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fig1 is a schematic view showing an alkali metal thermoelectric power generator in accordance with an embodiment of this invention , in which three thermoelectric converters , converters no . 1 , no . 2 , and no . 3 , are connected in electrical series to one another . the sodium in these thermoelectric converters is caused to circulate by a common pump 107 . at the same time , these thermoelectric converters are thermally connected to one another through connection pipes 120a , 120b , 120c , etc . the structure of the thermoelectric converters shown in fig1 will be described in connection with converter no . 1 . referring to fig1 the open end of an evaporator 111 , which is in the form of a tubular body with one end open that is formed of metal , and the open end of a solid electrolyte tube 102 , which is also in the form of a tubular body with one end open , are connected to each other to define a first region 150 on the inside . a porous electrode 103 having a sufficient number of pores to allow passage of sodium is provided on the outer surface of the solid electrolyte tube 102 in such a manner as to be in electrical contact with it . an anode 114 , which is in electrical contact with this porous electrode 103 , extends through a condenser shell 105 to the exterior while being electrically insulated therefrom . provided on the inner surface of the solid electrolyte 102 is a first wick 112 made of a foam nickel with pores , stainless steel mesh or the like ( having a pore radius , for example , of 0 . 003 cm ). the pores in the wick 112 is approx . 100 % filled with liquid sodium , and this liquid sodium is in contact with the inner surfaces of the solid electrolyte tube 102 and the evaporator 111 . attached to the outer periphery of the evaporator 111 is a metal condenser shell 105 in the form of a tubular body with one end open , which defines a second region 151 . provided on the inner surface of the condenser shell 105 is a second wick 115 , whose pore radius is greater than that of the first wick 112 by not less than a digit . the second wick 115 does not necessarily have to be filled with liquid sodium . a cathode 113 is provided on the outer surface of the condenser shell 105 in such a manner as to be in electrical contact therewith . the condenser shell 105 is provided with a sodium extraction pipe 116a , and the evaporator 111 is provided with a sodium return pipe 116b and a connection pipe 120a . the open end of the connection pipe 120a is situated in the space zone of the first region 150 , and at least a part of that section of the connection pipe 120a which is outside the first region 150 consists of an electrically insulating pipe section 121 . the respective sodium extraction pipes of the three thermoelectric converters no . 1 to no . 3 , each constructed as described above , are connected to the respective sodium return pipes through a pump inlet header 123 , a common pump 107 , a common check valve 124 , and a pump outlet header 125 . further , the respective connection pipes 120a , 120b , and 120c of these thermoelectric converters are connected to one another through a connection pipe header 122 . these thermoelectric converters are connected in electrical series to one another , and the electric circuit thus formed includes a power load 126 . the basic operation of these thermoelectric converters is substantially identical to that of the conventional heat - pipe - type amtec shown in fig5 so that the following description of their basic operation will be focused on those points which constitute the features of the power generator of the present invention . in order to simplify the description , it will be assumed in the following that the power generator of this invention is operated in an environment where gravity can be neglected as in space . this , however , should not be construed as restrictive to the effects of this invention under gravitation . as shown in fig1 the thermoelectric power generator of this invention is composed of a plurality of thermoelectric converters connected in series to one another . sodium is condensed in the respective second regions of these thermoelectric converters and is returned to the respective first regions thereof by the common pump 107 . the pumping force acting on the sodium at this time consists of the pressure obtained by subtracting the sodium vapor pressure in the respective first regions ( e . g ., 125 , 000 pa at 1175k ) from the sum of the delivery pressure of the pump 107 ( e . g ., 130 , 000 pa ) and the capillarity pressure of the respective first wicks 112 of the thermoelectric converters ( e . g ., approx . 7500 pa when the pore radius is 0 . 003 cm ). here , the sodium vapor pressure in the respective second regions is neglected since it is very low . further , the capillarity pressure of the second wicks 115 is also neglected since their pore radius is larger than that of the first wicks by not less than a digit . the capillarity pressure is not active when the wicks are filled with sodium to a sufficient degree , and is active when they are not filled with sodium sufficiently . accordingly , if the respective outputs of the thermoelectric converters , the flow resistances in the respective return pipes , etc . are not uniform , the capillarity pressure acts in such a manner that those of the respective first wicks which are filled with sodium to a smaller degree are supplied with more sodium , so that an excess or deficiency in the respective sodium amounts of the thermoelectric converters can be avoided even though the returning of the sodium in these thermoelectric converters is effected by a common pump . the respective sodium extraction pipes 116a and the respective sodium return pipes 116b of the thermoelectric converters need a relatively low flow rate ( e . g ., approx . 50 mg / s when the output of the thermoelectric converters is 100 w ), so that they can be made sufficiently thin ( their inner diameter may , for example , be 1 mm ). thus , it is easy to make their electrical resistance approx . one hundred times greater than the internal resistance of the thermoelectric converters ( which ranges from 1 to 2 mω in the case of 100 w converters ). therefore , the loss currents ( the bypass currents ), which flow through the sodium extraction pipes 116a and the sodium return pipes 116b when the respective electrodes of the thermoelectric converters are connected in series to one another , can be reduced to a negligible degree , so that the provision of a common pump does not result in deterioration in the power generation efficiency . the respective first regions 150 of the thermoelectric converters are connected to one another by the connection pipes 120a , etc ., and the respective open ends of the connection pipes are positioned in the respective inner spaces of the first regions . this arrangement provides the following effect . if the respective thermal inputs to the individual thermoelectric converters differ from one another , as in the case where condensed solar energy is utilized , the temperature and pressure in the first region 150 of a thermoelectric converter which receives a relatively large thermal input ( e . g ., converter no . 1 ) become higher than those of a thermoelectric converter which receives a relatively small thermal input ( e . g ., converter no . 2 ). as a result , some of the vapor sodium in the high temperature region of converter no . 1 is conducted through the connection pipe 120a and the connection pipe header 122 and condenses in the first region of converter no . 2 , thereby trnasferring heat and effecting temperature equalization . this action causes the sodium amount in the first region of converter no . 1 to decrease and that of converter no . 2 to increase . when the liquid sodium in converter no . 2 has been augmented to such an extent as to exceed the amount needed for the 100 % filling of the first wick of the converter , the capillarity pressure that has been acting on the sodium return pipe disappears . in converter no . 1 , on the other hand , the liquid sodium in the first wick 112 decreases , so that the capillarity pressure is active . accordingly , the sodium supply to the first region 150 of converter no . 1 from the pump 107 increases , and , at the same time , sodium is also supplied thereto from the first region of converter no . 2 via the pump outlet header 125 . therefore , the respective temperatures in the thermoelectric converters can be equalized without causing a deficiency in the amount of sodium liquid in the first region of a thermoelectric converter which receives a relatively large thermal input from the heat source . further , since the respective open ends of the connection pipes 120a , etc . are situated in the respective inner space zones of the first regions 150 , it is only vapor sodium that pass through these connection pipes . since vapor sodium has no electrical conductivity , the bypass currents flowing through the connection pipes can be reduced by making their diameter and thickness small even when they are formed of metal . further , by forming at least a part of each connection pipe as a ring - like insulator , as indicated at 121 , the respective first regions can be perfectly prevented from being conductively connected to one another through the connection pipes . next , the operation of the check valve 124 , which is provided on the delivery side of the pump 107 , will be described . during normal operation of the power generator , this check valve 124 allows passage of the liquid sodium from the pump 107 , supplying the respective first regions of the thermoelectric converters with liquid sodium . when the heat supply to the thermoelectric converters and the operation of the pump 107 are stopped in the non - operating state of the power generator , the check valve 124 is closed since the sodium pressure in the first regions 150 are higher than that in the second region 151 . this causes the communication between the first and second regions to be cut off , so that there is no fear of the sodium in the first regions flowing back to the second regions even if the pump 107 is stopped . when the thermoelectric converters are heated at the start of the power generator , the sodium vapor pressure in the first regions becomes higher and enables the power generation to be quickly started since the communication between the first and the second regions is then blocked by the check valve 124 . another embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig2 . fig2 is a schematic diagram showing the construction of an alkali metal thermoelectric power generator in which a plurality of ( three in this example ) thermoelectric converters whose structure is different from that of the thermoelectric converters shown in fig1 are connected in electrical series . the structure of these thermoelectric converters will be described in connection with converter no . 1 . referring to fig2 an evaporator 411 , which is in the form of a metal tubular body with one end open , and a solid electrolyte 402 , which is also in the form of a tubular body with one end open and whose diameter is smaller than that of the evaporator 411 , are arranged in such a manner that their open ends are directed in the same way to form a substantially concentric duplex - tube structure , the respective open ends of these tubes being connected together . a first region 450 is defined between the evaporator 411 and the solid electrolyte 402 of this duplex - tube structure . a porous electrode 403 having a sufficient number of pores to allow passage of sodium is provided on the inner surface of the solid electrolyte tube 402 in such a manner as to be in electrical contact therewith . an anode 414 , which is in electrical contact with this porous electrode 403 , extends through a condenser shell 405 to the exterior while being electrically insulated therefrom . further , provided on the outer surface of the solid electrolyte 402 is a first wick 412 consisting of a foam nickel with pores , stainless mesh , etc . ( whose pore radius is , for example , 0 . 003 cm ). the pores in the wick 412 are 100 % filled with liquid sodium , and this liquid sodium is in contact with the solid electrolyte 402 and the evaporator 411 . the condenser shell 405 , which is in the form of a metal tubular body with one end open , is connected to the condenser 411 in such a manner as to close the open end of the solid electrolyte tube 402 , whereby a second region 451 is formed inside the solid electrolyte tube 402 and the condenser shell 405 . provided on the inner surface of the condenser shell 405 is a second wick 415 whose pore radius is larger than that of the first wick 412 by not less than one digit . this second wick 415 does not necessarily have to be filled with liquid sodium . a cathode 413 is provided on the outer surface of the evaporator 411 in such a manner as to be in electrical contact therewith . the condenser shell 405 is provided with a sodium extraction pipe 416a , and the evaporator 411 is provided with a sodium return pipe 416b and a connection pipe 420a . the open end of the connection pipe 420a is situated in the space zone of the first region 450 , and at least a part of that portion of this connection pipe which is outside the first region consists of an electrically insulating pipe section 421 . although the layout of the first and second regions in these thermoelectric converters is different from that in the thermoelectric converters shown in fig1 there is no difference between these two layouts of thermoelectric converters in terms of their function . thus , as in the example shown in fig1 the respective sodium extraction pipes of converters no . 1 to no . 3 are connected to the respective sodium return pipes through the pump inlet header 424 , a common pump 407 , a common check valve 424 , and a pump outlet header 425 . the respective connection pipes 420a , 420b , and 420c of these thermoelectric converters are connected to one another through a connection pipe header 422 . further , these thermoelectric converters are connected in electrical series , and the electric circuit they form includes a power load 426 . this embodiment provides an effect similar to that of the embodiment shown in fig1 . fig3 and 4 are schematic views showing thermoelectric converter structures suited for the power generator of this invention . in the thermoelectric converter shown in fig3 which has a structure similar to that of the embodiment shown in fig1 a heat insulating layer 500 is provided between a joint section 127 , which joins the solid electrolyte tube 102 with the evaporator 111 , and the first region 150 . this heat insulating layer 500 preferably consists of a vacuum heat insulating layer formed by evacuating the inner space of a duplex tube formed of a heat resistant metal . in the thermoelectric converter shown in fig4 which has a structure similar to that of the embodiment shown in fig2 a heat insulating layer 600 is provided between a joint section 427 , which joins the solid electrolyte tube 402 with the evaporator 411 , and the first region 450 . by virtue of such a heat insulating layer , the temperature of the joint section can be made lower than that of the first region , so that , even if the maximum temperature that the joint section can withstand is lower than the temperature of the first region , the joint section can be protected from damage . as will be apparent from the above , the present invention provides the following advantages : in a power generator in which a plurality of thermoelectric converters are connected in electrical series to one another , each thermoelectric converter can be supplied with sodium by a common pump whithout involving any excess or deficiency in the sodium amount even if the thermal input distribution , the flow resistance in the piping , the characteristics of the thermoelectric converters , etc . are not uniform . at the same time , the respective temperatures of the thermoelectric converters can be equalized . by virtue of these advantages , the power generator can be made lighter , and its power generation efficiency can be enhanced .	7
various embodiments of ssl devices with dielectric insulation and associated methods of manufacturing are described below . the term “ microelectronic substrate ” is used throughout to include substrates upon which and / or in which ssl devices , microelectronic devices , micromechanical devices , data storage elements , read / write components , and other features are fabricated . the term “ lattice dislocation ” generally refers to a crystallographic defect or irregularity within a crystal structure . a lattice dislocation can include a v - defect , an edge dislocation , a threading ( or screw ) dislocation , and / or a combination thereof . a person skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the technology may have additional embodiments , and that the technology may be practiced without several of the details of the embodiments described below with reference to fig2 a and 2 c - 3 f . fig2 a and 2 c - 2 f are cross - sectional views of a portion of a microelectronic substrate 100 undergoing a process for forming an ssl device in accordance with embodiments of the technology . the ssl device can be an led , an oled , a ld , a pled , and / or other suitable devices . in the following description , common acts and structures are identified by the same reference numbers . even though only particular processing operations and associated structures are illustrated in fig2 a and 2 c - 2 f , in certain embodiments , the process can also include forming a lens , a mirror material , support structures , conductive interconnects , and / or other suitable mechanical / electrical components ( not shown ). as shown in fig2 a , an initial operation of the process can include forming an ssl structure 101 and an optional buffer material 103 on a substrate material 102 . the substrate material 102 can include a silicon ( si ) wafer ( e . g ., with a si ( 1 , 1 , 1 ) crystal orientation ), aluminum gallium nitride ( algan ), gan , silicon carbide ( sic ), sapphire ( al 2 o 3 ), a combination of the foregoing materials , and / or other suitable substrate materials . in certain embodiments , the optional buffer material 103 can include aln , gan , zinc nitride ( znn ), and / or other suitable materials . in other embodiments , the optional buffer material 103 may be omitted , and the ssl structure 101 may be formed directly on the substrate material 102 . the ssl structure 101 can include a first semiconductor material 104 , an active region 106 , and a second semiconductor material 108 stacked one on the other . in one embodiment , the first and second semiconductor materials 104 and 108 include an n - type gan material and a p - type gan material , respectively . in another embodiment , the first and second semiconductor materials 104 and 108 include a p - type gan material and an n - type gan material , respectively . in further embodiments , the first and second semiconductor materials 104 and 108 can individually include at least one of gallium arsenide ( gaas ), aluminum gallium arsenide ( algaas ), gallium arsenide phosphide ( gaasp ), gallium ( iii ) phosphide ( gap ), zinc selenide ( znse ), boron nitride ( bn ), algan , and / or other suitable semiconductor materials . the active region 106 can include a single quantum well (“ sqw ”), mqws , and / or a bulk semiconductor material . as used hereinafter , a “ bulk semiconductor material ” generally refers to a single grain semiconductor material ( e . g ., ingan ) with a thickness greater than about 10 nanometers and up to about 500 nanometers . in certain embodiments , the active region 106 can include an ingan sqw , ingan / gan mqws , and / or an ingan bulk material . in other embodiments , the active region 116 can include aluminum gallium indium phosphide ( algainp ), aluminum gallium indium nitride ( algainn ), and / or other suitable materials or configurations . the ssl structure 101 and the optional buffer material 103 can be formed on the substrate material 102 via mocvd , molecular beam epitaxy (“ mbe ”), liquid phase epitaxy (“ lpe ”), hydride vapor phase epitaxy (“ hvpe ”), and / or other suitable epitaxial growth techniques . it has been observed , however , that the ssl structure 101 formed via the foregoing techniques typically includes a high density of lattice dislocations . for example , as shown in fig2 a , the ssl structure 101 can include a plurality of indentations 110 in the ssl structure 101 . three indentations 110 are shown in fig2 a for illustration purposes , and the dimensions of the indentations 110 are exaggerated for clarity . as shown in fig2 a , the indentations 110 can include a plurality of sidewalls 111 extending into the ssl structure 101 . in the illustrated embodiment , the indentations 110 individually include sidewalls 111 extending from a surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 into the active region 106 and the first semiconductor material 104 . in other embodiments , at least some of the indentations 110 can include sidewalls that extend only into the active region 106 , or the indentations can extend into the optional buffer material 103 or even into the substrate material 102 . in any of the foregoing embodiments , the ssl structure 101 can also include edge dislocations , threading dislocations , and / or other lattice dislocations ( not shown ). without being bound by theory , it is believed that various structural and / or operational conditions may cause the formation of the indentations 110 during processing . for example , it is believed that indentations 110 may form due to different crystal growth rates along different crystal facets of the substrate material 102 ( or the optional buffer material 103 ). it has been observed that epitaxial growth along certain crystal facets ( e . g ., c - plane ) results in lower surface energy than other crystal facets ( e . g ., m - plane ). as a result , epitaxial growth may propagate along certain crystal facets faster than others to form the indentations 110 . it is also believed that contaminant particles on the surface of the substrate material 102 and / or other epitaxial growth conditions may also cause the indentations 110 to form . the indentations 110 can cause low optical efficiencies of the ssl structure 101 when the microelectronic substrate 100 is processed in accordance with conventional techniques . for example , as shown in fig2 b , a conductive material 112 ( e . g ., silver ) is formed on the second semiconductor material 108 as an electrical contact in accordance with conventional techniques . the conductive material 112 includes a first portion 112 a on the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 and a second portion 112 b in contact with the first semiconductor material 104 . thus , the second portion 112 b of the conductive material 112 forms carrier passages 113 electrically connecting the first and second semiconductor materials 104 and 108 . as a result , charge carriers ( i . e ., holes and electrons ) from the first and second semiconductor materials 104 and 108 may bypass the active region 106 and combine non - radiatively in the carrier passages 113 . such non - radiative recombination can thus cause low optical efficiencies in the ssl structure 101 . several embodiments of the process can at least reduce or eliminate the risk of forming bypassing carrier passages 113 by incorporating an insulation material in the ssl structure 101 . as shown in fig2 c , another operation of the process includes depositing an insulating material 118 on the ssl structure 101 . the insulating material 118 can include a first insulating portion 118 a on the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 and a second insulating portion 118 b in the indentations 110 . in the illustrated embodiment , the insulating material 118 generally conforms to the surface 108 a and the sidewalls 111 of the indentations 110 . in other embodiments , the insulating material 118 can partially or substantially fill the indentations 110 , as described in more detail later with reference to fig2 f . the insulating material 118 can include silicon dioxide ( sio 2 ), silicon nitride ( sin ), hafnium silicate ( hfsio 4 ), zirconium silicate ( zrsio 4 ), hafnium dioxide ( hfo 2 ), zirconium dioxide ( zro 2 ), aluminum oxide ( al 2 o 3 ), and / or other suitable materials with a dielectric constant higher than about 1 . 0 at 20 ° c . under 1 khz . techniques for forming the insulating material 118 can include chemical vapor deposition (“ cvd ”), atomic layer deposition (“ ald ”), spin - on coating , thermal oxidation , and / or other suitable techniques . fig2 d shows another operation of the process , in which the first insulating portion 118 a ( fig2 c ) of the insulating material 118 is removed from the ssl structure 101 while the second insulating portion 118 b remains in the indentations 110 . as a result , the insulating material 118 does not cover the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 . in one embodiment , removal of the first insulating portion 118 a is stopped when the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 is exposed . in other embodiments , at least a portion of the second semiconductor material 108 may be removed beyond the surface 108 a . techniques for removing the first insulating portion 118 a of the insulating material 118 include chemical - mechanical polishing (“ cmp ”), electro - chemical - mechanical polishing (“ ecmp ”), wet etching , drying etching , laser ablation , and / or other suitable material removal techniques . fig2 e shows a subsequent operation of the process , in which a conductive material 120 is formed on the ssl structure 101 with the insulating material 118 . as shown in fig2 e , the conductive material 120 includes a first conductive portion 120 a and a second conductive portion 120 b . the first conductive portion 120 a is in contact with the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 forming an electrical contact for the ssl structure 101 . the second conductive portion 120 b is within the indentations 110 and in contact with the second insulating portion 118 b . in certain embodiments , the conductive material 120 can include indium tin oxide (“ ito ”), aluminum zinc oxide (“ azo ”), fluorine - doped tin oxide (“ fto ”), and / or other suitable transparent conductive oxide (“ tcos ”). in other embodiments , the conductive material 120 can include copper ( cu ), aluminum ( al ), silver ( ag ), gold ( au ), platinum ( pt ), and / or other suitable metals . in further embodiments , the conductive material 120 can include a combination of tcos and one or more metals . techniques for forming the conductive material 120 can include mocvd , mbt , spray pyrolysis , pulsed laser deposition , sputtering , electroplating , and / or other suitable deposition techniques . the ssl device formed in accordance with several embodiments of the foregoing process can have improved optical efficiencies over conventional devices by eliminating bypassing carrier passages 113 ( fig2 b ). for example , as shown in fig2 e , the second insulating portion 118 b electrically insulates the second conductive portion 120 b from the active region 106 the first semiconductor material 104 . the second insulating portion 118 b can thus prevent the second conductive portion 120 b from forming carrier passages that would otherwise bypass the active region 106 by directly connecting the first and second semiconductor materials 104 and 108 . as a result , non - radiative recombination of charge carriers ( i . e ., holes and electrons ) in bypassing carrier passages can be at least reduced or generally eliminated in the ssl structure 101 . even though the insulating material 118 is shown as generally conformal to the ssl structure 101 in fig2 c - 2e , in certain embodiments , the insulating material 118 can also have other configurations . for example , as shown in fig2 f , the second portion 118 b of the insulating material 118 can substantially or completely fill the indentations 110 , the second portion 118 b of the insulating material 118 can even extend beyond the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 . subsequently , portions of the insulating material 118 that extend beyond the surface 108 a may be removed via cmp , ecmp , and / or other suitable techniques . thus , the second insulating portion 118 b can be generally coplanar with the surface 108 a of the second semiconductor material 108 . in other examples , the insulating material 118 can partially fill the indentations 110 and / or have other suitable configurations . in further examples , the insulating material 118 may be formed before forming the second semiconductor material 108 , as described in more detail below with reference to fig3 a - 3e . fig3 a - 3e are cross - sectional views of a portion of a microelectronic substrate 100 undergoing another process for forming an ssl device in accordance with additional embodiments of the technology . as shown in fig3 a , an initial operation of the process can include forming a first semiconductor material 104 and an active region 106 on a substrate material 102 ( with an optional buffer material 103 ) via mocvd , mbe , lpe , hvpe , and / or other suitable epitaxial growth techniques . the active region 106 has a surface 106 a facing away from the first semiconductor material 104 . as described above with reference to fig2 a , it is believed that various structural and / or operational conditions may cause the formation of indentations 210 ( three are shown for illustration purposes ) during epitaxial growth , as shown in fig3 a . in the illustrated embodiment , the indentations 210 have a plurality of sidewalls 211 extending from the surface 106 a of the active region 106 into the first semiconductor material 104 . in other embodiments , at least some of the indentations 210 can also have sidewalls extending into the optional buffer material 103 and / or the substrate material 102 . as shown in fig3 b , another operation of the process includes depositing the insulating material 118 on the microelectronic substrate 100 such that the first insulating portion 118 a is on the surface 106 a of the active region 106 and the second insulating portion 118 b is in the indentations 210 . as shown in fig3 c , the process can further include removing the first insulating portion 118 a ( fig3 b ) of the insulating material 118 from the microelectronic substrate 100 in a fashion generally similar to that described above with reference to fig2 d . the material removal operation may be stopped when the surface 106 a of the active region 106 is exposed while the second insulating portion 118 b remains in the indentations 210 . as shown in fig3 d , a subsequent operation of the process includes forming the second semiconductor material 108 on the microelectronic substrate 100 via mocvd , mbe , lpe , hvpe , and / or other suitable epitaxial growth techniques . the first semiconductor material 104 , the active region 106 , and the second semiconductor material 108 form a different embodiment of the ssl structure 101 . in one embodiment , the second semiconductor material 108 may grow into the indentations 210 via a combination of lateral and vertical growth . thus , the second semiconductor material 108 includes a first semiconductor portion 108 a on the surface 106 a of the active region 106 and a second semiconductor portion 108 b in the indentations 210 . in other embodiments , the indentations 210 may be filled with a filler material ( e . g ., aln , not shown ) before the second semiconductor material 108 is formed . in further embodiments , the second semiconductor material 108 may have other suitable configurations . in any of the foregoing embodiments , the second insulating portion 118 b of the insulating material 118 electrically insulates the second semiconductor material 108 from the first semiconductor material 104 and the active region 106 . in the illustrated embodiment , the second semiconductor material 108 has a generally planar surface 108 a facing away from the active region 106 . as shown in fig3 e , another operation of the process can include forming a conductive material 120 on the generally planar surface 108 a for electrical connection to the second semiconductor material 108 . in other embodiments , the second semiconductor material 108 can also have a non - planar surface ( not shown ) and / or have other suitable structural configurations . fig3 f shows another embodiment of the process in which the second insulating portion 118 b of the insulating material 118 can substantially fill the indentations 210 , which can be generally similar to the operation described above with reference to fig2 e . in the illustrated embodiment , the insulating material 118 is generally coplanar with the surface 106 a of the active region 106 . in other embodiments , the insulating material 118 can be non - planar with the surface 106 a and / or have other suitable configurations . from the foregoing , it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the technology have been described herein for purposes of illustration , but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the disclosure . many of the elements of one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments in addition to or in lieu of the elements of the other embodiments . accordingly , the disclosure is not limited except as by the appended claims .	7
fig1 shows an rf mixer 10 constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . rf signals are applied to the rf mixer 10 at the rf input 1 . in this example , the rf signals applied to the rf input 1 range in frequency from dc to 1 . 5 ghz . an lo signal is applied by a local oscillator ( lo ) to a lo port 2 of the rf mixer 10 . the lo signal is adjusted in frequency over a frequency range from 2 . 4 ghz to 3 . 9 ghz , so that the frequency difference between the lo signal and the rf signal is 2 . 4 ghz . the frequency difference signal , or intermediate frequency ( if ) signal , produced by the rf mixer 10 from the rf and lo signals has a frequency of 2 . 4 ghz and is supplied by the rf mixer 10 at an if port 9 . alternatively , another mixing product produced by the rf mixer 10 , such as a frequency sum signal of the lo signal and rf signal provides the if signal at the if port 9 . the rf signal and lo signal couple through coupled transmission line sections 6a and 6b so that the rf signal and lo signal are superimposed and are both present at the junction node 7 positioned between mixer diodes d1 and d2 . the impedance z in looking back from junction node 7 toward the rf input 1 is matched to the system &# 39 ; s 50 ohm characteristic impedance over a broad frequency range encompassing the lo signal frequency range of 2 . 4 - 3 . 9 ghz and the frequency range of the lo signal &# 39 ; s harmonics generated by mixing diodes d1 and d2 . the impedance z in may be matched using an attenuator 3 or other known impedance matching structure . as a result of the matched impedance z in , reflections of the lo signal and its harmonics between the rf input 1 and the junction node 7 are minimized . typically , the power of the lo signal is sufficient to form current conduction waveforms in each diode d1 and d2 that approximate a square wave . the square wave rapidly traverses between an &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; or non - conducting state and an &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; or conducting state of each of the diodes d1 and d2 , significantly reducing distortion caused by nonlinear impedance variations of diodes d1 and d2 when the diodes operate at low current levels . the lo signal drives diode d1 to the conducting ( low resistance ) state , while diode d2 is in the non - conducting ( high resistance ) state and alternately drives diode d2 to the conducting state while diode d1 is in the non - conducting state . the matched impedance z in prevents harmonics of the lo signals present in the square wave from reflecting from the impedance z in and combining with the applied lo signals at various amplitudes and phases to distort the current conduction waveform of diodes d1 and d2 . thus , the matched impedance z in reduces distortion in the rf mixer 10 . the transmission line 6a connects to two signal branches of the rf mixer 10 at the junction node 7 . in the first branch , diode d1 connects between the junction node 7 and a transmission line tl1 . transmission line tl1 connects in series between diode d1 and terminating resistor r1 . r1 also connects to ground g . a second branch , similar to the first branch includes diode d2 , transmission line tl2 and terminating resistor r2 , and connects to junction node 7 in parallel with the first branch . diodes d1 and d2 have matched resistances in the conducting state and other matched performance parameters that balance signals in each of the two signal branches of the rf mixer 10 . diodes d1 and d2 connect to junction node 7 in opposite polarity and alternately conduct , depending on the polarity of the waveform of the lo signal present at the junction node 7 . when either diode is in the conducting state , the impedance at junction node 7 is nominally 40 ohms , equal to the sum of one terminating resistor r1 or r2 , depending on whether diode d1 or d2 is conducting , and the diode resistance in the conducting state , which in this case is approximately 20 ohms . in this example , the transmission lines tl1 and tl2 are each 1 / 20th of a wavelength long at the if frequency ( 2 . 4 ghz ) and each have a characteristic impedance of 20 ohms . even harmonics generated by the alternate conduction of diodes d1 and d2 circulate in transmission lines tl1 and tl2 and are terminated in resistors r1 and r2 . conversion efficiency , which is the ratio of the if signal power at the if port 9 to the rf power applied to the rf port 1 , generally decreases as the values of r1 and r2 increase while distortion performance generally improves as r1 and r2 increase . a value of 20 ohms for resistors r1 and r2 provides the desired trade - off between distortion performance and conversion efficiency for the rf mixer 10 in rf spectrum analyzer applications . conversion efficiency may be improved at the expense of distortion performance , by decreasing the value of resistors r1 and r2 or by replacing resistors r1 and r2 with short circuit connections to ground g . the length and characteristic impedance of transmission lines tl1 and tl2 may also be adjusted . a dumbbell resonator 11 couples the signals at the fixed if frequency ( 2 . 4 ghz in this example ) from the short transmission line segments tl1 and tl2 to the output transmission line tl3 . the output transmission line tl3 provides the if signal at the rf mixer 10 &# 39 ; s if port 9 . in the absence of the dumbbell resonator 11 , the physically short transmission lines tl1 and tl2 provide insufficient coupling to the output transmission line tl3 at the if port 9 . in this example , the dumbbell resonator 11 and the output transmission line tl3 are printed on an internal layer of a four - layer printed circuit ( pc ) board . the transmission lines tl1 and tl2 are printed on a top external layer of the pc board , and a ground plane is formed on the bottom external layer of the pc board . the dumbbell resonator 11 has a high impedance line 13 that is centered about the junction node 7 and transmission lines tl1 and tl2 . at each end of the high impedance line 13 is a low impedance transmission line 15 . the resulting dumbbell resonator 11 provides efficient coupling of if signals to the output transmission line tl3 while reducing coupling of signals beyond the frequency range of the if signal and suppressing the coupling of unwanted mixing products and lo signal harmonics outside of the if signal &# 39 ; s frequency range . the length of the dumbbell resonator 11 may be empirically determined to selectively couple signals at the if frequency to the if port 9 . depending on the desired coupling characteristics , the low impedance transmission lines 15 may be omitted , forming the dumbbell resonator 11 simply from the high impedance transmission line 13 as shown in fig2 a . alternatively , shunt capacitors c shown in fig2 b are connected between each end of the dumbbell resonator 11 and the ground g to change the physical size and frequency selectivity of the dumbbell resonator 11 . the transmission lines tl1 and tl2 are each parallel to a portion of the high impedance line 13 of the dumbbell resonator 11 . the output transmission line tl3 is also parallel to the high impedance line 13 and provides an if signal at the if port 9 of the rf mixer 10 . the transmission lines tl1 and tl2 and the output transmission line tl3 in this example are formed by printing a conductor over a planar ground g . according to an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in fig3 a pair of output transmission lines 23a , 23b connect to ground . adjacent or opposite ends of each transmission line 23a , 23b provide a pair of if signals at if ports 19a and 19b , that have equal amplitudes and opposite phases . adjacent ends of output transmission lines 23a , 23b are shown connected to ground g . these two if signals provide an &# 34 ; in phase &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; out - of - phase &# 34 ; signal that may be used to drive other circuitry within an rf spectrum analyzer or other system .	7
we have now unexpectedly discovered that under certain conditions thiophene can be directly acylated to give thiophenecarbonyl chloride ( thenoyl chloride ) in good yields . the reaction is run using substantially equimolar quantities of thiophene , phosgene and aluminum chloride . the critical aluminum chloride catalyst however may be used in excess without lowering yields such as in 5 - 10 % excess . a common organic solvent is used which is chemically inert to the reactants , which is of a polarity that the phosgenealuminum chloride acylation complex ( see g . olah above ) is maintained intact and which is liquid at the temperature of the reaction . such solvents may be selected from the common halogenated solvents for example chloroform , carbon tetrachloride , methylene chloride , tetrachloroethylene , toluene , nitrobenzene , chlorobenzene , dichlorobenzene , o - xylene , cymene , carbon disulfide , dimethylsulfoxide or liquid phosgene . mixtures of the common organic solvents mentioned may also be used . the temperature of the reaction has been found to be critical to obtaining a favorable ratio of acid chloride to ketone . normally the temperature is selected from the range of about 0 ° c . down to just above the freezing point of the reaction mixture . advantageously a temperature is selected from about - 15 ° to - 25 ° c . some acid chloride is obtained at higher temperatures such as at room temperature but the tendency of the acid chloride to react with thiophene to form thiophene ketone makes the reaction less attractive at relatively high temperatures . the reaction occurs as soon as the thiophene is contacted with the catalyst - phosgene mixture . the reaction mixture is therefore worked up so that continued contact is minimal . another factor which we have found that should be controlled to insure a high yield of the desired thiophenecarbonyl chloride is the state of concentration of the reactants , especially the thiophene , in the solvent . higher concentrations of thiophene yield higher quantities of the ketone by - product . in practice we have found that from 5 - 10 % of the thiophene per reaction mixture gives good yields . substantially more of the thiophene increases the ratio of ketone . for example 15 - 20 % of thiophene gives relatively more ketone . because of the easy , almost instantaneous , reaction of the ingredients , the temperature effect and the dilution factor , the process of this invention may advantageously be carried out in a continuous stream reaction or a flow through reactor although we have not to date so carried out the reaction in this manner . the lewis acid catalyst , aluminum chloride , has also proved to be specific to date in our hands . zinc chloride , titanium tetrachloride , boron trifluoride etherate , stannic chloride , iodine and no catalyst gave little acid chloride . ferric chloride at 3 hours and - 20 ° c . gave some product . any convenient isolation procedure well known in the art can be used to isolate the desired thiophene carbonyl chloride . we have found that the use of neutral , basic or weakly aqueous media tends to yield undesirable proportions of thiophenecarboxylic acid . strongly acid media such as 25 % hydrochloric acid or various aqueous acid solutions of ph & lt ; 1 are therefore advantageously used in the work - up procedure . alternatively the product can be used in situ by methods known to the art . the following are intended to exemplify this invention and to describe the best method known at this time for carrying out this invention . all temperature are on the centigrade scale . a solution of 0 . 01 mole ( 990 mg ) of phosgene in 16 ml of methylene chloride was cooled in dry ice / carbon tetrachloride to - 20 °. to this was added 1 . 34 g ( 0 . 01 mole ) of anhydrous aluminum chloride to form a grey slurry . a solution of 0 . 8 ml ( 0 . 01 mole ) of thiophene in 8 ml of methylene chloride was slowly added ( addn time ˜ 20 min ). immediately after the addition the mixture was poured into iced 25 % hydrochloric acid with stirring , the color changed from red to yellow and the organic phase was separated . the aqueous acid was extracted twice with methylene chloride and the organic phases combined then dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate . gas liquid chromatography ( on a 6 &# 39 ; column of 3 % dimethylsilicone packing ( ov - 101 ) initial temp 70 ° final temp 200 ° programmed at 10 °/ min ) shows little or no thiophene and 96 to 100 % acid chloride ( less than 5 % of ketone ). the acid chloride may be distilled at 85 ° c . at aspirator pressure to give water white liquid analyzed to contain no 3 - isomer ( 99 . 8 % acid chloride ). these catalysts were also tried on same scale under same reaction conditions . no reaction occurred . with equimolar amounts of fecl 3 after 3 hours at - 20 ° c . a small amount of product was detected by gas liquid chromatography .	2
