among the applications on its partition . in multiple partition systems , the plm may reside in one partition and have access to the other partitions . alternatively , the plm may reside in a service module that manages all of the partitions . alternatively , the plm may reside in each partition , and cooperatively allocate resources amongst themselves . a partition arbiter or partition resource allocator allocates the resources between the different partitions , based on the priorities of the partitions and the resource requests . this movement of resources is referred to as re - sizing partitions . a partition , preferably through its wlm , maintains a list of prioritized application goals with an indication of the quantity of each required resource application goals of equal priority are treated equally . ( note that an application may have more than one goal .) the requests of higher priority application goals are satisfied before lower priority application goals . unallocated resources may be held in reserve or assigned to default partition . note that applications of the default partition may always be exceeding their goals and thus require a rule that such a condition is not an event to cause reallocation of resources or resizing of partitions . note that the partition resource entitlements are no longer a fixed configuration . as a partition &# 39 ; s needs change , the invention will automatically adjust partition entitlements based resource availability and priority . thus , the invention is dynamic . also note that the administrator no longer has to estimate the initial entitlements as the invention will determine the correct resource allocation to achieve the stated goals , and the computer system using the invention will converge on certain partition entitlement values that achieve the stated performance goals . further note that priorities can be assigned to the different goals . consequently , different goals can be met based on system resources , e . g ., with a high amount of resources , all goals can be met , however , with a lesser amount of resources the higher priority goal will be met before the lower priority goals . further note that changes to the system can be made as soon as the plm receives resource requests , and action by the system administrator is not required . note that in multiple partition systems , the administrator may define and prioritize goals that apply across all of the partitions and the different operating system instances operating in the partitions , instead of only being applied within a single partition . fig2 a depicts the various components of the invention in a multiple partition system having multiple partitions 203 - 1 , 203 - 2 , 203 - 3 . . . 203 - n . each partition may have one or more processors and other systems resources , e . g . storage devices , i / o devices , etc . each partition is preferably running its own operating system 26 - 1 , . . . 26 - n , which provides segregation and survivability between the partitions . note that the different partitions may have different amounts of resources , e . g . different numbers of processors . also note that the partitions may be virtual , as the multiple partitions may reside in one or more physical computers . note that in an initial state the system may have the resources evenly divided among the partitions . alternatively , the initial state of the system may provide only minimal resources to each partition , with the extra resources being held in reserve , for example , either unassigned or all placed into one or more partitions . the operations of the plm and the wlms will cause the system resources to be quickly allocated in a manner that is most efficient to handle the defined goals and priorities for the applications of each of the partitions . the resources of the computer system are managed by plm 201 . the plm 201 receives resource requests from the different partitions . the requests can involve multiple priorities and multiple types of resources . for example , a request may state that the partition requires two processors and one storage device to handle all high priority applications , four processors and two storage devices to handle all high and medium priority applications , seven processors and five storage devices to handle all high , medium , and low priority applications . the requests originate from the wlms 20 - 1 , . . . 20 - n . the wlms preferably produce the requests after totaling the resources necessary to activate their respective goals . after receiving one or more requests , the plm preferably reviews system resources and determines if reallocation is necessary based on existing resources , current requests , and the priorities of the requests . thus , if a particular partition has a change in resource requirements , the plm will examine the existing requirements of the other partitions with the new requirements of the particular partition , as well as the current resources , to determine if reallocation is necessary . the plm may also initiate reallocation after a change in system resources , e . g . a processor fails , or additional memory is added , etc . the plm preferably determines whether reallocation is necessary by examining the priorities of the resource request . a change in a high level request will typically cause reallocation . for example , if all device resources are consumed in handling high priority operations of the partitions , then a change in a low priority request would be ignored . on the other hand , a change in a high priority request , e . g . less resources needed , will cause reallocation of the resources , e . g . the excess resources from the oversupplied partition would be re - allocated among the other partitions based on the goals and priorities of their applications . the plm then calculates a revised distribution of resources based on the goals and priorities of the applications of different partitions . the revised distribution is then delivered to partition resource allocator 202 . allocator 202 preferably operates to resize the partitions , which is to move resources from one or more partitions to one or more partitions based on the instructions provided by the plm 201 . an example of such an allocator , and partition resizing is described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 725 , 317 entitled “ reconfiguration support for a multi partition computer system ,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference . note that resizing may cause considerable overhead to be incurred by the system . in such a case , moving resources from one partition to another reduces the available computing time . thus , determination by the plm may include a threshold that must be reached before the plm begins reallocation . the threshold may include multiple components , e . g . time , percent under / over capacity , etc . for example , a small over / under capacity may have to exist for a longer period of time before reallocation occurs , while a large over / under capacity may cause an immediate reallocation . this would prevent small , transient changes in resource need from causing reallocations in the system . fig2 b depicts the various components of a partition of the inventive system , which includes performance goals and priorities 21 . goals 21 preferably comprises a configuration file , which is defined by a user or system administrator , that describes the users preferences with regards to what characteristic ( s ) of the application is of interest and is being measured , what is the desired level of performance of the application in terms of the characteristic , and what is the priority of achieving this goal . a user can also specify time periods for a particular goal to be in effect . for example , a first application may be a first database and the user will specify in the configuration file that the characteristic is for a particular type of transaction to be completed within two seconds , and have a high priority . the application may also have a second goal for the same characteristic , e . g . the same type of transactions are to be completed within one half of a second , and have a low priority . a second application may be a second database which has a similar goal as that of the first database , namely for a particular type of transaction to be completed within two seconds , and have the same priority as the first database . thus , resources would be allocated between the two applications , so that the high priority goals will be met , and any excess resources would be given to the first application so that it can meet the lower priority “ stretch ” goal . the wlm 20 preferably receives performance information which describes the status of a particular characteristic or characteristics of each application 12 , 13 , 14 that is being monitored . the wlm 20 also receives performance information which describes the status and / or other characteristics of the processors 11 and other devices 25 ( e . g . i / o , storage , etc .) contained within partition 208 . the performance information is preferably supplied by performance monitor 23 . as shown in fig2 b , a single monitor is capable of handling multiple applications and devices , however , a different embodiment of the present invention may have multiple monitors , each monitoring one or more applications and devices . performance monitor 23 is a small program that gathers specific information about the application and / or device . for example , if the application is a database , then a performance monitor measures access times for the database . as another example , if a device is a hard drive , then the performance monitor may measure data capacity . the information need not be strictly application performance ; it can be any measurable characteristic of the workload ( e . g . cpu usage ). this information is being gathered continuously while the system is operating . the workload manager will sample the information at some interval specified by the administrator . the output of the workload manager , derived from the ongoing performance reported by the monitors and given the goals by the user , is preferably periodically applied to the prm 10 . the output of wlm 20 is the share or entitlement allocation to the different resources that is assigned to each application . for example , each share may approximately equates to 1 / 100 of a cpu operating second . thus , within a second , an application having an entitlement of 10 will receive 1 / 10 of the second , provided that the application has at least one runable process . note that the time received may not be consecutive , but rather may be distributed across the one second interval . note that a share may also equate to other parameters based on the resource being allocated , e . g . a percent of disk storage space or actual number of bytes of disk storage space . the partition may have multiple numbers of resources , e . g . multiple cpus and / or multiple storage devices . thus , the allocation can be placed all on one device or spread among the devices . for example , a ten percent processor allocation in a four processor system could result in forty percent of one processor , ten percent of each processor , twenty percent of two processors , or some other allocation . the allocation among the different devices is determined by the prm 10 . the prm will move the application around to various devices , as needed to attempt to ensure that it achieves ten percent . therefore , if the application has only one runable thread , so that it can only execute on one cpu , then prm will attempt to give it 20 % of one cpu ( on a two cpu system ), so that is 10 % of the total universe of cpu availability that is out there . multi - threaded applications can be assigned to more than one cpu . the allocation allows the application to perform its programmed tasks . how fast and efficient it performs its tasks is a reflection of how much cpu time it was allocated . the less cpu it is allocated , the less it will perform in a time period . the more cpu it is allocated , the more it will perform in a time period . the performance monitor will measure its performance , which will be sampled by the wlm , thus completing the feedback of the system . the wlm 20 also preferably sends resource requests to the plm 201 . these requests may take the form of a list that describes the resources required for partition 208 to meet its goals for its different priorities . the plm may then decide to reallocate resources based on a request . the plm may store the different requests , which would permit the plm to view the changes in the requested resources . this would allow the plm to anticipate changes in resources . for example , over a period of time , the plm may realize that a particular partition always has a need for more resources at a particular time ( or following a particular event ), e . g . at four p . m ., and thus the plm may reallocate resources to that particular partition before the partition sends a request . the storing of requests would also allow for the setting of reallocation triggering criteria . a simple trigger could be used that compares a single message with the current resource allocation , e . g . a requested increase / decrease of 5 % or greater of the current allocation resources would trigger reallocation . more complex triggers could be used that refer to the stored messages . for example , requests from a particular partition for increase / decrease of 2 % to & lt ; 5 % of the current allocation resource that continue for more than one hour will cause reallocation . plm 201 operates according to the flow chart 300 of fig3 . the plm starts 301 by receiving 302 the resource requests from the wlms . the plm then optionally determines whether to initiate reallocation 315 . the plm may compare the resource requests with the current allocations . if a particular partition has a request for more or less resources that exceeds a predetermined threshold , as compared with a current allocation , then the plm may initiate reallocation . also , the plm may compare a plurality of such requests from each partition , which have been accumulated over time , to determine whether there is a chronic overage / underage of resources . for example , suppose a difference of 10 % between requested resources ( either overage or underage ) and current resources will cause an immediate reallocation to occur , while a 9 % difference will cause reallocation if the difference ( 9 % or higher ) occurs in two consecutive requests ( or for 10 minutes ), while a 8 % difference ( 8 % or higher ) will cause reallocation if the difference occurs in three consecutive requests ( or for 15 minutes ), etc . if the plm determines that reallocation should occur , then the plm proceeds with box 316 , and if not then the plm returns to box 302 . in box 316 , the plm preferably assigns 301 all partitions with the value 1 ( hereinafter meaning a minimal allotment of devices , e . g . one cpu , one i / o , one block of memory , etc .). the extra resources would be assigned to a default partition or held in reserve as unassigned . alternatively , the plm may evenly divide up the resources between the partitions . in box 303 , the plm then preferably examines the requests for resources needed to handle the highest application priority group of the partitions . it determines 304 whether the requested amount for each partition within the priority group can be satisfied . if so , then the plm facilitates allocation 305 of the requested entitlement by sending the allocation information to the partition resource allocator 202 . note that several messages may be sent , with one or more for each application priority level and / or partition . alternatively , one message may be sent at the end 309 , which lays out the complete allocation of the resources for all partitions . if not , then the plm preferably arbitrates between the different partitions in a fair manner , as discussed in step 310 . after satisfying each partition with the application priority group in step 305 , the plm then determines 306 whether there are any more application priority groups . if so , then the plm returns to step 303 and repeats . if not , then plm determines 307 whether any unallocated resources remain . if not , then the plm is finished 309 . the allocated resource information is sent to the partition resource allocator , and the plm is finished for this iteration . after receiving new requests , the plm will begin again in step 301 . if step 307 determines that resources are available , then the plm may assign the remaining resources to a default partition , designate the resources as unassigned and hold them in reserve ( hoarding ), or divide the remaining resources equally among one or more of the partitions . note that hoarding may allow the invention to operate more properly , as the assignment of extra resources may cause the partitions to over achieve their respective goals , and consequently cause further reallocations , unless a rule is used to prevent such reallocations . then the plm ends 309 . if the plm determines in step 304 that the requested amount for each partition within the application priority group cannot be satisfied , then the plm preferably arbitrates between the different partitions in a fair manner . for example , by designating 310 a current target value as the lowest value of ( 1 ) the lowest of any previously allocated amounts , wherein the previously allocated amounts have not been previously used for a target value , or ( 2 ) the lowest requested amount of one partition of the priority group , which has not been used for a previous target value . note that criteria ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) do not include partitions that have reached their requested amounts , as this will simplify the performance flow of the plm as depicted in fig3 ( namely , by reducing the number of times that steps 310 , 311 , 312 , and 313 are repeated ). then the plm determines whether the target amount for each partition within the application priority group can be satisfied . if not , then the allocation amount may be equally divided 314 among different partitions of the application priority group whose allocations are less than the current target , but excluding partitions that already met or exceeded the target level . the plm then ends 309 . if so , then the plm allocates 312 sufficient resources to bring the resource allocation value of each partition up to the target level . partitions that already meet or exceed the target level are not changed . the plm then determines 313 whether any unallocated resources remain . if not , then the plm ends 309 . if so , then the plm returns to step 310 to determine a new current target level and repeats the process until the plm ends 309 . note that the distribution of box 314 is by way of example only , as the remaining amount may be held in reserve and / or otherwise unallocations be assigned to a default partition ( s ), or allocated to one or more partitions according to another rule . fig4 a depicts an example of the operation of the plm 201 . as shown in fig4 a , there are six partitions that have different requirements for four levels of priority . note only one resource type is shown for simplicity as different types of resources exist , and each partition may have different requirements for the different types of resources . as shown , partition 1 requires 1 resource to handle priority 1 applications or processes , as well as priority 2 and 3 applications or processes , and 3 resources to handle priority 4 applications or processes . the other partitions have their requirements as shown . these resources can be a single processor , a group of processors , i / o devices , memory ( e . g . ram , rom , etc . ), storage devices ( optical discs , hard drives , etc . ), connection bandwidth to other devices and / or systems ( e . g . internet , intranet , lan , wan , ethernet etc . ), etc , but also may be any device , application , program or process that can be allocated between and / or among different one or more partitions of a multiple partition system . note that the values used to express the requirements are shown as incremental values of the resources by way of example only , as other values could be used . for example , for storage devices ( ram , rom , hard drives , etc . ), the requirements could be shown as megabytes , or as a number of hard drives . processors could be shown as percentages , shares , or as normalized values . note that some computer systems may be able to use fractional values , with resources being split between partitions . if the computer system cannot handle fractional values ( no splitting resources ), then rounding errors or inequities may occur in the allocation of the resources . fig4 a also depicts the allocation operation of the plm , as shown in fig3 on the requests . note that the total needed for all priorities of all the partitions is 21 , while a total of 19 resources exists in the system . thus , not all partitions will have their priorities satisfied . after a time period , the partitions send resource requests to the plm , as shown in table form in fig4 a . the plm then may determine that reallocation is necessary in box 315 and begins a fair allocation of the resources . note that additional resources being added to the system , e . g . another processor is added , can also cause reallocation . similarly , resources being removed from the system , e . g . a i / o device fails , could also cause reallocation . the plm begins by providing each partition with minimal resources to operation , wherein each partition is assigned 1 resource in accordance with box 316 of fig3 as shown in column 401 . for example , each partition must have at least one processor , a block of memory , and one i / o device to operate . the plm may send the resource information to the partition resource allocator 202 or wait until the reallocation has completed before sending the resource information to the partition resource allocator 202 . the plm then determines whether each partition can receive its requested resource amount for priority 1 , box 304 . in this case , these amounts can be allocated , as there are 13 remaining resources . as shown in column 402 , partitions 3 and 5 would each receive 1 additional resource , box 305 . the other partitions are satisfied from the initial allocation . since there are additional priority groups , box 806 , the plm repeats for priority 2 . the plm can again allocate the requested amounts , since 11 resources remain . thus , as shown in column 403 , partitions 2 and 3 would receive two more resources , while partition 5 would receive one more resource . since there are additional priority groups , the plm repeats for priority 3 . the plm can again allocate the requested amounts , since 6 resources remain . thus , as shown in column 404 , partitions 2 and 5 would receive one more resource . since there are additional priority groups , the plm repeats for priority 4 . the plm cannot allocate the requested amounts , since only 4 resources remain . the partitions would like for 6 more resources to be allocated . ( note that partition 4 would like a total of 3 resources and has already been allocated 1 resource , and thus only needs two more .) therefore , box 304 would then follow the ‘ no ’ path . the previously allocated amounts for the current step are 1 and 4 , while the requested amounts are 1 , 3 , 4 , and 5 . the current target would be designated as 1 , which is the lowest value of a requesting partition , as well as the lowest value of a previously allocated amount . since each partition has at least 1 resource , no additional resources are allocated in this cycle , as shown in column 405 . note that partitions 3 and 6 have reached their requested amounts . since additional resources remain , box 313 , a new target is designated , i . e . 3 ( lowest target not previously used ). partitions 1 and 4 each receive additional resources , while partitions 2 and 5 remain unchanged , as shown in column 406 . note that partitions 1 and 4 have reached their requested amounts . the allocated amounts would be provided to the partition resource allocator 202 as the resource allocation information . the allocator 202 would then manipulate the resources of the partitions . fig4 b depicts another example of the operation of the plm 201 , similar to that of fig4 a . as shown in fig4 b , there are five partitions that have different requirements for two levels of priority . note only one resource type is shown for simplicity as different types of resources exist , and each partition may have different requirements for the different types of resources . as shown , partition 1 requires 1 resource to handle priority 1 applications or processes , and 9 resources to handle priority 2 applications or processes . the other partitions have their requirements as shown . note that partition 5 needs 4 resources for priority 1 , but only 3 resources for priority 2 . in such a case , the higher priority request preferably is satisfied . fig4 b also depicts the allocation operation of the plm , as shown in fig3 on the requests . note that the total needed for all priorities of all the partitions is 27 , while a total of 24 resources exist in the system . thus , not all partitions will have their priorities satisfied . after a time period , the partitions send resource requests to the plm , as shown in table form in fig4 b . the plm then may determine that reallocation is necessary in box 315 and begins a fair allocation of the resources . the plm begins by providing each partition with minimal resources to operation , wherein each partition is assigned 1 resource in accordance with box 316 of fig3 as shown in column 408 . the plm then determines whether each partition can receive its requested resource amount for priority 1 , box 304 . in this case , these amounts can be allocated . as shown in column 409 , partitions 3 and 5 would each receive 3 additional resources , box 305 . note that partition 5 has reached its requested amount . the other partitions are satisfied from the initial allocation . since there are additional priority groups , box 806 , the plm repeats for priority 2 . the plm cannot allocate the requested amounts . therefore , box 304 would then follow the ‘ no ’ path . the previously allocated amounts are 1 and 4 , while the requested amounts are 2 , 3 , 5 , 8 , and 9 . the current target would be designated as 1 , which is the lowest value of a set comprising the requested amount and the previously allocated amount . since each partition has at least 1 resource , no additional resources are allocated in this cycle , as shown in column 410 . since additional resources remain , box 313 , a new target is designated , i . e . 2 . partitions 1 , 2 , and 4 each receive an additional resource , as shown in column 411 . note that partition 4 has reached its requested amount . since additional resources remain , box 313 , a new target is designated , i . e . 3 . partitions 1 and 2 each receive an additional resource , as shown in column 412 . since additional resources remain , box 313 , a new target is designated , i . e . 4 . partitions 1 and 2 each receive an additional resource , as shown in column 413 . since additional resources remain , box 313 , a new target is designated , i . e . 5 . partitions 1 , 2 , and 3 each receive an additional resource , as shown in column 414 . note that partition 3 has reached its requested amount . since additional resources remain , box 313 , a new target is designated , i . e . 8 . the remaining resources cannot be allocated to meet the new target , box 311 . thus , the remaining resources are allocated according to box 314 . for example , the remaining resources can be equally divided among the partitions that have not yet received their requested allocations as described in box 314 . thus , the 3 remaining resources are divided among partitions 1 and 2 , with each partition receiving 1 . 5 resources . the allocated amounts would be provided to the partition resource allocator 202 as the resource allocation information . the allocator 202 would then manipulate the resources of the partitions . as described above , if resource values are used that are not representative of whole resource units and the system cannot handle fractionalize units , e . g . one processor , then rounding errors may occur . the plm would handle such errors as shown in fig5 a , and as illustrated in the examples of fig5 b and 5c . fig5 a depicts the operation of the rounder portion 204 of the plm 201 . the above examples have used integer values for the requests , and thus result in allocation values that are also integers , however fractional numbers or floating point numbers may be used , e . g . an allocation value of 10 . 1 . also , floating point numbers may also result from step 314 ( for example dividing 3 resources among two partitions results in 1 . 5 resources for each partition . some systems may only operate with allocated values that are integer , thus fractional values of resources will need to be rounded up or down . this is also true when allocating incremental resources such as processors , hard drives , etc ., in resizing partitions where whole resources need to be allocated . the rounder 204 first receives 51 the allocated values from the plm , which are the values resulting from the operation of fig3 . the rounder then cumulatively sums the values for each received allocated value by adding prior allocated values to each received allocated value . the rounder then forms the rounded allocation values by subtracting each cumulative sum with the prior cumulative sum . for example , as shown in fig5 b , three partitions have allocated values of r 1 = 3 . 5 , r 2 = 3 . 5 , and r 3 = 3 . 0 . the rounder forms s 1 by adding r 1 and 0 ( note that step may be modified such that s 1 is assigned the value of r 1 ) and then rounding wherein fractional values of greater than or equal to 0 and strictly less than 0 . 5 are rounded down to zero and fractional values of greater than or equal to 0 . 5 are rounded up to one . similarly , the rounder forms s 2 by adding r 2 + r 1 and rounding , and forms s 3 by adding r 3 + r 2 + r 1 and rounding . note that any fractional values are being accumulated into the subsequent sums ( before rounding ), i . e . s 1 has 0 . 5 , s 2 has 1 . 0 , and s 3 also has 1 . 0 ( before rounding ). the rounder forms the rounded allocated values , by subtracting the sums with the previous sum . specifically , r 1 ′= s 1 ( or s 1 - 0 ), r 2 ′= s 2 - s 1 , and r 3 ′= s 3 - s 2 . note that the rounding up occurs in the first value , as this is where the accumulated fractional value has equaled or exceeded 0 . 5 . these rounded values would then be sent to the partition resource allocator 202 . fig5 c is another example of rounding , wherein four partitions have allocated values of r 1 = 10 . 1 , r 2 = 20 . 2 , r 3 = 30 . 3 , and r 4 = 39 . 4 . the rounder forms s 1 by s 1 = r 1 ( or r 1 + 0 ) and rounding , forms s 2 by s 2 = r 2 + r 1 ( or r 2 + s 1 ) and rounding , forms s 3 by s 3 = r 3 + r 2 + r 1 ( or r 3 + s 2 ) and rounding , and forms s 4 through s 4 = r 4 + r 3 + r 2 + r 1 ( or r 4 + s 3 ) and rounding . note that any fractional values are being accumulated into the subsequent sums ( before rounding ), i . e . s 1 has 0 . 1 , s 2 has 0 . 3 , s 3 has 0 . 6 , and s 4 has 1 . 0 ( before rounding ). the rounder forms the rounded allocated values , by subtracting the sums with the previous sum . specifically , r 1 ′= s 1 ( or s 1 − 0 ), r 2 ′= s 2 − s 1 , r 3 ′= s 3 − s 2 , and r 4 ′= s 4 − s 3 . note that the rounding up occurs in the third value , as this is where the accumulated fractional value has equaled or exceeded 0 . 5 . note that the rounding is order dependent . consequently , the ordering of the partitions determines which partition will receive the rounding . for example , give the following fractional values of 0 . 4 , 0 , and 0 . 1 , the third application with 0 . 1 will receiving the rounding up , as this accumulation value is the one that equals or exceeds 0 . 5 , and not the larger fractional value of 0 . 4 . if the partition were re - ordered to 0 , 0 . 1 , and 0 . 4 , then the third application with 0 . 4 would receive the rounding . note that rounding does not cause significant perturbations to the inventive system , i . e . causing over / under achievements of the goals , unless the allocated values are very small . in that case , increasing a small value by 1 would represent a large change in the percentage and may cause over / under achievement . for example , suppose an allocated value of 2 . 1 is rounded up to 3 . this represents a value that is 143 % larger than the allocated value . such a large difference may cause over / under achievement . note that the examples depicted and described herein are for illustrative purposes only , as the invention will operate with other values . further note that the allocation mechanism shown in fig3 and illustrated with examples shown in fig4 a to 4b , is designed such that each partition having an application priority group will receive generally equal treatment . alternatives can be developed . for example , the plm could be programmed to attempt to maximize the number of partitions that receive their request amount . this would starve some of the partitions having applications with the same application priority group , particularly the larger requesting partitions , so that others , namely the smaller requesting partitions , will be satisfied . another alternative is to have partitions receive an amount that is proportional to the difference between their allocated amount and their requested amount . when an application priority level is reached where there is an insufficiency in the available resources versus the requested resources , then allocating an amount that is proportional for the difference would put each partition at the same fractional point . this would minimize the number that receive the amount they are asking for because , none of the partitions would receive the whole amount they are requesting ( subject to rounding ), they would all be scaled by their respective differences . the advantage of the mechanism of fig3 is that no partition is sensitive to any other partition ( with larger requirements ) at the same priority or lower priority . note that a smaller requesting partition may reduce a higher resource partition , of equal priority , until their respective allocations become equal . if a higher priority partition starts requesting more resources , then the partitions with lower priorities will lose resources , but if a partition at the same priority starts requesting more resources , then this partition can reduce only the resources of its co - priority partitions if its entitlement is smaller than theirs . thus , co - priority partitions are protected from each other . with the alternative mechanisms described above , a particular partitions &# 39 ; allocations will be affected as the request of their co - priority partitions are changing . when implemented in software , the elements of the present invention are essentially the code segments to perform the necessary tasks . the program or code segments can be stored in a processor readable medium or transmitted by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave , or a signal modulated by a carrier , over a transmission medium . the “ processor readable medium ” may include any medium that can store or transfer information . examples of the processor readable medium include an electronic circuit , a semiconductor memory device , a rom , a flash memory , an erasable rom ( erom ), a floppy diskette , a compact disk cd - rom , an optical disk , a hard disk , a fiber optic medium , a radio frequency ( rf ) link , etc . the computer data signal may include any signal that can propagate over a transmission medium such as electronic network channels , optical fibers , air , electromagnetic , rf links , etc . the code segments may be downloaded via computer networks such as the internet , intranet , etc . fig7 illustrates computer system 700 adapted to use the present invention . central processing unit ( cpu ) 701 is coupled to system bus 702 . the cpu 701 may be any general purpose cpu , such as an hp pa - 8200 or intel pentium ii processor . however , the present invention is not restricted by the architecture of cpu 701 as long as cpu 701 supports the inventive operations as described herein . bus 702 is coupled to random access memory ( ram ) 703 , which may be sram , dram , or sdram . rom 704 is also coupled to bus 702 , which may be prom , eprom , or eeprom . ram 703 and rom 704 hold user and system data and programs as is well known in the art . bus 702 is also coupled to input / output ( i / o ) controller card 705 , communications adapter card 711 , user interface card 708 , and display card 709 . i / o card 705 connects to storage devices 706 , such as one or more of hard drive , cd drive , floppy disk drive , tape drive , to the computer system . communications card 711 is adapted to couple the computer system 700 to a network 712 , which may be one or more of local ( lan ), wide - area ( wan ), ethernet or internet network . user interface card 708 couples user input devices , such as keyboard 713 and pointing device 707 , to the computer system 700 . display card 709 is driven by cpu 701 to control the display on display device 710 . | 6 |
one aspect of this disclosure involves an active balancing method and charging architecture specifically designed for a flexible number of battery packs for different applications , with a combination of central and independent monitoring and control . with battery circuitry broken up between several packs , a charge balancing scheme is needed within each pack . aspects of the present disclosure use a combination of either internal or external power to actively balance each cell or module in a pack and also each pack in a battery system . a flexible means to easily adjust the system voltage and the number of packs for different applications is also described . for purposes of illustration , an active balancing architecture is illustrated in fig1 and 2 , along with other features . the system shown in fig2 involves a representative 153 . 6 volt battery 10 where the battery voltage is achieved by connecting four ( 4 ) 38 . 4 volt battery packs 12 a - 12 d in series . each pack , in this representative example , includes twelve ( 12 ) cells ( labeled cell 1 - cell 12 ) or modules of 3 . 2 volts each , also connected in series . the active balancing circuit illustrated in fig1 includes one of the four packs and the 12 cells of the one pack . to obtain a 153 . 6 volt pack , the four 38 . 4 volt packs are connected in series as shown in fig2 . a balancing power bus 14 is coupled between a single h - bridge 36 pack drive and the four packs 12 a - 12 d . the power bus provides power to a transformer t 1 ( fig1 ) of each pack to provide balancing . while each pack could have its own h - bridge to drive each transformer , fewer parts are needed if , as in the example of fig2 , only one drive circuit is used . the h - bridge forms part of a battery charger 22 that is used to provide charge current to the battery for the purpose of charging the pack . the battery charger receives power from some external source . generally speaking , an h - bridge includes four switches h 1 - h 4 , connected in an h - bridge configuration , where each switch may be controlled . the switches may involve include one or more switches in parallel , and may include mosfet devices with integrated or separate diodes and or capacitors across the drain and source . in the illustrated example , a link capacitor 38 is applied across the h - bridge . other forms of inverters , bridges or h - bridge configurations may also be used . the h - bridge 36 supplies a controllable square wave or other time varying signal to the balancing power bus 14 , and the balancing power bus provides isolated charge power to the collection of four sub - packs . in one example , each pack ( 12 a - 12 d 0 has 2 terminals , labeled a and b , respectively . each a terminal is connected with a first common line 16 of the bus 14 , and each b terminal is connected with a second common line 18 of the bus 14 . similarly , the first common line of the bus is coupled with the h - bridge 16 between gates h 1 and h 2 of the bridge , and the second common line of the bus is coupled between gates h 3 and h 4 of the bridge . an inductor l 1 may be included between h 1 , h 2 and the first common line 16 . not shown in the drawings are communications and cabling between a central controller 20 and the individual battery packs 12 a - 12 d , along with detailed control and monitoring circuits such as microprocessors , voltage and current monitoring . as illustrated , the central controller may control battery charging by providing appropriate control signals to the switches h 1 - h 4 of the h - bridge ( e . g ., pwm signals ) may monitor and use measured voltages and currents from the system , and may provide control signals and receive information from individual pack controllers 24 . many such circuits and devices are applicable and some representative examples and / or functionality are described below . before describing the operation of active balancing circuit , the general meaning of an unbalanced battery will be described . generally speaking , a battery is unbalanced when cells or packs that form the battery have different states of charge . often , a battery becomes unbalanced as it cycles through charge and discharge cycles , and small differences in individual cell performance becomes exaggerated , and those differences are reflected in the state of charge differences amongst the cells that form the pack . when such a condition exists , battery performance is degraded as the battery itself , packs and cells , may not fully charge , may overcharge , may not fully discharge , may overdischarge , etc . each of these conditions involves suboptimal battery performance and / or may damage the battery , packs , and / or individual cells . in the illustrated architecture and as discussed in more detail below , with or without a battery charger , the system could be commanded to balance itself resulting in the cells having substantially the same state of charge . balancing with the battery charger involves supplying a charge current for an external source to the packs or cells to charge those targeted cells that are below some level . balancing without the battery charger involves moving charge current from a cell with a higher charge to those cells with a lower charge . the two modes may be used alone or in combination , meaning charge current may be moved among cells in conjunction with charge current supplied from an external source through the battery charger . referring to fig1 , one mode of active balancing will now be described . first , it should be noted that the cells ( cell 1 - cell 12 ) are connected in series . the local pack controller 24 receives an external charge controller command , such as from the battery charger , to balance itself . alternatively , the pack controller may be programmed or otherwise configured to balance itself based on various possible criteria such as detecting that the pack is unbalanced at the completion of a charge cycle or during a charge cycle , or simply as a set schedule . a higher voltage measurement on one cell as compared to another cell may be indicative of a charge disparity among the cells . other factors may also be used in detecting a charge imbalance . for purposes of discussion using the monitoring circuitry , assume the pack controller 24 determines that cell 4 &# 39 ; s voltage is sufficiently lower than all the others to require balancing . any number of cells , however , might be unbalanced and in some instances some cells will be considered to have too high a voltage whereas other cells might be considered to have too low voltage . a transformer t 1 with one ( 1 ) primary winding and as many equally wound secondary windings as there are cell modules is used and is operated as a shared inductor in flyback mode . in this example , there are 12 secondary windings ( s 1 - s 12 ), one for each of the 12 cells in the example 38 . 4 volt pack . the local pack controller or other circuitry connects the primary coil p 1 of transformer t 1 across the total pack voltage , minus the voltage drop of an isolation diode d 1 using a suitable switch sw 1 such as a mosfet , bjt or other device . current in the primary of t 1 may be monitored with a suitable sensor such as a resistor 26 at point rc , a current transformer 28 at point ct , a hall - effect sensor or other device . when the current in t 1 has reached an acceptable value , the switch sw 1 is opened and the magnetic field that was induced around the primary , collapses around all of the secondary windings s 1 - s 12 until the voltages at each exceeds that of a cell plus the voltage drop of a schottky diode 30 coupled between the secondary windings s 1 - s 12 and the respectively associated cells cell 1 - cell 12 . for this example cell 4 has the lowest voltage , so its shottky diode 30 d will start conducting before any of the others until cell 4 &# 39 ; s voltage equals that of the other cells within the pack . when the voltages across all of the secondary windings have dropped low enough to turn off all of the diodes 30 connected to them , any excess energy in the transformer core will attempt to discharge through the primary p 1 and will be dissipated through the diode d 2 . this operation is repeated as many times as necessary to achieve a balanced battery pack with all cells at about the same voltage . the charging voltage f may optionally be monitored by means of an additional secondary winding s 13 that will reflect the voltage of the charging cell but has no means to determine which cell is being charged . monitoring circuitry , however , can assess which cell or cells are being balanced . referring to fig1 , instead of the individual battery pack &# 39 ; s own power being used to balance cell charges , external power may be used to accomplish balancing in a similar fashion . with the addition of a transformer t 2 , which may be a high frequency transformer , a rectifier 32 including diodes r and capacitor c 1 in each pack and a shared external transformer h - bridge drive circuit , external charge balancing power is provided . using the total battery voltage , in this case about 150 volts , alternately switch on h 1 and h 4 , then h 2 and h 3 using hard or soft switching techniques . if there isn &# 39 ; t enough stray inductance from the transformers , optional inductor l 1 may be added to enable phase shifting for soft switching . an alternating square wave is sent down the pair of wires a and b to each battery pack wherein it passes through transformer t 2 and is rectified using a full wave rectifier including transformer t 2 and rectifier 30 in conjunction with capacitor c 1 . alternatively , a half wave rectifier as shown in fig1 b may be used in place of the full wave configuration of fig1 a . in one specific implementation , the turns ratio of the transformer t 2 is such that with the source square - wave voltage ( the voltage between points c and d ( fig1 ) is always greater than that of a fully charged pack . in this manner , the diode d 1 is reversed biased preventing power from being drawn from the pack cells themselves when external power is available . if a charger , such as charger 22 , is applied to the whole battery at this time , the diode d 1 prevents the battery from pulling power out of itself to balance and instead uses the supply . each pack may be commanded to balance or not , to a specific cell voltage . active balancing may also take place during charging or as in the case of hybrid or electric vehicles , while driving and regenerative braking . although the present invention has been described with respect to particular apparatuses , configurations , components , systems and methods of operation , it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure that certain changes or modifications to the embodiments and / or their operations , as described herein , may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . accordingly , the proper scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims . the various embodiments , operations , components and configurations disclosed herein are generally exemplary rather than limiting in scope . | 1 |
reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention , an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to corresponding elements . as shown in fig1 there is mounted a sewing machine body 4 on a machine table 1 , the sewing machine body 4 comprising a machine arm 2 and a machine bed 3 . a needle bar 6 having a needle 5 is vertically movably supported at the lower end of the machine arm 2 and vertically moved as a main machine shaft ( not shown ) rotates . the needle 5 and a thread ring seizing device ( not shown ) constitute a seam forming device and , when both of them are actuated as the main machine shaft rotates , a seam is formed in the work material . a machine motor 7 for driving rotatably the main machine shaft is fitted to the under surface of the machine table 1 and the rotation thereof is transmitted to the main machine shaft through a known rotation transmitting mechanism including a drive pulley 8 fitted to the wedge of the main machine shaft . as shown in fig1 and 2 , a work material holder 11 including a holding frame 9 and a pallet 10 is movably arranged on the plane where the work material is supported in front of the machine bed 3 , i . e ., within the horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical passageway of the needle 5 . a first pulse motor 12 and a second pulse motor 13 are coupled to the work material holder 11 to be actuated as shown in fig3 . while the work material is held between the holding frame 9 and the pallet 10 , the work material holder 11 is longitudinally reciprocated by the first pulse motor 12 within the horizontal plane , and reciprocated by the second pulse motor 13 in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction . moreover , the holding frame 9 is vertically moved in accordance with the actuation of a holding - frame actuated solenoid 14 shown in fig3 and , while the holding frame 9 is kept in the elevated position , the work material composed of , e . g ., texture wa and a piece of cloth wb as shown in fig2 is so arranged as to be held between the holding frame 9 and the pallet 10 . as shown in fig1 an on / off switch 15 for supplying power to the machine is arranged on the lower portion of the front of the machine table 1 and a foot starting switch 17 for starting the machine as well as a foot switch 16 for actuating the holding - frame actuating solenoid 14 are arranged under the machine table 1 . there is also arranged a programming device 18 on the upper right - hand surface of the machine table which is used for preparing sewing data , such as data needed to actuate the pulse motor 12 or 13 , for a desired pattern to be sewn and driving data for the machine motor . furthermore , a control box 19 is installed in the lower right - hand portion of the machine table 1 and an integrated circuit ( ic ) card fitting slot 20 is bored in the front panel thereof . a thin platelike ic card 21 is insertable therein , the ic card is used to store the sewing data to be read or written . the ic card 21 is prepared by incorporating an ic in a plastic card such as , for example , the ic card melcard , a trademark of and manufactured by mitsubishi denki kabushiki kaisha . as shown in fig3 and in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention , a central processing unit ( cpu ) 22 used as a control means is contained in the control box 19 and a read only memory ( rom ) 23 is connected thereto . a program for controlling the actuation of the entire sewing machine is stored in the rom . a paper recorded with the sewing pattern is held at the work material holder 11 . in order to move the work material holder 11 in such a manner that the sewing pattern moves relative to the position where the needle falls , the desired keys of the programming device 18 are depressed to supply a desired signal to the cpu 22 from the programming device 18 through an interface 24 while the ic card 21 is fitted in the ic card slot 20 . the cpu 22 , in response to the input signal , operates so as to actuate each of the pulse motors 12 and 13 through each of the pulse motor driving circuits 25 , 26 and moves the work material holder 11 . cpu 22 also controls the vertical movement of the needle 5 by driving the machine motor 7 through use of a machine motor driving circuit 27 . based on the programming operation , the cpu 22 writes the sewing data , comprising data for actuating each of the pulse motors 12 , 13 , and the control data for machine motor 7 , into the ic card 21 for every stitch . as shown in fig4 the data for one stitch is formed of two bytes , with two bits allotted to data representing the machine motor control data ( machine information such as suspension , operation at low or high speed , and pattern end ) and 14 bits alloted to actuating data for the pulse motors 12 , 13 . of the 14 - bit actuating data , 2bits store data representing the direction of rotation of each pulse motor 12 , 13 , i . e ., data on the direction in which the work material holder is fed , whereas 12 bits represent data consisting of the driving pulse number of each pulse motor 12 , 13 . a data array in a format as shown in fig5 is stored in the ic card 21 and , in its initial portion , there are stored data equivalent to one byte for determining whether the rotation divisibility of the pulse motors 12 , 13 on both sides is 0 . 1 mm or 0 . 2 mm calculated in terms of the unit of the movement of the work material holder 11 and subsequently the sewing data of two bytes for every stitch are stored . the cpu 22 utilizes the data for determining the divisibility stored in the ic card 21 at the time of a sewing operation and , by supplying the switching signal to the pulse motor driving circuits 25 , 26 , switches the operation to the first and second pulse motors 12 , 13 in accordance with the data . in other words , a four - phase pulse motor is used as each of the pulse motors 12 , 13 according to this embodiment and driven under the known unipolar exciting driving method shown in fig6 or the known bipolar exciting driving method shown in fig7 . under the unipolar method of fig6 the exciting sequence is switched over to two - phase excitation of ab → ab → ab → ab → ab . . . when the divisibility of 0 . 2 mm is determined , whereas it is switched over to one - two - phase excitation of ab → a → ab → b → ab → a → ab → b . fwdarw . ab when the divisibility of 0 . 1 mm is determined . under the bipolar method of fig7 the exciting sequence is switched over to two - phase excitation of a + b +→ a + b -→ a - b +→ a + b + . . . when the divisibility of 0 . 2 mm is determined , whereas it is switched over to one - two - phase excitation of a + b +→ a +→ a + b -→ b -→ a - b -→ a - b +→ b +. fwdarw . a + b + . . . when the divisibility of 0 . 1 mm is determined . in this embodiment , the ic card 21 and the cpu 22 constitute the rotation divisibility switching means . when the operation is switched over to 0 . 2 mm , coarse feeding of 0 . 2 mm unit is given to the work material holder 11 based on the sewing data , and fine feeding of 0 . 1 mm unit is given to the work material holder 11 when the operation is switched over to 0 . 1 mm . the operation of the sewing machine when used with the present invention is shown in fig8 . when sewing based on the sewing data prepared according to the aforesaid programming operation is carried out , the on / off switch 15 is first operated to supply power to the sewing machine . then , the ic card 21 is fitted in the ic card slot 20 to electrically connect the ic card 21 to the cpu 22 . the cpu 22 initializes the data address in the ic card 21 in step s1 and reads the data for determining the divisibility from the ic card 21 and determines whether the divisibility is 0 . 1 mm . when the result thus determined is yes , the cpu 22 supplies a low level switching signal to the pulse motor driving circuits 25 , 26 and sets both the pulse motors 12 , 13 at the divisibility of 0 . 1 mm in step s2 , whereas when the answer at step s1 is no , cpu 22 supplies a high level switching signal to the pulse motor driving circuits 25 , 26 and sets both the pulse motors 12 , 13 at the divisibility of 0 . 2 mm in step s3 . then the actuating switch 16 is operated to cause the cpu 22 to actuate the solenoid 14 through the interface 24 and the solenoid driving circuit 28 , whereby the holding frame 9 of the work material holder 11 is lifted . the texture wa and the piece of cloth wb shown in fig2 are set between the holding frame 9 and the pallet 10 in that state and , by operating the starting switch 17 in step 54 , the starting signal is inputted into the cpu 22 . in response to the signal , the cpu 22 reads the sewing data for every stitch from the ic card 21 in step s5 and , based on the data , supplies the driving signal to the pulse motors 12 , 13 through the pulse motor driving circuits 25 , 26 and to the machine motor 7 through the machine motor driving circuit 27 so as to execute the sewing operation . scanning is continued through steps s5 and s6 until the cpu 22 reads termination data out of the sewing data in step s6 thereby ending the sewing operation . the pulse motors 12 and 13 are driven in the coarse divisibility state of 0 . 2 mm based on the sewing data stored in the ic card 21 when sewing as shown in fig2 in which the piece of cloth wb is sewn on the texture wa , is carried out . the work material holder 11 for holding the texture wa and the piece of the cloth wb is also supplied with coarse feeding of 0 . 2 mm unit so that it is possible to carry out the sewing work efficiently for a short time . when a fine pattern such as embroidery is to be sewn in the work material , both the pulse motors 12 , 13 are driven in the fine divisibility state of 0 . 1 mm based on the sewing data stored in the ic card 21 and the work material holder 11 for holding the work material is provided with fine feeding of 0 . 1 mm unit , so that it is possible to carry out the sewing work efficiently for forming a finely finished pattern . the present invention is not limited to the above - described embodiment . for example , instead of the switching of divisibility based on the sewing data stored in the ic card 21 according to the aforesaid embodiment , it is possible to switch the divisibility of the pulse motors 12 and 13 by switching a divisibility changing switch 29 separately provided as shown by the dashed line in fig3 . also , although the work material holder 11 moves in the horizontal plane in the aforesaid embodiment , it is possible to construct the feeder such that the needle 5 moves in the horizontal plane . as set forth above , the feeding divisibility is a coarse unit during ordinary sewing and bar tacking work where priority is given to speed and efficiency and it is switched to be a fine unit when the sewing machine is to be used for sewing such as embroidery in which priority is given to fine sewing , so that one sewing machine may be utilized for various types of sewing effectively without raising the cost of production . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the apparatus of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 3 |
more specifically , the drawing shows a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels 1 , each panel carrying a plurality of individual photovoltaic cells 2 , all such cells 2 and panels 1 being connected together electrically to produce an electrical output from the overall assembly 3 . it should be noted that although this invention is described with respect to photovoltaic solar panels , this invention is also applicable to other solar panel assemblies such as thermal solar panels which use sunlight to heat a fluid such as water , and the like . solar panel assembly 3 is supported at the opposing ends of panels 1 by a pair of spaced apart , upwardly angled support members 4 . attached to support members 4 are a pair of spaced apart , upwardly inclined , essentially vertical in this embodiment , support members 5 . in this example of the invention , members 4 and 5 comprise the support means for assembly 3 . the support pads of this invention for assembly 3 , are , in the example of the drawing , two spaced apart pads 10 and 11 . support pad 10 is comprised of a base plate 12 whose longitudinal axis is essentially parallel to width 13 of panels 1 . pad 10 , therefore , has a length which is approximately the same as the width of the assembly 3 . the longitudinal edges of base plate 12 have fixed thereto a pair of upstanding sides 15 . the lateral ends 16 of base plate 12 carry a pair of flange means 17 which are adapted to be attached to the support means of assembly 3 . in the embodiment of the drawing , lower ends 18 of support members 4 are bolted to flange means 17 . of course , other configurations of flange means , support means , means for fixing the flange means to the support means , and the like can be employed as would be obvious to those skilled in the art . upstanding sides 15 and spaced apart flange means 17 define an interior volume for pad 10 which can receive and hold weighting material such as rocks 20 once the assembly is in place and desired to be fixed in place with locally available weighting material . pads 10 and 11 are fixed in their spaced apart relationship by a spaced apart pair of essentially horizontally extending members 21 which are fixed to the respective flange means of pads 10 and 11 . in order to allow members 21 to reach the internal flange means , apertures 22 are employed in upstanding sides 15 . apertures are employed in the embodiment of the drawing in both upstanding sides 15 so that it matters not , upon assembly at the site of operation , which side means is inside or outside of the assembly , and also to facilitate joining a plurality of assemblies to one another in line as shown by the dotted lines representing yet another horizontally extending member 23 which would be connected to another support pad ( not shown ) located in front of assembly 3 . this same sort of arrangement could be made for another assembly behind assembly 3 with yet another horizontally extending member ( not shown ) connected to the flange means of pad 11 . pad 11 is shown also to have a width approximately the same as width 13 of panels 1 , and to have a base plate 30 with upstanding longitudinal sides 31 and flange means 32 at opposite ends of and near the lateral ends of base plate 30 . upstanding sides 31 and flange means 32 of pad 11 also define an interior volume which can receive and hold weighting material . suitable weighting material such as sandbags , gravel , logs , and the like can be employed as well as or in lieu of rocks . apertures 33 are employed in sides 31 for reasons similar to those set forth hereinabove with respect to apertures 22 of pad 10 . pad 11 can be formed of any desired material such as metal , plastic , concrete , glass fiber , reinforced concrete , and the like . reasonable variations and modifications are possible within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention . | 7 |
the preferred embodiment of the marine riser connector of the present invention may be used to connect low pressure marine riser sections between a floating drilling vessel and the ocean bottom wherein it is important that the connector , using a male and female member held by a nut , not experience fatigue failure under load oscillations of the riser sections . a particularly important area of application of the present invention is in deep wells having blow out equipment on the ocean bottom wherein positive seals must be kept at all times and provision must also be made for supporting well control choke and kill lines . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the riser section connection is accomplished through the use of a female member , attached to one pipe section , placed in compressive relationship with a male member , attached to another pipe section , by a nut . the nut is placed in tension by a tool so that when load equal to the yield strength of the pipe is applied to the pipe sections , the male and female members remain abutting . a platform connected to the male member is used , in conjunction with the tool , to preload the connection to the appropriate compressive and tensile force . a sealing element is provided on the male member to form a seal against an internal wall of the female member to prevent leakage . referring to fig1 there is shown a perspective view of a riser system connecting well head 10 at the ocean bottom 12 with floating drilling platform 14 at the ocean surface 16 . well head 10 includes blow out preventers 18 and other equipment ( not shown ) necessary for the completion of an undersea well , as is well known in the art . extending downwardly from well head 10 into the ocean bottom 12 is conductor string 20 including surface casing 22 supported by ocean bottom 12 as shown generally by force arrows 24 of fig1 . located at the top of well head 10 is bottom ball joint 26 with riser 28 attached thereto . bottom ball joint 26 is sized to permit rotation of riser 28 with respect to the fixed portion of ball joint 26 . this rotation may cause excursion of riser 28 from the vertical line 32 concentric with the well head 10 , which may be measured at any point , as shown schematically in two dimensions in fig1 by an angle φ between vertical line 32 and the tangent to the riser and distance x from the vertical line 32 . riser 28 extends from ball joint 26 upwardly toward the ocean surface 16 . riser 28 includes large diameter sections 34 of riser pipe ( fig2 ) connected by riser connections 36 . because the blow out preventers 18 are located at the ocean bottom , for economy , and also because no other pressure is exerted on the riser pipe , sections 34 usually have a thickness suitable only for the low pressure differentials between the hydrostatic head of the ocean and the pressure of the drilling mud ( not shown ) within the sections 34 . riser sections 34 are of sufficient diameter to enclose the bundle of vertical flow lines used for well production , drilling , testing , and completion ( not shown ). the number and size of such flow lines , for example , in a production riser , depends upon the subsea manifolding scheme ( not shown ) and processing method . referring to fig2 riser 28 further includes choke line 38 and kill line 40 rising from well head 10 to the surface 16 of the ocean . these lines are of suitable thickness for the containment of high pressure fluids to control the well . choke line 38 and kill line 40 are external to pipe sections 34 . the upper end of riser 28 terminates at upper ball joint 42 . upper ball joint 42 connects to drilling equipment 41 on floating drill rig 14 by slip joint 44 within drill well 46 . riser tensioners 48 , for example , of the direct or remote actuated type , included with slip joint 44 , are also provided . riser tensioners 48 have sufficient strength to maintain the tension of riser 28 under gravity force indicated by force arrow 49 acting on the center of gravity 51 , under buoyant forces acting on the center of buoyancy ( not shown ), and under wave and current action on the riser 28 and the floating drilling rig 14 , as indicated by force arrows 50 and 52 , respectively . the resultant horizontal force of forces 50 , 52 is indicated by force arrow 54 acting on the center of gravity 51 . referring to fig2 riser connector 36 comprises three substantially coaxial components : male member 62 , female member 64 , and nut 74 . when connector 34 is assembled , male member 62 and female member 64 abut , with shoulder 66 of second counterbore 168 of female member 64 in contact with the surface 70 of male extension 120 of male member 62 . also , when connector 36 is assembled , surface 68 of female member 64 is in close proximity to shoulder 72 of male member 62 . male extension 120 is further provided with 0 - rings 136 to sealingly engage interior wall 169 of second counterbore 168 of female member 64 . nut 74 has lugs 92 with internal shoulders 76 abutting inclinded surface 80 of male membr 62 when connector 26 is assembled . nut 74 further includes internal shoulder 78 abutting external shoulder 82 of female member 64 when connector 36 is assembled . upper inner surface 180 of beveled section 101 of nut 74 is in contact with surface 157 of female member 64 . referring to fig3 there is shown male member 62 having male extension 120 , body section 122 , including lugs 88 and body 84 , tapered section 124 and pipe mating section 106 . male extension 120 includes upper surface 70 beveled at 71 . male extension 120 joins body 84 at shoulder 126 . the length of male extension 120 from surface 70 to shoulder 126 is approximately equal to the length of second counterbore 168 of the female member 64 from shoulder 66 to surface 68 ( fig2 ). the width of surface 70 is substantially equal to the width of shoulder 66 of female member 64 ( fig2 ). male extension 120 also includes o - ring groves 132 , 134 sized to receive o - rings 136 therein . lugs 88 include front face 144 and straight sides 138 , 140 of unequal length adjoining front face 144 and body 84 . side 140 is longer than side 138 thereby forming lower inclined surface 80 . the upper inclined corners 142 of sides 138 , 140 are beveled inwardly toward and connecting to top surface 72 . fornt face 144 of lug 88 has inwardly beveled upper corner portion 146 attaching to and completing the boundary of top surface 72 . facing sides 138 and 140 of adjacent lugs 88 are separated to form slots 148 . the width of slots 148 is sized to permit passage of lugs 92 of nut 74 between sides 138 , 140 of adjacent lugs 88 . below lower inclined surfaces 80 , body 84 further includes lower surface 150 of approximately the same length as the face 208 of lugs 92 of nut 74 . pipe mating section 106 is of substantially the same radius as pipe sections 34 , and has edge 107 and bevel 128 shaped to attach by welding to a pipe section 34 ( fig . 2 ). the thickness of the body 84 of male member 62 measured from inner surface 400 to surface 148 is , for example , 2 . 00 inches for a pipe thickness of . 4375 inches . the lug thickness is for example , . 9 inches for the same pipe thickness . referring to fig3 there is shown female member 64 having pipe mating section 152 , inclined portion 154 , body 156 , and nut support section 158 . pipe mating section 152 includes bevel 160 and planar surface 162 shaped to attach by welding to a pipe section 34 ( fig2 ). bore 166 is formed by drilling , rolling or other process in female member 64 approximately parallel to surface 152 . counterbore 168 , larger than bore 166 and having interior wall 169 , is formed by drilling , rolling or other process in surface 68 . body 156 is substantially cylindrical , having smooth side 157 of approximately the same length as the length of inner face 180 of beveled section 101 of nut 74 . nut support section 158 is located at the lower end of body section 156 forming shoulder 82 . outward facing shoulder 82 is of substantially the same width as internal shoulder 78 of nut 74 . nut support section 158 further includes substantially cylindrical outer surface 159 . wall 169 is substantially parallel to surface 159 . counterbore 168 extends only partially into nut support section 158 forming shoulder 66 with bore 166 . the end 170 of counterbore 168 opposite shoulder 166 is beveled outward sufficiently such as , for example , fifteen degrees from the vertical , to cooperate with bevel 71 of male member 62 for insertion of male extension 120 into counterbore 168 . referring to fig3 there is shown nut 74 having tapered lugs 92 , body 100 and beveled section 101 . bore 180 is formed by drilling , rolling or other means in beveled section 101 . upper , inner edge 182 of bore 180 is beveled to facilitate easy withdrawal of engagement of nut 74 from female member 64 . bore 180 includes o - ring groove 184 sized to receive o - ring 186 therein to sealingly engage outer surface 157 of female member 64 . beveled section 101 further includes outwardly facing conical section surface 181 with oppositely positioned eyebolt sockets 185 ( fig6 ) therein of sufficient width to support eyebots ( not shown ) for handling nut 74 . beveled section 101 may also have grease fitting 183 formed therein by drilling or other means through conical surface 181 and shoulder 78 for lubricating shoulder 78 , if desired . first counterbore 188 of larger diameter than and substantially coaxial with bore 180 is formed by drilling , rolling or other means in beveled section 101 and body 100 . shoulder 78 is thereby formed between bore 180 and first counterbore 188 . first counterbore 188 includes inner wall 164 . beveled edge 190 is also formed at the inner end of shoulder 78 to facilitate insertion of female member 64 into bore 180 . first counterbore 188 includes groove 192 sized to receive o - ring 194 therein to sealingly engage outer surface 159 of female member 64 . second counterbore 196 is formed by drilling , rolling or other suitable means through lower surface 198 of nut 74 . it is of larger diameter and substantially coaxial with first counterbore 188 . second counterbore 196 is bounded by inner wall 204 of cylindrical body 100 of nut 74 . second counterbore 196 forms rounded shoulder 200 at the boundary between first counterbore 188 and second counterbore 196 . beveled edge 202 is formed at the inner end of shoulder 200 to facilitate insertion of female member 64 into nut 74 . body portion 100 further includes beveled lower portion 203 . the thickness of nut 74 , measured from inner surface 204 to the outer surface 205 , may be , for example 1 . 75 inches for a pipe thickness of 0 . 4375 inches . the portion of body 100 between shoulder 78 and surface 76 is of sufficient length to permit the engagement of shoulder 78 with shoulder 82 of female member 64 and the engagement of surface 76 with surface 80 of male member 62 without the engagement of shoulder 200 with surface 72 of male member 62 . lugs 92 are located at the end of body 100 opposite beveled section 101 . lugs 92 are shaped by milling or other means . upper surfaces 76 of lugs 92 are inclined . upper surfaces 76 are pitched to mate with surfaces 80 of lugs 88 of male member 84 and urge surfaces 80 upward such as , for example , one one - thousandth of an inch compressive axial movement of surface 80 for one - quarter inch rotational movement of lugs 92 . lugs 92 also include side surfaces 206 and inward facing surface 208 . surfaces 206 , 208 are substantially vertical , terminating at the lower end at lug projection portion 210 . inward facing surface 208 also terminates at beveled surface 211 directly below upper surfaces 76 . lug projection portion 210 extends below beveled lower portion 203 . it includes outward facing end 212 of substantially the same slope as beveled lower portion 203 . lug projection portion 210 further includes substantially vertical sides 214 . it also includes inward facing chamfered surface 216 to facilitate the engagement of nut 74 with female member 64 . the sides and ends of lug projections 210 form downward facing surface 96 . referring now to fig2 , 5 , 6 , opposite facing holes 218 of suitable size to receive threaded bolt lock 220 are drilled and tapped through body 100 of nut 74 . the holes 218 are circumferentially separated on body 100 by approximately 180 °. threaded bolt lock 220 includes a head 222 , a threaded section 224 , and a lug 226 . head 222 may be of any shape , such as , for example , a hexoganal shape . threaded section 224 has a thread pitch matching the thread pitch of hole 218 and connects lug 226 with head 222 . lugs 226 are located with respect to lugs 92 to determine the preload amount of compression between male and female members 62 , 64 and the tensile load on nut 74 . the position of lug 226 relative to lug 96 may be set , for example , to cause a preload on the connection requiring an expected working load on pipe sections 34 approximately equal to the yield strength of pipe sections 34 before surface 68 separates from surface 126 . threaded section 224 may also include a teflon ring or insert ( not shown ) for preventing rotation caused by vibration . referring to fig4 nut 74 is further provided with lock holders 228 in holes 230 or holes 231 ( fig6 ). lock holders 228 are positioned in holes 230 , 231 drilled into , but not through , body 100 . the holes 230 , 231 are separated along the circumference of body 100 by approximately 180 °. lock holder 228 includes spring 232 held in hole 230 , 231 by threaded assembly 236 . plunger 238 of , for example , square cross section , is transversely , telescopically engaged with threaded assembly 236 . it is attached to spring 232 by nuts 234 . hole 230 , 231 is fixed in circumferential relation to hole 218 so that bolt head 22 will overlap the corners of plunger 238 during locking engagement thereby preventing rotation of bolt head 22 . an alternate nut configuration is shown in fig6 . this structure eliminates seals 186 , 194 , changing the shape of surface 164 to lighten the weight of the nut . referring now to fig6 there is shown nut 240 having tapered lugs 92 attached to body 100 , beveled section 101 , and inclined portion 242 having substantially the same slope as the beveled outer surface 181 of beveled section 101 . bore 180 is formed by drilling , rolling or other means in beveled section 101 . upper inner edge 244 of bore 180 is beveled to facilitate withdrawal of engagement of nut 74 from female member 64 while eliminating some weight . beveled section 101 further includes outwardly facing conical section surface 181 with oppositely positioned eyebolt sockets 185 therein of sufficient width to support eyebolts ( not shown ) for handling nut 74 . conical shaped section 242 , substantially coaxial to bore 180 , with sloped inner sides 244 of larger diameters than bore 180 , is formed adjacent to beveled section 101 . outer surface 248 of conical shaped section 242 is of substantially the same slope as surface 181 thereby forming combined sloped surface 181 , 248 . shoulder 78 is thereby formed between bore 180 and conical section 242 . beveled edge 246 is also formed at the inner end of shoulder 78 to facilitate insertion of female member 64 into bore 180 . second counterbore 196 is formed through lower surface 198 of nut 240 . it is of larger diameter and substantially coaxial with conical section 242 . second counterbore 196 is bounded by inner wall 204 of cylindrical body 100 of nut 240 . body portion 100 further includes beveled lower portion 203 . the thickness of nut 74 , measured from inner surface 204 to the outer surface 205 , may be , for example , 1 . 75 inches for a pipe thickness of 0 . 4375 inches . the portion of body 100 between shoulder 78 and surface 76 and between surface 76 and sloped sides 244 of conical section 242 is of sufficient length to permit the engagement of shoulder 78 with shoulder 82 of female member 64 and the engagement of surface 76 with surface 80 of male member 62 without the engagement of sloped sides 244 with surface 72 of male member 62 . lugs 92 are located at the end of body 100 opposite conical section 242 . lugs 92 are shaped by milling or other means . upper surfaces 76 of lugs 92 are inclined and attached to inner wall 204 of body 100 . upper surfaces 76 are pitched to mate with surfaces 80 of lugs 88 of male member 84 and urge surfaces 80 upward such as , for example , one one - thousandth of an inch compressive axial movement of surface 80 for 1 / 4 inch rotational movement of lugs 92 . lugs 92 also include side surfaces 206 and inward facing surface 208 . surfaces 206 , 208 are substantially vertical , terminating at the lower end at lug projection portion 210 . inward facing surface 208 also terminates at beveled surface 211 directly below upper surface 76 . lug projection portion 210 extends below beveled lower portion 203 . it includes outward facing end 212 of substantially the same slope as beveled lower portion 203 . lug projection portion 210 further includes substantially vertical sides 214 . it also includes inward facing , chamfered surface 216 to facilitate the engagement of nut 74 with female member 64 . the sides and ends of lug projections 210 form downward facing surface 96 . opposite facing holes 218 of suitable size to receive threaded bolt lock 220 are drilled and tapped through body 100 . the holes 218 are circumferentially separated on body 100 by approximately 180 °. the threaded bolt lock 220 and lock holder 228 are the same structure as previosly described , except that holes 230 are positioned above holes 218 instead of their being in approximately the same horizontal plane . referring to fig2 there are shown two sections of choke line 38 and kill line 40 having beveled ends 258 , 260 respectively at their upward end and collars 262 , 264 respectively at their lower end . these sections are suspended in fixed relation to male member 62 by lower platform 250 . collars 262 , 264 have openings 266 , 268 respectively therein to telescopically receive , by screw connection or other suitable means , beveled ends 258 , 260 respectively . lower platform 250 comprises lower ring 252 telescopically engaging pipe section 34 . lower ring 252 is connected by welding or other suitable means ( not shown ) to pipe mating section 106 of male member 62 . lower platform 250 further comprises horizontal member 256 . horizontal member 256 has an opening coaxial with lower ring 252 and of sufficient size to telescopically receive pipe mating section 106 therein . horizontal member 256 is connected by welding or other suitable process ( not shown ) to lower ring 252 . openings 254 are provided in horizontal member 256 . openings 254 are dimensioned to receive choke and kill lines 38 , 40 therein . lower platform 250 further comprises reinforcing members 270 positioned at the intersection 272 of lower ring 252 and horizontal member 256 by welding or other suitable process . members 270 are dimensioned to distribute force moments from loads on horizontal member 256 to lower ring 252 without buckling . the sections of choke line 38 and kill line 40 are also suspended in fixed relation to female member 64 and nut 74 by middle platform 274 , upper platform 276 , pipe guide 278 , and pipe nut 280 . middle platform 274 comprises horizontal body portion 282 having center opening 283 therethrough substantially coaxial with nut 74 . center opening 283 is dimensioned for telescopically , rotatably receiving beveled lower portion 203 of nut 74 therein . center opening 283 includes upwardly facing inner beveled edge 288 of slope substantially the same as the slope of beveled lower portion 203 of nut 74 . the largest diameter of beveled edge 288 is less than the diameter of middle body portion 100 of nut 74 . horizontal body portion 282 also has two extensions 284 thereon . extensions 284 have openings 286 therein . openings 286 are dimensioned to permit the telescopic insertion of choke and kill lines 38 , 40 in the openings 286 but not permit collars 262 , 264 to pass therethrough . upper platform 276 comprises horizontal body portion 290 having center opening 293 therethrough substantially coaxial with nut 74 . center opening 293 is dimensioned for telescopically , rotatably receiving outwardly facing conical surface 181 of nut 74 therein . center opening 293 includes downwardly facing inner beveled edge 298 of slope substantially the same as the slope of outwardly facing conical surface 181 of nut 74 . the largest diameter of beveled edge 298 is less than the diameter of middle body portion 100 of nut 74 . horizontal body portion 290 also has two extensions 294 thereon . extensions 294 have openings 296 therein . openings 296 are dimensioned to permit the telescopic insertion of choke and kill lines 38 , 40 in the openings 286 but not permit nuts 280 therethrough . the smallest inner diameters of beveled sections 288 , 298 are dimensioned to permit relative travel of nut 74 with respect to platforms 274 , 276 for insertion of ends 258 , 260 into openings 266 , 268 respectively of collars 262 , 264 respectively after nut lugs 92 have passed through slots 148 . pipe guide 278 comprises horizontal body portion 300 having center opening 303 therethrough substantially coaxial with female member 64 . opening 303 is dimensioned to permit telescopic insertion of pipe mating section 152 of female member 64 . horizontal body portion 300 is connected to pipe mating section 152 of female member 64 by welding or other suitable means . pipe guide 278 also has two extensions 304 thereon . extensions 304 have outwardly facing arcuate sections 306 , including retainer fingers 308 with a radius of curvature sufficient to permit close fitting of choke and kill lines 38 , 40 therein . pipe nuts 280 have cylindrical shapes with bores 309 therethrough . bores 309 are dimensioned to permit the telescopic insertion of choke and kill lines 38 , 40 therethrough . pipe nuts 280 are of a thickness permitting support of the weight of the choke and kill line sections 38 , 40 thereon . the weight of the choke and kill lines 38 , 40 is transmitted by nuts 280 to horizontal member 290 supporting nuts 280 . nuts 280 are attached to choke and kill lines 38 , 40 by screw connection , welding or other suitable means . the location of such attachments is at a point that maintains the distance between upwardly facing shoulders 310 of collars 262 , 264 downwardly facing shoulders 312 of pipe nuts 280 approximately equal to the distance between downwardly facing surfaces 314 of extensions 284 and the upwardly facing surfaces 316 of extensions 292 . referring now to fig7 , and 9 , there is shown make - up tool 318 used for forcing shoulder 76 of lugs 92 of nut 74 in contact with surface 80 of lugs 88 of male member 62 to preload connection 36 . make - up tool 318 comprises lug holder 320 , screw pin 322 , and block 324 . lug holder 320 has lower portion 326 and upper portion 334 . lower portion 326 includes a threaded bore 328 extending longitudinally therethrough . smooth counterbore 330 is formed substantially coaxial with bore 328 by drilling or other means . counterbore 330 is of larger diameter than bore 328 forming thread shoulder 332 therebetween . lug holder 320 also includes corner section 333 which is a cut out portion of lower section 326 . it has horizontal surface 336 and vertical surface 338 . threaded bore 328 terminates at vertical surface 338 . upper portion 334 includes open rectangular cut out 340 having vertical load bearing side 342 , vertical non - load bearing side 345 , and horizontal upward facing bottom 347 . the length of vertical sides 342 , 345 and the width of bottom 347 are such that lug 92 may fit loosely into open rectangular cut out 340 . screw pin 322 includes head 343 suitable for mechanical or hydraulic turning , such as , for example , a hexogonal head . screw pin 322 includes smooth cylindrical body 344 attached to and substantially coaxial with head 343 . body 344 is dimensioned to permit telescopic enclosure within counterbore 330 but not pass beyond shoulder 332 . screw pin 322 further includes smooth reduced diameter section 346 attached to and substantially coaxial with body 344 . substantially curved shoulder 348 is formed at the connection between cylindrical body 344 and section 346 . reduced diameter section 346 is dimensioned to permit its passage telescopically within the inner diameter of the threads of threaded section 328 . screw pin 322 also includes threaded bolt 350 having thread of the same pitch as threaded section 328 . threaded bolt 350 is attached to and substantially coaxial with reduced diameter section 346 . threaded bolt 350 is dimensioned and pitched to pass through smooth section 330 and engage threaded section 328 . screw pin 322 further includes bolt extension 352 attached to and substantially coaxial with threaded bolt 350 . bolt extension 352 is dimensioned to permit it to telescopically pass within the inner diameter of the threads of threaded section 328 . block 324 comprises cylindrical extension section 354 attached to swedge section 356 to main body 358 . the diameter of extension section 354 is such that it may be inserted within holes 254 of horizontal member 256 of lower platform section 250 . main body 358 includes upper horizontal surface 368 , upper vertical sides 360 , lower beveled sides 362 , and horizontal bottom 364 . horizontal bottom 364 connects to swedge section 356 . main body 358 further includes partial bore 366 having face 367 at its interior end . face 367 and bore 366 are positioned in block 324 to be substantially coaxial with bore 328 when horizontal surface 364 is in substantial contact with horizontal member 256 and cylindrical extension section 354 is in hole 254 . bore 366 is dimensioned to telescopically receive bolt extension 352 but not threaded bolt 350 . the length of bolt extension 352 is greater than the depth of partial bore 366 of block 324 . the height from horizontal surface 364 to horizontal surface 368 is substantially equal to the length of vertical side 338 of lug holder 320 . the width of horizontal surface 364 is such that horizontal surface 364 does not extend into hole 254 . during use of the tool , block 324 is held in fixed relation to platform 250 by engagement of extension 354 with the sides of hole 254 . the overall length of bolt 322 from shoulder 348 to the outward facing end of bolt extension 352 is such that when block 324 is fixed with respect to platform 250 and shoulder 348 contacts with shoulder 332 , through rotation of head 343 , holder 320 will have moved , such as , for example , one - quarter of an inch , with respect to block 324 . the distance of movement of holder 320 relative to block 324 must be such as to force shoulder 76 of lug 92 , through load surface 342 , to climb surface 80 and preload the connection to the desired value set by the position of locks 220 . nut 74 , male member 62 , and female member 64 are usually made of alloy steel . further , parts of sliding contact should be of different hardness to prevent galling . bearing in mind the principle that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link , the materials for the nut 74 , male member 62 , and female member 64 should be chosen to carry the desired preload . for example , the preload may be set so that the pipe yields in tension before the connector faces 68 , 126 move apart , thereby insuring that the connector will be at least as strong as the pipe . for the preload criteria given in this example and presuming riser sections 34 comprise pipe whose size is 183 / 4 inches by 7 / 16 inch wall thickness and whose composition has a yield strength of 52 , 000 pounds per square inch , a suitable selection for the yield strength of the nut would be 120 , 000 pounds per square inch and for the yield strength of the male member 62 and female member 64 would be 80 , 000 pounds per square inch . in assembling connector 36 , lower platform 250 , with holes 254 telescopically receiving and supporting choke line 38 and kill line 40 , is attached to male member 62 . pipe mating section 106 of male member 62 is then attached by welding or other means to lower pipe section 34 ( fig2 ). female member 64 is telescopically inserted within beveled section 101 of nut 74 until surface 78 of nut 74 comes to rest on surface 82 of female member 64 and is held there by gravity thereby activating seals 186 , 194 . pipe mating section 152 of female member 64 is connected by welding or other means to the upper pipe section 34 . upper platform 276 is moved along nut 74 until surface 298 meets surface 181 preventing further downward movement of upper platform 276 . choke line 38 and kill line 40 are then inserted into holes 286 , 296 of middle platform 274 and upper platform 276 respectively until surfaces 310 of collars 262 , 264 respectively contact surfaces 314 , 315 respectively of middle platform 274 . middle platform 274 is then moved along nut 74 until surface 288 meets surface 203 . male member 62 is thereby stabbed into nut 74 while ends 258 , 260 are inserted into holes 266 , 268 respectively . adjacent sections 38 and 40 are then attached by welding or other suitable means , completing the make up of the choke line 38 and kill line 40 sections . nut 74 is then aligned so that lugs 92 are opposite slots 148 and then lowered over male member 62 , making a quick stab connection . nuts 280 are then partially tightened to hold choke line 38 and kill line 40 in place , thereby fixing the relative position of middle platform 274 with respect to upper platform 276 . nuts 280 are adjusted to give sufficient slack to permit completing the make - up of the connections . in this manner , platforms 274 , 276 are prevented from falling off nut 74 while permitting nut 74 to rotate with respect to platforms 274 , 276 . pipe guide 278 is attached by welding or other means to pipe mating section 152 of female member 64 with choke line 38 and kill line 40 fitting against outwardly facing arcuate surfaces 306 of extensions 304 . nut 74 is then rotated relative to platforms 250 , 274 , 276 and members 62 , 64 until lugs 92 contact lugs 88 . make - up tools 318 , may then be located at opposite sides of nut 74 and employed to drive nut 74 to a preloaded condition . to install tools 318 , extensions 354 of block 324 of tools 318 are inserted into two holes 254 of lower platform 250 circumferentially spaced apart by 180 °. lug holders 320 are installed with opposite facing lugs 92 bounded by cut outs 340 . screw pin 322 is inserted into counterbore 330 for each and threaded in bore 328 until extension 352 contacts the opposite face 367 of block 324 . force application means ( not shown ) is then applied to head 343 , forcing extension 352 against face 367 and surface 342 of upper portion 334 against side 206 of lug 92 . this force will rotate nut 74 clockwise ( as viewed from above the female member 64 ) relative to the rest of the assembly . as shoulder 76 climbs surface 80 , the connection will tighten . nut 74 is thus placed in tension while male 62 and female 64 members are placed in compression , thereby preloading connector 36 . the vertical orientation of surfaces 206 , 342 prevents a horizontal component of force from being introduced to the connection through the lugs at the location of the make - up tool . after the connector 36 has been preloaded to the desired load set by the location of locks 220 , threaded sections 224 are rotated by head 222 through holes 218 of nut 74 . lugs 226 of screws 220 , spaced 180 ° apart , thereby engage the sides 138 of lugs 88 and prevent any counter clockwise movement of the nut 74 relative to the male member 62 . safety latches 228 are then released to prevent the locks 220 from completely backing out . after the nut 74 is locked in place , the make - up tools 318 may be removed . the connector 36 is disconnected by first disengaging latch 228 and lock bolt 220 . the make - up tool 318 is installed as previously described but oriented in the opposite direction for locking . the make - up tool 318 is then operated as previously described until nut 74 can be rotated by hand to the position where lugs 92 align with slots 148 and can be withdrawn . the choke 38 and kill 40 lines should also be disconnected before the components of the connection are disengaged . although the system described in detail supra has been found to be most satisfactory and preferred , many variations in structure and method are possible . for example , hydraulic actuation of nut 74 to cause engagement of lugs 88 with lugs 92 may be used . a gear mechanism with a rachet mounting could be used to preload the connection 36 . male member 62 and female member 64 could be inverted . any materials having sufficient yield factors could be used based on the criteria previously discussed . the lock may be two tabs with a bolt therebetween . also , a hydraulic driven tool may be used for actuation of nut 74 to cause engagement of lugs 88 with lugs 92 . the hydraulic tool would have two hydraulic actuators mounted on a u - shaped frame that could be placed around the nut 74 . the u - shaped frame would have a pin in each leg to fit in two holes 254 of platform 250 circumferentially spaced apart by 180 °. the hydraulic actuators would grasp the nut 74 at opposite facing lugs 92 . one actuator would pull while the second would push on the lugs 92 to rotate the nut 74 clockwise relative to the rest of the assembly . the above are merely exemplary of the possible changes or variations . because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law , it should be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . | 5 |
this invention relates to a composition comprising chlorhexidine gluconate ( chg ) and denatured alcohol sda 3 - c , which is useful as an effective topical antimicrobial cleanser . the system of chg and denatured alcohol sda 3 - c and additional inert reagents may readily be prepared by combining various selected reagents . for instance , distilled water may be added to a mixing vessel of any suitable size depending upon the target quantity desired with subsequent addition of sodium benzoate , sodium sesquicarbonate , cetyl lactate , an emulsifying wax ( e . g . polawax a - 31 ), sda 3 - c ( e . g . sda 3 - c anhydrous ), and an aqueous solution , e . g . 20 % wt . solution , of chg . the sodium sesquicarbonate provides modest corrosion inhibition but primarily adjusts the ph so that the primary corrosion inhibitor , sodium benzoate , functions optimally . corrosion inhibition is required for tin - plated steel cans and certain cup and valve contact surfaces . corrosion inhibitors are not necessary to protect aluminum can surfaces . alternate excipients for sodium sesquicarbonate would be any ionizable substance that would optimize the ph of the system , i . e . approximately ph 9 for the above listed components . alternate corrosion inhibitors would include other benzoates , nitrites , or borates . cetyl lactate is included in the formulation as an emollient and also reduces the tacky feel characteristics of chg . polawax a31 is the foaming agent . similar foaming performance would be anticipated by use of any emulsifying wax nf ( national formulary ), combination of stearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol , or other wax combinations . the propellant blend provides pressure for dispersing the product from the can and also partially dissolves into the formulation resulting in complete dissolution of the waxes . any blend of propellants that provides the concentrate as a solution could be readily substituted for the isobutane / propane a - 40 and 1 , 1 - difluoroethane p - 152a blend used in the tested formulation . the relative percentages of each of the reagents may vary depending upon the desired strength of the target formulation or solution . the order of addition of the reagents may be important depending on which reagents are added or necessary for the target mixture . for example , if an initial formulation is prepared without a chg solution , and polawax a - 31 and cetyl lactate are used , the latter components must be dissolved in ethanol prior to addition of water in order to prevent precipitation of the polawax and the cetyl lactate and to quicken the dissolution process . after addition of the alcohol blend and the chg solution , the concentrate may be heated to 100 - 110 ° f . until filling is completed . the claimed formulation can be prepared in explosion - proof facilities or may be prepared by a two - phase process that obviates the need for high - temperature processing and explosion - proof facilities . a concentrate of the claimed formulation may contain insoluble material such as wax when cooled below 100 ° f . because the flash point of a liquid chg - alcohol formulation is about 75 ° f ., high temperature ( 100 - 110 ° f .) processing and filling can only be completed in explosion proof facilities . room temperature processing and filling can be acheived by a two - phase process without precipitation of the waxes . room temperature processing does not require explosion proof facilities . if explosion proof facilities are used for the manufacture and filling processes , purified water usp ( united states pharmacopoeia ), sodium benzoate nf , and sodium sesquicarbonate ctfa ( cosmetics and toiletries fragrance association ) are added to a stainless or glass lined mixing tank and heated to 100 - 110 ° f . with agitation . cetyl lactate ctfa , polawax a - 31 nf and sda 3 - c ethanol anhydrous are then added with mixing while maintaining the temperature at 100 - 110 ° f . upon obtaining a homogenous solution , the chg solution bp ( british pharmacopoeia ) is added and mixed adequately to obtain a homogenous solution . the completed liquid formulation is maintained at 100 - 110 ° f . during filling with precautions taken to prevent ethanol evaporation . if either the manufacturing tank or the filling line are not explosion proof , a two part filling operation must be completed . in a tank capable of holding and adequately mixing about 80 % of the final liquid concentrate batch , sda 3 - c ethanol anhydrous must be added first , followed by polawax a - 31 nf and cetyl lactate , mixing until the waxes have completely dissolved . water is then added , followed by sodium benzoate nf and sodium sesquicarbonate ctfa . adequate mixing must be maintained to homogeneously disperse the fine needle crystals characteristic of sodium sesquicarbonate . in the following examples , this liquid concentrate is labeled &# 34 ; part a .&# 34 ; &# 34 ; part b &# 34 ; of the two - phase process requires the use of a manufacturing tank capable of holding and adequately mixing about 20 % of the final liquid formulation batch . to this tank , the appropriate weight of active chg solution , e . g . a 20 wt . % aqueous chg solution , is added . parts a and b are maintained at ambient conditions during filling into an aerosol can . part a is added to 80 % of the liquid formulation target fill weight . fill weights for both part a and part b are checked until five consecutive cans are within ± 5 % of the target weight without adjustment of fill . fill weights for both part a and b are then checked and recorded throughout the remainder of the filling process . the propellants which may be used in the present invention in order to prepare an aerosol can include any blend of propellants that provide the concentrate as a solution such as a isobutane / propane a - 40 and 1 , 1 - difluoroethane p - 152a blend . the propellants are pre - blended , with the mix ratio being verified by gas chromatographic analysis . the amount of propellant required to properly disperse the contained formulation can readily be determined by persons skilled in the art . gas samples are taken at the gassing head after flushing all lines with propellant , and the sample may be analyzed by gas chromatography to verify the propellant identity . cans are under - the - cup filled and the propellant fill weight is checked and recorded throughout the entire filling process . crimp depth and diameter are monitored . each can then passes submerged through a hot tank that is maintained at a temperature which provides an internal can pressure of 130 psi or greater . submerged bubbling cans are readily identified as leaking and defective . cans are then air dried and ink jet imprinted with lot number . actuators are properly placed and the cans are overcapped . the cleanser and propellant form a single phase solution at room temperature , as determined using aerosol compatibility vessels . the chg and denatured alcohol sda 3 - c system produces a surprisingly improved topical antimicrobial action as compared to previously known antimicrobial surface cleansers . the composition has immediate , persistent and residual bactericidal activity . the claimed formulation causes significantly greater microbial population reductions at various stages in the antimicrobial process , including the time period immediately after scrub , 3 hours post - scrub and six hours post - scrub , than products such as a rub - in alcohol based formulation containing no chg , or the commercially available 4 % chg surgical handscrub miclens ™ ( commercially available from stuart pharmaceuticals ) ( table iii ). for example , after five days of use and six hours of post - scrub , a rub - in chg and sda 3 - c alcohol foam formulation at a chg concentration range of 0 . 67 %- 0 . 83 % will cause a one log 10 greater reduction in the microbial population than a 4 % chg solution scrubbed onto the skin with a brush . ______________________________________part a______________________________________denatured alcohol sda 3 - c 70 . 9 % polawax a - 31 1 . 9 % cetyl lactate 0 . 3 % sodium benzoate 0 . 2 % sodium sesquicarbonate 0 . 1 % water ( distilled ) 26 . 6 % ______________________________________ clean and sanitized stainless steel equipment was used in the production of part a . the fill temperature of the product was 70 - 78 ° f . and constant agitation was maintained during the filling process . 713 pounds of denatured alcohol sda 3 - c was added to the mix tank . agitation was started and 18 . 9 pounds polawax a - 31 and 3 . 1 pounds of cetyl lactate were added to the mix tank . the mixture was agitated until the polawax a - 31 and the cetyl lactate were completely dissolved and was mixed for a minimum of thirty ( 30 ) minutes . after this period , 2 . 50 pounds of sodium benzoate was added to the agitating mixture followed by 1 pound of sodium sesquicarbonate . agitation was continued while 267 . 5 pounds of distilled water was added to the mix tank . the mixture was then stirred for at least an additional thirty ( 30 ) minutes . this produced a total of 1006 pounds of part a . in order to properly dissolve the polawax and the cetyl lactate , the order of addition of the reagents is critical . the - polawax a - 31 and cetyl lactate must be dissolved in the ethanol before the water is added . after addition of water to the alcohol / wax solution , sodium benzoate rapidly dissolves . adequate mixing must be maintained to homogeneously disperse sodium sesquicarbonate during filling . clean and sanitized stainless steel equipment was used in the production of a phase b formulation . the fill temperature of the product was 70 - 78 ° f . constant agitation was maintained during the filling process in the fifty - five gallon batch tank . 243 . 75 pounds of distilled water ( ph 6 . 15 with & lt ; 0 . 5 ppm nacl ) was added to the mix tank . 56 . 25 pounds of a 20 % chg solution was added to the tank with agitation and stirred for a minimum of thirty ( 30 ) minutes . this produced a total of 300 pounds of part b . parts a and b were maintained at ambient conditions during filling into an aerosol can . part a was added to 80 % of the liquid formulation target fill weight . fill weights for both part a and part b were checked initially for each can until five consecutive cans were within ± 5 % of the target weight without adjustment of fill . fill weights for both part a and b were then checked and recorded for no less than each thirty ( 30 ) cans for the remainder of the filling process . the propellant , one third isobutane / propane a - 10 and two - thirds 1 , 1 difluoroethane p - 152a , was pre - blended with the mix ratio being verified by gas chromatographic analysis . the amount of propellant required to properly disperse the contained formulation can readily be determined by persons skilled in the art . gas samples were taken at the gassing head after flushing all lines with propellant , and the sample was analyzed by gas chromatography to verify the propellant identity . cans were under - the - cup filled and the propellant fill weight was checked and recorded for each thirtieth can for the entire filling process . crimp depth and diameter were monitored . each can was then passed submerged through a hot tank maintained at a temperature to assure that each can experienced an internal pressure of 130 psi or greater . since leaking cans are readily identified by bubbling while submerged , 100 % leak testing was completed . the cans were then air dried and ink jet imprinted with lot number . actuators were properly placed and the cans were overcapped . the chg / denatured alcohol sda 3 - c system with propellant forms a single phase solution at room temperature as determined using aerosol compatibility vessels . phase a and phase b were combined in an aerosol container in a weight ratio of about 80 : 20 . for example , a 211 mm × 713 mm tin - plate aerosol package is filled with 392 . 2 +/- 3 grams of phase a and 98 . 0 +/- 1 gram of phase b prior to gassing with 25 . 9 +/- 2 grams of the propellant blend . a 53 mm × 165 mm aluminum aerosol package is filled with 196 . 0 +/- 1 gram of phase a and 49 . 0 +/- 1 gram of phase b prior to gassing with 12 . 9 +/- 1 gram of the propellant blend . a 45 mm × 140 mm aluminum aerosol package is filled with 118 . 6 +/- 1 gram of phase a and 29 . 6 +/- 1 gram of phase b prior to gassing with 7 . 8 +/- 1 gram of the propellant blend . a constant ratio of 80 : 20 phase a : phase b is required for a 0 . 75 % chg label claim . following the combination of phase a with phase b , and introduction of propellant into the aerosol containing , the amount of chg present in the container was about 0 . 75 wt . %. following activation of the aerosol container for application to the target surface , propellant dissipates , and the concentration of chg contacting the target surface was about 0 . 79 wt . %. specific weight amount for the procedure described in example 1 are shown below : ______________________________________component wt / 100 g product______________________________________part adenatured alcohol sda 3 - c 56 . 7 gpolawax a - 31 1 . 5 gcetyl lactate 0 . 25 gsodium benzoate 0 . 2 gsodium sesquicarbonate 0 . 1 gwater usp 21 . 25 gpart b20 wt . % solution chg 3 . 95 gwater usp 16 . 05 g______________________________________ 80 grams of part a was added to 20 grams of part b to produce the liquid concentrate prior to addition of a propellant . the filled product is referred to as septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam . when explosion proof facilities were used for the manufacture and filling processes , purified water usp , sodium benzoate nf , and sodium sesquicarbonate ctfa , in the quantities shown in example 1 , were added to a stainless or glass lined mixing tank and heated to 100 - 110 ° f . with agitation . the cetyl lactate ctfa , polawax a - 31 nf and the sda 3 - c ethanol anhydrous in the quantities listed above were then added with mixing while maintaining the temperature at 100 - 110 ° f . upon obtaining a homogenous solution , the chg solution bp was added and mixed adequately to obtain a homogenous solution . the completed liquid formulation was maintained at 100 - 110 ° f . during filling with all possible precautions being taken to prevent ethanol evaporation . the formulation was filled with propellant in an aerosol container according to the procedure described in example 1 . the filled product is referred to as septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam . septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam , septisol vehicle ( septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam formulation excluding active chg ) and hibiclens ™ 4 % chg were topically applied and evaluated for immediate , persistent ( three hours after application ), and residual ( six hours after application ) effects . eighteen subjects per product were evaluated using a glove juice sampling procedure detailed below . fourteen days prior to the test portion of the study constituted the pre - test period . during this time , subjects avoided the use of medicated soaps , lotions , deodorants and shampoos and avoided skin contact with solvents , detergents , acids and bases . this regimen allowed for the stabilization of the normal microbial populations residing on the hands . the week following the pre - test period was designated the baseline period . baseline determinations were taken on days one , three , and five of that week . the average log10 baseline value was 6 . 495 , with a standard deviation of 0 . 730 ( n = 108 ). subjects were randomly assigned to one of three study groups and sampled . following the prescribed wash and rinse , excess water was shaken from the hands and powder - free sterile gloves were donned . at the designated sampling time , 75 mls of sterile 0 . 1m phosphate buffered ( ph 7 . 8 - 7 . 9 ) aqueous solution containing 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 was instilled into the 7glove . the wrist was secured and an attendant massaged the hand through the glove in a standardized manner for 60 seconds . aliquots of the glove juice were removed and serially diluted in trypticase soy broth ( tsb ) containing 1 . 0 % tween 80 and 0 . 3 % lecithin as product neutralizers . solidified plates were incubated at 30 - 35 ° c . for up to 48 hours . those plates providing colony counts between 25 and 250 were preferentially used in this study . if no plates provided counts in the 25 - 250 range , the plates closest to that range were counted and used in determining the number of viable microorganisms . summary results of the test week are given in table i . the directions for using septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam and septisol vehicle were as follows . a palm full ( 5 grams ) of septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam , supplied by an attendant , is dispensed into one hand . it is spread on both hands and forearms and rubbed into the skin until dry ( approximately 1 to 1 . 5 minutes ). a smaller amount ( 2 . 5 grams ), supplied by an attendant , is then dispensed into one hand , spread over both hands and forearms and rubbed into the skin until dry ( approximately 0 . 5 minutes .) the directions for using hebiclens ™ 4 % chg solution with sterile ez scrub brush ( stuart pharmaceuticals ) included the following six minute scrub procedure : 1 . wet hands and forearms with warm water . use nail cleaner . 2 . apply 5 ml hibiclens ™ 4 % chg solution on sponge side . work up lather . 3 . scrub for 3 minutes as follows . with the brush side of the product , scrub nails , cuticles , and interdigital spaces . scrub hands and forearms with sponge side . table i______________________________________microbial population reductionimmediately after 3 hours after 6 hours afterscrub scrub scrubday x s r x s r x s r______________________________________septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam1 3 . 00 0 . 99 3 . 49 4 . 48 1 . 06 2 . 01 5 . 06 0 . 98 1 . 432 2 . 79 1 . 03 3 . 70 4 . 09 0 . 81 2 . 40 4 . 28 0 . 97 2 . 215 2 . 70 0 . 57 3 . 79 3 . 22 0 . 71 3 . 27 2 . 89 1 . 54 3 . 60septisol vehicle ( no chg ) 1 4 . 85 1 . 00 1 . 64 6 . 41 0 . 33 0 . 08 6 . 37 0 . 49 0 . 122 4 . 15 1 . 00 2 . 34 6 . 07 0 . 39 0 . 42 6 . 18 0 . 86 0 . 315 3 . 65 0 . 79 2 . 84 5 . 56 0 . 69 0 . 63 5 . 75 0 . 69 0 . 74hibiclens ™ 4 % chg solution1 5 . 11 0 . 76 1 . 38 5 . 58 0 . 53 0 . 91 5 . 73 0 . 63 0 . 762 4 . 20 0 . 84 2 . 29 4 . 76 1 . 47 1 . 73 5 . 02 0 . 60 1 . 475 2 . 25 1 . 65 4 . 24 4 . 00 1 . 46 2 . 49 3 . 94 1 . 09 2 . 55______________________________________ this study concludes that septisol 0 . 75 % chg foam is clearly better than hibiclens ™ 4 % chg solution applied with a scrub brush in reducing skin microflora immediately after use on days 1 and 2 , i . e . immediate activity . likewise , septisol 0 . 75 % foam is more effective than hibiclens ™ 4 % chg solution applied with a scrub brush in reducing skin microflora three hours ( persistent activity ) and six hours ( residual activity ) after use on days 1 , 2 , and 5 . | 0 |