referring to fig1 and 2 , a dispenser pack is designed to hold toothpaste in the internal space 8 of a container 1 . in this embodiment the container consists of a collapsible impermeable bag 1 enclosed by a rigid plastic shell 1 ′ with a hole 11 through its base . this is a known mode of containment for viscous products sensitive to air ; the bag 1 collapses gradually as product is dispensed while the outer shell 1 ′ protects and supports it . a pumping arrangement is secured at the top of the container 1 , consisting essentially of an elastomeric discharge tube unit 3 secured over the opening of the container 1 , and a housing body 2 which locates and supports the tube unit 3 in relation to the container shell 1 ′ and a movable actuating button 5 mounted beside the tube unit 3 . the tube unit 3 is shown in isolation in fig6 . it is a one piece elastomeric moulding , e . g . of rubber or thermoplastic elastomer , and has a cylindrical side wall 32 which is tilted away from the upright axis of the dispensing package . the top of the tube converges to a so - called duckbill valve 33 , constituted by opposed convergent faces 35 leading to a linear outlet slit 36 . in a known manner , this readily opens to allow paste to pass out ( arrow a , fig2 ), but any negative pressure behind the outlet acts , in concert with the material &# 39 ; s resilience , to pull the slit 36 firmly shut and make an airtight seal . the base of the cylindrical tube 32 flares out as an integral annular cap 34 having a peripheral upwardly - opening u - channel 35 . in the assembled pack ( see fig1 ) this fits down inside a thickened locating rim 13 of the collapsible bag 1 , which in turn fits in a locating groove 12 at the top of the container shell 1 ′. the lower edge of the body shroud 2 has an annular projection 21 which fits down into the u - channel 35 to lock the assembly together , in combination with a snap engagement between shroud 2 and shell 1 ′. this forms a sealed , open communication between the container interior 8 and the cylindrical discharge channel 31 in the elastomeric tube 32 , closed at the top end by the slit valve 33 . the body 2 provides a shroud or casing with an eccentric top opening 23 through which the convergent tip of the elastomer tube projects . the body 2 also provides an inclined interior abutment 26 against which one side of the tube 32 rests . opposite that abutment the housing or body 2 has a side opening 24 which exposes the actuating surface 51 of the actuating element 5 . looking at fig1 in conjunction with fig5 the actuating element 5 is a one - piece plastic unit , mounted pivotingly through studs 52 to either side of the nozzle unit ( see also fig8 , showing clips 15 to receive the studs 52 pivotably ). the element s can then be pivoted by pressing on its actuating surface 51 between the positions shown in fig1 and 2 . the operating ( front ) surface of the element 5 features two downwardly - dependent limbs 54 , 57 one behind the other . the front limb 54 presents a generally flat engagement surface 55 . the rear limb 57 projects to below the bottom edge of the front limb 54 and carries a forwardly - projecting flange 53 . the limbs 54 , 57 are resiliently flexible relative to one another and to the actuating surface 51 . in the rest condition ( fig1 ) the dimensions of the element and the positioning of the pivots 52 , 15 are such that the forwardly - projecting flange 53 indents a lower part of the elastomeric tube wall 32 as seen in fig1 . however the tube channel 31 remains substantially open at this region , and most of the tube interior 31 above is fully open . as the actuator 5 is pushed forwardly , towards the position of fig2 , an initial event is further indentation of the lower part of the tube 32 by the projecting flange 53 . assuming an initial condition with the container and nozzle channel 31 full of paste , the effect of this is to tend to block off the escape route from the discharge channel 31 back into the container space 8 . as the button 5 is further advanced , the extent of this blockage increases and at the same time , the front engaging surface 55 of the front limb 57 swings into progressive and compressive engagement with the tube wall 32 ; the opposing abutment 26 reacts to these forces so that the internal discharge channel 31 is gradually compressed and the nozzle tip 33 keeps its position . the flattening of the channel 31 expels paste from the nozzle tip ( arrow a in fig2 ) until the button 5 reaches the limit of its stroke . during the stroke the force against the end of forward flange 53 causes its supporting limb 57 to deflect back relative to the surrounding parts of the element 5 . this flexibility avoids excessive forces being applied against the tube wall and hindering the movement of the button . when the button is released , the resilient re - expansion of the tube wall 32 pushes the button back to its start position and generates a negative pressure which draws paste material up into the nozzle space 31 from the container space 8 , the bag 1 collapsing slightly to compensate and venting air entering the intermediate space between bag 1 and shell 1 ′ through vent hole 11 . this dispensing action has a number of advantages , in particular the avoidance of any discrete springs or metal parts in the product path , the absence of discrete valve components , but nevertheless a positive pumping action from the valve effect of the flange 53 . fig3 and 4 show some variants , in which the pumping action is the same as in the first embodiment . in the fig3 embodiment the cylindrical elastomeric tube 32 and its duckbill valve 33 are the same as before , but the lower end stops short instead of flaring to form a cap . the container is a rigid plastics container 101 with a sliding follower piston 102 having a sealing lip 103 forming a movable base . the top of the container is closed by a flat top wall 104 having an oblique spigot 105 onto which the bottom end of the cylindrical elastomer tube 32 fits tightly . in this embodiment an abutment structure 126 to support the tube 32 is formed as integral upward projections from the container roof 104 ; see also fig8 which shows this embodiment . the clips 15 for the pivoting button can be formed also on the roof 104 , whereas for the first embodiment they would project in from the skirt of the housing 2 . note from fig8 that the abutment 126 need not provide an extended surface to support the tube 32 adequately . here , three edge engagements suffice . note also from fig3 that the follower plate has a downwardly - flaring sealing lip 103 which allows minor quantities of trapped air to escape during filling of the pack . fig4 ( a ) shows the top of the fig3 dispenser at the end of the dispensing stroke . the action is the same as in the first embodiment , except that the tube 32 needs to deform across the top of the spigot 105 . in this embodiment the casing 2 is primarily to support the rubber nozzle 33 , and for aesthetic purposes . fig4 ( b ) shows an alternative follower plate construction where the follower plate sealing lips 203 will not allow trapped air to escape and a central vent 205 is provided instead . fig7 shows an alternative construction of the discharge tube 132 , adapted for dispensing a larger volume without increasing the stroke of the actuating element 5 . this is done by making the cross - section of the tube 133 generally oblong , with a larger dimension w transverse to the stroke and a smaller dimension d along the stroke . the nozzle outlet is the same size as before , however . fig9 and 10 show a further embodiment in which , instead of a swinging button 5 acting against a fixed abutment 26 , the dispenser provides a pair of similar pivoted buttons 5 to either side of the discharge tube 32 to act counter to one another . here , the tube 32 is upright ( axial to the container ) and the buttons 5 are identical . such a construction may enable a greater relative displacement of the tube wall by the lower flanges ( a more positive inlet valve function ) and also a more progressive urging of material along the tube channel 31 in the downstream direction as the elements 5 swing together . the body casing 2 has a pair of corresponding openings 24 to expose the two buttons 5 . fig1 and 12 show a further variant . here the compressible rubber discharge tube 232 is fitted on a top spigot 205 of a screw cap 206 which can be freely transferred from one container to another , e . g . a conventional toothpaste tube . this embodiment features an indirect drive mechanism for the actuating elements 215 . a surrounding casing 202 has an upper pivot 71 at which a pair of opposed actuating levers 7 are pivoted so that they can be swung between the raised and lowered positions seen in fig1 , 12 . a common lower pivot 215 mounts the bottom ends of a pair of opposed actuating elements 215 , each having an inwardly bent supporting arm 256 and a medial forwardly - projecting portion 255 adapted to press the respective side of the tube 232 . the initial inclination of the actuating portions 255 brings their lower ends 253 into engagement initially with the lower part of the tube 232 to provide an inlet valve effect by partial blockage at the lower end . the upper ends of the support elements 256 enter recesses in the undersides of the operating levers 7 and are retained there in slide tracks 72 for the necessary freedom of action . the lever mechanism gives a significant mechanical advantage , making this suitable for use by children . fig1 , 14 and 15 show a further embodiment , in which the pumping mechanism is different from the previous embodiments . the tube 3 , with deformable wall 332 and duckbill valve 333 , is the same as before , except the lower end has an annular projection 336 . the tube 3 fits tightly over an inner spigot 61 of a container cap 6 , with the annular projection 336 of the tube 3 abutting against a flat top portion 62 of the container cap 6 . the cap has sidewall 63 with horizontal portions 64 for locating between a rigid container shell 201 ′ and the housing body 2 . the inner spigot 61 has an inner screw thread 65 , dimensioned such as to allow the container cap 6 to directly replace the cap of a squeeze container containing paste or gel , e . g . a conventional toothpaste tube . fig1 shows the arrangement with a toothpaste tube 201 in place . the one - piece movable actuator element 5 of the previous embodiments , with two downwardly dependent limbs 54 , 57 , is replaced with a laterally movable button 80 and leaf spring 81 . the leaf spring 81 has a forwardly projecting flange 83 , for indenting the lower part of the deformable tube wall 332 , acting as a blocking portion . situated above this flange 83 is a flat vertical portion 85 , for compressing the tube and expelling flowable product through the duckbill valve 333 . a horizontal top portion 84 of the leaf spring 81 is slottedly located between two closely spaced projections 801 of the inner wall of the actuating button 80 . fig1 and 17 show a further embodiment , in which the pumping action is different again from the previous embodiments . the dispenser structure is mounted on a container having a follower piston 302 . when the tube is compressed by actuating a compression member 405 , if the force required to open the duckbill valve 433 is less than the force required to push the follower piston 302 backwards , product will be dispensed through the duckbill opening 436 . a specific or discrete blocking portion or inlet valve at the inlet end of the tube 3 is therefore not necessary . fig1 and 19 show further embodiments , in which the tube 3 is formed from a two - shot moulding process and has portions of deformable material x and portions of rigid material y . the tube comprises a deformable wall 532 of deformable material x . an actuator member 9 , 9 ′ is disposed behind the deformable wall 532 , for deforming it in a similar manner to that described in the previous embodiments of the invention . a ring - shaped elastomeric member 538 with central hole 5381 , and a resiliently biased rigid valve member 539 covering the hole 5381 , combine to provide an outlet valve to the tube 3 . a duckbill valve as used in previously described embodiments could instead be provided at the outlet end , although it is understood that various other types of outlet valve are acceptable . the remaining parts of the tube 3 , including the flare 534 at the base of the tube 3 , are of rigid material y . using a two - shot moulding process to produce a tube of this kind is substantially cheaper than producing an entirely elastomeric tube , as elastomeric injection form materials tend to be rather expensive . fig1 and 19 also show variations in construction of the movable actuator element 9 , 9 ′ for providing lateral deformation of the deformable wall 532 of the tube 3 . in both examples the pivot point 92 , 92 ′ of the actuator element is adjacent the outlet end of the tube 3 , unlike the embodiments described previously ( e . g . fig5 ( c )). a blocking portion 93 , 93 ′ is provided at the bottom of the actuator element for indenting the inlet end of the deformable wall 532 of the tube 3 , thus acting as an inlet valve . fig1 shows a blocking portion 93 projecting from a flexible semicircular portion 931 of the actuator element 9 . the flexibility avoids , in use , excessive forces being applied against the tube wall and hindering full movement of the actuator element . fig1 shows the blocking portion 93 ′ projecting from a flexible tube portion 931 ′; a variation to the semicircular region 93 described above . the actuator elements of fig1 and 19 have different structures . fig1 shows an actuator element 9 with an arcuate compression portion 95 that , as it rotates around the pivot point 92 , pushes a flexible projection 94 that extends from the rigid flare 534 at the base of the tube 3 such that its flat front facet 96 lies against the deformable wall 532 of the tube 3 . such a construction enables a progressive urging of material in the downstream direction . the actuator element shown in fig1 comprises , as a compression portion , a flexible limb 95 ′ extending upwardly from an upstream region , with a flat front facet 96 ′ for engagement with the deformable wall 532 of the tube 3 as the actuator element rotates around the pivot point 92 ′. such a construction again enables a progressive urging of material in the downstream direction .	1
schematically depicted in fig1 is a pumpless water heater heating system 10 that embodies principles of the present invention and includes an instantaneous gas water heater ( igwh ) 12 having a burner section 14 supplied with gaseous fuel via a gas supply line 16 , and a storage type water heater ( swh ) 18 having a water storage tank 20 with electric heating elements 22 extending into the interior of tank 20 . igwh 12 has a water inlet 24 , and a water outlet 26 , and tank 20 has a water inlet 28 and a water outlet 30 . a water line 34 is interconnected between the igwh inlet 24 and the tank inlet 28 , and a water line 38 is interconnected between the igwh outlet 26 and the tank inlet 28 and extends from the tank inlet 28 downwardly through the interior of the tank 20 to a bottom portion thereof . valve 36 is operatively connected as shown in the water line 34 . valve 36 is a bypass valve controllable to allow a selectively variable flow or an orifice to allow a fixed amount of incoming cold water therethrough via the line 34 in the direction of the arrows in line 34 . a cold water inlet line 32 ( through which incoming cold water is flowed to the system ) is connected as shown in the line 34 between the igwh inlet 24 and the valve 36 as shown . during a demand for hot water supply from the system 10 , pressurized hot water at temperature t tank is discharged from the tank outlet 30 to the open fixture ( s ) served by line 42 while at the same time pressurized cold water , at temperature t cold , from a source , is flowed through line 32 into the segment of the line 34 between the igwh outlet 26 and the bypass valve 36 . a portion of this incoming pressurized cold water is flowed into the through igwh 12 and discharged therefrom , into the line 38 , as heated water , at temperature t hot . the balance of the incoming pressurized cold water bypasses igwh 12 and flows through the valve 36 into the line 34 where it mixes with line 38 to become t mix , which flows into the interior of the tank 20 via line 40 . as needed ( for example during standby periods of the system 10 ), the electric heating elements 22 may be energized to maintain t tank at an appropriate level . it is important to note that the unique use of the cold water bypass valve 36 in the overall interconnecting flow circuitry of the system 10 advantageously permits full flow from tank 20 while allowing a constant volume of t mix into the tank inlet 28 . the selective bypassing of cold inlet water around igwh 12 helps reduce pressure loss and limited flow in the heat exchanger portion of igwh 12 . the bypass ratio of valve 36 may be fixed or adjustable with respect to the outlet temperature t hot . as previously mentioned herein , system 10 efficiently functions without the expense of a pump and its associated recirculation piping ( although such a pump and associated recirculation piping could be appropriately added to the system if desired ). instead , the “ driving ” force selectively flowing the tempered water to the plumbing fixture ( s ) via pipe 42 is simply the pressure of the cold water source coupled to the pipe 40 . additionally , the combination system 10 is provided with improved hot water supply from tank 18 due to the provision of the cold water bypass valve 36 in the piping circuitry interconnecting igwh 12 and swh 18 . an alternate embodiment 10 a of the previously described pumpless water heating system 10 is schematically depicted in fig2 . system 10 a is identical to system 10 with the exceptions that ( 1 ) valve 36 is replaced with a mixing valve , representatively a thermostatically controlled mixing valve 46 . . the mixing valve 46 allows cold water from line 32 to bypass igwh 12 and mix with t mix from line 38 and flow into tank 20 as t mix through line 40 . this feature provides for substantially improved temperature control of t mix by providing a controlled mix of t cold from line 32 and t hot discharged from igwh 12 . an alternate embodiment 10 b of the previously described pumpless water heating system 10 is schematically depicted in fig3 . system 10 b is identical to system 10 with the exceptions that valve 36 is replaced with a thermal switch ( ie “ aquastat ) 48 and a normally closed solenoid valve 50 . the thermal switch 48 allows cold water from line 32 to bypass igwh 12 and mix with t hot from line 38 and flow into tank 20 as t mix through line 40 . this feature allows for better utilization of the igwh 12 during low usage ( flow ) periods by eliminating unnecessary amounts of t cold into tank 20 . during high usage ( flow ) periods , t hot from igwh 12 will decrease below the set temperature of thermal switch 48 thus activating solenoid 50 to provide a greater volume of t mix into tank 20 . an alternate embodiment 10 c of the previously described pumpless water heating system 10 is schematically depicted in fig4 . system 10 c is identical to system 10 b with the exceptions that thermal switch 48 is replaced with a flow sensor 52 and a relay 54 . the flow sensor 52 sends a signal to relay 54 when a predetermined amount of flow is passing through igwh 12 to activate solenoid valve 50 . flow sensor 52 can be integral to igwh 12 or installed in lines 32 , 38 , or 40 . this feature allows for an alternate means to detect heavy usage ( flow ) periods based on flow conditions rather than temperature conditions . as previously mentioned in alternate embodiment 10 b , solenoid 50 will only activate during high usage ( flow ) periods in order to make best utilization of igwh 12 . an alternate embodiment 10 d of the previously described pumpless water heating system 10 is schematically depicted in fig5 . system 10 c is identical to system 10 b with the exceptions that thermal switch 48 is replaced with flow switch 56 . the flow switch 56 sends a signal to solenoid valve 50 when a predetermined amount of flow is passing through line 32 . this feature allows for a direct signal to solenoid 50 without the use of additional electronics as describe in alternate embodiment 10 c . as previously mentioned in alternate embodiment 10 b , solenoid 50 will only activate during high usage ( flow ) periods in order to make best utilization of igwh 12 . in any of alternate embodiments 10 a , 10 b , 10 c and 10 d , valve 36 as shown in fig1 could be added to line 32 to provide a fixed amount of the incoming fluid to bypass igwh 12 . as can be readily seen from the foregoing , the representatively illustrated embodiments 10 , 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d of the pumpless water heater system of the present invention , compared to conventional combination instantaneous / tank type water heater systems , provide improved water temperature and flow rate control , while at the same time eliminating the complexity and cost of an associated mechanical pumping system . while the pumpless systems 10 , 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d illustrated and described herein are representatively water heating systems , principles of the present invention are not limited to water heating but could be alternatively employed to advantage in conjunction with supply systems for other types of fluids . additionally , while as previously mentioned herein the systems 10 , 10 a , 10 b , 10 c , 10 d are representatively of pumpless configurations , various types of pumps and associated recirculation systems could be appropriately incorporated therein if desired . in yet a further alternative embodiment , the flow circuitry described herein may be disposed within a self - contained unit that can be operably integrated such that an instantaneous fluid heater could be connected to any fluid storage vessel . the foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as being given by way of illustration and example only , the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited solely by the appended claims .	8
the following description relates to an example of the present invention where the stapling unit takes the form of a well - known saddle stitcher , i . e . an apparatus in which two stapling heads provided in a stapling station apply two staples from below along a central line of the sheet stack and at a distance from the sheet edges . when the sheet stack has been stapled it is moved out of the stapling station and folded about said central line which includes the staples to form a booklet which is moved downwards through a nip between withdrawal rollers . accordingly , the stapling heads are located below the sheet stack to be stapled while the anvils cooperating with said heads are arranged above said sheet stack . of a stapling device of this type , the drawing only shows one stapling head , generally denoted 1 , of a stapling station including two stapling heads of which one is located in a fixed position relative to the edges of the sheets to be stapled and the other is adjustable so that different sizes or formats of sheets can be handled . analogously the drawing only shows a partial longitudinal view of an anvil base 3 which is designed as a c - shaped profiled bar and to the lower surface of which a single anvil 5 is secured which is adapted for cooperation with stapling head 1 . the anvil base 3 extends horizontally and in the adjustment direction of the stapling head , whose position can be adjusted to suit different sheet sizes or formats , and comprises , in addition to the anvil 5 illustrated , a number of further anvils which are each aligned to a corresponding stapling position in which they cooperate with a stapling head during a stapling operation . stapling head 1 has a stapling gap or staples ejection opening 7 which terminates at the upper surface thereof opposite anvil 5 and includes between its two edges a widened section 11 through which a staple can be ejected during the stapling operation . the stapling gap 7 takes the form of an elongate slot whose uninterrupted edge is formed at one longer side and two smaller sides by a metal plate 9 of the housing which is welded to the body of the stapling head that forms the edge of the slot on the second longer side . the length and width of the widened section 11 are adapted to the corresponding dimensions of the staple to be ejected . anvil 5 has two arcuate anvil surfaces 13 each adapted in a manner known in the art to cooperate with one of the legs of a staple and taking the form of an indentation in that surface of anvil 5 which faces stapling head 1 . by means of screws 15 received with play in bores of anvil base 3 and of nuts 16 , anvil 5 is connected to the lower surface of anvil base 3 such that the anvil surfaces 13 are aligned with respect to the stapling gap 7 of stapling head 1 . stapling head 1 is movable in a manner known in the art such that it can be moved between a retracted position ( illustrated in fig2 ) and an operative position in which its upper side including stapling gap 7 is moved close to the lower side of a sheet stack which rests with its upper side against anvil 5 . in the retracted position in which the stapling head 1 is shown in the figs . an adjustment piece 19 can be attached to it , as is illustrated in fig2 . adjustment piece 19 is an extrusion - molded plastic plate having two broad surfaces or sides as shown , and whose contour resembles a star with four points . on one of its broad sides which faces the stapling head 1 when the adjustment piece 19 is attached to it , a fitting means in the form of a rib - type projection 21 forms an integral unit with adjustment piece 19 . the length and the width of projection 21 are adapted to the internal length and width of the stapling gap 7 and its widened section 11 so that projection 21 can only be inserted into stapling gap 7 in a position determined by widened section 11 , and when inserted , ensures that adjustment piece 19 is positively and precisely locked in its position opposite stapling head 1 . on the side of adjustment piece 19 opposite projection 21 , two integrally molded round positioning pins 23 project vertically from the plane of the plastic plate of adjustment piece 19 . their free ends have sloping faces 24 . the positioning pins 23 are located at the ends of the star points which extend at right angles to projection 21 so that the connecting line between the positioning pins 23 runs at right angles to the axis of the rectilinear projection 21 . the positioning pins 23 , which serve as fitting means , are adapted for positively engaging complementary fitting means of the anvil 5 , these means taking the form of positioning bores 25 and 27 . as can be inferred from the figs ., positioning bore 25 is a round hole while positioning bore 27 is an oblong hole which extends in the direction of the connecting line with the other positioning bore 25 . an anvil 5 is connected with anvil base 3 in that the parts are pre - assembled such that anvil 5 is attached loosely and with play by means of the screws 15 and nuts 16 to the anvil base 3 in a position corresponding more or less to the predetermined position of the stapling head . subsequently , the adjustment piece 19 is fixed on stapling head 1 in that projection 21 is inserted into stapling gap 7 while stapling head 1 is in its retracted position . stapling head 1 is now moved to its operative position , i . e . in the direction towards anvil 5 . the positioning pins 23 are received in the facing openings of the positioning bores 25 and 27 of anvil 5 . any deviations from the proper position of the positioning pins 23 and the positioning bores 25 and 27 are corrected during such movement by the opening edges contacting the sloping end faces 24 ( fig2 ) of the positioning pins 23 , the anvil 5 being correspondingly aligned relative to anvil base 3 because the screws 15 and nuts 16 are not yet tightened and the screw holes in the anvil base 3 offer sufficient play for a suitable alignment . after the positioning pins 23 have been received in the positioning holes 25 and 27 and anvil 5 has thus been aligned , the screws 15 and nuts 16 can be tightened . stapling head 1 is returned to its retracted position shown in fig2 and adjustment piece 19 removed from stapling head 1 . this procedure is analogously applied to all anvils 5 of anvil base 3 . if the anvils are of the type used in connection with a stapling head that can be adjusted to different sheet sizes or formats , the stapling head is set to the stapling position required and the anvil used is correspondingly aligned and mounted to anvil base 3 . if the adjustment piece 19 is an extrusion - molded and integrally formed plastic component the positioning bore 27 is advantageously an oblong hole because it allows a simple and inexpensive molding tool to be used , the distance , by which the positioning pin 23 associated with positioning bore 27 is spaced from the other positioning pin 23 , not calling for a narrow manufacturing tolerance . the accurate alignment position of anvil 5 is not impaired by the oblong shape of positioning bore 27 . deviations in the transverse direction of the anvil base 3 are avoided by the engagement of one positioning pin in positioning bore 25 . the danger of a longitudinal deviation in the direction of anvil base 3 does not exist because the oblong hole of the positioning bore 27 is not broader in that direction than the positioning pin 23 associated with it . the above description and the drawings are confined to features essential to describing an embodiment of the invention . inasmuch as features are disclosed in the description and drawings , therefore , and not mentioned in the claims , they also serve if necessary to define the subject matter of the invention . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a presently preferred embodiment , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention .	8
the aforementioned problems created a need to re - locate the product selection buttons over to the new sign - face area that now holds the large product - size decals . now , a customer can both read and understand what products are available and push the product selection button that is located near ( just above , below , or next to ) the decal , thus operating like the pepsico , d466 , 941 vending machine . see drawing fig2 for an outline drawing of the vending machine with the preferred 12 new product decals in the sign - face area and with the 12 round selection buttons located under each decal . the re - location of the product selection buttons created another problem of the holes or cutouts in the vending machine door being empty or vacant , also confusing customers who think the product selection buttons should still be there . thus , there was a need to cover these holes to discourage a vandal from using these holes to vandalize the vending machine , and to make it obvious to the customer that there are no longer selection switches at that location . previous to this invention , applicants &# 39 ; assignee , triteq lock and security , llc invented a vandal panel for this vintage model vending machine as described in patent applications ser . nos . 10 / 908 , 445 filed may 12 , 2005 ; 60 / 521 , 655 filed jun . 12 , 2004 and d487 , 777 . in these patent applications , it was taught that the panel would cover the majority of the edge of the door in order to discourage bending of the door for forced entry and would provide steel material around the selection buttons on the door to discourage vandals from using tools to break - away buttons . in the new invention described herein , the panel will now completely cover the location where the selection switches were previously located ( thus covering the holes or cut - outs in the door that remain ) and will usually cover the majority of the edge of the door from top to bottom , thus enhancing the vandalism security even more than in prior versions of this panel . this panel 23 ′ is shown on the right side of the door in drawing fig2 . the re - location of the buttons to the sign - face area offers an advantage in that additional product selection buttons can be added to enhance sale - ability of cold - drink products . the pepsico vendor of d466 , 941 has proven that 12 selection buttons in a vending machine that only vends 9 different product brands is an advantage because now up to 3 of the brands can have two or more selection buttons . for example , there may only be one out of 9 columns dedicated to vending diet pepsi , but with the new selection button configuration of this invention two ( or more ) selection buttons may be mounted and electrically wired to the vending control board for diet pepsi , giving the customer more than one selection button to press ( for example ; one selection button may be located on the left of the sign - face and one on the right ). a possible location of the switch control board and wiring to the re - located switches is shown in drawing fig3 . the switch control board and schematic is shown in drawing fig4 - 6 . the object of this board is to facilitate the wiring of many different models and manufacturers of vending machines during this era to provide the additional product selection switches to operate for all models . by plugging in the switch connectors to various terminations on the control board facilitates the flavor selection label switch to dispense from various columns . jumpers are provided on the control board that facilitate the various models of vendors . these jumpers serve to allow one control board to function with a variety of manufacturer &# 39 ; s models . an interconnection cable from the control board is provided to allow proper connection to each vendor models drawing fig7 is a detail view of the changeable product decal 30 as it is attached to the new sign - face 32 of the invention . the decal 30 attaches inside of the vendor or the inside surface of the sign - face 32 . as shown in the figure , the decal 30 has one hole 32 in the lower right corner and a tongue of material 31 protruding at the top of the decal . this invention has at least 2 , or preferred 3 fasteners 36 for attaching the decal . these fasteners 36 may have very flat heads 38 so they do not stick out from the outside of the sign - face preventing any scratching a customer . the first ( lower ) fastener 36 is a screw that goes through the hole 34 in the decal and attaches to a nut fastener 40 on the inside of the sign - face 32 . the nut holds the decal to the sign - face inner surface . at the top of the decal , fasteners 2 and 3 ( at least one required , two preferred ) go through the sign - face and also connect to at least one nut 40 on the inside of the sign - face . the surface of the nut ( s ) or an optional plastic retainer is used to contact with the decal and hold it in place . the top two fasteners are configured to allow the decal to move . this movement is required when the sign - face is deformed . the deformation cause the decal to slide out from under the plastic or alternately between the nuts . nuts with grooves under can be also considered as and alternate construction . the top and bottom fasteners can be a common nut and bolt or specialized fasteners using ribbed edges on the circumference to secure them into the sign - face . in one embodiment such as a refurbishment , shown in fig1 , the frame of the center column will stay approximately the size as it exists today on the vendors . in another embodiment , the frame center column will extend higher , possibly to the top edge of the door , and possibly to the product delivery chute or lower , in order to provide additional strength for the door . in another embodiment of the invention ( for a refurbishment or retrofit application ) the existing signs above and below the column may continue to exist unaltered , and the new sign will only extend vertically up to the existing sign ( s ). in still another embodiment ( such as new door manufacturing ) shown in fig1 and 13 , the sign would extend to areas vertically that are above and / or below the center column 23 and into the areas of the existing signs . the advantage of this embodiment is that one sign would be used to extend across the door both horizontally and vertically instead of a plurality of signs across the door . an additional feature of these embodiments where the new sign either partially or completely covers the center column is the application of a cover panel over the new sign ( as described in previous embodiments ). this panel would act to further protect the currency collection devices ( like the center column vandal panels described in previous embodiments ). this panel would act to either partially or completely sandwich the new sign or signs with the structure of the center column behind the signs that the currency collection devices are mounted to . this panel would either partially or completely cover the entire center column . this panel would typically fasten to the center column associated with the structure of the door . in another embodiment of the invention , the center column will consist of a removable strong - box 48 or structure that can be inserted or removed from the center column frame of the door , see fig1 . this strong - box or structure may consist of 3 , 4 , 5 or 6 sides , and will typically be rectangular in shape to fit into the frame . the strong - box consist of a door for one of it &# 39 ; s sides containing of a latch and lock arrangement . the advantage of this box is to 1 ) provide separate mounting of the currency storage components separate from the center column frame , 2 ) allow mounting of these components in a separate labor operation away from the vending machine , and next allow the complete installation of the strong - box and currency components in one separate operation . lastly , if the vendor and strong - box is attacked by vandals , the strong - box can be easily replaced by a new strong - box with little or no repair required for the center column frame . in still another embodiment , as shown in fig1 , 16 and 17 a , b , c , the dollar bill validator is mounted to a separate mounting plate 49 in the center column . this plate is attached to the frame by large bolts to insure the frame will not be damaged during an attack . in an attack the validator and the plate may be damaged while the damage to the frame is minimal or non - existent , and both the validator and the plate can be easily replaced by removing / installing a new plate to the frame . in addition , the mounting of the plate to the frame may also include springs under tension in order to provide a shock - mount 50 from the plate to the frame . under attack , the shock - mounts can absorb some or all of the force , thus reducing the damage to the validator , plate and frame . in addition to the above - described features of the currency collector mounting plate , the plate allows more than one type or model of currency acceptor device to be mounted to it . the plate provides an adjustment feature of allowing the currency collector to be shifted within the column in any one or more or the combination of 6 directions or positions in the x , y , and z direction thus compensating and allowing for the different shapes and dimensions of the different models to each properly mount within and protruding from the column . in a further embodiment , shown in fig2 , the invention utilizes flavor cards of a different configuration than the typical flavor cards used in the previous embodiments . the advantages to these cards are as follows : the present labels are typically 10 mils thick so they can support themselves inside the buttons . a label that is held within holders as shown in fig1 - 20 can be thinner for example 5 mils . it is desirable to mask or darken the areas around the perimeter of the flavor labels for cosmetic purposes . this darkening can be achieved using new geometry for the labels , this geometry would use an over lapping systems to achieve the desired results . another masking or darkening solution can come from utilize an alternate mounting frame to hold the labels and provide the masking effect . these cards 51 may also provide a mounting hole 52 or slot 53 as shown in fig2 . this hole or slot may interface to a product selection switch mounted to the signfront . thus , the mounting of the product selection switch can also be utilized as at least one mounting fastener or holder for one or more flavor cards , thus eliminating the holder in fig1 - 20 . if no holder is utilized , the thickness of the label may be required to be 10 mils . in still another embodiment , shown in fig1 , 19 and 20 , the invention provides a holder for the flavor label cards which is an improvement to the prior art , in particular myatt us2004 / 0139640 . this holder can be an apparatus that is located behind the external sign - face attached to the door and the holder is attached exclusively to the rear - side of the sign . the holder may be made of rigid material such as a molded plastic structure and slightly curved to accommodate the curve of the sign . in the rigid embodiment , the holder will also serve to provide a stiffening structure so that pressing of the product selection buttons mounted on the sign will not cause the convex shaped sign to flex inwardly . in another embodiment shown in fig2 the holder may be flexible such as a flexible sheet of plastic in order to be less costly . in one embodiment , shown in fig1 - 20 the new holder will be attached primarily by using the product selection switches as fasteners for the holder . in other embodiments it may be attached by fasteners or by a combination of the switches and fasteners . other features of the holder may include utilizing the mounting frame as shown in fig1 - 20 to hold the labels and provide the darkening effect . in another alternative embodiment the coin return slot is re - located to an area that is several inches lower than located on the machine today . it would be located in an area that is much closer to the product delivery chute , thus improving the delivery of the coin from the coin changer . a further embodiment of this invention , includes a sign comprising an area that is translucent so a customer could view the operation of the vending machine mechanism . this area could be complimented with lights behind the sign that would attract a customer to look inside the vending machine while a product is being vended . in an alternative embodiment of this invention , the traditional florescent light that will traditionally completely backlight the sign would be either replaced or supplemented with locally and strategically placed individual lights that would selectively back light certain areas of the sign or the labels attached to the sign . these lights could be individually controlled to illuminate in a certain sequence ( s ) depending on if the machine is in a pre - vending mode , in the process of vending , or in a post - vending mode of operation . in addition , individual lights could be placed behind the product identification decals and selectively illuminated , flashed , or not - illuminated to indicate a product is either sold - out or in the process of vending . cold cathode bulbs ( for example 4 ″ or so in length ) or led or other light sources are examples of the individual light sources . in yet another embodiment , the product selection switches now mounted to the sign can employ lights to illuminate the button ( pressed for a product selection ) of the switch . as described above for the decal lighting , these lights could be individually controlled to illuminate in a certain sequence ( s ) depending on if the machine is in a pre - vending mode , in the process of vending , or in a post - vending mode of operation . in addition , individual lights could be selectively illuminated , flashed , or not illuminated to indicate a product is either sold - out or in the process of vending . led lights would be a typical example of the individual light sources for the buttons . in a further embodiment of the invention , a sound producing device such a speaker and a sound generator can be employed to randomly produce sounds that will attract potential customers of the vending machine , and can also be controlled to produce additional specific sounds depending on which product selection button is pressed . drawing fig1 shows the traditional soft drink vending machine manufactured from the 1980 &# 39 ; s through year 2001 . a large convex sign - face decal area is above the product delivery chute , and the customer interface vertical column is along the right - hand edge of the vending machine door . since 2001 many of the manufacturers changed their vending machines to large button configuration where the product selection buttons are located more in the sign - face area or center of the machine and are larger , about the size of the products they intend to vend . for examples , see patent numbers d466 , 941 ( pepsico , inc . version ) and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 230 , 426 ( the coca - cola company version ). these newer machines with the larger buttons have proven to be more effective than the older machines in selling products and , in some situations , in curtailing forced entry vandalism . due to the large number of the older vending machines in the field ( such as shown in drawing fig1 ) it is advantageous to convert the older machines to utilize the features and benefits of the newer machines so less older machines need to be scraped and obsolete . this conversion consists of replacing the original center sign - face with a new center sign - face that will hold product selection labels that can be easily mounted and removed . several inventors succeeded in doing this , see us2004 / 0139640 ( myatt ), u . s . pat . no . 6 , 023 , 870 , and us 2004 / 0128889 , but their attachment apparatus and methods have not proven to be as fast , convenient , or reliable as the vending machine operators have expected . in addition , the new sign - face as described in myatt has created confusion among customers in it &# 39 ; s application because it looks like the vending machine described and introduced by pepsico in d466 , 941 wherein the selection buttons are re - located to the sign - face area , but the myatt invention still operates using the product selection buttons along the right side edge , see location 2 on the cover page of the publication . thus , customers already familiar with the new pepsico d466 , 941 vendor become confused when operating the invention . referring to the drawings in more detail , fig1 ( prior art ) depicts the front of a typical beverage vending machine 20 . the front of a typical beverage vending machine may include a printed , generally full - length sign 21 , usually of semi - flexible plastic typically held to the machine in a known manner by trim pieces and illuminated by lighting positioned in the interior of the vending machine . product is selected by utilizing a vertical , selection panel 23 that is located to the right side of the front of the machine . the selection panel 23 includes small , rectangular product identification windows 24 through which product indicia of the corresponding product contained within the machine can be viewed . the windows 24 can incorporate switches , or separate switches in the form of buttons can be provided adjacent the windows , as is known , so that product is selected by pushing either the actual window 24 or a button adjacent to the window . a consumer must currently make a selection based solely on the small , rectangular product indicia associated with each window 24 . an additional feature as shown in drawing fig8 - 11 is to add strengthening bar 44 , 46 ( or bars ) that would either run vertically or horizontally ( or both ) behind the decals and switches to keep the curved lexan panel from flexing when a customer pushes a button . in an alternative embodiment , a retrofit ( or modification at the factory ) the traditional vendor design such as described in patent d466 , 941 is by removing the individual lexan buttons and hardware and mounting the buttons and the plastic cover of the center column , and installing a single curved or flat lexan panel with the labels attached to the panel and mount the individual switches to the panel . the advantage to this configuration would be to construct the large buttons to the sheetmetal door and instead replace the lexan buttons with a single lexan panel with flavor labels and simpler to mount selection switches . since the vendor has the customer interface area ( bill validator , coin acceptor , etc ) in the center column , this cover would be removed also and the lexan panel would now cover the center column and provide cut outs for the bill validator , coin acceptor , etc . the difference between this embodiment and the earlier embodiments is that the vendor provides the customer interface in the center column and machine . the customer still has the customer interface in the original area along the right edge of the door . in accordance with the present invention , a retrofit kit can be supplied for various types of older style vending machines that allows the upgrading of the appearance of the machine to a style similar to the marketing graphics of new vending machines merely by the replacement of the existing sign 21 with the present invention sign / holder assembly as described above and , optionally , the graphics associated with the selection panel 21 and selection panel windows 25 and buttons 24 . the only modifications to the vending machine or other components needed to retrofit the older style machine are disconnecting the previous selector button wiring and connect the new selector operators . the cost of the retrofit is but a fraction of the cost of the replacement of the machine . the present invention retrofit kit uses the machine &# 39 ; s existing signage lighting and can be installed on the vending machine with the same tools required to change the sign 21 and in approximately the same amount of time . thus , the preferred new style marketing graphics can be used on an older style vending machine without incurring the cost of replacing the entire vending machine . since signage is routinely replaced at 3 - 5 year intervals , the cost of the retrofit can be further reduced by retrofitting machines at the time signage replacement would be otherwise desired or required ( including signage replacement required because of damage or vandalism to the sign ). graphics for the holder openings , selection panel 21 and buttons 24 are easily replaceable , either as group units or individually , to change images and / or product selections . it is intended that aspects of the invention as described above can be used in any number of different combinations and permutations . it should be understood that various aspects of the present invention may be combined in a variety of ways such as different flavor card or decal attachments may be used with the product selection buttons , circuit board , panel center column or vandal panel or other features . the sign face panel may have a holder arrangement attached to its rear side or additional panels may be provided , such for example as in chirnomas et al . pub . no . us 2004 / 0128889 published jul . 8 , 2004 . craven u . s . pat . no . 5 , 255 , 968 had an outer panel and an inner sign face panel that may be removed and replaced . chirnomas added replaceable flavor cards to the second panel . myatt et al . us 2004 / 0139640 provided an improved holder for flavor cards . applicant has disclosed here several alternative holder arrangements . thus , unless otherwise stated in the claims , it is applicants &# 39 ; intention to include various different versions of attachments for flavor cards or decals within the scope of its broadest claims .	6