fig1 shows , diagrammatically , a first embodiment of a display system according to the invention , comprising a first and a second image display device in the form of cathode ray tubes 3 and 4 . the system is further provided with a beam combiner in the form of a partially transmissive mirror 5 . this mirror passes a part of the light from the tube 3 to a viewer 10 and reflects a part of the light from the tube 4 to the same viewer . this viewer sees the images formed in the image windows 6 and 7 of the tubes 3 and 4 as one image , both in the case where the images are simultaneously present , and in the case where these images are displayed one after the other at a sufficiently high frequency , for example , 100 hz . the reference numeral 8 denotes an observation window which may be constituted by a light - transmissive window in a housing accommodating the components 3 , 4 and 5 , or an imaginary window which is bounded by the coinciding projections , in a plane directly below the mirror 5 , of the face plates 6 and 7 of the tubes . as the images should be aligned with each other at the location of the window 8 , it should be ensured that image part a in the face plate 6 corresponds to image part a &# 39 ; in the face plate 7 , and that image part b corresponds to image part b &# 39 ;. as is shown in fig1 the distance between the center of the face plate 6 and the center of the partially transmissive mirror is a fraction , □ l , larger than the distance , l , between the center of the face plate 7 and the center of the mirror . viewed in the direction of the system axis 9 - 91 , hence in the axial direction , the images formed in the face plates are offset by a distance δl . for this reason , and because the two images are partial images of one image and , moreover , are provided with depth information in a way to be described hereinafter , the viewer experiences a depth sensation and observes a three - dimensional image . as is known , a cathode ray tube provides a clear image . since two such images are combined , the image observed by the viewer has a high brightness in spite of the presence of the partially transmissive mirror . instead of two cathode ray tubes , n cathode ray tubes may be used , in which case n - 1 combining mirrors are required . fig2 shows an embodiment of the image display system in which the image display devices are constituted by image display panels , such as liquid crystalline display panels or lcds 20 and 30 . each panel has a layer of liquid crystalline material 21 , 31 preceded by a polarizer 22 , 32 and followed by an analyzer 24 , 34 , respectively . the display panels are illuminated by an illumination unit 15 . such a unit comprises a lamp having a high brightness , for example , a very high pressure mercury lamp with a very small lamp arc as described in european patent application 576 071 , corresponding to u . s . pat . no . 5 , 497 , 049 , assigned to philips electronics , a reflector at the rear side of the lamp , and possible further optical components for forming a suitable illumination beam . such an illumination unit is known and does not form part of the present invention so that it need not be discussed here . this also applies to the operation of the lcd panel . since two or more panels are used one behind the other , it is preferable to drive these panels in such a way that the first panel shows its image in first time intervals , and the second panel shows its image in second time intervals located between the first time intervals . the duration of the time intervals and the frequency at which they succeed each other have been chosen to be such that the images of the panels cannot be observed separately and that there is no image flicker . moreover , it is preferable to adapt the display panels in such a way that the panel is maximally transparent in the time intervals in which this panel does not display an image , so that the light modulated with the image information of the other panel is attenuated as little as possible by the first - mentioned panel . this means that when using panels whose pixels do not change the direction of polarization of the light in the unenergized state , the directions of polarization of the polarizer and the analyzer of that panel are parallel to each other for each panel , as is denoted by the arrows 23 and 25 in fig2 for the first panel and the arrows 33 and 35 for the second panel . fig3 shows a cross - section of a third embodiment of the image display system according to the invention . in this embodiment , the first image display device is a cathode ray tube 40 having a phosphor layer plus image window 41 , and the second image display device is an lcd panel 45 having a polarizer 47 , a liquid crystalline layer 46 and an analyzer 48 . the directions 49 and 50 of polarization of the polarizer and the analyzer are again chosen to be such , for example , parallel to each other , that the panel has a maximum transmission in the time intervals in which it does not display an image , so that in these time intervals , light , which is modulated with the image information of the tube 40 , is minimally attenuated . the cathode ray tube is driven in such a way that it has a maximum brightness in the time intervals in which it does not display an image and constitutes a satisfactory radiation source for illuminating the lcd panel which displays an image in said time intervals . the embodiment of fig3 is more compact than that of fig1 and may produce a brighter image than the embodiment of fig2 which , in its turn , may be more compact than the embodiments of fig1 and 3 . the image surfaces of the image display devices need not be parallel to each other but may also extend at an acute angle to each other , as is shown in fig4 . the system shown comprises an illumination unit 61 , a first and a second lcd panel 62 and 63 and an observation window 64 . the planes of the panels extend at an acute angle of , for example 10 ° to each other . as is shown in fig4 both panels may extend at an acute angle , β and γ , to the system axis 9 - 9 &# 39 ;. however , it is alternatively possible that only one of the panels extends at an acute angle to this axis and that the other panel is perpendicular to this axis . however , it should be ensured that corresponding image portions of the display panels are in registry , i . e ., viewed in a direction parallel to the system axis , they should cover each other . a satisfactory three - dimensional image can also be obtained with this embodiment , likewise as with a modification of the embodiment of fig3 in which the panel 45 extends at an acute angle to the system axis , and also with a modification of the embodiment of fig1 in which the face plates of the cathode ray tubes extend at an angle which is smaller than 90 °. instead of lcd panels , other display panels may be used in the embodiments of fig2 and 4 such as , for example , a pdlc panel which comprises a polymer layer in which drops of liquid crystalline material are provided , and whose operation is based on light scattering . in principle , such a panel need not comprise a polarizer and an analyzer . however , by adding these elements , an image having a higher contrast can be obtained . a pdlc panel is described in , for example , the article &# 34 ; a full colour tft - lcd with polymer dispersed structure &# 34 ; in japan display 1992 , pp . 931 - 934 . in principle , the invention may be realized with various types of image - generating devices . the double - d - depth principle may be elucidated with reference to the experiment illustrated in fig5 a - 5e . the starting point is fig5 a showing a racing car 70 in an ambience consisting of a tile floor 71 and a tiled rear wall 72 . two transparent foils shown in fig5 b and 5c were made of this scene ; fig5 b shows the racing car separately from its ambience and fig5 c shows this ambience only . if the foil of fig5 b is laid on the foil of fig5 c while a transparent glass or synthetic material plate is interpositioned and the whole assembly is illuminated from the side of the foil of fig5 c , a viewer watching from the side of foil of fig5 b experiences real depth in the scene jointly represented by the foils . however , the car seems to be floating above its ambience . this effect can be substantially eliminated by providing an additional , dedicated intensity gradation in the partial images . this gradation in a direction which is the vertical direction for the viewer is complementary for the two partial images . as is shown in fig5 d , the intensity , or density of pixels in the foil with the racing car , extends from , for example , 100 % at the lower side to , for example , 10 % at the upper side . for the foil with the ambience shown in fig5 e , the intensity for the racing car extends from 100 % at the upper side to 10 % at the lower side . if the distance between the transparent foils is not too large , for example , between 0 . 5 and 10 μm for a4 format foils , then a viewer will experience a natural three - dimensional image , also due to the interpolating function of his brain , without a troublesome double image occurring . moreover , the depth sensation is monocular , so it can also be experienced with one eye and is maintained at larger viewing angles . if there are more depth cues present in the scene to be displayed , such as , for example , a perspective , these cues may enhance the double - d - depth effect . the above - described experimental set - up with stationary images may be transformed to a suitable system for professional or consumer use by replacing the foils by electronically controlled image display devices , such as image display panels or cathode ray tubes . moving three - dimensional images can then , of course , be displayed by means of such devices . if the images are color images , a color gradation may also be provided in the images instead of , or additionally to the dedicated intensity gradation . the gradations are dependent on the depth cues in the scene . the dedicated intensity gradations are preferably adapted to each other in such a way that per pixel , the product of these gradations is equal to the intensity in the pixel of the two - dimensional image . moreover , the distance between the image surfaces of the image display devices is equal to a fraction f of the diagonal of the surfaces , in which it holds for f that : ## equ3 ## this choice of the distance prevents the experienced depth from being too exaggerated and thus having a disturbing effect . a disturbing depth experience is entirely prevented in a display system in which it holds for f that : ## equ4 ## fig6 shows a possible mode of image signal generation and image display for the three - dimensional system according to the invention . at the pick - up side , use is made of a normal camera 80 , for example , a video camera with which a two - dimensional pick - up of a scene or object is made and which supplies a two - dimensional image signal s 2d . use is also made of a device 81 with which depth information is obtained from the scene and which supplies a depth signal s d . this device is shown as a separate device but may also be integrated with the camera 80 . the device 81 may be implemented in various manners . for example , it may comprise an infrared transmitter which emits an infrared beam with which the scene is scanned , and an infrared - sensitive detection device such as a camera tube or ccd sensor , which receives the light reflected by the various scene components and converts it to a depth signal . the device may also be constituted by a camera having an automatically scanning focus setting , in which the control signal for correcting the focus can be used as a depth signal . generally , both active and passive depth - sensing means can be used for determining the depth profile of the scene . the signals s 2d and s d are transferred to the three - dimensional image display system 85 via a transmission medium 82 which , in the case of a television broadcast , is constituted by air and , in the case of a closed tv circuit or a local network , is constituted by electric cables . the image display system 85 comprises a first processor , or image mixer , 86 in which the signals s 2d and s d are processed to image frames , with depth information being applied to each pixel of said frames . the signal s fr with the image frame information is applied to an image processor 87 in which the image frames are converted to two separate , graded images . the output signal s di of the image processor 87 is applied to an input of a multiplexer 88 which supplies an output signal s di comprising two image signals s i , 1 , s i , 2 . this signal s i , 1 is applied to a control circuit 97 for a first image display device 95 , for example , a display panel 95 , which is shown diagrammatically , while the signal s i , 2 is applied to a control circuit 98 for a second display panel 96 . switches 89 and 90 may be arranged between the multiplexer 88 and the control circuits 97 and 98 , these switches being controllable in such a way that the image display devices display their images in different , separate and consecutive time intervals . this presentation mode is preferred , particularly if the image display devices are transmission panels . the switches 89 and 90 constitute a synchronizing circuit . as has been described with reference to fig5 a - 5e , the depth effect evoked by the double - d - depth is an effect in the vertical direction for the viewer . this effect can be augmented with a depth effect in the horizontal direction by implementing the system in such a way that the image in the horizontal direction is curved . such an image can be obtained by providing a cylindrical lens whose cylindrical axis is vertical in the path of the light coming from the image display devices . however , the image surface itself is preferably curved in the horizontal direction , as is shown in fig7 . this figure shows an image surface 100 in a front elevational view , as well as its vertical cross - section 101 and its horizontal cross - section 102 . fig8 shows in a horizontal cross - section an adapted cathode ray tube 105 with which an image curved in the horizontal direction can be obtained . to this end the glass screen 106 is composed of two layers 107 and 110 . the layer 107 has a first surface 108 with the same curvature as the phosphor layer and the shadow mask 105 , this mask defining the face plate . the surface 108 is placed against the phosphor layer . the second surface 109 of the layer 107 has an opposite and stronger curvature than the surface 108 . the second layer 110 has a flat outer surface 112 and an inner surface 111 with the same curvature as the surface 109 . the first layer 107 has a refractive index n1 and the second layer has a refractive index n2 which is larger than n1 so that the light rays are refracted towards the viewer at the interface 109 , 111 between the first and the second layer . it will be evident that fig8 shows the represented part of the system in a horizontal cross - section . the cathode ray tube may be combined with a display panel in an analogous manner as in fig3 for example , an lcd panel 45 comprising a polarizer 47 , a layer of liquid crystalline material 46 and an analyzer 48 . for obtaining the horizontal depth effect , use can also be made of a cathode ray tube whose face plate is concave instead of convex . such a tube 120 is shown in fig9 . the single glass layer 122 has a flat outer surface 124 and an inner surface 123 with the same curvature as the phosphor layer plus the shadow mask 121 . this tube can also be combined with an image display panel 45 in an analogous manner as in fig3 . it is alternatively possible to use two cathode ray tubes 104 or 120 as shown in fig8 or in fig9 in the three - dimensional image display system in the same way as is shown in fig1 . in a system with image display panels , the horizontal depth effect can be obtained by adapting one panel or both panels , as is shown in fig1 . fig1 shows a display panel 135 with a polarizer 137 , a liquid crystalline layer 136 and an analyzer 138 . an extra plate 139 whose outer surface 140 has a concave curvature in the horizontal direction is placed against the analyzer . instead of being curved in the horizontal direction , the image obtained by means of the three - dimensional image display system may also be curved in the vertical direction . this provides an additional depth effect in the vertical direction which enhances the double - d - depth effect . the image curvature in the vertical direction may be obtained in the same way as that in the horizontal direction and described with reference to fig7 to 10 , which figures are then vertical instead of horizontal cross - sections . it is alternatively possible to curve the picture in both the horizontal and the vertical direction . then , both an enhanced depth effect in the vertical direction and a depth effect in the horizontal direction are obtained . the above - mentioned additional depth effects may not only be created by actual curvature of the image or an image surface but also by simulating a curvature by means of an additional intensity gradation which is independent of depth information . this curvature simulation may be elucidated with reference to fig1 and 12 . fig1 shows a first transparent foil with the same scene as that in fig5 a - 5e , in which the left and right sides 150 , 151 now have a maximum transparency , for example , near 100 %, and the center 152 has a minimum transparency , for example , near 0 %. there is a gradual transition from maximum to minimum transparency . fig1 shows a second transparent foil with the same scene having a transparency variation which is opposed to that of fig1 and which is , for example , near 100 % in the center and , for example , near 0 % at the left and right sides . if the foil of fig1 is laid on the foil of fig1 , while a transparent , for example , glass plate is interpositioned , the impression of a curved image whose edges are closer than the center is produced for a viewer at the side of the foil of fig1 . by displaying the foil presentations by means of electronically controllable image display devices , in which the transparency of the foils is substituted for a corresponding intensity gradation in the displayed images , a system suitable for practical use is obtained , in which a cylindrical lens action is built in , with the axis of the imaginary cylindrical lens being positioned vertically and centrally . by combining this cylindrical lens - shaped effect with the double - d - depth effect , the latter effect can be supplemented with a horizontal depth effect . the extra , depth - independent intensity gradation may be provided in the vertical direction instead of in the horizontal direction , so that the depth sensation created by the double - d - depth effect can be enhanced . the extra depth - independent intensity gradation may further be provided in both the horizontal and the vertical direction , which does not only have an enhanced vertical depth effect but also a horizontal depth effect . the latter may alternatively be realized by means of an additional depth - independent , continuously varying intensity gradation in the radial direction . the invention may not only be used for displaying three - dimensional images of a scene , for example , video images or medical examination images , in which , especially , the distance between scene components and the depth of the scene play a role , but also for visualizing the volume of objects , in which the thickness is particularly important . particular examples may be graphic systems with which large posters or commercials can be displayed , but specifically also computer - graphic systems . the volume character and the shape of said objects or bodies predominantly become manifest in an increase or decrease of the thickness or height of the observed image . it has been found that the invention is eminently suitable for visualizing gradual thickness variations . to this end , a number of partial images are superimposed in registry , these images representing additional intensity gradations determined by the thickness variations , which gradations of the different images are complementary . said intensity gradations , which are only present within the contours of the object , now extend in directions perpendicular to the contours of the object instead of horizontally or vertically . this possibility can again be elucidated with reference to a plurality of transparent foils with partial images shown in fig1 b - 13e . fig1 a shows a two - dimensional image of a show model 160 , which image should be displayed as naturally as possible as far as volume and round shapes are concerned . fig1 b - 13e show foils of different vertical cross - sections of the model . fig1 b shows the cross - section 161 comprising the outer contours , and fig1 c shows a cross - section 165 showing a part of the head 166 and the arms 167 . according to the invention , the contours of cross - section 161 in fig1 b are shown by a gradation 162 of the transparency of the foil with that cross - section , which gradation is only present within the contour curves and extends in directions perpendicular to the directions of the contour curves . also the head and the arms of the cross - section 165 in fig1 c are shown by way of such gradations , 166 and 167 . if the foil with the cross - section 165 is laid on the foil with the cross - section 161 , while a transparent plate of a suitable thickness is interpositioned , a viewer watching the stacked foils from the foil with the cross - section 165 sees a three - dimensional image of mainly the upper part of the model . to complete the image , the foil with the cross - section 165 may successively be provided with a transparent plate and a further foil ( fig1 d ) with a cross - section 167 showing a large part of the gown of the model . the contours 168 and the pleats 169 of this gown are again represented by transparency gradations 170 , 171 extending perpendicularly to these contours and pleats . finally , the last - mentioned foil may be provided with a further transparent plate and a last foil ( fig1 e ) which is a cross - section 173 with the projecting parts 174 of the gown . fig1 shows the above - described stack in a cross - section . in this figure , the reference numeral 180 denotes an illumination unit , 181 , 182 and 183 denote the transparent plates and 161 , 165 , 167 and 173 denote the cross - sections provided in the foils . when a viewer 10 watches this stack of foils and transparent plates , he will experience a surprisingly good volume image of the model in which even the round shapes of her body are visible . the experimental set - up described with reference to fig1 a - 13e and 14 may be transformed to a practically usable system by using electronically controllable image display devices for displaying the cross - sections , while the transparency gradation is replaced by an intensity gradation . when the double - d - depth principle is used , i . e ., when at least two image display devices with a certain space in between are used , parallax should be prevented from occurring in the three - dimensional image formed with these devices , or , in other words , scene components should not be offset when the viewing angle is changed . in accordance with a further aspect of the invention , parallax can be prevented by using only one image display device for displaying the actual image contents , i . e ., the two - dimensional image , and by using two image display devices for displaying the depth information , and by displaying the different types of information in different time intervals . this can be illustrated with reference to an experiment with a number of foils having different image contents . these foils , showing the same model as in fig1 a - 13e , are shown in fig1 a , 15b and 15c . fig1 a shows the full two - dimensional image 190 of the model on a first foil . fig1 b shows a first , the front , depth image 195 of the model on a foil which has a transparency gradation defined by the depth cues of the image . fig1 c shows a second , the rear , depth image of the model with a transparency gradation which is complementary to that of fig1 b . if , as shown in fig1 , the foil with the image 190 , the foil with the image 200 , a transparent plate 199 and a foil with the image 195 are successively placed on an illumination unit 180 , the viewer 10 will see the full volume of the model . in analogy with the description hereinbefore , three display devices can be used instead of foils for displaying the images 190 , 195 and 200 . however , due to the light output and / or compactness of the system , it is much more advantageous to use only two image display devices and a special drive unit for these devices , as is shown in fig1 . in this figure , the reference numeral 205 denotes an illumination unit and 206 and 207 denote image display devices , for example , pdlc panels with control circuits 209 , 210 . the medium 208 between the panels may be air or glass . the control circuits 209 and 210 are connected via switches 211 , 212 shown diagrammatically to an electronic device which is analogous to that of fig6 and of which only a multiplexer 215 is shown . the electronic device and switches may be adapted in such a way that the panel 206 displays the two - dimensional image 190 and the panel 207 is maximally transparent in first time intervals of , for example , 1 / 100 sec , whereas the panel 206 displays the depth image 200 and the panel 207 displays the depth image 195 in second time intervals occurring between the first time intervals and also being , for example , 1 / 100 sec long . in this way , the telominance ( the depth image ) and the actual image contents , or luminance and possible chrominance , are separated in time , and parallax is prevented . since said time intervals are so short and the switching frequency is so high , a viewer will interpret the depth image and the two - dimensional image as one image so that this viewer sees a natural three - dimensional image , or a full volume image . the system may also be adapted in such a way that panel 206 displays the two - dimensional image 190 in a first time interval of , for example , 1 / 100 sec again , panel 206 displays the depth image 200 in a second , subsequent time interval and panel 207 displays the depth image 195 in a third , subsequent time interval , whereafter this cycle is repeated . moreover , moire fringing between the depth images can then be prevented . in practice , there may be a need for adjusting the optical distance between the display panels so as to present the depth contents as naturally as possible . fig1 shows an embodiment of the image display system which provides this possibility . this embodiment differs from that in fig2 only in that adjustable spacers 220 are arranged between the first display panel 20 and the second display panel 30 . as is shown in fig1 , these holders can be constituted by resilient elements which can be adjusted , for example , mechanically or electromechanically by the user of the system . then the thickness of the medium , which may be air , may be adapted to the user &# 39 ; s personal need or preference . also in the embodiment of fig1 the effective optical distance between the images generated by the tubes can be adjusted by displacing one of the cathode ray tubes along its own axis with respect to the other tube . instead of a passive medium , such as air , the space between the image display devices may be an active medium , i . e ., a medium whose optical properties can be changed . fig1 shows an embodiment of the system in which this is the case . this embodiment is a modification of that of fig2 and comprises an illumination unit 15 , a first display panel with a polarizer 22 , an analyzer 24 and an interposed liquid crystalline layer 21 , or a polymer layer in which drops of liquid crystalline material have been dispersed , and a second , similar image display panel with a polarizer 32 , an analyzer 34 and a liquid crystalline layer 31 . fig1 also shows a pair of electrode plates 230 , 231 for the layer 21 with which the first panel can be driven pixel by pixel , and a similar pair of electrode plates 232 , 233 for the second panel . the reference numeral 235 denotes the active medium between the two display panels . this medium is enclosed between two electrode plates 236 and 237 which may be adapted in such a way that a pixel - sequential , or coarser drive of the medium 235 is possible . the medium 235 consists of , for example , an electro - optic material , such as a liquid crystalline material , whose refractive index can be varied locally , for example per pixel , so that the optical distance between corresponding pixels of the first and the second panel can be increased or decreased . an optimum depth effect can thus be realized . the medium 235 may also be a polymer with drops of liquid crystalline material being dispersed therein . by energizing the electrodes , this material can be made scattering locally or in given areas , so that given parts of the three - dimensional image can be accentuated or a background can be shaded . the medium 235 may alternatively be an electrochromic material , i . e ., a material whose color can be changed by applying an electric field across this material . the color contrast can then be changed locally in the displayed image , which may contribute to enhancing the depth sensation , or the volume character of a displayed object or an object in a displayed scene can be accentuated . the medium 235 may also be an organic elastomer material which is deformed under the influence of an electric field applied across this material so that it acquires some relief . the depth sensation can thus be enhanced , which is particularly effective when visualizing contour interfaces . when a three - dimensional color image is displayed with the system according to fig1 a beam combiner , or dividing mirror 5 must be used which should comply with a number of requirements . for example , this dividing mirror must have the same transmission / reflection coefficient of approximately 50 % for the entire visible light wavelength range , and a small absorption , for example , less than 10 %, while it should exhibit no color shading or color variation through a large range of viewing angles . this dividing mirror will have to comprise a minimum number of layers and it should be possible to manufacture it by means of technological processes applicable to larger surface areas . it has been found that the dividing mirror , which is shown in a cross - section in fig2 , is eminently suitable for use as a dividing mirror 5 in the embodiment of fig2 . this dividing mirror comprises a transparent substrate 240 which is only provided with a layer of silver 241 having a thickness of the order of 15 - 20 nm , and an sio 2 layer 242 having a thickness of the order of 130 nm . fig2 shows the transmission , the reflection and the absorption , in percents of the incident light , as a function of the wavelength λ by way of the curves 245 , 246 and 247 , respectively . as is apparent from this figure , the optical properties are extremely well constant in the visible light wavelength range , the absorption is extremely low , approximately 5 %, and the reflection and transmission coefficients have the right value . moreover , this dividing mirror exhibits hardly any color shading in a viewing angle range between - 45 ° and + 45 ° with respect to the system axis , and hardly any color variation . | 7 |
the system 10 of fig1 comprises two pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 . the pressure sensor array 12 is arranged at a fingertip of the thumb , whereas the pressure sensor array 14 is arranged at the fingertip of the index finger of a hand 15 of a visually impaired or blind person ( not shown ). said pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 could be attached to the fingertips by way of finger cots . furthermore , the system 10 comprises a pressure distribution image processing and character recognition unit 16 that will be described in detail with reference to fig4 below . the pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 are electrically connected to the pressure distribution image processing and character recognition unit 16 by way of cables 18 and 20 , respectively . also , the system 10 comprises a loudspeaker 22 that is incorporated in the same housing 24 as the character recognition unit 16 . said housing 24 is attached to a kind of wristband 26 that is attached to the wrist 28 . in the present special embodiment , the pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 each consists of an array of 64 sensor elements distributed in eight rows and eight columns . each sensor element is 2 mm × 2 mm in size , so that the size of the total sensor array is 16 mm × 16 mm . the pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 are highly sensitive capacitive - based pressure sensors . they reliably quantify the pressure distribution under the slightly touched area . in particular , they are practical , user - configurable and comfortable . the pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 are arranged in the respective areas that usually contact the keys of for example a keyboard . fig2 shows a keyboard 30 . it is a regular keyboard that is adjusted through pasting a prominent three dimensional ( 3d ) sticker on each of the key board keys . for reasons of simplicity , only the keys “ e ” and “ r ” are shown with pasted stickers with relief - like labeling . once a visually impaired or blind person touches for example the key with the relief - like label “ r ” with the pressure sensor arrays 12 or 14 of fig1 , he / she can hear the key label / value instead of sensing it only . this task is achieved through acquiring a pressure distribution image 31 ( for example gray scale image ) of the slightly touched prominent key area as shown in fig3 and by carrying out character recognition by means of the pressure distribution image processing and character recognition unit 16 . a character recognition algorithm as shown in fig5 helps to extract the key label / value and to convert it into sound that the person can hear via the loudspeaker 22 . so in the present special embodiment any regular pc - keyboard , prepared with stickers , can be used by a visually impaired or blind person as an input device . if it is the proper key which the person is looking for , he / she can take the decision of the actual use of the key . in fig4 , only one , namely pressure sensor array 12 , is shown . it should be clear that the pressure sensor array 14 would be connected in a similar way . as can be seen in fig4 , the 64 analog signal output from the pressure sensor array 12 is input into a powerful psoc mixed signal microcontroller 32 . said microcontroller 32 comprises a differential analog multiplexer ( mux ) 34 , a signal conditioner 36 , a 8 - bit - adc 38 , a dsp 40 , a dc offset compensator 42 , an usd - reader 44 and a 8 - bit - dac 46 . the sensor signals pass through the mux 34 , then the signal conditioner 36 that conditions ( amplification ( for example pga ), filtering ( for example lpf ), dc offset by dc offset compensator 42 ) the signals , thereafter the adc 38 for digitization to get grey level images ( 64 bytes ) of the slightly touched area ( see fig3 ). the pressure distribution image is further processed to extract the touched key label / value by the dsp ( 40 character recognition ). furthermore , the psoc microcontroller 32 reads a sound file stored in external usd - memory in the usd - reader 44 . the read sound file corresponds to the recognized key label / value . the psoc microcontroller 32 then sends this sound file to an external audio amplifier 48 such that the person can hear the touched key label via the loudspeaker 22 . as can be seen in fig4 , the components of the system that are attached to the hand of the person are powered by a battery 50 . mux 34 : high impedance input , input signals rail - to - rail . configurable number of inputs up to 64x1 . signal conditioner 36 : pga : ( programmable gain ) amplifier : differential “ high impedance input , wide bandwidth ” low offset output voltage and up to thirty - three user - programmable gain settings with a maximal gain of 48 . 0 ″. lpf ( low path filter ): programmable corner frequency and damping ratio with no external components , second order . adc 38 : 8 - bit resolution , differential input , unsigned data format , sample rate up to 15 . 6 ksps and input range defined by psoc internal reference . dsp ( digital signal processing ) 40 : character recognition algorithms allow the system to automatically recognize touched key labels etc . ( see fig5 ). usd - reader 44 : this module interfaces to an external usd memory card . said memory card has a stored group of sound files . each sound file is corresponding to one of the key label / value / character of the keyboard . when a new key label / value / character is recognized , the usd - reader 44 reads the external usd memory card for the corresponding sound file . further , it sends said sound file to the dac 46 . the output of the dac 46 is passed to the external audio amplifier 48 such that the person can hear the touched key label / value / character via the loudspeaker 22 . dac 46 : 8 - bit resolution , voltage output , 2 &# 39 ; s complement , offset binary and sign / magnitude input data formats , sample and hold for analog bus and external outputs , high update rates . audio amplifier 48 : low voltage , low power dissipation , wide gain range from 20 to 200 , battery operation . battery 50 : 3 . 6 volt , 1800 ma would be a suitable battery selection . fig5 shows a possible way of character recognition . each of the pressure sensor arrays 12 and 14 input a pressure distribution image . each of said pressure distribution images is pre - processed for conditioning the pressure distribution image . each image has a size of 64 pixels . each pixel is specified by only black , white and shades of gray . this requires only one byte to save each pixel value . dilation : operation by which missing pixels from the binary image are filled , erosion : operation by which extra pixels from the binary image are removed and the character is thinned . in the feature extraction following the pre - processing various features are extracted like : number of end points angel made by the end points with horizontal cross joint euclidian distance eccentricity area centroid thereafter character recognition is carried out by a comparison of the extracted features with the stored character features in a database of characters or labels . according to matched features the respective character / value / label is known . fig6 shows the keyboard 52 or a number of keys of a remote control device , in particular a media player remote control device . it comprises among others a play key 54 and a stop key 56 . when the keys have prominent key labels for example by way of prominent stickers on the regular keys , the keyboard can be used by a visually impaired or blind person with the system as shown in fig1 . the features in the foregoing description , in the claims and / or in the accompanying drawings may , both and in any combination thereof , be material for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof . | 6 |
fig1 depicts a prior art process used for providing mail tracking services . in this system , the mailer 10 determines that it wants to track the mail for a particular mail job . the mail job data 11 is sent to the tracking service 12 so that the appropriate tracking code and barcode can be prepared . the mail job data 11 describes the various mail pieces that will comprise the mail to be tracked . the tracking service 12 assigns a tracking code for each of the mail pieces in the mail job . in addition , the tracking code is encoded to a particular barcode format that is used for tracking . such barcode formats may be planet code or an intelligent mail barcode , that are both commonly known and used by the usps . the mail job data and the corresponding encoded barcodes 13 are then transferred back to the mailer 10 from the tracking service 12 . in this type of prior art service , the tracking service 12 typically charges the mailer 10 based on the quantity of tracking codes requested to fill the need for all the mail in the mail job . the mailer 10 then prints out the tracking barcodes 18 on the mail pieces 14 . in this example , tracking barcode 18 is an intelligent mail barcode . the intelligent mail barcode 18 includes several different data fields . those data fields include a “ mailer identifier number ” and a “ serial number .” the “ mailer identifier ” is a unique number that identifies the entity that the usps will send the tracking information to . when the third party tracking service 12 is being used , the mailer identifier field is most likely to be the number for the service 12 , who will receive and process the tracking data on behalf of the mailer 10 . the “ serial number ” field typically includes a unique number identifying the specific mail piece . the tracking service 12 has associated serial numbers with each of the mail items being tracked . the printed envelope 14 is provided to the deliver service 15 ( in the preferred embodiment , the usps ) for delivery . during the course of delivery processing the tracking barcode 18 is scanned by the usps sortation and delivery equipment . the delivery service 15 gathers information about the scanned codes , the time and location of the scanning , the type of processing , and sends ( or otherwise makes available ) the gathered tracking data 16 to the tracking service 12 . the delivery service 15 determines the appropriate recipient for the tracking data based on the “ mailer identifier ” portion of the tracking barcode 18 . finally , the tracking service 12 processes the raw tracking data 16 into a tracking report 17 that is provided to the mailer 10 . fig2 depicts the basic components resident on the respective computer systems of the tracking service 27 and the mailer 28 in accordance with the preferred embodiment . the tracking service keeps a master list 21 of tracking codes . the master list 21 includes unused codes that are available to be provided to mailers . the master list 21 also associates ranges of used codes with the corresponding mailer to whom the codes were provided . the master list 21 further indicates which of the codes that have been provided to mailers have been used on mail . a further significant component of the tracking service 27 are the code content rules 22 stored on the services computers . the usps requires a particular arrangement of fields within the tracking codes in order for tracking services to be provided . the usps also requires that tracking codes not be reused within a predetermined period of time ( for example : 45 days ). accordingly , when the mailer 28 provides information about the mail and the corresponding tracking codes that it intends to use , the tracking service 27 can confirm that the tracking codes to be used comply with the usps requirement . this capability is particularly relevant using the preferred embodiment whereby the mailer 28 associates the particular tracking codes to mail pieces . in the prior art , tracking codes were assigned to particular mail items by the service provider . thus , it is important to have the capability to detect mistakes made by the mailer 28 under the new arrangement . the tracking service 27 further stores the mail tracking data 23 received from the usps ( or other delivery service ). tracking data 23 is provided to the tracking service 27 because the tracking code identifies the tracking service 27 as the appropriate party to whom the information should be sent . the tracking service 27 can then use the specific identification code to determine which of its customers the mail piece was sent by , and to compile and direct the results accordingly . typically the tracking service 27 and the mailer 28 exchange data over a network 20 , such as the internet . the components of the tracking service 27 may be stored and executed on a server computer configured with network and internet communication , and modified to include the software to perform the steps and components described herein . alternatively , the steps and components may be resident under more than one computer that are networked under the control of the tracking service 27 . the mailer 28 also includes some basic components for utilizing the preferred embodiment . the mailer has a mail file 24 that describes the mail job that is going to be tracked . the mail file 24 will typically identify individual mail pieces and characteristics of those mail pieces , such as the intended recipient and address . by linking the tracking barcodes to the mail file 24 , the mailer 28 is able to track delivery of individual pieces . the mailer 28 also maintains a block of tracking codes 25 that have been received from the tracking service 27 . as a mailing job is developed , unused tracking codes from the block of tracking codes 25 are associated with individual mail pieces in the mail file 24 . a tracking barcode encoder 26 is resident at the mailer 28 to convert the numerical identification numbers of the block of codes 25 into a graphical barcode that can be printed on the mail pieces . since printing of mail pieces is likely to occur at the mailer 28 , it is advantageous to perform the encoding of the barcodes locally with the encoder 26 , and it is possible to avoid transmitting data intensive graphical information over the network 20 , between the mailer 28 and the tracking service 27 . the functionality of mailer 28 is preferably resident on a personal computer configured for internet communication and modified to include the mail file 24 , the block of tracking codes 25 , and the barcode encoder 26 , along with other software components as may be described in this application . fig3 depicts a preferred embodiment of the steps carried out by the tracking service and the mailer to manage mail tracking data . when the mailer decides that they wish for a mail job to be tracked , the mailer requests a block of tracking id &# 39 ; s from the tracking service ( step 30 ). this request is typically sent over the internet from the mailer &# 39 ; s computer via a web browser . the quantity of tracking id &# 39 ; s that the tracking service is willing to provide might be limited . in this preferred embodiment , the mailer is not charged for the tracking id &# 39 ; s until they are used . therefore , there is no incentive to be conservative on how may id &# 39 ; s to request . since the tracking service does only maintain a finite number of tracking id &# 39 ; s available at any particular time , it may be necessary to limit the maximum number of id &# 39 ; s that can be requested at a time . the tracking service may choose to limit the number of id &# 39 ; s based on the mailer &# 39 ; s id usage over a previous period of time . for example , a mailer may be limited to a quantity that is approximately the number of id &# 39 ; s that were used over the past six months . the functionality for limiting the quantity of id &# 39 ; s that can be provided may be at the mailer or at the tracking service . at step 31 , the tracking service creates the block of tracking id &# 39 ; s for the mailer . the block is selected from a larger set of tracking id &# 39 ; s that the tracking service has reserved from the usps ( or other delivery service ). blocks of id &# 39 ; s are typically consecutive numbers , but not necessarily so . the tracking services master list of tracking id &# 39 ; s is updated to identify which numbers have been provided to which mailers ( step 32 ). the mailer receives and stores the block of tracking id &# 39 ; s provided ( step 33 ), and in the preferred embodiment the mailer will not be charged until they are used . at step 34 , the mailer associates tracking id &# 39 ; s from the stored block with particular mail items that are part of a mailing job . thus , a mail job data file will be typically be updated to indicate particular id &# 39 ; s that are associated with particular pieces . using barcode encoding software , a graphical barcode will be generated based on the tracking id &# 39 ; s that are being associated with mail pieces ( step 35 ). the preferred barcode format is the intelligent mail barcode developed by the usps and known in the art to include enough digits and information to uniquely track mail pieces in the u . s . postal system . at step 36 , the generated barcodes with the tracking id &# 39 ; s are placed on the mail pieces . typically , the barcodes will be printed on envelopes , or printed on labels that can be placed on the mail items . at step 37 , the mailer further prepares a mailing job summary for the tracking service . the step of providing the summary may be done before , after , or concurrently with the step 36 of placing the barcode on the mail piece . an advantage of doing the job summary before , is that the tracking service may have an opportunity to identify any errors in connection with the tracking service before the expense of printing is incurred . at step 38 , the tracking service receives the mailing job summary . the tracking service checks the tracking id &# 39 ; s proposed for use in the mailing job summary to make sure that they are in compliance with postal tracking requirements ( for example , that they are not being reused within a certain amount of time , or that there are not duplicates ). when the tracking service sees the quantity of tracking id &# 39 ; s that are being used by the mailer , that is the preferred time to bill the mailer for the quantity used ( step 43 ). mailers can better manage costs of tracking id &# 39 ; s by only being invoiced for tracking id &# 39 ; s as they are used ( step 44 ). after receiving and validating the mailing job summary , the tracking service updates the master list of tracking id &# 39 ; s to indicate which of the id &# 39 ; s issued to the mailer have been put into use . as the mail is processed by the delivery service , the barcodes on the mail pieces are scanned . tracking data relating to the identification codes is transmitted from the delivery service to the tracking service ( step 40 ). as discussed above , the tracking numbers include a “ mailer identification ” portion that indicates the party to whom tracking data should be sent . in the preferred embodiment , the “ mailer identification ” field of the code identifies the mail tracking service . however , the validation steps 39 may also be performed on identification codes that are being used by the mailer that are not using the mail tracking service for collecting tracking data . for example , a mailer may have some id codes that it has received itself directly from the usps , and it wishes to incorporate those codes in the mailing . in that case , the mail tracking service can test whether the codes appear to meet postal requirements , but the delivery tracking data will not be available to the mail tracking service , and no tracking will be done for those mail pieces where the mailer identification field on the id is not the tracking service &# 39 ; s default id . fig4 shows some of the validation steps that the mail tracking service can provide . upon receiving the mailing job summary ( step 50 ), the mail tracking service can check to see whether id &# 39 ; s are being reused . reuse may be improper if the same number is being used within the same mailing . reuse may also be improper if the same number is being reused within a certain amount of time since it was used for another mail piece ( 45 days for usps ) ( step 53 ). the service can also check to see if there are gaps in the tracking id &# 39 ; s that are being used for the job ( step 52 ). such a gap might indicate a problem with the data . the service can provide a report back to the mailer identifying any errors , or irregularities that may be of interest . fig5 depicts another automated feature of the mail tracking service . upon receiving the mailing job summary ( step 60 ), the service updates its master list to indicate which of the mailer &# 39 ; s block of id &# 39 ; s have been used ( step 61 ). if it is seen that the number of unused id &# 39 ; s in the mailer &# 39 ; s outstanding block falls below a threshold level , then the service can send an automated reminder instructing the mailer that they may wish to order another block of id &# 39 ; s . alternatively , the service could be set up to automatically replenish the mailer with a new block of id &# 39 ; s when the quantity gets too low . while the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment , but , on the contrary , is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
the entire arrangement of one preferred example of an automatic musical instrument according to this invention is shown in fig1 . in this figure , an automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 comprises a read - only memory ( rom ) which stores a plurality of automatic performance patterns which can be selected by a pattern selection circuit 11 , thus providing an automatic performance pattern in response to the selecting operation of the pattern selection circuit 11 . any one of the patterns consists of data concerning tones forming one ( or a plurality of ) phrase of automatic performance , and the pattern of one ( or plural ) phrase is repeatedly generated . in this invention , a pattern for designating tones to be generated ( hereinafter referred to as &# 34 ; tones - to - be - generated &# 34 ; when applicable ) at respective tone production timings in one ( or plural ) phrase , and also a pattern for controlling the amplitude envelopes of the tones - to - be - generated are provided by the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 . the tone designating pattern is in the form of a tone designating code c 1 - c 4 ( of four bits ), and the envelope controlling pattern is in the form of an envelope controlling code dmp ( which is a one - bit code in this example ). the tone designating codes c 1 - c 4 are applied to an automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 , where musical tone signals mt designated by the codes c 1 - c 4 are generated at the respective designated timings . signals from a keyboard switch circuit 13 are applied to the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 . accordingly , the musical tone signals mt for the automatic performance are generated according to both the state of key depression in the keyboard and the tone designating codes c 1 - c 4 . the details of the operation of the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 vary suitably according to the kinds of the automatic performance . for instance , in the case of the automatic bass performance , the tone designating codes c 1 - c 4 are applied to the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 as data each representative of a note interval between each tone - to - be generated and the root note . the keyboard switch circuit 13 operates to designate a chord by key depression . in the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 , the signals mt of the notes which are in the note - interval relations designated by the tone designating codes c 1 - c 4 which respect to the root note of the chord are generated . in the case of the automatic arpeggio performance , the tone designating code c 1 - c 4 is employed as data representative of the order of tones ( or instance , the order in tone pitch ). in the keyboard switch circuit 13 , a plurality of arpeggio composing ( constituent ) tones designated by key depression are detected , and the resultant detection signals are applied to the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 . in this circuit 12 , among the arpeggio composing tones designated by the key depression , tones are selected according to the orders designated by the codes c 1 - c 4 so that the musical tone signals mt of the tones thus selected are generated . in this case , the codes c 1 - c 4 are data that designated the orders from the highest ( or from the lowest ) of the tones which are to be selected . in practice , the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 can be formed by application of the automatic performance device disclosed in the specification of u . s . patent application no . 825443 or u . s . patent application no . 952098 or by a conventional automatic performance device . however , detailed description of this circuit 12 will not be made because the circuit 12 does not fall in the essential matter of this invention . the musical tone signal mt for automatic performance generated by the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 is applied to an envelope imparting circuit 14 . this envelope imparting circuit 14 operates to form the amplitude envelopes of the musical tone signals mt according to the shape of an envelope shape signal ev supplied thereto from an envelope generation circuit 15 . an automatic performance tone signal to which an amplitude envelope has been given is applied through an amplifier 16 to a loudspeaker 17 from which it is sounded as a musical tone . applied to the envelope generation circuit 15 is a key - on signal kon which defines the tone production timing of an automatic performance tone , and the aforementioned envelope controlling code dmp provided by the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 . the key - on signal kon is generated in synchronization with the rise timing of the automatic performance tone . in response to this key - on signal kon , one envelope shape signal ev is generated by the envelope generation circuit 15 . in the example shown in fig1 the key - on signal kon is provided by the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 ; however , the circuitry may be so designed that the key - on signal kon is provided by the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 . the envelope controlling code dmp is to control the wave shape of the envelope shape signal ev which is produced in response to the key - on signal kon . in this example , the control of an envelope by a pattern is made for a decay portion of the envelope . more specifically , the control of a decay characteristic which is generally called &# 34 ; damping &# 34 ; is incorporated in the automatic performance pattern . when the envelope controlling code dmp is at a logical level &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; ( hereinafter referred to merely as &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;), the envelope shape is not damped ; that is , the envelope shape is decayed in the ordinary decaying time ( i . e . a long decaying time ). when the code dmp is at a logical level &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( hereinafter referred to merely as &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;), the envelope shape is damped ; that is , the decaying time is shortened . fig2 and 3 show examples of the arrangement of the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 and the envelope generation circuit 15 , employed in the case where the above - described &# 34 ; damp control &# 34 ; is effected by means of the envelope controlling code dmp . in the example shown in fig2 a first system is employed in which , in the case of damping an envelope shape , a whole decay envelope is formed by a single exponential function for shortening the decaying time . one example of the envelope shape signal ev which is damped by the first system is shown in the part ( k ) of fig4 . in the example shown in fig3 a second system is employed in which the decay envelope is formed in two steps by two exponential functions and the level of the envelope shape is lowered to zero instaneously in the second exponential function , so that a short decaying time as a whole is obtained . one example of the envelope shape signal ev which is damped by the second system is shown in the part ( m ) of fig4 . in the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 shown in fig2 a pattern read - only memory ( rom ) 18 stores a plurality of automatic performance patterns , and a pattern is selected with the aid of the signal from the pattern selection circuit 11 ( fig1 ) as was described before . the pattern thus selected is read out with the aid of the output q 1 - q 5 of a tempo counter 19 every automatic tone generation timing . at each automatic tone generation timing , the generation tone designating code c 1 - c 4 and the envelope controlling code dmp are read out . the tempo counter 19 is a 6 - bit binary counter adapted to count tempo clock pulses tcl , five bits thereof counting from the most significant bit side are utilized as an address input to the rom 18 . the least significant bit q 0 is applied to an and circuit 20 , and it is then inverted by an inverter 21 . the inverted signal q 0 is applied to an and circuit 22 . the tone designating code c 1 - c 4 is applied to an or circuit 23 , and it is utilized to form the key - on signal kon . that is because , when a tone should be produced , the code c 1 - c 4 takes a value other than zero ( 0 ) and the output c of the or circuit 23 is raised to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;. this output c of the or circuit 23 is applied to an and circuit 22 , where it is selected at the timing of the signal q 0 , as a result of which the key - on signal kon is outputted by the and circuit 22 . the code dmp read out of the rom 18 is applied to the and circuit 20 , where it is selected at the timing of the signal q 0 , as a result of which an envelope controlling code dmp ( or dmp 1 ) for the first system is obtained . as the phase of the signal q 0 leads the phase of the signal q 0 by π , the key - on signal kon selected by the signal q 0 is produced earlier than the code dmp 1 selected by the signal q 0 . the operation of the circuitry shown in fig2 will be described with reference to one pattern for the automatic bass performance in which automatic performance is conducted in the order of &# 34 ; prime ( root ) note &# 34 ;--&# 34 ; rest &# 34 ;--&# 34 ; third note &# 34 ;--&# 34 ; fifth &# 34 ; as shown in the part ( a ) of fig4 . as the address of the rom 18 designated by the output q 1 - q 5 of the tempo counter 19 is changed as indicated in the part ( b ) of fig4 the tones - to - be - generated designating code c 1 - c 4 and the envelope controlling code dmp are changed as indicated in the part ( c ) of fig4 . the code c 1 - c 4 is &# 34 ; 0 0 0 1 &# 34 ; designating prime note at the address 0 and 4 , &# 34 ; 0 0 0 0 &# 34 ; designating no note at the address 1 and 5 , &# 34 ; 0 0 1 1 &# 34 ; designating the third note at the address 2 and 6 , and &# 34 ; 0 1 0 1 &# 34 ; designating the fifth note at the address 3 and 7 . the code dmp is &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; indicating damping at the address 2 , 3 , 6 and 7 in correspondence to the third and fifth notes which are short in tone production time interval , and the code dmp is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; at the other addresses . in the case where the code c 1 - c 4 designates tone production , the output c of the or circuit 23 assumes a form an indicated in the part ( d ) of fig4 . the signal q 0 which is less significant by one bit than the address signal q 1 and its inverted signal q 0 are produced as shown in the part ( f ) of fig4 dividing one address interval into two parts . that is , in the first half of one address interval , the signal q 0 is at &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, but in the second half the signal q 0 is at &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;. therefore , the key - on signal kon which is the logical product of the output c of the or circuit 23 and the signal q 0 is produced as indicated in the part ( i ) of fig4 . the code dmp 1 which is the logical product of the code dmp and the signal q 0 is provided as indicated in the part ( j ) of fig4 . this code dmp 1 is provided only in the second half of each of the addresses 2 , 3 , 6 and 7 . the tone designating code c 1 - c 4 is supplied to the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 , where it is latched by , for instance , a latch circuit 24 in fig1 . in fig1 the latching operation of the latch circuit 24 is effected with the aid of the key - on signal kon . the decimal number of the tone designating code latched by the latch circuit 24 ( which will be designated by c 1 - 4 *) is as indicated in the part ( g ) of fig4 . in the automatic performance tone generation circuit 12 , the musical tone signal mt is produced as indicated in the part ( h ) of fig4 in correspondence to the c 1 - 4 * latched . in the part ( h ) of fig4 the prime is indicated as note c ; the third as note e ; and fifth as note g . referring back to fig2 the envelope generation circuit 15 comprises a time constant circuit consisting of a capacitor 25 and a resistor 26 . a field - effect transistor ( hereinafter referred to as &# 34 ; an fet &# 34 ; when applicable ) 27 is rendered conductive by the key - on signal kon , as a result of which the capacitor 25 is charged . when the key - on signal kon is lowered to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;, the fet 27 is rendered non - conductive , and the capacitor 25 therefore is discharged through the resistor 26 . the voltage of the capacitor 25 with respect to ground is obtained as the envelope waveform signal ev , and is then applied to the envelope control circuit 14 ( fig1 ). the attenuation characteristic ( decay envelope ) of the envelope waveform is obtained by the discharge of the capacitor 25 . the envelope controlling code dmp 1 is applied to the gate of a fet 28 . when the code dmp 1 is at &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;, the capacitor 25 is discharged only through the resistor 26 , and therefore the decaying time is relatively long . when the code dmp 1 is at &# 34 ; 1 ,&# 34 ; the fet 28 is rendered conductive , and the capacitor 25 is discharged through a parallel circuit of the resistor 26 and a resistor 29 . the resistance r 1 of the resistor 29 connected in series to the fet 28 is smaller than the resistance r of the resistor 26 . therefore , in the case where the fet 28 is rendered conductive by the code dmp 1 , the decaying time is shorter . the part ( k ) of fig4 shows the envelope waveform signal ev ( ev 1 ) in the first system , and more specifically indicates the fact that a short decay envelope is obtained with a short time constant in response to the level &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the code dmp 1 in the second half of each of the addresses 2 , 3 , 6 and 7 ( as indicated by reference character t 1 ). it is apparent from fig4 that the tone in the other case ( i . e . the tone which is long in the tone production interval ) is slowly decayed . accordingly , it can be understood from the above - described example that even if the tone production interval of automatic tones becomes short , one can hear the automatic tones as separated and distinct tones . in the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 shown in fig3 the contents of a pattern rom 18a is the same as those of the rom 18a in fig2 . in addition , the operations of an inverter , 21a , and and circuit 22a and an or circuit 23a are the same as those of the inverter 21 , the and circuit 22 and the or circuit 23 in fig2 . the period of a tempo clock tcl &# 39 ; is substantially a half of that of the tempo clock tcl in fig2 . a tempo counter 19a is a 7 - bit binary counter . the six more significant bits q 0 - q 5 of the counter 19a are equal to the output q 0 - q 5 of the counter 19 in fig2 . the bit q - 1 which is less significant than the bit q 0 by one bit is a duty 50 % pulse with a pulse period of 1 / 2 of one address interval . the and circuit 20a is a 3 - input and circuit to which the envelope controlling code dmp from the rom 18a , and signals q 0 and q - 1 are applied . thus , an envelope controlling code dmp 2 for the second system which is outputted by the and circuit 20a is raised to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; in correspondence to an address , where the code dmp is at &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, and in the last 1 / 4 of the address interval ( or when the and logic dmp · q 0 · q - 1 is obtained ). ( cf . the part ( l ) of fig4 ). in the envelope generation circuit 15 in fig3 the operations of a capacitor 25a , a resistor 26a and a fet 27a are similar to those of the elements 25 , 26 and 27 in fig2 . the code dmp 2 from the and circuit 20a is applied to fet 28a , and the resistance r 2 of a resistor 29a connected in series to the fet 28a is smaller than the resistance r of the resistor 26 , and is smaller than the resistance of the resistor 29 in fig2 ( r 2 & lt ; r 1 & lt ; r ). therefore , the capacitor 25a is discharged through a parallel circuit of the resistors 26a and resistor 29a with a time constant much shorter than that in the case of fig2 ; that is , the capacitor 25a is discharged instantaneously ( nearly resembling a short - circuit time constant . the formation of a short decay envelope according to the second system will be described with reference to the part ( m ) of fig4 . when the key - on signal kon provided in the first half of each of the addresses 2 , 3 , 6 and 7 is lowered to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; in the second half , discharging from the capacitor 25a is started . in the first half of this second half ( or the third 1 / 4 interval in the case where one address interval is equally divided into four parts ), the envelope controlling code dmp 2 is still at &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;, and therefore the envelope waveform is decay with a large time constant based on the resistor 26a . this decay part is designated by interval t 20 . in the second half of that second half interval ( or the last 1 / 4 of one address interval ), the envelope controlling code dmp 2 is raised to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, and therefore the charges remaining in the capacitor 25a are discharged with an extremely small time constant based on the resistors 26a and 29a ( r and r 2 ). this interval is designated by reference character t 2 . in this interval t 2 , the envelope waveform signal ev ( ev 2 ) disappears instantaneously . thus , in the second system , the short decay envelope waveform is decayed in two steps . the first system and the second system have been described separately ; however , it will be appreciated that these two systems can be employed in combination . that is , it is possible to generate the envelope controlling code ( dmp 1 ) for the first system at one automatic performance tone generation timing and to generate the envelope controlling code ( dmp 2 ) for the second system at another automatic performance tone generation timing . this can be achieved by designing the envelope generation circuit 15 so that it can generate the envelope waveform in both of the systems , i . e ., by connecting the fet 28a and the resistor 29a for the second system in parallel to the path of the fet 28 and the resistor 29 in fig2 . in the above - described example , the rc time constant circuit is employed as the envelope generation circuit 15 ; however , the invention is not limited thereto or thereby ; that is , it is obvious that a circuit designed to read the envelope waveform memory with digital signals may be employed . shown in fig5 is another example of the electronic musical instrument according to the invention , in which a function of suspending progress of the automatic performance according to the automatic performance pattern is additionally provided . in fig5 circuits designated by reference numerals 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 and 17 are equal in function to those similarly numbered in fig1 . switches sw 1 , sw 2 and sw 3 are additionally provided . these switches are gang operated . in association with one another . the switches sw 1 and sw 3 are normally open switches , and the switch sw 2 is a normally closed switch . in the ordinary case ( i . e . in the case where the switches sw 1 through sw 3 are not operated ) the switches sw 1 and sw 2 are open and the switch sw 2 is closed as shown in fig5 . accordingly , in the ordinary case , the device shown in fig5 operates similarly as the device described with reference to fig1 through 4 ; that is , an automatic performance pattern selected by the pattern selection circuit 11 is read out of the rom 18 ( 18a ) in accordance with the output q 1 - q 5 of the tempo counter 19 ( 19a ) successively , and the automatic performance is effected according to this pattern . when the switch sw 1 is closed , the operation of the pattern selection circuit 11 is stopped , and simultaneously the switch sw 2 is opened while the switch sw 3 is closed . upon depression of a key in the keyboard , a signal &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is supplied from the keyboard switch circuit 13 to the switch sw 3 through a line 30 . this signal &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is applied through the closed switch sw 3 to a one - shot circuit 31 , whereby a key - on signal kon &# 39 ; having a predetermined time width is provided . the key - on signal kon &# 39 ; is applied through an or circuit 32 to the envelope generation circuit 15 , as a result of which the envelope shape signal ev is generated . in this operation , the switch sw 2 is open , and therefore the signal kon from the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 is not applied to the envelope generation circuit 15 . on the other hand , the signal &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; supplied through the switch sw 3 in response to the key depression is applied to the automatic performance pattern generation circuit 10 , as a result of which the tone designating code c 1 - c 4 and the envelope controlling code dmp concerning the tone of the first beat in the automatic performance pattern are continuously read out of the pattern rom 18 ( 18a ). in this case , the output of the tempo counter 19 ( 19a ) is prevented from being used for reading the pattern rom 18 ( 18a ) by the signal from the pattern selection circuit 11 which has been disabled by the switch sw 1 . the signal &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; supplied through the switch sw 3 is inverted by an inverter 33 , whereby an and circuit 34 is disabled . thus , the application of the envelope controlling code dmp is stopped by the and circuit 34 , that is , it is not applied to the envelope generation circuit 15 . as is apparent from the above description , when the switches sw 1 through sw 3 are operated , the progress of automatic performance according to the automatic performance pattern is suspended , and the tone of the first beat of the pattern is continuously produced in response to the tone designating code c 1 - c 4 . in this operation , the envelope controlling code dmp concerning the tone of the first beat is continuously supplied ; however , it is not applied to the envelope generation circuit 15 because the and circuit 34 is maintained disabled during the key depression . upon release of the key in the keyboard , the signal supplied to the line 30 from the keyboard switch circuit 30 is set to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;. this signal &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; is applied through the inverter 33 to the and circuit 34 thereby to enable the latter 34 . as a result , the envelope controlling code dmp is applied to the envelope generation circuit 15 , and the envelope shape is controlled in accordance with the contents of the code dmp . in other words , when the code dmp is at &# 34 ; 1 ,&# 34 ; the envelope shape is quickly vanishing , that is , a damped envelope shape is obtained . when the code dmp is at &# 34 ; 0 ,&# 34 ; the envelope shape is gradually decaying at the ordinary decaying rate . | 6 |
as a solution to one or more of the above - mentioned objects and needs , the present invention discloses , in some embodiments , a composition comprising one or more amines according to formula ( i ): and one or more acid phosphates capable of forming a salt with an amine according to formula ( i ), wherein x is selected from o and nr 3 , z is hydrogen , r 4 or —( ch 2 ) q — n ( r 5 ) r 6 , p is an integer from 1 to 5 ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 ), q is an integer from 1 to 5 ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 ), r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , r 6 are independently selected from hydrogen , linear , or branched c 1 - 4 alkyl , hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl , or r 1 and r 2 and / or r 5 and r 6 together form a cyclic morpholino group . in some cases , this is with the proviso that the amines according to formula ( i ) do not comprise a terminal secondary amino group . in some embodiments , p and q are equal , although they need not be . in another set of embodiments , the composition comprises one or more amines according to formula ( vii ): and one or more acid phosphates capable of forming a salt with an amine according to formula ( vii ), wherein x is selected from o and nr 3 , z is —( ch 2 ) q — n ( r 4 ) r 5 , p is an integer from 1 to 5 ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 ), q is an integer from 1 to 5 ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 ), each of r 1 and r 2 , independently is linear or branched c 1 - 4 alkyl , hydroalkyl or alkoxyalkyl ; r 3 , r 4 , and r 5 are independently selected from hydrogen , linear , or branched c 1 - 4 alkyl , hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl , or r 1 and r 2 and / or r 4 and r 5 together form a cyclic morpholino group . in yet another set of embodiments , the composition comprises one or amines according to formula ( ix ): and one or more acid phosphates capable of forming a salt with an amine according to formula ( ix ), wherein x is selected from o and nr 3 , z is —( ch 2 ) q — n ( r 4 ) r 5 , p is an integer from 1 to 5 , q is an integer from 1 to 5 , each of r 1 and r 2 , independently is linear or branched c 1 - 4 alkyl , hydroalkyl or alkoxyalkyl ; r 3 , r 4 , and r 5 are independently selected from hydrogen , linear , or branched c 1 - 4 alkyl , hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl , or r 1 and r 2 and / or r 4 and r 5 together form a cyclic morpholino group . preferred compositions according to some embodiments of the present invention may comprise one or more amines according to formula ( ii ) r 1 2 n ch 2 ) p — x ch 2 ) p — nr 1 2 formula ( ii ) and one or more acid phosphates capable of forming a salt with an amine according to formula ( ii ), wherein x is selected from o and nr 3 , p is an integer from 1 to 5 ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 ), r 1 and r 3 are independently selected from hydrogen , linear or branched c 1 - 4 alkyl , hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl , or two r 1 moieties together form a cyclic morpholino group . in some cases , r 1 and / or r 3 may be methyl . the compositions can generally be made , for example , by combining both components and any eventual additives or adding both components and any eventual additives to a liquid . it is to be understood that a portion or all of the amine may react with a portion or all of the acid phosphate forming a phosphate amine salt , also known as an ammonium phosphate salt . in a preferred embodiment , the acid phosphate capable of forming a salt with an amine according to formula ( i ), formula ( vii ), or formula ( ii ) is one or more acid phosphates according to formula ( iii ): wherein r 7 is linear or branched ( poly ) oxyalkylene having a molecular weight in the range from 45 to 800 , n being 1 or 2 , m being 1 or 2 , and n + m being 3 . the phosphate amine salt may also be described by formula ( iv ) in another embodiment , obtainable by combining one or more acid phosphates according to formula ( iii ) and one or more amines according to formulae ( i ), wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 7 , x , z and p for formula ( iv ) are as defined above for formula ( i ), and x is 0 or 1 , y is 1 or 2 , z is 1 or 2 and x + y + z is 3 . it is to be understood that formula ( iv ) does not restrict the presence of the quaternary nitrogen atom to one of an outer ( terminal ) amine function . in case x is nr 3 , the central nitrogen may as well be the position of protonation upon salting , as well as the group —( ch 2 ) q — n ( r 5 ) r 6 . obtainable by combining one or more acid phosphates according to formula ( iii ) and one or more amines according to formulae ( vii ), wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 7 , x , z and p for formula ( iv ) are as defined above for formula ( vii ), and x is 0 or 1 , y is 1 or 2 , z is 1 or 2 and x + y + z is 3 . it is to be understood that formula ( viii ) does not restrict the presence of the quaternary nitrogen atom to one of an outer ( terminal ) amine function . in some embodiments , the central nitrogen may be the position of protonation upon salting , as well as the group —( ch 2 ) q — n ( r 5 ) r 6 . obtainable by combining one or more acid phosphates according to formula ( iii ) and one or more amines according to formula ( ii ), wherein r 1 , r 7 , x and p for formula ( v ) are as defined above , and x is 0 or 1 , y is 1 or 2 , z is 1 or 2 and x + y + z is 3 . in some embodiments , r 7 of any of the above formulae is represented by the following formula ( vi ): wherein r 8 and r 9 are independently hydrogen or c 1 - 4 alkyl , e . g ., hydrogen or methyl , r 10 is c 1 - 36 linear , or branched alkyl , cycloalkyl , alkenyl , cycloalkenyl , aryl or aralkyl , in particular linear or branched c 1 - 18 alkyl , preferably c 8 - 10 alkyl , r is an integer from 1 to 10 , e . g ., 2 to 8 , or 3 to 5 . therefore , another set of embodiments of the invention is generally directed to a composition comprising a phosphate amine salt or mixture of phosphate amine salts , for example , phosphate amine salts according to formula ( iv ), formula ( v ), or formula ( viii ), obtainable by combining one or more acid phosphates , e . g ., according to formula ( iii ) and one or more amines according to formula ( i ), formula ( ii ), or formula ( vii ). the relative amounts of acid phosphate , preferably according to formula ( iii ), and amine according to formulae ( i ), ( vii ), or ( ii ) may vary in the range of 0 . 6 : 1 to 1 . 4 : 1 ( wt / wt ) phosphate to amine , 0 . 8 : 1 to 1 . 2 : 1 ( wt / wt ) phosphate to amine , or 0 . 9 : 1 to 1 . 1 : 1 . for example , the ratio may be 1 : 1 ( wt / wt ) phosphate to amine . often the acid phosphate will be employed as a mixture of mono - and divalent acid . the molar ratio of monovalent to divalent may be , for instance , in the range of 1 : 0 . 1 to 1 : 1 . 5 , 1 : 0 . 2 to 1 : 1 , or 1 : 0 . 4 to 1 : 0 . 8 . the addition of amine to the acid phosphate ( or vice versa ) is referred to as “ salting ” in the art . the degree of salting may determine whether the resulting compound is oversalted , undersalted or , “ neutral ,” i . e ., resulting in equimolar amounts of ammonium ion derived from the amine of formula ( i ), formula ( vii ), or formula ( ii ) and phosphate acid / deprotonated phosphate acid equivalents . in one embodiment , salting of the acid phosphate or mixture of acid phosphates with said one or more amine ( s ) of formula ( i ), formula ( vii ), or formula ( ii ) results in a mixture comprising , on a relative weight basis , 50 % to 90 %, 60 % to 80 %, or 65 % to 72 %, e . g ., about 70 % or 63 % to 69 %, of the amine salt ( s ) and 50 % to 10 %, 40 % to 20 %, or 38 % to 25 %, e . g ., about 30 % or 31 % to 37 %, of unreacted free amine . combinations of any of these ranges are also possible . usually , the salted phosphate amine is a gel , often of high viscosity . however , the salted phosphate amine may also be obtained as a crystalline or amorphous solid , or as a liquid , at normal conditions . acid phosphates to be employed in various embodiments of the present invention include those wherein r 7 in the formulae above has a molecular weight of 200 to 400 , such as between 300 and 350 . for instance , the alkoxylated phosphate of formula ( ii ) may be prepared by reaction of phophorus pentoxide with a polyoxyalcohol r 7 oh , yielding a mixture of phosphate monoesters and diesters , reflected by indices n and m in formula ( ii ). the same is generally true for other phosphate formulae described herein . useful phosphates include , but are not limited to : 2 - ethylhexyl phosphate , iso - nonanol phosphate , octyl / decyl ethoxylate phosphate , octyl / decyl ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , 2 - ethylhexyl ethoxylate ( 3eo ) phosphate , 2 - ethylhexyl ethoxylate ( 2eo ) phosphate , 2 - ethylhexyl ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , decyl alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , decyl alcohol ethoxylate ( 6eo ) phosphate , isotridecanol ethoxylate ( 3eo ) phosphate , isotridecanol ethoxylate ( 6eo ) phosphate , isotridecanol ethoxylate ( 5eo ) phosphate , isotridecanol ethoxylate ( 10eo ) phosphate , isotridecanol ethoxylate ( 20eo ) phosphate , tergitol 15 - s - 9 phosphate , c 10 - 14 alcohol ethoxylate ( 3eo ) phosphate , c 12 alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , c 12 - 14 alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , c 12 - 15 alcohol ethoxylate ( 5eo ) phosphate , cetyl / stearyl alcohol ethoxylates ( 2eo ) phosphate , cetyl / oleyl alcohol ethoxylate ( 5eo ) phosphate , oleyl alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , alkyl phenol ethoxylate phosphate , phenol ethoxylate ( 3eo ) phosphate , or phenol ethoxylate ( 6eo ) phosphate . expressions such as “ octyl / decyl ethoxylate ” used herein describe mixtures of octyl ethoxylate and decyl ethoxylate . in some cases , more than one of these may be present , e . g ., in a composition as described herein . among the most preferred phosphates are : octyl / decyl ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , decyl alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , c 12 alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , or c 12 - 14 alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate , although these are described by way of example and not limitation . according to naming conventions in the art , the “ alcohol ”/“ phenol ” portion of the name reflects that the “ alcohol ethoxylate ” or “ phenol ethoxylate ” is the reaction product of an alcohol / phenol and ethylene oxide . therefore , e . g ., “ decyl ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate ” or “ decyl alcohol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate ” or “ decanol ethoxylate ( 4eo ) phosphate ” mean the same compound : c 10 h 21 o ( c 2 h 4 o ) r phosphate , wherein r is approximately 4 . the naming convenion reflects the average number of repeating units , — och 2 ch 2 —, in the alcohol / phenol and ethylene oxide reaction product , r 11 —( och 2 ch 2 ) b — oh , where r 11 is the alkyl portion of the initial alcohol / phenol . small variations from the integer are meant to be covered , e . g ., +/− 0 . 1 , +/− 0 . 2 , +/− 0 . 3 , +/− 0 . 4 , or +/− 0 . 5 , and any suitable combination of any of these . therefore as an example , “ 4eo ” may comprise a sample having between 3 . 5 and 4 . 4 — och 2 ch 2 — repeating units , such as , in particular , 3 . 9 to 4 . 0 — och 2 ch 2 — repeating units . the amine according to formula ( i ), formula ( vii ), or formula ( ii ) employed may have no terminal secondary nitrogen atom in some embodiments , as secondary amines may be a health hazard . residues r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , and r 5 may be the same or different , and independently can be one of the following . a residue may independently be a linear or branched c 1 to c 5 alkyl ( c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , c 4 , c 5 ) or a c 1 to c 5 ( c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , c 4 , c 5 ) hydroxyalkyl . the c 1 or c 5 hydroxyalkyl may be linear or branched ( e . g ., methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl , secbutyl , tertbutyl , etc . ), and may have 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 or more — oh moiteies present ( e . g ., hydroxymethyl , 1 - hydroxyethyl , 2 - hydroxyethyl , 1 , 2 - dihydroxypropyl , 2 - hydroxypropyl , etc .). in addition , in some instances , a residue may be a alkoxyalkyl ; in some embodiments , each alkyl moiety of the alkoxyalkyl group may independently be a linear or branched c 1 to c 5 alkyl ( c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , c 4 , c 5 ) or a linear or branched c 1 to c 5 ( c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , c 4 , c 5 ) hydroxyalkyl moiety . in addition , in some embodiments , r 1 and r 2 together ( and / or r 3 and r 4 together ) may form a cyclic morpholino group . the amine may have 1 , 2 , or 3 nitrogen atoms , or more in some embodiments . in some cases , the amine may also be an ether . in some embodiments , r 1 and r 4 have the same structure , and r 2 and r 5 have the same structure . non - limiting examples of suitable amines for use with various embodiments of the invention include : preferred amines include , but are not limited to : bis ( n - dimethylaminopropyl ) methylamine , bis ( n - dimethylaminoethyl ) methylamine , bis ( dimethylaminoethyl ) ether , bis ( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl ) isopropanolamine , 3 - dimethylaminopropyldiisopropanolamine , or 2 -( 2 - dimethylaminoethoxy ) ethanol . combinations of any of the aforementioned phosphates and amines are also possible ; in addition , more than one of the phosphates and / or more than one of the amines may be present , and / or other phosphates and / or amines may be present . examples of specific phosphate amine salts include , but are not limited to : octyl / decyl 4eo phosphate salted with bis ( n - dimethylaminopropyl ) methylamine , or bis ( n - dimethylaminopropyl ) methylamine , or bis ( n - dimethylaminoethyl ) methylamine , or bis ( dimethylaminoethyl ) ether , or bis ( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl ) isopropanolamine , or 3 - dimethylaminopropyldiisopropanolamine , or 2 -( 2 - dimethylaminoethoxy ) ethanol . thus , in an amine phosphate salt according to one example embodiment of the present invention , the amine is bis ( n - dimethylaminopropyl ) methylamine and the phosphate is obtained by the reaction of phosphorus pentoxide with octyl / decyl ethoxylate ( 4eo ). the octyl / decyl ethoxylate ( 4eo ) is obtained by the reaction of 4 moles of ethylene oxide for every 1 mole of c 8 and c 10 alcohol . in some embodiments , a composition such as is described herein may be advantageously used in a metalworking fluid . the composition may provide good anticorrosion performance , e . g ., comparable or better than that observed with conventional amine borate corrosion inhibitors . in addition , it has been surprisingly found that some compounds of the invention provide good life to the metalworking fluid , comparable to that obtained with conventional amine borate based corrosion inhibitors - without the environmental concerns and health hazard associated with amine borates . some compositions of the present invention have been shown to inhibit or slow bacterial growth over extended periods of time . the long life functionality action of certain compositions of the present invention may be considered to be a significant improvement compared to the environmental impact inherent to conventional bacteriocidal amine borate based corrosion inhibitors . use of some composition of the present invention may , in addition , reduce the need to apply conventional biocides in metalworking . the buffering properties of some compositions of the present invention may be equal or superior to conventional corrosion inhibitors used in metalworking fluids and add to the anticorrosive properties . certain compositions of the present invention provide good antiwear performance to a metalworking fluid combined with high load carrying capacity , comparable or superior to corrosion inhibitors conventionally used in metalworking fluids . these properties make certain compositions of the present invention ideal corrosion inhibitors for metalworking fluids . they can be employed , for example , as an additive package , or as a component of an additive package for metalworking fluids . in some cases , the additive package is diluted to make the finished metalworking fluid . thus , the present invention also relates , in some embodiments , to an additive package comprising 1 wt % to 50 wt %, 5 wt % to 40 wt %, 10 wt % to 40 wt %, or 25 wt % to 30 wt % of a composition of a total of compounds of formulae ( i ), ( vii ), ( iii ), ( iv ), ( viii ), and / or ( v ). it is to be understood that the additive package may comprise or consist essentially of a composition of formulae ( i ) and ( iii ); or ( i ), ( iii ) and ( iv ); or ( iv ) alone in various embodiments . additional examples include , but are not limited to formulae ( vii ) and ( iii ); or formulae ( vii ), ( iii ), and ( iv ). in addition , in some embodiments , the additive package may comprise or consist essentially of a composition of formulae ( ii ) and ( iii ); or ( ii ), ( iii ) and ( v ); or ( v ) alone . in some embodiments , the additive package may comprise 1 wt % to 50 wt %, 5 wt % to 40 wt %, 10 wt % to 40 wt %, or 25 wt % to 30 wt % of a composition of formula ( iv ), formula ( viii ), and / or formula ( v ), as well as combinations of any of these formulae . the additive package may further comprise any suitable amount of an oil , e . g ., 0 wt % to 90 wt %, 10 wt % to 80 wt % of oil , preferably a mineral oil such as ( but not limited to ) api group i ( including naphthenic and paraffinic ), api group ii ( including paraffinic ), with a viscosity grade from 10 cst to 50 cst , preferably 20 cst to 40 cst . the additive package may further comprise , in some embodiments , 0 wt % to 50 wt %, or 5 wt % to 30 wt %, e . g ., less than 15 wt % water . the additive package for metalworking fluid according to some embodiments of the present invention may further include one or more of additional conventional components such as additional corrosion inhibitor , biocides , fungicides , emulsifier , lubrication additives , couplers , solution stabilizers , antifoaming agents , etc . a typical example additive package , or concentrate , of the present invention may be composed as follows ( table 1 ): examples of suitable corrosion inhibitors are octyl decyl 4eo phosphate salted with bis ( n - diemethylaminopropyl ) methylamine , alone or in combination , with other corrosion inhibitors such as amine carboxylates , tolytriazoles , benzotriazoles , thiadiazoles , calcium alkylbenzene sulfonates available under the trade name hitec ® 614 , and fatty acid alkanolamine available under the trade name polartech amide ma 460 ™. examples of suitable emulsifers are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , sulfonates , fatty acid amides , alcohol ether carboxylates available under the trade name akypo ro 50 vg , alkyl ether carboxylates available as the trade name akpo tec amvg , and ethoxylates , such as fatty acid ester alkoxylate available under the trade name surfonic mw 100 . examples of suitable alcohols are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , oelyl cetyl alcohol available under the trade name synative al 90 / 95 v and c 12 - c 14 linear alcohol available under the trade name synative al s . accordingly , a specific non - limiting example of a typical additive package , or concentrate , of the present invention may be composed as follows ( table 2 ): the present invention also relates , in certain embodiments , to the finished metalworking fluid comprising compositions as discussed herein . the metalworking fluid may be manufactured , for example , by adding the composition or the additive package to a fluid . the finished metalworking fluid comprises from 1 wt % to 20 wt %, 2 wt % to 8 wt %, 4 wt % to 6 wt % or about 5 wt % of a composition comprising compounds of formulae ( i ), ( iii ), and ( iv ); ( vii ), ( iii ), and ( viii ); or ( ii ), ( iii ) and ( v ). in some embodiments , the finished metalworking fluid may comprise 1 wt % to 20 wt %, 2 wt % to 10 wt %, 2 wt % to 8 wt %, 4 wt % to 6 wt %, or about 5 wt % of a composition of formula ( iv ), ( viii ), or ( v ). the finished metalworking fluid may further comprise any suitable amount of an oil , e . g ., 0 wt % to 90 wt %, or 1 wt % to 80 wt %, of an oil , preferably a mineral oil such as ( but not limited to ) api group i ( including naphthenic and / or paraffinic ), api group ii ( including paraffinic ), with a viscosity grade from 10 cst to 50 cst , preferably 20 cst to 40 cst . alternatively , or in addition , the finished metalworking fluid may further comprise 0 wt % to 60 wt %, or 5 wt % to 30 wt %, e . g ., less than 15 wt % water . for example , a finished metalworking fluid containing a typical additive package , or concentrate , may have the following physical parameters : density at 15 . 6 ° c . of 0 . 9 to 1 . 2 , total alkalinity between 10 % to 15 % as koh , water content of between 5 % to 15 %. a finished metalworking fluid according to some embodiments of the invention may further include one or more of additional conventional components such as additional corrosion inhibitor , biocides , fungicides , emulsifier , lubrication additives , couplers , solution stabilizers , antifoaming agents , etc . a typical metalworking fluid of the present invention may , e . g ., be composed as follows ( table 3 ): examples of suitable fatty acids are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , tall oil fatty acid available under the trade name sylfat 2 and monocarboxylic c 10 acid available under the trade name of versatic 10 , oleic acid . examples of suitable alcohols are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , oelyl cetyl alcohol available under the trade name synative al 90 / 95 v , and c 12 - c 14 linear alcohol available under the trade name synative al s . examples of suitable amines are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , monoisopropanolamine , diethanolamine , and triethanolamine . examples of suitable metal passivators are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , tolytriazole available under the trade anme polartech multitech cu and benzotriazole available under the trade name irgamet 42 . examples of suitable lubricants are , independently or a mixture of , polyricinoleic and polymeric ester available under the trade name ketjenlube 135 . examples of suitable corrosion inhibitors are octyl decyl 4eo phosphate salted with bis ( n - diemethylaminopropyl ) methylamine , alone or in combination with other corrosion inhibitors , such as amine carboxylates , tolytriazoles , benzotriazoles , thiadiazoles , calcium alkylbenzene sulfonates available under the trade name hitec ® 614 , and fatty acid alkanolamine available under the trade name polartech amide ma 460 ™. examples of suitable emulsifiers are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , sulfonates , fatty acid amides , alcohol ether carboxylates available under the trade name akypo ro 50 vg , alkyl ether carboxylates available as the trade name akpo tec amvg , and ethoxylates , such as fatty acid ester alkoxylate available under the trade name surfonic mw 100 . an example of suitable fungicides may be independently or a mixture of two or more of triazine , nitromorpholine , bromonitriles . examples of suitable antifoams are , independently or a mixture of two or more of , silicone antifoams available under the trade names foamban ms525 and tego mr2124 . accordingly , a specific non - limiting example of a typical metalworking fluid of the present invention may , e . g ., be composed as follows ( table 4 ): the following examples are intended to illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention , but do not exemplify the full scope of the invention . the following metalworking fluids , samples 1 to 6 , were formulated to comparable ph ( table 5 ). sample a contains bis ( n - dimethylaminopropyl ) methylamine ; sample b contains bis ( dimethylaminoethyl ) ether ; sample c contains 3 - aminooctan - 4 - ol ; sample d contains dicyclohexylamine ; sample e contains ba70 m , an amine borate having a boron content of approximately 7 %; sample f contains ba60 mx , an amine borate having a boron content of approximately 6 %. corrosion was tested according to ip287 , published january 2008 , ref . ip287 - 2934869 , at 0 . 5 wt %, 1 . 0 wt %, and 1 . 5 wt % in 200 ppm ( water as caco 3 ) as well as according to ip125 , published january 2008 , ref . ip125 - 2935231 , at 0 . 5 wt %, 1 . 0 wt %, and 1 . 5 wt % in 200 ppm ( water as caco 3 ). the ip287 results are shown in fig1 . fig2 shows the ip125 results . ip125 results were rated by a trained technician , and reported in table 3 . the results are provided in the following form ( 0 / 3 - 3 ). the first digit — here it is 0 — is the number of pits . the lower the number , the better . the second digit — here it is 3 — is the % of the area stained . the lower the number , the better . the last digit — here it is 3 — is the intensity of the staining . again , the lower the number , the better . ip 125 ( reference standard : institute of petroleum test method ip 125 / 82 ) key is as follows : the first digit is the number of pits , the second , the area of staining , and the third the maximum intensity of staining e . g . 0 / 1 - 1 ( table 6 ). it follows that the samples according to this example show at least the corrosion inhibition of conventional corrosion inhibitors on the basis of amine borates . the samples of this example show corrosion inhibition that is superior to that of conventional amine corrosion inhibitors . amine buffering is the amount of a standardized acid ( such as 0 . 5m hcl ) required to reduce the ph of a fixed volume of solution from its starting ph to a ph of 4 ). the results below reflect testing conditions carried out at approximately 20 ° c . fig1 shows the results of the amine buffering properties test for samples a - d . the samples contained boron free corrosion inhibitors . the amine corrosion is used to evaluate the potential for machine tools and components to rust during manufacturing operations where dilutions of the metalworking fluid are used . it involves using a cast iron plate to which approximately 2 g of steel millings are added to the plate before being covered with approximately 2 ml of test fluid and left in a humidity cabinet for a fixed period of time . table 7 shows the results of the amine corrosion test according to ip287 at 0 . 5 wt %, 1 . 0 wt %, and 1 . 5 wt % ( vol / vol ) for a period of 16 hours . the reichert friction wear test is a method designed to evaluate , in terms of lubrication , a metal working fluid . the test apparatus has an electrical motor and a double armed lever system , to apply a load ( typically 1500 g ) to a stationary test pin , which is kept in sliding contact with a revolving steel ring that is partially immersed in the test lubricant . the volume of the sample is 25 ml . when the device is operated at a speed of 1 . 7 m / sec , a thin film of the lubricant adheres to the surface of the ring to help reduce the friction . the test runs for 100 minutes . due to the initial friction an elliptical shape is produced on the test pin . the area of the scar produced by the wear increases until it is wide enough to allow the fluid to produce a stable , lubricating film between the ring and the test pin ; at this point a drop off in noise can be heard and the distance recorded . when the test is over , the width and the length of the scar on the test pin is measured to calculate the area of the scar ( area of ellipse ( a ), mm 2 length × width × 0 . 785 ); the relationship between the load applied and the area of the scar gives the load carrying capacity ( effectively pressure carried by the film of lubricant ). the larger the load carrying capacity , the better the lubricant . the results show that sample a has the best load carrying capacity and sample c the worst . reichert testings , using steel test pins on a steel ring with an applied load of 1500 g were carried out at 0 . 5 % concentration in deionised water , which equates to an additive level of 10 % in a formulation which has then been diluted to 5 %. the results are reported in table 8 . the test method astm d4172 - 94 covers the determination of the load carrying properties of lubricating fluids . in this particular case , it was used to evaluate the antiwear properties of certain test fluids . the method was modified for testing solutions diluted in water as follows . the 4 ball test using 40 kg fixed load for a fixed time of 60 secs , and a rotational speed of 1760 rpm , were carried out at 0 . 5 % concentration in diw , which equates to an additive level of 10 % in a formulation which has then been diluted to 5 %. two runs were carried out for each fluid and the average measurement of the scars on the surface of the three bottom balls taken , which was then approximated as a circular ( assuming symmetry ) area . the results are reported in table 9 . while several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein , those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the functions and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein , and each of such variations and / or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention . more generally , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters , dimensions , materials , and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters , dimensions , materials , and / or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is / are used . those skilled in the art will recognize , or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation , many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein . it is , therefore , to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that , within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed . the present invention is directed to each individual feature , system , article , material , kit , and / or method described herein . in addition , any combination of two or more such features , systems , articles , materials , kits , and / or methods , if such features , systems , articles , materials , kits , and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent , is included within the scope of the present invention . all definitions , as defined and used herein , should be understood to control over dictionary definitions , definitions in documents incorporated by reference , and / or ordinary meanings of the defined terms . the indefinite articles “ a ” and “ an ,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims , unless clearly indicated to the contrary , should be understood to mean “ at least one .” the phrase “ and / or ,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims , should be understood to mean “ either or both ” of the elements so conjoined , i . e ., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases . multiple elements listed with “ and / or ” should be construed in the same fashion , i . e ., “ one or more ” of the elements so conjoined . other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “ and / or ” clause , whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified . thus , as a non - limiting example , a reference to “ a and / or b ”, when used in conjunction with open - ended language such as “ comprising ” can refer , in one embodiment , to a only ( optionally including elements other than b ); in another embodiment , to b only ( optionally including elements other than a ); in yet another embodiment , to both a and b ( optionally including other elements ); etc . as used herein in the specification and in the claims , “ or ” should be understood to have the same meaning as “ and / or ” as defined above . for example , when separating items in a list , “ or ” or “ and / or ” shall be interpreted as being inclusive , i . e ., the inclusion of at least one , but also including more than one , of a number or list of elements , and , optionally , additional unlisted items . only terms clearly indicated to the contrary , such as “ only one of ” or “ exactly one of ,” or , when used in the claims , “ consisting of ,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements . in general , the term “ or ” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives ( i . e . “ one or the other but not both ”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity , such as “ either ,” “ one of ,” “ only one of ,” or “ exactly one of .” “ consisting essentially of ,” when used in the claims , shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law . as used herein in the specification and in the claims , the phrase “ at least one ,” in reference to a list of one or more elements , should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements , but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements . this definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “ at least one ” refers , whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified . thus , as a non - limiting example , “ at least one of a and b ” ( or , equivalently , “ at least one of a or b ,” or , equivalently “ at least one of a and / or b ”) can refer , in one embodiment , to at least one , optionally including more than one , a , with no b present ( and optionally including elements other than b ); in another embodiment , to at least one , optionally including more than one , b , with no a present ( and optionally including elements other than a ); in yet another embodiment , to at least one , optionally including more than one , a , and at least one , optionally including more than one , b ( and optionally including other elements ); etc . when the word “ about ” is used herein in reference to a number , it should be understood that still another embodiment of the invention includes that number not modified by the presence of the word “ about .” it should also be understood that , unless clearly indicated to the contrary , in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act , the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited . in the claims , as well as in the specification above , all transitional phrases such as “ comprising ,” “ including ,” “ carrying ,” “ having ,” “ containing ,” “ involving ,” “ holding ,” “ composed of ,” and the like are to be understood to be open - ended , i . e ., to mean including but not limited to . only the transitional phrases “ consisting of ” and “ consisting essentially of ” shall be closed or semi - closed transitional phrases , respectively , as set forth in the united states patent office manual of patent examining procedures , section 2111 . 03 . | 2 |
in fig1 through 3 the roll shown in cross section can be the upper roll of a vertical roll set or stand . the roll would work against an unillustrated counter or lower roll which could be of the same construction or some other construction . in fig1 the roll 10 is shown with its fixed shaft 1 inside of its rotative shell 2 having a cylindrical inside surface 3 and with the clearance space indicated at s . although not illustrated , it is to be understood that as usual the fixed shaft 1 would have its ends mounted fixedly as by a suitable support or roll stand frame and that the ends of the shell 2 would be rotatively mounted by bearings mounted on the shaft &# 39 ; s ends or possibly supported by the roll stand frame . in any event , the space s permits independent bending or beam deflection of the shaft and shell relative to each other . if the unillustrated counterroll can be kept straight and free from beam deflection , the shell 2 would be kept straight , the deflection occurring then entirely on the part of the shaft 1 . if the counterroll bends under the working pressure , the shell 2 should be correspondingly bent . in fig1 the previously described shoe 4 is arcuate and extends for substantially half the circumference of the shaft 1 , one circumferential end of the shoe 4 being actuated by the small diameter cylinder and piston arrangement 5 on one side of the shaft , while its opposite end is positioned by an abutment 6 secured to the opposite side of the shaft . to increase the radial extent of the space s , the shaft has flattened sides 7 and 8 which extend vertically parallel to the direction of the force exerted between the shaft 1 and shell 2 , and it is to these flat sides that the abutment 6 is fixed at 8 with the piston 9 having its cylinder 11 fixed to the opposite flat side 7 . hydraulic pressure can be introduced to the top of the cylinder 11 above the piston 9 by a conduit 12 which extends lengthwise through the space s , to one outer end of the roll where it can be connected to a hydraulic pressure source of adequately high value . it is to be understood that in fig1 and this also applies to fig2 and 3 , the system shown is one of a series that extends lengthwise in the space s from one end of the roll to the other . the piston and cylinder diameters are shown as very small relative to the overall size of the roll . the shoe 4 works in circumferential compression to a large degree with its surface bearing on the shell &# 39 ; s inside 3 so the shoe is capable of transmitting the roll deflection force required . at the same time , the shoe 4 has a relatively thin cross - section so that it has a degree of flexibility permitting it to conform with the inside 3 of the shell 2 if and when the shell &# 39 ; s shape varies . for example , transverse bending of the shell 2 may be required to make its rolling surface conform to a bending counterroll . substantially the same construction is shown in fig2 excepting that a second one of the cylinder and piston assemblies 5 replaces the abutment 6 in fig1 . using two of such pressure elements , the piston stroke of each need only be half that required by the single element of fig1 . normally all of the pressure elements would be connected in parallel to the source of hydraulic pressure . in fig2 the shoe is throughout its active or effective bearing area thickened to form a distinct bearing shoe 15 which tapers at both its circumferential ends at 16 so that the space s can be provided with a liquid lubricant carried beneath the active bearing surface of the part 15 in the form of a lubricating film . the portions 14 which extend from the part 15 function to transmit the force of the pressure elements 5 to the surface of the active bearing shoe part 15 . the plain lubricated bearing 15 of fig2 can be replaced by a hydrostatic bearing as shown in the case of the roll 30 of fig3 and 4 . in this case the shoe 24 can be substantially the same as in fig2 but the bearing 25 - 27 is formed with a recess 26 thus forming a hydrostatic bearing pocket which can be supplied with pressurized lubricant via openings 28 extending from the pocket through and to the inside of the bearing . a lubricant chamber 29 is formed on the inside of the shoe &# 39 ; s bearing 25 - 27 by seals 32 slidably mounted in slots formed in the shaft 1 and forming a dam surrounding the pocket outline . a lubricant feedline 31 is formed through the shaft 1 so as to feed pressurized lubricant via the roll &# 39 ; s end to the chamber 29 . the seals 32 are spaced apart from each other a greater distance than the extent of the hydrostatic bearing pocket which terminates at the locations 32 , this resulting in a pressure differential causing the shoe &# 39 ; s bearing 25 - 27 to be pressed towards the inside 3 of the shell 2 , the pressure being dependent on the lubricant supply pressure . in fig1 and 2 the cylinder and piston arrangements are oriented tangentially with respect to the inside 3 of the shell 2 . in fig3 as to each arrangement , the piston 34 and its cylinder 35 are oriented so as to angle inwardly , the working end of each piston 34 bearing on the circumferential ends of the circumferentially extending shoe via self - aligning bearings 36 . as previously indicated , the bearing shoes of this invention must be capable of flexing or deflecting or bending so as to follow the corresponding actions of the fixed shaft 1 and the rotative shell 2 . to promote such flexibility without decreasing the shoe &# 39 ; s circumferential rigidity , it is possible to form circumferentially extending cuts 37 which are axially interspaced to form a series and which extend from the force - receiving ends of the shoe possibly down almost to the shoe &# 39 ; s active bearing portion which works against the inside 3 of the shell 2 . it is also possible to use a number of individual shoes each provided with its own pair of cylinder and piston arrangements as indicated at 24 &# 39 ; and 24 &# 34 ; in fig4 showing that each individual shoe can have a multiplicity of the cylinder and piston arrangements , the pistons being indicated in broken lines at 34 in fig4 . normally , the lubricant pressure in the spaces 29 and 26 of the hydrostatic bearing of fig3 would be controlled to values required only for the hydrostatic bearing action , the pressures applied behind the various pistons of the cylinder and piston arrangements being used to control the roll &# 39 ; s deflection or contour . however , it is conceivable that the lubricant pressures could be made so high as to solely thereby control the deflection of the shell 2 under some working conditions , and in such instances the cylinder and piston elements could be designed for operation so as to apply tension to the circumferential ends of the shoes and which would work counter to the shoe bearing pressure . in all cases , the cylinder and piston and shoe arrangements would normally extend for the complete length of the roll . | 5 |