for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention , reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended . any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein , and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein , which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure , are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed . the embodiments of the present invention are useful for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of disorders , including , for example , inflammatory bowel disease ( ibs ), crohn &# 39 ; s disease ( cd ), irritable bowel syndrome ( ibs ), ulcerative colitis ( uc ), nausea , vomiting , anorexia , cachexia , all forms of pain ( i . e . acute , chronic , neuropathic , etc . ), gastrointestinal tract distress ( i . e . heartburn , indigestion , stomachache , etc . ), migraine headaches , postmenstrual syndrome ( pms ), cancer , neurodegenerative diseases like lou gehrig &# 39 ; s disease , huntington &# 39 ; s disease , alzheimer &# 39 ; s dementia , parkinson &# 39 ; s disease and parkinsonian - type symptoms , spinal - cord injuries ; hiv / aids , agitation , insomnia , depression , muscle spasms , spasticity from multiple sclerosis , glaucoma , autism spectrum disorder ( asd ), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( adhd ), post - traumatic stess disorder ( ptsd ), and anxiety disorders . the actives used in the embodiments of the present invention affect the human physiology in positive ways including the improvement of the immune system , prevention or treatment of certain cancers , and reduction of inflammation . those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the present invention may be used to treat any and all medical conditions that respond favorably thereto . the effects of the following cannabinoids : cbd , cbda , cbg , cbga , cbc , cbca , delta - 9 thca , delta - 9 thc and / or delta - 8 thc , as well as the very important group of physiologically active compounds called terpenes and flavonoids need to be present at certain percentages to optimize the clinical effects on each type of symptom and / or disease for which the product is being used . the embodiments of the present invention also recognize the importance of the ratios of each of the aforementioned actives . these cannabinoids are also temperature sensitive and the embodiments of the present invention recognize the significance of temperature during each relevant step of making the product . for instance , keeping the temperature controlled along with the amount of the acid form of thc and / or cbd may have a profound effect on certain conditions mentioned earlier . some of the drawbacks associated with prior art cannabinoid formulations surround the route of administration and the dosage form used . ease of dosage adjustment is a critical component with the use of cannabis as a treatment . the delivery system disclosed herein offers easy adjustment of the dose needed by the patient , which improves the overall outcome of the use of cannabis therapy . the embodiments of the present invention are directed to a dosage form that is solid at room temperature . in one embodiment , the dosage form is a lozenge or troche . in either instance , the product may be refrigerated or frozen without harm . advantageously , with a melting point of approximately & gt ; 38 ° c . ( 100 . 4 ° f . ), the lozenge or troche dissolves at body temperature within the mouth of a user where the majority of absorption takes place resulting in optimizing the dose absorbed and avoiding the variables of oral absorption and first pass metabolizm . formulation begins by combining polyethylene glycol with approximate molecular weights of 1300 to 1650 g / mol with specific forms of gum acacia , citric acid , stevia extract powder , oils of peppermint , menthol and cream de mint at specific temperatures with a range of cannabis extracts providing specific doses that include the following compositions singularly or in combination : ( i ) delta - 9 tetrahydrocannabinol in the decarboxylated form in doses ranging from 5 mg to 240 mg ( 0 . 5 % to 25 . 26 % by weight ); ( ii ) tetrahydrocannabinolic acid ( thc - a in the natural , non - decarboxylated form ) in doses of 5 mg to 240 mg ( 0 . 5 % to 25 . 26 % by weight ); ( iii ) cannabidiol ( cbd ) in doses of 5 mg to 240 mg with a delta - 9 thc content less than or equal to 0 . 3 mg ( making this dosage form legal in all states of the united states ); and cannabidiol ( cbd ) in doses of 5 mg to 240 mg ( 0 . 5 to 21 . 26 % by weight ) in combination with delta - 9 tetrahydrocannabinol in a 53 : 1 ratio ( cbd : thc ), or down to a ratio of 0 . 001 : 1 ( cbd : thc ), of delta - 9 thc in the decarboxylated and non - decarboxylated forms at specific temperatures . another possible active includes delta - 8 tetrahydrocannabinol . other oils such as sweet orange oil , ginger oil , mango , tangerine , etc ., may be substituted or used in combination with oils of peppermint , menthol and cream de mint . the dosage range may increase to 500 mg with the use of pure cannabidiol or tetrahydrocannabinol ( i . e ., crystals ). temperature control is necessary in the processing of cannabis extracts . as a result , the embodiments of the present invention recognize and use temperatures necessary to optimize cannabinoid , terpene and flavonoid content and ratios . temperatures in the range of approximately − 109 ° f . to 212 ° f . ( at normal atmospheric pressure ; temperatures change with negative pressures which allow for extraction and processing using different methods ), maintain certain percentages of all cannabinoids and retain natural terpene and flavonoid content in the extracts thereby resulting in more medicinal value being retained instead of isolating one active . notwithstanding the importance of the natural mixture of actives , it has been recognized in the instant embodiments of the present invention that one active can be used in the troche providing its own unique physiologic and clinical value . depending on the embodiment , cannabis , c . sativa , c . indica , c . ruderalis and hybrids in the raw material are used to create specific ratios of cbd to thc . percentages range from 24000 : 1 cbd : thc ( i . e ., 240 mg cbd to 0 . 01 mg thc ) to 1 : 24000 cbd : thc ( i . e ., 0 . 01 mg cbd to 240 mg thc ). in another embodiment , percentages range 200 , 000 : 1 cbd : thc and 1 : 200 , 000 cbd : thc . the embodiments of the present invention contemplate dosage forms with a total weight of between approximately 0 . 5 grams and 2 . 01 grams , depending on the formulation of the actives , size of the lozenge or troche . this dosage form can be used for all natural , semi - synthetic and synthetic derivatives of all cannabinoids . handling and processing of the extract is significant in the proper delivery of the actives with the associated terpenes and flavonoids , all which synergistically work to improve the medicinal value of the cannabinoids chosen for the particular ailment under treatment . assembly of the lozenge or troche comprises : ( i ) preparing a proprietary base of polyethylene glycol with molecular weights of 1300 to 1650 g / mol , gum acacia , stevia extract , citric acid and magnasweet ® ( formed of base products comprising monoammonium glycyrrhizinate and ammonium glycyrrhizinate ) by melting the same at a temperature of approximately 58 ° c . to 64 ° c . at normal atmospheric pressure ; ( ii ) adding the desired cannabis extract in amount based on the goals of the dosage per troche , symptom treatment or disease state treatment ( e . g ., 20 mg cbd dose with 1 - 2 mg of thc is effective for treating patients with autism , arthritis , and seizures ); ( iii ) adding desired essential oils based on the treatment goals , flavoring and / or allergy avoidance ; and ( iv ) adding solution to a lozenge or troche mold device to deliver accuracy of dosage desired . range of standard deviation is & lt ; 5 % in weight and less than 10 % stated active goals . an exemplary method of producing 900 troches comprises : ( i ) measuring 670 grams of peg 1450 ( or peg 1500 +/− peg 300 ) ( the 670 grams of peg makes up approximately 75 % to 90 % total weight ); ( ii ) melting the 670 grams of peg to a maximum temperature of approximately 60 ° c .- 70 ° c . ( many devices work ; stir / hot plate , heated mix / pump / delivery automation — if used under vacuum , temperatures will be lower under automation assembly lines ); ( iii ) once the peg is melted , adding powders ( citric acid — 0 . 17 % to 1 . 2 % by weight , stevia ( or luo han gou )— 0 . 46 % to 3 . 1 % by weight , acacia gum — 0 . 08 % to 2 . 0 %, and magnasweet ®— 0 . 02 % to 0 . 06 % by weight ) and mixing until suspended uniformly ; ( iv ) adding 1 mg to 500 mg of active cbd and thc to each troche in ratios of 24000 : 1 to 1 : 1500 ( e . g ., for a 5 mg troche add 2 . 5 mg of cbd and 2 . 5 mg of thc if a 1 : 1 ratio is desired and add 4 . 6875 mg of cbd and 0 . 325 mg of thc if a 15 : 1 ratio is desired . for a 240 mg troche add 120 mg of cbd and 120 mg of thc for a 1 : 1 ratio and 225 mg of cbd and 15 mg of thc if a 15 : 1 ratio is desired ) ( v ) adding 26 . 22 ml of essential oils ( e . g ., 20 . 2 ml of peppermint , 4 . 6 ml of menthol ( made by dissolving 10 gm menthol crystals into 6 ml of peppermint oil and 2 ml of 99 . 9 % etoh ) and 1 . 5 ml of cream de mint , and mixing to uniformity ( the concentration of active oil extract is variable to determine total volume of oil and base to be added ); ( vi ) maintaining temperature between approximately 58 ° c . and 63 ° c . ; ( vii ) once completely mixed using a micro pipette to deliver 900 micro liters per troche ( for the dosage form of 0 . 9725 gm / troche ); and ( viii ) allowing mixture to cool at room temperature . another exemplary method of producing 900 troches each including 60 mg of thc with approximately 4 mg of cbd comprises : ( i ) measuring 772 gm of peg 1450 ( or peg 1500 +/− peg 300 ) ( the peg makes up approximately 87 % of total weight , based on a 62 . 5 % thc oil containing 5 . 1 % cbd ); ( ii ) melting the 772 gm of peg to a maximum temperature of approximately 60 ° c .- 70 ° c . ( many devices work ; stir / hot plate , heated mix / pump / delivery automation — if used under vacuum , temperatures will be lower under automation assembly lines ); ( iii ) once the peg is melted , adding 86 . 4 gm stated concentration cannabis extract oil ; ( iv ) adding a mixed set of powders ( citric acid — 0 . 17 % to 1 . 2 % by weight , stevia ( or luo han gou )— 0 . 46 % to 3 . 1 % by weight , acacia gum — 0 . 08 % to 2 . 0 % by weight , and magnasweet ®— 0 . 02 % to 0 . 06 % by weight ) and mixing until suspended uniformly ; ( v ) adding 10 ml of essential organic oils ( e . g ., 9 . 7 ml sweet orange oil and 0 . 3 ml organic peppermint oil ); ( vi ) mixing to uniformity , maintaining temperature between approximately 58 ° to 63 ° c . ; ( vii ) once completely mixed using a micro pipette to deliver 900 micro liters per troche ( for the dosage form of 0 . 9725 gm / troche ); and ( viii ) allowing mixture to cool at room temperature . another exemplary method of producing 120 gelatin - based troches that are 40 mg total ( 24 mg cbd and 16 mg cbd ) using a 500 mg thc / cbd per gram concentration cannabis extract oil comprises : ( i ) measuring 122 . 5 gm gelatin ( special gelatin base making up approximately 91 % of total weight , again depending on extract concentration ) and melting ( many different methods to melt ) to a temp of approximately 34 ° c .- 40 ° c . ; ( ii ) once melted , adding 7 . 2 grams of active ( based on stated concentration ) using a sir / hot plate or other mixing device including a closed automated injection system , ( iii ) adding a mixed set of powders ( in approximate amounts of the following : stevia ( or luo han gou )— 0 . 25 % to 0 . 45 % by weight , acacia gum — 0 . 6 % to 1 . 1 % by weight , citric acid — 0 . 5 % to 0 . 8 % by weight , magnasweet ® 0 . 04 % to 0 . 06 % by weight and silica — 0 . 32 % to 0 . 81 % by weight ) and mixing until suspended uniformly ; ( iv ) adding organic essential oils ( e . g . orange oil 1 . 0 % to 1 . 3 %, peppermint oil 0 . 02 % to 0 . 04 %); ( v ) mixing to uniformity , maintaining temperature between approximately 34 ° c .- 40 ° c . ; ( vi ) once completely mixed using a micro pipette to deliver 900 micro liters per troche ( for the dosage form of 1 . 089 gm / troche ); and ( vii ) allowing mixture to cool at room temperature . pectin may also be used to produce the troches . polysaccharides formed of pectin or gelling agents can modify the density of the gelatin troche are in the range of 20 , 000 to 400 , 000 g / mol molecular weight . as set forth above , the gelatin - based troche may also include silica gel or silicon dioxide for purposes of dispersing ingredients . it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the formulations set forth above , are exemplary such that variations fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , the amount of oil used may vary based on concentration . more specifically , when using 560 mg thc / 1 gm oil versus 764 mg thc / 1 gm oil , the peg base volume changes appropriately to maintain volume and correct dose , but density and weight changes . moreover , different oils may be used in different amounts . for example , ginger is a potent oil such that a few drops may suffice whereas other oils may be used in units of milliliters . the combinations of oils may also differ . for example , a formulation may include peppermint oil but no extra menthol or cream de mint while another formulation may use ginger , orange and mint oil . that is , the oils provide a desired level of flavoring in addition to the therapeutic value of oils ( e . g ., peppermint oil ). in addition , while not having the desired flavor , the troche can be made using the peg , gelatin , pectin , fatty acid and / or wax base and cannabis extract only . or in another embodiment , the troche can be made using the peg , gelatin , pectin , fatty acid and / or wax base , cannabis extract and oil only . or in another embodiment , the troche can be made using the peg , gelatin , pectin , fatty acid and / or wax base , cannabis extract and one or more of the following : gum acacia , citric acid , stevia extract powder , luo han gou or , monoammonium glycyrrhizinate and ammonium glycyrrhizinate . the embodiments of the present invention demonstrate an improved efficacy that is unexpected compared to utilizing the same dose of the same active source of cannabis oil . in one particular example , the formulation comprising peg and high dose mint oil formula provides unexpected results as described herein . in one embodiment , a high concentration ( 99 %- 99 . 9 %) cbd derived from hemp is used to achieve the desired ratio . in other embodiments , the ratios are determined by the strain of cannabis that includes different amounts of cbd and thc . the embodiments of the present invention avoid the traditional pitfalls of medicating with other orally ingested cannabinoids such as capsules , elixirs , infused food products , sprays , etc ., and topically applied agents . being a pharmaceutical product , the lozenge or troche provides clear separation from the confusion associated with traditional preparations of natural cannabinoid infused products , including candy bars , chocolate , butter , baked goods , etc ., that produce unreliable and varied clinical responses that are not always the same or reproducible . the use of the lozenge or troche offers a method of reduced variability in the pharmacokinetics of the cannabinoids resulting in clinical outcomes that are consistent from dose to dose . although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments , additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims .	0
the preferred embodiment of the present invention is utilized within the field of nuclear logging operations . while the discussion of the preferred embodiment is in the context of wireline logging operations , it will be appreciated that the same apparatus and method used herein may be readily applied to measurement while drilling ( mwd ) and logging while drilling ( lwd ) techniques . fig1 is a simplified schematic of wireline nuclear logging operations . in fig1 a borehole 10 has been drilled into an earth formation 12 . a nuclear logging sonde 14 is lowered on an armored , multiconductor cable 16 into the borehole 10 to a desired depth of investigation . it will be appreciated that many elements associated with wireline logging , such as a winch system , winch control , depth system , logging platform and other elements have been eliminated from fig1 for the purpose of simplicity , as such elements are not required to obtain an understanding of the present invention . it will further be appreciated that while sonde 14 is depicted as a single tool in the borehole 10 , the sonde 14 may often be part of a logging string which may include other specialized logging instrumentation . the sonde 14 illustrated in fig1 is a conventional dual spaced nuclear tool ( dsnt - ii ) having a nuclear source 18 , a near detector 20 and a far detector 22 . the sonde 14 detectors 20 and 22 are conventionally described as the near and far detectors , respectively , relative to their position from the nuclear source 18 . the sonde 14 nuclear source 18 may be an isotopic neutron source , which generates fast neutrons as a result of radioactive decay or a neutron generator . in a typical neutron generator , deuterium ions are accelerated by an externally induced potential to strike a deuterium or tritium target to yield an isotope of helium , fast neutrons and fixed energy difference . these fast neutrons have a characteristic energy peak of approximately 3 mev where the target is deuterium and 14 mev where the target is tritium . these reactions are described in further detail in knoll , pp . 36 - 37 and typical nuclear generators are further described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 546 , 512 . in the exemplary logging sonde 14 of fig1 the neutron source is an 18 curie americium - beryllium isotopic source . it will be appreciated that other isotopic sources and nuclear accelerators capable of producing fast neutrons may be used in conjunction with the preferred embodiment . to make a measurement , the operator of the logging equipment will issue a command from the surface instrumentation system 26 to the sonde 14 to unmask or activate the nuclear source 18 and irradiate the formation 12 with fast neutrons . it will be appreciated that the specific nuclear logging techniques will differ as to what is being measured . for example , a nuclear logging sonde may measure epithermal neutrons or capture gamma rays . in the exemplary sonde 14 of fig1 the dsnt tool is designed to count thermal neutrons . as described above , the fast neutrons undergo collisions with the nuclei of atoms naturally occurring in the formation until they reach thermal speeds . these thermal neutrons are then counted by the near 20 and far 22 detectors on sonde 14 . the detectors utilized in the dsnt tool of fig1 are of the helium - 3 proportional counter type . typical designs of helium - 3 proportional counters are described in detail in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 240 , 971 or 3 , 102 , 198 , which are incorporated by reference , and in the jeter or knoll references . the detectors 20 and 22 respond to the reaction of atomic particles with the detector gas with a resulting change in electrical potential on electrode 36 ( fig2 ). these changes in potential across an energy spectrum are measured and processed by the detector electronics ( not shown in fig1 ) and output to the tool telemetry electronics 24 , where it is further processed and transmitted via cable 16 to the surface instrumentation system 26 . the 3 he counter and the associated circuitry of the preferred embodiment are set forth in greater detail in fig2 . a simplified cross - sectional view of an exemplary 3 he proportional counter and its associated circuitry is depicted in fig2 . the detector 28 is comprised of a cylindrical pressure housing 30 transparent to thermal and epithermal neutron flux , having pressure tight ends 32 and 34 , which are likewise transparent to thermal and epithermal neutron flux , secured thereon . this forms a pressure tight volume within the interior of the detector 28 . a metal electrode 36 is disposed along the cylindrical axis of detector 28 and is supported at each end by connecting rods 38 and 40 . the connecting rods 38 and 40 are secured in , but insulated from , the detector 28 walls 30 and ends 32 and 34 by means of insulating plugs 42 and 44 . the insulating plugs 42 and 44 may be composed of quartz , ceramic or some other suitable dielectric material . a gas pressurization tube 46 is connected to detector 28 through a pressure valve 48 and is in fluid communication with the interior of detector 28 through end 32 . the detector 28 is pressurized with 3 he gas through tube 46 and valve 48 to the desired pressure levels and the valve 48 is closed to seal the 3 he within the detector 28 . it will be appreciated that where the detector 28 is intended to measure solely epithermal neutron flux , the detector 28 may be covered with a metal shield 29 ( fig5 ), such as cadmium , to eliminate the thermal neutron flux . electrode 36 is in electrical communication with a high voltage external dc power source 50 through resistor 52 , with the other electrode of the power source 50 being tied to ground 54 . the housing 30 of detector 28 is likewise tied to ground 56 . the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a pure beta - minus source 60 located in the interior of the detector 28 . the beta - minus source 60 may be in a gaseous or solid form based on the particular isotopic source selected . the particular nature of the beta - minus source 60 and its operation within the preferred embodiment will be discussed in greater detail below . typically , a thermal neutron reaction within a 3 he proportional counter of the type depicted in fig2 will deposit approximately 765 kev ( 0 . 765 mev ), causing a distribution peak at this level in the energy spectrum as a result of the kinetic energy released by proton and triton reaction products . the beginning point for the thermal neutron distribution in 3 he counters is typically detected at about 0 . 5 mev . the energy deposited by the thermal neutrons creates a change in voltage on electrode 36 , which is measured by amplification circuitry 58 across resistor 52 . the output from amplification circuitry 58 is fed to a second amplifier 62 . the output from amplifier 62 is input into a limiting circuit 64 . the limiting circuit 64 is used to define the three threshold energy levels and two energy windows utilized within the preferred embodiment . the thresholds and windows are utilized to eliminate counts attributable to background noise or the beta source and to form an error signal for the purposes of gain stabilization , as will be described further below . the limiting circuit 64 outputs the thermal neutron counts to telemetry circuitry 24 , which transmits the count data to the surface instrumentation system 26 via armored cable 16 , where it is then processed as part of the logging information . the limiting circuit 64 also outputs the error signal to the gain stabilization circuitry 66 , which is essentially a negative feedback loop . the gain stabilization circuitry 66 , in turn , controls the voltage output for power supply 50 . thus , the error signal may be used to stabilize detector 28 response to the beta - minus source 60 about the known energy characterization peak for the beta - minus source 60 . the manner in which amplifier 62 , limiting circuitry 64 and gain stabilization circuitry 66 are utilized to achieve gain stabilization is discussed further below and in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 976 , 878 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . the exemplary construction of detector 28 and its associated circuitry is incorporated within both the near and far detectors 20 and 22 of fig1 . the use of two detectors in nuclear tools is common and results in the desired measurements being less dependent on lithology and borehole - size effects . the specifics of neutron measurement and its interpretation are outside of the scope of the present invention and will not be discussed herein . as noted above , wraight teaches the introduction of an alpha source into the detector 28 of fig2 for the purposes of detector operation verification and gain stabilization . the alpha source taught was an isotope of americium or uranium . the alpha particles emitted have a characterization peak of approximately 4 . 4 mev . wraight also teaches that the amount of alpha source may be selected such that a predetermined count rate distribution from the alpha source may be measured for the purposes of verification and gain stabilization . the energy spectrum observed by a detector 28 utilizing the alpha source taught by wraight is depicted in prior art fig3 . the energy spectrum / count rate depicted in fig3 shows a background noise level dropping off to a base count level prior to the increasing counts attributable to thermal neutrons , which peaks at approximately . 765 mev . the count rate continues to decrease until it detects the alpha source having a characterization peak of 4 . 2 mev . the existence of this peak verifies that the detectors 20 and 22 are operational . further , two count rates , c 1 and c 2 are measured on each side of alpha source peak for the purposes of gain stabilization according to the method described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 976 , 878 . alternatively , gain stabilization may be accomplished according to the method described . in knoll , pp . 730 - 32 . however , the use of americium or uranium as an alpha source , as taught by wraight , carries with it the additional problem that there is no acceptable quantity of either material on the exempt list . thus , they are subject to stricter nrc licensing controls . the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a beta - minus source 60 instead of an alpha source . the beta - minus source 60 may be selected from a group of isotopes having a sufficiently long half - life to minimize the amount of servicing required for detectors 20 and 22 . moreover , the beta - minus source should be selected such that its energy characterization peak is above background noise level but sufficiently below the beginning of the energy spectrum for thermal neutrons , approximately 0 . 5 mev . lastly , the beta - minus source should be selected from those isotopes for which there exist exempt quantities per nrc regulations . a non - exclusive list of beta - minus sources , along with their respective energy characterization end point and half - life is set forth in table 1 below : table 1______________________________________nuclide half - life endpoint energy ( mev ) ______________________________________tritium (. sup . 3 h ) 12 . 26 y 0 . 0186carbon (. sup . 14 c ) 5730 y 0 . 156chlorine (. sup . 36 cl ) 3 . 08 * 10 . sup . 5 y 0 . 714nickel (. sup . 63 ni ) 100 y 0 . 067strontium (. sup . 90 sr ) 27 . 7 y 0 . 546technetium (. sup . 99 tc ) 2 . 12 * 10 . sup . 5 y 0 . 292______________________________________ it will be appreciated that the isotopes set forth in table 1 are exemplary and that other beta - minus emitting sources may be utilized within the preferred embodiment of the present invention . moreover , while each of the above isotopes is described in terms of its endpoint energy level , the peak characterization for each may be readily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art . however , problems may arise with the use of some of the isotopes in the preferred embodiment . tritium has a relatively low energy characterization peak and it may be difficult to distinguish the tritium peak from the background noise for the purposes of verification and gain stabilization . chlorine - 36 may also prove difficult to utilize within the preferred embodiment , since its end point energy approaches the expected distribution for thermal neutrons . accordingly , the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a beta - minus source having an energy characterization peak unaffected by the noise level and below the expected energy distribution for thermal neutrons . the sources best suited to utilization within the preferred embodiment include carbon - 14 , nickel - 63 , strontium - 90 and technetium - 99 . federal regulations , 10 c . f . r . § 30 . 70 schedules a and b , require that for strontium - 90 to be utilized as an exempt source that it be limited to a radioactivity level of 0 . 1 microcuries , the lowest radioactivity level of all of the above suggested beta sources . it will be appreciated that a lower radioactivity level may be utilized for all of the recommended beta sources to achieve a known count rate , such as ten counts per second . accordingly , a beta - minus source having a radioactivity level of 0 . 1 microcuries or less ( 100 nanocuries ) may be utilized within the preferred embodiment . fig4 a is a graphic representation of a distribution of observed energies and related count rates in a sonde 14 of fig1 utilizing the detector 28 and circuitry exemplified in fig2 . a count peak in the range of less than 0 . 5 mev is shown , followed by the energy peak characteristic of thermal neutrons at 0 . 765 mev . associated with this first energy peak are three thresholds , t 1 , t 2 and t 3 , and two energy windows , w 1 and w 2 . the beta particles emitted by the beta - minus source 60 create the first energy peak and verify the operation of the 3 he detectors . the limiting circuitry 64 measures two count rates in two energy windows , w 1 and w 2 , of a predetermined width on either side of the beta energy peak threshold t 2 . it will be appreciated that the bandwidth of the energy windows w 1 and w 2 , as well as the location of thresholds t 2 and t 3 , will vary with energy distribution and characteristic peak for the specific beta - minus source in use . the relation of the three threshold levels and two windows to the background noise and thermal neutron distribution is further depicted in fig4 b , which expands a portion of fig4 a . the count rate is initially high at very low energy levels , attributable to background noise . the first threshold t 1 is defined in the limiting circuit 64 as the cut - off point for the background noise . the second threshold t 2 is defined within limiting circuit 64 as the expected energy characterization peak for the selected beta source . the third threshold t 3 defined in limiting circuit 64 represents the energy endpoint distribution for the selected beta source . it will be appreciated that the energy characterization peaks t 2 and endpoint t 3 for various beta sources may be readily determined by one of ordinary skill in the art . all counts at energy levels below threshold t 3 are attributable to either background noise or the beta minus source 60 . the limiting circuit 64 outputs count rates above threshold t 3 to the telemetry circuitry 24 , thereby eliminating noise and beta source counts . thus , the preferred embodiment avoids the problems of introducing distribution skew and statistical uncertainty attributable to alpha source counts in wraight . two energy windows w 1 and w 2 are also defined within limiting circuit 64 . the energy windows w 1 and w 2 are of an equal , predetermined bandwidth and are centered and offset a predetermined energy amount from threshold t 2 . it will be appreciated that the window &# 39 ; s w 1 and w 2 bandwidth , as well as their positioning in the energy spectrum will be dependent upon the energy distribution for the selected beta source . the number of counts for windows w 1 and w 2 for a predetermined time period should be statistically equivalent due to the energy distribution for the beta source . the count period for windows w 1 and w 2 will be a function of the radioactivity level of the beta source , which itself is determined by the amount of source material selected . the number of counts for windows w 1 and w 2 for a predetermined period of time is compared by limiting circuit 64 , which forms an error signal as a function of the difference in counts . according to u . s . pat . no . 3 , 976 , 878 , an error signal , which is a function of the difference in the counts ( w 1 - w 2 ), may be used to control a circuit parameter . in fig2 the error signal is fed to gain stabilization circuitry 66 , which in turn controls the output from the high voltage power supply 50 . the voltage on electrode 36 is varied as a function of the error signal provided gain stabilization circuitry 66 such that the counts for windows w 1 and w 2 are statistically equivalent , thereby centering the detector response 28 to the beta source 60 . as a result , the detector response to thermal neutron flux is also centered about its characteristic energy peak of 0 . 765 mev . this technique is further discussed in the &# 39 ; 878 patent . alternatively , the counts may be compared with a known reference source as described in knoll , pp . 730 - 32 . further , desired number of counts for the beta - minus source may be readily selected by properly selecting the amount of beta - source material within nrc exempt guidelines . thus , the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a means for self verification and gain stabilization for a 3 he detector utilizing nrc exempt isotopes . an additional advantage is the fact that the energy spectrum for the beta - minus source is well below the expected distribution for thermal neutrons . the measured distribution of thermal neutrons in the preferred embodiment , those counts above t 3 , is not affected by the spike in the high energy range characteristic of the alpha calibration sources claimed in wraight . the above disclosure and discussion of the preferred is explanatory and exemplary of the present invention . it will be appreciated that changes may be made on construction or selection of the detector , detector gas , circuitry , beta - minus source or establishment of the various energy thresholds or windows may be made without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention .	6
the present invention consists of a solid fulvestrant composition showing improved solubility characteristics with respect to the solubility of the solid active principle . the problem of solubility of fulvestrant , as described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 774 , 122 , in a solution of castor oil and at least one alcohol is solved by the addition of a non - aqueous ester - type solvent miscible with castor oil . the present invention provides a new solution to this technical problem , not by addition of a solvent , but by obtaining dried solid fulvestrant , preferably through a lyophilization process , and preferably amorphous . lyophilization is a drying process , in which the solvent or suspension medium are crystallized at low temperatures and then sublimated directly from solid state to vapor state ( 1 ). the problem we encountered was that fulvestrant is practically insoluble in water ( 3 ) and that the overwhelming majority of lyophilizates of pharmaceutical solutions are lyophilized from simple aqueous solutions ( 2 ). given that fulvestrant is practically insoluble in water , it cannot be used as a lyophilization solvent . we have solved this technical problem , among others , by means of lyophilization with organic solvents or using solvent - non - solvent systems . the use of organic solvents in the lyophilization is not found in the state - of - the - art ( 4 ), and additionally the scientist should keep in mind that the use of organic co - solvent / water systems may cause a myriad of problems ( 2 ). we have developed processes for lyophilizing fulvestrant employing pure organic solvents such as acetic acid , dimethylsufoxide and tert - butanol , and in addition solvent - non - solvent systems consisting of organic solvents and water as non - solvent , for example , acetic acid : water , ethanol : water , tert - butanol : water . the lyophilized solid pharmaceutical compositions of fulvestrant of the present invention have solubility characteristics which are not observed for the solid pharmaceutical active principle . this improved solubility makes it suitable to be used as a pharmaceutical product of rapid dissolution but with no need of using benzyl benzoate as a solvent for castor oil . the lyophilizate should be reconstituted within a reasonable period , typically of less than 2 minutes ( 5 ); if reconstitution time is excessive , that is , more than 3 minutes , the user may get impatient or frustrated ( 6 ). we have compared dissolution time of a fulvestrant lyophilizate to a pharmaceutical active comprising solid fulvestrant and found that the fulvestrant lyophilizate is dissolved in less than 2 minutes , whereas the pharmaceutical active of solid fulvestrant required more than 60 minutes . this comparison was performed by dissolving fulvestrant at a concentration of 50 mg / ml , using a solvent comprising castor oil and benzyl benzoate - free alcohol mixtures . another important fact of the present invention is that when carrying out the methods of manufacturing lyophilizates there was no variation in purity associated to the active principle used in the same , and this consideration is made keeping in mind that the method of usp 34 monograph on fulvestrant is used for determining related compounds . furthermore , it should be noted that there was no degradation either during the process of reconstituting lyophilizates , using a solvent comprising castor oil and benzyl benzoate - free alcohol mixtures . the lyophilizate and its reconstituted form meet the required impurity values established in the ich guidelines for impurities in final products , thus allowing for using this product as an injectable medicament which , given the characteristics of solvents and active principle and that it is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously , could be used as a sustained - release product of fulvestrant . herein , the term solid refers to non - liquid states , or solutions , but to lyophilization powders or plugs , either in a crystalline or amorphous state . another object of the present invention is a kit comprising two containers , one containing the solid fulvestrant , preferably lyophilized and amorphous , of the present invention and the other containing the solubilizing composition of the present invention . in a first embodiment of the kit , it comprises the containers and a syringe . in a second embodiment , it comprises a prefilled syringe containing said two containers . in a third alternative of said containers , syringe and transfer system , said transfer system connects both containers with the syringe . this third option turned out to be the most efficient , as demonstrated in the examples . the needle - free transfer system allowed for transferring the solvent to the syringe , from the syringe to the lyophilizate and then the reconstituted form to the syringe , rapidly and with a minimum effort . furthermore , the risk of injuries to health workers due to needle manipulation , as well as product contamination , are reduced to a minimum because the solvent vial - transfer system - lyophilized vial system is a closed system . thus , another object of the present invention is the use of a transfer system for connecting the containers containing the solubilizing composition , the container containing the solid fulvestrant of the present invention and a syringe . another object of the present invention is a process for obtaining the composition of claim 1 comprising the following steps of : a . dissolving the active pharmaceutical principle fulvestrant in a lyophilization solvent selected from the group consisting of acetic acid , dimethylsulfoxide , tert - butanol and mixtures thereof , where preferably said solid composition containing less than 0 . 5 % organic solvents is obtained ; further , lyophilization comprises cooling the product obtained in step a to at least − 20 c for at least 5 hours , working under a pressure higher than 500 mtorr . after this time has elapsed , the pressure is lowered to below 500 mtorr . after at least 3 hours , heating of the system is started with a difference of at least 5 ° c . between two consecutive temperatures , the heating being ramp - or step - wise and each step being of an extension of at least 3 hours . the final temperature of the system comprises from 0 to 50 ° c . to a 100 ml beaker , fitted with a magnetic stirrer , 35 ml glacial acetic acid , merck lot k 36685863 , is added . the beaker is placed on an ika model ms2 minishaker magnetic stirrer plate . seven hundred mg fulvestrant from scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 were weighed using an ohaus model adventurer balance . stirring of acetic acid is started and fulvestrant is slowly added which is rapidly dissolved . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes . after this time has elapsed , stirring is stopped and the solution is dosed using a 5000 ul eppendorf research micropipette into 50 ml schott type i glass vials , with a 12 . 5 ml volume . vials are pre - capped with helvoet pharma bromobutyl lyophilization stoppers and lyophilized using a virtis advantage lyophilizer . the lyophilization cycle is shown in table 1 . once the lyophilization process is completed , vials are capped and crimped with aluminum seals . the lyophilizate thus obtained has a very good aspect . titer and purity of one lyophilizate vial are analyzed by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant used in the manufacture of the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on a waters hplc system with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph on fulvestrant . the titer of the lyophilizate was the same as that of scinopharm fulvestrant , 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities were 0 . 1 %. a physical characterization of a sample of lyophilized fulvestrant was performed . the physical characterization was made by x - ray diffraction , differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric assays . the x - ray assay was carried out in a philips x &# 39 ; pert with a pw3710 unity using cukα radiation = 1 . 54 a . records were obtained in the range of 3 °& lt ; 2θ & lt ; 40 °. a step of 0 . 02 ° in 2θ was used with a time counting of 2 seconds per step . fig5 shows a diffraction diagram of the sample which has a typical diffraction pattern corresponding to an amorphous sample . the differential scanning calorimetry assay was performed with a shimadzu dsc 60 . a sample of 2 . 