[ 0080 ] fig1 depicts a preferred embodiment of the invention that is a package for food or non - food products made from a laminate having a paper or paperboard substrate 4 . a five layer coextrusion 6 composed of a layer of low density polyethylene 8 , a tie layer 10 , a composite layer of evoh / polyolefin 12 , a tie layer 14 , and a matte layer of low density polyethylene 16 , is coextrusion coated onto the substrate 4 , through the use of prior applied layers of linear low density polyethylene 18 , low density polyethylene 20 , and low density polyethylene 22 . the substrate 4 , such as paper or paperboard , being opaque , can block harmful sunlight or uv radiation which can be detrimental to the contents inside a package . for various packaging applications , such as liquid packaging , it is sometimes desirable to coat the other side of the substrate 4 , with a polyolefin layer 25 , such as a layer of polyethylene . another embodiment of a packaging structure includes the paper substrate 4 , the exterior layer of a polyolefin polymer 8 , and the five layer coextrusion composite layer 6 , directly extruded onto the substrate 4 . ( see fig2 ). the polyolefin layers 16 and 25 serve as the heat sealing layers . the use of a barrier layer containing the blend ( ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer and low density polyethylene polymer ) was tested for efficacy and produced superior results . oxygen transmission ratio ( otr ) measurements were measured using the following criteria . for otr measurements , 50 cm 2 flat samples were cut and placed in an oxtran 2 / 20 l module at predetermined temperatures and humidities . testing was conducted at 5 % 0 , 75 %, or 90 % relative humidity ( rh ) and 23 ° c . or 38 ° c . the flat board samples were placed in edge effect heads in order to prevent diffusion of oxygen through the edge of the boards . the chamber on one side of the board contained pure oxygen , while the other side was continually flushed with nitrogen . after sufficient time was alloted for boards to equilibrate to the temperature and humidity conditions , the rate of oxygen transmission through the board was recorded by measuring the composition of the carrier gas stream . for high humidity testing ( 75 and 90 %), the boards were place in a tropical chamber to shorten the equilibration time in the module . data was collected until the composition of the gas stream reached a steady state ( 20 - 24 hours ). to investigate the effect of blend composition on barrier properties , 5 - layer cast films were coextruded incorporating blends with various compositions . the structure of all the films was : 40 % ldpe / 2 % tie / 16 % blend / 2 % tie / 40 % ldpe . the blends consisted of soarnol 4412a from soarus ( 44 mole % ethylene 12 , mi ) and 1924p ldpe from eastman . the films were extruded with a 1 ″ diameter , single - screw extruder at 230 c . otr results are shown below . total film thickness % evoh in blend ( weight ) otr ( cc / m 2 / atm / day ) ( mils ) 20 too high to measure 1 . 5 25 too high to measure 1 . 5 30 507 ± 20 1 . 5 35 52 ± 30 1 . 5 40 28 ± 10 1 . 5 45 25 ± 2 1 . 5 50 18 ± 0 . 3 1 . 5 60 19 ± 2 1 . 4 70 15 ± 0 . 3 1 . 3 100 10 ± 0 . 3 1 . 3 further testing was performed with the same structures using 2908d evoh from soarus ( 29 mole % ethylene , 8 mi ) instead of 4412a . results are shown below . total film thickness % evoh in blend ( weight ) otr ( cc / m 2 / atm / day ) ( mils ) 20 590 ± 20 8 25 580 ± 30 8 30 520 ± 5 8 35 1 . 2 ± 0 8 40 0 . 80 ± . 3 8 50 0 . 27 ± 0 . 05 8 70 0 . 069 ± 0 . 005 8 25 too high to measure 1 . 5 30 too high to measure 1 . 5 35 9 . 7 ± 0 . 3 1 . 5 40 3 . 4 ± 0 . 8 1 . 5 50 1 . 2 ± 0 1 . 4 70 0 . 58 ± 0 1 . 3 100 0 . 63 ± . 03 1 . 3 the barrier for the evoh blends is better than expected based on the otr values of 100 % evoh and ldpe . the barrier properties correlate with blend morphology . scanning electron microscopy shown the blends to be composed of two incompatible phases with the discreet component contained in rod or plank like domains in the continuous phase . for compositions with less than 30 % evoh , ldpe is the continuous phase . for composition with greater than 40 % evoh , evoh is the continuous component . for compositions containing 30 - 40 % evoh , the phase morphology is cocontinuous , containing localized regions of both evoh and ldpe continuous phases . the barrier values of the film were close to that of ldpe for the ldpe continuous blends , and close to that of evoh ( within an order of magnitude ) for the evoh continuous blends . the effect of blend composition was investigated in 5 - layer structures , coextruded on a pilot line extruder ( extrusion coated onto paperboard ). the extruder used for the blend layer has a 2 . 5 ″ diameter and 28 : 1 l : d ratio . the melt temperature was 535 ° f . and the line speed was 450 feet / minute . the structure for all samples was : 12 ldpe / board / 4 ldpe / 1 . 5 tie / 2 blend / 1 . 5 tie / 4 ldpe the numbers refer to pounds / 3000 ft 2 . the otr was measured at 23 ° c . and two different humidities . the results are summarized below . otr is reported in units of cc / m 2 / day / atm . blend % evoh layer ( 4412a ) in otr @ 23 ° c ., 0 % otr @ 23 ° c ., 75 % thickness blend ( weight ) rh rh ( microns ) 50 49 . 5 ± 2 . 7 37 . 3 ± 0 . 3 4 . 4 60 40 . 7 ± 18 . 1 19 . 3 ± 13 . 3 5 . 1 70 29 . 1 ± 7 . 7 41 . 0 ± 10 . 3 5 . 1 100 15 . 2 ± 0 . 4 23 . 0 ± 0 . 1 4 . 6 the barrier effectiveness of the blends increase relative to evoh as the humidity is increased ( at 0 % rh , the 50 / 50 blend has an otr value 3 . 25 that of evoh , but at 75 % rh , the factor drops to 1 . 6 ). even at low rh , the otr value of the 50 / 50 blend is better than expected based on the values for pure ldpe and evoh . the aspect ratio of the discreet ldpe domains was found to be about 20 : 1 with sem . the effect of morphology on otr was investigated by comparing otr values for blends extruded on a cast film extruder ( ¾ diameter , 25 : 1 l : d , single - screw extruder ) with a couple of different screw configurations and the otr values for a 5 - layer coextruded ( extrusion coated onto paperboard ) structures prepared on the pilot line described in example 2 . results are shown below . the cast films and coextruded blends all had a composition of 50 / 50 evoh / ldpe ( wt / wt ). otr is reported in units of cc * cm / m 2 / day / atm ( corrected for thickness ). in order to correct the otr value for the 5 - layer coextruded structure , only the thickness of the blend layer was considered . otr at aspect ratio 23 ° c ., 0 % otr at 23 ° c ., 75 % of ldpe sample rh rh domains cast film , 250 ° c . 0 . 018 ± 0 . 001 0 . 046 ± 0 . 001 10 : 1 melt temp , pin mixing screw cast film , 250 ° c . 0 . 019 ± 0 . 001 0 . 048 ± 0 . 001 10 : 1 melt temp , 3 / 1 compression ratio screw cast film , 280 ° c . 0 . 022 ± 0 . 001 0 . 064 ± 0 . 002 5 : 1 melt temp , 3 / 1 compression ratio screw 5 - layer coex film 0 . 022 ± 0 . 001 0 . 016 ± 0 20 : 1 all 4 structures have similar otr values at 0 % rh when corrected for the barrier layer thickness . at 75 % rh , however , the range of otr values increases . it appears that the lower the aspect ratio of the ldpe domains , the greater the drop in barrier with relative humidity . the aspect ratios resulting from the extrusion coating operation provide the benefit of decreased barrier sensitivity to moisture . barrier effectiveness at high humidity . the following structures were coextruded with a pilot line extruder ( extrusion coated ) onto paperboard and tested for barrier effectiveness at 38 ° c ., 90 % rh . the first three layers were coextruded with the first pass , followed by the last 5 layers with a second pass . the numbers refer to pounds / 3000 ft 2 . the barrier layers were extruded at 535 ° f . with a 2 . 5 ″ diameter , 28 : 1 l : d screw . both passes were extruded at 500 feet / minute . barrier results are shown below . otr is reported in units of cc / m 2 / day / atm . barrier material otr @ 38 ° c ., 90 % rh evoh ( 29 mole % ethylene ) 148 . 6 ± 0 . 4 evoh ( 44 mole % ethylene ) 157 . 4 ± 3 . 4 50 / 50 ( 44 mole % evoh / ldpe ) 291 . 4 ± 21 . 7 the otr of the blend structure is only 1 . 9 and 2 . 0 times those of the structure with 100 44 and 29 mole % evoh , respectively . this result is better than expected based on otr values for 100 % evoh and ldpe . the following structure was coextruded ( extrusion coated onto paperboard ) with the same method as the structures in example 4 : structures were created with various polyolefins in the blend . 44 mole % evoh was used in all of the structures . the barrier layers were extruded at a melt temperature of 540 ° f ., with a 2 . 5 ″, 24 : 1 l : d screw . both passes were performed at 500 feet / minute . the results are shown below . otr is reported in units of cc / m 2 / day / atm . barrier layer composition otr @ 23 ° c ., 50 % rh 50 / 50 evoh / pp ( wt / wt ) 23 . 0 ± 2 . 2 50 / 50 evoh / lldpe ( wt / wt ) 16 . 7 ± 1 . 3 50 / 50 evoh / ldpe ( wt / wt ) 21 . 2 ± 2 . 6 a variety of polyolefins can be used in the blend composition with similar effectiveness . blend extruded at 530 - 540 ° f . in 2 . 5 ″ diameter , 28 : 1 l : d screw for the following structures : the preferred ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer of the blend layer is an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene moiety of 44 %. alternate evoh materials can have an ethylene content ranging from 29 - 50 %. the polyolefin portion of the blend is low density polyethylene . alternatively , one can use linear low density polyethylene or polypropylene as the polyolefin portion of the blend . the blend can range from 35 - 95 % evoh in the blend , preferably 35 - 70 %, with a 50 / 50 blend being preferred . the weight of the blend layer preferably ranges from 2 - 10 lbs . per 3 , 000 square feet . in the five layer coextrusion , the tie layers have weight ranges up to 2 . 0 lbs . per 3 , 000 square feet , with the preferred weight being 1 . 5 lbs . per 3 , 000 square feet . any suitable tie material can be used . the outer layers of the five layer coextrusion are layers of low density polyethylene with weights ranging from 4 . 5 - 12 lbs . per 3 , 000 square feet . the tie layers used in this invention primarily consist of modified polyethylene or modified polypropylene . the modifications are usually chemical grafting or copolymerization with acidic polar function groups such as maleic anhydride , acrylic acid , and methacrylic acid or ester functional groups such as ethyl acrylate and butyl acrylate , etc . since the amount of polar groups incorporated is usually small , these modified polyolefins maintain their moisture barrier properties . therefore , one can consider these tie layers as moisture barrier layers as well . by eliminating the need for a pure layer of evoh ( ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer ) as the oxygen barrier layer in the structure , it can simplify the manufacturing process and significantly lower production costs for some applications . it is also important that the five layer sandwich be produced by a coextrusion to provide decreased barrier sensitivity to moisture . example 3 illustrated that the five layer coextrusion exhibited superior barrier oxygen transmission rates to that of structures made by film casting in high moisture environments ( 75 % relative humidity ). other embodiments and variations of the laminate structures contained herein will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure , and it is intended that the present invention be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventor may be legally entitled . | 1 |
in this part of a detailed description of embodiment , an explanation will be given of a liquid crystal display device which may accommodate the xga video - display standard . the liquid crystal display device in accordance with this embodiment of the invention is capable of executing display operations of images of a television signal ( ntsc signal ) note that in this embodiment , the standards of television signals and data signals from computers will be called the “ image standards ”. first refer to fig3 . fig3 is a schematical circuit diagram of the liquid crystal display device embodying the invention . a source side driver circuit 301 has a shift register circuit 302 , a write control circuit 303 , and a switching circuit 304 . also , a gate line side driver circuit 305 has a shift register circuit 306 and a write control circuit 307 . a display section 308 has a tft active matrix circuit with an array of 1024 × 768 pixels . the 1024 × 768 pixel active - matrix circuit is added with certain symbols such as ( 0 , 0 ), ( 1 , 0 ) and the like . in this embodiment these pixels will be called by such symbols ( 0 , 0 ), ( 1 , 0 ) and so on . the source side driver circuit 301 is operable to supply a signal or signals to source lines s 0 to s 1023 of those tfts that constitute the display section 308 . also , the gate line side driver circuit 305 supplies signals to gate lines g 0 - g 767 of tfts constituting the display section 308 . each pixel of the display section 308 is such that a liquid crystal layer is disposed as a display medium between an electrode connected to the drain electrode of a tft and an electrode opposing the former — say , opposite electrode . a video signal is input from the outside to the switching circuit 304 . see fig4 which shows one exemplary circuit configuration of the source side driver circuit in this embodiment . the shift register circuit 302 is configured from a plurality of flip - flop circuits . the reference character “ sp ” adhered to a signal as input to the shift register circuit is an abbreviation of “ start pulse ”— inputting this start pulse signal permits the operation of the shift register to get started at a specified timing . in addition , the reference character “ clk ” representative of a signal being input to the shift register circuit is an abbreviation of a “ clock signal ,” which is to be input to the shift register at an appropriate timing . this shift register circuit 302 has a function of supplying a signal or signals for use in determining the operation timing to circuitry which corresponds to a source signal line . in this embodiment , output signals x 0 to x 1023 of the shift register circuit 302 are input to the write control circuit 303 . as shown in fig4 the write control circuit 303 consists essentially of a plurality of and circuits . input to the write control circuit 303 are the output signals x 0 - x 1023 of shift register circuit 302 along with an “ en ” signal . in response to this en signal , the output signals x 0 - x 1023 of the shift register are supplied to the switching circuit 304 so that the signal for determination of the operation timing is selectively supplied to a circuit corresponding to the source signal line . the switching circuit 304 is constituted from a plurality of switching elements , to which the external video signal and an output of the write control circuit 303 are input . when the output of write control circuit 303 is at the high level “ hi ,” the video signal is supplied to the source lines s 0 to s 1023 . turning now to fig5 this diagram shows one exemplary circuitry of the gate line side driver circuit as used in this embodiment . the shift register circuit 306 includes plural flip - flop circuits . in fig5 also , the reference character “ sp ” refers to a start pulse whereas “ clk ” stands for the clock signal . in this embodiment also , output signals y 0 to y 767 of the shift register are input to the write control circuit 307 . as shown in fig5 the write control circuit 307 is made up from a plurality of and circuits . input to the write control circuit 307 are the output signals y 0 - y 767 of shift register circuit 306 along with the en signal . in the gate line side driver circuit also , the shift - register output signals y 0 - y 767 are selectively supplied to the gate lines g 0 to g 767 in response to receipt of the en signal . the liquid crystal display device of the present invention makes use of a normally - black display mode in which black - colored display is done when no voltages are applied to the liquid crystal layer . hence , those tfts of the display section 308 which are selected upon receiving of the signals of source lines s 0 - s 1023 and signals of gate lines g 0 - g 767 are turn on forming an image . it should be noted that the illustrative configuration of the source side driver circuit and gate line side driver circuit of this embodiment is one preferred embodiment only . in the source side or gate side peripheral circuitry , a memory circuit and buffer circuit as well as another switching circuit or the like may be disposed when required . note also that other circuits may be disposed as needed . in this embodiment , in cases where all of the pixels ( 0 , 0 ) to ( 1023 , 767 ) are to be subjected to displaying , the en signal which is input to the write control circuits 303 and 307 is kept at the “ hi ” level without regard to the timing thereof . with such an arrangement the output signals x 0 - x 1023 of shift register circuit 302 are sequentially input to the switching circuit 304 whereas the output signals y 0 - y 767 of shift register circuit 306 are sequentially input to the gate lines g 0 - g 767 . in the source side driver circuit the video signal is output in response to receipt of the output signals x 0 - x 1023 being input to the switching circuit 304 , and is in turn input to the source lines s 0 - s 1023 in a sequential way . those tfts of the display section 308 which are selected by the signals as supplied to the source lines s 0 - s 1023 and gate lines g 0 - g 767 are then rendered operative forming an image . next , consider the case where one certain pixel or certain pixel region alone is the object to be displayed . by way of example , one exemplary case will be explained of displaying an image represented by a television signal ( ntsc signal ) on the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment . in this embodiment , assume that the aspect ratio when displaying images using such ntsc signal is “ 16 : 9 .” the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment is 1024 × 768 in pixel number and thus accommodates the xga standard . therefore , where an image of an ntsc signal ( effective scan - line number is 480 ) is displayed on the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment , one or more image non - display regions should be required . in this case it is desirable that such image non - display regions be displayed in pure black . an explanation will be given of a display method for displaying the image non - display region or regions in black while also displaying an image of ntsc signal . where an ntsc - signal image is to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment ( xga standard ), such image is displayed at those selected pixels ( 85 , 144 ) to ( 938 , 623 ). the remaining pixels are forced to display no images thereat and are driven to visually indicate a pure black background in the so - called “ black display ” mode . fig6 and 7 show timing charts in this case . with regard to certain source lines and gate lines of such “ free - from - the - display ” pixels , i . e . lines s 0 - s 84 , s 939 - s 1023 , g 0 - g 143 and g 624 - g 767 , the en signal being input to the write control circuits 303 and 307 is controlled so that the output signals potentially drop down at the low level “ lo .” it may be apparent from viewing fig6 that the en signal being input to the write control circuit 303 rises in potential up to the “ hi ” level only upon occurrence of coincidence in timing with those signals x 85 - x 938 from the shift register ; at this time , the high signal “ hi ” is output to the switching circuit 304 . upon inputting of this “ hi ” signal the switching circuit operates to sequentially output the video signal to the source lines s 85 - s 938 . turning now to fig7 the en signal as input to the write control circuit 307 is at the “ hi ” level only upon occurrence of coincidence in timing with those signals y 144 - y 623 from the shift register , thus sequentially outputting the signal to the gate lines g 144 - g 623 . executing the above operation may cause signals to output only to the selected source lines s 85 - s 938 and gate lines g 144 - g 623 , which in turn makes it possible to let any desired pixels turn on thus enabling the ntsc signal image to be displayed thereon . further , since no signals are output to the remaining pixels that are not operatively related to such image displaying , it becomes possible to attain complete black display therefor . a fabrication process of the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment will be explained below . it is noted that while the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment is designed to be of the reflection type , the principles of the present invention may also be applied to those liquid crystal display devices of the pass - through or transmission type . see fig8 a . first of all , an undercoat film ( not shown ) is formed on the surface of a substrate 801 . the substrate 801 may be a glass substrate , or alternatively an optically transparent substrate such as for example a quartz substrate or any equivalents thereto . then , active layers 803 - 805 are formed each of which is made of a crystalline silicon film . note here that the active layers 803 and 804 will be later used to constitute a tft of driver circuitry whereas the active layer 405 constitutes a tft of pixel matrix circuitry at a later stage of fabrication . the aforesaid crystalline silicon film may be directly formed by low - pressure thermal cvd techniques or alternatively be formed by crystallization of an amorphous silicon film . in this embodiment an amorphous silicon film of typically 10 to 75 nm thick ( preferably , 15 to 45 nm ) is crystallized by use of the technique which has been disclosed in the published unexamined japanese patent application no . 7 - 130652 . the active layers 803 - 805 are those which were formed in a way such that a crystalline silicon film as obtained by the technique disclosed in the above japanese application document was then patterned into several “ island ” portions . after formation of the active layers 803 - 805 , a silicon oxide film is formed to a predetermined thickness of 120 nm , as a gate insulation film 806 . this gate insulation film 806 may be a silicon oxide - nitride sio x n y or silicon nitride or alternatively a multi - layered film consisting essentially of these materials laminated . next , a metallic film which is not depicted but is mainly made of aluminum is formed and then subject to a patterning process thus forming an original form or “ master mold ” of a later - defined gate electrode and gate lead pattern . at this step the fabrication technique taught by pujpa no . 7 - 135318 . use of such technique of this japanese application document results in formation of porous anode - oxidized or “ anodized ” oxide films 807 - 809 and dense anodized films 810 - 812 plus gate electrodes 813 - 815 shown in fig8 b as well as gate lead lines ( not shown ). note that the gate electrodes and gate leads will be referred to as the “ first lead lines ” hereinafter . it is to be noted that the material of the gate electrodes or gate leads may not exclusively be limited to the one essentially comprised of aluminum and may be replaced with any other anodizable materials such as for example tantalum , molybdenum , tungsten and the like . additionally , the gate electrodes may alternatively be made of a crystalline silicon film with one specified conductivity type added thereto . next , the gate insulating film 806 is etched by dry etching techniques with the gate electrode 813 - 815 and porous anodized oxide films 807 - 809 being as a mask therefor , thereby forming gate insulating films 816 - 818 . and thereafter , the porous anodic oxide films 807 - 809 are removed away . in this way the resulting structure is such that the gate oxide films 816 - 818 are exposed at the end portions thereof ( fig8 c ). next , impurity ions are doped through two separate process steps for adding thereto the n - conductivity type . in this embodiment the first impurity doping process is carried out upon application of a high acceleration voltage to thereby form more than one n − region . at this time the impurity ions might be doped into not only the exposed active layer surfaces but also certain part underlying the end portions of the exposed gate oxide films due to the fact that the acceleration voltage applied is high in potential . further , the second impurity doping process is then performed upon application of a relatively low acceleration voltage thus defining one or more n + regions . when this is done , since the acceleration voltage used is low in potential , the gate oxide films function as a mask . through the foregoing process steps , there are formed a source region 819 , drain region 820 , lightly - doped impurity region 821 and channel formation region 822 which are those impurity regions of an n - channel type tft constituting a cmos circuit of the driver circuit . also defined are a source region 823 , drain region 824 , lightly - doped impurity region 825 and channel formation region 826 of an n - channel type tft which are those impurity regions for constituting a pixel tft ( fig8 c ). it must be noted that in the state shown in fig8 c , a p - channel type tft constituting the cmos circuit is the same in structure as the n - channel type tft . next , a resist mask 827 is provided overlying the n - channel type tft ; then , an impurity ion doping process is executed for adding thereto the p type conductivity . this process is also subdivided into two separate steps as in the prior impurity dope process stated above , to thereby form a source region 828 , drain region 829 , lightly - doped impurity region 830 and channel formation region 831 of a p - channel type tft which also constitutes the cmos circuit ( fig8 d ). after obtaining the structure shown in fig8 d , thermal processing is done by furnace anneal , laser anneal or lamp anneal techniques for activation of the impurity ions as doped into the active layers . at this time , it may also be possible to cure any possible damages of the active layers as a result of such doping of impurity ions thereinto . next , refer to fig9 . after completion of the fundamental or basic part of the tft through the prescribed process steps , a silicon oxide film is formed to a thickness of 0 . 3 to 1 μm , as a first interlayer dielectric layer 832 ; then , source lead lines 833 - 835 and drain lead lines 836 , 837 are formed through contact holes ( these leads will be referred to as the “ second lead lines ” hereinafter ). the first interlayer dielectric film 832 may alternatively be made of an organic resin film . next , a second dielectric layer 838 is formed to a thickness of 0 . 5 to 3 μm . in this embodiment the second interlayer dielectric film 838 was made of polyimide . note here that the second interlayer dielectric film 838 may alternatively be made of acryl , polyamide , polyimide - amide , or any equivalent thereof . next , a black mask 839 is formed on the second interlayer dielectric film 838 to a thickness of 100 nm , which mask is comprised of a chosen film that has light - shield or opacity . in this embodiment the black mask 839 consists of a titanium film ; alternatively , the same may be made of a resin film containing therein black pigments . after formation of the black mask 839 a third interlayer dielectric film 840 is then formed to a thickness of 0 . 1 to 0 . 3 μm . in this embodiment the third interlayer dielectric film was comprised of a silicon oxide film ; however , the film may alternatively be made of either a silicon nitride film or organic resin film , or still alternatively , a multilayered lamination structure of these films . and , contact holes are formed in the second interlayer dielectric film 838 and the third interlayer dielectric film 840 to thereby form a pixel electrode 841 . at this time an auxiliary capacitance may be formed in a certain region in which the black mask 839 and pixel electrode 841 overlap each other . in this embodiment the pixel electrode 841 is made of a chosen material as essentially comprised of aluminum . it should be noted that the pixel electrode 841 is made of one of high - reflectivity materials . in this embodiment the aluminum - based material was employed ; however , titanium , an alloy of aluminum and silicon , and alloy of aluminum and titanium , or an alloy of aluminum and scandium or the like may be used alternatively . or still alternatively , the pixel electrode 841 may be formed to have a lamination structure of such plural materials . next , thermal processing is carried out in the atmosphere containing hydrogen therein thus forcing any residual unpaired coupling hands of the active layers to terminate with hydrogen . doing this hydrogenization processing may result in a noticeable increase in characteristic of tfts fabricated . thereafter , a dielectric film is formed on the upper part of the resultant structure ; then perform cmp ( chemical mechanical polish ) processing . in this embodiment a polyimide film was employed as this dielectric film . it is preferable that the organic resin film for use as the aforesaid dielectric film is made of polyamide , polyimide - amide , acryl or the like . as a result of the above - mentioned cmp process step , dielectric films 842 , 843 are formed as shown in fig9 b . very importantly , the dielectric films 842 , 843 and pixel electrode 841 are planarized on the upper part thereof . in the way described above , an active matrix substrate including the pixel matrix circuit and driver circuitry of the liquid crystal display device of the reflection type is thus fabricated . next , an orientation film 844 is formed on the upper surfaces of the uppermost layers ( pixel electrode 841 and dielectric films 842 , 843 ) of the resulting active matrix substrate . also , an opposite substrate is prepared on which an opposing electrode 845 and an orientation film 846 are formed . note that a color filter may be provided to the opposite substrate 847 where necessary . and , a seal material ( not shown ) is printed on the side of the opposite substrate , whist spacers ( not shown ) are distributed on the side of the active matrix substrate for lamination of the two substrates together . furthermore , a liquid crystal material is injected into the inside space defined between the two substrates ; then , a seal material ( not shown ) is used to seal the same . in this way a liquid crystal layer 848 is stably sealed between the opposite substrate and the active matrix substrate . after executing the foregoing process steps the intended active - matrix liquid crystal display device is completed as shown in fig9 c . it is noted that as shown in fig9 c , incident light undergoes reflection onto the pixel electrode 441 permitting an image to be displayed . according to the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment , it is possible by appropriately controlling the en signal as input to the write control circuits to limit the area for use in displaying images while at the same time enabling any remaining pixels that do not relate to such image - displaying operation to be set in the complete or “ pure ” black display mode . as a consequence , according to the liquid crystal display device and its associated display method of this embodiment , it becomes possible to successfully display television signals ( ntsc signals ) on the screen of the liquid crystal display device which accommodates the xga video standard . it should be noted that although in the illustrative embodiment the and circuits were used to attain the circuitry for constituting the write control circuits , any other circuits are employable as far as these are capable of controlling an input signal from the shift register upon receiving of an input signal as externally supplied thereto . it should also be noted that while in this embodiment the case has been described where images based on the ntsc signal are to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device which accommodates the xga standard , the display method of the present invention may also be applicable to several cases where images represented by television signals such as ntsc signals and pal signals are displayed on those liquid crystal display devices accommodating the svga and sxga standards and moreover any other video standards . further , while any specific detailed description was not presented relative to this embodiment , in the case of displaying color images , a color filter may be provided . in particular , where the display method of the present invention is adapted for use with those liquid crystal display device of the projection type , a set of three similar liquid crystal display devices each corresponding to the embodiment device stated supra are employed while causing them to display red , blue and green video images which are then projected onto an associated screen for optical superimposition thereof to thereby attain a superior color image displaying scheme . furthermore , although in this embodiment one specific case of using the liquid crystal as its display medium has been explained , the display method for the display device in accordance with the present invention may also be applicable to those liquid crystal display devices of what is called the “ polymer distribution ” type having a mixture layer of liquid crystal and polymer in combination . alternatively , the display method for the display device of this invention may be applied to any types of display devices as equipped with any kinds of display media of the type which may be modulated in optical characteristic in response to a voltage applied thereto . one example is a display device with an electro - luminescence element as its display medium . it should further be noted that in the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment , it is possible by controlling the en signal to switch between the display of signals from personal computers and the display of television signals . this signal switching may be done by users as needed . or alternatively , the display device may be designed such that a setup is made , when shipping using dip switches , causing the display device to display specific images based on preselected types of signals . even in this case , display devices of the same type may be manufactured since no alterations are required to such display devices . according to the displaying method for use with the liquid crystal display device of the present invention , it is possible for a display device accommodating different video standards to display images based on television signals . | 6 |
method and apparatus are provided for bridging wired and wireless communication networks . the following descriptions are presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention . descriptions of specific embodiments and applications are provided only as examples . various modifications and combinations of the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the examples described and shown , but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein . some portions of the detailed description that follows are presented in terms of flowcharts , logic blocks , and other symbolic representations of operations on information that can be performed on a computer system . a procedure , computer - executed step , logic block , process , etc ., is here conceived to be a self - consistent sequence of one or more steps or instructions leading to a desired result . the steps are those utilizing physical manipulations of physical quantities . these quantities can take the form of electrical , magnetic , or radio signals capable of being stored , transferred , combined , compared , and otherwise manipulated in a computer system . these signals may be referred to at times as bits , values , elements , symbols , characters , terms , numbers , or the like . each step may be performed by hardware , software , firmware , or combinations thereof . fig1 illustrates an application of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , a wire - wireless bridge 12 is used to communicate between a wired communication network 11 and a wireless communication network 12 . in this example , a communication from the wired communication network 111 to the wireless communication network 13 may be conducted as follows . a first incoming communication signal is received through one or more wired communication means 14 . after the first incoming communication signal is received and processed by the wire - wireless bridge 12 , it is transmitted to the wireless communication network through one or more wireless communication means 16 to the wireless communication network 13 . similarly , a communication from the wireless communication network 13 to the wired communication network 11 may be conducted as follows . a second incoming communication signal is received through one or more wireless communication means 17 . after the second incoming communication signal is received and processed by the wire - wireless bridge 12 , it is transmitted to the wireless communication network through one or more wired communication means 15 to the wired communication network 11 . note that in different embodiments of the present invention , the one or more wired communication means 14 and 15 may share the same medium or may use different media , such as digital subscriber line ( dsl ), ethernet , cable , phone line , or power line . in addition , the one or more wireless communication means 16 and 17 may share the same medium or may use different media , such as satellite or terrestrial transmission . fig2 illustrates a block diagram of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . in the example shown in fig2 , the wire - wireless bridge device includes a baseband processing module 20 and a controller unit 21 . in addition , on the wireless network communication side , the wire - wireless bridge device includes a wireless network interface 2 , an amplifier ( amp ) 3 , an automatic gain control unit ( agc ) 4 , and an analog - to - digital / digital - to - analog ( ad / da ) converter or transmitter - receiver ( tx / rx ) 5 . on the wired communication network side , the wire - wireless bridge device further includes a wired network interface 6 , an amplifier ( amp ) 8 , an automatic gain control unit ( agc ) 9 , and an analog - to - digital / digital - to - analog ( ad / da ) converter or transmitter / receiver ( tx / rx ) 10 . the wireless network interface 2 receives and transmits wireless signals from and to multiple wireless sources through wireless media represented by the numeral 1 . similarly , the wired network interface 6 receives and transmits wired signals from and to multiple wired sources through wired media represented by the numeral 7 . for example , the wire - wireless bridge device 12 may be configured to receive signals encoded in multiple wired protocols . first , a communication signal from a wired network is received by the wired network interface 6 , which delivers the signal to the ad / da converter 5 via the agc 9 . the agc 9 controls the gain of the wire - wireless bridge device in order to maintain adequate performance over a range of input signal levels . next , the ad / da converter 5 delivers a converted digital signal to the baseband processing module 20 and to the controller 21 . the controller 21 analyzes the incoming signal to determine the communication protocol of the incoming signal . the controller retrieves a set of configuration parameters and binary codes for configuring the baseband processing module 20 in accordance with the communication protocol of the incoming signal . the controller 21 configures the baseband processing module 20 using the set of configuration parameters and binary codes . next , after the baseband processing module 20 is configured , it processes the incoming digital signal using one or more of the predetermined communication protocols , for example fft , channel decode , de - framing , and error correction , to decode the received data content form the incoming signal . afterwards , the decoded data content is delivered to the high level ( mac layer 32 ) to be further processed to obtain the application data , which is also referred to as the application payload , for further processing by the application layer above . for another example , the wire - wireless bridge device 12 may be configured to transmit signals encoded in multiple wireless protocols . first , the media access control ( mac ) layer of the software application 32 receives and processes an application payload , and creates communication packets for transmission . the communication packets are then delivered to the baseband processing module 20 . next , the controller 21 is notified by mac layer 32 that a new protocol is to be processed in the baseband processing module 20 . the controller then retrieves a corresponding set of configuration parameters and binary codes for the new protocol , and configures the baseband processing module 20 using the set of configuration parameters and binary codes . then , after the baseband processing module 20 being configured by the controller , it processes the incoming digital signal using one or more of the predetermined ofdm based communication protocols , such as channel encode , framing , ifft to decode the received baseband signal to be sent to the ad / da converter 5 . afterwards , the ad / da converter 5 delivers a converted analog signal to the wireless network interface 2 via an amplifier 3 . the wireless network interface 2 modulates the signal to proper carrier frequency and transmits it over antenna to a wireless communication network . for yet another example , the wire - wireless bridge device 12 may be configured to bridge between multiple communication protocols between the wired communication network 11 and the wireless communication network 13 . in this case the device of fig5 is used to bridge two protocols . in other words , the protocol coming from the wired interface may be converted to the wireless protocol . first , the method for receiving signals encoded in multiple wired protocols described above is repeated to obtain the application payload of the incoming signal at the mac layer 22 . next , the result of mac layer 32 , instead of delivered to a software application at a higher layer , is again processed at the mac layer according to the outbound protocol . the processed data is then delivered to the baseband processing module 20 . the controller 21 is notified by mac layer 32 that a new processing protocol is to be performed at the baseband processing module 20 . the controller retrieves a set of configuration parameters and binary codes for the new protocol and configures the baseband processing module 20 using the set of configuration parameters and binary codes accordingly . after the baseband processing module 20 being configured by the controller 21 , it processes the digital signal using one or more of the predetermined ofdm based communication protocols , such as channel encode , framing , ifft to decode the baseband signal to be sent to the ad / da converter 5 . afterwards , the ad / da converter 5 delivers a converted analog signal to the wireless network interface 2 via an amplifier 3 . the wireless network interface 2 modulates the signal to proper carrier frequency and transmits it over antenna to a wireless communication network . note that in order to handle multiple communication protocols and multiple communication media for both the wired and wireless communication networks , the controller 21 is capable of dynamically configuring the baseband processing module 20 of the wire - wireless bridge device according to the protocols and media of the communication signals received and transmitted . fig3 illustrates an implementation of the controller and the baseband processing module of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . in various embodiments of the present invention , transactions between the baseband processing module 20 and the controller 20 may implement a standardized interface so that any implementation of the baseband processing module and the controller that comply with the standard interface may work with each other . in one implementation , the baseband processing module 20 may be implemented with a combination of digital signal processor ( dsp ) 23 and a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) 24 . the controller 21 may be implemented with a 32 - bit central processing unit ( cpu ) 25 and a memory storage device 26 . fig4 illustrates a block diagram of the baseband processing module of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . as described above , the baseband processing module 20 may be configured and / or reconfigured with programmable parameters and / or binary codes to handle any specific communication protocols and media . when a new protocol is to be processed at baseband level , programmable parameters corresponding to the new protocol are set by the controller 21 . proper binary codes are downloaded to the baseband processing module 20 if necessary . after the configuration process , the baseband processing module 20 may process the new protocol . as shown in fig4 , the baseband processing module 20 includes a channel estimation module 35 , a channel compensation module 36 , a fast fourier transform ( fft / ifft ) module 37 , a channel coding module 38 , a framing - deframing module 39 , and a mapping module 40 in various embodiments of the present invention . the channel estimation module 35 estimates the noise level and distortion level of the communication media through which the signal travels . the channel compensation module 36 compensates the received signal ( in terms of amplitude and phase of the sampled analog signal ) according to the outcome of the channel estimation previously performed . the fft / ifft module 37 converts signals between frequency domain and time domain , which may be required by the ofdm - based communication protocols . the channel coding module 38 encodes / decodes the baseband signals ( in terms of bits ) so that if any bit error occurs due to a noisy environment , it can be corrected . the channel coding module 38 implements one or more channel coding algorithms , such as interleaving , forward error correction ( viterbi , turbo , reed solomon , etc .). the framing - deframing module 39 partitions a continuous bit stream into frames and insert markers or pilots into each frame for channel estimation and for other purposes during transmission of a communication signal . in addition , the framing - deframing module 39 removes previously inserted markers or pilots , and reassembles the frames back to a continuous bit stream during receiving of the communication signal . the mapping module 40 maps groups of bits , for example a group of 4 bits , into symbols as defined by a modulation technique ( e . g . qam16 ). note that each module in the baseband processing module 20 may be configured with parameters as required by a specific protocol . for example , when 802 . 11a protocol is selected , the fft / ifft module 37 may be configured as a 64 - point fft / ifft ; when wimax protocol is selected , the fft / ifft module 37 may be configured as a 256 - point fft / ifft . moreover , when the reed - solomon algorithm is employed for channel coding , there are two parameters that need to be configured : 1 ) the number of total symbols ( n ), including both data symbols and error correction symbols , per coding block , and 2 ) the number of data symbols per block ( k ). these two parameters may vary depending on the specific communication protocol of the signal to be processed . when a protocol is selected , the controller 21 configures the channel coding module to perform the reed - solomon algorithm with proper parameters n and k . furthermore , the framing and deframing module 39 is also configured by the controller 21 with parameters such as pilot size , preamble size , etc . according to the different communication protocols being implemented . in addition to configuring the parameters of a module , binary codes of the module may be replaced for processing new protocols in alternative implementations . binary codes ( or microcodes ) are the instruction set that provide instructions to a module . this is done by downloading new binary codes to the module corresponding to a new communication protocol to be implemented . in some cases , this may be accomplished by configuring parameters of a module . in some other cases , this may be accomplished by downloading new binary codes to configure the module . fig5 illustrates a block diagram of the controller of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . in the example shown in fig5 , the controller 21 includes a protocol analyzer module 27 , a signal protocol selection module 28 , a protocol parameter and binary code repository module , a baseband configuration module 30 , and a radio - frequency ( rf ) interface switch module 31 . the protocol analyzer module 27 receives signals from multiple rf interfaces and analyzes the received signals to determine a corresponding communication protocol to be implemented . the signal protocol selection module 28 selects a protocol to be implemented by one of the two inputs : 1 ) obtain an interactive command from a user ( for example , a user may press a button “ 802 . 11a ”, which means that the 802 . 11a protocol is selected ); or 2 ) obtain a command from the protocol analyzer 27 . the protocol parameter and binary code repository module 29 store the configuration parameters and binary codes to be used for the baseband processing module 20 . the baseband configuration module 30 configures the baseband processing module 20 with proper parameters and binary codes based on a protocol selected by the signal protocol selection module 28 . the rf interface switch module 31 connects one of the multiple rf interfaces with the baseband processing module 20 . fig6 illustrates a flow diagram for the controller of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . the method starts in block 61 and thereinafter moves to block 62 . in block 62 , the controller waits for a user input to select a protocol or select a protocol corresponding to an rf interface that has a data input . in step 63 , the controller retrieves the parameters and binary codes corresponding to the selected protocol from a database . in block 64 , the controller configures the baseband processing module using the parameters and binary codes retrieved . in block 65 , the controller connects the rf interface corresponding to the selected protocol with the baseband processing module . after block 65 , the baseband processing module is ready to process the selected protocol . the method ends in block 66 . fig7 illustrates an application of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig7 , the system includes a wire - wireless bridge 70 as a central hub for communication with various wired and wireless communication devices implementing the fourth generation wireless communication technology . the system further includes connections to a router 85 , a cellular phone 71 , a cellular tower 72 , a base station demonstration kit 73 , a television 74 , a video camera 75 , a land line phone 76 , a gas sensor 77 , a laptop computer as a demonstration monitor , a router 79 that connects to the internet 80 , a digital tv server 81 , a server 82 for monitoring mine safety , and a gps navigation system 83 that communicates with a satellite 84 . fig8 illustrates another application of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . in this example , the system includes a wire - wireless bridge 90 as a central hub for communication with various wired and wireless communication devices in a security application . the system further includes multiple video cameras for monitoring various locations and activities , a server 92 that communicates with a city monitoring center 93 and a security monitoring center 94 , and the server also communicates with police cars 96 via 3g / 4g wireless communication technologies 95 . fig9 illustrates yet another application of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . in the example shown in fig9 , the system includes a wire - wireless bridge 100 as a central hub for communication with various wired and wireless communication devices in a mine safety monitoring application . the system further includes a remote mine office 101 , a mine tunnel 102 , a power line 103 , an underground video monitor 104 , a gas sensor 105 , and a phone 106 . the wire - wireless bridge communicates conditions in the mine tunnel to a monitor center 108 via a satellite 107 . fig1 illustrates yet another application of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the system includes a wire - wireless bridge 110 as a central hub for communication with various wired and wireless communication devices in a traffic monitoring application . the systems further includes multiple routers that directs traffic information from street intersections 112 , from railway crossings 113 , and from tunnels 114 , a server 118 in a control center that transmits the traffic information to various receiver terminals , such as a car 116 and a bus 117 . a user in the car is able to view a picture of a particular traffic location of her interest using her cellular phone 119 . fig1 illustrates yet another application of the wire - wireless bridge device according to an embodiment of the present invention . in this example , the system includes multiple wire - wireless bridges 120 , 123 , and 125 as means for communication with various wired and wireless communication devices using power lines . the system further includes a cellular phone base station 121 , a 10 kvac mv power line 122 , a satellite dish 124 , a 220 / 380 vac lv power line 126 , a video surveillance camera 127 , multiple rural houses 131 with each house having a phone 132 , a personal computer 133 , and an adaptive multi - rate ( amr ) device coupled to the power line connecting to each of the houses . it will be appreciated that the above description for clarity has described embodiments of the invention with reference to different functional units and processors . however , it will be apparent that any suitable distribution of functionality between different functional units or processors may be used without detracting from the invention . for example , functionality illustrated to be performed by separate processors or controllers may be performed by the same processors or controllers . hence , references to specific functional units are to be seen as references to suitable means for providing the described functionality rather than indicative of a strict logical or physical structure or organization . the invention can be implemented in any suitable form , including hardware , software , firmware , or any combination of these . the invention may optionally be implemented partly as computer software running on one or more data processors and / or digital signal processors . the elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically , functionally , and logically implemented in any suitable way . indeed , the functionality may be implemented in a single unit , in a plurality of units , or as part of other functional units . as such , the invention may be implemented in a single unit or may be physically and functionally distributed between different units and processors . one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that many possible modifications and combinations of the disclosed embodiments may be used , while still employing the same basic underlying mechanisms and methodologies . the foregoing description , for purposes of explanation , has been written with references to specific embodiments . however , the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings . the embodiments were chosen and described to explain the principles of the invention and their practical applications , and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as suited to the particular use contemplated . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates a representative recreational vehicle ( rv ) 16 which embodies a universal toilet system according to this invention . rv 16 is illustrated as a travel trailer which is adapted to be pulled behind a towing vehicle ( not shown ). principles of the invention are applicable to other types of rvs including without limitation , motor homes . recreational vehicle 16 comprises a wheeled chassis 18 on which is supported the rv body 20 . chassis 18 comprises a frame 22 having a tongue 24 at the forward end via which the trailer connects to the towing vehicle . the chassis further comprises tandem axles which are suspended from the frame 22 by a suitable suspension system and to which wheels 26 and 28 are attached . body 20 , in general , comprises a floor 30 , an upright side 32 , and a roof 34 forming an enclosure . the body is shown to be generally rectangular in shape although it is to be appreciated that any given body may have departures from such a shape . side 32 comprises four sidewalls , namely a front 32a , a rear 32b , and two lateral sidewalls 32c . it is the right hand one of these lateral sidewalls 32c which is viewed directly in fig1 and it is arranged at a right angle to floor 30 . sidewall 32c is provided with a rectangular opening 36 which is shown in fig1 to be closed by a door 38 . this opening provides external access to the universal toilet system within the rv body . fig2 and 3 portray the general organization and arrangement of the major components of the universal toilet system according to this invention . the components illustrated in fig2 are a bowl section 42 , a base section 44 , and a holding tank 46 . the bowl section 42 includes a toilet bowl 48 having a bottom outlet 50 and a seat 52 and cover 54 ( shown in fig4 ) hinged to the rear 56 of the bowl via mounting bosses 58 . the bowl discharge outlet is concentric about an axis 51 ( shown in fig4 ). the bowl section 42 has a front portion 59 which is spaced from the outlet and extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis 51 . the bowl section has a longitudinal axis 60 extending forward from the rear 56 through the front portion 59 . the base section 44 includes a generally horizontal top wall 62 having an opening 64 therethrough . the top wall 62 is supported above the rv floor 30 by an upright sidewall 66 . the sidewall 66 includes an opening 68 in the rear 67 of the base section as shown in fig3 . base section 44 also has a horizontal longitudinal axis 69 which projects forward from the opening 64 to the front portion 71 . fig4 is a sectional view of the assembled toilet system within the rv body 20 . the base section 44 is supported upon the rv floor 30 with the bowl section 42 supported upon the top wall 62 . the bottom outlet 50 of the bowl 48 projects through the opening 64 in the base top wall into the base section interior . the bowl outlet 50 and the opening 64 are concentric about the generally vertical , upright axis 51 . the bowl section 42 includes a downwardly extending support skirt 70 which rests upon the top wall of the base to provide support for the bowl section . the top wall of the base section includes an upstanding flange 72 which can be attached to the skirt 70 with a screw 74 or other suitable fastening means . the skirt 70 and flange 72 are both arcuate and concentric about the axis 51 . referring to fig2 holding tank 46 has a generally overall curved shape and comprises a top wall 80 , a curved sidewall 82 , and a bottom wall 84 . the top and bottom walls 80 and 84 respectively are generally horizontal while the sidewall 82 is upright and curved in an upright plane forming a tank which is curved along its longitudinal length . the purpose of the curved tank will be described below . the tank top wall 80 includes an inlet opening 86 adjacent one end 85 of the tank for receiving waste water from the outlet 50 of the bowl . tank end 85 is inserted into the opening 68 in the rear 67 of the base section to a stowed position in which the tank inlet 86 is in registry with the base opening 64 and the bowl outlet 50 as shown in fig4 . in the stowed position a fluid passage connection is formed between the bowl and the holding tank as will be described in detail below . the base section 44 forms a stowage compartment for the tank 46 . the base section and tank can be of relative sizes such that the entire tank fits within a stowage compartment formed by the base section . alternatively , as shown in fig4 the base section and an interior wall structure , such as wall 88 , cooperate to form a stowage compartment 49 upon the floor 30 to store the holding tank with only the end portion 85 of the tank inserted into the base section . the stowage compartment 49 is used to provide an enclosure for the tank within the recreational vehicle interior yet separated from the rv occupant space so as to contain any waste odors or spillage from the tank . the stowage compartment 49 is bounded on one side by the door 38 in the rv sidewall . after the tank 46 has been filled with waste , the tank is removed from the stowage compartment through the opening 36 in the rv sidewall 32c for proper disposal of the waste . the tank can thus be removed from the rv for waste disposal without carrying the tank through the rv interior . for ease in handling , the tank 46 is equipped with one or more handles such as handles 90 and 91 formed in the top of the tank 46 and handles 92 and 93 disposed in the ends of the tank . handle 90 is located near the tank end 95 while handle 92 is positioned in the end 95 . tank end 95 is positioned adjacent to opening 36 in the rv sidewall , enabling the tank to be grasped by handles 90 or 92 to pull the tank horizontally out of the stowage compartment . the waste holding tank includes a pivotal discharge pourspout 94 adjacent tank end 95 which is shown in fig2 in a stowed position in solid lines overlaying the end portion of the tank . the pourspout is closed by a removable cap 96 secured to the open end of the pourspout . the pourspout is shown in an operable position in phantom lines in which the spout projects away from the tank . in this position , a filled holding tank can be emptied by turning the tank such that the pourspout is directed downward . a vent valve assembly 98 disposed in the top wall of the tank is opened to allow air to flow into the tank as the tank is emptied to enable a smooth discharge of waste liquid through the pourspout . the holding tank 100 of fig3 is constructed similarly to the holding tank 46 of fig2 with the exception that the tank is generally rectangular as opposed to curved . components of tank 100 which are similar to components of tank 46 are given the same reference numeral followed by the suffix &# 34 ; a &# 34 ;. the inlet 86 in the tank top wall is opened and closed by a blade valve 102 horizontally disposed within the interior of the tank . the blade valve 102 , when the tank is in the stowed position , is disposed beneath the bowl discharge outlet and closes the bowl outlet . the blade is moved in a horizontal arcuate path about a vertical axis 104 spaced from the inlet 86 . an annular seal 106 in the inlet 86 includes an inwardly and downwardly directed sealing lip 188 which contacts the top of the blade 102 to seal the inlet 86 . the blade 102 is moved between open and closed positions by an actuator 108 . actuator 108 is remotely mounted to a wall 110 within the recreational vehicle and connected to the blade valve via a coupling mechanism 109 on the base section and the tank . the coupling mechanism 109 is designed to connect and disconnect as the tank is moved to and from the fully stowed position . a portion of coupling mechanism 109 is disposed on base section top wall 62 and another portion is disposed on the holding tank top wall 80 . the portion of the coupling mechanism on the base section is shown in fig8 and includes an actuating member 111 . the actuating member 111 is pivotally mounted on the bottom side of the top wall 62 and is connected to a shaft 112 by a screw 113 or other suitable fastening means . the shaft 112 extends through the base section top wall and washer 115 and includes an integrally formed lever 114 about the base section top wall at a right angle to the shaft . the shaft 112 and actuating member 111 are caused to rotate about the axis 104 by movement of a flexible cable 116 attached to the lever 114 through aperture 120 by a retaining clip 118 . the cable 116 is contained within a tubular cover 122 which is secured to a mounting member 124 which in turn is secured to the top wall 62 . the mounting member 124 includes an aperture 127 through which shaft 112 passes and an upturned flange 125 containing an aperture 126 . cable 116 is routed through the aperture 126 with the cable cover 122 being secured to the mounting member 124 by a c - clip 128 seated within a groove 129 in the terminal portion of the cover . the other end of the cable 116 is attached to the actuator 108 such that upon rotation of the actuator , the cable is caused to slide within the cover 122 , in turn rotating lever 114 and actuating member 111 . the portion of the coupling mechanism 109 on the holding tank comprises an actuated member 132 disposed on the top wall of the holding tank and concentric with the axis 104 when the holding tank is in the stowed position . when the tank is in the stowed position , the actuating and the actuated members are operatively connected in a driving relationship whereby rotation of the actuating member about axis 104 imparts rotary motion to the actuated member about the axis 104 . it is this motion which in turn operates blade 102 . actuated member 132 is journaled within an opening 138 made in the top wall of the tank in a sealed manner and has an integral shaft portion 140 projecting into the tank . this shaft portion has a non - circular cross sectional shape and vent valve member 142 is fitted onto it by a matching hole in a central hub portion 143 of the vent valve member 142 . a blade portion 145 of the vent valve member projects radially from the hub portion . member 142 is axially kept on shaft 140 by integrally flexible catches or barbs 146 on the axial end of the shaft . the vent valve member 142 and the actuated member 132 are retained on the tank by axially capturing the tank top wall . the blade 102 has an operative coupling with the actuated member 132 . this coupling is provided through a rotary lost motion connection of the blade 102 with the vent valve member 142 . a venting aperture and seal 148 is provided in the tank top wall . the venting aperture is closed by the blade portion 145 on the vent valve member 142 . in operation , rotation of the actuated member 132 in the blade opening direction will impart motion to the vent valve member 142 to open the vent thereby venting the head space of the tank . after the tank head space is vented , the lost motion connection between the vent valve member and the blade 102 will cause the blade to rotate about axis 104 opening the inlet 86 in the tank top wall . when the inlet 86 is to be closed , rotation of the actuated member 132 in the opposite direction will rotate the blade 102 to close the tank inlet and further rotate the vent valve member 142 into position closing the vent aperture 148 . the operative coupling between the actuating and actuated members is in the form of a disconnectable connection which makes and breaks in accompaniment of bodily motion of the holding tank into and out of the base section . the nature of the operative coupling between the actuating and actuated members is in the form of diametrical tongue 134 on one of the members , the actuated member in this embodiment , and a diametrical slot 136 on the other , the actuating member . when the valve has been operated to the closed position by actuator 108 , the diameters of the tongue and slot lay on a line which is parallel to the direction in which the holding tank moves into and out of the stowed position . because the ends of the slot are open , the tongue can move readily relative to the axis 104 allowing connection and disconnection of the coupling mechanism 109 to occur . operation of the connected coupling to a position which opens the inlet 86 will result in the diameters of the slot and tongue being moved out of parallelism with the direction of movement of the tank into and out of the base section . consequently , if an attempt is made at this time to move the tank from the base section , the misalignment of the connection relative to the direction of tank removal will restrict the movement of the holding tank and prevent it from being removed from the base section . thus it is required that the inlet 86 be closed before the tank is withdrawn and this can avoid potential splashing of the tank contents out of the inlet or other undesired consequences which could result from an open inlet 86 . a water line 160 is used to provide flush water to the toilet bowl to flush the bowl after use . the water line 160 passes through rv interior wall 161 and is connected to inlet 163 of an electrically actuated valve 162 . water flows from the valve 162 through outlet tube 164 to a nozzle 166 in the bowl 48 . the nozzle directs the flush water circumferentially onto a ledge 168 formed integrally in the bowl 48 . the water line 160 is supplied by the rv manufacturer and contains water under pressure such that when the valve 162 is opened , the water will flow through the valve and nozzle 166 . a flush valve operator , consisting of a push button electrical switch 170 , is disposed within the center of the blade valve actuator 108 and is connected to the flush valve 162 by an electrical wire 172 . upon operation of the switch 170 , the valve 162 is opened from its normally closed position to permit flush water to flow into the bowl . to flush the toilet after use , the actuator 108 is rotated to rotate the blade 102 to open the tank inlet 86 . the switch 170 is then operated to open valve 162 allowing flush water to flow through the nozzle into the bowl to flush the contents of the bowl into the holding tank . upon release of the switch 170 , the valve 162 is closed , terminating the flow of flush water . actuator 108 is then rotated in the opposite direction to close the tank inlet 86 . one significant feature of the universal rv toilet system is that the holding tank inlet opening 86 automatically connects to and disconnects from the toilet bowl outlet 50 in accompaniment of movement of the holding tank into and out of the base section 44 . likewise , as described above , the coupling mechanism between the actuator 108 and the blade valve 102 also automatically connects and disconnects with movement of the holding tank into and out of the stowage compartment . it is important for the separable connection between the holding tank inlet opening and a toilet bowl outlet to be of a sealed nature when connected . briefly , the holding tank is guided as it is moved into the base section by the inside surface of the sidewalls 6 of the base section engaging the sidewalls 78 of the holding tank as shown in fig1 . this will serve to establish fairly precise alignment of the bowl outlet and the holding tank inlet . additional means however is associated with the bowl outlet and the holding tank inlet to take into account certain tolerance variations which inherently exist in the commercial manufacture of the product to ensure that the final connection is properly sealed . details are shown in fig5 . a flange member 180 is fitted around the opening 64 in the top wall 62 and the bowl outlet 50 . member 180 forms one part of the guide mechanism for guiding the holding tank inlet into precise final registry with the bowl outlet . the other part of the guide mechanism is formed by a member 182 which is attached to the top wall of the holding tank around inlet 86 via screws 183 . member 182 comprises a central annular portion 184 which serves to retain the annular elastomeric seal 106 on the tank around inlet 86 . specifically , seal 106 comprises a main body 186 which is disposed in a circular cavity 187 around the circular inlet 86 . a pair of annular lips 188 and 189 project from main body 186 . the annular retention portion 184 fits onto the top of the holding tank around cavity 187 and compresses the annular body of the elastomeric seal downwardly into the cavity to provide a seal of the elastomeric body to the holding tank around inlet 86 . member 182 further comprises channels 190 , 192 formed along its longitudinal side edges parallel with the direction of movement of the holding tank into and out of the base section . flange member 180 comprises an annular portion 194 , which fits around the bowl outlet projecting through the top wall 62 , and side edge portions 196 , 198 which , like channels 190 , 192 , are parallel with the direction of motion of the holding tank into and out of the base section . the two members 180 , 182 are so disposed around the bowl outlet and the holding tank inlet respectively so that the side edge portions 196 , 198 slide into and out of the side edge channels 190 , 192 as the tank is moved into and out of the base section . the flange member 180 , a symmetrical ring , is fixed to the opening 64 in the top wall 62 with the bowl outlet inserted into the member 180 . this enables the rv manufacturer to install the bowl section at any radial position relative to the base section while the side edge channels 190 , 192 are fixed in position parallel to the direction of movement of the tank to and from the stowed position . the sealing lip 189 is canted upwardly toward the bowl outlet . in relaxed condition , the free edge of this lip projects above the nominal level of the flat horizontal lower surface of flange member 180 . the relative position of the free edge of this lip is such that when members 180 , 182 are fully engaged to place the tank inlet 86 in vertical alignment with the bowl outlet opening 50 , lip 189 is deflected slightly downwardly from its free position to thereby exert an upward sealing force around and against that portion of flange member 180 which fits around the bowl outlet . the second lip 188 , below the level of the first lip 189 , is canted downwardly toward the holding tank and has a cooperative association with the blade 102 which opens and closes inlet 86 so that when the blade is closed , the second sealing lip 188 is deflected slightly upwardly to provide annular sealing contact with the blade around inlet 86 . details of the vent valve assembly 98 are illustrated in fig7 . the valve assembly comprises a main body or fitting 202 which is inserted within an opening in a tank top wall . fitting 202 is fashioned with an integral circular boss 204 , the lower portion of which projects into the interior of the holding tank . the boss has a top wall 206 with a recess 208 formed centrally therein . recess 208 , at the bottom , comprises a circular opening 210 concentric with the boss . four arcuate vent openings 212 are in wall 206 extending around recess 208 on a common circle . openings 212 provide , via the interior bore of boss 204 , venting of the tank interior to atmosphere . a valving element 214 comprises a bifurcated shank 216 which fits closely within hole 210 . a circular actuator button 218 is at the top of the shank 216 and a helical spring 220 is disposed around the shank and between the bottom wall of the recess and the actuator button . the spring biases the valving element 214 in the upward direction so as to urge a suitable closure portion 222 against the lower circular edge of the boss 204 , so as to close the interior bore of the boss and hence , the vent openings 212 . the illustrated construction of the closure portion comprises a rigid circular portion 224 which is affixed to the lower end of shank 216 within the holding tank which supports a annular gasket 226 which seals against the lower circular edge of the boss 204 when the valve is closed . the broken line position shown in fig7 thus represents the closed position to which the valve element is normally spring biased . in this position , the closure portion prevents waste materials and vapors from passing through the vent openings . the solid line position illustrates the actuated position which is used during dumping to vent the interior head space of the holding tank . a stop 228 is provided on button 218 for limiting downward displacement so that the button does not close off the vent openings when the valve is depressed . thus , actuation of the valve assembly 201 always allows air to pass through the openings into the holding tank to prevent the creation of a partial vacuum which might give rise to belching and burping during dumping . from the above description of the components of the universal rv toilet system , it can be seen that the toilet is useful for placement within a variety of locations and orientations within a recreational vehicle . the base section is fixed to the floor of the recreational vehicle in a location which permits a holding tank to be slid into and out of the base through the sidewall of the recreational vehicle . the bowl section can be mounted on top of the base section in a number of different positions relative to the base section so that the rv manufacturer can choose the orientation of the toilet bowl . the blade valve actuator and flush valve switch are remotely connected to the toilet system through a flexible cable and electrical wire enabling the control to be remotely mounted to a wall or other structure in the recreational vehicle bathroom , without regard to the orientation of the bowl section relative to the base section . fig9 through 12 illustrate the flexibility of the universal recreational vehicle toilet system according to this invention by showing a variety of toilet locations within a recreational vehicle . within the rv body 20 , a bathroom 301 is formed by interior vertical walls 302 , 304 and 306 along with rv sidewall 32c . entry is gained into the bathroom 301 through a door 308 from the interior of the rv body . in fig9 through 12 , like components are indicated by the same reference numeral followed by a suffix a - d . the toilet system components are given the same reference numeral in fig9 - 12 because these components are identical , only the orientation of the bowl section relative to the base section varies in these figures . in fig9 the base section 44 of the universal toilet system is disposed adjacent the interior wall 306a with the longitudinal axis 69 of the base section extending generally parallel to the wall 306 . a horizontal panel 310aforms a continuation of the base section top wall 62 and extends from the rear side 67 of the base section to the rv sidewall 36c . the panel 310a along with the base section top wall forms the top of the stowage compartment for the waste holding tank within the recreational vehicle interior . the holding tank is inserted into and removed from the stowage compartment through the opening 36 in the sidewall 32c which is shown closed by the door 38 . when the holding tank is inserted into the stowage compartment , the holding tank inlet 86 and the toilet bowl outlet 50 are horizontally aligned in vertical registry with on another forming the sealed fluid coupling as previously described . the bowl section 42 is mounted to the top of the base section 44 with the front portion 59 extending radially at a right angle 314a relative to the base section . the actuator 108 and switch 170 are shown mounted to the wall 306a . in fig1 , the toilet is located in the corner formed by the interior walls 304b and 306b . panel 310b , which forms a portion of the top of the stowage compartment , has been increased in length to extend from the rv sidewall 32c to the rear 67 of the base section 44 . in fig1 , the bowl section 42 has been mounted upon the base section 44 with the front portion 59 extending radially at an obtuse angle 314b relative to base section , illustrating another orientation of the bowl and base sections relative to each other . in the toilet systems shown in fig1 and 9 , the holding has been a rectangular tank such as tank 100 shown in fig3 . in fig1 , the base section 44 is placed in the bathroom with the rear 67 abutting the interior wall 306c of the rv . the toilet system is located in a position such that the wheel 318 , which is separated from the vehicle interior by a wheel well 320 , is located laterally between the toilet system and the rv sidewall 32c . because of this obstruction , it is not possible for the holding tank to pass laterally from the toilet to the rv sidewall as shown in fig9 and 10 . a curved holding tank such , as the tank shown in fig2 is used in this application and extends behind the toilet and around the wheel to sidewall 32c . the stowage compartment beneath panel 310c likewise extends around the wheel well 320 and to the sidewall 32c . the stowage compartment can be located underneath a bench or in a closet in the recreational vehicle so that its does not intrude into the occupant living space . the bowl section 42 is mounted to the base section 44 with the front portion 59 extending radially at an acute angle 314c relative to the base . referring now to fig1 , the universal toilet system is located in the corner of the bathroom formed by the interior wall 306d and the rv sidewall 32c . the rear 67 of the base section 44 is abutting the interior wall 306d such that a holding tank is inserted through the rear wall 32b of the rv and through the interior wall 306d as opposed to being inserted laterally through the sidewall 32c . the bowl section 42 is again mounted to the base section 44 with the front portion 59 extending radially at an acute angle 314d relative to one another . from the above examples , it can be seen that the universal rv toilet system of the present invention can be used in a variety of positions and orientations within a recreational vehicle . the same base section 44 and the bowl section 42 are used in all of the examples shown in fig9 - 12 with the only difference between installations being the orientation of the bowl section relative to the seat section . the bowl and base sections are configured so as to enable the bowl section to be mounted on the base section with the front portion of the bowl section extending radially relative to the base section in any direction within a range of radial directions . this range of directions could be a 360 ° range in which the bowl front portion could extend in any direction relative to the base . as a practical matter , however , this range will generally be less than 360 °. due to the raised height of the tank stowage compartment above the rv floor , it is not practical to position the bowl front portion extending over the stowage compartment . as a practical matter , approximately a 270 ° range of radial directions will be adequate to provide the vehicle manufacture maximum flexibility in the placement of the toilet system within an rv . the flush control , comprising an actuator for the tank blade valve and an operator for the flush water valve , is remotely mounted from the bowl and base sections to enable the rv manufacturer to place these controls where desired , regardless of the orientation of the bowl section relative to the base section . as a result , the universal toilet system enables the rv manufacturer to stock only one toilet system for use in a variety of rv models . thus the inventory requirements and the toilet complexity are greatly reduced for the manufacturer . accordingly , the objectives of the present invention of reducing the number of toilet systems needed by the manufacturer and increasing the manufacturer &# 39 ; s flexibility in interior design of the vehicle have been achieved . it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrate and described above , but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims . | 1 |
as required , detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein ; however , it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various forms . therefore , specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure . the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a selectible beam / plane projecting laser embodying the present invention and having a switching mechanism for changing the beam of light usually emitted by the laser 1 to a plane of light . the selectible beam / plane projecting laser 1 is preferably employed with a vehicle frame and body system 3 , fig1 and 2 , for sighting targets in a plane . in the illustrated embodiment , fig3 and 4 , the selectible beam / plane projecting laser 1 includes an elongate housing 5 which is generally rectangular in shape and has front and rear ends 6 and 7 and a front wall 8 . a laser beam projecting element 10 , fig3 and 4 , such as of a low power industrial grade for surveying and marking purposes is mounted , together with appropriate circuitry , in the housing 5 and has a beam emitting end 11 pointed toward the front wall 8 . the beam emitted by the laser projecting element 10 is a coherent , collimated cylindrical beam which , upon passing through the switching mechanism 2 , is selectively changed to a coherent , collimated plane of light . in the illustrated example , the front wall 8 has an aperture 13 therethrough , fig4 and 8 . the switching mechanism 2 is mounted on the front wall 8 and includes internal elements aligned with the aperture 13 and with the beam directed from the beam emitting end 11 . the exemplary switching mechanism 2 includes a holder member 15 which is essentially a rectangular block and which is connected to the front wall 8 , with a backing plate 16 on the other side of the front wall 8 , and connected to the front wall 8 and the backing plate 16 by screws 17 extending through screw holes 18 . both the holder member 15 and the backing plate 16 have through openings 20 placed in the middle of the holder member 15 and extending from a front side 21 to a rear side 22 . a bore 24 extends through the holder member 15 from the left side 25 to the right side 26 of the member 15 . the bore 24 extends perpendicularly to the through opening 20 and the two coincide in approximately the middle of the holder member 15 . a shiftable or slide member 30 is mounted within the bore 24 and is moved , such as by hand , from the left to right within the holder member 15 . the slide member 30 has opposite ends 31 and 32 with chamfered edges . the slide member 30 has a mid - portion 33 , fig5 with orthagonally extending ports 35 and 36 spaced equidistantly from the midportion 33 . one of the ports , the port 36 , has a lens 37 , fig6 and 7 , mounted therein . the port 36 with its lens 37 is movable into the path of the laser beam to cause the beam to project in a plane . in the illustrated example , the lens 37 is a cylindrical optical quality glass rod mounted within the port 36 as by adhesives and oriented parallel to the longitudinal orientation of the slide member 30 . in the other port 35 is a flat glass lens 38 such as of smoked glass or mirrored glass which merely attenuates the beam . as shown in fig7 the cylindrical lens 37 change the energy or light rays from the configuration of the beam 40 to a plane of light 41 , whereas when passing through the flat lens 38 , the beam 40 remains a beam and is decreased slightly in intensity so as to be more readable when directed against a measuring rule or the like . to properly position the slide member 30 within the holder member 15 , various alignment means are employed . the slide member 30 includes a bottom groove 44 which , in association with a set screw 45 engaged in a screw hole 46 drilled in the bottom of the holder member 15 , restrains the slide member 30 from rotating in the holder member 15 . to properly position each of the ports 35 and 36 on the slide member 30 with respect to the through openings 20 , a detent arrangement is provided . in the illustrated example , the detent arrangement includes first , second and third hemispherical sockets 48 , 49 and 50 which act as recesses for partially receiving a ball bearing 52 . the ball bearing 52 is urged upwardly by a spring 53 and retained by a set screw 54 in a screw hole 55 . the ball bearing 52 is urged upwardly by the spring 53 and catches in the first socket 48 to retain the laser beam in the beam configuration by registration of the port 35 , with its flat lens 38 , in the beam path . the second socket 49 provides a center position where neither the port 35 nor the port 36 are in registration with the through opening 20 and the laser beam is blocked . the third socket 50 registers the port 36 , with its cylindrical lens 37 , in the beam path so that the planar beam 41 is projected , fig7 . in one example of use of the selective beam / plane projecting laser 1 , the laser is used as part of an alignment system for vehicle frames and bodies . this system uses at least two elongate carrier bars 57 and 58 with measurement scale markings thereon beginning from a center position . at least one of the carrier bars , such as the carrier bar 58 , has a target 60 mounted on its ends and the other of the carrier bars 57 has the selectible beam / plane projecting laser mounted on its end . in the illustrated example of fig2 there are two carrier bars 58 . the targets 60 and the selectible beam / plane projecting lasers 1 are mounted on the carrier bars 57 and 58 by slidable mounts 62 for translation toward and away from the center position of the carrier bars 57 and 58 and may include pivot means for sweeping perpendicular to the axis of the carrier bar 57 or 58 , such as disclosed in the eck patent no . 4 , 330 , 945 . to sight the target 60 by the selectible beam / plane projecting laser without upward sweeping of the laser beam , the beam mode , fig8 of the laser is changed to the planar projecting mode , fig7 whereupon the coherent , collimated plane of light is projected on all surfaces within that plane , including the upper and lower positioned targets 60 . thus , the selectible beam plane projecting laser provides an automatic vertical projecting capability without any sweeping or rotative movement of the laser to identify the position of points within a beam projected orthagonally to the carrier bars 57 or 58 . right angle alignment is then accomplished and coordinates are established on the x - y coordinate system defined by the combination of the carrier bars and the beam or plane projected by the laser 1 . although the above description is in terms of vertical plane projection , the selectible beam / plane projecting laser may project planes of light in any direction orthagonal to its mounting bars 57 and 58 . if the bars 57 and 58 are positioned vertically , then the plane projected would be horizontal . it is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein , it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown . | 6 |
fig1 illustrates a polishing table 4 a in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated , the polishing table 4 a includes a platen 1 and a polishing pad 3 . the polishing pad 3 includes an in - situ window area 3 a which may be semi - transparent . the platen 1 may include a platen window 1 a . the geometries of the platen 1 and the polishing pad 3 shown in fig1 form a hole h and a void v . the void v may be filled with air or another gas . as illustrated in fig1 , the polishing pad 3 does not contain a through hole . a top surface of the platen 1 and a stepped bottom surface of the polishing pad 3 define the void v . in an exemplary embodiment , the polishing pad 3 is made of syndiotatic 1 , 2 - polybutadiene , polyurethane , or polybutadiene ( pbd ) which are semi - transparent materials . in an exemplary embodiment , the in - situ window area 3 a has a thickness in the range of between 1 . 0 mm and 2 . 0 mm or 1 . 5 mm and 2 . 0 mm to allow light transmission . in an exemplary embodiment , the platen 1 is made of a metal material , such as stainless steel . as illustrated in fig1 , an upper surface of the platen window 1 a is at the same or substantially the same level as the upper surface of the platen 1 . in an exemplary embodiment , the platen window 1 a is made of a transparent material , such as polycarbonate , polyethylene terephthalate glycol , polypropylene , 2 - aryl glycol carbonate , quartz or glass . in an exemplary embodiment , the void v is positioned above the hole h of the platen 1 . in an exemplary embodiment , the void v is formed by the recessed region between the pseudo window 3 a and the platen window 1 a . fig2 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the polishing table 4 b includes a platen 51 and a polishing pad 53 . in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig2 , the platen 51 and the polishing pad 53 are essentially the same as the platen 1 and polishing pad 3 of fig1 ; however , in the exemplary embodiment of fig2 , the top surface level of the platen window 51 a is above the top level of the platen 51 . in an exemplary embodiment , this configuration may allow for easier self - alignment . in an exemplary embodiment , the top surface level of the platen window 51 a is sufficiently higher above the top level of the platen 51 , that no void v is formed . in an exemplary embodiment , the void v ′ in fig2 is smaller than the void v of fig1 due to the top surface level of the platen window 51 a being above the level of the top level of the platen 51 . in an exemplary embodiment , the platen window 51 a protrudes from the platen 51 in a direction closer to the polishing pad , to thereby reduce the size of or eliminate altogether , the void v ′. fig3 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated in fig3 , the polishing table 4 c includes a platen 61 and a polishing pad 63 . in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig3 , the polishing pad 63 is essentially the same configuration as that of the polishing pad 3 of fig1 ; however , a transparent supporting layer 63 b is inserted in the recessed region of the polishing pad 63 . in an exemplary embodiment , the transparent supporting layer 63 b helps prevent the pseudo window area 63 a from being deformed due to mechanical pressure by a wafer chuck . in an exemplary embodiment , the transparent supporting layer 63 b is made of the same material as that of the platen window 61 . in another exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig4 , the polishing table 4 d includes a platen 61 and a polishing pad 63 . as illustrated in fig4 , the platen window 62 a protrudes from the platen 61 ( such as in shown in fig2 ) and a transport parent supporting layer 64 a is inserted between the in - situ window area and the platen window 62 a ( such as in shown in fig3 ). in another exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig5 , the transparent supporting layer 64 b protrudes from a bottom surface of the polishing pad 63 and its protrusion is inserted into the platen window 62 b of the platen 61 . in other exemplary embodiments , the various pad and platen features of the present invention illustrated in fig1 - 5 may be utilized either singly or in any combination . in exemplary embodiments , the various pad and platen features of the present invention illustrated in fig1 - 5 may be utilized in an in - situ end point detection ( epd ) system ; such an exemplary optical system is illustrated in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 433 , 651 . fig6 illustrates a method of monitoring a chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) process in situ in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated , the flowchart of fig6 includes a step 60 of providing a pad with a pseudo window area and a step 62 of monitoring light passed through the pseudo window area to control the chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) process . fig7 illustrates a method of manufacturing a chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) pad for in situ monitoring of a chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) process in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated , the flowchart of fig7 includes a step 70 of providing a polishing layer and a step 72 of forming a pseudo window area in the polishing layer . in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , the polishing layer is formed by one of molding , extruding , or grinding . fig8 illustrates a method of manufacturing a platen for in situ monitoring of a chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) process in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated , the flowchart of fig8 includes a step 80 of providing a platen layer , a step 82 of forming a hole in the platen layer , and a step 84 of arranging a platen window in the hole , the platen window protruding higher than a height of the platen layer . fig9 illustrates a method of detecting an end point in situ in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated , the flowchart of fig9 includes a step 90 of providing a pad with a pseudo window area and a step 92 of monitoring light passed through the pseudo window area to detect the end point . as described above , in other exemplary embodiments , the various pad and platen features of the present invention illustrated in fig1 - 5 may be utilized either singly or in any combination in any of the embodiments illustrated in fig6 - 9 . as also described above , in exemplary embodiments , the various monitoring , manufacturing , and / or detecting features of the present invention illustrated in fig6 - 9 may be utilized in an in - situ end point detection ( epd ) system ; such an exemplary optical system is illustrated in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 433 , 651 . in exemplary embodiments of the present invention , the pad is described as a cmp pad , however the exemplary pads disclosed herein may also be used for other types of polishing as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims . | 1 |
embodiments provide for reducing the possibility of an excessive current draw in a relatively short period of time due to a test scan signal , such as a test consisting of cycles of shift and capture events . embodiments provide for reducing the effect of a di / dt event in light of an instant excessive draw of current based upon a global scan signal . upon assertion and deassertion of a global scan signal , between clock cycles , chip capacitance may discharge sufficiently such that upon start - up , an excessive demand for current may take place . in this case , the voltage of the power supply may drop , causing potential errors in various elements of the processor . embodiments provide for reducing the drop in voltage in light of the di / dt event . embodiments provide for ramping up a clock signal prior to the clock signal being placed into its normal frequency operation . in some embodiments , upon deassertion of the global scan signal , the shifting of the scanned data may be delayed , wherein the global scan signal may be converted to various local scan signals and the shifting may be delayed to prevent an instant excessive demand of current . turning now to fig1 , a block diagram , a stylized representation of a processor unit or cpu 100 , in accordance with some embodiments , is illustrated . the processing unit 100 may be part of a computer system 105 , wherein the computer system may exist in a variety of forms , such as a telephone , a tablet computer , a desktop computer , a laptop computer , a server , a smart television , among other consumer electronic devices . the processor unit 100 may comprise various cores 110 ( e . g ., first core 110 a , second core 110 b , through n th core 110 c ( collectively “ cores 110 ”)). the cores 110 may be compute units that are each capable of performing various computations and executions of instructions . the processing unit 100 may also comprise a control unit 120 to control various operations of various components of the processing unit 100 . the processor unit 100 may also comprise a cache unit 130 that provides for memory resources for the first through nth cores 110 a - c . the processor unit 100 may also comprise a clock supply unit 140 that provides one or more clocks utilized by the processor unit 100 . further , the processor unit 100 may comprise a clock controller 150 for controlling the clocks to various portions of the processor unit 100 . the processor unit 100 may also comprise a test control unit 170 for performing various tests and scan functions of the processor unit 100 . in some embodiments , the processor unit 100 also comprises a scan warmup unit 160 to control the clock operation and scanning and testing functions of the processor unit . the scan warmup unit 160 is capable of ramping up one remote clock , to mitigate a drop in voltage of a power supply to the processor unit 100 by reducing a change in current draw within a predetermined time period , such as a short time period as discussed above . the processor unit 100 also comprises an i / o interface 180 . the processor unit 100 also comprises an i / o interface 180 for providing communications with various components external to the processor unit 100 . in various embodiments , one or more of the units described above may be instantiated by another unit . for example , the scan warmup unit 160 may be instantiated by clock supply unit 140 or clock controller 150 . turning now to fig2 , a stylized block diagram depiction of the scan warmup unit 160 , in accordance with some embodiments is illustrated . the scan warmup unit 160 may comprise a global scan circuit 210 that provides various control and scanned data signals for testing various elements of the processor unit 100 . in its operations , the global scan circuit 210 may receive and act upon one or more signals , such as a global scan shift enable signal ( sse_global ) and / or various clock signals ( e . g ., ck_cclk or tstclk ). the scan warmup unit 160 may also comprise a “ global scan to local scan conversion circuit ” 220 that is capable of converting global scan signals to local scan signals for reducing the di / dt effect . specifically , the use of local scan signals may allow more control of timing of an sse signal applied to a local logic area . this control of timing may allow reduction of the time between completion of a test scan shift and start of a test scan capture . by reducing this time , an ir drop generated during a shift may be used to mitigate a voltage droop commonly occurring during a capture . moreover , the scan warmup unit 160 also comprises a first local scan circuit through an n th local scan circuit 230 a , 230 b , for providing scan control and operation of various portions of the processor unit 100 . fig5 presents a stylized block diagram depiction of the scan warm up unit 160 , a core 110 a , and related components of the processor unit 100 . sse_global generator 510 generates the sse_global , which is supplied to both the scan warmup unit 160 and the core 110 a when under test . the core 110 a comprises one or more sse regions , such as a first sse_region 520 a , a second sse_region 520 b , through an n th sse_region 520 c . the number of sse regions 520 may be selected based on the physical placement of components of the processor unit 100 , timing dependencies , and the number of localized flop loads . each sse region comprises an sse_local generator 525 a , 525 b , 525 c . the scan warmup unit 160 may also comprise an sse_local generator 525 d . in addition , the scan warmup unit 160 may comprise a scan channel in unit 530 . the scan channel in unit 530 may receive and act on a scan channel in signal , such as by shifting data to one or more logical elements located within the core 110 a . further , scan warmup unit 160 may comprise a scan channel out unit 540 . the scan channel out unit 540 may receive and act on data captured by one or more logical elements located within the core 110 a , such as by outputting a scan channel out signal . the operations of the scan channel in unit 530 and / or the scan channel out unit 540 may be controlled at various times by timing signals generated by sse_global generator 510 or sse_local generator 525 d . as should be apparent to those skilled in the art , for convenience , fig5 only depicts core 110 a . alternatively or in addition , one or more other cores , such as core 110 b and / or core 110 c , may comprise one or more sse regions and sse_local generators . turning to fig6 , a simplified schematic diagram of sse_local generators 525 a , 525 b , and related circuitry , is provided . sse_local generator 525 a will be discussed in detail , with the understanding that the discussion will be similarly applicable to sse_local generator 525 b . ck_cclk and tstclk signals are muxed to provide a cclk signal . cclk and sse_global are provided to the sse_local generator 525 a . the sse_local generator 525 a comprises a number of elements 602 a - 608 a , which generate an sse_local signal following the depicted logic . specifically , if cclk has the frequency of tstclk , sse_global is asserted , and scan warmup is disabled ( tl_disablewarmup = 1 ), ( i . e ., the test is in the shift phase of the timing diagram shown in fig4 ), then sse_local generator 525 a will pass signals to logic elements 610 a and 620 a such that shift of data into logic element 620 a is timed according to the tstclk frequency ( rclk = tstclk ). if cclk has the frequency ck_cclk , scan warmup is enabled , and an sse_global signal is deasserted , then sse_local generator 525 a will pass signals to logic elements 610 a and 620 a such that shift of data into logic element 620 a is timed with rclk having a ramped frequency increasing from tstclk to ck_cclk . thereafter , if scan warmup is disabled , then sse_local generator 525 a will pass signals to logic elements 610 a and 620 a such that capture of data from logic element 620 a is timed according to the ck_cclk frequency . the output of the logic element 620 a may contain test data that may be used to evaluate the operation of the processing unit 100 . in this manner , the global sse signal is transformed into one or more local sse signals , which provides for a reduction of the possibility of a voltage drop due to the di / dt effect in the processing unit 100 . by way of example , an integrated circuit device may comprise a warmup pulses generation logic , which may be within a clock generation block , and at least two associated registers , one of which may store a clock ramp - up waveform during a warmup period , and the other of which may store a number of warmup pulses . in this example , an sse_local generator may comprise a down - counter initialized to the stored number of warmup pulses , and the down - counter may keep sse_local asserted until the down - counter reaches zero . fig4 presents an example timing diagram including signals used when performing a scan test of an integrated circuit , in accordance with some embodiments . fig4 illustrates an example system clock signal , ck_cclk , and a clock for performing the scan operation , scan_clk . of particular note , at least one of sse_global and sse_local is active during data shift , and both are inactive during data capture . the period in which sse_local is active and sse_global is inactive may be referred to herein as the “ scan burst / warmup ” period . by operation of the scan warmup unit 160 and the sse_local generators 525 a - d , cclk can be ramped up from scan_clk ( the frequency for timing shift of data into logic elements under test ) to ck_cclk ( the frequency for timing capture of data from logic elements under test ), thereby reducing discharge by chip capacitance , reducing power draw , and thus reducing the di / dt event . by ramping under the assertion of sse_local , the time between completion of a test scan shift and start of a test scan capture may be reduced . by reducing this time , an ir drop generated during a shift may be used to mitigate a voltage droop as may occur during a capture . fig3 presents a flowchart depicting a method 300 for performing a scan test of an integrated circuit according to some embodiments . in fig3 , the method 300 may comprise : loading at 310 a scan test stimulus to a first set of logic elements of an integrated circuit device at a scan clock first frequency equal to a test clock frequency ; unloading at 320 a scan test response from the first set of logic elements at the scan clock first frequency ; and adjusting at 330 the scan clock from the first frequency to a second frequency by a scan warmup unit , wherein the scan clock second frequency is equal to a system clock frequency . in some embodiments , the test clock frequency is less than the system clock frequency , and the adjusting at 330 comprises ramping up the scan clock from the first frequency to the second frequency . in some embodiments , the adjusting at 330 may mitigate a drop in voltage of a power supply to the integrated circuit associated with a transition of the scan clock from the first frequency to the second frequency , by reducing a change in current draw within a predetermined time period . in some further embodiments , ramping up the scan clock may be performed subsequent to deasserting a global scan shift enable signal ( sse_global ) and prior to deasserting a local scan shift enable signal ( sse_local ). the method 300 may further comprise capturing at 340 the scan test response by a shift logic at the scan clock second frequency . in some embodiments , the method 300 may further comprise asserting at 350 a local scan shift enable signal ( sse_local ) for at least one region of the integrated circuit device prior to completion of the loading , the unloading , or both , wherein the at least one region comprises at least the first set of logic elements ; and deasserting at 360 the sse_local for the at least one region subsequent the adjusting and prior to the capturing . the sse_local may be generated using any appropriate technique . in some embodiments , the method 300 may further comprise pipelining at 370 a global scan shift enable signal ( sse_global ) to generate the sse_local alternatively or in addition , in some embodiments , the method 300 may further comprise generating the sse_local by use of a finite state machine . such a finite state machine may implement a counter , such as a down counter . alternatively or in addition , in another particular embodiment ( not shown ), the method further comprises ramping up a clock subsequent to deasserting at 340 the first scan shift enable signal and subsequent to asserting at 360 the second scan shift enable signal . turning now to fig7 a , in some embodiments , the processing unit 100 may reside on a silicon die / chip 710 . the silicon die / chip 710 may be housed on a motherboard or other structure of a computer system . in one or more embodiments ( not shown ), there may be more than one processing unit 100 on each silicon die / chip 710 . various embodiments of the processing unit 100 may be used in a wide variety of electronic devices . turning now to fig7 b in accordance with some embodiments , and as described above , the processing unit 100 may be included on the silicon chip / die 710 . the silicon chip / die 710 may contain one or more different configurations of the processing unit 100 . the silicon chip / die 710 may be produced on a silicon wafer 720 in a fabrication facility ( or “ fab ”) 730 . that is , the silicon wafers 720 and the silicon die / chip 710 may be referred to as the output , or product of , the fab 730 . the silicon chip / die 710 may be used in electronic devices . the circuits described herein may be formed on a semiconductor material by any known means in the art . forming can be done , for example , by growing or deposition , or by any other means known in the art . different kinds of hardware descriptive languages ( hdl ) may be used in the process of designing and manufacturing the microcircuit devices . examples include vhdl and verilog / verilog - xl . in some embodiments , the hdl code ( e . g ., register transfer level ( rtl ) code / data ) may be used to generate gds data , gdsii data and the like . gdsii data , for example , is a descriptive file format and may be used in different embodiments to represent a three - dimensional model of a semiconductor product or device . such models may be used by semiconductor manufacturing facilities to create semiconductor products and / or devices . the gdsii data may be stored as a database or other program storage structure . this data may also be stored on a computer readable storage device ( e . g ., data storage units , rams , compact discs , dvds , solid state storage and the like ) and , in some embodiments , may be used to configure a manufacturing facility ( e . g ., through the use of mask works ) to create devices capable of embodying various aspects of the instant disclosure . as understood by one or ordinary skill in the art , it may be programmed into a computer , processor , or controller , which may then control , in whole or part , the operation of a semiconductor manufacturing facility ( or fab ) to create semiconductor products and devices . in other words , some embodiments relate to a non - transitory computer - readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one processor to fabricate an integrated circuit . these tools may be used to construct the embodiments of the disclosure described herein . any method described herein may be implemented by a non - transitory computer - readable medium storing instructions that , when executed by a computer system , implement the method . the particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only , as the disclosed subject matter 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 disclosed subject matter . accordingly , the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below . | 6 |