29 mg was placed on an aluminum sampleholder , and heated at 10 ° c ./ min from room temperature to 200 ° c . work was carried out under n 2 with a flow of 30 ml / min the thermogravimetric assay was performed with a shimadzu tg 50 . the sample was placed in an aluminum sampleholder . it was heated from room temperature to 400 ° c . with heating rate of 10 ° c ./ min , under dry air flow of 40 ml / min fig6 shows a differential scanning calorimetry diagram and a thermogravimetric diagram . an endothermic signal characterized by an onset temperature to = 49 +/− 1 ° c . and an enthalpy variation of 11 +/− 2 j / g was observed , which as may be appreciated in the thermogravimetric diagram does not correspond to mass loss . this lyophilizate was made with scinopharm fulvestrant . a comparison of diffraction diagrams of the starting material , diagram 1 , and the lyophilizate , diagram 5 , shows that during the lyophilization process there was a transformation or change of the crystalline state of fulvestrant from crystalline , the state of the starting material , to amorphous , the state of the lyophilized material . when comparing the results of the thermal study of scinopharm and sicor fulvestrant , it is concluded that the melting point of fulvestrant is 102 +/− 2 ° c . and the enthalpy of fusion is 50 +/− 4 j / g . the lyophilizate has an endothermic signal characterized by an onset temperature to = 49 +/− 1 ° c . and an enthalpy variation of 11 +/− 2 j / g , which is different from the crystalline fulvestrant used for manufacturing the lyophilizate . to a 10 ml beaker , fitted with a magnetic stirrer , 2 . 5 ml of tert - butanol tedia lot # 904088 was added and then heated to 30 ° c . the beaker was placed on an ika ms2 minishaker magnetic stirring plate , establishing plate conditions of agitation at 400 to 600 rpm and a temperature of 30 ° c . forty - nine mg fulvestrant from scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 were weighed using an ohaus model adventurer balance . fulvestrant is slowly added . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes a clear solution was obtained . after this time , stirring is stopped and with using a 5 ml syringe and needle ( darling ) the solution is dosed into an 11 ml type i glass vial from nuova ompi . the vial is pre - capped with a helvoet pharma bromobutyl lyophilization stopper and lyophilized using a virtis advantage lyophilizator . the lyophilization cycle is shown in table 2 . once the cycle is completed , vials are withdrawn from the lyophilizator , canned and crimped with aluminum seals . the lyophilizate thus obtained has a very good aspect . titer and purity of the lyophilizate is analyzed by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant used in the manufacture of the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on an hplc waters with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph on fulvestrant . the titer of the lyophilizate was the same as that of scinopharm fulvestrant , 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities were 0 . 1 %. a physical characterization of a sample of lyophilized fulvestrant was performed . the physical characterization was made by x - ray diffraction , differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric assays . the x - ray assay was carried out in a philips x &# 39 ; pert with a pw3710 unity using cukα radiation = 1 . 54 a . records were obtained in the range of 3 °& lt ; 2θ & lt ; 40 °. a step of 0 . 02 ° in 2θ was used with a time counting of 2 seconds per step . fig7 shows a diffraction diagram of the sample which has a typical diffraction pattern corresponding to an amorphous sample . the differential scanning calorimetry assay was performed with a shimadzu dsc 60 . a sample of 3 . 10 mg was placed on an aluminum sampleholder , and heated at 10 ° c ./ min from room temperature to 200 ° c . work was carried out under n 2 with a flow of 30 ml / min the thermogravimetric assay was performed with a shimadzu tg 50 . the sample was placed in an aluminum sampleholder . it was heated from room temperature to 400 ° c . with heating rate of 10 ° c ./ min , under dry air flow of 40 ml / min fig8 shows a differential scanning calorimetry diagram and a thermogravimetric diagram . thermal signals were observed between room temperature and 70 ° c ., probably associated with the mass loss detected by thermogravimetry . other thermal signals were observed from 70 ° c . to 90 ° c . which apparently did not correspond to mass loss . this lyophilizate was made with scinopharm fulvestrant . a comparison of diffraction diagrams of the starting material , diagram 1 , and the lyophilizate , diagram 7 , shows that during the lyophilization process there was a transformation or change of the crystalline state of fulvestrant from crystalline , the state of the starting material , to amorphous , the state of the lyophilized material . when comparing the results of the thermal study of scinopharm and sicor fulvestrant , it is concluded that the melting point of fulvestrant is 102 +/− 2 ° c . and the enthalpy of fusion is 50 +/− 4 j / g . the lyophilizate does not show the endothermic signals which are characteristic of phase change phenomena . to a 50 ml beaker , fitted with a magnetic stirrer , 12 . 5 ml dimethylsulfoxide malinckroff lot # 904088 was added with the aid of a 5000 ul eppendorf research micropipette . the beaker was placed on an ika ms2 minishaker magnetic stirring plate , establishing plate conditions of agitation at 400 to 600 rpm . two hundred and fifty mg fulvestrant from scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 were weighed using an ohaus model adventurer balance . fulvestrant is slowly added . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes a clear solution was obtained . after this time , stirring is stopped and with using a 5 ml syringe and needle ( darling ) the solution is dosed into a 50 ml type i glass vial from schott . the vial is pre - capped with a helvoet pharma bromobutyl lyophilization stopper and lyophilized using a virtis advantage lyophilizator . the lyophilization cycle is shown in table 3 . once the cycle is completed , vials are withdrawn from the lyophilizator , capped and crimped with aluminum seals . fulvestrant is slowly added . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes a clear solution was obtained . then , with the aid of a 5000 ul eppendorf research micropipette , 1 ml of water was added , and after 2 minutes additional 1 ml water was added . after the addition of water the solution is transformed into a suspension . stirring is stopped and with the aid of a 5 ml syringe and needle ( darling ) the solution is dosed into an 11 ml type i glass vial from nuova ompi . the vial is pre - capped with a helvoet pharma bromobutyl lyophilization stopper and lyophilized using a virtis advantage lyophilizator . the lyophilization cycle is shown in table 4 . once the cycle is completed , vials are withdrawn from the lyophilizator , capped and crimped with aluminum seals . the aspect of the lyophilizate thus obtained is not good . titer and purity of the lyophilizate is analyzed by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant used in the manufacture of the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on an hplc waters with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph for fulvestrant . the titer of the lyophilizate was the same as that of scinopharm fulvestrant , 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities were 0 . 1 %. lyophilization of fulvestrant from acetic acid and water at a ratio of 1 : 1 by volume to a 5 ml beaker , fitted with a magnetic stirrer , 1 ml glacial acetic acid , merck lot k 36685863 was added with the aid of a 5000 ul eppendorf research micropipette . the beaker was placed on an ika ms2 minishaker magnetic stirring plate , establishing plate conditions of agitation at 200 to 300 rpm . forty - nine mg fulvestrant from scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 were weighed using an ohaus model adventurer balance . fulvestrant is slowly added . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes a clear solution was obtained . then , with the aid of a 5000 ul eppendorf research micropipette , 1 ml of water was added . after the addition of water the solution is transformed into a suspension . stirring is stopped and with the aid of a 5 ml syringe and needle ( darling ) the solution is dosed into an 11 ml type i glass vial from nuova ompi . the vial is pre - capped with a helvoet pharma bromobutyl lyophilization stopper and lyophilized using a virtis advantage lyophilizator . the lyophilization cycle is shown in table 5 . once the cycle is completed , vials are withdrawn from the lyophilizator , capped and crimped with aluminum seals . the lyophilizate thus obtained has a good aspect . titer and purity of the lyophilizate is analyzed by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant used in the manufacture of the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on an hplc waters with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph for fulvestrant . the titer of the lyophilizate was the same as that of scinopharm fulvestrant , 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities were 0 . 1 %. lyophilization of fulvestrant from ethanol and water at a ratio of 1 : 2 by volume to a 5 ml beaker , fitted with a magnetic stirrer , 0 . 5 ml baker anhydrous ethanol is added with the aid of a 1000 ul eppendorf research micropipette . the beaker was placed on an ika ms2 minishaker magnetic stirring plate , establishing plate conditions of agitation at 200 to 300 rpm . forty - nine mg fulvestrant from scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 were weighed using an ohaus model adventurer balance . fulvestrant is slowly added . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes a clear solution was obtained . then , with the aid of a 5000 ul eppendorf research micropipette , 1 ml of water is added . after the addition of water the solution is transformed into a suspension . stirring is stopped and with the aid of a 5 ml syringe and needle ( darling ) the solution is dosed into an 11 ml type i glass vial from nuova ompi . the vial is pre - capped with a helvoet pharma bromobutyl lyophilization stopper and lyophilized using a virtis advantage lyophilizator . the lyophilization cycle is shown in table 6 . once the cycle is completed , vials are withdrawn from the lyophilizator , capped and crimped with aluminum seals . the lyophilizate thus obtained has a good aspect . titer and purity of the lyophilizate is analyzed by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant used in the manufacture of the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on an hplc waters with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph for fulvestrant . the titer of the lyophilizate was the same as that of scinopharm fulvestrant , 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities were 0 . 1 %. a 50 ml schott , type i , glass vial is placed on an ohaus adventurer balance . then , 3 . 12 g merck ethanol , 4 . 17 g sigma - aldrich benzyl alcohol and 12 . 70 g sigma - aldrich castor oil are added . with the aid of a 1000 ul eppendorf research micropipette , 5 ml of the previously prepared solvent was added into an 11 ml nuova ompi type i of glass vial . the vial is capped with a solution s - additive plug from westpharma and crimped with an aluminum seal . the process for reconstituting a vial of lyophilizate of example 1 with the solvent of said example , using a needle - less transfer system transfer device 20 / 20 w / 150 mic filter sterile from westpharma , fig9 , is as follows : 1 . seals are removed from the containers ( vials ) containing the solid fulvestrant composition of the invention and the solubilizing composition . 2 . the cover of the package containing the transfer system is removed . 3 . the transfer system is placed on the top of the vial containing the solvent and the cap is pierced using one of the punches of the transfer system . 4 . the vial with solvent is inverted together with the transfer device . 5 . the transfer system is placed on top of the vial containing the lyophilizate and the cap is pierced using the free punch of the transfer system . 6 . the protecting cover of the syringe of the transfer system is removed . 7 . the protecting cover of the 10 ml darling syringe is removed , and the syringe is introduced into the luer lock of the transfer system . 8 . the valve of the transfer system is mounted to remove the solvent , which is extracted with the syringe . 9 . the transfer system valve is turned to connect the syringe and the lyophilizate . 10 . the complete content of the syringe is discharged into the lyophilizate vial . 11 . after the reconstituted solution is formed , the transfer system is turned 180 degrees to withdraw this solution with the aid of a syringe . using a sper scientific timer , it was determined that less than 90 seconds were required for reconstituting the lyophilizate . using a 50 ml schott type i glass vial , 250 mg scinopharm fulvestrant lot # 70850aa003 are weighed . with the aid of a 10 ml darling syringe and needle , 5 ml of the solvent of example 7 are extracted and added to the vial containing scinopharm api fulvestrant . it was determined that more than 60 minutes were required to completely dissolve fulvestrant in the solvent using a sper scientific timer . titer and purity of the reconstituted fulvestrant of example 7 are analyzed by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant as used for manufacturing the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on an hplc waters with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph for fulvestrant . the titer of the lyophilizate was the same as that of scinopharm fulvestrant , 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities were 0 . 1 %. stability test of the fulvestrant solution in acetic acid during 6 hours at room temperature to a 10 ml beaker , fitted with a magnetic stirrer , 2 . 5 ml glacial acetic acid , merck lot k 36685863 , is added . the beaker is placed on an ika model ms2 minishaker magnetic stirrer plate . fifty mg fulvestrant from scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 were weighed using an ohaus model adventurer balance . stirring of acetic acid is started and fulvestrant is slowly added which is rapidly dissolved . after all fulvestrant was added stirring is continued for 5 minutes . stirring is stopped and the solution is left at room temperature for 6 hours , then dissolution is analyzed in terms of titer and purity by hplc , and compared to scinopharm fulvestrant as used for manufacturing the lyophilizate . hplc determinations were carried out on an hplc waters with a waters 1525 binary pump , waters 717 autosampler , and a waters 2996 diode array detector ; the hplc column used for determining titer and purity is an agilent eclipse xdb - c8 3 . 5u 4 . 6 × 150 rapid res column ; the chromatographic method corresponds to us pharmacopeia ( usp , 34 ( 2011 )) monograph for fulvestrant . the titer of the solution was 99 . 2 %, the same as the one of scinopharm fulvestrant , i . e . 99 . 2 %. fulvestrant and lyophilizate total impurities in the solution were 0 . 1 %. the sample of fulvestrant to be analyzed was manufactured by scinopharm , lot # 70850aa003 . the physical characterization was made by x - ray diffraction , differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric assays . the x - ray assay was carried out in a philips x &# 39 ; pert with a pw3710 unity using cukα radiation = 1 . 54 a . records were obtained in the range of 3 °& lt ; 2θ & lt ; 40 °. a step of 0 . 02 ° in 2θ was used with a time counting of 2 seconds per step . fig1 shows a diffraction diagram of the sample which has a typical diffraction pattern corresponding to a crystalline sample . the differential scanning calorimetry assay was performed with a shimadzu dsc 60 . a sample of 1 . 68 mg was placed on an aluminum sampleholder , and heated at 10 ° c ./ min from room temperature to 200 ° c . work was carried out under n 2 with a flow of 30 ml / min the thermogravimetric assay was performed with a shimadzu tg 50 . the sample was placed in an aluminum sampleholder . it was heated from room temperature to 400 ° c . with heating rate of 10 ° c ./ min , under dry air flow of 40 ml / min fig2 shows a differential scanning calorimetry diagram and a thermogravimetric diagram . an endothermic signal characterized by an onset temperature to = 49 +/− 1 ° c . and an enthalpy variation of 11 +/− 2 j / g was observed , which as may be appreciated in the thermogravimetric diagram does not correspond to mass loss and presumably corresponds to the melting point , which confirms that the crystalline state of fulvestrant is a crystal . the sample of fulvestrant to be analyzed was manufactured by sicor , lot # 4233500210c . the physical characterization was made by x - ray diffraction , differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric assays . the x - ray assay was carried out in a philips x &# 39 ; pert with a pw3710 unity using cukα radiation = 1 . 54 a . records were obtained in the range of 3 °& lt ; 2θ & lt ; 40 °. a step of 0 . 02 ° in 2θ was used with a time counting of 2 seconds per step . fig3 shows a diffraction diagram of the sample which has a typical diffraction pattern corresponding to a crystalline sample . the differential scanning calorimetry assay was performed with a shimadzu dsc 60 . a sample of 2 . 82 mg was placed on an aluminum sampleholder , and heated at 10 ° c ./ min from room temperature to 200 ° c . work was carried out under n 2 with a flow of 30 ml / min . the thermogravimetric assay was performed with a shimadzu tg 50 . the sample was placed in an aluminum sampleholder . it was heated from room temperature to 400 ° c . with heating rate of 10 ° c ./ min , under dry air flow of 40 ml / min fig4 shows a differential scanning calorimetry diagram and a thermogravimetric diagram . an endothermic signal characterized by an onset temperature to = 103 +/− 1 ° c . and an enthalpy variation of 49 +/− 2 j / g was observed , which as may be appreciated in the thermogravimetric diagram does not correspond to mass loss and presumably corresponds to the melting point , which confirms that the crystalline state of fulvestrant is a crystal . it may be appreciated upon comparing the results of scinopharm and sicor fulvestrant that the x - ray diffraction diagram , the melting point and fusion enthalpy are very similar . syringeability and injectability of different solvents using needles and using a transfer system syringeability and injectability are key parameters for the design of parenteral products . the first term refers to the ability of the injectable to readily pass through a needle when transferred from one vial to another ; the second term refers to the ability to be injected . the syringeability includes factors such as easy extraction , obstruction and foam formation as well as precision of metered doses . the injectability includes the pressure or force required for the injection , flow uniformity and non - obstruction ( 13 ). the syringeability of the solvent and the reconstituted solution of example 7 were assayed using 3 systems : the first system consisted of a 10 ml darling syringe , with 23 g needles , the second system employed a 10 ml darling syringe , with 18 g needles , both needles had a length of 3 . 8 cm , and the last one was the transfer system described in example 7 . the assay consisted in extracting the solvent describe in example 7 , injecting it in the lyophilizate vial , reconstituting the lyophilizate and extracting it from the vial containing it . when the solvent extraction assay was carried out with the syringe and 23 g needle system we discovered that no solvent could be extracted . this is due to the high viscosity of the solvent and the high caliper of the syringe . therefore it was decided to use a syringe with lower needle caliper , i . e . having a greater diameter hole of the needle , performing the assay with an 18 g needle . but the result was the same as before , nothing could be extracted . the selection of a 23 g needle is supported by the fact that the reconstituted fulvestrant , like the original product faslodex , is administered intramuscularly . according to reference ( 14 ), needles comprising from 21 to 23 g and with a length from 2 . 5 cm to 3 . 8 cm should be used for intramuscular injections ; a 23 g needle is used for the original product , faslodex . the use of a transfer system , another object of the present invention , allowed for passing solvent to the syringe , from the syringe to the reconstitution vial and from the latter to the syringe almost immediately and with no need to exert any force . 2 d . l . teagarden , d . s . baker , practical aspects of lyophilization using non - aqueous co - solvent systems ; european journal of pharmaceutical sciences , 15 , 115 - 133 , 2002 . 4 l . rey , j . may ; freeze drying / lyophilization of pharmaceutical and biological products , 3 edition ; informa healthcare ; p . 25 , 2010 . 5 l . rey , j . may : freeze drying / lyophilization of pharmaceutical and biological products , 3 edition ; informa healthcare , p . 325 , 2010 . 6 t . a . jennings : lyophilization introduction and basic principles ; informa healthcare , p . 428 , 2008 . 11 david e . alonso et al . : understanding the behavior of amorphous pharmaceutical systems during dissolution ; pharmaceutical research , 27 , 4 , 2010 12 sharad b . murdande et al . : solubility advantage of amorphous pharmaceuticals : ii ; application of quantitative thermodynamic relationships for prediction of solubility enhancement in structural diverse insoluble pharmaceuticals ; pharmaceutical research , 27 , 2704 - 2714 , 2010 . 13 f . cilurzo et al . ; injectability evaluation : an open issue ; aaps pharmscitech 07 / 005 / 2011 .	0
fig1 depicts a portion of the internet 110 , to which are attached a service provider system 102 , computer 104 , network 106 , and customer system 108 , as well as other resources that are not shown . provider 102 is able to provide management resources to customer system 108 over the internet 110 . customer system 108 can assume many different configurations that can be set up with monitoring by the present invention . referring to fig2 , a block diagram of a data processing system 200 that may be implemented as a server in a system is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . data processing system 200 can be a symmetric multiprocessor ( smp ) system including a plurality of processors 202 and 204 connected to system bus 206 . alternatively , a single processor system may be employed . also connected to system bus 206 is memory controller / cache 208 , which provides an interface to local memory 209 . i / o bus bridge 210 is connected to system bus 206 and provides an interface to i / o bus 212 . memory controller / cache 208 and i / o bus bridge 210 may be integrated as depicted . peripheral component interconnect ( pci ) bus bridge 214 connected to i / o bus 212 provides an interface to pci local bus 216 . a number of modems may be connected to pci local bus 216 . typical pci bus implementations will support four pci expansion slots or add - in connectors . communications links may be provided through modem 218 and network adapter 220 connected to pci local bus 216 through add - in connectors . additional pci bus bridges 222 and 224 provide interfaces for additional pci local buses 226 and 228 , from which additional modems or network adapters may be supported . in this manner , data processing system 200 allows connections to multiple network computers . a memory - mapped graphics adapter 230 and hard disk 232 may also be connected to i / o bus 212 as depicted , either directly or indirectly . those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in fig2 may vary . for example , other peripheral devices , such as optical disk drives and the like , also may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted . the depicted example is not meant to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention . the data processing system depicted in fig2 may be , for example , an ibm eserver pseries system , a product of international business machines corporation in armonk , n . y ., running the advanced interactive executive ( aix ) operating system or linux operating system . fig3 depicts the elements used with the general - purpose agent , according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention . for example , customer system 108 contracts with provider 102 of fig1 , specifying that a specific vendor &# 39 ; s monitoring / management product be used . exemplary vendors for monitoring / management products are international business machines of armonk , n . y . and bmc software , of houston , although many other vendors also produce this type of products . this exemplary embodiment will be explained with reference to monitoring and management products by tivoli , a division of international business machines , inc . computer system 302 can be , for example , a server or group of servers , such as the server shown in fig2 . the system can be configured as a multiprocessing server with a number of programs running on it , a network of dedicated servers , or a combination of dedicated and multi - processing servers . in this example , computer system 302 , which is connected to the internet , is a multi - processing server contains four applications that will be monitored by tivoli . the applications are ( 1 ) sap 304 , an integration application platform available from sap america , lester , pa ., ( 2 ) websphere ® application server ( was ) 306 , a product of international business machines of armonk , n . y ., ( 3 ) domain name server ( dns ) 308 , a program that communicates with other dns programs on the internet to resolve user addresses , and ( 4 ) db2 ® 310 , a database product of international business machines . general - purpose agent ( gpa ) 312 is installed on system 302 , either when the operating system is deployed or when the system administrator determines that the agent is needed . since this embodiment is designed to work with the monitoring / management programs of a specific vendor , the monitoring / management program to be used on the server is shown as vendor agent 311 . vendor agent 311 may have been installed prior to the operation of gpa 312 . alternatively , gpa 312 can install vendor agent 311 , which will perform the actual management and monitoring needed for the applications on this server . in either case , it is necessary to know the preferred policies and configurations , as well as determining whether a license is needed for vendor agent 311 . in the presently preferred embodiment , general - purpose agent 312 is written in perl ® ( practical extraction and report language ) or in java ®, an object oriented programming language that is movable from one machine to another . both of these languages are commonly available on a wide variety of machines at installation , gpa 312 contains the address of agent manager 314 , so that when gpa 312 begins execution , it is able to immediately contact agent manager 314 . in the preferred embodiment , the agent manager maintains an inventory of servers being managed by associated agents ; at any time that the address of the agent manager is changed , the associated agents are provided a new address at which to contact the agent manager . agent manager 314 is able to provide scanners and additional agents to the system as needed . additionally , agent manager 314 communicates with policy - based engine 316 . policy - based engine 316 can access a best practice database 318 , which contains guidelines according to industry or vendor standards , regarding the specific practices and configurations needed to monitor / manage various applications . the policies or rules in the database can be created by means of an expert system or a similar tool . a sample of the rules found on the best practice database 318 is shown in box 320 . the sample rules include the following : ( a ) use proactive analysis component ( pac ) ( a product of ibm tivoli ®), ( b ) use sap best practices file # 1 ( for instructions on what elements should be monitored ), ( c ) use sap software configuration file # 3 ( to set the configuration of various settings within sap ), and ( d ) a license is required and must be managed ; ( a ) use pac , ( b ) use was best practices file # 5 , and ( c ) a license is required and must be managed ; ( a ) use process monitor # 7 , and ( b ) use file system # 9 ( no license required ) ( a ) use pac , ( b ) use db2 best practices file # 2 , and ( c ) a license is required and must be managed . agent manager 314 and policy - based engine 316 can be instantiated on a single server , such as a server in provider system 102 of fig1 , although they can also be on separate servers . likewise , best practices database 318 is preferably available from a central location , such as a storage unit in provider system 102 . those skilled in the art would understand that the preceding rules are merely exemplary , and that many other rules could be present in the best practice database 318 . furthermore , the database 318 can be extended to include user or organization preferences that can override the “ best practice ” policies of the industry at large . fig4 depicts the flow of operations for the general - purpose agent , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the process begins with gpa 312 being installed on system 302 . at the time of installation , general - purpose agent 312 is given the address of agent manager 314 , which oversees the process . as soon as gpa 312 is executed , it contacts agent manager 314 ( step 402 ). initially , gpa 312 requests a generalized scanner , which is able to manage a variety of systems , from agent manager 314 ( step 404 ). agent manager 314 responds by sending a scanner ( step 406 ). gpa 312 will install the scanner and cause it to scan server 110 ( step 408 ). in the presently preferred embodiment , the scan is produced as an xml file , which is then sent to the agent manager 314 ( step 410 ). a sample scan is shown below . & lt ;? xml version =“ 1 . 0 ” encoding =“ utf - 8 ”?& gt ; & lt ; inventory_scan date =“ xx / xx / xxxx ” time =“ xx : xx : xx ”& gt ; & lt ; scan_target id =“ 801 ” address =“ 10 . 1 . 1 . 1 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_discovered id =“ 001 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_name & gt ; websphere application server & lt ;/ application_name & gt ; & lt ; application_version & gt ; 5 . 1 & lt ;/ application_version & gt ; & lt ;/ application_discovered & gt ; & lt ; application_discovered id =“ 002 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_name & gt ; ibm db2 database server & lt ;/ application_name & gt ; & lt ; application_version & gt ; 8 . 1 & lt ;/ application_version & gt ; & lt ;/ application_discovered & gt ; & lt ; application_discovered id =“ 003 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_name & gt ; domain name server & lt ;/ application_name & gt ; & lt ; application_version & gt ; 4 . 9 & lt ;/ application_version & gt ; & lt ;/ application_discovered & gt ; & lt ; application_discovered id =“ 004 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_name & gt ; sap & lt ;/ application_name & gt ; & lt ; application_version & gt ; 7 . 2 & lt ;/ application_version & gt ; & lt ;/ application_discovered & gt ; & lt ;/ scan_target & gt ; & lt ;/ inventory_scan & gt ; agent manager 314 forwards the information from the xml file to policy - based engine 316 for analysis ( step 412 ). once policy based engine ( pbe ) 316 determines the applications currently installed on system 110 , pbe can access best practice database 318 to determine the setup agents and settings necessary to initialize vendor agent 311 ( step 414 ). pbe 316 notifies agent manager 314 of needed agents and agent manager 314 is then able to push the appropriate agents down to general - purpose agent 312 ( step 416 ). in this example , the files found at 320 are sent to the system , along with appropriate agents for instantiating the desired settings and configurations . as the final step , general - purpose agent 312 oversees the installation of the appropriate agents and the initialization of settings and configurations as directed by agent manager 314 ( step 418 ). the process is then complete . although this process up to this point has been described as a one - time process , once gpa 312 has been installed , this program 312 can be triggered periodically to ensure that the system continues to be updated with current settings and configurations , as desired by management . using this method and system , an automated program can replace a great deal of human effort , removing much of the tedium from the installation and maintenance of management / monitoring programs . as systems grow more complex , it can be more difficult to determine the best vendor for the given system . in this embodiment of the invention , the user can specify desired limitations , but allow the system to determine the best monitoring product or products using a vendor - neutral database , as will be described . in this version , separate vendor - neutral agents will be sent to each server in the system for discovery and installation , although the decisions will be made looking at the overall system and the user constraints . fig5 depicts the elements used in an exemplary embodiment of the vendor - neutral version of the invention . in this example , computer system 502 has three dedicated servers 502 , 504 , 506 , each of which will receive a copy of vendor - neutral agent ( vna ) 512 . like the general - purpose agent 312 , vendor - neutral agent 512 is preferably written in perl or in java . in this exemplary embodiment , server 502 contains sap web application server , server 504 contains oracle application server , and server 506 contains db2 . because vna 512 will be choosing the best vendor agent , the vendor agent is not yet present on the server . again , there is a manager of agents 514 and a policy - based engine 516 . there is also a combined policy and weightings database 518 . in addition to the “ best practices ”, database 518 contains weightings for each of the monitoring / management programs that can be used with each server application . for example , under sap web application server , the database 518 shows three exemplary monitoring programs that are available to monitor this application : ccms internal is rated a 10 ( the highest rating ); when used with sap web application server , bmc is rated a 9 ; and tivoli is rated an 8 ; other ratings exist for monitoring programs used with oracle application server and db2 . database 518 also contains similar information as was shown in best practice database 318 , although this information is provided for each of the multiple vendors supported , rather than for a single vendor . the customer can also provide their preferences 515 for vendor agents used . exemplary choices can be ( a ) the best tool to monitor each server , ( b ) the single vendor that provides the best overall monitoring for all of the existing applications , or ( c ) a specific vendor , as long as they are in the top three vendors for each application to be monitored . in this manner , the customer can express a preference without having to personally check each server . the preferences 515 can alternatively be expressed as weightings in the database 518 . although database 518 is shown here as a centralized database , it is not required . preferably the information regarding weightings and best practices are easily accessible by policy based engine 516 ; but they can be stored at different locations and maintained by different entities . fig6 depicts the flow of operations for the vendor neutral agent , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the process begins with the vendor - neutral agent ( vna ) 512 being installed on each server in computer system 502 , e . g ., servers 504 , 506 , 508 . at the same time , the agent manager also receives user preferences ( step 601 ). at the time of installation , each vna 512 is given the address of agent manager 514 . as each vna 512 begins execution , it contacts agent manager 514 ( step 602 ). initially , each vna 512 requests a scanner from agent manager 514 ( step 604 ). agent manager 514 responds by sending a scanner to each agent 512 ( step 606 ). vna 512 will install the scanner and cause it to scan the server it resides on ( step 608 ). again , a scan is produced in xml and sent to the agent manager 514 ( step 610 ), as shown below . & lt ;? xml version =“ 1 . 0 ” encoding =“ utf - 8 ”?& gt ; & lt ; inventory_scan date =“ xx / xx / xxxx ” time =“ xx : xx : xx ”& gt ; & lt ; scan_target id =“ 801 ” address =“ 10 . 1 . 1 . 1 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_discovered id =“ 001 ”& gt ; & lt ; application_name & gt ; oracle application server & lt ;/ application_name & gt ; & lt ; application_version & gt ; 9 . 0 & lt ;/ application_version & gt ; & lt ;/ application_discovered & gt ; & lt ;/ scan_target & gt ; & lt ;/ inventory_scan & gt ; where the multi - processing operating system contains a number of dedicated servers , the scans from the agents on dedicated servers will contain only their single application . it will be necessary to have scans from all of the agents in order to proceed . alternatively , the agent manager 514 can be instructed to proceed when a given percentage of the servers have responded . agent manager 514 forwards the information from the xml files for each server and from customer preferences 515 to policy - based engine 516 for analysis ( step 612 ). policy based engine ( pbe ) 516 then determines the applications currently installed on system 502 and accesses best practice database 518 to determine the monitoring / management programs necessary to manage system 502 ( step 614 ). using the scans , customer preferences 515 , and database 518 , pbe 516 determines the desired monitoring program and configuration for each server . for example , given the weightings shown and the three customer choices presented earlier , a customer choosing ( a ) a best tool for each server would be given ccms for server 504 , bmc for server 506 , and tivoli for server 508 ; a customer choosing ( b ) a single best tool would receive tivoli on all three servers 504 , 506 , 508 , because of the cumulative score ; and a customer choosing ( c ) bmc as long as it was in the top three choices would receive bmc on all three servers 504 , 506 , 508 . once a decision is made , policy - based engine 516 also determines best practice files to accompany each monitoring program . pbe 516 notifies agent manager 514 of needed programs and agent manager 514 is then able to push the appropriate agents down to each of the vendor - neutral agents 512 on servers 504 , 506 , 508 ( step 616 ). as the monitoring programs are sent , so also are the various configuration files that specify the best practices . as the final step , each vendor neutral agent 512 oversees the installation and configuration of the monitoring / management agents as directed by agent manager 514 ( step 618 ). the process is then complete . it is worth noting that if , in the exemplary embodiment of fig5 and fig6 , one of the servers is a multiprocessor running several applications , the vendor neutral embodiment can decide to install several monitoring / management agents on that server to monitor the various applications . this decision will depend not only on the applications running on the server , but also on the weightings and user preferences , as do the other decisions . it is also possible to break out parts of the system , such as license management , in order to easily supplement existing options . the advantages of this system are numerous . most basically , automating the process allows monitoring to be quickly installed on a system without tedious searching and decision - making by administrators . the use of a policy - based engine allows different policies for different clients or situations , without the need to change coding in any way . any of the databases , such as best practices , weightings , and best configuration , as well as user preferences , can be dynamically updated without affecting the rest of the system . as new versions of the management / monitoring software become available , the gpa or vna can be utilized to instantiate the new software . the general - purpose agent is very simple , with its only purpose being to download and execute programs and to return information , yet at the same time it is flexible , since its programming language allows it to run under many different operating systems . thus , the disclosed invention allows the task of setting up new monitoring programs to be handled quickly , easily , and with little error . it is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system , those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution . examples of computer readable media include recordable - type media , such as a floppy disk , a hard disk drive , a ram , cd - roms , dvd - roms , and transmission - type media , such as digital and analog communications links , wired or wireless communications links using transmission forms , such as , for example , radio frequency and light wave transmissions . the computer readable media may take the form of coded formats that are decoded for actual use in a particular data processing system . the description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description , and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed . many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention , the practical application , and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated .	6
polyglycerol esters are described herein via an alphanumeric coding system . the first digit identifies the degree of polymerization , the second digit the degree of esterification , and the capital letter the type of acid . abbreviations employed are as follows : thus , for example , 2 - 2 - eh identifies diglycerol esterified with two moles of 2 - ethylhexanoic acid and 6 - 5 - s identifies hexaglycerol esterified with five moles of stearic acid . the polyglycerol ester should be incorporated into the resin , prior to processing , in an amount sufficient to lubricate the material . as used herein , the term &# 34 ; processing &# 34 ; is to be understood in the conventional manner . thus , the thermoplastic material must be compounded prior to processing and conversion into a finished article . the resin material such as pvc , is compounded in a conventional manner by mixing the thermoplastic resin and requisite lubricant together with additives employed in such mixtures , e . g . heat stabilizers , fillers , pigments , flame retardants and the like to form a homogeneous blend . this homogeneous blend ( often referred to as a &# 34 ; compound &# 34 ;) may be in the form of a powder , chip , or granule and is &# 34 ; processed &# 34 ; to a finished shaped article conventionally using any of a variety of techniques such as injection molding , extrusion , compression molding , blow molding , and calendering . generally from about 0 . 10 to 5 parts ( preferably about 0 . 5 to 2 . 0 parts ) of the ester per hundred parts of the resin ( phr ) is sufficient . if desired , more than one ester may be employed . the lubricated materials of the present invention are well suited for the production of molded and extruded products , particularly vinyl siding compositions and rigid sheet profiles . the polyglycerol ester lubricants of the present invention may be incorporated into a variety of thermoplastic materials which can be molded by extrusion or injection techniques . the lubricants described herein are suitable for use in thermoplastic compounds , whether they are polycondensates or polyaddition compounds . they are particularly suited for use with chlorinated polymers such as pvc , polyvinylidene chloride , chlorinated polyethylene , as well as copolymers thereof derived , for example , from vinyl acetate , acrylic esters , ethylene propylenediene , ethylene vinyl acetate , maleic esters , etc . the lubricants can also be used in other thermoplastics such as polystyrene and copolymers thereof including abs , and related abs multipolymers ; polyacrylic acid esters , polymethacrylic acid esters , polyamides , polycarbonates , polyurethanes , polyphenylene sulfides , polyphenylene oxides and copolymers thereof . where a copolymer is used , the amounts of the comonomers that are used in the various copolymers will depend , inter alia , on the properties required of the molding . blends of these plastic resins may also be used in the lubricated compositions . the choice of the resin will depend upon the use to which the article is to be put . especially preferred thermoplastic materials include the polymers and copolymers of polyvinyl chloride , acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene and polypropylene . the following examples are offered to more fully illustrate the invention , but are not to be construed as limiting the scope thereof . five polyglycerol esters ( 2 - 2 - s , 3 - 2 - s , 4 - 2 - s , 6 - 2 - s , 8 - 2 - s ) were evaluated for fusion properties , dynamic heat stability , and mill stick properties . the control sample contained no lubricant . glycerol monostearate ( 1 - 1 - s ) was used as the comparative internal lubricant ; xl - 165 ( hoechst ), a paraffin wax , was used as the comparative external lubricant . preparation of compound one was carried out according to the following procedure . a henschel mixer was charged with 100 parts of a pvc resin , k value 56 , and mixed at 2300 rpm to 167 ° f . at this point , 1 . 5 phr of dibutyltin bis ( isooctylmercaptoacetate ) were added and mixing continued to 239 ° f . this masterbatch was discharged onto kraft paper and allowed to cool to 77 ° f . performance tests were conducted using blends of this masterbatch and the required amount of lubricant . these blends were prepared by hand mixing the masterbatch and lubricant for five minutes in a container . the test procedures are set forth below with the results described in table 1 . a brabender plasticorder , model epl - v302 , was equipped with a no . 6 roller head , roller blades , and a quick loading chute . the roller head was allowed to equilibrate at 320 ° f . for 15 minutes . the blades were turned on at 30 rpm , and 55 . 0 gms of sample were introduced into the mixing bowl through the quick loading chute in a maximum of 20 seconds . the fusion torque and time were recorded . the quick loading chute was removed two minutes after fusion . the torque and stock temperatures were recorded at 10 and 15 minutes after fusion . the torque at 15 minutes after fusion is identified as the equilibrium torque . a brabender plasticorder , model epl - v302 , was equipped with a no . 6 roller head , roller blades , and a quick loading chute . the roller head was allowed to equilibrate at 369 ° f . for 15 minutes . the blades were turned on at 70 rpm , and 55 . 0 gms of sample were introduced into the mixing bowl through the quick loading chute in a maximum of 20 seconds . the quick loading chute was removed one minute after fusion . two minutes after fusion , the rotors were stopped , a sample removed from the bowl with a warm spatula , and the rotors restarted immediately ( sampling was completed in a maximum of five seconds ). the hot sample was molded into a one - half inch button with a hand mold press . excess was trimmed off the button with a scissors and returned to the bowl . sampling was repeated periodically . torque was recorded at each sampling . degradation was taken as an increase of 100 meter - grams in torque . the front roll of a two - roll mill was set at 338 ° f . ( 23 . 5 rpm ) and the back roll at 347 ° f . ( 33 . 0 rpm ). rolls were hardened , carbonized mild steel ; each measured 13 &# 34 ; long with a diameter of 6 &# 34 ; and was set for a sheet thickness of 0 . 030 inch . two hundred grams of sample were banded using a mill knife until a uniform sheet formed on the back roll . the rolls were re - adjusted for a sheet thickness of 0 . 035 inch . the sheet was milled until sticking occurred . this was determined by periodically cutting the formed sheet with the mill knife until the sheet could not be easily removed from the roll . table 1__________________________________________________________________________performance vs . degree of polymerizationcompound onefusion properties dynamic stability mill sticktime , min . equilibrium torque , mg . time , min . time , min . conc ., phr conc ., phr conc . phr conc . phr0 . 25 0 . 50 1 . 00 2 . 00 0 . 25 0 . 50 1 . 00 2 . 0 1 . 00 1 . 00__________________________________________________________________________control 0 . 9 2400 23 . 3 5 . 01 - 1 - s1 . 2 1 . 5 1 . 7 2 . 2 2400 2350 2250 2080 26 . 3 6 . 01 - 2 - s1 . 2 1 . 3 2 . 8 8 . 3 2370 2360 2300 2220 26 . 0 17 . 02 - 2 - s1 . 2 1 . 5 3 . 3 8 . 8 2300 2280 2280 2200 27 . 3 22 . 03 - 2 - s2 . 9 5 . 3 7 . 0 9 . 3 2350 2330 2280 2150 24 . 5 23 . 04 - 2 - s4 . 2 6 . 5 8 . 2 10 . 4 2360 2340 2290 2270 24 . 0 28 . 06 - 2 - s3 . 2 6 . 0 & gt ; 30 2370 2340 25 . 8 & gt ; 608 - 2 - s1 . 3 11 . 3 & gt ; 30 2400 2300 28 . 5 & gt ; 60xl - 1652 . 3 & gt ; 30 2340 28 . 8 14 . 0__________________________________________________________________________ from the data in table 1 above , it is readily apparent that typical internal lubrication was demonstrated by 1 - 1 - s , viz . essentially no change in fusion time as lubricant concentration was increased . in addition , the mill stick time of 1 - 1 - s was quite short , typical of internal lubrication . similarly , xl - 165 demonstrated properties of an external lubricant -- prolonged fusion times with increasing lubricant concentration and a mill stick time of 14 minutes as compared to 6 minutes for gms . equilibrium torques were comparable for the control , 1 - 1 - s , and xl - 165 . as previously noted , the lubrication properties of polyglycerol enters change from combined internal / external to external characters as the degree of polymerization increases from two to eight . this is demonstrated by the increase of fusion times as the concentration of lubricant is increased . this is exemplified by comparing fusion times of 2 - 2 - s , 3 - 2 - s , and 4 - 2 - s to 1 - 1 - s . prolonged fusion times and over lubrication is shown by 6 - 2 - s and 8 - 2 - s . the increase in mill stick times as dp increases is an indication of external lubrication in milling and calendering operations . equilibrium torque values for all the polyglycerol esters were comparable . equilibrium torque should not increase by the use of lubricants . dynamic heat stability times of the polyglycerol esters listed in table 1 were equal to or better than the control and the internal and external comparators . this is a manifestation of lubrication wherein the lubricant reduces internal friction in the polymer melt and consequently sustains or prolongs the heat stability of the polymer . further evidence for lubricity imparted by additives to plastics systems are the effects produced on surfaces formed by extrusion . in general , external lubricants will produce glossy surfaces . this is expected since external lubricants prevent polymers from sticking to metal surfaces by providing a thin layer of lubricant at the polymer - metal interface of the processing equipment . this is caused by the insolubility of the lubricant in the polymer system permitting the lubricant to be present at the surface of the extruded polymer . internal lubricants are soluble in the fused polymer systems allowing polymer chains to slide over each other which reduces the frictional heat build - up in the polymer . internal lubricants do not migrate to the polymer surface and , therefore , finished products have a non - glossy or matte appearance . preparation of compound two for this example was carried out in a manner similar to that of example one . a henschel mixer was charged with 100 parts of a pvc resin , k value 64 , and mixed at 2800 rpm to 167 ° f . at this point two phr of dibutyltin bis ( isooctylmercaptoacetate ) were added and mixing continued to 180 ° f . two phr of a polymeric acrylic processing aid ( k - 120n , rohm and haas ) and 0 . 8 phr of calcium stearate were added and mixed to 203 ° f . six phr of a polymeric acrylic impact modifier ( km - 330 , rohm and haas ) and 12 phr of titanium dioxide were added and mixed to 230 ° f . this masterbatch was discharged onto kraft paper and allowed to cool to 77 ° f . performance tests were conducted using blends of this masterbatch and the required amount of lubricant . these blends were prepared by hand mixing the masterbatch and lubricant for five minutes in a container . the brabender plasticorder of example one was allowed to equilibrate at 365 ° f . for 15 minutes . the blades were turned on at 75 rpm and 55 . 0 gms of sample were introduced into the mixing bowl through the quick loading chute in a maximum of 20 seconds . the fusion torque and time were recorded . the quick loading chute was removed two minutes after fusion . the torque and stock temperatures were recorded at 10 and 15 minutes after fusion . the torque at 15 minutes after fusion is identified as the equilibrium torque . the brabender plasticorder of example one was allowed to equilibrate at 365 ° f . for 15 minutes . the blades were turned on at 120 rpm and 55 . 0 gms of sample were introduced into the mixing bowl through the quick loading chute in a maximum of 20 seconds . the remainder of the procedure was as in example one . a brabender plasticorder , model epl - v302 , was equipped with a 0 . 75 &# 34 ; extruder with a 3 / 1 compression ratio screw , an adjustable ribbon die ( 2 &# 34 ; width ), and a vibrating hopper . the three zones of the extruder were set at 347 , 356 , and 365 ° f .-- the die at 374 ° f .-- and allowed to equilibrate for 15 minutes . about 1500 grams of material were extruded . the middle third of the extrudate were used for measurements after air cooling to 77 ° f . a mallinckrodt 60 ° pocket glossmeter , model 4020 , was used to determine gloss by moving the instrument over the extruded tape until a maximum reading was obtained . table 2 below provides 60 ° gloss data in the compound of this example showing changes in surface gloss of extruded tapes as the degree of polymerization of polyglycerol esters increases from two to eight . overall , surface gloss of these esters is high , indicative of external lubricity , as compared to the internal lubricant 1 - 1 - s in this filled plastic system . it was noted 1 - 2 - s provided low gloss demonstrating that it too , like 1 - 1 - s , is acting as an internal lubricant . polyglycerol ester 3 - 2 - s shows a drop in gloss as compared to 2 - 2 - s and 4 - 2 - s ; it is more of an internal lubricant than its neighbors . while this cannot be explained on a structural basis , it is obviously more soluble in the polymer than 2 - 2 - s and 4 - 2 - s . on the overall , the polyglycerol esters provided smooth extruded surfaces at all concentrations at the three screw speeds investigated . table 2______________________________________performance vs . degree of polymerizationcompound two60 ° gloss readings40 rpm 75 rpm 120 rpmconc ., phr conc ., phr conc . phr0 . 50 1 . 00 1 . 50 0 . 50 1 . 00 1 . 50 0 . 50 1 . 00 1 . 50______________________________________con - 9 . 8 10 . 3 8 . 9trol1 - 1 - s 7 . 6 6 . 1 7 . 11 - 2 - s 8 . 2 9 . 8 15 . 62 - 2 - s 28 . 2 38 . 5 51 . 2 37 . 0 50 . 2 61 . 4 41 . 2 61 . 3 63 . 23 - 2 - s 10 . 3 12 . 3 12 . 3 13 . 6 19 . 2 21 . 4 19 . 3 37 . 1 31 . 24 - 2 - s 13 . 7 27 . 0 40 . 2 26 . 0 48 . 1 65 . 1 38 . 2 53 . 3 70 . 56 - 2 - s 9 . 8 10 . 4 42 . 4 16 . 8 22 . 4 53 . 9 19 . 0 33 . 2 77 . 68 - 2 - s 15 . 6 16 . 7 50 . 6 19 . 2 29 . 5 65 . 1 23 . 8 39 . 2 80 . 2xl - 165 16 . 3 39 . 2 ( 1 ) 26 . 5 52 . 9 ( 1 ) 40 . 2 82 . 1 ( 1 ) ______________________________________ ( 1 ) does not extrude ; partially fused . the lubrication properties of polyglycerol esters were investigated keeping the degrees of polymerization and esterification constant while varying the type of acid used for esterification . variations in normal acid lengths from c 8 to c 22 were studied . an unsaturated acid , oleic , was compared to a commercial grade of stearic acid . the lubrication properties imparted by esterifying with 2 - ethylhexanoic acid as compared to a 50 / 50 mixture of caprylic / capric acids was included . the fusion time , equilibrium torques obtained during fusion time , dynamic heat stability , and gloss readings were determined in compound two of this example and are set forth in table 3 below . table 3______________________________________performance vs . acid typecompound twofusion properties1 . 5 phr dynamic stability 60 ° gloss eq . 1 . 5 phr 1 . 5 phrtime , min torque , mg time , min percent______________________________________control 1 . 9 2230 15 . 6 8 . 92 - 2 - eh 2 . 2 2250 16 . 0 13 . 82 - 2 - c 2 . 3 2230 16 . 5 11 . 22 - 2 - o 2 . 9 2220 18 . 3 14 . 62 - 2 - s 3 . 2 2120 18 . 7 63 . 22 - 2 - b 3 . 7 2120 19 . 8 82 . 1______________________________________ all of these polyglycerol esters demonstrated lubrication properties . variations in acid chain length had no effect on fusion time or equilibrium torque during fusion . it was notable that dynamic heat stability improved as the length of the acid chain increased . as previously noted , &# 34 ; degree of polymerization &# 34 ;, evidence for lubricity is shown by the surface gloss of extruded products . gloss increased with increasing molecular weight of the acid which indicates external lubrication is provided by esters of this type . this is not unexpected since an increase of molecular weight provided by the longer chain acids would give the incompatibility required for external lubrication . a change from internal to external lubrication was observed as the concentration of 2 - 2 - s was increased for each screw speed . the gloss of 2 - 2 - o was much lower than that of its saturated analog , 2 - 2 - s , indicating 2 - 2 - o is more soluble in the plastic system than 2 - 2 - s . therefore , 2 - 2 - o has more internal lubricating properties than 2 - 2 - s . compound one was addressed for mill stick times as in example one and the results are set forth in table 4 below . table 4______________________________________performance vs . acid typecompound one mill stick , 1 . 0 phr time , min . ______________________________________control 62 - 2 - eh 92 - 2 - c 122 - 2 - s 222 - 2 - o 382 - 2 - b & gt ; 60______________________________________ external lubricity increased as acid chain length increased as shown by the increase of mill stick time from 9 minutes for 2 - 2 - eh to greater than 60 minutes for 2 - 2 - b , as shown in table 4 above . lubricity of a number of esters as a function of the degree of esterification was studied as exemplified by mill stick times in compound one . this was shown by changing the degree of esterification and keeping the degree of polymerization and acid type constant . degrees of polymerization of two and six were selected . the diglycerol esters demonstrated internal lubricity ( short mill stick times ); the hexaglycerol esters showed external lubricity ( long mill stick times ). the results are set forth in table 5 below . table 5______________________________________performance vs . degree of esterificationcompound one mill stick , 0 . 5 phr min . ______________________________________control 52 - 1 - s 72 - 2 - s 142 - 3 - s 96 - 2 - s 376 - 3 - s 376 - 5 - s 356 - 6 - s 33______________________________________ in the present example , compound three was prepared in a manner similar to examples one and two . a henschel mixer was charged with 100 parts of a pvc resin , k value 65 , and mixed at 1800 rpm to 167 ° f . at this point , 1 . 5 phr of dibutyltin bis ( isooctylmercaptoacetate ) were added and mixing continued to 180 ° f . one phr of a polymeric acrylic processing aid ( k - 120 nd , rohm and haas ) and 1 . 5 phr of calcium stearate were added and mixed to 203 ° f . twelve phr of titanium dioxide , 8 . 0 phr of a polymeric acrylic impact modifier ( km - 323b , rohm and haas ), and 3 . 0 phr of atomite were added and mixed to 230 ° f . this blend was discharged onto kraft paper and allowed to cool to 77 ° f . one hundred parts of this masterbatch were hand mixed for five minutes in a container with 1 . 5 phr of 2 - 2 - s . the procedure was as in examples one and two . the brabender plasticorder roller head was allowed to equilibrate at 338 ° f . for 15 minutes . the blades were turned on at 60 rpm and 55 . 0 gms of sample were introduced into the mixing bowl . both rolls of a two - roll mill were set at 320 ° f . the back roll rotated at 33 . 0 rpm ; the front roll at 23 . 5 rpm . rolls were hardened , carbonized mild steel ; each measured 13 &# 34 ; long with a diameter of 6 &# 34 ; and was set for a sheet thickness of 0 . 030 inch . two hundred grams of sample were banded using a mill knife . the rolls were then adjusted to a sheet thickness of 0 . 040 &# 34 ; and the sheet was then cut and re - banded for five minutes and removed from the mill . the sheet was cut into one inch squares before cooling to room temperature . these squares were placed on glass strips in a forced air oven at 374 ° f . squares were removed periodically from the oven until degradation occurred . degradation was taken as change of color to a deep brown . compound three was studied for fusion and static stability at 1 . 5 phr of 2 - 2 - s . the compound is a typical profile formulation and the results are set forth in table 6 below . table 6______________________________________compound three1 . 5 phr lubricant fusion static equilibrium stability time , min . torque , mg time , min . ______________________________________control 1 . 5 2100 75 - 802 - 2 - s 1 . 6 1700 80 - 85______________________________________ lubricity was indicated by the decrease in equilibrium torque and increase in static stability over the control . a series of experiments were carried out to demonstrate the lubrication properties of polyglycerol esters in abs and polypropylene . one hundred parts of a high impact extrusion grade acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene resin were mixed in a henschel mixer at 1800 rpm to 150 ° f . one quarter phr of octadecyl - 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyhydrocinnamate was added and mixed at the same speed to 180 ° f . material was discharged onto kraft paper and cooled to 77 ° f . one hundred parts of the above blend were hand mixed for five minutes in a container with 0 . 5 phr of 2 - 2 - s . a brabender plasticorder , model epl - v302 , was equipped with a no . 6 roller head , roller blades , and a quick loading chute . the roller head was allowed to equilibrate at 356 ° f . for 15 minutes . the blades were turned on at 50 rpm and 55 . 0 gms of sample were introduced into the mixing bowl through the quick loading chute in a maximum of 20 seconds . fusion occurred immediately . the quick loading chute was removed two minutes after fusion . the equilibrium torque and stock temperature were recorded at 15 minutes after fusion . there was no sticking to the sides of the bowls when 2 - 2 - s was used . a parallel run , without lubricant , caused considerable sticking and , hence , difficult clean out . ease of clean out is a sign of positive lubrication as shown in table 7 below . the stock temperature of 2 - 2 - s was lower than that of the control which indicates less frictional heat build - up . this is an additional sign of lubrication provided by a polyglycerol ester . one half phr of 2 - 2 - s was hand mixed for five minutes in a container with 100 parts of an unstabilized polypropylene homopolymer . both rolls of a two - roll mill were set at 356 ° f . the back roll rotated at 33 . 0 rpm ; the front roll at 23 . 5 rpm . rolls were hardened , carbonized mild steel ; each measured 13 &# 34 ; long with a diameter of 6 &# 34 ; and was set for a sheet thickness of 0 . 030 inch . two hundred grams of sample were banded with a mill knife . the rolls were then readjusted to a sheet thickness of 0 . 035 inch . the sheet was milled until sticking occurred . this was determined by periodically cutting the formed sheet with the mill knife until the sheet could not be easily removed from the roll . polypropylene mixed with 2 - 2 - s gave twice the mill stick time as polypropylene by itself . those observations are manifestations of lubrication provided by polyglycerols esters . table 7______________________________________abs and polypropyleneresin systems , 0 . 5 phr lubricantabs poly - fusion propyleneequilibrium temperature , mill sticktorque , mg ° c . cleanout time , min______________________________________control 2150 189 difficult 3 . 02 - 2 - s 2100 186 very easy 6 . 0______________________________________ the invention having been thus described , it will be appreciated that various departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the following claims .	2
referring to the drawings , fig1 shows an exploded view of a gas - measuring device 19 with the measuring cuvette 1 intended for installation . the gas - measuring device 19 shown is preferably used as a stationary gas - measuring device in plants of the pharmaceutical , chemical or petrochemical industry or in heating systems or power plants . the principal components of the gas - measuring device 19 , namely , a housing part 22 for receiving the electronic system , a housing part 20 , in which a radiation source as well as a detector are arranged , a bracket 8 , to which a reflector is fastened and which has two legs 9 , between which the mount 7 for fixing the measuring cuvette 1 is located , a cap 23 , as well as the measuring cuvette 1 with the holding - down device 10 are shown . a window 24 is provided in the outer wall of the housing part 20 . the radiation emitted by the radiation source can exit the window 24 and radiation arriving from the sample chamber 3 , during the operation , passes through before the arriving radiation falls on the detector . furthermore , a bracket 8 for receiving a mirror 15 is provided on the housing part 20 . the mirror 15 is arranged on the side of the bracket 8 facing away from the housing part 20 . the mount 7 for the measuring cuvette 1 is located between the two legs 9 . the measuring cuvette 1 is inserted in this case such that the lower end of the measuring cuvette 1 , which end has either an opening 17 towards the sample space 3 or a window element 27 , is directed with a stop face 18 against a corresponding stop face of the housing part 20 . an o - ring is inserted in this case as a sealing element 14 between the housing part 20 and the measuring cuvette 1 in order to seal the sample space 3 against the surrounding area . the holding - down device 10 , which presses the measuring cuvette 1 against the housing part 20 , having the radiation source and the detector , is fastened on the opposite side by means of two screws . the radiation source is an incandescent lamp , which emits a continuous radiation spectrum corresponding to an incandescent lamp temperature . the measuring cuvette 1 is designed with a cylindrical housing wall 2 and has two hose connections 5 , to which corresponding hoses for introducing and removing the process gas to be analyzed can be connected . the analysis of the process gas present in the sample space 3 of the measuring cuvette 1 takes place by directing infrared radiation from the radiation source in the housing part 20 through the sample space 3 onto a mirror 15 fastened to the bracket 8 , from where the radiation is reflected and is directed again through the sample space 3 and finally falls on the detector likewise arranged in the housing part 20 . the radiation received by the detector is finally analyzed to determine how far or how much radiation was absorbed by the process gas within the sample space 3 in order to make it possible to obtain information on the species and / or composition of the process gas . the measuring cuvette 1 is replaceable and is fixed during the operation in the mount 7 of the stationary gas - measuring device 8 , which mount is provided therefor , between the two legs 9 of the bracket 8 by means of the holding - down device 10 fastened to the bracket 8 . the measuring cuvette 1 is additionally shown in the mounted state in fig2 . the housing part 20 of a gas - measuring device 19 , in which a radiation source as well as a detector are provided , is located under the measuring cuvette 1 . two legs 9 of a bracket 8 , which carries in the upper area a reflector element 15 , preferably a mirror or a reflection coating and in the interior space 7 of which the measuring cuvette 1 is accommodated between the legs 9 , extend upwards from the housing part 20 . the measuring cuvette 1 is fixed by means of the holding - down device 10 screwed tightly to the bracket 8 and is pressed lightly against the housing part 20 of the gas - measuring device 19 such that reliable sealing is guaranteed in this area between the sample space 3 of the measuring cuvette 1 and the surrounding area . a screw cap 11 for fastening a window element 4 , preferably a sapphire disk , is located on the vessel wall 2 of the cuvette 1 in the upper area of the measuring cuvette 1 , the screw cap 11 provided as a fastening element 6 additionally having a height - adjustable adjusting element 13 in the form of a seal bonnet . this bonnet 13 is moved during the mounting relative to the measuring cuvette 1 such that secure sealing is achieved in the upper area between the seal bonnet 13 and the bracket 8 having the reflector 15 of the gas - measuring device 19 . fig3 shows a measuring cuvette 1 designed according to the present invention , which has a cylindrically shaped housing wall 2 . the housing wall 2 has two ports 5 , which are used to admit and remove process gas and to which admission and discharge hoses can be fastened . a sample space 3 , which is filled with process gas during the operation of the measuring cuvette 1 and which is half open downwardly , is located in the interior of the measuring cuvette 1 . the lower , open end 17 of the measuring cuvette 1 is sealed with an o - ring 14 during the mounting of the process gas cuvette 1 against the top side of a stationary gas - measuring device . an external thread 26 , which is arranged according to the present invention on the housing wall 2 and to which a screw cap 11 is screwed as a fastening element 6 , is located at the opposite , other end of the measuring cuvette 1 . the thread 26 is usually a right - hand thread . a sapphire disk is arranged as a window element 4 between the screw cap 11 and the housing wall 2 of the measuring cuvette 1 . this sapphire disk is pressed onto the housing wall 2 of the measuring cuvette 1 by means of the screw cap 11 and thus fixed . to guarantee the necessary sealing , a sealing element 12 in the form of an o - ring , which is compressed by the pressure of the screw cap 11 onto the sapphire disk 4 , is provided between the sapphire disk 4 and the housing wall 2 . furthermore , a seal bonnet , which is adjustable in height by means of an external thread located on the screw cap 11 , is located as an adjusting element 13 on the screw cap 11 in the upper area . this thread as well as the seal bonnet 13 are provided with a left - hand thread in order to prevent the screw cap 11 from loosening when the seal bonnet 13 is tightened by force transmission by means of friction . if the seal bonnet 13 is screwed upwards onto the surface of the mount 7 , which surface is to be sealed , especially onto the surface of the bracket 8 , a stationary gas - measuring device , the force applied for the screw cap 11 leads to tightening and to a further compression of the o - ring 12 . if the seal bonnet 13 is loosened , it reaches a stop 16 after a few turns and is blocked . the screw cap 11 and the seal bonnet 13 can then be unscrewed in no time . a flat packing is located as a sealing element 21 on the seal bonnet 13 in order to guarantee sealing between the seal bonnet 13 and the mount 7 , especially between the seal bonnet 13 and the bracket 8 having the reflector 15 , above the cuvette 1 . the flat packing 21 has a free aperture in order to avoid undesired shadowing at the mirror 15 . on the one hand , reliable sealing can be ensured between the seal bonnet 13 and the bracket 8 having the reflector 15 by means of the height - adjustable seal bonnet 13 described , and , on the other hand , length tolerances of the mount , especially of the bracket 8 , can be compensated in a simple manner . when mounting the measuring cuvette 1 , this is first inserted into the mount 7 between the legs 9 of the bracket 8 , and the holding - down device 10 is fastened at the bracket 8 of the mount 7 , and corresponding surfaces of the holding - down device 10 and of the housing wall 2 of the measuring cuvette 2 abut against one another , and the measuring cuvette 1 is pressed in the direction of the housing of the gas - measuring device 19 having the radiation source and the detector . the seal bonnet 13 arranged on the screw cap 11 is finally moved upwards by means of a screwing motion until reliable sealing is achieved between the seal bonnet 13 and the bracket 8 having the reflector . the flat packing 21 provided between the seal bonnet 13 and the bracket 8 is slightly compressed in the process . fig4 shows a sectional view through a measuring cuvette 1 , which is placed on a housing part 20 of a gas - measuring device 19 having a radiation source and detector and is sealed by means of an o - ring 14 . in the direction of the housing part 20 in which the radiation source and the detector are located , the measuring cuvette 1 has a half - open sample space 3 with a lower opening 17 , which infrared radiation emitted by the radiation source can enter unhindered . an opening 24 tightly covered with a sapphire disk is provided for this in the housing part 20 of the gas - measuring device 19 . in its upper area , the housing wall 2 of the measuring cuvette 1 has an external thread 26 , which is designed as a right - hand thread and onto which a screw cap 11 is screwed as a fastening element 6 . a window element 4 in the form of a sapphire disk is fixed on the upper end of the housing wall 2 by means of the screw cap 11 . to guarantee the necessary sealing in this area , an o - ring is clamped as a sealing element 12 between the sapphire disk 4 and the housing wall 2 . in addition , the screw cap 1 has , on its upper circumference , an external thread , which is designed as a left - hand thread in this case . a seal bonnet 13 is screwed , in turn , onto this left - hand thread for height adjustment and thus for adjusting the effective length of the measuring cuvette 1 , i . e ., the distance between the lower end facing the housing part 20 with the radiation source and the detector , and the opposite end of the measuring cuvette 1 facing the bracket 8 with the reflector 15 . detail view “ a ” shows an enlarged view of the embodiment of the screw cap 11 screwed onto the housing wall 2 with the height - adjustable seal bonnet 13 screwed , in turn , thereon . this view also shows clearly how the seal 12 is clamped in between the sapphire disk 4 and the top end of the housing wall 2 and thus ensures reliable sealing of the sample space 3 against the surrounding area . in the mounted state of the measuring cuvette 1 shown in fig4 with the sample space 3 and a free internal diameter for receiving the process gas , this measuring cuvette 1 is seated on the surface of the housing part 20 having the radiation source and the detector of a stationary gas - measuring device . it is ensured in any case that the screw cap 11 used as a fastening element 6 including the seal bonnet 13 and seals 13 , 21 make possible the free passage of the radiation through the interior space of these components , so that the ray path between the radiation source and the reflector 15 , preferably mirror , or between the reflector element 15 and the detector is not shadowed . fig5 shows a special embodiment of a measuring cuvette 1 designed according to the present invention . an essential feature is that the measuring cuvette 1 shown has a connection element 25 for an open - end wrench , so that simple tightening and loosening of the screw cap 11 is possible . by using suitable torque wrenches , it can be guaranteed in this connection that the screw cap 11 used as a fastening element 6 for the disk 4 is tightened with a defined torque in order to thus guarantee reliable sealing without the screw cap 11 becoming tightened excessively . the height - adjustable seal bonnet 13 is screwed , in turn , onto the screw cap 11 by means of a left - hand thread and carries a flat packing 21 . the screw cap 11 is first screwed onto the thread 26 of the housing wall 2 of the measuring cuvette 1 during mounting in order to thus hold and fix the sapphire disk 4 in the desired position . it is only then that the measuring cuvette 1 is fastened within the mount 1 of a gas - measuring device 19 . the process gas to be analyzed is admitted and removed via the respective connection elements 5 provided on the housing wall 2 , especially hose connections . furthermore , fig6 shows in a sectional view a measuring cuvette 1 designed according to the present invention , whose sample space 3 is not half open but has a second window element 27 in the form of a sapphire disk . this second window element 27 is arranged in the lower area facing the housing part 20 of a gas - measuring device 19 having a radiation source and a detector and is sealed by means of an o - ring 14 . the upper area of the measuring cuvette 1 is designed , in turn , with a screw cap 11 , which has , moreover , a height - adjustable seal bonnet 13 . the upper sapphire disk 4 as well as a seal 12 arranged between the sapphire disk 4 and the top end of the housing wall 2 , especially in the form of an o - ring , is fixed reliably in the desired position by means of the screw cap 11 located in the upper area . the two sapphire disks 4 , 27 used represent two optically transparent window elements , and the measuring cuvette 1 is , in turn , seated on one side on the surface of a housing part of a stationary gas - measuring device 19 having a radiation source and detector . the sample space 3 is defined in this case by a disk 4 , 27 sealed with an o - ring 12 , 14 both upwardly and downwardly . the lower sapphire disk is now pressed by the slight pressure generated by means of the holding - down device 10 against the stop face of the housing part 20 . however , it is also conceivable according to a special embodiment that fastening elements 6 , preferably with a screw cap , are provided at both ends of the measuring cuvette 1 in order to fasten the disks 4 on the housing wall of the measuring cuvette 1 . in any case , both disks 4 , 27 are transparent to radiation in the spectral range relevant for the measurement , especially in the infrared range . a height - adjustable seal bonnet 13 , on which a flat packing 21 is , furthermore , arranged , is located , in turn , in the upper area of the screw cap 11 . the flat packing 21 is used here to seal gaps that may develop above the measuring cuvette 1 between the measuring cuvette 1 and the bracket 8 of the cuvette mount 7 of the stationary gas - measuring device . the lower o - ring 14 arranged on the side of the housing part with the radiation source and the detector is compressed by a pressing force , which is generated by means of a holding - down device 10 . the needed pressing force is preferably generated in the upper area , in turn , by means of a height - adjustable seal bonnet 13 by this being moved in the direction of the bracket 8 having the reflector element 15 of the stationary gas - measuring device . while specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention , it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles .	6
referring to fig1 which shows a model fish 10 floating in water 9 contained in a hemispherical vessel 8 mounted on a housing 7 . the model fish 10 has a mouth 10a to which is attached a fine string 11 which is connected to a small permanent magnet 12 disposed in a depressed portion of the base of the vessel 8 . the model fish 10 is , in this way , connected to the small permanent magnet 12 . as can be seen from fig2 the housing 7 contains a direct current cell 5 and a circuit 6 which converts the direct current into alternating current . in the center of the housing 7 , below the depressed portion of the vessel 8 , is disposed a coil 1 wound around a former 2 which contains a central core 4 and lies within an open - mouthed cylinder of magnetic material 3 . the open - mouthed cylinder of magnetic material 3 has a base which extends to form a magnetic path from the central core 4 below the former 2 . the curved wall of the open - mouthed cylinder 3 forms a peripheral pole 3a of the electromagnetic assembly while the upper end of the central core 4 forms an axial pole 4a . direct current from the cell 5 is converted into alternating current by the circuit 6 , shown in fig3 . the alternating current is supplied to a coil 1 . nand gates 1c 1 and 1c 2 constitute a multivibrator circuit and nand gates 1c 3 and 1c 4 regulate the output of the multivibrator circuit and supply the output of the multivibrator circuit through input resistances to the bases of transistors tr 1 - tr 4 arranged in a balanced bridge circuit . the coil 1 is connected across terminals a and b which are connected respectively to the junctions of the collector of the transistor tr 1 and the emitter of the transistor tr 2 and the junction of the collector of the transistor tr 3 and the emitter of the transistor tr 4 . the direct current cell 5 is connected through a switch 5 across the common collector junction of the transistors tr 2 and tr 4 and the common emitter junction of the transistors tr 1 and tr 3 . circuit 6 operates as follows . when the output of nand gate 1c 3 is high , the transistors tr 1 and tr 4 are switched on through input resistances r 3 and r 4 so that the terminal a becomes negative and the terminal b becomes positive . alternatively , when the output of nand gate 1c 4 is high , the transistors tr 2 and tr 3 are switched on through input resistances r 5 and r 6 so that the terminal a becomes positive and the terminal b negative . the change of polarity of the lines of magnetic force generated by the coil 1 changes the forces on the small permanent magnet 12 and causes it to vibrate . this vibration is transmitted through the fine string 11 to the model fish 10 floating in the water 9 . when iron is used for the open - mouthed magnetic cylinder 3 and for the central core 4 , there is created a strong magnetic field . therefore , there is provided a separation between the poles 3a and 4a and thus preventing the permanent magnet 12 from becoming attracted to either of the poles which would restrict or prevent its movement . due to the changes in the magnetic force , in accordance with the frequency of the alternating current , the model fish 10 connected to the permanent magnet 12 through the string 11 moves irregularly while floating in the water 9 . this irregular movement simulates a live fish searching for bait and swimming about . when the permanent magnet 12 turns , the fine string 11 twists and thus shortens its length . this shortening , draws the model fish 10 down to the bottom of the vessel 8 . when the resistance to the twisting of the fine string 11 overcomes the turning action of the permanent magnet 12 , the fine string 11 unwinds and elongates . this elongation causes the model fish 10 to ascend abruptly in the water 9 as if to pick up bait . this very interesting and attractive movement resembles the movement of a live fish . the use of a direct current cell rather than main current makes the toy fish safe and suitable as an ornament . diode d and resistor 7 are connected in parallel across the cell 5 and the switch s . their junction provides a constant current power supply icvdd for the integrated circuit nand gates in the circuit 6 . it will be understood that each of the elements described above , or two or more together , may also find a useful application in other types of magnetically movable model toys differing from the types described above . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a magnetically movable model toy , it is not intended to be limited to the details shown , since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention . without further analysis , the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that , from the standpoint of prior art , fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention .	0
it has been found that the fluoroquinolones of general formula ( i ), as well as their salts , possess an especially advantageous anti - pneumocystis activity , and are thus entirely suitable for the preparation of a medicinal product intended for the preventive and / or treating of pneumocystosis of man and / or of animals . among the products of general formula ( i ), the products mentioned below are the preferred products : pefloxacin , enoxacin , norfloxacin , ofloxacin , ciprofloxacin , sparfloxacin , fleroxacin , lomefloxacin or temafloxacin . rats weighing 200 to 250 g , immunosuppressed by two subcutaneous injections per week of hydrocortisone acetate ( 25 mg ) and a protein - poor diet , are used . some rats additionally receive doxycycline ( 10 mg ) subcutaneously twice weekly , so as to prevent the occurrence of infections other than pneumocystosis . after two weeks of immunosuppression , the existence of a progressive pneumocystosis is verified by sacrificing some rats and counting the pneumocystis present per gram of lung . the products tested for their anti - pneumocystis activity are dissolved in isotonic phosphate buffer at the desired concentration . they are administered intraperitoneally for two weeks . 2 /-- immunosuppressed rats receiving doxycycline only during the first two weeks of the study . another group of immunosuppressed rats , receiving doxycycline during the first two weeks of the study , receives the combination trimethoprim ( 40 mg / kg )/ sulphamethoxazole ( 200 mg / kg ) subcutaneously twice weekly during the last two weeks of the study . two groups of animals are treated with the product under study ; they comprise immunosuppressed rats receiving doxycycline only during the first two weeks of the study , and then : 1 /-- the product under study ( 50 mg / kg ) twice daily intraperitoneally during 14 days ; 2 /-- the product under study ( 100 mg / kg ) twice daily intraperitoneally during 14 days . at the end of the four weeks , all the rats are sacrificed , the lungs are removed and the pneumocystis carinii are counted . at autopsy the lungs of the control animals of the 1st and 2nd groups were brownish - grey with broad oedematous areas . in contrast , those of the animals treated with the test product and with the trimethoprim / sulphamethoxazole combination ( 3rd control group ) were pink and showed no pathological sign . the mean lung weights do not differ and are lower than those of the control animals . the control rats of groups 1 and 2 had a mean of 3 . 7 × 10 7 and 2 . 6 × 10 7 pneumocystis per lung . the animals treated with the test product had a mean of 1 . 3 × 10 5 pneumocystis ( 50 mg / kg ) and 8 . 9 × 10 4 pneumocystis ( 100 mg / kg ), respectively , per lung . these values are very close to those obtained following treatment with the trimethoprim / sulphamethoxazole combination ( 2 . 4 × 10 4 pneumocystis ). in another series of trials , the control group consists of immunosuppressed rats receiving doxycycline ( 10 mg ) subcutaneously twice weekly throughout the trial period ( 4 weeks ). another group of immunosuppressed rats receives the combination trimethoprim ( 40 mg / kg )/ suphamethoxazole ( 200 mg / kg ) subcutaneously twice weekly from the start of immunosuppression . the products under study are administered orally to immunosuppressed rats on the basis of 100 mg / kg 3 times weekly . the action of pefloxacin , temafloxacin and ofloxacin is studied . after 4 weeks of immunosuppression , all the animals are sacrificed and the intrapulmonary pneumocystis carinii are quantified . pefloxacin , temafloxacin and ofloxacin administered orally produce a decrease in the number of pneumocystis carinii . table i__________________________________________________________________________activity against murine pneumocystosis group receiving trimethoprim / 1st control 2nd control pefloxacin pefloxacin sulphamethoxazole group + doxycyline group + doxycyline 50 mg / kg i . p . 100 mg / kg i . p . 40 / 200 mg / kg s . c . ( 4 weeks ) ( 6 rats ) ( 2 weeks ) ( 4 rats ) ( 5 rats ) ( 5 rats ) ( 5 rats ) __________________________________________________________________________initial 241 ± 17 238 ± 15 237 ± 12 238 ± 12 232 ± 8weight ( g ) weight + 145 ± 16 147 ± 9 164 ± 6 163 ± 6 177 ± 104 weeksrats dead 3 0 0 2 1 ( yeast ) rats sacrificed 3 4 5 3 4lung 144 ± 0 . 31 1 . 36 ± 0 . 28 0 . 95 ± 0 . 04 0 . 86 ± 0 . 04 1 . 00 ± 0 . 15weight ( g ) number of 3 × 10 . sup . 7 ± 1 . 7 × 10 . sup . 7 1 . 7 × 10 . sup . 7 ± 2 . 4 × 10 . sup . 7 1 . 4 × 10 . sup . 5 ± 1 × 10 . sup . 5 9 . 8 × 10 . sup . 4 ± 12 × 10 . sup . 4 2 . 3 × 10 . sup . 4 ± 2 . 9 × 10 . sup . 4pneumocystis / gof lungnumber of 3 . 7 × 10 . sup . 7 ± 2 . 1 × 10 . sup . 7 2 . 6 × 10 . sup . 7 ± 2 . 8 × 10 . sup . 7 1 . 3 × 10 . sup . 5 ± 1 × 10 . sup . 5 8 . 9 × 10 . sup . 4 ± 10 × 10 . sup . 4 2 . 4 × 10 . sup . 4 ± 2 . 8 × 10 . sup . 4pneumocystisper lung__________________________________________________________________________ after the first two weeks of immunosuppression , 3 rats were sacrificed : number of pneumocystis = 2 × 10 . sup . 6 / g of lung . table ii__________________________________________________________________________activity against murine pneumocystosis group receiving trimethoprim / control group + pefloxacin temafloxacin ofloxacin sulphamethoxazole . doxycyline 100 mg / kg p . o . 100 mg / kg p . o . 100 mg / kg p . o . 40 / 200 mg / kg s . c . ( 4 weeks ) ( 15 rats ) ( 5 rats ) ( 5 rats ) ( 5 rats ) ( 10__________________________________________________________________________ rats ) initial 223 ± 18 237 ± 13 210 ± 6 236 ± 9 237 ± 14weight ( g ) weight + 164 ± 22 183 ± 18 160 ± 12 205 ± 25 178 ± 114 weeksrats dead 2 0 0 0 1rats sacrificed 13 5 5 5 9number of 4 . 8 × 10 . sup . 6 8 . 0 × 10 . sup . 3 6 . 1 × 10 . sup . 5 7 . 9 × 10 . sup . 5 2 . 0 × 10 . sup . 3pneumocystis / g 2 . 1 × 10 . sup . 6 - 1 . 1 × 10 . sup . 7 3 . 0 × 10 . sup . 2 - 2 . 1 × 10 . sup . 5 2 . 1 × 10 . sup . 5 - 1 . 8 1 . 4 × 10 . sup . 5 - 4 . 4 × 10 . sup . 6 1 . 0 × 10 . sup . 3 - 3 . 3 × 10 . sup . 3of lung__________________________________________________________________________ the present invention relates to the production of a medicinal product containing at least one product of general formula ( i ), optionally in salt form , in the pure state or in the form of a pharmaceutical composition in combination with one or more compatible diluents or adjuvants . the compositions may be used for the purposes of cure or of prevention in subjects exhibiting an immunodeficiency and / or infected with pneumocystis carinii and / or possessing a risk of contamination with pneumocystis carinii . naturally , the constitution of these compositions will be adapted to the particular case of the digestive tract of the immunosuppressed subjects . as solid compositions for oral administration , tablets , pills , hard gelatin capsules , powders or granules may be used . in these compositions , the active product according to the invention is mixed with one or more inert diluents or adjuvants such as sucrose , lactose or starch . these compositions may comprise substances other than diluents , e . g . a lubricant such as magnesium stearate . as liquid compositions for oral administration , solutions which are pharmaceutically acceptable , suspensions , emulsions , syrups and elixirs containing inert diluents such as water or liquid paraffin may be used . these compositions may also comprise substances other than diluents , e . g . wetting , sweetening or flavoring products . the compositions for parenteral administration can be sterile solutions , aqueous or non - aqueous , suspensions or emulsions . as a solvent or vehicle , propylene glycol , a polyethylene glycol , vegetable oils , especially olive oil , and injectable organic esters , e . g . ethyl oleate , may be employed . these compositions can also contain adjuvants , especially wetting , tonicity , emulsifying , dispersant and stabilizing agents . the sterilization may be carried out in several ways , e . g . using a bacteriological filter , by irradiation or by heating . they may also be prepared in the form of sterile solid compositions which can be dissolved at the time of use in sterile water or any other sterile injectable medium . the compositions intended for use in the form of liquid aerosols can be stable sterile solutions or solid compositions dissolved at the time of use in pyrogen - free sterile water , saline or any other pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle . the aerosols can also be dry aerosols intended for direct inhalation , in which the finely divided active principle is combined with a water - soluble solid diluent or vehicle having a particle size of 30 to 80 microns , such as , e . g ., dextran , mannitol or lactose . in human therapy , the doctor will determine the dosage he considers most suitable in accordance with a preventive or curative treatment , in accordance with the age , weight , degree of infection and other factors specific to the subject to be treated . in general , the doses are between 1 and 5 g per day orally for an adult . the examples which follow illustrate compositions according to the invention intended for the treatment of pneumocystosis : tablets are prepared containing a 400 - mg dose and having the following composition : core : wheat starch , gelatin , talc , magnesium stearate , sodium carboxymethylstarch q . s . one core ; coating : hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , ethylcellulose , dibutyl sebacate , titanium oxide , talc , polyoxyethylene glycol 6 , 000 . tablets are prepared containing an 800 - mg dose and having the following composition : core : wheat starch , gelatin , talc , magnesium stearate , sodium carboxymethylstarch q . s . one core ; coating : hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , ethylcellulose , dibutyl sebacate , titanium oxide , talc , polyoxyethylene glycol 6 , 000 . the present invention also relates to compositions for preventive or curative veterinary use against pneumocystosis : the compositions for veterinary use may be used in the various injectable dosage forms described above for administration in man . they can also be animal feeds or concentrated mixtures intended for animal feeding , containing a sufficient quantity of the derivative of general formula ( i ). more specifically , they can take the form of water - soluble powders to be mixed with the feed . generally speaking , the dosage to be employed will be that which is most suitable in accordance with the animal &# 39 ; s weight , the degree of injection and other specific factors which may be involved , it being understood that the appropriate dose for producing an effect can vary within fairly wide limits . although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments , it is evident that many alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description . accordingly , the invention is intended to embrace all of the alternatives and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . the above references are hereby incorporated by reference .	0