fig1 presents a flow diagram representing a method according to the invention by way of example , in which method the verification of authorization information is performed mechanically . the actual ordering and purchase of the information to be verified have already taken place , and the ticket server functioning as an authorization server knows who is the legal owner of the information to be verified , so the server is able to send the authorization information to the right mobile station . in the method , the server maintaining owner information regarding the information to be verified first sends the information to be verified to its rightful owner , step 1 . the authorization information is transmitted in the form of an operator logo via a smsc network component of the mobile communication network . instead of a smsc network component ( short message service center , smsc ), it is possible to use e . g . a network component based on the gprs technology . the information is presented on the display of the mobile station by using the operator logo function and read from the display by means of a detector functioning as a verifier , step 2 . if the operator logo pattern is used e . g . as an electric cinema ticket , then all the information necessary for the use of the ticket can be transmitted by the method of the invention to the user &# 39 ; s terminal in a form which can be quickly verified visually but is still very difficult to forge / copy . in the case of a cinema ticket , the authorization information transmitted comprises information relating to the movie , such as e . g . use by date , time , seat / seats reserved and a part of the title of the movie . moreover , the authorization information comprises information relating to visual inspection , such as e . g . an array of predetermined patterns of a stochastic form . the array of patterns is used e . g . so that the array of patterns to be used in connection with each showing in the cinema is different . in this way the authenticity of the ticket being used is verified visually . in addition , if the information is only sent to the client a moment before the application of the ticket , the users will also not see the logo containing the information until just before the application of the ticket , so it will be very difficult to fabricate any homemade tickets . the detector comprises e . g . a display reader . for example , for verification of the information to be verified which the user has ordered , the user places the mobile station in a reader , which takes a picture of the display of the mobile station and performs an ocr - type ( optical character recognition , ocr ) examination of the information presented on the display . the information to be verified comprises e . g . a bar code , or completely stochastic patterns which cannot be distinguished from each other by the human eye . each ticket bears a unique pattern unambiguously identifying the ticket . the verifying device contains stored information containing all the patterns belonging to the set of tickets in question , so this feature makes it possible to completely eliminate any attempts at forging a ticket , yet without requiring the client to perform any time - consuming operations on his mobile station ; it is sufficient for the client to keep his mobile station for a very short time in the reader . further , in the communication between the mobile station and the verifying device , it is possible to take advantage of solutions based on bluetooth technology . ‘ bluetooth ’ is a wireless transmission technology designed for short distances , which is described in greater detail e . g . at www address www . bluetooth . com . in step 3 , the verifying device checks whether a ticket corresponding to the image presented as an operator logo exists or not . this check may be performed e . g . as an inquiry sent to the server having issued the ticket , or the information required for the verification may be stored in conjunction with the verifying device . the result of the verification is transmitted to the mobile station , step 4 a , and / or to the verifying device , step 4 b . in step 5 , the ticket is either rejected or accepted . fig2 presents by way of example a method according to the invention in the form of a flow diagram , in which method the authorization information is verified visually by a person . the actual ordering and purchase of the information have already taken place , and the ticket server functioning as an authorization server knows who is the rightful owner of the information to be verified , so the server is able to send the authorization information to the right mobile station . in the method , the server maintaining information regarding the owner of the information to be verified first sends the information to be verified to its rightful owner , step 21 . the authorization information is transmitted as an operator logo via the smsc network component of the mobile communication network . instead of the smsc network component ( short message service center , smsc ), it is possible to use e . g . a network component based on gprs technology . the information is presented on the display of the mobile station by using the operator logo function , and it is read from the display by a person acting as an inspector , step 22 . in step 23 , the ticket or equivalent information transmitted in each case as authorization information is accepted or rejected . the method illustrated in fig2 is particularly well suited for the transmission of e . g . patterns giving a right to a discount , such as e . g . a cash voucher for a packet of coffee , which needs to be verified quickly at a cash desk and which , because of the low value , is unlikely to be forged . fig3 presents by way of example a method according to the invention in the form of a flow diagram , in which method the authorization information is verified visually by a personal , and in which method , in the event of ambiguity , the person performing the verification , in addition to visual verification , also contacts a ticket server functioning as an authorization server to check the authenticity of the information to be verified . the actual ordering and purchase of the information have already taken place , and the ticket server functioning as an authorization server knows who is the rightful owner of the information to be verified , so the server is able to send the authorization information to the right mobile station . in the method , the server maintaining information regarding the owner of the information to be verified first sends the information to be verified to its rightful owner , step 31 . the authorization information is transmitted as an operator logo via the smsc network component of the mobile communication network . instead of the smsc network component ( short message service center , smsc ), it is possible to use e . g . a network component based on gprs technology . the information is presented on the display of the mobile station by using the operator logo function , and it is read from the display by the person acting as an inspector , step 32 . next , to obtain further surety , the person acting as a verifier sends a confirmation request e . g . by calling / sending a short message to a predetermined service number , from where he is connected e . g . to a server of the owner of the information to be verified , step 33 . the verification is based either on the telephone number of the client &# 39 ; s mobile station or on an identifier included in the information to be verified , said identifier consisting of e . g . a stochastically changing sequence of digits which in connection with the ordering of the ticket has been linked to the ordering party . thus , the verifier can inquire to whom a ticket provided with a given sequence of digits has been sold . after this , a confirmation message consisting of image or equivalent information is transmitted to the mobile station of the client being scrutinized , said message allowing the ticket inspector to definitely ascertain the rightful owner of the ticket , step 34 . in practice , the confirmation message is e . g . the original pattern sent against an operator logo . in addition / alternatively , the confirmation data can be sent e . g . to the inspector &# 39 ; s mobile station , step 35 . in this case , the confirmation comprises e . g . the information to be verified as an operator logo and owner information in the form of text . to guarantee the reliability of the verification , it can only be performed from predetermined numbers . in step 36 , the ticket or equivalent transmitted in each case as authorization information is accepted or rejected . the invention is not limited to the examples of its embodiments described above ; instead , many variations are possible within the inventive idea defined in the claims . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates a typical mobile phone 10 including a demodulator according to the invention . the phone 10 includes an antenna 12 for sending and receiving radio signals between itself and a radio communication system , such as a cellular communication system . the antenna 12 is connected to a transmitter / receiver circuit 14 to transmit radio signals to the network and likewise receiver radio signals from the network . a programmable processor 16 controls and coordinates the functioning of the phone responsive to messages on a control channel using programs and data stored in a memory 18 . the processor 16 also controls operation of the phone 10 responsive to input from an input / output circuit 20 . the input / output circuit 20 may be connected to a keypad as a user input device in a display to give the user information , as is conventional . referring to fig2 a block diagram illustrates a demodulator 22 for a receiver used in the phone 10 . the function of the demodulator 22 may be implemented in circuitry of a receiver portion of the transmitter / receiver circuit 14 , or software in the processor 16 , or a combination of both . the signal received by the antenna 12 is an rf signal . the rf signal is converted to baseband in a conventional manner and supplied to a sample block 24 . in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the sample block 24 takes eight samples per symbol of the received signal . the output of the sample block 24 is input to a down sample block 26 . the received signal at baseband is oversampled by a factor n . in the illustrated embodiment of the invention , n = 8 . in other words , the received signal is sampled at a rate n times the symbol rate . the sampled data is buffered in an array in the memory 18 where x [ n ] is the n th element or sample in the array . the down sample block 26 subsamples the data down to symbol rate , where n 0 is the beginning point of the burst transmission , as determined by an initial synchronization routine , and r [ k ] is the sample corresponding to the k th symbol . the received sample r [ k ] is used to calculate metrics using maximum likelihood sequence estimation ( mlse ) in an equalizer 28 . in the illustrated embodiment of the invention , the equalizer 28 utilizes the well known viterbi algorithm . using a conventional viterbi equalizer , the use of the sampling phase n 0 for the receiver processing is restricted to that determined at the beginning of the slot . in accordance with the invention , an offset , n off is used such that where n off can be positive or negative and can vary over the course of the demodulation . in accordance with the invention the innovative equalizer 28 alters that offset by recalculating metrics in a viterbi equalizer using samples delayed from and in advance of the current sample , or “ late ” and “ early ” samples . an estimate block 32 generates hypothetical sequences of symbols , each of which is fed through an estimated model of the channel , producing hypothetical samples to be fed to a summer 36 . a controller 30 feeds a received signal sample to the summer 36 to be subtracted from the hypothetical received sample to produce an error , which is squared in the controller 30 to produce a metric . the controller 30 then associates this metric with the appropriate hypothetical sequence , and forms cumulative metrics based on the sequence and associated metrics . these metrics are processed by the controller 30 using the viterbi algorithm to produce a final output sequence of symbols on a line 34 which is the most likely to have been transmitted . the viterbi algorithm is well known in the art . referring also to fig6 a curve 38 represents the received signal . in the illustrated embodiment , eight samples are obtained per symbol . the particular sample output by the downsample block 26 is illustrated with a dot 40 . in accordance with the invention , the equalizer 28 also uses an early sample , illustrated as a square 42 , and a late sample , illustrated with a triangle 44 . the equalizer 28 calculates metrics associated with the early and late samples to determine whether or not the sampling phase should be made earlier or later , and develops a corresponding control signal on a line 46 to the downsample block 26 . the use of the early and late metrics are for the purposes of observing changes in the channel during transmission . referring to fig3 - 5 , a flow diagram illustrates the synchronization tracking method according to the invention implemented in the control block 30 of fig2 . fig3 generally describes the process of the viterbi algorithm as is known in the art . the viterbi operates with a trellis consisting of multiple nodes , each representing a symbol time interval , each with multiple states . each state in a node represents a possible state for the received sample . the states are connected from node to node by transitions , representing a possible transmitted symbol . by calculating metrics for all the transitions at a given node and creating cumulative metrics , then comparing these cumulative metrics , a significant number of possible received sequences can be eliminated by only keeping the transition to a state which has the best metric . when the process starts , a cumulative metric is set equal to zero and node equal to zero at a block 50 . a metric is calculated and pruning process implemented for each node at a block 52 . a decision block 54 determines if all nodes , i . e ., symbols , in the slot are done . if not , then control returns back to the block 52 . when all nodes are done , then a block 56 selects the state in the last node that produced the best cumulative metric at a block 56 . which metric is “ best ” depends on the particular process being used , as is well known . the process then traces back along the path from this state to decode the associated symbols at a block 58 . the demodulation routine is then done . referring to fig4 a flow diagram illustrates the methods used in the metric calculation and pruning process performed at the block 52 of fig3 . initially , the destination state is initialized to zero at a block 60 . then begins a loop to calculate metrics for transitions from all possible source states . a block 62 initializes the source state and transition to zero . metrics are calculated at a block 64 for a particular source state and transition . a cumulative metric is created for the transition by adding the metric for that transition to the cumulative metric of the source state of that transition . this is repeated for all possible source states until a decision block 66 determines that all source states have been processed . if they have not , then a block 67 sets the source state to the next state and returns to the block 64 . once all states have been processed , then at a block 68 all transitions except the one with the best cumulative metric are pruned to provide a survivor transition to this destination state from one source state . the destination state then adopts the cumulative metric of the survivor transition as its own cumulative metric . early and late metrics are calculated for the survivor at a block 70 . particularly , this function is illustrated in expanded form , wherein the early metric with a slightly earlier received sample , see 42 of fig6 is calculated at a block 72 . the early metric is added to a cumulative metric from the source state of the survivor transition to form an early cumulative metric at a block 74 . a late metric is calculated with a slightly late received sample , see 44 of fig6 at a block 74 . the late metric is added to a cumulative metric from the source state of the survivor transition to form a late cumulative metric at a block 78 . once all transitions are done for a destination state , with reference to fig5 a block 80 compares the metrics from the early , present and late cumulative metrics . a decision block 82 determines if the early cumulative metric is the best . if so , a timing offset c which is adopted by the destination state from the source state of the survivor transition is decremented by a select fractional amount at a block 84 . if the early cumulative metric was not the best , as determined at the decision block 82 , then a decision block 86 determines if the late metric is best . if so , then the adopted timing offset r for the destination state is incremented by a select fractional amount at a block 88 and control then proceeds to the block 90 . if the late cumulative metric was not the best , as determined at the decision block 86 , then the present cumulative metric is the best and control proceeds to the block 90 . at the block 90 , the resulting timing offset τ for the destination state is used to produce a running timing offset by rounding the τ value to an integer value . this running timing offset is adapted by the destination state at a block 92 and will be used to determine the timing of the samples for calculation of the metrics of transitions from this state at the next node ( when this state becomes a source state ). a decision block 94 tests to see if all destination states in the node have been processed . if so , control proceeds to a block 98 , and the process is repeated for the next node . if all destination states have not been processed for this node , as determined at the block 94 , then the process is repeated for the next destination state at a block 96 , returning via node b to fig4 . the method described above follows the basic tenets of per survivor processing ( psp ). initial synchronization is performed using conventional methods in which a symbol sampling phase is chosen in the oversampled received data . more particularly , each state in the trellis maintains a real number offset , τ off state , which is expressed in terms of sampling time t s , where t s = t / n , and t is the symbol time . this real number is used to determine the integer offset for sampling : in the viterbi equalizer , metrics are calculated for each transition from each state in the trellis . in this psp implementation , each state uses a particular sampling phase offset , n off sta . to create the symbol rate sample for calculating the metric for transitions from that state , for the basic viterbi process , these transition metrics are added to cumulative metrics of the source state of the transition , creating a cumulative metric for each transition . based on these metrics , the transitions to a state are pruned to leave the transition with the best cumulative metric ( the lowest in the case of our terminal implementation ) as the survivor . the basic idea behind tracking this synchronization point is that while in the process of calculating the metric for each transition in the viterbi trellis using the present sampling phase , the metric for a parallel transition is calculated using a sampling phase that is earlier than the present sampling phase , and for a parallel transition using a sampling phase that is later than the present sampling phase , or in this manner , if there is a shift in the channel conditions that would warrant an early or later sampling phase , this would manifest itself in a better metric calculated for an early or late sample . to update the offset for each state , τ off state , the new state inherits the offset from the state which is at the source of the surviving transition , the inherited offset is then updated based on the result of the early metric and late metric calculation . for a given state , if the early metric of the surviving transition is the best , then the offset is decremented by a step size , α , if the late metric is the best for the surviving transition , then the offset is incremented by α , otherwise , if the original , present , metric prevails over the early and late metrics , the offset is left alone . in this manner , the synchronization offset is steered in the direction ( earlier or later ) which shows the best calculated metric . for this method , generally a small step size (& lt ; 0 . 5 , or half of a sample time period ) is desirable so that the synchronization does not change immediately on the encounter of a good early or late metric , but requires a number of increments before the actual synchronization offset n off sta is affected . there are number of variations on the method discussed above , some of which are a subset of the process ( and reduced in complexity ) and some of which are a superset of the process ( and generally increased in complexity ). instead of calculating the early and late metrics for only the surviving transitions as above , the early and late metrics can be calculated for all transitions ( in this example , the total number of metric calculations would be 48 ). then , pruning of the transitions could be made based on all metrics , not just the present metric as discussed earlier . the update of the timing offset would be made based on which metric ( early , late , or present ) was used which allowed a transition to survive . the metric for the path , then , would be summed into a single cumulative metric . this implies that a path through the trellis would be comprised of transitions which were based on metrics calculated at potentially many different synchronization points . the invention as discussed above is fashioned based on per survivor processing principals , where a separate timing offset is maintained for each state in the equalizer trellis . it is not necessary to do this , however , and the process can be simplified to the maintaining of a single sampling offset which is the basis for the samples used for all metric calculations . since there is a single offset to be maintained , the surviving transitions can be narrowed down to one on which to base the update . this could be accomplished by examining the cumulative metrics associated with each surviving transition , and taking the one with the best cumulative metric ( a process which is done to choose the best path for making symbol decisions ). the “ winner ” transition would then have early and late metrics calculated for it , and the update could be based on the prevailing transition metric . thus , in accordance with the invention , the timing offset is steered to an optimum synchronization point in a direction which provides the best calculated metric . this tracking of the shift in the synchronization point keeps the symbol spaced channel estimate matched in time as much as possible to the actual channels , thus improving the performance of an mlse equalizer . while this invention is disclosed in connection with an mlse equalizer , such is not required to carry out the invention . the invention may be used with other kinds of demodulators , such as differential detectors , as will be apparent . as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art , the present invention may be embodied as methods or devices . accordingly , the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment , or an embodiment combining hardware and software aspects . the present invention has been described in part with respect to the flow chart illustrations of fig3 - 5 of an embodiment of the present invention . it will be understood that each block of the flow chart illustration , and combinations of blocks in the flow chart illustration , can be implemented by computer program instructions . these program instructions , which represent steps , may be provided to a processor to produce a machine . accordingly , blocks of the flow chart illustration support combinations of means for performing the specified functions in combinations of steps for performing the specified functions . it will be understood that each block of the flow chart illustrations , and combinations of blocks in the flow chart illustrations , can be implemented by special purpose hardware - based systems which perform the specified functions or steps , or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions . | 7 |
referring to fig1 a - d the above described problem can be solved in the cervical , thoracic and lumbar spine by insertion into the denuded intervertebral disc space an expansile bi - directional fixating transvertebral ( bdft ) screw 100 or screws . fig1 a and 1b illustrate three - dimensional views of the screw 100 in closed and opened positions , respectively , upon its insertion into the intervertebral disc space . the screw 100 is self - drilling . the mechanism of its action entails the turning of a midline drive screw 100 / pinion 104 in a clock - wise direction . this motion is bi - directionally translated via an interposing gear mechanism 105 enabling the simultaneous outward movement of left and right handed screws 102 , 103 in equal and opposite directions . when the drive screw 101 and its accompanying drive screw shaft are turned clock - wise , the driving pinion 104 is likewise rotated . this motion is then translated to the driven gear 105 which is interposed between the drive screw 101 and two opposing self - drilling screws 102 , 103 , one left - handed and the other right - handed . the gear ring 110 has screw coupling slots ( fig1 c and 1d ). there are also symmetric keyways 120 and an alignment cylinder 113 . the left handed screw 102 fits into one half of the slots 114 , 115 and the right handed screw 103 into the other half of the slots . this is clearly illustrated in cross sections of the screw and gear in fig1 c and 1d , respectively . fig1 a - c also illustrate the external casing 111 of the device which contains the external screw threads 117 , 118 , against which the left and right handed internal threads interact 116 , 119 with . the casing includes an upper left casing 111 b and an upper right casing 111 a . below the upper casing 111 b there is a surface serration pattern 118 which is part of a retaining outer shell 112 . fig2 a - g illustrate embodiment ii of the bdft 200 . this design differs in two fundamental ways from embodiment i . firstly the driving pinion 201 accomplishes bi - directional movement by engaging left and right gears 204 , 205 which simultaneously turn left and right screws 202 , 203 ( fig2 c - g ). secondly , in it &# 39 ; s resting closed position the solid left screw 202 with a narrower diameter is buried within the right wider diameter hollow right screw 203 . this mechanism allows for greater length of screw expansion compared to embodiment i . maintaining alignment of screws 202 , 203 and pinions 201 is accomplished by upper casings 211 , outer shells 212 , and left and right screw caps 209 a , 209 b ( fig2 a - g ). fig3 a - e illustrate embodiment iii of the bdft 300 . this is similar to embodiment ii . the major difference is the use of two separate driving screws pinions 301 a , 301 b for the two separate gears 304 , 305 . there is one pinion 301 a for the left screw 302 and another pinion 301 b for the right screw 303 . the left screw 302 engages the left gear 304 which engages the left screw 302 . the right pinion 301 a engages the right gear 305 which engages the right screw 303 . because the left and right screws 302 , 303 have separate controls and are not linked by one common pinion , separate distinct motions of the screws 302 , 303 can be obtained , as opposed to equal and simultaneous screw movements of embodiments i and ii . like embodiment ii , embodiment iii consists of a smaller diameter solid left screw 302 which fits into a larger diameter hollow right screw 303 . this can achieve significant screw extension length as in embodiment ii . fig4 a and 4b illustrates the placement of a single btfd 1000 screw anteriorly into the intervertebral space between adjacent lumbar vertebrae 400 . fig4 a illustrates the closed position . fig4 b illustrates the opened position . the illustrations are of a generic bdft screw 1000 i . e . it applies to embodiments i - iii . placement of a single bdft anterior to an intervertbral spacer may be sufficient to prevent interspacer / device extrusion , and enhance spinal stability . fig4 c illustrates the placement of three btfd screws 1000 in a triangulating manner covering anterior and middle columns . the presence of three screws so situated would prevent subsidence of the screws 1000 . hence they act as a very open ibfd 1000 . bone material in the form of dbx or bmp etc . could be inserted into the intervertebral space in between the three screws 1000 . this construct could be used as a supplemental or stand alone - intervertebral fusion device . also illustrated is a cross - section of a vertebral endplate 401 demonstrating the triangular placement of screws 1000 engaging anterior and middle columns . fig5 a illustrates the zero - profile horizontal linear mini - plate 500 . note the slots for placement of the bdft screws 1000 . on the anterior surface are slots 504 for the driving pinion screws . fig5 b illustrates that the plate 500 consists of upper and lower portions 500 a , 500 b which articulate with each other via interdigitation of alignment pins 502 and recesses 503 . fig5 c illustrates the integration of the bdft screws 1000 into the mini - plate 500 . fig5 d illustrates the placement of the plate - bdft construct into the intervertebral space . after the construct is placed into the intervertebral space , the screws 1000 are expanded bi - directionally in order to engage the vertebral bodies 400 . this construct can be surgically placed via anterior or posterior approaches . fig6 a - g illustrate a zero - profile triangular mini - plate 600 . in this embodiment the plate encompasses all three triangularly situated bdft screws 1000 . the posteriorly placed bdft screw 1000 is expanded with a centrally placed drive screw / pinion with a long stem which extends posteriorly . as illustrated in fig6 h and 6i this embodiment 600 ′ could be made hollow to accommodate the packing of bone material and can actually function as a combined three - in - one fusion cage / plate / bdft screw construct . note that this plate embodiment 600 ′ also has upper and lower components similar to 600 a , 600 b ( fig6 a - c ). preferably , plates 600 ′ a and 600 ′ b , however , include slots 610 for placement of bone material . fig6 d - f illustrate the incorporation of the bdft screws 1000 into the triangular mini - plate 600 . fig6 g illustrates the positioning of the triangular mini - plate 600 with incorporated expanded screws 1000 into adjacent vertebral bodies 400 . fig7 a and 7b illustrate a boomerang shaped thoracolumbar ibfd 700 with ratchetable titanium or peek shells 710 , 711 which can expand geometrically in two dimensions . fig7 a illustrates the bdft screws 701 , 702 , 703 in partially expanded position . fig7 b illustrates the bdft screws 701 , 702 , 703 in fully expanded position . the outer shells 710 , 711 themselves when ratcheted width - wise have titanium or peek spikes 713 inserting themselves into and purchasing the endplates 401 , thus securing permanent integration into the vertebral endplates 401 . the outer shell 710 , 711 surfaces can be treated with hydroxyappetite to facilitate bone incorporation . these shells are fully described in our previous pct patent application pct / us2005 / 016493 , filed may 11 , 2005 . the ibfd device 700 has four shells and a plurality of spikes 713 . the height can be modified by adjusting four fixed height screws 712 . sequential turning of these screws 712 leads to height expansion between the rostral and caudal shells 710 , 711 by widening the distance between their superior and inferior shells 710 a , 710 b . once the ibfd 700 is properly positioned in the interspace the spikes 713 engage and purchase the vertebral endplates 401 . the three incorporated bdft screws 701 , 702 , 703 are turned clockwise leading to anterior and middle column engagement of the vertebral bodies 400 above and below the disc space . the bdft screws 701 , 702 , 703 are strategically placed ; one on each side of the superior shell 710 a and one centrally on the inferior shell 710 b . this captures anterior and middle columns of the vertebral column increasing spinal stability . after the bdft screws 701 , 702 , 703 are successfully purchased within the vertebral bodies 400 , bone fusion substances are placed / packed or poured , into the inner aspects of the device 700 and its surrounding intervertebral space . an alternative thoracolumbar ibfd embodiment not illustrated expands in two dimensions and has the additional feature of an incorporated expansile porous elastometric sheath molded to the inner aspects of the titanium shells . within the balloon is a port with or without an attached microsilastic catheter through which bone fusion material can be injected . supplemental bone fusion material can be added to the surrounding area of the device to further enhance fusion . furthermore for certain patients where applicable , a rapid fusion can be effected by the instillation of methyl - methacrylate a similar embodiment for a cervical ibfd is based on our previously described two - dimensional cervical expansion device in pct patent application pct / us2005 / 016493 , filed may 11 , 2005 . the engagement of the ibfd shell spikes 713 and the bdft screws 701 , 702 , 703 into the vertebral bodies 400 above and below the device would obviate the need for any kind of anterior plating system . fig8 a - n illustrate a calibrated facet joint stapler 800 which can be used to staple the thoracolumbar inferior and superior articulating facets with incremental torquedegrees . incrementally increasing the degrees of calibration modulates the extent of facet joint flexibility . this can be used as an option to provide posterior column support and can be used in an open , or percutaneous , endoscopic or fluoroscopic approach . depending on the operative approach and the individual patient , facet stapling can be performed unilaterally or bilaterally . fig8 a illustrates an exploded view of the joint stapler 800 and its components . fig8 b and 8c illustrate the stapler 800 in an open position . fig8 d and 8e illustrate the stapling device 800 and staples 803 a , 803 b in a closed position . fig8 f and 8g illustrate the stapling device 800 and staples 803 a , 803 b in a closed , staple released , position . the stapling device 800 includes two orthogonally placed levers 801 a , 801 b which open and close over a triangular fulcrum 810 . fig8 h - j illustrate an exploded view of the components of the lever 801 a , 801 b . fig8 k and 8l illustrate details of the cartridge 802 a , 802 b . fig8 m and 8 n illustrate a transparent view of details of the triangular fulcrum 810 . as shown in fig8 a - 8j , each lever 801 a , 801 b includes a grip handle 815 , an arm 816 , a rounded wedge or cam 817 , and a fulcrum screw hole 818 . the levers 801 a , 801 b are rotatably coupled to the triangular fulcrum 810 by a fulcrum screw 812 ( shown in fig8 a ), which is inserted in the fulcrum screw hole 818 . also illustrated are spring anchors 814 . fig8 m and 8n illustrate the details of the triangular fulcrum 810 , which is formed by portions 810 a , 810 b . the triangular fulcrum 810 includes mating alignments , which include fastener pins 832 on one portion 810 a of the triangular fulcrum 810 and fastener openings 833 on the other portion 810 b of the triangular fulcrum 810 . the triangular fulcrum 810 includes an opening 831 for receiving the fulcrum screw 812 ( shown in fig8 a ) that rotatably couples the levers 801 a , 801 b to the triangular fulcrum 810 . the triangular fulcrum 810 includes right and left linear guides or slots 809 a , 809 b that guide the sliding elements or followers 825 of the left and right staple cartridges 802 b , 802 b . most importantly , the triangular fulcrum 810 includes four incremental calibration slots 830 for incremental degrees of facet joint stapling . as shown in fig8 k and 8l , the cartridges 802 a , 802 b each include a cartridge portion 823 having a staple slot 824 that holds a titanium staple 803 a , 803 b . the cartridges 802 a , 802 b each include a sliding element or follower 825 that is guided by the right and left linear guides or slots 809 a , 809 b of the triangular fulcrum 810 . the cartridges 802 a , 802 b each include a lever - cartridge pin slot 822 . the cartridges 802 a , 802 b each include a semi - elliptic cam or cam surface that cooperates with a portion of the first lever arm 801 a or the second lever arm 801 b , respectively . as shown in fig8 b - 8f , the rounded wedges or cams 817 of the levers 801 a , 801 b engage the left and right staple cartridges 802 a , 802 b . as shown in fig8 b and 8f , the levers 801 a , 801 b are moved together about the fulcrum screw 812 such that the rounded wedges or cams 817 of the levers 801 a , 801 b engage the left and right staple cartridges 802 a , 802 b and push the left and right staple cartridges 802 a , 802 b linearly together . the sliding elements or followers 825 of the left and right staple cartridges 802 b , 802 b are guided linearly by the right and left linear guides or slots 809 a , 809 b of the triangular fulcrum 810 . in this manner , the portions of the titanium staple 803 a , 803 b , which are held by the staple slot 824 of the left and right staple cartridges 802 a , 802 b are stapled together , as shown in fig8 f and 8g . fig8 o and 8p illustrate frontal and perspective views , respectively of the two opposing titanium facet staples 803 a , 803 b . each staple 803 a , 803 b consists of a bracket 836 , a nail 837 and an alignment pin 835 . illustrated are four sequential calibrated tightening positions of the opposing staples 803 a , 803 b . increasing the calibrated opposition of the two staples 803 a , 803 b leads to increasing opposition of the facet joints and hence increasing rigidity , and decreasing flexibility . each staple 803 a , 803 b has two alignment recesses 838 . the opposition of these staples 803 a , 803 b around the facet joint forms a rectangular facet joint enclosure . fig8 q and 8r illustrate the stapled inferior and superior articulating facets 851 , 852 . fig8 r illustrates the application of the facet stapler 800 on the facets 851 , 852 introducing the facet staple 803 . the facet staple is used to join the exterior articulating facet 851 and the interior articulating facet 852 . the surgical steps necessary to practice the present invention will now be described . the posterior lumbar spine implantation of the bdft screws 1000 , plate and ibfd can be implanted via a previously described posterior lumbar interbody fusion procedure ( plif ) or posterior transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion procedure ( tlif ). the procedure can be performed open , microscopic , closed , tubular or endoscopic . fluoroscopic guidance can be used with any of these procedures . after the adequate induction of anesthesia , the patient is placed in the prone position . a midline incision is made for a plif , and one or two parallel paramedian incisions or a midline incision is made for a tlif . for the plif a unilateral or bilateral facet sparing hemi - laminotomy is created to introduce the bdft screws 1000 , plates or ibfd into the disc space after it is adequately prepared . for the tlif procedure , after a unilateral dissection and drilling of the inferior articulating surface and the medial superior articulating facet , the far lateral disc space is entered and a circumferential discectomy is performed . the disc space is prepared and the endplates exposed . there are then multiple embodiments to choose from for an intervertebral body fusion . with the first and simplest choice , under direct or endoscopic guidance one bdft screw 1000 or three bdft screws 1000 can be placed in a triangulating manner encompassing the anterior and middle vertebral columns ( fig4 a - c ). the screws 1000 are then maximally expanded purchasing and uniting the vertebral bodies above and below the disc space . bone material or an alternative intervertebral fusion device can then be packed into the disc space . the casing of the screws 1000 prevents subsidence of the vertebral bodies . an additional option in the posterior lumbar spine is to place a mini - plate dorsally underneath the thecal sac to prevent bone migration into the nerves . in addition via a tlif approach a triangular mini - plate / cage construct can be inserted , and then the bdft screws 1000 maximally expanded . this is a very simple and practical supplemental or stand - alone intervertebral fusion device . using an alternative ibfd option , utilizing specialized forceps the two - dimensional expanding thoracolumbar expandable ibfd 700 ( fig7 a and 7b ) is introduced into the disc space . the final dimension expansion in all embodiments leads to purchasing of the spikes into the vertebral endplates . the bdft screws 1000 are then driven directly into rostral and caudal vertebral bodies across the intervertebral space . then bone fusion material ; autologous , allograft , bone matrix protein , bmp , rh - bmp , paste or other similar currently available or specially designed osteoconductive substances can be placed into the device and the surrounding intervertebral space . in embodiments with an incorporated viscoelastic balloon sheath , prior to engaging the screws the expandable elastometric sheath / balloon is filled with bone fusion material as mentioned above . if desirable , further material , can be placed outside its confines within the intervertebral space . if further posterior column stability or rigidity is required , unilateral or bilateral , single level or multiple level facet screw stapling can be performed under open , microscopic fluoroscopic or endoscopic vision . radiographic confirmation of staple position is obtained . calibrated stapling leads to opposition of the facet joints with incremental degrees of joint opposition . this can lead to variable degrees of posterior column rigidity and / or flexibility . the anterior lumbar spine implantation of solitary bdft screw ( s ) 1000 , bdft screws incorporated into a horizontal linear or triangular mini - plate , or the ibfd / bdft screw embodiment for l 4 / 5 and l 5 / s 1 interspaces can be performed on the supine anesthetized patient via previously described open micropscopic or endoscopic techniques . once the disc space is exposed and discectomy and space preparation is performed , placement of one , two or three bdft screws 1000 with or without a ventral mini - plate , or placement of two dimensionally expanding ibfd with or without expansile elastometric sheaths and their incorporation is identical to that performed for the posterior approach . the posterior placement of the bdft screws 1000 alone or combined with mini - plates or with ibfd embodiments into the thoracic spine can be performed via previously described transpedicular approaches ; open or endoscopic . the anterior placement of the ibfd 700 into the thoracic spine can be accomplished via a trans - thoracic approach . once disc space exposure is obtained via either approach , all of the above mentioned embodiments can be inserted . engagement of the devices is identical to what was mentioned above . for anterior placement of the cervical embodiments of the bdft screw ( s ) 1000 with or without the horizontal linear or triangular cervical mini - plate , and the ibfd embodiments the anterior spine is exposed in the anesthetized patient as previously described for anterior cervical discectomies . once the disc space is identified , discectomy is performed and the disc space prepared . implantation and engagement of all devices is identical to that described for the anterior lumbar and thoracic spines . the present invention may provide an effective and safe technique that overcomes the problems associated with current transpedicular - based thoracic and lumbar fusion technology , and with current vertical cervical plating technology , and for many degenerative stable and unstable spine diseases , and could replace many pedicle screw - based and anterior vertical - plate based instrumentation in many but not all degenerative spinal conditions . calibrated facet joint screw staples can facilitate flexible fusions and could replace current static trans - facet screws . to our knowledge there has not been any other previously described bi - directional screw for use in the spine , other joints , or for any commercial or carpentry application . the bi - directional screw 1000 described herein may indeed have applications in general commercial , industrial and carpentry industries . to our knowledge the description of zero to subzero profile anterior or posterior horizontal spinal plates which traverse the diameter of the disc space has not been previously described . to our knowledge an intervertebral three - in - one construct combining bone cage , plate and screws has not been previously reported . to our knowledge calibrated facet joint staples 803 a , 803 b have not been previously described . | 0 |
fig1 shows in a perspective view the foam dispenser , indicated generally by the numeral 10 . as seen in this view , dispenser 10 has a gun manifold or block 11 with a nozzle to which is attached a static mixer ( not shown ). a pneumatic cylinder 12 is shown attached to the rear of the gun block 11 . an electric solenoid valve 14 connects to the cylinder 12 to control the flow of pressurized air to the cylinder 12 , whose piston ( not shown ) drives the rack 15 of the rotary gear valve assembly 16 to turn the gears 18 to control the synchronous flow of plural components into the improved chemical flow separator ( not shown ) within the gun block 11 . an electric trigger ( not shown ) is connected to a handle 17 to control the flow of air into the cylinder 12 and , hence , the flow of plural components through the dispenser 10 . also seen in fig1 is the isocyanate a side feed line 19 with couplings 56 and the polyol b side feed line 20 with couplings 58 ( partially visible ). an air supply line 21 is shown to the rear of the manifold 11 with connections feeding the solenoid valve 14 and the drying air feed line 22 from air line 59 and the three way pipe tee or coupling 24 , respectively . the solenoid valve , upon activation by the electric trigger ( not shown ), permits pressurized gas to flow from the air feed pipe tee 23 to the cylinder 12 to cause movement of the piston within cylinder 12 to thereby control the movement of the rack 15 and the rotation of the rotary gear valve assembly 16 . as the rack 15 synchronously causes the gears 18 of gear valve assembly 16 to rotate , the flow of the isocyanate and polyol components into the chemical flow separator 28 of fig2 is controlled through the rotary valves 25 and 26 into inlet orifices 29 and 31 in opposing sides of the separator 28 . when the rotary valves 25 and 26 are in the open position for the flow of the plural components , the isocyanate component flows from the feed line 19 into the isocyanate internal passage 30 and the polyol component flows from the feed line 20 into the polyol internal passage 32 within the separator 28 . the air supply line 21 divides at air feed pipe tee 23 to supply pressurized gas to the previously described cylinder 12 and solenoid valve 14 and on demand to feed through control valve 34 into the rear of manifold or gun block 11 via coupling 24 prior to feedline 22 . feedline 22 feeds into a fitting 35 that is threadingly fastened to the back of block 11 where continued access into the block 11 is controlled by rotating valve 36 . valve 36 is controlled in its rotational movement between open and closed positions by the rotation of lever 38 about the mounting of screw 61 , best seen in fig2 and 3 . the lever 38 is keyed to the valve 36 and can have a washer between it and the gun block 11 . valve 36 is secured for rotational movement on its opposing side by an appropriate means , such as a snap ring . a set screw 33 can also be used with screw 61 , which in combination with appropriate o - ring seals , makes the valve chamber 39 fluid - tight . the set screw 33 is placed within a tapped hole of about 1 / 2 inch , for example , so that it is fully tightened within the gun block 11 and secured against further rotation . in the closed position valve 36 serves as a check valve . referring again to fig1 an aqueous cleaning medium also flows into the gun block 11 via the same feedline 22 by the closing of the manual air control valve 34 on air supply line 21 and the opening of the manual aqueous cleaning medium control valve 40 . this allows an aqueous cleaning medium , such as soapy water , to flow from the aqueous cleaning medium feed line 37 through the control valve 40 into the coupling 24 and the feedline 22 and then into the rear of gun block 11 through the fitting 35 . in the cleaning mode of operation , best understood by viewing fig2 the aqueous cleaning medium flows first through the fitting 35 and into the cleaning passage 43 when the rotating valve 36 is in the open position . the medium then passes into the isocyanate and polyol internal gun block feed passages 41 and 42 via the valve 36 from where it enters the rear of the separator 28 through the orifices 44 and 45 that are within annular sealing recesses 54 and 55 ( see briefly fig4 ). recesses 54 and 55 accommodate appropriate sealing devices , such as o - rings , connecting orifices 44 and 45 to the isocyanate and polyol feed passages 41 and 43 to effect a liquid - tight seal against the separator 28 . the aqueous cleaning medium then passes through the passages 41 and 42 into the internal cleaning and drying passages 46 and 48 of the separator 28 and out through outlet port 49 in each of the recessed openings 27 in the side or periphery of the separator 28 adjacent the isocyanate infeed orifice 29 and the polyol infeed orifice 31 . this permits the aqueous cleaning medium to clean the portion of the rotary valves 25 and 26 exposed to the isocyanate and polyol infeed orifices 29 and 31 , respectively , and then flow back into the interior of separator 28 through orifices 29 and 31 into the isocyanate and polyol internal feed passages 30 and 32 , respectively . it should be noted that the isocyanate and polyol infeed orifices 29 and 31 are sized to the desired dispenser 10 output to control the back pressure of the components upstream of the orifices 29 and 31 to prevent premature frothing . as is best seen in fig2 internal feed passages 30 and 32 are angled from the rear to the front of the separator 28 so that they join together in a mixing chamber 50 at the very front of the separator 28 in a section that is of smaller diameter than the rear section of the separator 28 . these separate feed passages 30 and 32 within the separator or stream splitter 28 that is inserted into the gun block 11 keeps the isocyanate a side and polyol b side components separated until they enter the mixing chamber 50 within the nozzle 51 of the separator 28 . it is at this junction in the mixing chamber 50 that the isocyanate and polyol components react by impingement mixing and exit the dispenser 10 into the static mixer ( not shown ) that is fastened to the gun block 11 by the adapter fitting 13 of fig1 . the combined components are further mixed in the static mixer tubular housing with its mixing elements ( both not shown ). a fluid - tight seal is effected between the static mixer and the nozzle portion 51 with its mixing chamber 50 by appropriate means , such as o - rings . the chemical flow stream separator 28 fits as an insert within a hollowed - out opening 53 in gun block 11 , partially seen in fig2 and 3 , so that the entire rear portion of the separator 28 and about one quarter of the nozzle 51 is seated within the gun block 11 . the remaining portion of the nozzle 51 extends out of the front of the gun block 11 and fits within the adapter fitting 13 and the static mixer ( not shown ). the hollowed out opening 53 is machined out within the gun block 11 and has tapered threads 52 at its front to secure the adapter fitting 13 and the static mixer ( not shown ). an adaptor and tighten down nut ( also not shown ), through which the tubular housing of the static mixer extends , may be utilized to securely fasten the static mixer to the adaptor fitting 13 on the manifold or gun block 11 . it is to be understood that this type of a portable or on - site polyurethane foam dispenser 10 is part of a foam generating system that usually comprises two storage tanks for supplying the two inter - reactive polyurethane - forming materials which are the isocyanate and polyol components . a gas pressure supplying system is provided to pressurize these tanks to expel or force the reactants out therefrom through bulk flow supply lines that connect via the couplings 56 and 58 of fig1 to the feed lines 19 and 20 of the dispenser 10 . a typical foam dispenser corresponding to dispenser 10 is shown and described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 073 , 664 , specifically incorporated by reference hereinafter in pertinent part insofar as it is consistent with the present invention and utilizing minor modifications , such as described herein . the static mixer with its internal mixing elements may be of any suitable design , such as that described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 850 , 705 . in operation , the dispenser 10 is activated by depression of the trigger switch ( not shown ) on the handle 17 which allows air to activate the air cylinder 12 and force the cylinder rod ( not shown ) to cause the rack 15 to move the gear 18 to the open position , thereby rotating the rotary valves 25 and 26 . this permits the pressurized isocyanate a component and the polyol b component to flow through the feed lines 19 and 20 into the gun block 11 via the isocyanate and polyol infeed orifices 29 and 30 in the separator 28 . the flow streams of the isocyanate a and the polyol b components are kept separate within the separator 28 by passing through the angled isocyanate and polyol infeed passages 30 and 32 until routed into the mixing chamber 50 within the nozzle 51 . the isocyanate a and the polyol b components are then combined and fed under pressure into the static mixer tube for further mixing and dispensing as the finished product . during the foam dispensing operation the manual air control flow valve 34 and the manual aqueous cleaning medium flow control valve 40 have been in the closed positions . when it is necessary to clean the dispenser 10 after the foam dispensing operation , the aqueous cleaning medium flow control valve 40 is opened to permit the cleaning and purging liquid medium , preferably soapy water , to flow through the aqueous cleaning medium feed line 37 and the coupling 24 into the gun block feedline 22 . the aqueous cleaning medium then flows into the gun block 11 through the fitting 35 and the cleaning passage 43 . valve 36 is opened by depressing lever 38 to permit the cleaning medium to flow into the isocyanate and polyol cleaning passages 41 and 42 , respectively . the cleaning medium then passes into the separator 28 via the internal cleaning and drying passages 46 and 48 . the cleaning medium is momentarily routed out of the separator 28 through the outlet ports 49 to clean the exposed portions of the closed rotary valves 25 and 26 and then reenters the separator 28 through the isocyanate and polyol infeed orifices 29 and 31 , respectively . the cleaning medium then passes through the isocyanate and polyol internal infeed passages 30 and 32 to flush any residual foam components therefrom into the mixing chamber 50 . the cleaning medium can then be directed through the static mixer , or the static mixer can be detached from the dispenser 10 and cleaned separately or discarded , as may be appropriate . after the aqueous cleaning medium has completed the flushing of the dispenser 10 , any residual medium must be removed to preclude reaction with the foam components upon operation of the foam dispenser . this is accomplished by the shutting of the aqueous medium control valve 40 and the opening of the air control valve 34 , simultaneously with the continued depression of the valve lever 38 , to permit drying air to follow the same route as the aqueous cleaning medium within the gun block 11 and the separator 28 . the drying air , or other appropriate gas , is fed from the supply line 21 into the gun block 11 via the coupling 24 and the fitting 35 . while the invention has been described above with the references to specific embodiments thereof , it is apparent that many changes , modifications and variations in the materials , arrangement of parts and steps can be made without departing from the inventive concept disclosed herein . accordingly , the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims is intended to embrace all such changes , modifications and variations that may occur to one of skill in the art upon a reading of the disclosure . all patent applications , patents and other publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety in pertinent part . | 1 |