referring first to the connector shown in perspective in fig1 two ribbon cables are shown at 10 and 11 , with the connector assembly shown at 12 . the connector assembly is formed in three , essentially planar , fiber retaining members 13 , 14 and 15 . each of the fiber retainer members 13 , 14 and 15 contain v - grooves 16 for positioning the fibers 19 in precise alignment with respect to one another . the connector assembly includes slots 17 adapted to accommodate alignment and retaining members 18 that appear in phantom in fig2 . fig2 is a cross section taken through 2 -- 2 of fig1 and shows the v - grooves 16 in greater detail . within the v - grooves are fibers 19 which have been stripped of the polymer in the figure . alternatively the fibers may be incorporated into the connector with the plastic coating intact . however , because the outer dimension of the coating typically has less dimensional control than the outer dimension of the cladding it is generally preferred to strip the fibers prior to placing them in the v - grooves . also shown in fig2 are slots 17 that are adapted to engage alignment and retaining pins . the alignment and retaining pins are incorporated in a mating connector part shown at 30 in fig3 . the mating connector part is identical to the part appearing in fig1 and 2 except for the retaining pins , designated 18 . as will be evident , one part of the completed connector has pins , and the other slots to engage the pins . the connector halves shown in fig2 and 3 also typically have additional means for interlocking the halves together . such means do not form any part of this invention but a suitable spring clip interlocking arrangement is shown and described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 818 , 058 , granted apr . 4 , 1989 to bonanni . as will be evident from an examination of fig2 it is essential that the v - grooves are made with precision and that the grooves in each of the plates 13 , 14 and 15 of the assembly are aligned with the grooves in the adjoining plate . the fibers 19 are typically 125 microns in diameter so a v - groove structure that accommodates such fine elements must meet rigid dimensional specifications , and is prone to misalignment if the v - grooves in the plates 13 , 14 and 15 are not in exact mating relationship . the connector halves shown in fig1 and 2 have a slight gap between them . the reason for the gap is that the space allowed in the v - grooves of mating connector parts is intentionally made smaller than the diameter of the fibers so that the fibers are under pressure from the connector parts , and are firmly gripped in the connector . if desired the connector halves can be made to mate together without pressing on the fibers , but it is preferable that the fibers not be loose within the connector . thus the choice of a gap preserves the aforementioned grip on the fibers even in the case where there is a variation in the diameter of the fibers . in a typical case the width of the v - groove , measured from the maximum ( i . e . at the top of the groove ) is approximately 140 microns , and the diameter of the fiber is approximately 125 microns , leaving a gap between the connector parts of approximately 18 . 6 microns . for the surfaces of the connector parts to exactly touch , the diameter of the fiber would be 114 . 25 microns . in the preferred case the gap is in the range of 10 microns to 30 microns . the manufacture of a stacked multifiber connector , e . g . one that connects two or more ribbon cables , presents a unique problem when contrasted with a single ribbon cable connector . in the latter case both v - groove members can be made from the same mold thus ensuring precise registration between the v - grooves in both halves of the connector . for illustration , consider the case in which plate 14 is removed from the connector assembly of fig2 . plates 13 and 15 can be made identical so that the v - groove arrays are identical and there is no mis - alignment problem . however , when two or more rows of v - grooves are required in order to make a stacked multifiber array cable , the intermediate plate 14 poses the problem of precisely aligning the v - grooves on one side of the plate with those on the other . to better illustrate the problem , consider the molds used to make parts 13 , 14 , and 15 . in fig4 an injection mold cavity is shown for molding a part similar to top plate 13 or bottom plate 15 . the figure shows mold plates 41 and 42 forming an elongated rectangular cavity 43 , with a plurality of v - shaped ridges 44 extending parallel to one another along the length ( the z - dimension in fig4 ) of the cavity . the ridges are spaced from one another at a uniform distance leaving a series of planar gaps 45 between the ridges . the ridges have essentially the shape of an inverted &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; to produce a v - groove as the inverse replica on the finished part . the injection molds are typically made from master molds which are high precision replicas of the actual parts being made . the master may be made , for example , from single crystal silicon , and the v - grooves etched by known photolithographic masking techniques and known crystallographic etch processes that form very precise grooves . these known techniques have been perfected in the silicon integrated circuit technology and , while very effective in the application described here , form no part of this invention . the nickel mold that is made by electroforming from the silicon master is an inverse replication of the grooved silicon structure and can be used as the mold to form parts such as 13 , 14 and 15 . other techniques for manufacturing the master molds are also suitable such as mechanical micromachining . other methods for forming the inverse replica can be used such as chemical vapor deposition or electroless plating . techniques other than injection molding for creating the connector parts of this invention are also available . among these are compression molding and as die stamping . as is evident from fig2 the parts 13 and 15 are typically very similar , and can be identical . accordingly , both parts can be made from the same mold , or from molds made with the same master . during molding of connector parts , the two halves of the mold 41 and 42 , are typically carefully registered but the registration is not critical since there are no critical features on the top half 41 . contrast this with the mold shown in fig5 for molding part 14 , the intermediate plate of connector 12 . here the critical features , e . g . the v - grooves and the spacing between the v - grooves , can be replicated precisely on both halves 51 and 52 of the mold , but precise alignment between the critical features when the mold is opened and closed is not necessarily assured . fig5 illustrates , for example in the region circled , the potential for misalignment . a slight offset of plate 51 with respect to plate 52 will result in a useless attempt to form part 14 because the v - grooves cannot later register with the v - grooves in both the upper and the lower plate ( 13 or 15 ). to assure critical alignment between the v - grooves on both sides of the resulting injection molded intermediate plate , and in accordance with the method of the invention , the following alignment procedure is followed . first , and with reference to fig6 a primary alignment step is made by inserting at least two primary alignment dowels , shown here as 63 and 64 , in at least two of the v - grooves . a single dowel can be used if desired but at least two are recommended . more than two dowels can also be used . if two dowels are used it is recommended that they be placed substantially apart , i . e . in v - grooves that are separated by other v - grooves . the dowels are preferably cylindrically shaped , however it is possible to use rods with other cross sections . a many - sided polygon cross section for example could form the equivalent of a cylindrical shape . the two pieces of the mold , 61 and 62 , are then temporarily mated together as shown . thereafter , alignment registration means , which are here shown as holes 64 and 65 , are drilled or otherwise formed through both halves 61 and 62 of the mold . the two parts of the mold are then separated sufficiently for the alignment dowels to be removed , and the mold is again mated together as shown this time in fig7 . at this point secondary alignment pins 74 and 75 are inserted into the holes 64 and 65 . the mold parts 61 and 62 are now precisely registered and the mold is ready to be used for manufacturing connector parts . the completed mold is then used in a conventional way to mold connector parts like part 14 of fig2 . it has been found that highly filled polymers such as polyphenylene sulfide and liquid crystal polymers , both known in the art , provide good dimensional stability and low shrinkage during the molding operation . while these materials exhibit low shrinkage , dimensional changes during the molding operation are still finite , and it is recommended that the size ( volume ) of the mold be deliberately oversized to compensate for the shrinkage . in the case of polyphenylene sulfide the increase should be about 0 . 4 %. known epoxy adhesives can be used for mating together the molded connector parts . although two holes 64 and 65 , and two pins 74 and 75 appear in the schematic cross section of fig7 any number of alignment holes and alignment pins may be used . for example two pairs of alignment holes and alignment pins , spaced approximately at the corners of a square , can be used . the use of alignment holes and alignment pins is a preferred means for effecting registration between the mold halves , but other means may be chosen by those skilled in the art . the pins are shown here is removable , but they may also be installed permanently . the holes are shown through both halves of the mold but they need only extend part of the distance through the second mold half . the primary alignment step described above is a key step in the molding process . although the means for achieving the primary alignment are shown here as dowels , i . e . cylindrical bodies , other shapes may be used instead . for example , elliptically shaped alignment pins may offer an advantage in some cases in that the use of an elliptical cross section allows the ratio of the spacing between the plates 61 and 62 to the lateral separation of the grooves to be larger than would be the case using alignment pins with a circular cross section thus giving more design flexibility . the term dowels as used herein is intended to define elongated pins with a variety of possible cross section shapes . the primary alignment members perform at least four important operations in aligning the upper mold piece with respect to the lower mold piece . assuming the pieces are plate shaped having major x - and y - axes , the dowels preserve alignment ( tilt ) in both the x - and y - directions . they also ensure a proper z - direction spacing , which results in a precise and uniform spacing between the sets of v - grooves in the finished piece . finally , and significantly , the primary alignment dowels ensure that the points of the v - grooves are precisely opposite to one another , resulting in v - grooves that are precisely registered from the top side of the resulting part 14 to those on the under side . for the primary alignment means , in the preferred case , the dowels are chosen to have a diameter that approximates the spacing between the two mold sections as measured at respective points between the v - grooves . this is to ensure that the alignment dowel engages the two sidewalls of adjacent v - groove ridges during the primary alignment operation . the preferred dimensional requirements will be specified in relation to the dimensions shown in fig8 . fig8 is a schematic representation of one primary alignment dowel 81 shown between two mold plates 82 and 83 and engaging the sidewalls of two adjacent v - shaped ridges 84 on both halves of the elongated rectangular cavity 85 . to describe the optimum dimensional relationships for the invention the diameter of the dowel 81 is designated d , and the thickness of the elongated rectangular cavity 85 on each half of the mold is designated t , the angle of the v - grooves is designated a , the width of the grooves is designated v , and the nominal distance between grooves is g . using these designations it is preferred that the diameter d of the primary alignment dowels should exceed or approximate the separation between planar portions of the two halves of the mold , i . e . the dimension 2t . if the dowel is made from a material that is somewhat compressible then the nominal diameter of the dowel could exceed 2t and still be effective . if the dowel is elliptical , as suggested earlier , then the diameter of the dowel in the larger dimension of the ellipse would approximate 2t . in most cases it is preferred that d equals 2t plus or minus 20 %. it is preferred that the separation g between grooves be approximately equal to the diameter of the coated fiber , i . e . typically 250 microns . recognizing that 2t determines the thickness of the molded part 14 it is preferred that this dimension be a 1x to 8x multiple of the separation between adjacent grooves . in the preferred case where that separation is approximately 250 microns that range becomes 250 microns to 8000 microns . the angle α of the v - grooves is typically 70 . 5 degrees , which is the angle resulting from the crystallographic etching technique referred to above . if another technique is used to form the master dies then the angle a may vary from this value . the diameter of the primary alignment dowels d should approximate the separation between halves of the mold , i . e . should be approximately 2t . while the multifiber cables in the drawings above are shown with eight v - grooves to accommodate up to eight fiber waveguides the size of the cable and the number of fibers can be varied as desired . this invention is applicable to connectors having as few as two v - grooves . however , typically , fiber cables have several fibers and the invention was made to solve problems in cables with high fiber count , i . e . six or more fibers in each planar series of v - grooves . the connector shown in fig1 and 2 has two stacked plates , but more can be added to accommodate large arrays of fibers . an advantage of stacking the connectors is that arrays can be added or subtracted in a main connector assembly as desired . also one linear array can be modified or repaired without disturbing another linear array . the invention has been described in terms of v - grooved fiber support structures . the v - groove structure is commonly used and is convenient because of the aforementioned method ( crystallographic etching ) sometimes used to form the silicon master dies for these parts . however , on examination of the v - grooves with the fibers in place , e . g . see fig2 it becomes evident that the grooves do not have to be exactly v - shaped . for example , since no part of a round fiber reaches the bottom of the v it is obvious that the v - groove can be truncated and still serve the function desired . a truncated v - groove array with fibers in place would resemble the arrangement shown in fig6 where 63 and 64 would be fibers in place of alignment members and 61 and 62 would be connector parts in place of mold parts . the comparison is schematic only to show a truncated form of v - groove . the term v - groove or v - grooves used in this specification and in the appended claims is intended to include such modifications in groove shape . various additional modification and deviations of the invention as described may occur to those skilled in the art . all such variations which basically rely on the principles and techniques through which this invention has advanced the art are to be considered within the scope of this invention , and within the scope of the appended claims and any equivalent thereof .	6
in one embodiment of the invention the co - crystallisation agent is selected from aromatic heterocycles containing at least one basic nitrogen atom , and is preferably selected from pyridine , pyrimidine , pyrazine , pyridazine , pyrazole , thiazole , isothiazole , oxazole , isoxazole ; their derivatives functionalized with c 1 - c 6 alkyl ; c 2 - c 6 alkenyl ; c 2 - c 6 alkyl groups containing an epoxy group ; c 3 - c 7 cycloalkyl groups ; benzyl groups ; c 6 - c 10 aryl groups ; c 1 - c 6 alkoxyl groups ; halides ; carboxyamide ; carbonyl optionally in the form of an acetal or a ketal deriving from a c 1 - c 6 alcohol or optionally in the form of a cyclic ketal deriving from a c 2 - c 6 alkane - 1 , 2 - diol or a c 2 - c 6 alkane - 1 , 3 - diol ; hydroxyl ; c 1 - c 6 - alkoxycarbonyl groups ; sulfhydryl ; c 1 - c 6 alkylthio groups ; c 1 - c 6 - alkylsulfinyl groups ; c 1 - c 6 - alkylsulfonyl groups ; sulfonamide ; and benzocondensed derivatives thereof , such as quinoline and isoquinoline . in one embodiment said aromatic heterocycles useful as co - crystallisation agents are selected from pyridine and derivatives of pyridine of general formula ( i ) wherein l is selected from —( ch 2 ) n —, wherein n is 0 or an integer between 1 and 6 , and — c ( o )— nh —( ch 2 ) m — nh — c ( o )—, wherein m is an integer between 2 and 6 , and wherein in said compound ( i ) one or both pyridine rings can be benzocondensed . in a preferred embodiment the compounds of formula ( i ) are selected from 4 , 4 ′- bipyridyl , 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine and n , n ′- bis ( 4 - pyridylcarbonyl )- 1 , 6 - hexanediamine . in another embodiment of the invention the co - crystallisation agent is an aliphatic amine of formula r 1 r 2 r 3 n wherein r 1 , r 2 and r 3 are independently selected from the group containing hydrogen , c 1 - c 6 alkyl and c 3 - c 7 cycloalkyl ; or r 1 is as defined above and r 2 and r 3 , taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded , form a 4 - 7 member nitrogenous heterocyclic ring optionally containing one oxygen or sulphur atom or a further nitrogen atom , said further nitrogen atom being substituted by an r 1 group as defined above ; or the aliphatic amines are selected from the group of bicyclic tertiary amines of formula ( ii ) wherein p , q and r are independently selected from the integers 2 or 3 . examples of aliphatic amines useful for the purposes of the present invention are triethylamine , diisopropylethylamine , tributylamine , n - methylpiperidine , n - methylmorpholine and n , n ′- dimethylpiperazine . in a preferred embodiment the bicyclic tertiary amine of formula ( ii ) is 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane . in another embodiment of the invention , the co - crystallisation agent is an organic or inorganic halide . when an organic halide is used , it is preferably a tetraalkyl ammonium halide of formula r 4 n + x − wherein each r can independently be a c 1 - c 6 alkyl and x − is a halide . in a preferred embodiment the organic halide is tetrabutyl ammonium halide , preferably tetrabutyl ammonium chloride or tetrabutyl ammonium iodide . in another embodiment of the invention , the co - crystallisation agent is an inorganic halide , and is preferably an alkali or alkaline - earth metal or transition metal halide selected from iron and zinc , or a tin halide . examples of inorganic halides usable as co - crystallisation agents according to the present invention are iodides such as cuprous iodide and potassium iodide ; chlorides such as ammonium chloride , magnesium chloride , potassium chloride , stannous chloride , calcium chloride , ferric chloride , sodium chloride and zinc ( ii ) chloride . in a preferred embodiment the inorganic halide is calcium chloride or zinc ( ii ) chloride . in another embodiment of the invention , the co - crystallisation agent is an inorganic phosphate , such as monobasic ammonium phosphate , dibasic ammonium phosphate , dibasic magnesium phosphate , tribasic magnesium phosphate , monobasic calcium phosphate , dibasic calcium phosphate , tribasic calcium phosphate , calcium pyrophosphate , ferric phosphate , ferric pyrophosphate , monobasic potassium phosphate , dibasic potassium phosphate , tribasic potassium phosphate , potassium pyrophosphate , sodium aluminium phosphate , monobasic sodium phosphate , dibasic sodium phosphate , tribasic sodium phosphate or sodium pyrophosphate . in another embodiment of the invention the co - crystallisation agent is an alkali or alkaline - earth metal or transition metal carboxylate . examples of carboxylates useful for the purpose of the present invention are acetates , such as calcium acetate , sodium acetate and zinc acetate ; citrates , such as ammonium citrate , calcium citrate , iron ( iii ) citrate , ammonium iron ( iii ) citrate , sodium citrate and potassium citrate ; and benzoates , such as sodium benzoate . in the co - crystals according to the invention , ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent are present in a molar ratio ranging between 2 : 1 and 4 : 1 . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and pyridine in a 1 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 4 , 4 ′- bipyridine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and tetrabutyl ammonium iodide in a 3 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butyl carbamate and tetrabutyl ammonium chloride in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and calcium chloride in a 4 : 1 molar ratio ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and zinc chloride in a 4 : 1 molar ratio co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and n , n ′- bis ( 4 - pyridylcarbonyl )- 1 , 6 - hexanediamine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio , having characteristic x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) peaks at 2θ angle values of 5 . 12 , 5 . 68 , 11 . 44 , 16 . 95 , 22 . 22 , 22 . 66 , 24 . 97 and 27 . 88 ± 0 . 05 °, and unit cell dimensions [ a = 30 . 666 ( 3 ) b = 4 . 9869 ( 4 ) c = 21 . 068 ( 2 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 92 . 115 ( 6 ) γ = 90 . 00 ]; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 4 , 4 ′- bipyridine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio , having characteristic x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) peaks at 2θ angle values of 6 . 23 and 21 . 93 ± 0 . 05 °, and unit cell dimensions a = 28 . 683 ( 2 ) b = 4 . 9270 ( 4 ) c = 21 . 429 ( 2 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 99 . 92 ( 2 ) γ = 90 . 00 ]; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and tetrabutyl ammonium iodide in a 3 : 1 molar ratio , having characteristic x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) peaks at 2θ angle values of 9 . 28 , 14 . 48 , 16 . 32 , 17 . 73 , 20 . 25 , 20 . 69 , 21 . 10 , 21 . 33 , 22 . 26 , 22 . 90 , 23 . 60 , 23 . 97 , 24 . 30 , 25 . 01 , 26 . 13 , 26 . 51 , 27 . 90 and 28 . 40 ± 0 . 1 °, and unit cell dimensions [ a = 10 . 7688 ( 9 ) b = 20 . 204 ( 2 ) c = 23 . 735 ( 2 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 94 . 778 ( 2 ) γ = 90 . 00 ]; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and calcium chloride in a 4 : 1 molar ratio , having characteristic x - ray powder diffraction peaks ( xrpd ) at 2θ angle values of 9 . 67 and 22 . 28 ± 0 . 05 °; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and n , n ′- bis ( 4 - pyridylcarbonyl )- 1 , 6 - hexanediamine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio , having characteristic x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) peaks at 2θ angle values of 11 . 83 and 22 . 78 ± 0 . 05 °, and unit cell dimensions [ a = 29 . 4501 ( 18 ) b = 5 . 1100 ( 3 ) c = 27 . 9417 ( 17 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 118 . 566 ( 3 ) γ = 90 . 00 ]; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and pyridine in a 1 : 1 molar ratio , having a 13 c - nmr spectrum substantially as depicted in fig2 wherein the chemical shift may vary from 4 . 00 ppm up to 14 ppm ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane ( dabco ) in a 2 : 1 molar ratio , having an orthorhombic unit cell , pccn , a : 9 . 8955 ( 7 ); b : 31 . 623 ( 2 ); c : 8 . 9335 ( 6 ) and v = 2795 . 55 a 3 ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and tetrabutylammonium chloride in a 2 : 1 molar ratio , having an ir spectrum substantially as depicted in fig2 ; co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and zinc chloride in a 4 : 1 molar ratio , having a dsc plot substantially as depicted in fig2 , showing two peaks at 118 ° c . and 139 ° c . “ characteristic peaks in the xrpd spectrum ” means peaks with a relative intensity exceeding 40 % compared with the peak of greatest intensity , taken as 100 . the crystallisation methods used to prepare the co - crystals according to the invention comprise slow and fast evaporation of solutions containing ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent in the desired stoichiometric ratios , wherein the formation of the co - crystal takes place in solution by slow and fast evaporation of the solvent ; fast precipitation from quasi - saturated solvent solutions containing ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent ; grinding ( dry or in the presence of drops of solvent ) of a mixture of ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent ; melting of the mixture of ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent ; mechano - chemical solid - phase synthesis in a ball mill ; or a combination of said methods . the choice of one or more of said methods is made on the basis of the physical state ( solid or liquid ) of the ipbc and / or the co - crystallisation agent at the temperature at which the formation of the co - crystal is conducted . in one embodiment of the invention , the co - crystals are synthesised in solution . if both ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent are in the solid state , each substance , in the exact molar ratios , is dissolved separately in a suitable solvent , such as methanol , ethanol , chloroform , dichloromethane , acetonitrile or ethyl acetate . the two solutions are then mixed together , and the resulting mixture is left to evaporate . the evaporation is performed slowly if a single crystal is to be obtained or rapidly , for example with the aid of a vacuum evaporation system , if the co - crystal is to be obtained in powder form . however , if the co - crystallisation agent is a liquid , a quasi - saturated solution of ipbc is prepared in a suitable solvent , such as methanol , ethanol , chloroform , dichloromethane , acetonitrile or ethyl acetate . the liquid co - crystallisation agent is then added to said solution in an exact molar ratio . the resulting mixture is left to evaporate . the evaporation is performed slowly if a single crystal is to be obtained or rapidly , for example with the aid of a vacuum evaporation system , if the co - crystal is to be obtained in powder form . in another embodiment of the invention , the co - crystals are synthesised in the solid state . ipbc and the co - crystallisation agent , weighed in the exact molar ratio desired for the co - crystal , are mixed together and placed in a metal container of various dimensions . one or more metal balls of various dimensions are introduced into the container . the container is placed in a ball mill and vibrated with a frequency of 10 - 30 hz for a time ranging between 5 and 30 minutes , depending on the dimensions of the container . the product recovered from the container is the co - crystal , which requires no further purification . the co - crystals according to the invention containing ipbc are suitable to protect industrial materials such as adhesives , glues , paper , cardboard , leather , wood and wood - based materials , coating materials , paints , plastic materials , industrial coolants , industrial lubricants , metalworking fluids , body care products such as wet wipes , toilet paper , cosmetics , and other materials which can be infested or decomposed by micro - organisms . examples of micro - organisms which can cause the degradation or deterioration of industrial materials , against which the co - crystals according to the invention can be advantageously used , are bacteria , fungi ( in particular fungi and moulds that attack wood ), yeasts , algae and mucous organisms such as slime . specific examples are micro - organisms of the genus alternaria , such as alternaria tenuis , aspergillus , such as aspergillus niger , chaetomium , such as chaetomium globosum , coniophora , such as coniophora puetana , lentinus , such as lentinus tigrinus , penicillium , such as penicillium glaucum , polyporus , such as polyporus versicolor , aureobasidium , such as aureobasidium pullulans , sclerophoma , such as sclerophoma pityophila , trichoderma , such as trichoderma viride , escherichia , such as escherichia coli , pseudomonas , such as pseudomonas aeruginosa , and staphylococcus , such as staphylococcus aureus . depending on their chemico - physical properties , the co - crystals according to the invention can be incorporated in formulations such as solutions , emulsions , suspensions , powders , foams , pastes , granules , tablets and inhalers , or microencapsulated in polymers . the formulations according to the invention can be prepared by conventional methods . for example , the formulations can be prepared by mixing the co - crystals with diluents , such as liquid solvents or gases liquefied under pressure , and / or with solid diluents , if necessary also using surfactants , such as emulsifying agents and / or dispersing agents and / or foaming agents . if the diluent used is water , organic solvents can also be used as co - solvents . the solvents usable are aromatic solvents such as toluene and xylene ; chlorinated aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane and chlorobenzene ; aliphatic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane ; alcohols such as butanol , ethylene glycol and their ethers and esters ; ketones such as acetone and ethyl methyl ketone , or cyclohexanone ; highly polar solvents such as water , dimethyl sulphoxide and dimethylformamide . examples of gases liquefied under pressure are liquids which are gaseous at room pressure and temperature , such as halogenated hydrocarbons , butane , propane , nitrogen and carbon dioxide . suitable solid diluents are pulverised natural or synthetic minerals such as kaolins , clays , talc , gypsum , quartz , fossil flours , and silica , alumina and silicate powders . suitable emulsifying and / or foaming agents are , for example , non - ionic or anionic emulsifying agents such as polyoxyethylene esters with fatty acids , ethers between polyoxyethylene and fatty alcohols , alkyl - or aryl - sulphonates , and alkylsulphates . an example of a suitable dispersing agent is methylcellulose . the formulations generally contain between 0 . 1 % and 95 % by weight of the co - crystals , preferably between 2 % and 75 % by weight . a further object of the present invention is therefore compositions with a biocidal activity containing a co - crystal of ipbc according to the invention and at least one solvent or diluent . the compositions according to the invention can also contain additives which assist the process of obtaining the composition and , if necessary , other biocidal agents such as agents with an antimicrobial , fungicidal , bactericidal , herbicidal , insecticidal or algaecidal activity . in this case , the co - crystals according to the invention and the other biocidal agents can be present in solution , suspension or emulsion . the solvents or diluents can be water or conventional organic solvents . compositions containing a co - crystal according to the invention and another biocidal agent as active ingredients can present a broader action spectrum than the individual active ingredients and / or a synergic effect . examples of other biocidal agents which can be present in the compositions according to the invention include azaconazole , bromuconazole , cyproconazole , dichlorobutrazole , diniconazole , diuron , hexaconazole , metconazole , penconazole , propiconazole , tebuconazole , dichlofluanid , tolylfluanid , fluorfolpet , methfuroxam , carboxin , cyclohexyl - benzo [ b ] thiophene carboxamide s , s - dioxide , fenpiclonil , 4 -( 2 , 2 - difluoro - 1 , 3 - benzodioxol - 4 - yl )- 1h - pyrrole - 3 - carbonitrile , butenafine , imazalil , n - methyl - isothiazolin - 3 - one , 5 - chloro - n - methyl - isothiazolin - 3 - one , n - octyl - isothiazolin - 3 - one , dichloro - n - octyl - isothiazolinone , mercaptobenzothiazole , thiocyano - methylthiobenzothiazole , tiabendazole , benzisothiazolinone , n -( 2 - hydroxypropyl ) aminomethanol , benzyl hemiformal , n - methylol - chloroacetamide , n -( 2 - hydroxypropyl ) aminomethanol , glutaraldehyde , omadine , zn - omadine , dimethyl dicarbonate , 2 - bromo - 2 - nitro - 1 , 3 - propanediol , bethoxazin , o - phthaldialdehyde , 2 , 2 - dibromo - 3 - cyano - propionamide , 1 , 2 - dibromo - 2 , 4 - dicyano - butane , 1 , 3 - bis ( hydroxymethyl )- 5 , 5 - dimethylimidazolidine - 2 , 4 - dione ( dmdmh ), tetramethylolacetylenediurea ( tmad ), ethylene glycol hemiformal , p - hydroxybenzoic acid and p - hydroxybenzoic acid esters ( parabens ), such as ethyl p - hydroxybenzoate ( e214 ), ethyl - p - hydroxybenzoate sodium salt ( e215 ), propyl p - hydroxybenzoate ( e216 ), propyl p - hydroxybenzoate sodium salt ( e217 ), methyl - p - hydroxybenzoate ( e218 ) and methyl - p - hydroxybenzoate sodium salt ( e219 ), carbendazim , chlorophene , 3 - methyl - 4 - chlorophenol and o - phenylphenol . the weight ratio between the co - crystals of the invention and the other biocidal agents can vary within a wide range . said ratio preferably ranges between 50 : 1 and 1 : 50 . the compositions with antimicrobial activity of the invention contain the co - crystals of the invention or a mixture of the co - crystals of the invention and another biocidal agent in a concentration of between 0 . 1 % and 95 % by weight , preferably between 0 . 1 % and 60 % by weight . the concentrations at which the co - crystals of the invention or their combination with another biocidal agent are used depend on the nature and incidence of the micro - organisms to be controlled , and the composition of the material to be protected . the ideal quantity for use can be determined by a series of tests . in general , for most applications the concentration is between 0 . 001 % and 5 % by weight , preferably between 0 . 05 % and 2 % by weight , depending on the material to be protected . compositions containing the co - crystals of the invention have better physical and chemical properties ( such as greater solubility in water and greater heat stability ) and workability properties ( such as better powder flowability and better compressibility for tablet formation ) than compositions containing ipbc . a further object of the invention is therefore the use of a co - crystal or composition of the invention as biocide in industrial products , in particular as a preservative , antibacterial , fungicide or algaecide , especially in paints , coatings , metalworking fluids , protection and preservation of wood , and in body care products or cosmetic formulations . fig1 : api ir spectrum of the co - crystal of example 3 . fig1 : api ir spectrum of the co - crystal of example 4 . fig1 : api ir spectrum of the co - crystal of example 5 . fig2 : 13 c - nmr of the co - crystal of example 6 . fig2 : ball and stick representation from single crystal analysis of the co - crystal of example 7 . dabco hydrogen atoms are omitted for clarity . fig2 : pictures of cones of pure ipbc ( a , c ) and co - crystal ( ipbc ) 4 : cacl 2 ( b , d ) powders , taken after flowing the powders through the funnel . the ir spectra were obtained with a nicolet nexus ftir spectrophotometer equipped with the u - atr device . the values are reported as wave numbers , and are rounded to 1 cm − 1 after automatic assignment . the melting points were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry ( dsc , mettler toledo 823e ). single - crystal x - ray diffraction the data were collected at different temperatures with a bruker kappa apex ii diffractometer with mo - kα radiation ( λ = 0 . 71073 ) and a ccd detector . the bruker kryoflex device was used for the low - temperature acquisitions . the structures were resolved and refined with the sir2004 and shelxl - 97 programs respectively . the refinement was performed by the full - matrix least squares method on f 2 . the hydrogen atoms were placed using standard geometric models and with their thermal parameters based on those of their geminal atoms . the x - ray powder diffraction experiments were conducted with a bruker d8 advance diffractometer operating in reflection mode with ge - monochromatic cu kα1 radiation ( λ = 1 . 5406 å ) and with a position - sensitive linear detector . the powder diffraction data was collected at room temperature with a 20 interval of 5 - 40 °, using increments of 0 . 016 ° and an exposure time of 1 . 5 s per increment . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 1 ) this example demonstrates the ability of ipbc to co - crystallise with a neutral aromatic amine able to act as halogen bond acceptor , such as 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine . rapid precipitation of the two compounds in a quasi - saturated acetonitrile solution leads to the formation of a solid white powder with a melting point of between 81 ° c . and 83 ° c . single - crystal x - ray diffraction demonstrates that in the co - crystal , ipbc and 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine are present in a molar ratio of 2 : 1 , as shown in fig1 . the basic structural pattern in the co - crystal is a trimer unit wherein 4 -[ 2 -( 4 - pyridinyl ) ethyl ] pyridine acts as bridge between two ipbc molecules via two halogen bonds i - - - n . the dimensions and angles of the crystallographic unit cell are [ a = 30 . 666 ( 3 ) b = 4 . 9869 ( 4 ) c = 21 . 068 ( 2 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 92 . 115 ( 6 ) γ = 90 . 00 ] respectively . the ir spectrum of the co - crystal and its characteristic bands are reported in fig2 . fig3 shows the x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) of the co - crystal , the main peaks of which , in the 5 - 40 ° 2θ value range , are shown in table 1 . the dsc thermogram of co - crystal 1 is reported in fig4 . the co - crystal thus obtained has a higher melting point , higher thermal stability , better workability and higher degree of crystallinity than ipbc . it is easily manageable in the operations required to form tablets , such as compression . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 4 , 4 ′- bipyridine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 2 ) this example demonstrates the ability of ipbc to co - crystallise with another neutral aromatic amine able to act as halogen bond acceptor , such as 4 , 4 ′- dipyridine . in this case the formation of the co - crystal was effected by slow precipitation from an ethanol solution , which leads to the formation of a white powder . the basic structural motif in the co - crystal is a trimeric unit , bonded via halogen bonds , consisting of one molecule of 4 , 4 ′- bipyridine and two molecules of ipbc , as shown in fig5 . the co - crystal is a solid crystalline product with a melting point of between 112 ° c . and 114 ° c . the dimensions and angles of the crystallographic unit cell are [ a = 28 . 683 ( 2 ) b = 4 . 9270 ( 4 ) c = 21 . 429 ( 2 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 99 . 92 ( 2 ) γ = 90 . 00 ] respectively . the ir spectrum of the co - crystal and its characteristic bands are reported in fig6 . fig7 shows the x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) of the co - crystal , the main peaks of which , in the 5 - 40 ° 2θ value range , are shown in table 2 . the dsc thermogram of co - crystal 2 is reported in fig8 . the co - crystal thus obtained has a higher melting point , higher thermal stability , better workability and higher degree of crystallinity than ipbc . it is easily manageable in the operations required to form tablets , such as compression . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and tetrabutyl ammonium iodide in a 3 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 3 ) this example demonstrates the ability of ipbc to co - crystallise with a halide deriving from an organic salt such as tetrabutylammonium iodide . the co - crystal was formed by mechano - chemical synthesis in a ball mill , using a stoichiometric ratio of 1 : 3 between tetrabutyl ammonium iodide and ipbc . the co - crystal obtained contains one molecule of tetrabutyl ammonium iodide and three molecules of ipbc , as shown in the graphical representation in fig9 . the co - crystal is a solid crystalline product with a melting point between 42 ° c . and 47 . 5 ° c . the dimensions and angles of the crystallographic unit cell are a = 10 . 7688 ( 9 ) b = 20 . 204 ( 2 ) c = 23 . 735 ( 2 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 94 . 778 ( 2 ) γ = 90 . 00 ] respectively . the ir spectrum of the co - crystal and its characteristic bands are reported in fig1 . fig1 shows the x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) of the co - crystal , the main peaks of which , in the 5 - 40 ° 2θ value range , are shown in table 3 . the dsc thermogram of co - crystal 3 is reported in fig1 . the co - crystal thus obtained has a lower melting point , higher solubility and better workability in an aqueous medium than ipbc . in particular , its aqueous solubility is approx . 40 % greater than that of ipbc . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and calcium chloride in a 4 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 4 ) this example demonstrates the ability of ipbc to co - crystallise with a halide deriving from an inorganic salt such as calcium chloride . the co - crystal was formed by mechano - chemical synthesis in a ball mill , using a stoichiometric ratio of 1 : 4 between calcium chloride and ipbc . the composition of the co - crystal was detected by analysing the dsc trace , where the presence of peaks of the starting products was not observed . the co - crystal is a solid crystalline product with a melting point of 83 - 86 ° c . the ir spectrum of the co - crystal and its characteristic bands are reported in fig1 . fig1 shows the x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) of the co - crystal , the main peaks of which , in the 5 - 40 ° 2θ value range , are shown in table 4 . the dsc thermogram of co - crystal 4 is reported in fig1 . the co - crystal thus obtained has a higher melting point , higher solubility and better workability in an aqueous medium than ipbc . in particular , its aqueous solubility is approx . 50 % greater than that of ipbc . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and n , n ′- bis ( 4 - pyridylcarbonyl )- 1 , 6 - hexanediamine in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 5 ) in this example , ipbc was co - crystallised with n , n ′- bis ( 4 - pyridylcarbonyl )- 1 , 6 - hexanediamine by slow evaporation from alcohol solutions and by mechano - chemical synthesis in a ball mill , using a ratio of 1 : 2 between the co - crystallisation agent and ipbc . in the co - crystal obtained there is a ratio of 1 : 2 between the co - crystallisation agent and ipbc , as shown in the graphical representation in fig1 . the co - crystal is a solid crystalline product with a melting point of 132 ° c . the dimensions and angles of the crystallographic unit cell are [ a = 29 . 4501 ( 18 ) b = 5 . 1100 ( 3 ) c = 27 . 9417 ( 17 )] and [ α = 90 . 00 β = 118 . 566 ( 3 ) γ = 90 . 00 ] respectively . the ir spectrum of the co - crystal and its characteristic bands are reported in fig1 . fig1 shows the x - ray powder diffraction ( xrpd ) of the co - crystal , the main peaks of which , in the 5 - 40 ° 2θ value range , are shown in table 5 . the dsc thermogram of co - crystal 5 is reported in fig1 . the co - crystal thus obtained has a higher melting point , higher thermal stability , better workability and higher degree of crystallinity than ipbc . it is easily manageable in the operations required to form tablets , such as compression . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and pyridine in a 1 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 6 ) the co - crystal was prepared dissolving in the 1 : 1 molar ratio ipbc in pyridine . the cocrystal is liquid at room temperature , but the formation of a halogen bonded system between ipbc and pyridine can be confirmed looking at the chemical shift variation of 13 c - nmr for the carbon bound to iodine . previous studies have demonstrated that the 13 c signals of the iodinated carbons of iodoethynyl moieties undergo major low - field shifts on changing the solvent from chloroform to dimethylsulphoxide as a consequence of the xb occurring with the oxygen atoms of the solvent . [ ref . rege , p . d . ; malkina , o . l . ; goroff , n . s . j . am . chem . soc . 2002 , 124 , 370 - 371 . gao , k . ; goroff , n . s . j . am . chem . soc . 2000 , 122 , 9320 - 9321 .]. the ≡ c — i signals of deuterochloroform solutions of pure ipbc is at 3 . 68 ppm , in the cocrystal with pyridine the ≡ c — i chemical shift varies from 4 . 00 ppm up to 14 ppm depending of the concentration of pyridine used , as shown in fig2 . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane ( dabco ) in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 7 ) in this example , ipbc was co - crystallised with the bicyclic tertiary amine 1 , 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 2 ] octane ( dabco ), to give a co - crystal ipbc : dabco with molar ratio 2 : 1 . ipbc was co - crystallised with dabco by slow evaporation from alcohol / haloalkane solutions , using a ratio of 1 : 2 between the co - crystallisation agent and ipbc . the structure of the ipbc . dabco co - crystal from single crystal crystallographic analysis is shown in fig2 , wherein dabco hydrogen atoms are omitted for clarity . crystallographic data : orthorhombic , pccn , a : 9 . 8955 ( 7 ); b : 31 . 623 ( 2 ); c : 8 . 9335 ( 6 ) and v = 2795 . 55 a 3 . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and tetrabutylammonium chloride ( tbacl ) in a 2 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 8 ) in this example , ipbc was co - crystallised with tetrabutylammonium chloride ( tbacl ) to give a ipbc : tbacl co - crystal with molar ratio 2 : 1 . the co - crystal was formed by heating the two components up to 50 ° c . using a stoichiometric ratio of 1 : 2 between tetrabutyl ammonium chloride and ipbc . the formation of a halogen bonded co - crystal between ipbc and tbacl can be confirmed looking at the ir wave number variation for c ≡ c group . the triple bond stretching band is at 2198 cm − 1 in the pure ipbc while it is red - shifted at 2181 cm − 1 for the ( ipbc ) 2 : tbacl cocrystal , as shown in fig2 . co - crystal containing 3 - iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and zinc chloride in a 4 : 1 molar ratio ( co - crystal 9 ) this example demonstrates the ability of ipbc to co - crystallise with a halide deriving from a transition metal , such as zinc chloride , to give a ipbc : zncl 2 co - crystal with molar ratio 4 : 1 the co - crystal was prepared using the same procedure employed for example 4 . the formation of a halogen bonded cocrystal between ipbc and zncl 2 can be confirmed looking at the dsc plot ( fig2 ) showing two peaks at 118 ° c . and 139 ° c . ( mixture of polymorphs ) and the absence of the ipbc melting peak . evaluation of flowing characteristics of powders containing the halogen bonded ( ipbc ) 4 : cacl 2 complex or pure ipbc in this example the angle of response of powders containing the halogen bonded ( ipbc ) 4 : cacl 2 complex of example 4 was compared to that of powders containing pure ipbc ( fig2 ). the angle of response estimates the flow characteristics of the powders , the use of pure ipbc in industrial products faces significant manufacturing drawbacks . ipbc is difficult to handle because it tends to be clumpy and sticky , this implies that it cannot be fed easily from the blending equipment and the automatic feeding device . fig2 shows that the cohesive properties of powder for co - crystal ( ipbc ) 4 : cacl 2 are drastically different compared to the pure ipbc . co - crystal ( ipbc ) 4 : cacl 2 has values of angle of repose between 13 ° and 20 ° which indicates that it has excellent free - flow powder characteristic . on the contrary for the pure ipbc it is impossible to evaluate any angle of repose since the cohesive forces in the powder are too strong and its powder does not form an appropriate cone shape but tends to aggregate in irregular pillared shape . the cylindrical shape of ipbc cones indicates clearly the high cohesion of the powders , while the flat cone shape of co - crystal ( ipbc ) 4 : cacl 2 indicates improved flow powder properties .	0
while the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms , there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated . it should be understood that the title of this section of this specification , namely , “ detailed description of the invention ”, relates to a requirement of the united states patent office , and does not imply , nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein . referring now to the figures and briefly to fig1 and 2 , there is shown a roller pad printer 10 embodying the principles of the present invention . the printer 10 is configured to print high quality indicia onto relatively long objects o or to print large ( and long ) images onto objects o . the printer 10 includes a frame 12 onto which the various components are mounted . a cliché 14 is flat and rests on a platform 15 and a printing roller pad 16 is a cylindrical roll - type pad . in fig3 , the cliché 14 is fed from an ink supply 18 . the ink is supplied to the cliché 14 using apparatus and methods that will be recognized by those skilled in the art . in one known configuration , an ink cup 20 is conveyed over the cliché 14 and ink is deposited into the etched regions in the cliché 14 . excess ink is wiped from the cliché 14 , typically by a wiper blade 22 that is formed as part of or integral with the ink cup 20 . ink is supplied to the ink cup 20 by the ink supply system 18 . in fig4 , the ink is picked up from the cliché 14 and transferred onto the roller pad 16 , by compressing the roller pad 16 and the cliché 14 against one another and moving the two relative to one another . in a present printer 10 , the roller pad 16 is carried on a carriage 24 ( a carriage roll assembly ) such that the carriage 24 is moved ( as indicated by the arrow at 26 ), longitudinally along the cliché 14 , or rolled across the flat cliché 14 to pick up ink or transfer ink onto the pad of the roller pad 16 . it will be appreciated that contact between and the relative motions of the roller pad 16 and the cliché 14 must be carried out in a controlled manner so that the location of the image ( ink ) transferred onto the pad is accurately controlled for subsequent transfer onto the object o . the roller pad 16 can be a driven element . in such an arrangement , the drive includes a motor 28 that rotates the roller pad 16 in an indexed manner so as to accurately control the angular position of the roller pad 16 relative to the cliché 14 . this type of arrangement can be used , for example , when printing on “ relief ” type raised surfaces that may have insufficient contact area with the roller pad to effectively rotate the roller pad during print operation . alternately , the roller pad 16 can be non - driven roller ( e . g ., an idler roll ), and can be rotated by friction ( between the roller pad 16 and the cliché 14 ) and movement of the carriage 24 relative to the stationary cliché 14 . the carriage 24 is then moved transversely ( as indicated by the arrow at 30 ) from over the cliché 14 to a position over the item or object o to be printed / decorated . in fig3 , the carriage 24 is shown in phantom in a second position for illustration only ; those skilled in the art will appreciate there is only one carriage / roller 24 / 16 assembly in the machine 10 and which is slidably movable . the roller pad 16 is then brought into contact with the item o onto which the ink or decoration is to be transferred , and the two are moved relative to one another . again , in the present printer , the carriage 24 is moved relative to the item o ( also as indicated by the arrow at 26 ) and as such , the pad 17 of the roller pad 16 is rolled across the surface of the item o , and the item o is decorated . the present system 10 has been found to be advantageous when printing large areas of ink ( decoration ) or when printing long decorations onto relatively flat items o . the present system 10 allows for these printing scenarios by using a novel combination of traditional linear motion pad printers and the side - to - side printing of rotary pad printers . by using this novel hybrid arrangement , images can be printed on an item from one side to the other side , across the item , rather than the center - out distribution of traditional pad printing . importantly , the present roller pad printer 10 allows the use of a flat cliché 14 ( akin to traditional pad printing techniques ) and in some instances , will allow modification of traditional pad printers ( e . g ., printing machines ) with a roller pad for more flexibility in the types and sizes of decorations that can be printed and with more flexibility in the types and sizes of items onto which printing can be applied . moreover , the present pad printer 10 can be used to apply printing on a smaller and / or a batch basis rather than on a continuous basis , thus providing significantly more flexibility than known rotary printing systems . although the present roller pad 16 is described as being a driven element , as discussed above , the roller pad can be a non - driven or idler roller pad that is rotated by the action of friction between the moving roller pad 16 and relatively stationary cliché 14 or item o . in such an arrangement , it may be desirable to monitor the position of the roller pad 16 ( angular as well as linear ) to determine / monitor / control the location of the roller pad 16 relative to the decoration etched in the cliché and / or the location of the roller pad relative to the item . the illustrated printer 10 is of the type that uses a non - driven roller pad when printing , but is driven ( by the motor 28 ) to return the roller pad to its initial position each time it is “ reset ” to begin a new cycle . it has also been found to be desirable to commence each inking and printing cycle with the roller pad 16 in the same angular position so that the ink pattern is transferred onto the same location on the roller pad 16 . it is also anticipated that printer 10 can be used to print cylindrical or round parts , by using a motor driven pad roll , and / or motor driven part fixture to rotate the part under the pad and apply the image . this would be advantageous when printing low volumes of parts that do not justify a fully automated continuous motion style rotary pad printer , or when printing several different sizes and shapes of parts , which are difficult to accommodate in rotary pad printer part transfer systems , but easily accommodated with job specific tooling in traditional pad printing . it will also be appreciated that although the present printer 10 is described as a traditional printer , the printer , the is the printing function , can be integrated with or within another device , such as a robotic system . for example , the carriage 24 can be integrated into the arm of a robot , and that such modifications , changes , alterations and the like are within the scope and spirit of the present printing system and are to be construed as such . all patents referred to herein , are incorporated herein by reference , whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure . in the disclosure , the words “ a ” or “ an ” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural . conversely , any reference to plural items shall , where appropriate , include the singular . from the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modification and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention . it is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred . the disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims .	1
throughout the following description , specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention . however , the invention may be practiced without these particulars . in other instances , well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention . accordingly , the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative , rather than a restrictive , sense . this invention provides displays capable of rendering images with high dynamic ranges . displays according to the invention comprise two light modulating stages . light passes through the stages in series to provide an image which has an increased dynamic range . fig1 illustrates schematically a display 10 according to a simple embodiment of the invention . the sizes of elements and distances between them in fig1 are not to scale . display 10 comprises a light source 12 . light source 12 may , for example , comprise a projection lamp such as an incandescent lamp or an arc lamp , a laser , or another suitable source of light . light source 12 may comprise an optical system comprising one or more mirrors , lenses or other optical elements which cooperate to deliver light to the rest of display 10 . in the illustrated embodiment , light from light source 12 is directed toward a first light modulator 16 . light source 12 preferably provides substantially uniform illumination of first light modulator 16 . light modulator 16 comprises an array of individually addressable elements . light modulator 16 may comprise , for example , a lcd ( liquid crystal display ), which is an example of a transmission - type light modulator or a dmd ( deformable mirror device ), which is an example of a reflection - type light modulator . display driver circuitry ( not shown in fig1 ) controls the elements of light modulator 16 according to data which defines an image being displayed . light which has been modulated by first light modulator 16 is imaged onto a rear - projection screen 23 by a suitable optical system 17 . light from a small area of first light modulator 16 is directed by optical system 17 to a corresponding area on rear - projection screen 23 . in the illustrated embodiment , optical system 17 comprises a lens having a focal length f . in general , the optical system 17 which images light modulated by first light modulator 16 onto rear - projection screen 23 may comprise one or more mirrors , lenses or other optical elements . such an optical system has the function of imaging light modulated by the first light modulator onto a second light modulator . in the illustrated embodiment , rear - projection screen 23 comprises a second light modulator 20 and a collimator 18 . a main function of collimator 18 is to cause light which passes through rear - projection screen 23 to be directed preferentially toward a viewing area . collimator 18 may comprise a fresnel lens , a holographic lens , or , in the alternative , another arrangement of one or more lenses and / or other optical elements which will guide light in the direction of a viewing area . in the illustrated embodiment , collimator 18 causes light to travel through the elements of second light modulator 20 in a direction which is generally normal to screen 23 . as light incident from collimator 18 travels through second light modulator 20 it is further modulated . the light then passes to a diffuser 22 which scatters the outgoing light through a range of directions so that a viewer located on an opposite side of diffuser 22 from first light modulator 16 can see light originating from the whole area of screen 23 . in general , diffuser 22 may scatter light to a different angular extent in the horizontal and vertical planes . diffuser 22 should be selected so that light modulated by second light modulator 20 is scattered through a range of angles such that the maximum scatter angle is at least equal to the angle subtended by screen 23 when viewed from a desired viewing location . rear - projection screen 23 may differ in area from first light modulator 16 . for example , rear - projection screen 23 may be larger in area than first light modulator 16 . where this is the case , optical system 17 expands the beam of light modulated by first light modulator 16 to illuminate a larger corresponding area on rear - projection screen 23 . second light modulator 20 may be of the same type as first light modulator 16 or a different type . where first and second light modulators 16 and 20 are both of types that polarize light , second light modulator 20 should , as much as is practical , be oriented so that its plane of polarization matches that of the light incident on it from first light modulator 16 . display 10 may be a color display . this may be achieved in various ways including : making one of first light modulator 16 and second light modulator 20 a color light modulator ; providing a plurality of different first light modulators 16 operating in parallel on different colors ; and , providing a mechanism for rapidly introducing different color filters into the light path ahead of second light modulator 20 . as an example of the first approach above , second light modulator 20 may comprise an lcd panel having a plurality of pixels each comprising a number of colored sub - pixels . for example , each pixel may comprise three sub - pixels , one associated with a red filter , one associated with a green filter and one associated with a blue filter . the filters may be integral with the lcd panel . as shown in fig1 a , light source 12 , first light modulator 16 and optical system 17 may all be parts of a digital video projector 37 located to project an image defined by a signal 38 a from a controller 39 onto the back side of rear - projection screen 23 . the elements of second light modulator 20 are controlled by a signal 38 b from controller 39 to provide an image to a viewer which has a high dynamic range . as shown in fig2 , a display 10 a according to the invention may comprise one or more additional light modulation stages 24 . each additional light modulation stage 24 comprises a collimator 25 , a light modulator 26 and an optical system 27 which focuses light from light modulator 26 onto either the next additional light modulation stage 24 or on collimator 18 . in device 10 a of fig2 there are two additional light modulation stages 24 . devices according to this embodiment of the invention may have one or more additional light modulation stages 24 . the luminance of any point on output diffuser 22 can be adjusted by controlling the amount of light passed on by corresponding elements of light modulators 16 , 20 and 26 . this control may be provided by a suitable control system ( not shown in fig2 ) connected to drive each of light modulators 16 , 20 and 26 . as noted above , light modulators 16 , 20 and 26 may all be of the same type or may be of two or more different types . fig3 illustrates a display 10 b according to an alternative embodiment of the invention which includes a first light modulator 16 a which comprises a deformable mirror device . a deformable mirror device is a “ binary ” device in the sense that each pixel may be either “ on ” or “ off ”. different apparent brightness levels may be produced by turning a pixel on and off rapidly . such devices are described , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 441 , 791 and , 4 , 954 , 789 and are commonly used in digital video projectors . light source 12 and first light modulator 16 ( or 16 a ) may be the light source and modulator from a commercial digital video projector , for example . fig4 illustrates a front - projection - type display 10 c according to the invention . display 10 c comprises a screen 34 . a projector 37 projects an image 38 onto screen 34 . projector 37 comprises a suitable light source 12 , a first light modulator 16 and an optical system 17 suitable for projecting an image defined by first light modulator 16 onto screen 34 . projector 37 may comprise a commercially available display projector . screen 34 incorporates a second light modulator 36 . second light modulator 36 comprises a number of addressable elements which can be individually controlled to affect the luminance of a corresponding area of screen 34 . light modulator 36 may have any of various constructions . for example , light modulator 36 may comprise an array of lcd elements each having a controllable transmissivity located in front of a reflective backing . light projected by projector 37 passes through each lcd element and is reflected back through the lcd element by the reflective backing . the luminance at any point on screen 34 is determined by the intensity of light received at that point by projector 37 and the degree to which light modulator 36 ( e . g . the lcd element at that point ) absorbs light being transmitted through it . light modulator 36 could also comprise an array of elements having variable retro - reflection properties . the elements may be prismatic . such elements are described , for example , in whitehead , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 959 , 777 entitled passive high efficiency variable reflectivity image display device and , whitehead et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 215 , 920 entitled electrophoretic , high index and phase transition control of total internal reflection in high efficiency variable reflectivity image displays . light modulator 36 could also comprise an array of electrophoretic display elements as described , for example , in albert et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 172 , 798 entitled shutter mode microencapsulated electrophoretic display ; comiskey et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 120 , 839 entitled electro - osmotic displays and materials for making the same ; jacobson , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 120 , 588 entitled : electronically addressable microencapsulated ink and display ; jacobson et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 323 , 989 entitled electrophoretic displays using nanoparticles ; albert , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 300 , 932 entitled electrophoretic displays with luminescent particles and materials for making the same or , comiskey et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 327 , 072 entitled microcell electrophoretic displays . as shown in fig6 a and 6b , screen 34 preferably comprises a lens element 40 which functions to direct light preferentially toward the eyes of viewers . in the illustrated embodiment , lens element 40 comprises a fresnel lens having a focal point substantially coincident with the apex of the cone of light originating from projector 37 . lens element 40 could comprise another kind of lens such as a holographic lens . lens element 40 incorporates scattering centers 45 which provide a desired degree of diffusion in the light reflected from screen 34 . in the illustrated embodiment , second light modulator 36 comprises a reflective lcd panel having a large number of pixels 42 backed by a reflective layer 43 and mounted on a backing 47 . where light modulator 36 comprises an array of elements having variable retro - reflection properties , the elements themselves could be designed to direct retro - reflected light preferentially in a direction of a viewing area in front of screen 34 . reflective layer 43 may be patterned to scatter light to either augment the effect of scattering centers 45 or replace scattering centers 45 . as shown in fig4 , a controller 39 provides data defining image 38 to each of first light modulator 16 and second light modulator 36 . controller 39 could comprise , for example , a computer equipped with a suitable display adapter . controller 39 may comprise image processing hardware to accelerate image processing steps . the luminance of any point on screen 34 is determined by the combined effect of the pixels in first light modulator 16 and second light modulator 36 which correspond to that point . there is minimum luminance at points for which corresponding pixels of the first and second light modulators are set to their “ darkest ” states . there is maximum luminance at points for which corresponding pixels of the first and second light modulators are set to their “ brightest ” states . other points have intermediate luminance values . the maximum luminance value might be , for example , on the order of 10 5 cd / m 2 . the minimum luminance value might be , for example on the order of 10 − 2 cd / m 2 . the cost of a light modulator and its associated control circuitry tends to increase with the number of addressable elements in the light modulator . in some embodiments of the invention one of the light modulators has a spatial resolution significantly higher than that of one or more other ones of the light modulators . when one or more of the light modulators are lower - resolution devices the cost of a display according to such embodiments of the invention may be reduced . in color displays comprising two or more light modulators , one of which is a color light modulator ( a combination of a plurality of monochrome light modulators may constitute a color light modulator as shown , for example , in fig6 ) and one of which is a higher - resolution light modulator , the higher - resolution light modulator should also be the color light modulator . in some embodiments the higher - resolution light modulator is imaged onto the lower - resolution light modulator . in other embodiments the lower - resolution light modulator is imaged onto the higher - resolution light modulator . fig5 illustrates one possible configuration of pixels in a display 10 as shown in fig1 . nine pixels 42 of a second light modulator 20 correspond to each pixel 44 of a first light modulator 16 . the number of pixels 42 of second light modulator 20 which correspond to each pixel 44 of first light modulator 16 may be varied as a matter of design choice . pixels 44 of the higher - resolution one of first and second light modulators 16 and 20 ( or 36 ) should be small enough to provide a desired overall resolution . in general there is a trade off between increasing resolution and increasing cost . in a typical display the higher - resolution light modulator will provide an array of pixels having at least a few hundred pixels in each direction and more typically over 1000 pixels in each direction . the size of pixels 42 of the lower - resolution one of the first and second light modulators determines the scale over which one can reliably go from maximum intensity to minimum intensity . consider , for example , fig5 a which depicts a situation where one wishes to display an image of a small maximum - luminance spot on a large minimum - luminance background . to obtain maximum luminance in a spot 47 , those pixels of each of the first and second light modulators which correspond to spot 47 should be set to their maximum - luminance values . where the pixels of one light modulator are lower in resolution than pixels of the other light modulator then some pixels of the lower - resolution light modulator will straddle the boundary of spot 47 . this is the case , for example , in fig5 a . outside of spot 47 there are two regions . in region 48 it is not possible to set the luminance to its minimum value because in that region the lower - resolution light modulator is set to its highest luminance value . in region 49 both of the light modulators can be set to their lowest - luminance values . if , for example , each of the first and second light modulators has a luminance range of 1 to 100 units , then region 47 might have a luminance of 100 × 100 = 10 , 000 units , region 48 would have a luminance of 100 × 1 = 100 units and region 49 would have a luminance of 1 × 1 = 1 units . as a result of having one of the light modulators lower in resolution than the other , each pixel of the lower - resolution light modulator corresponds to more than one pixel in the higher - resolution light modulator . it is not possible for points corresponding to any one pixel of the lower - resolution light modulator and different pixels of the higher - resolution light modulator to have luminance values at extremes of the device &# 39 ; s dynamic range . the maximum difference in luminance between such points is determined by the dynamic range provided by the higher - resolution light modulator . it is generally not a problem that a display is not capable of causing closely - spaced points to differ in luminance from one another by the full dynamic range of the display . the human eye has enough intrinsic scatter that it is incapable of appreciating large changes in luminance which occur over very short distances in any event . in a display according to the invention which includes both a lower - resolution spatial light modulator and a higher - resolution spatial light modulator , controller 39 may determine a value for each pixel of the lower - resolution spatial light modulator and adjust the signals which control the higher - resolution spatial light modulator to reduce artefacts which result from the fact that each pixel of the lower - resolution spatial light modulator is common to a plurality of pixels of the higher - resolution spatial light modulator . this may be done in any of a wide number of ways . for example , consider the case where each pixel of the lower - resolution spatial light modulator corresponds to a plurality of pixels of the higher - resolution spatial light modulator . image data specifying a desired image is supplied to the controller . the image data indicates a desired luminance for an image area corresponding to each of the pixels of the higher - resolution spatial light modulator . the controller may set the pixels of the lower - resolution light modulator to provide an approximation of the desired image . this could be accomplished , for example , by determining an average or weighted average of the desired luminance values for the image areas corresponding to each pixel of the lower - resolution light modulator . the controller may then set the pixels of the higher - resolution light modulator to cause the resulting image to approach the desired image . this could be done , for example , by dividing the desired luminance values by the known intensity of light incident from the lower - resolution light modulator on the corresponding pixels of the higher - resolution light modulator . processing to generate the signals for driving the light modulators may be performed on the fly by controller 39 , may be performed earlier by controller 39 or some other device and integrated into the image data or some processing may be performed earlier and controller 39 may perform final processing to generate the control signals . if the low - resolution pixels are too large then a viewer may be able to discern a halo around bright elements in an image . the low resolution pixels are preferably small enough that the appearance of bright patches on dark backgrounds or of dark spots on bright backgrounds is not unacceptably degraded . it is currently considered practical to provide in the range of about 8 to about 144 , more preferably about 9 to 36 , pixels on the higher - resolution light modulator for each pixel of the lower - resolution light modulator . the sizes of steps in which each of pixels 42 and 44 can adjust the luminance of point ( s ) on the image are not necessarily equal . the pixels of the lower - resolution light modulator may adjust light intensity in coarser steps than the pixels of the higher - resolution light modulator . for example , the lower - resolution light modulator may permit adjustment of light intensity for each pixel over an intensity range of 1 to 512 units in 8 steps while the higher - resolution light modulator may permit adjustment of the light intensity for each pixel over a similar range in 512 steps . while pixels 42 and 44 are both illustrated as being square in fig5 , this is not necessary . pixels 42 and / or 44 could be other shapes , such as rectangular , triangular , hexagonal , round , or oval . the pixels of the lower - resolution light modulator preferably emit light which is somewhat diffuse so that the light intensity varies reasonably smoothly as one traverses pixels of the lower - resolution light modulator . this is the case where the light from each of the pixels of the lower - resolution light modulator spreads into adjacent pixels , as shown in fig7 . as shown in fig7 a , the intensity profile of a pixel in the lower - resolution light modulator can often be approximated by gaussian spread function convolved with a rectangular profile having a width d 1 equal to the active width of the pixel . the spread function preferably has a full width at half maximum in the range of 0 . 3 × d 2 to 3 × d 2 , where d 2 is the center - to - center inter - pixel spacing , to yield the desired smoothly varying light intensity . typically d 1 is nearly equal to d 2 . in the embodiment of fig5 , each pixel 42 comprises three sub pixels 43 r , 43 g and 43 b ( for clarity fig5 omits sub pixels for some pixels 42 ). sub - pixels 43 r , 43 g and 43 b are independently addressable . they are respectively associated with red , green and blue color filters which are integrated into second light modulator 20 . various constructions of lcd panels which include a number of colored sub - pixels and are suitable for use in this invention are known in the art . for front projection - type displays ( for example the display 10 c of fig4 ), it is typically most practical for first light modulator 16 to comprise a high - resolution light modulator which provides color information and for light modulator 36 to comprise a monochrome light modulator . light modulator 36 preferably has reasonably small addressable elements so that the boundaries of its elements do not form a visually distracting pattern . for example , light modulator 36 may have the same number of addressable elements as projector 37 ( although each such element will typically have significantly larger dimensions than the corresponding element in light modulator 16 of projector 37 ). projector 37 may have any suitable construction . all that is required is that projector 37 be able to project light which has been spatially modulated to provide an image onto screen 34 . fig6 illustrates a display system 10 d according to a further alternative embodiment of the invention . system 10 d comprises a screen 34 which has an integrated light modulator 36 as described above with reference to fig4 . system 10 d comprises a projector 37 a which has separate light modulators 16 r , 16 g and 16 r for each of three colors . light modulated by each of light modulators 16 r , 16 g and 16 r is filtered by a corresponding one of three colored filters 47 r , 47 g and 47 b . the modulated light is projected onto screen 34 by optical systems 17 . a single light source 12 may supply light to all three light modulators 16 r , 16 g , and 16 b , or separate light sources ( not shown ) may be provided . as will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure , many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof . for example : diffuser 22 and collimator 18 could be combined with one another ; diffuser 22 and collimator 18 could be reversed in order ; multiple cooperating elements could be provided to perform light diffusion and / or collimation ; the order in screen 23 of second light modulator 20 collimator 18 and diffuser 22 could be varied ; the signal 38 a driving first light modulator 16 may comprise the same data driving second light modulator 20 or may comprise different data . accordingly , the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims .	6
various exemplary embodiments , features , and aspects of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings . among the functions ( information ) cited and described below , those that are not specially and in detail described , are information publicly disclosed in a site of microsoft developer network ( msdn ) as of apr . 27 , 2006 . the url of the site of msdn is http :// msdn . microsoft . com / library / default . asp . in the following description , usb is an abbreviation for universal serial bus which enables bidirectional communication . since the usb is a publicly known interface , detailed description of the usb shall be omitted . fig1 is a block diagram of a configuration of a peripheral apparatus control system including an information processing apparatus and a peripheral apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 , an information processing apparatus 1 is a typical pc . the pc 1 includes a hardware which is described later with reference to fig2 . further , an os 2 is installed in the pc 1 . an mfp 3 includes a color scanner and a color inkjet printer . the mfp 3 as described is an example of a peripheral apparatus according to the present embodiment . it is to be noted that a printer , a copier , a fax machine , a scanner , a digital camera , or any apparatus comprising such functions can also be used as the peripheral apparatus of the present embodiment . the mfp 3 includes a hardware configuration described later with reference to fig3 . the mfp 3 and the pc 1 are connected via a usb interface 9 which enables bidirectional communication . an application 30 and an application 60 include a file in an executable file format (*. exe , etc .). the application 30 is an example of an application according to the present embodiment and serves as an uninstaller configured to delete a driver such as a printer driver or a scanner driver . the application 60 is an updater configured to upgrade such a driver . a printer driver 50 is described later in detail referring to fig4 . an inf 70 is an information file of the printer driver 50 . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the pc 1 . as shown in fig2 , the pc 1 includes a random access memory unit ( ram 1201 ) and a hard disk drive unit ( hdd 1202 ) as a storage unit , and also a keyboard unit ( kbd 1203 ) as an example of an input unit . further , the pc 1 includes a central processing unit ( cpu ) 1204 as a control unit , a liquid crystal display ( lcd 1205 ) as an example of a display unit , a network board ( nb 1207 ) as an example of a communication control unit , and a bus 1206 connecting the above - mentioned components of the pc 1 . a portable compact disc read - only memory ( cd - rom ) or an internal read - only memory ( rom ) can also be used as the storage unit . modules of the pc 1 illustrated in fig1 ( i . e ., the applications 30 and 60 and the printer driver 50 ) are stored in the hdd 1202 , read out by the ram 1201 as needed , and executed by the cpu 1204 . thus , the cpu 1204 realizes functions of these modules illustrated in fig1 . fig3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the mfp 3 . in fig3 , a cpu 15 includes a microprocessor . according to a program stored in a rom 16 , the cpu 15 which is a central processing apparatus of the mfp 3 controls a ram 17 , a communication unit 18 , a recording unit 19 , and a scanning unit 20 . in fig3 , two - way arrows represent an address data bus . the rom 16 stores a program configured to allow the mfp 3 to perform a recording ( printing ) process or transmit a recording ( printing ) status to the pc 1 under control of the printer driver 50 . the ram 17 temporarily stores print data which is sent from the pc 1 to be printed by the recording unit 19 . the communication unit 18 controls communication via usb and includes a connection port for the usb interface 9 . the recording unit 19 includes a recording unit comprising an inkjet - type recording head , color ink tanks , a carriage , and a recording paper feeding mechanism , and also an electric circuit comprising an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) which generates a print pulse on the recording head based on the print data . according to a printing operation regarding an application which enables printing , a content ( image data ) of a file opened by the application is temporarily stored in the hdd 1202 of the pc 1 as a spool file in an enhanced metafile ( emf ) format . the content is converted into print data including a command for controlling the mfp 3 by the printer driver 50 , and then sent to the mfp 3 via the usb interface 9 . the print data is received by the mfp 3 , converted into a print pulse by the recording unit 19 , and printed on recording paper . the scanning unit 20 includes a scanning unit including a charge - coupled device ( ccd ) and a scanning light source , and also an electric circuit including an asic configured to process image data scanned by the ccd . the image data controlled by a control command sent from the pc 1 and scanned by the scanning unit 20 is sent to the pc 1 via the usb interface 9 . fig4 illustrates a configuration of a printer driver of the pc 1 . the printer driver 50 installed in the pc 1 includes a plurality of modules , that is , a print processor 33 , a graphics driver 34 , a user interface ( ui ) module 35 , a language monitor 36 , a port monitor 37 , and a class driver 38 . the application 30 enables printing and reading , and also includes an installer of a driver , an uninstaller for deleting a driver , and an updater for upgrading a driver . a graphics device interface ( gdi ) 31 is a part of the os 2 . a printer queue 32 is a part of a spooler 40 and used when queuing a print job . the print job in a queue is displayed on a printer queue folder . the print processor 33 changes a print layout or executes a special processing of a print image . the graphics driver 34 is a core of an image processing performed by the printer driver . based on a rendering instruction sent from the gdi 31 , the graphics driver 34 performs image processing for printing and creates a print control command . the ui module 35 provides and controls a user interface of the printer driver . the language monitor 36 controls transmission and reception of data as a communication interface . the port monitor 37 transmits data sent from the language monitor 36 to an appropriate port and receives data sent from the mfp 3 via the class driver 38 . the class driver 38 is a low level module which is the closest to the port . according to the present embodiment , the class driver 38 is a usb printer class driver and controls a usb port . although a scanner driver of the mfp 3 has a different architecture from the printer driver 50 , a basic concept of the scanner driver is similar to that of the printer driver 50 in that it includes an os module and an independent hardware vendor ( ihv ) module . for this reason , detailed description of the scanner driver of the mfp 3 is omitted . fig5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an uninstall process of a driver according to the present embodiment . in step s 51 , the user runs an uninstaller 30 of the mfp 3 and the uninstaller 30 starts the following process . in step s 52 , the uninstaller 30 searches an inf 70 which contains a hardware id of the mfp 3 from the all driver infs installed in the os 2 using a plurality of apis provided by the os 2 . in addition , a device information set is created . next , in step s 53 , the uninstaller 30 confirms that the printer driver 50 is to be deleted . then , in step s 54 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether the printer driver 50 is being used . if the uninstaller 30 determines that the printer driver 50 is being used ( yes in step s 54 ), the process proceeds to step s 55 . in step s 55 , an error message is displayed informing the user that the printer driver 50 is being used and the process ends . on the other hand , if it is determined that the printer driver 50 is not being used ( no in step s 54 ), the process proceeds to step s 56 . in step s 56 , the uninstaller 30 makes an api call by which the mfp 3 is removed from a device manager in terms of software . in other words , a device eject api is called and the device manager inactivates an instance of the mfp 3 . in this way , plug and play is not enabled by the os 2 even if a signal for the plug and play is sent from the mfp 3 . until an api for activating the instance is called , the plug and play signal from the mfp 3 is not detected . in other words , when the mfp 3 is removed by the api call in terms of software , plug and play does not occur . next , in step s 57 , the uninstaller 30 deletes the printer driver 50 . in step s 58 , the uninstaller 30 makes an api call to delete a device information set created in step s 52 . although the os 2 re - enumerates the entire device tree when this api is called , since the mfp 3 is already removed by an eject process in terms of software from the device manager of the os 2 in step s 56 , the mfp 3 is not detected by the plug and play function of the os 2 even if the mfp 3 is connected to the pc 1 . and s 52 , device information set is created . fig6 is a flowchart showing an example of an upgrade process of a driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in step s 61 , the user runs an updater 60 of the printer driver 50 of the mfp 3 . in step s 62 , the updater 60 detects and determines whether the printer driver 50 is installed . if the printer driver 50 is not detected ( no in step s 62 ), the process ends . on the other hand , if the printer driver 50 is detected ( yes in step s 62 ), the process proceeds to step s 63 . in step s 63 , the updater 60 compares a version of a printer driver in an updater package and a version of the printer driver 50 which is already installed . if it is determined that the version of the installed printer driver 50 is new ( no in step s 63 ), the process ends . on the other hand , if it is determined that the version of the installed printer driver 50 is old ( yes in step s 63 ), the process proceeds to step s 64 . in step s 64 , the updater 60 displays a dialog asking the user whether the user wishes to update the printer driver . next , in step s 65 , the updater 60 determines whether the user has determined to update the printer driver . if the user has determined not to update the printer driver ( no in step s 65 ), the process ends . on the other hand , if the user has determined to update the printer driver ( yes in step s 65 ), the process proceeds to step s 66 . in step s 66 , the updater 60 searches the inf 70 which contains a hardware id of the mfp 3 from the all driver infs installed in the os 2 using a plurality of apis provided by the os 2 . in addition , a device information set is created . next , in step s 67 , the updater 60 confirms that the printer driver 50 is to be deleted . then , in step s 68 , the updater 60 determines whether the printer driver 50 is being used . if the updater 60 determines that the printer driver 50 is being used ( yes in step s 68 ), the process proceeds to step s 69 . in step s 69 , an error message will be displayed informing the user that the printer driver 50 is being used and the process ends . on the other hand , if it is determined that the printer driver 50 is not in use ( no in step s 68 ), the process proceeds to step s 70 . in step s 70 , the updater 60 makes an api call by which the mfp 3 is removed from a device manager in terms of software . next , in step s 71 , the updater 60 deletes the printer driver 50 . in step s 72 , the updater 60 makes an api call to delete a device information set created in step s 66 . although the os 2 re - enumerates the entire device tree when this api is called , since the mfp 3 is already removed by an eject process in terms of software from the device manager of the os 2 in step s 70 , the mfp 3 is not detected by the plug and play function of the os 2 even if the mfp 3 is connected to the pc 1 . next , in step s 73 , a new printer driver is set up by the updater 60 . then , in step s 74 , the updater 60 displays a dialog message requesting the user to connect the mfp 3 and the pc 1 . if the mfp 3 is already connected to the pc 1 , the updater 60 displays a dialog message requesting the user to unplug the usb cable and plug it back in . fig7 illustrates an example of the dialog message . next , when the user reconnects the usb cable , the os 2 puts the mfp 3 which has been removed in terms of software , back to the device manager and installs the printer driver by the plug - and - play function . fig8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a driver uninstall process according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig8 , steps s 51 , s 52 , s 53 , s 54 , and s 55 are the same as those described above with respect to fig5 , thus their description is omitted herein . in step s 54 , if it is determined that the printer driver 50 is not in use ( no in step s 54 ), the process proceeds to step s 80 . in step s 80 , the uninstaller 30 