fig1 is an illustration of an apicoaortic conduit , which extends from the apex of the left ventricle to the descending aorta with a prosthetic valve positioned within the conduit . the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes aspects of the connector conduit and an applicator used to implant the connector conduit . the connector - conduit with applicator of the present invention is best described as consisting of five major parts : a connector - conduit , a retractor , hole forming device such as a coring element , a pushing component , and a handle . a fabric material pleated conduit of a type common and well known in the field is permanently fixed to the inner surface of a rigid connector to form the connector - conduit . the conduit extends from the forward edge of the connector and continues beyond the connector , as a flexible portion , for some distance . the connector - conduit includes a rigid portion defined by an internal support structure made of a suitably flexible material that is preferentially biased to assume a bent configuration ( such as a right angle ) upon removal of restraining forces . in one embodiment , the connector internal support structure is covered with fabric , such as knitted or woven dacron , for example . a suturing ring is integrated into the covering fabric and provides a suitable flange for suturing the connector to the surface of the heart . the leading edge of the connector is tapered to facilitate insertion of the connector - conduit component . the “ rigid ” portion is rigid enough to facilitate insertion as described below and to maintain the hole in an open position . however , the rigid portion can be flexible . accordingly , the term “ rigid ” as defined herein means relatively rigid and can include flexibility . as shown in fig2 a , the structural frame 10 of the connector - conduit is a series of circular rings 14 joined to a curved spine 18 . during implantation , the curved spine 18 is straightened , as shown in fig2 b , resulting in a straight pathway for the passage of instruments . as an alternative , the connector - conduit could include circular rings 14 without curved spine 18 . as such , the circular rings would prevent collapse of the conduit , but the curved conduit would be formed manually after implantation , rather than by being formed by the curved spine 18 . as another alternative , a modified coil spring in the shape of a curve could be used instead of circular rings 14 and curved spine 18 . properties of the coil spring would be chosen to prevent radial collapse and to provide appropriate stiffness of the curved position . the leading edge of structural frame 10 is a taper 20 which allows for easy insertion of the connector through the ventricle wall . the material of the structural frame 10 could be a shape memory alloy ( e . g ., nitinol ), plastic , or other similar biocompatible material . fig3 a illustrates a fabric covering 24 over the outside surface of structural frame 10 . because connector surface 22 is in contact with the myocardial hole after implantation , a suturing ring or flange 26 is incorporated into the fabric covering 24 to provide an attachment site for sutures to anchor the connector to the heart . the fabric covered suture ring 26 could be made of a biocompatible foam or rubber . fig3 b shows the fabric covered structural frame 10 and suturing flange 26 in a straightened position . the straightened position can be achieved by , for example , inserting a straight instrument through the lumen of the frame . alternately , the structure can be held in the open position through the use of stay stitches 28 , or the like , placed such that the circular rings 14 are held in close proximity . fig3 c is a view similar to fig3 b , showing the structural frame in the straightened position with a pleated fabric conduit 30 . conduit 30 extends from taper 20 of the structural frame 10 , through the length of the structural frame 10 , and for some additional length beyond the structural frame 10 to define a flexible portion of the connector conduit . an orientation marker ( not shown ) on connector surface 22 , for example , is used to identify the direction that conduit 30 will be oriented once implanted into the heart . the orientation marker is visible at all times to assist the surgeon while placing the connector - conduit 32 into the connector - conduit applicator and to facilitate implantation at an appropriate angle into the heart . also , a radiopaque marker ( s ) ( not shown ) may be integrated into the entire length of fabric covering 24 and conduit 30 to facilitate identification and location of the structure by x - ray or other means . referring to fig4 , in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention , a hole forming device such as coring element 40 , is placed concentrically within the lumen of the connector - conduit 32 . the coring element 40 preferably consists of a tubular structure , which could be made entirely of metal ( such as stainless steel ) or primarily of a plastic material with a metal insert for the leading edge 42 . in a preferred configuration , the leading edge 42 of coring element 40 may be suitably sharpened such that it cuts a plug of tissue of approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the coring element 40 . note that the hole forming device can be any known mechanism for forming a hole , such as a laser cutter , a thermal ablation device , a chemical ablation device , or the like . an interference fit between connector surface 22 and the hole created by the coring element 40 is necessary to reduce bleeding from the cut myocardial surface and to reduce blood leakage from the left ventricle . the amount of such interference fit is the difference between the diameters of the hole created by the coring element 40 and the outer surface of the connector 22 . in a preferred embodiment of the device , the coring element 40 has an outer diameter that closely matches the inner diameter of the connector - conduit 32 . such construction allows removal of the coring element 40 through the connector - conduit 32 while presenting only a small blood pathway between these two elements . such construction is intended to minimize blood loss from the left ventricle when the coring element 40 has completed its cut . fig4 further illustrates the concentric placement of the retractor element 50 within the coring element 40 . retractor element 50 includes a blunt tip 52 , a tubular body 54 , an expanding element 56 , such as a balloon , and an access means 58 for engageably expanding element 56 . access means 58 can be a plunger 58 a in a cylinder 58 b configuration , whereby displacement of the plunger expands or contracts expanding element 56 . a centering plug 60 is shown concentrically positioned within and rigidly attached to coring element 40 . the centering plug 60 concentrically positions retractor element 50 , which slideably moves within the centering plug 60 . the centering plug 60 also presents a barrier to the flow of blood through coring element 40 , once the tissue plug is formed . proper placement of centering plug 60 within coring element 40 should consider tradeoffs between two different parameters . first , centering plug 60 should be placed at a position within coring element 40 , which allows ample space for the expanding element 56 and the tissue plug . second , since radial force from the heart wall tends to deflect the expanding element 56 , retractor element 50 must have a sufficient stiffness to substantially resist such deflection . such deflection may also be reduced by limiting the axial distance between the expanding element 56 and centering plug 60 . fig5 shows a cylinder plug tool 45 for insertion into coring element 40 prior to loading connector - conduit 32 onto coring element 40 . cylinder plug tool 45 facilitates loading connector - conduit 32 without damage from leading edge 42 of coring element 40 . once the connector - conduit 32 is loaded , cylinder plug tool 45 is removed and placed aside . as a safety measure , cylinder plug tool 45 has an extended length with a tapered blunted end 45 a , which extends to cover retractor element 50 , preventing insertion of the retractor element 50 into the left ventricle before cylinder plug 45 is removed . referring to fig6 , another embodiment of the present invention shows a compression spring 70 placed around the retractor element 50 . one end of the compression spring 70 seats on the centering plug 60 , and the other end seats on a sliding plug 72 . sliding plug 72 is rigidly connected to retractor element 50 . spring 70 ensures that expanding element 56 seats snugly against the inside wall of the ventricle to symmetrically displace the ventricle wall from the path of the coring element . once the tissue plug is cut from the ventricle by coring element 40 , spring 70 also pulls the tissue plug fully within the coring element 40 . fig7 illustrates a further embodiment , wherein a cylinder - shaped pushing element 80 is positioned concentrically outside the connector - conduit element 32 . pushing element 80 is used to apply force to the coring element 40 and connector - conduit element 32 . this force is required for the coring element 40 to cut the hole in the myocardium and for pushing the connector - conduit element 32 into the hole . the end of the pushing element 80 that is in contact with the suture ring 26 has a roughened surface 82 intended to prevent relative rotary motion between the suture ring 26 and pushing element 80 . as such , the pushing element 80 allows both a force and a back - and - forth rotary motion to simultaneously be applied to the coring element 40 and connector - conduit element 32 , as required to fully seat the suture ring 26 flush with the surface of the heart . pushing element 80 could be made of metal , plastic or other suitable material . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a handle 90 is rigidly attached to pushing element 80 . as shown , handle 90 is configured similar to a pistol grip , for example , handle 90 having an angle of about 70 degrees , with the pushing element 80 . handle 90 provides a user - friendly interface for the surgeon to hold with one hand , to position the coring element 40 , to apply axial force to the connector - conduit element and to provide a back - and - forth rotational motion of around 90 degrees . of course , many alternatives exist for the user interface . for example , the pushing element 80 itself could be used as the handle . as another example , a handle could form a “ t ” shape on the end of the pushing element 80 . also shown in fig8 a , an access means 58 is used to expand or contract expanding element 56 . access means 58 , for example , can be a trigger - type mechanism integrated into handle 90 . as such , the user can use a finger to pull plunger 58 a into the cylinder 58 b , thereby displacing the fluid ( such as saline ) inside the cylinder 58 b into the balloon 56 . fig8 b shows the inflation of the balloon 56 . as a safety feature , the plunger can have a latching device ( not shown ) that latches the plunger 58 a with the balloon fully inflated , thereby preventing deflation of the balloon before intended . fig9 and 10 show a mechanism for controlling deployment of the retractor element 50 . a slot 84 is cut into pushing element 80 . slot 84 has an index 84 a to lock retractor element 50 at full extension and an index 84 b to lock retractor element 50 at full retraction . bolt 72 a is rigidly attached to sliding plug 72 . bolt 72 a can be manually displaced within slot 84 to position the retractor element 50 . in operation , bolt 72 a is positioned in index 84 a until the retractor element 50 is fully inserted into the left ventricle and the expanding element 56 is at full expansion . at that time , bolt 72 a is manually released from index 84 a , which allows compression spring 70 to retract retractor element 50 until expanding element 56 contacts the inside wall of the left ventricle . a damping means ( not shown ) may be included to prevent sudden retraction of the retractor element upon release from index 84 a . also not shown is a safety latch or other means to prevent manual release of the bolt 72 a until the expanding element 56 is fully expanded . as the surgeon applies force and rotation using handle 90 , compression spring 70 continues to displace retractor element 50 . when retractor element 50 is fully retracted , the surgeon can rotate bolt 72 a into index 84 b to lock the retractor element 50 in place . moreover , when retractor element 50 is fully retracted , the expanding element 56 is also fully retracted into coring element 40 , indicating that the tissue plug has been successfully removed from the left ventricle and is within the coring element 40 . referring to the embodiment of fig1 a - 11c , the connector conduit has a structural frame 101 defining a rigid portion , which may be constructed from a single material or a combination of materials . the structural frame 101 includes a tapered leading edge 110 designed to reduce the effort needed to push the connector through the heart wall located at one end of a cage section 120 and a bend portion 140 that is normally biased into a bent configuration . as shown in fig1 c , a tapered and beveled leading edge 150 may further reduce the required effort . during use , cage 120 resides primarily within the heart wall , so it must be constructed so as to be rigid enough to not collapse due to radial forces exerted by the heart wall . the cage 120 may include cage slots 121 . the cage slots 121 allow the passage of thread to secure the conduit or the sewing flange . a holder 130 is formed at one end of cage 120 and may be used to grasp the connector during implantation . as will be described further herein , holder 130 can have a slot - and - key configuration with the applicator . as such , the holder 130 utilizes holder slots 431 or a holder button 430 ( fig1 ). holder button 430 may be a separate part that is anchored ( e . g ., by thread or glue ) to structural frame 101 . if desired , the holder slots 431 or holder button 430 may be designed to place the flexible bend 140 or rigid bend 145 ( fig1 ) at a preferred angle relative to the applicator . alternatively , the holder 130 may rely upon a tight friction fit with the applicator . in a preferred configuration , the holder 130 relies upon both a slot - and - key and a tight friction fit to lock the holder 130 relative to the applicator . referring again to fig1 a and 11b , bend portion 140 includes circular rings 141 and a curved spine 142 . the circular rings 141 prevent radial collapse of the conduit , and the curved spine 142 holds the conduit in a preferred shape to direct blood flow from the heart to the aorta . the curved spine 142 may be at the outer radius of bend portion 140 ( as shown ) or at the inner radius of the flexible bend . as an alternative , flexible bend 140 may include two curved spines at the mean radius . as another alternative , the structural frame 101 could include circular rings 141 without curved spine 142 . as another alternative , a modified coil spring in the shape of a preferred bend could be used instead of circular rings 141 and curved spine 142 . properties of the coil spring would be chosen to prevent radial collapse and to provide appropriate stiffness of the curved position . the structural frame of fig1 a - 12 is intended for mounting onto the outer diameter of a straight mounting element . as such , the bend portion 140 must be constructed to allow straightening of the curved spine 142 . if curved spine 142 is made of a material or combination of materials with higher modulus of elasticity ( e . g ., peek , metal ), the flexible bend 140 is stiffer . as such , the flexible bend 140 may be biased to resume a preferred shape ( e . g ., a 90 ° bend ) when removed from the mounting element . if the curved spine 142 is made of a material with a lower modulus of elasticity ( e . g ., polypropylene , polyethylene ), the bend portion 140 is less stiff . as such , the bend portion 140 may be biased relatively straight when removed from the straight mounting element . in such case , some bending means may be needed to position the bend portion 140 into the preferred shape . one embodiment of a bending means is shown in fig1 a and 13b , which illustrate use of threads 143 that are secured to the holder 130 ( for example ) and weaved through circular rings 141 . when threads 143 are pulled , the bend portion 140 changes from the normally biased , straight configuration of fig1 a to the bent configuration of fig1 b . when the flexible bend 140 reaches the preferred shape , the threads may be tied to form a knot or crimped . if desired , the bending means can be used with a curved spine 142 constructed of a high modulus of elasticity material to prevent straightening beyond the preferred angle . as discussed previously , structural frame 101 may be constructed with a fixed bend 145 , as shown in fig1 . a port 146 allows the mounting of structural frame 101 with a fixed bend 145 onto a straight mounting element . fig1 is a cross - section of a connector conduit 100 that includes a rigid portion defined by structural frame 101 with bend portion 140 , and a flexible portion defined by conduit 160 . the rigid portion also includes outer fabric 161 , and sewing flange 170 . orientation marks ( not shown ) may be included on the conduit 160 or outer fabric 161 . conduit 160 may be a pleated vascular graft constructed of woven dacron . outer fabric 161 could be a knitted dacron fabric material that stretches to accommodate contours of the structural frame 101 . sewing flange 170 could be constructed of a soft silicone rubber , for example , to allow easy passage of a needle when fastening sewing flange ( or sewing ring ) 170 to the outer surface of the heart . to allow visualization on x - ray , for example , the sewing flange could be made radiopaque , such as by mixing barium sulfate into the silicone rubber . the sewing flange may have a cloth covering such as that used for outer fabric 161 . alternatively , the sewing flange 170 may consist entirely of folded cloth . the components of the connector conduit 100 may be fastened together as needed , such as with thread . referring to fig1 , a cross - section of a connector conduit 100 is similar to that shown in fig1 , except that the structural frame 101 is constructed with fixed bend 145 . a conduit branch 162 intersects with conduit 160 through port 146 of rigid bend 145 to allow passage of a straight mounting element through the connector conduit 100 . once the connector conduit 100 is implanted into the ventricle , branch 162 may be occluded at the intersection with conduit 160 . branch 162 may then be cut off . fig1 and fig1 further illustrate a quick connect coupler 180 for expediting attachment of the connector conduit 100 to the remainder of the prosthesis , which may include a prosthetic valve or ventricular assist device , as examples . as shown , the male end of quick connect coupler 180 is a continuation of or is attached to vascular graft 160 . the male end of quick connect coupler 180 includes rigid connector frame 181 , which may be constructed of a biocompatible plastic or metal . vascular graft 160 covers the inner diameter of connector frame 181 , and an outer fabric 165 covers the outer diameter of connector frame 181 . outer fabric 165 may be continuous with vascular graft 160 . outer fabric 165 is not of a pleated construction , such as is typical of vascular graft 160 . the cloth - covered connector frame 181 provides a rigid surface onto which the female end of quick connect coupler 180 may be mounted . the female end of quick connect coupler 180 includes vascular graft 186 and pull ring 185 . vascular graft 186 attaches on its downstream end to the remainder of the prosthesis , which may include a prosthetic valve or ventricular assist device , as examples . vascular graft 186 may be a pleated vascular graft constructed of woven dacron , for example . graft extension 186 a is a continuation portion of or is attached to vascular graft 186 . a rigid pull ring 185 ( which may be constructed of a biocompatible plastic or metal ) is attached to graft extension 186 a . the male end of quick connect coupler 180 has a larger outer diameter than vascular graft 186 . this construction provides a stop so that the male end of quick connect coupler 180 reaches an abrupt change to a smaller diameter provided by vascular graft 186 . in this way , the surgeon knows when the male end is fully inserted into the female end of quick connect coupler 180 . in use , the surgeon may grasp pull ring 185 with one hand and connector frame segment 181 a of connector frame 181 with the other hand . pull ring 185 is pulled over outer fabric 165 until the male end of quick connect coupler 180 contacts the smaller diameter vascular graft 186 . a large suture or umbilical tape 187 may then be tied around graft extension 186 a to reduce blood loss by occluding the annular gap between the outer diameter of outer fabric 165 and the inner diameter of graft extension 186 a . stay sutures may also be used to connect outer fabric 165 to graft extension 186 a , thereby preventing separation of the male and female ends of quick connect coupler 180 . fig1 and fig1 further illustrate a collapsible portion 160 a between connector conduit 100 and quick connect coupler 180 . such collapsible portion 160 a allows use of a cross clamp , for example , to fully collapse portion 160 a to occlude flow after the applicator is removed beyond collapsible portion 160 a . collapsible portion 160 a can be made of the same material as the rest of the flexible portion , or can be made of a different material . in use , the applicator of the present invention is used to implant the connector conduit 100 into the ventricle wall or other organ wall . fig1 a shows a cross - section of the connector conduit 100 ( fig1 ) loaded onto a mounting element 200 . for clarity , the applicator is shown without the connector conduit 100 in fig1 b . mounting element 200 includes a cylindrical coring element 210 , serving as a hole forming element , that is concentric with and has the same diameter as the mounting element 200 . the mounting element 200 and coring element 210 are placed concentrically within the lumen of the connector conduit 100 . coring element 210 includes a thin - walled tube and a sharpened cutting edge 210 a , which may be tapered on the inner diameter , for example , to form the sharpened cutting edge 210 a . the coring element 210 is used to cut a cylindrical - shaped core ( or hole ) in the heart wall , producing a plug from the heart wall that resides within the coring element 210 . the mounting element 200 could be constructed of plastic ( e . g ., abs ), and the coring element 210 could be constructed of metal ( e . g ., stainless steel ). in a preferred embodiment , the mounting element 200 and coring element 210 have an outer diameter that closely matches the inner diameter of the connector conduit 100 . one purpose of such a construction is to minimize blood loss from the left ventricular chamber when the coring element 210 has completed its cut . also in order to reduce blood loss from the left ventricular chamber and from the cut myocardial surface and to yield a snug fit of the connector conduit within the ventricular myocardium , the cutting diameter of the coring element 210 is chosen to produce a core that is smaller in diameter than the outer surface 163 of the of the connector conduit 100 . fig1 a and fig1 b further illustrate a cylinder - shaped pushing element 300 positioned concentrically outside the connector conduit 100 . in a preferred embodiment , the pushing element 300 transmits pushing force and rotation to the connector conduit 100 . in further accordance with a preferred embodiment , the pushing element 300 is rigidly attached to mounting element 200 , such that pushing element 300 transmits pushing force and rotation to the mounting element 200 and coring element 210 . pushing element 300 may be constructed of plastic ( e . g ., abs ) or metal ( e . g ., stainless steel ). however , it should be appreciated that the present invention contemplates the use of other materials . in further accordance with a preferred embodiment , a locking means provides an interface that prevents movement of the connector conduit 100 relative to the pushing element 300 . such locking means may include components that are integral with the pushing element 300 , connector conduit 100 , mounting element 200 , and coring element 210 . fig1 a to 18c illustrate one embodiment of such a locking means . this embodiment combines a slot - and - key arrangement with a friction enhancing arrangement . the slot - and - key arrangement includes notch 421 ( the slot ) of pushing element 300 and holder button 430 ( the key ) of structural frame 101 . positioning holder button 430 into notch 421 prevents rotation of connector conduit 100 relative to pushing element 300 and prevents axial motion in one direction . axial motion allowing removal of the connector conduit 100 from the applicator is not prevented in this embodiment . rather , this axial motion is reduced by providing a friction enhancing arrangement consisting of squeeze ring 410 ( which includes two groove pins 411 ) and squeeze arms 425 a and 425 b that cantilever from pushing element 300 to form wide groove 420 a and narrow groove 420 b . alternatively , notch 421 could fit tightly around the circumference of holder button 430 to prevent movement of the connector conduit 100 relative to the pushing element 300 in both rotational and axial directions . as shown , notch 421 is divided , with one half cut from squeeze arm 425 a and the other half from squeeze arm 425 b . alternatively , notch 421 could reside entirely within either squeeze arm . alternatively , several notches 421 could be used . when squeeze ring 410 is positioned at or near notch 421 as shown in fig1 b , squeeze ring 410 holds squeeze arms 425 a and 425 b tightly against connector conduit 100 , creating a tight friction fit . in this position , groove pins 411 within wide groove 420 a do not tend to separate squeeze arms 425 a and 425 b . when squeeze ring 410 is positioned as shown in fig1 c , groove pins 411 within narrow groove 420 b tend to separate squeeze arm 425 a and 425 b to allow the connector conduit to be easily moved into position or removed . in a similar embodiment ( not shown ), the slot - and - key arrangement could include teeth ( keys ) that extend radially inwards from the inner diameter of squeeze arms 425 a and 425 b to fit into holder slots 431 of holder 130 of structural frame 101 ( see fig1 a ). in this embodiment , a squeeze ring ( with groove pins ) and squeeze arms similar to those shown in fig1 a to 18c would be used to engage and disengage the teeth from holder slots 431 , rather than to provide a tight friction fit . in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention , a retractor component element 500 with a generally tubular structure is located concentrically within the mounting element 200 , as shown in fig1 . the retractor element 500 can slide axially relative to the mounting element 200 . the retractor element 500 consists of a blunt tip 510 , a tubular body 520 , and an expanding element 530 that includes an access passage 531 . the expanding element 530 is shown as a balloon in fig1 , which may be inflated and deflated with fluid ( e . g ., saline ) through access passage 531 using a plunger and cylinder arrangement . retractor element 500 is held concentric within the mounting element 200 by centering plug 220 and sliding plug 521 . centering plug 220 is rigidly attached to mounting element 200 , and sliding plug 521 is rigidly attached to tubular body 520 . since radial force from the heart wall tends to deflect the expanding element 530 , tubular body 520 must have a sufficient stiffness to substantially resist such deflection . such deflection may also be reduced by limiting the axial distance between the expanding element 530 and centering plug 220 . a coupling element , such as compression spring 540 , slideably couples retractor element 500 to mounting element 200 . compression spring 540 biases refractor element proximally to ensure that expanding element 530 seats snugly against the inside wall of the ventricle to shape and partially flatten the ventricle wall ( particularly at the apex ) so that coring element 210 may cut perpendicular to the ventricle wall . once the tissue plug is cut from the ventricle by coring element 210 , spring 540 pulls the tissue plug fully within the coring element 210 . in the preferred embodiment , expanding element 530 is a balloon in the shape of a circular torrid . fig2 illustrates a mounting and folding tool 900 , which includes coring element taper 910 , balloon taper 920 , conduit taper 930 , and retractor element port 940 . tool 900 &# 39 ; s outer diameter may be equal to or slightly larger than coring element 210 &# 39 ; s outer diameter to prevent damage to fabrics of the vascular graft 160 and outer fabric 161 , when the connector conduit 100 is being mounted onto or demounted from mounting element 200 . as an alternative , a thin - walled tube , such as a plastic shrink rube , may be positioned over outer diameters of tool 900 and coring element 210 to further prevent damage to fabrics slid past the sharpened edge 210 a of the coring element . coring element taper 910 fits snugly within coring element 210 to ensure a concentric fit between tool 900 and coring element 210 , thereby further reducing the likelihood of damage to vascular graft 160 and outer fabric 161 . conduit taper 930 eases placement of vascular graft 160 onto tool 900 . tool 900 may be used to deflate and fold expanding element 530 by placing tool 900 onto retractor element 500 and by pushing and rotating ( in one direction ) tool 900 until coring element taper 910 contacts coring element 210 . balloon taper 920 provides a surface for controlled deflation and folding of the expanding element 530 . once the balloon is deflated and folded and the connector conduit 100 is fully mounted onto the applicator , tool 900 may be removed . fig2 illustrates an embodiment of an applicator assembly ( connector conduit 100 not shown ). in this assembly , the surgeon has independent control of the position of retractor element 500 and the volume of expanding element 530 . handle 310 , which extends from pushing element 300 to form a pistol grip , provides a means for the surgeon to apply axial force and back - and - forth rotary motion while implanting connector conduit 100 . the position of retractor element 500 is controlled by the position of retractor bolt 522 in slot 320 of pushing element 300 . retractor bolt 522 is rigidly attached to sliding plug 521 of retractor element 500 . slot 320 is extended circumferentially to form index 321 , which may be used to hold the retractor element 500 fully extended ( i . e ., with expanding element 530 at maximum distance from coring element 210 ). expanding element 530 is connected to cylinder 562 by access passage 531 and flexible tube 550 . expanding element 530 volume is controlled by the position of plunger 600 in cylinder 562 . cylinder 562 is oriented in handle 310 so that plunger 600 with trigger 563 forms a pistol handle with trigger arrangement . expanding element 530 can be inflated with saline , when trigger 563 is squeezed . plunger spring 565 may be used to deflate expanding element 530 when the trigger is released . alternatively , trigger 563 could be replaced with a finger ring so that the user must apply force to control both inflation and deflation of expanding element 530 , thereby eliminating the need for plunger spring 565 . as a safety feature , the plunger 600 may include a latching device ( not shown ) that latches the plunger 600 with the balloon fully inflated , thereby preventing premature deflation of the balloon . a related safety feature may include another latching device ( not shown ) that latches plunger 600 with the balloon partially inflated , such as to prevent the tissue plug from coming off of retractor element 500 . as one of many alternatives to handle 310 , the handle could form a “ t ” with pushing element 300 . in operation , retractor bolt 522 is positioned in index 321 until the retractor element 500 is fully inserted into the ventricle and expanding element 530 is fully inflated . at that time , retractor bolt 522 is manually released from index 321 , which allows compression spring 540 to retract retractor element 500 until expanding element 530 contacts the inside wall of the ventricle . a damping means ( not shown ) may be included to prevent sudden retraction of the retractor element 500 upon release from index 321 . also not shown is a safety latch or other means to prevent manual release of the retractor bolt 522 until the expanding element 530 is fully expanded . as the surgeon applies force and rotation using handle 310 , compression spring 540 continues to displace retractor element 500 . when retractor element 500 is fully retracted , expanding element 530 is also fully retracted to within coring element 210 , indicating that the tissue plug has been successfully removed from the left ventricle and is within the coring element 210 . fig2 a to fig2 c are components of a preferred embodiment shown in fig2 a - 24e , that uses a sequencing element to coordinate the position of refractor element 500 with the expansion of expanding element 530 ( fig2 b ). in this embodiment , the sequencing element is a cam mechanism . the cam mechanism helps to ensure proper use of the applicator during implantation of connector conduit 100 ( not shown ). as shown in fig2 b , retractor element 500 , referred to as the retractor assembly , includes cylinder portion 562 integrated therein . the retractor assembly is positioned concentrically within pushing element 300 during use . the retractor assembly contains elements of the cam mechanism formal therein , including cylinder cam slot 710 , which is a slot cut completely through the cylinder 562 wall , and a refractor cam follower 760 , which may be a pin or screw in cylinder 562 ( as shown ) or may be an integral part of cylinder 562 . retractor element 500 may include a section of increased diameter such as stopper disk 515 to prevent cutter element 210 from cutting the heart when retractor element 500 is initially inserted . fig2 a illustrates plunger 600 ( in the form of a sequencing bolt as described below ), which is positioned concentrically within cylinder 562 during use . plunger 600 contains elements of the cam mechanism , including bolt portion 650 with plunger cam follower 750 . plunger cam follower 750 moves within cylinder cam slot 710 and pusher cam slot 720 . plunger 600 includes passage 610 and purge / fill valve 630 ( valve body not shown ). valve 630 can be opened to allow fluid flow into and out of passage 610 . when closed , valve 630 allows no fluid flow in either direction . valve 630 may be connected ( such as with a catheter ) to a reservoir of saline , for example , to purge the expanding element 530 , access passage 531 and any other volume in the flow circuit of air before filling these volumes with fluid ( such as saline ). o - ring groove 620 of plunger 600 contains an o - ring ( not shown ) to prevent loss of fluid . fig2 c illustrates a positioning assembly , which is made up of rigidly connected components including pushing element 300 , cutting element 210 , and handle 310 . the pusher assembly contains elements of the cam mechanism , including pusher cam slot 720 and retractor cam slot 730 . the pusher cam slot 720 is a slot cut completely through the pushing element 300 wall to accommodate plunger cam follower 750 . fig2 a to fig2 c illustrate operation of the cam mechanism . fig2 a illustrates cylinder cam slot 710 cut into cylinder 562 of fig2 b . cylinder cam slot 710 contains three interconnected axial cam slots at angles 1 , 2 and 3 around the circumference of cylinder 562 , as further illustrated in fig2 c . the axial cam slot at each angle corresponds to a range of allowable axial positions of plunger 600 within cylinder 562 . at angle 1 , the axial length of the cam slot corresponds to the maximum stroke of plunger 600 within cylinder 562 . this maximum stroke allows filling the expanding element 530 from minimum volume to maximum volume . at angle 2 , the axial cam slot allows plunger 600 movement to provide expanding element 530 volumes ranging from maximum volume to an intermediate volume ( at an intermediate stroke ) that is greater than minimum volume but less than maximum volume . at angle 3 , the axial cam slot retains plunger 600 at the position of maximum volume of the expanding element 530 . fig2 a also illustrates positions a , b , c , d and e of plunger cam follower 750 within cylinder cam slot 710 during the steps of operation . fig2 b illustrates pusher cam slot 720 and retractor cam slot 730 cut into the pusher assembly of fig2 c . fig2 b also illustrates positions a , b , c , d and e of plunger cam follower 750 within pusher cam slot 720 and retractor cam follower 760 within retractor cam slot 730 during the steps of operation . fig2 c illustrates angles 1 to 6 for cylinder 562 and the pusher assembly . for purposes of description , the value of the angles increases from 1 to 6 . pusher cam slot 720 includes angles 1 and 3 , which may correspond with angles 1 and 3 of cylinder 562 ( see fig2 a ). pusher cam slot 720 includes angle 4 , which is larger than 3 . the axial length of pusher cam slot 720 from position a to position b corresponds to the maximum stroke of the plunger 600 , as described above . the axial length of pusher cam slot 720 from position c to position e corresponds to the intermediate stroke ( as described above ) plus the axial distance traversed by retractor cam follower 760 from position c to position e in retractor cam slot 730 . retractor cam slot 730 includes angles 5 and 6 . positions a and b at angle 5 prevent compression spring 540 from displacing cylinder 562 within the pusher assembly . in operation , retractor cam slot 730 controls the motion of cylinder 562 within the pusher assembly . as shown in fig2 a and fig2 b , when plunger cam follower 750 ( of sequencing bolt 600 ) is moved circumferentially from position b to position c in both cylinder cam slot 710 and pusher cam slot 720 , retractor earn follower 760 is forced from position b to position c in retractor cam slot 730 , which allows compression spring 540 ( see fig1 ) to push cylinder 562 axially within the pusher assembly . retractor cam follower 760 within retractor cam slot 730 holds cylinder 562 at a constant angular position relative to the pusher assembly during movement from position c to positions d and e ; therefore , movement of plunger cam follower 750 from position c to position d within pusher cam slot 720 forces cam follower 750 into the axial slot corresponding to angle 2 of cylinder 562 . referring to fig2 a to 24e , the applicator of the present invention is shown at various steps during use . note that these figures do not include details of the locking means to securely hold the connector conduit 100 . fig2 a to fig2 e correspond to positions a to e , respectively , which are described in fig2 a to fig2 c . recognizing that individual surgeons may find alternative steps to properly use the invention , a representative sequence of steps for use of the applicator to implant a connector conduit is described . these steps include first preparing the applicator with the connector conduit . with the retractor assembly in the fully extended position as shown in fig2 a , a mounting and folding tool 900 is positioned into the coring element 210 , as shown in fig2 . the connector conduit 100 of fig1 is then loaded into the applicator by sliding connector conduit 100 over the folding tool 900 until sewing flange 170 contacts notch 421 ( see fig1 ). the connector conduit is then locked into place using the locking means . tool 900 is then removed . a catheter is attached to purge / fill valve 630 and to a reservoir of saline . valve 630 is opened . sequencing bolt 600 is then moved back and forth from position a to position b several times to purge the fluid system of air and to fill the system with fluid , such as saline . once the air is purged , sequencing bolt 600 is placed at position a , and tool 900 is again positioned into the coring element 210 — this time to squeeze fluid from the balloon and to fold the balloon . when tool 900 is in place , valve 630 is closed , and the catheter is removed . tool 900 is removed . the applicator with connector conduit is now ready for use , as shown in fig2 a . before implanting the connector conduit 100 into the ventricle wall , the portion of the prosthesis that includes the prosthetic valve or ventricular assist device , as examples , is connected to the aorta . this portion of the prosthesis also includes the female end of quick connect coupler 180 . by implanting this portion of the prosthesis first , the time between insulting the heart by cutting a hole and beginning blood flow through the complete prosthesis is minimized . a template with similar dimensions as connector conduit 100 is placed on the apex of the heart , and a marker is used to trace the circular outline of the connector onto the apex , in the planned location of insertion . multiple ( 8 to 12 ) large pledgeted sutures ( mattress sutures ) of for example , 2 - 0 prolene , are placed in the apex surrounding the marked circle . with the connector conduit 100 loaded in the applicator of fig2 a , the sutures are brought through sewing flange 170 of the connector conduit 100 . a knife is used to make a stab wound in the apex at the center of the circle . with the applicator in the position shown in fig2 a , blunt tip 510 of retractor element 500 is inserted into the stab wound and pushed through the apex into the left ventricle chamber until stopper disk 515 contacts the epicardium ( outside surface of the heart ). sequencing bolt 600 is moved from position a to position b to inflate the balloon behind tissue t of the heart wall ( see fig2 b ). the surgeon moves sequencing bolt 600 from position b to position c ( see fig2 c ) and then releases sequencing bolt 650 . beginning at position c of fig2 c , compression spring 540 pushes the retractor assembly from position c to position d ( see fig2 d ). when the retractor assembly moves from position c to position d , tissue t of the heart wall is first sandwiched between the balloon and the sharpened edge of the coring element 210 a . by the surgeon using handle 310 to apply axial force and back - and - forth rotary motion , the sharpened edge of the coring element 210 a cuts though the heart wall to form a plug of tissue t that resides in the coring element 210 . at position d , the retractor assembly has been retracted until the balloon is in contact with coring element 210 and the tissue plug is fully within coring element 210 . also at position d , cylinder cam slot 710 has forced plunger cam follower 750 circumferentially to angle 2 , thereby allowing deflation of the balloon to begin . between position d ( fig2 d ) and position e ( fig2 e ), the balloon deflates to the intermediate volume ( described earlier ), and the retractor assembly retracts to its final position . if necessary , the surgeon may pull sequencing bolt 600 to its final position e . connector conduit 100 is now fully implanted . the sutures are tied , and hemostasis is checked . additional sutures may be placed if needed . the locking means ( not shown ) holding the connector conduit in the applicator is released , and the applicator is partially removed to a position where a clamp can be placed directly on collapsible graft 160 a to prevent blood flow through the conduit 160 . once the clamp is in place , the applicator may be completely removed from connector conduit 100 . the male and female ends of quick connect coupler 180 may now be connected . umbilical tape 187 may be tied around graft extension 186 a to reduce any blood leakage , and stay sutures may be used to secure graft extension 186 a to outer fabric 165 . once the flow passage of the prosthesis is purged of air , the clamp may be released to allow blood flow through the prosthesis . flexible bend 140 is formed by pulling threads 143 and tying a knot . the connector conduit 100 is now fully implanted . as illustrated in fig2 , an alternative embodiment , can use a connector conduit having and integral hole forming element . hole forming element 21 ′ is integrally formed , i . e . formed as a single component , with respect to connector conduit 100 ′. connector conduit 100 ′ can be loaded on an applicator ( not having a separate hole forming element ) in a manner similar to that disclosed above . after forming the hole and inserting the connector conduit into the hole , hole forming element 210 ′ can be withdrawn into a distal end of connector conduit 100 ′, as illustrated in fig2 , to reduce the possibility of unintended tissue damage . such withdrawal can be accomplished by the sequencing means , a manual mechanism on the applicator , or with a separate instrument . in the preferred embodiment described above , the expansion element is a balloon . however , an alternative expansion element , in the form of an umbrella mechanism , is illustrated in fig2 a - 27d . retractor 500 ′ includes cylinder 810 ( shown in cross section ), and piston element 820 slideably disposed in cylinder 810 . bolt 650 having follower 750 is formed on cylinder 810 . shaft 830 extends from piston element 820 and has umbrella mechanism 850 formed on an end thereof . umbrella mechanism 85 included plural bendable leaf elements 852 that are fixed to shaft 830 at the end of shaft 830 . leaf elements 852 are fixed to ring 854 at the other end thereof . ring 854 is slideably disposed on shaft 830 . accordingly , movement of shaft 830 to the right in the figs . causes ring 854 to be pushed toward the end of shaft 830 as ring 854 abuts an end of cylinder 810 , as shown in fig2 d . slot 710 guides follower 750 , ad bolt 650 cooperates with remaining elements in the sequencing mechanism in the manner described above , to coordinate the expansion state of expansion element 850 . 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 . | 0 |
for clarity , the same elements have been designated with the same reference numerals in the different drawings and , further , as usual in the representation of integrated optical circuits , the various drawings are not to scale . fig3 is a perspective view of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention . on a support 21 , for example made of silicon , is formed an insulating layer 23 , for example made of silicon oxide . on insulating layer 23 is formed a wide waveguide 25 for example having a cross - section of a few square micrometers and having one end intended to be illuminated by an optical fiber or to provide a light beam towards an optical fiber ( direction of arrow 27 in fig3 ). in wide waveguide 25 and at the surface of insulating layer 23 is formed a submicronic waveguide 29 for example having a width of approximately 0 . 5 μm and a height of approximately 0 . 2 μm . submicronic waveguide 29 ends with a tip 31 turned towards the end of waveguide 25 forming the interface with the optical fiber . the device further comprises , on top of wide waveguide 25 , a diffraction grating 33 allowing an optical coupling ( introduction - extraction - sending back of light ) with wide waveguide 25 . diffraction grating 33 is formed , in the shown example , of parallel strips perpendicular to the direction of the light , dug at the surface of wide waveguide 25 . diffraction grating 33 may also be formed by any other known technique , especially by forming of parallel metal strips perpendicular to the direction of the light at the surface of wide waveguide 25 . as an example , the diffraction grating may be formed of gold strips having a thickness of approximately 200 nm , a 10 - μm length , and a 1 - μm period for a 50 % filling rate . any other structure forming a network may also be used . diffraction grating 33 is preferably placed upstream of the tip of submicronic waveguide 29 , far from the coupling region between waveguides 25 and 29 . this avoids the generation of losses at the level of tip 31 where the light beam is confined or deconfined between wide waveguide 25 and submicronic waveguide 29 . thus , in the shown example , diffraction grating 33 is located close to the end of waveguide 25 opposite to that intended to be coupled to the optical fiber . in fig3 , the lateral and upper insulations of waveguides 25 and 29 have not been shown . such insulations may be formed of an insulating layer , for example , made of silicon oxide , having a thickness on the order of 2 μm and surrounding waveguides 25 and 29 . it should also be noted that any known index matching device may be used between the optical fiber and the associated wide waveguide to limit light losses between these elements , for example , liquid structures . the device of fig3 enables to align an optical fiber on waveguide 25 in several ways , some of which will be described hereafter in relation with fig4 to 6 . fig4 is a cross - section view illustrating a first method enabling to align an optical fiber 35 and wide waveguide 25 of fig3 . a light source 37 , for example , a laser , provides a light beam 39 towards the surface of diffraction grating 33 . a portion of the light beam reaching diffraction grating 33 is transmitted by said network into wide waveguide 25 . wide waveguide 25 transmits the light to its end where optical fiber 35 is desired to be aligned . optical fiber 35 and wide waveguide 25 are aligned when the optical fiber conducts a maximum light intensity originating from the wide waveguide . thus , to align the optical fiber , the light intensity that it conducts is detected at its output and the alignment is obtained when this light intensity is maximum . advantageously , to align optical fiber 35 on wide waveguide 25 , it is not necessary to accurately illuminate the diffraction grating . indeed , it is sufficient for light source 37 to illuminate diffraction grating 33 , even partially , so that light comes out of wide waveguide 25 and enables to optimize the relative positioning of optical fiber 35 . further , advantageously , light beam 37 may have any wavelength , for example , in the visible or infrared range . indeed , light beam 37 does not need to have a specific wavelength to be at least partly coupled in waveguide 25 by the diffraction grating . fig5 illustrates another method for aligning an optical fiber 35 . in this method , optical fiber 35 illuminates wide waveguide 25 . when optical fiber 35 is aligned on wide waveguide 25 , said waveguide conducts light provided by the optical fiber towards diffraction grating 33 , which delivers a light beams to the outside , towards a photodetector 41 . thus , the proper alignment of optical fiber 35 on wide waveguide 25 is detected by selecting the position of optical fiber 35 enabling the detection of a maximum light intensity at the level of photodetector 41 . it can be avoided for the beam provided by optical fiber 35 to the wide waveguide to be coupled in submicronic waveguide 29 via tip 31 . for this purpose , the optical fiber may provide a light beam having a wavelength external to the operating bandwidth of the anamorphotic coupling device . it may also be provided for the optical fiber to conduct a light beam with a polarization state which is not coupled by the anamorphotic device . fig6 illustrates another method for aligning optical fiber 35 on wide waveguide 25 . in this method , optical fiber 35 illuminates optical waveguide 25 and the light reflected by diffraction grating 33 is detected . indeed , when a light beam penetrates into wide waveguide 25 towards diffraction grating 33 , part of this light beam is transmitted by the diffraction grating to the outside of the device , part of it follows its path into wide waveguide 25 and part of the light is reflected in wide waveguide 25 by diffraction grating 33 . thus , optical fiber 35 is aligned when the light beam that it provides penetrates into wide waveguide 25 , partially reflects on diffraction grating 33 , returns into wide waveguide 25 , and is recovered in optical fiber 35 . in the same way as in the case of fig5 , in this method , the wavelength and / or the polarization of the light beam provided by optical fiber 35 may be provided to minimize the optical coupling in submicronic waveguide 29 . any desired wavelength may also be used for the alignment . fig7 is a top view illustrating a variation of the above methods in which a single light introduction - extraction diffraction grating is used to align an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber of an integrated optical circuit . the device comprises an input optical fiber 43 which is coupled , via a wide waveguide 45 and a submicronic tip 47 formed on a support 48 , to a submicronic waveguide 49 formed on this same support . submicronic waveguide 49 is partially shown and comprises , at the surface of support 48 , a curved portion which brings it towards an integrated optical circuit , not shown . an output of the integrated optical circuit is connected to the input of a submicronic optical waveguide 51 which is coupled , via a submicronic tip 53 and a wide waveguide 55 formed on support 48 , to an output optical fiber 57 . wide waveguides 45 and 55 join on support 48 and a diffraction grating 59 , of any known type enabling to introduce light into wide waveguides 45 and 55 , is formed , at the surface of wide waveguides 45 and 55 , at the intersection thereof . diffraction grating 59 is illuminated by a light beam 61 originating from a light source , not shown , and light beam 61 penetrates , via the diffraction grating , into wide waveguides 45 and 55 towards optical fibers 43 and 57 . to align optical fibers 43 and 57 on wide waveguides 45 and 55 , the position in which the optical fibers receive a maximum light intensity is detected . it should be noted that , as in the case of fig4 , light beam 61 does not need to be perfectly aligned on the diffraction grating for the alignment so that it is enough for part of this beam to be coupled in wide waveguides 45 and 55 to enable the alignment of optical fibers 43 , 57 . further , the wavelength of beam 61 may be different from that used in the integrated optical circuit . fig8 illustrates , in top view , a variation enabling to align several optical fibers on several wide waveguides in a single step . four optical fibers 81 , 83 , 85 , 87 intended to be aligned on first ends of wide waveguides , respectively 89 , 91 , 93 , 95 are formed on a support 80 . in the shown example , each wide waveguide 89 , 91 , 93 , 95 is associated with a submicronic waveguide , respectively 97 , 99 , 101 , 103 , via adapted tips ( inverse tapers ). the second ends of wide waveguides 89 , 91 , 93 , 95 are connected , at the surface of insulating support 80 , to a beam - dividing device 105 . an additional wide waveguide 107 , formed on support 80 , is connected to the input of divider 105 . it should be noted that divider device 105 is not shown in detail in fig8 and 9 and that any type of known beam dividing device may be used to enabling the coupling between waveguide 107 and waveguides 89 , 91 , 93 , 95 . a diffraction grating 109 , formed at the surface of wide waveguide 107 , enables to couple light originating from a light source ( arrow 111 ) towards wide waveguide 107 . to align optical fibers 81 , 83 , 85 , 87 , the diffraction grating is illuminated ( arrow 111 ) which transmits part of this light to wide waveguide 107 . the light beam then penetrates into dividing device 105 which conveys it to each of wide waveguides 89 , 91 , 93 , 95 . the alignment of optical fibers 81 , 83 , 85 , 87 is obtained in the same way as in the case of fig7 , when the optical fibers conduct a maximum light intensity . thus , the device of fig8 enables to align several optical fibers . it should be noted that a combination of the devices of fig7 and 8 can enable to align all the input / output optical fibers of an integrated optical circuit , for example , of a circuit such as that in fig2 . various specific embodiments of the present invention have been described . various alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art . in particular , a specific type of wide waveguide has been described herein . it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention applies to the alignment of an optical fiber on any type of wide waveguide . the present invention also applies to any system for coupling a wide waveguide and a submicronic waveguide . further , a system of introduction - extraction - sending back of light in the form of a diffraction grating formed at the surface of the wide waveguide has been discussed herein . it should be noted that any other known device enabling to introduce - extract - send back light in a wide waveguide , independently from the presence of a submicronic waveguide formed in the wide waveguide , may also be used instead of the diffraction grating . it should however be noted that the use of the diffraction grating provides a decreased bulk and an optimized coupling . such alterations , modifications , and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure , and are intended to be within the spirit and the scope of the present invention . accordingly , the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting . the present invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and the equivalents thereto . | 1 |
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