deletes the driver by turning off power supplied to the device , as described below with respect to fig9 . next , in step s 58 , the uninstaller 30 makes an api call to delete a device information set created in step s 52 . although the os 2 re - enumerates the entire device tree when this api is called , since the pc 1 is unable to communicate with the mfp via the usb interface 9 since the power to the device is turned off in step s 80 , the mfp 3 is not detected by the plug and play function of the os 2 even if the mfp 3 is connected to the pc 1 . fig9 is a flowchart illustrating a deletion process of the driver when power to the device is turned off . it is to be noted that either the uninstaller 30 or the updater 60 can follow the process described below . in the present embodiment , however , the uninstaller 30 is chosen for the sake of simplicity . in step s 1001 , power to the device is turned off and the driver is deleted . then , the installer 30 performs a following process . in step s 1002 , the uninstaller 30 checks a printer queue 32 to see if a print job is in a queue . then , in step s 1003 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether the print job is available . if it is determined that a print job is available ( yes in step s 1003 ), the process proceeds to step s 1013 . in step s 1013 , the uninstaller 30 displays a message on the display unit that , for example , a print job is present . an example of the message displayed in step s 1013 is described below with respect to fig1 . on the other hand , if it is determined that a print job is not present ( no in step s 1003 ), the process proceeds to step s 1004 . in step s 1004 , using a status request command 90 described below with respect to fig1 , the uninstaller 30 confirms a status of the mfp 3 from status reply commands which the mfp 3 returns to the uninstaller 30 . the status reply commands are described below with respect to fig1 . in step s 1005 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether the mfp 3 is in the printing process based on the status confirmed in step s 1004 . if it is determined that the mfp is in the printing process ( yes in step s 1004 ), the process proceeds to step s 1013 . in step s 1013 , the uninstaller 30 displays a message on the display unit indicating that , for example , the mfp 3 is the printing process . on the other hand , if it is determined that the mfp is not in the printing process ( no in step s 1005 ), the process proceeds to step s 1006 . in step s 1006 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether an error has occurred in the mfp 3 based on the status confirmed in step s 1004 . if the uninstaller 30 determines that an error has occurred in the mfp 3 , ( yes in step s 1006 ), the process proceeds to step s 1013 . in step s 1013 , the uninstaller 30 displays , for example , a message informing the user that an error has occurred . on the other hand , if the uninstaller 30 determines that an error has not occurred in the mfp 3 ( no in step s 1006 ), the process proceeds to step s 1007 . in step s 1007 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether the mfp 3 is on - line and on standby based on the status confirmed in step s 1004 . if the uninstaller 30 determines that the mfp 3 is not on - line and on standby ( no in step s 1007 ), the process proceeds to step s 1013 . in step s 1013 , the uninstaller 30 displays a message informing the user , for example , that the mfp 3 is not on - line and on standby . on the other hand , if the uninstaller 30 determines that the mfp 3 is on - line and on standby ( yes in step s 1007 ), the process proceeds to step s 1008 . in step s 1008 , the uninstaller 30 issues and transmits a power - off command to the mfp 3 as described below with respect to fig1 . then in step s 1009 , the uninstaller 30 confirms a status of an usb port of the pc 1 to which the usb interface 9 is connected . next , in step s 1010 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether the mfp 3 is in a power - off state . if it is determined that the mfp 3 is in a power - off state ( yes in step s 1010 ), the process proceeds to step s 1014 . in step s 1014 , the uninstaller 30 deletes the printer driver 50 and the process ends . on the other hand , if it is determined that the mfp 3 is in a power - on state ( no in step s 1010 ), the process proceeds to step s 1011 . in step s 1011 , the uninstaller 30 waits for a certain period of time ( e . g ., 1 second ). after that , in step s 1012 , the uninstaller 30 determines whether a time - out has occurred ( e . g ., 1 minute has passed ). if the uninstaller 30 determines that the time - out has occurred ( yes in step s 1012 ), the process proceeds to step s 1013 . in step s 1013 , the uninstaller 30 displays a message on the display unit informing the user , for example , that power is not turned off . on the other hand , if the uninstaller 30 determines that the time - out has not occurred ( no in step s 1012 ), the process returns to step s 1009 . when an ok button 89 , which is displayed together with the message displayed in step s 1013 , is selected by the user , the process of deleting the driver by the power - off of the device ends . the uninstaller 30 performs the process of determining an error of mfp 3 in step s 1006 , which is described below with respect to fig1 . for example , if a warning about a status which does not affect the deletion of the printer driver 50 , such as a paper out warning 92 or an ink low warning 94 , is detected in step s 1004 , the process proceeds to perform the deletion process of the printer driver 50 . however , if an error which may affect the deletion of the printer driver 50 , such as a paper - jam error 93 or an ink - out error 95 , is detected in step s 1004 , the printer driver 50 will not be deleted . in this way , operability is improved while safety is enhanced in the process of the deletion of the printer driver 50 . fig1 illustrates an example of a message ( e . g ., warning dialog message ) which is displayed on the display unit when the printer driver 50 can not be deleted . a warning dialog message 88 notifies the user of a status of the mfp 3 and what the user needs to do . when the ok button 89 is selected , the warning dialog message 88 disappears . fig1 illustrates a status request command which is transmitted from the pc 1 to the mfp 3 to confirm a status of the mfp 3 . although data transmitted from the pc 1 to the mfp 3 via the usb interface 9 is binary data , in fig1 , the binary data is converted into text data for ease of understanding . fig1 illustrates a status request command 90 . when the mfp 3 receives the status request command 90 transmitted from the pc 1 to the mfp 3 , the mfp 3 prepares to transmit a status reply command illustrated in fig1 to the pc 1 . this process of preparing is described below with respect to fig1 . according to the status request command 90 sent from the pc 1 , the mfp 3 transmits a status reply command which indicating a present status of preparation , to the pc 1 . in this way , the pc 1 confirms the status of the mfp 3 . fig1 illustrates status reply commands which are issued to indicate a status of the mfp 3 . a printing status 91 ( sts : printing ) is issued to warn the user that the mfp 3 is in the printing process . a paper out status 92 ( sts : paperoutwarning ) is issued to warn the user that the print paper is not set in the mfp 3 . the paper - jam error 93 ( sts : paperjamerror ) is issued when a paper jam occurs in the mfp 3 . the ink low warning 94 ( sts : inklowwarning ) is issued when ink is running low . the ink - out error 95 ( sts : inkouterror ) is issued when little ink is left in the mfp 3 . a scanning status 96 ( sts : scanning ) is issued when the mfp 3 is in a process of scanning . an on - line status 97 ( sts : online ) is issued when the mfp 3 is on - line and on a standby state . when the mfp 3 is in a plurality of statuses , for example , a sts : printing , paperoutwarning , inklowwarning 98 is issued . this command is issued when the mfp 3 is in a process of printing but recording paper is not set , and ink is running low . fig1 illustrates a power - off command 99 ( cmd : shutdown ) sent from the pc 1 to the mfp 3 via the usb interface 9 to turn off power to the mfp 3 . when the mfp 3 receives the power - off command 99 , the power to the mfp 3 is turned off as illustrated in fig1 . fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the mfp 3 when the mfp 3 receives data from the pc 1 . in step s 1501 , the mfp 3 receives the data from the pc 1 . next , in step s 1502 , the mfp 3 confirms the data sent from the pc 1 . then , in step s 1503 , the mfp 3 determines whether the data is the status request command 90 . if it is determined that the data is the status request command 90 ( yes in step s 1503 ), the process proceeds to step s 1504 . in step s 1504 , the mfp 3 confirms the status of the mfp 3 . next , in step s 1505 , the mfp 3 generates and stores a status reply command indicating the state . then , the process of receiving the data ends . on the other hand , if it is determined that the data is not the status request command 90 in step s 1503 , ( no in step s 1503 ), the process proceeds to step s 1506 . in step s 1506 , the mfp 3 determines whether the data is the power - off command 99 . if it is determined that the data is the power - off command 99 ( yes in step s 1506 ), the process proceeds to step s 1507 . in step s 1507 , the power to the mfp 3 is turned off . then , the mfp 3 ends the process of receiving the data and remains in a power - off state . in step s 1506 , if it is determined that the data is not the power - off command 99 ( no in step s 1506 ), the process proceeds to step s 1508 . in step s 1508 , the mfp 3 performs a process according to the received data and the process of receiving the data ends . fig1 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the mfp 3 when the mfp 3 receives the data acquisition request from the pc 1 . in step s 1601 , the mfp 3 receives the data acquisition request transmitted from the pc 1 . in step s 1602 , the mfp 3 sets the status reply command which is stored in step s 1505 of fig1 in a data transmission buffer . next in step s 1603 , the mfp 3 transmits the data ( status reply command ) set in the data transmission buffer to the pc 1 . then , the process of receiving the data acquisition request ends . the data acquisition request is created using a protocol which is standardized according to a standard usb specification . fig1 illustrates an example of a flowchart for an upgrading process of the driver according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 , descriptions of steps s 61 - s 69 are omitted herein since these steps are the same as described above with respect to fig6 . in step s 81 , the updater 60 deletes the driver by turning off power to the device , as described with respect to fig9 . next , in step s 72 , the updater 60 makes an api call to delete a device information set created in step s 66 . although the os 2 re - enumerates the entire device tree when this api is called , since the mfp 3 is already removed from the device manager of the os 2 by an eject process in terms of software in step s 70 , the mfp 3 is not detected by the plug and play function of the os 2 even if the mfp 3 is connected to the pc 1 . next , in step s 73 , a new printer driver is set up by the updater 60 . then , in step s 74 , a dialog message is displayed by the updater 60 requesting the user to connect the mfp 3 and the pc 1 . if the mfp 3 is already connected to the pc 1 , the updater 60 displays a dialog message requesting the user to unplug the usb cable and plug it back in . referring now to a memory map illustrated in fig1 , a configuration of a data processing program which can be read out by a peripheral apparatus control system including an information processing apparatus and a peripheral apparatus according to the above - described embodiments will be described . fig1 is a memory map of a storage medium configured to store various types of data processing programs which can be read out by the peripheral apparatus control system . although not illustrated , information for managing a program group stored in a storage medium , for example , version information and author information are stored in this storage medium . furthermore , although not illustrated , information which relies on the os on a program readout side , for example , an icon or the like used for identifying a program , can also be stored in the storage medium . in fig1 , a storage medium 64 is a hard disk . a directory information management unit 65 controls data which is dependent on various types of programs . a program storage unit 66 stores programs for installing various programs in the information processing apparatus and a decompression program which is used when a program to be installed is compressed . also , each function realized by an execution of a process of each flowchart illustrated in fig5 , 8 , 9 , 14 , 15 , and 16 according to the above - described embodiments can also be realized by an information processing apparatus using a program installed from an outside device . in this case , the above - described embodiments can also be applied when an information group including a program is provided to the information processing apparatus or a peripheral apparatus from a storage medium such as a cd - rom , a flash memory , a floppy disk , or an outside storage medium via a network . as described above , a storage medium storing a software program code which realizes a function of the above - described embodiments is supplied to the peripheral apparatus control system or the information processing apparatus , or the peripheral apparatus . thus , the object of the above - described embodiments can be also achieved when a computer ( or a cpu or a mpu ) of the peripheral apparatus control system or the information processing apparatus , or the peripheral apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in such a storage medium . in this case , the program code itself read out from the storage medium realizes the novel functions described in the above - described embodiments . thus , the storage medium which stores the program code constitutes the above - described embodiments . as a storage medium which provides the program code , a floppy disk , a hard disk , an optical disk , a magneto - optical disk , a cd - rom , a cd - r , a magnetic tape , a non - volatile memory card , a rom , or an eeprom , etc . may be used . a function of the above - described embodiments is realized not only when the computer executes the program code . for example , an os or the like , which runs on a computer , can execute a part or whole of the actual processing based on an instruction of the program code so that a function of the above - described embodiments can be achieved . further , the uninstaller and the updater ( driver updater ) were described in the above - described embodiments as an example , but the application 30 according to the embodiments is not limited to such examples . that is , the application 30 can be an arbitrary application configured to delete a driver of an installer or the like adapted to update or install a driver of a peripheral apparatus . furthermore , according to the above - described embodiments , a pc was described as an example of the information processing apparatus , however , the information processing apparatus can be also a dvd video player , a game console , a set - top box , or an internet appliance . further , according to the above - described embodiments , an mfp was selected as an example of the peripheral apparatus , however a peripheral apparatus such as a printer , a copier , a facsimile machine , a scanner , a digital camera , or a multifunction apparatus having these functions can also be used . furthermore , according to the above - described embodiments , usb interface was used to interface the pc and the mfp . however , the pc and the mfp can also be connected via ethernet , wireless local area network ( wireless lan ), institute of electrical and electronics engineers ( ieee ) 1394 , bluetooth , infrared data association ( irda ), parallel , or serial interface . thus , according to the above - described embodiments , the user can delete the device driver without being disturbed by the driver reinstall processing even when the device is connected to the apparatus . while the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments . the scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications , equivalent structures , and functions . this application claims priority from japanese patent application no . 2006 - 188242 filed jul . 7 , 2006 , which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety .	6
the headgear 10 of this invention is shown in fig1 – 3 , and comprises an upper helmet portion 11 defining an integrally formed , outer central reinforcing ridge 12 and a corresponding interior reinforcing grid area 13 . into the grid area 13 are mounted removable or rechargeable lithium ion battery packs 14 and 15 which connect to a circuit board 16 , the circuit itself being shown in fig4 . wire connections from the batteries to the circuit board and to the led arrays are shown in fig5 . a rearwardly installed led array 17 is mounted on the upper helmet portion 11 and are connected to the circuit board and driven by the battery packs . the led array 17 is shielded by a transparent acrylic sheet 18 mounted on the exterior of the upper helmet 11 . the front area of the upper helmet 11 is provided with an enclosure 20 shielded by a curved , transparent acrylic sheet 21 which protects an enclosed , front facing led array 22 . an interfitting helmet portion 25 is configured to interlock with the upper helmet portion 11 , the two helmet portions being secured together vertically by screws 26 . the helmet portion 25 defines a flat portion 27 which registers with grid area 13 and contacts the lower sides of the battery packs 14 , 15 thereby securing the battery packs in place . as indicated , the front area of the helmet 25 defines the enclosure 20 into which the front facing led array 22 is mounted . the led array 22 is driven through the circuit board 16 from the battery packs 14 and 15 as shown in fig4 , similarly to the led array 17 and the circuit of fig4 , which will be described , infra . fig3 – 5 show an on - off switch 28 connected to the circuit board 16 and circuit of this invention . fig3 also shows a charging outlet pin 29 for the battery packs 14 and 15 , the charging pin being adjacent to the on - off switch 28 . the batteries also may be removed for recharging or replacement . an integrally formed , reinforcing wrap - around section 11 a on the helmet portion 11 defines bores 30 coinciding with bores ( not shown ) in the helmet portion 25 through which pass screws 31 which horizontally secure the helmet portions 11 and 25 together . the screws 26 and 31 thereby secure the helmet portions 11 and 25 both vertically and horizontally . if desired , an edge liner 25 a of injection molded polypropylene may be employed to engage the edges between the helmet portions 11 and 25 , and thereby effect additional securement between the two helmets . as shown in fig3 , a protective foam head enclosure 32 such as constructed from polyurethane or polystyrene foam is provided to cushion the wearer &# 39 ; s head from impact against the much harder abs plastic materials of both the helmet portions 11 and 25 . similar bores ( not shown ) in the head enclosure 32 register with the bores 30 and enable the helmet portions 11 and 25 and the head enclosure to be secured together using the screws 31 . the circuit shown in fig4 and 5 enables a relatively long and uniform battery power output before charging is required . the lithium ion batteries jp 1 and jp 3 shown in fig4 and 5 each deliver about 6600 milliamps at 7 . 2 volts and are isolated from each other by a diode d 3 . when the on - off switch 28 ( fig3 ) is turned on at jp 1 , the batteries jp 1 and jp 3 will turn on a comparator such as an op amp comparator jp 2 , e . g . an lm358 . the comparator jp 2 shows a direct coupled amplifier configuration driven from the battery jp 1 through transistors pnp q 1 and npn q 2 , and through the coupling resistance r 7 to the input pin 1 of jp 2 . resistances r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 6 / r 4 respectively will protect a zener d 1 , q 1 , r 5 - jp 2 and led arrays d 2 ( 17 , 22 ) from excessive current / voltage . battery power from jp 3 is applied to the voltage divider r 5 and then to pin 2 of jp 2 , while pins 3 , 4 of jp 2 are both at ground . obviously , the op amp comparator jp 2 is driven by both batteries jp 1 and jp 3 . capacitor c 1 and resistance r 8 are both grounded , and provide ripple filtering , and r 8 also shunts voltage from pin 3 of the jp 2 to the zener d 1 . jp 2 ( at pin 8 ) also drives the zener which functions as a shunt to maintain the load voltage constant for changing current / voltage variations due to running down of the batteries . in the reverse conduction condition as shown , the zener d 1 also reduces ripple voltage . when the switch 28 ( fig3 ) is turned on at jp 1 , and voltage from the voltage divider r 5 exceeds the pin 3 reference voltage , the comparator jp 2 ( lm358 ) will turn on , and hence transistors q 1 and q 2 ( driven from jp 1 and jp 3 ) will then turn on the led arrays d 2 ( 17 , 22 ). typically , the lumen output of the present device for about 93 leds is about 4000 mcd @ 20 milliamps for 5 – 5½ hours using 7 . 2 volt batteries . moreover , the device of this invention frees up the wearer &# 39 ; s hands when viewing an operating field , especially in an emergency situation . it will be appreciated that while a zener diode is preferred for use in the circuit described , other semiconductor devices with similar turn - on characteristics may be utilized , and they are described in the “ scr manual , including triacs and other thyristors ” sixth edition , 1979 by general electric , and incorporated herein , by reference . additionally , the circuit of this invention may be employed for illuminating purposes other than in a helmet , such as an led array in a flashlight ; to function as a traffic signal ; as an led turn on device used with an alarm detection system ; and so forth .	0
identical element or elements of identical function are shown with the same reference characters in all the figures . the diagrams in the figures are schematic and not necessarily to scale . without restricting its generality , the computed tomography device 11 is only examined below to the extent that this is deemed necessary for an understanding of the invention . the computed tomography device 11 shown in fig4 has a gantry 12 with a stationary part 13 and a part 14 that can be rotated about a system axis 15 . in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention the rotatable part 14 has an x - ray system , which comprises an x - ray radiation source 16 and an x - ray radiation detector 17 , which are disposed opposite one another on the rotatable part 14 . during operation of the computed tomography device 11 x - ray radiation 18 is emitted from the x - ray radiation source 16 in the direction of the x - ray radiation detector 17 , penetrates a measurement object and is detected by the x - ray radiation detector 17 in the form of measurement data or measurement signals . the computed tomography device 11 also has a patient couch 19 to support a patient p to be examined . the patient couch 19 comprises a couch base 20 , on which a patient support plate 21 provided to actually support the patient p is disposed . the patient support plate 21 can be moved relative to the couch base 20 in the direction of the system axis 15 in such a manner that it can be introduced , together with the patient p , into the opening 22 of the gantry 12 for the recording of 2d x - ray projections of the patient p , e . g . during a spiral scan . the computational processing of the 2d x - ray projections recorded using the x - ray system and the reconstruction of slice images , 3d images or a 3d data record based on the measurement data or measurement signals of the 2d x - ray projections take place using a schematically illustrated image computer 23 of the computed tomography device 11 . the computed tomography device 11 also has a computing unit 24 , which can be and is used to execute computing programs to operate and control the computed tomography device 11 . the computing unit 24 does not have to be configured as a separate computing unit 24 here but can also be integrated in the computed tomography device 11 . in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention a computing program 25 is loaded into the computing unit 24 , which implements the inventive method for performing a dynamic ct examination on a patient p . the computing program 25 here represents a specific operating mode for the computed tomography device 11 and can be loaded into the computing unit 24 from a portable data medium , for example from a cd 26 or memory stick , or even from a server 27 via a network 28 , which may be a public or internal clinic or hospital network . for a dynamic ct examination of the patient p according to the invention , for example for a dynamic ct examination of the body region of the patient p containing the liver using contrast agent , in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention a diaphragm 30 is assigned to the x - ray radiation source 16 , the diaphragm 30 having two diaphragm elements or diaphragm blades 31 and 32 , which can be moved in the two directions of the system axis 15 . the movement of the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 can be brought about by one or more electric drives ( not shown ), which are activated at least indirectly by the computing unit 25 . during the dynamic ct examination of the body region of the patient p containing the liver , a scan region s is first defined in the direction of the system axis 15 , in which x - ray projections of the body region of the patient p are recorded from different directions over approx . 50 seconds . the scan region s , when viewed in the direction of the system axis 15 , is larger than the width b of the x - ray radiation detector 17 . in order to be able to record x - ray projections from the entire scan region s periodically , the patient support plate 21 must be moved forward and back periodically between a first end position e 1pl and a second end position e 2pl . if in this process the x - ray radiation detector 17 were covered continuously over its entire width b when viewed in the direction of the system axis 15 by the x - ray radiation beam 18 originating from the x - ray radiation source 16 , a relatively high dose of x - ray radiation would be applied to the patient p in the central body section of the body region to be scanned or examined , since a sort of over - scanning would take place there , without being able to use the additional information usefully . for this reason the diaphragm elements 31 , 32 of the diaphragm 30 are moved by a program controller counter to the patient support plate 21 in the direction of the system axis 15 from a first end position e 1diaphragm into a second end position e 2diaphragm . the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 here have a selectable opening width w when viewed in the direction of the system axis 15 , so that , when it strikes the x - ray radiation detector 17 , when viewed in the direction of the system axis 15 , the x - ray radiation beam 18 originating from the x - ray radiation source 16 only covers part of the detector surface of the x - ray radiation detector 17 . as the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 are being moved and x - ray projections are being recorded , the opening width w remains constant . the patient support plate 21 and the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 are moved by a program controller in opposite directions relative to one another so that , as the patient support plate 21 is being moved from its first end position e 1pl into its second end position e 2pl and at the same time the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 are being moved from their first end position e 1diaphragm into their second end position e 2diaphragm , the x - ray radiation beam 18 covers the x - ray radiation detector 17 completely when viewed in the direction of the system axis 15 . to this end the movement speeds for the patient support plate 21 and the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 should be selected or set correspondingly inter alia as a function of the size of the scan region s , the opening width w of the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 and the width b of the x - ray radiation detector 17 when viewed in the direction of the system axis 15 . these settings are assisted by the computing program 25 , which preferably also has a graphical user interface , which can be displayed on the display apparatus of the computing unit 24 . in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention the x - ray radiation source 16 is an x - ray tube 16 with a spring focus . in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention the x - ray tube 16 has two focuses f 1 and f 2 offset in the direction of the system axis 15 . this makes it possible , as the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 are being moved in the direction of the system axis 15 , to move the respectively active focus , used to generate x - ray radiation , likewise in the direction of the system axis 15 , in order to be able to generate an appropriate x - ray radiation beam 18 for the scan . the sequence of the dynamic ct examination is illustrated in fig5 to 8 for four time points of a periodic movement . fig5 shows the initial situation , in which the patient support plate 21 is in its first end position e 1pl and the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 are in their first end position e 1diaphragm . in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention the opening width w of the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 is selected so that approximately a quarter of the detector surface of the x - ray radiation detector 17 is covered by the x - ray radiation beam 18 originating from the focus f 1 of the x - ray tube 16 . therefore with this configuration only part of the body region of the patient p to be scanned is penetrated by the x - ray radiation beam 18 . the patient support plate 21 is now moved first in the direction of the arrow a and the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 are moved in the opposite direction at the same time in the direction of the arrow b . fig6 shows the arrangement from fig5 at a time point , when the patient support plate 17 has been moved a little in the direction of the arrow a and the diaphragm blades have been moved a little in the direction of the arrow b . fig7 shows the arrangement from fig5 at a time point when the change from focus f 1 to focus f 2 has taken place , so that the focus follows the movement of the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 . fig8 shows the arrangement from fig5 at a time point when the patient support plate 17 has reached its end position e 2pl and the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 have reached their end position e 2diaphragm . the end position e 2pl is also the reversal point for the movement of the patient support plate 17 , which now moves in the direction of the arrow b . the end position e 2diaphragm is correspondingly the reversal point for the movement of the diaphragm blades 31 , 32 , which now move in the direction of the arrow a , therefore once again counter to the patient support plate 21 . to this extent the sequence is now reversed ( see also fig8 to fig5 ). the end positions e 1pi and e 1diaphragm also represent reversal points for the movements . while the patient support plate 21 and the diaphragm blades are moved forward and back periodically between their end positions , x - ray projections of the body region of the patient p to be examined are recorded continuously with the rotatable part 14 rotating about the patient p , from which projections slice images are preferably reconstructed with the aid of the image computer 23 . since the slice images generally follow one another in time , the liver can be displayed in different phases produced by the contrast agent , as described above . it can be seen from fig5 to 8 that as a result of the inventive method no over - scanning takes place in the central body region of the body region of the patient p to be examined or scanned , so that a smaller dose of x - ray radiation is applied to the patient p than with a scan , in which only the patient support plate is moved periodically between its end positions with the x - ray radiation detector being covered completely with each x - ray projection ( see also fig3 ). the dose profile d shown in fig9 is also more homogeneous . the simultaneous movement of patient support plate 21 and diaphragm blades 31 , 32 also means that a higher scan speed is achieved than with the movement of the patient support plate 21 alone . also , to achieve the same scan speed as with the method in which only the patient support plate is moved , the speed of the patient support plate can be reduced as a result of the opposing movement of the diaphragm blades , so that the patient is also exposed to slower acceleration speeds to reach the respective speed . since the movement and positioning of the diaphragm blades can take place very quickly , dynamically triggered heart recordings are also possibly with the inventive method . for these the patient is moved forward and back with the patient support plate between two end positions according to his / her heart rate . if variations occur in the patient &# 39 ; s heart rate , which , due to the inertia of the patient support plate , cannot be compensated for by a corresponding change in the movement speed of the patient support plate , the movement speed of the diaphragm blades is matched to the changed heart rate instead , in order to achieve the desired triggering during the recording of x - ray projections . it is clear from this that the movement speeds of the patient support plate and the diaphragm blades do not have to be constant but can vary or be matched to the recording situation . in contrast to the described exemplary embodiment of the invention the focus of the x - ray radiation source does not necessarily have to be a spring focus . the x - ray radiation source can therefore also have just one stationary focus . the described embodiment of the invention should generally only be considered to be exemplary . in particular settings such as the opening width of the diaphragm blades , the scan region , etc . can also be selected differently . although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art , it is the intention of the inventors to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution to the art .	0
exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings . in the following description , a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein has been omitted for clarity and conciseness . fig6 is an internal schematic diagram of a data receiver for mpe - fec in a mobile broadcasting receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig6 the receiver is equal in structure to the conventional receiver of fig3 , and a detailed description of the equal parts will not be given herein . a datagram extractor 613 , unlike a conventional extractor , uses an interface scheme which immediately transmits an ip datagram to an application controller upon detecting that the ip datagram determined that there is no error by detecting a crc included in a mpe - fec section as a result of the mpe - fec processing . however , if it is determined that there is an error in the burst , the datagram extractor 613 acquires error - corrected ip datagrams by performing a mpe - fec rs decoding process , so as to selectively transmit the parts untransmitted to the ap chip . a viterbi decoded signal is input to a rs decoder 311 after undergoing a convolutional deinterleaver ( not shown ), and converted into a ts packet therein . as described in fig3 , the process of ofdm demodulation , viterbi decoding , and convolutional deinterleaving is called a “ preprocessing process .” the ts packet is input to a checker 312 and the datagram extractor 613 . then the checker 312 receives ts packets , detects sections of them , and performs crc check thereon , thereby verifying reliability of ip datagrams which are payloads in the sections . the datagram extractor 613 , before it stores the ip datagram reliability - verified by the crc check in a buffer 314 which stores the mpe - fec data , transmits the ip datagram to an application controller 612 via a datagram controller 611 , thereby removing an unnecessary waiting time and reducing a processing time . in addition , in order to correct an error of an error - included section by the crc , the datagram extractor 613 stores the mpe - fec data in the buffer 314 for storing the mpe - fec data , so that the ip datagram part of the error - included section undergoes error or erasure processing by the crc . thereafter , a datagram including an error , as a result of crc check in one burst , is error - corrected by a mpe - fec rs decoder 315 , and then delivered to the application controller 612 via the datagram controller 611 . the datagram controller 611 selects datagrams to be transmitted to the application controller 612 . the datagram controller 611 first transmits ip datagrams with the crc =‘ good ’ among the datagrams to be transmitted from the datagram extractor 613 to the application controller 612 , and for an ip datagram part with crc =‘ bad ’, the datagram controller 611 receives the output of the mpe - fec rs decoder 315 and transmits it to the application controller 612 . if one datagram is divided into several sections during its transmission , the datagram controller 611 transmits the sections to the application controller 612 in units of datagrams using a section number “ section_number ” and a last section number “ last_section_number ” included in a mpe section header . herein , because the last section number means the number of sections constituting one datagram and the section number means a position of a received section in the datagram , it is possible to find out the datagram from the section using the section number and the last section number . therefore , if there is an error - included (“ crc = bad ”) section among the sections constituting one datagram as a result of the crc check , the datagram controller 611 transmits the datagram to the application controller 612 after performing the mpe - fec decoding thereon using the rs decoder 315 , instead of directly transmitting the datagram to the application controller 612 . for example , assume that a burst composed of 10 mpe - fec sections is received . also , assume that the mpe - fec sections are individually allocated numbers 1 to 10 in their received order , and errors have occurred in the 3 rd and 7 th sections . in this case , the conventional receiver transmits the sections to the application controller of the mobile broadcasting receiver in the following manner . here , the receiver stores the sections in the buffer 314 , which is a mpe - fec memory , error - corrects the sections using the rs decoder , which is a second decoder , and sequentially transmits the sections with section numbers 1 to 10 . however , the new receiver according to the present invention immediately transmits the crc =‘ good ’ sections with section numbers 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 and 10 to the application controller , upon detecting them . the receiver transmits the 3 rd and 7 th error correction - required sections to the application controller 612 after error correction using the rs decoder 315 . therefore , as the signal quality is higher , the amount of data immediately transmitted to the application controller 612 after being decoded in the first rs decoder 311 in the baseband channel chip increases , thereby contributing to a reduction in the time required for transmitting all datagrams to the application controller 612 . fig7 and 8 show two processing timing diagrams for a mpe - fec processing scheme applied to a mobile broadcasting terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . fig7 illustrates a timing diagram for a crc =‘ good ’ channel environment and , conversely , fig8 illustrates a timing diagram for a crc =‘ bad ’ channel environment . in duration 701 , as described above and illustrated in fig7 , the receiver converts an rf signal into a baseband signal and performs an ofdm synchronization process thereon before the burst , in order to receive one burst . in a dvb - h system supporting ca , the receiver should receive an entitlement control message ( ecm ) before the burst . therefore , at time 701 , the receiver receives an rf signal , performs an ofdm synchronization process thereon , and receives and decodes an ecm for conditional access . the receiver receives data transmitted in the burst and performs ofdm modulation thereon in duration 702 , performs viterbi decoding in duration 703 , and performs an rs decoding process in duration 704 . the time required for this is approximately 10 ms . however , because the new receiver outputs the datagram to the application controller 612 for the crc =‘ good ’ data , data is output in duration 707 . in addition , because there is no crc error in fig7 , datagrams are directly input to the application controller without being stored in the buffer . therefore , the duration 707 and the duration 705 are the same time duration . if , however , there is a crc error , the datagrams should undergo mpe - fec decoding in duration 706 . here , because it is assumed in fig7 that there is no error , the receiver , upon expiration of the duration 707 , can immediately perform audio / video decoding in the application controller 612 without mpe - fec decoding in the duration 706 , thereby providing the service . therefore , the new receiver in the present invention , compared with the conventional receiver , rapidly delivers the datagrams to the application processor 612 , thereby reducing the total processing time . particularly , in the good - channel environment where a signal - to - noise ratio ( snr ) is high , if the crc check result is ‘ good ’ in all sections as shown in fig7 , the datagrams detected in all sections output from the first rs decoder 311 are delivered to the application controller 612 in their received order , so there is no need to activate the second rs decoder 315 . therefore , in the conventionally required delay time of “ 200 × n + 25 ” ms except for the 10 - ms processing time required until section detection , the 25 - ms time for mpe - fec decoding is not required , and if the crc check result is ‘ good ’ after completion of the crc check in 1 - burst duration , the receiver immediately transmits datagrams increasing the data processing time , thereby contributing to a noticeable reduction in the channel switching time . in particular , as the number n of parallel services increases , the reduction effect of the processing time increases , thereby further increasing the reduction effect of the channel switching time . for example , assuming that the receiver supports five ( 5 ) parallel services per burst , the use of the existing mpe - fec processing method causes a delay time of about 1 second , but the proposed mpe - fec processing method in the present invention decreases by about 1 second the channel switching time because it does not need the delay time in the good - channel environment . fig8 illustrates the case where the snr is low ( i . e . the number of crc =‘ bad ’ sections increases .). duration 801 of fig8 is equal to the duration 701 of fig7 , duration 802 is equal to the duration 702 , duration 803 is equal to the duration 703 , and duration 804 is equal to the duration 704 . however , because there are the crc =‘ bad ’ sections according to the crc check result , the receiver should store the crc =‘ bad ’ sections and the crc =‘ good ’ sections in the buffer 314 , perform an error correction on the stored sections , and then output the resulting sections to the application controller 612 . therefore , the time 807 required for the outputting datagrams to the application controller 612 is longer than that of fig7 . for example , if the channel condition is poor , the amount of error - corrected datagrams increases . the present invention provides two processing methods for the case where there are the crc =‘ bad ’ sections . one method delivers only the crc =‘ good ’ sections to the application controller 612 and performs the a / v mpeg decoding thereon . another method delivers the crc =‘ good ’ sections and the error - corrected datagrams to the application controller 612 and performs the a / v mpeg decoding thereon . in the former method , because it delivers only the crc =‘ good ’ sections to the application controller 612 , as the snr is lower , the number of sections delivered to the application controller 612 decreases , causing a reduction in performance after mpeg decoding . therefore , this method may suffer from image degradation , but can contribute to a reduction in the channel switching time . however , the latter method can improve the a / v mpeg decoding performance even in the low - snr environment , because error - corrected datagrams are delivered to the application controller 612 in the baseband channel chip after the crc =‘ good ’ sections are first delivered to the application controller 612 . for example , fig8 shows the second exemplary method which can facilitate improvement in the image quality , but increases in the channel switching time compared with the former method . however , compared with the conventional method , this method has the same image quality but can advantageously reduce the channel switching time . in addition , the new method has a sufficient processing time for data transmission to the chip constituting the application controller 612 , thereby reducing the operation speed and thus reducing power consumption . in particular , the new method increases the reduction effect of the channel switching time , as the snr is higher and the number of parallel services is greater . fig9 is a flow diagram illustrating mpe - fec signal processing in a mobile broadcasting terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . an rf unit ( not shown ) of a receiver receives a burst signal in step 900 , wherein m is set to 1 ( m = 1 ). thereafter , an rs decoder 311 of the receiver performs the rs decoding in units of ts packets in step 902 . in step 904 , a checker 312 of the receiver detects an m th section , checks the crc thereof , and outputs the crc result . based on the crc check result on the detected m th section , received from the checker 312 , a datagram extractor 613 of the receiver determines in step 906 whether the crc check result of the section is ‘ good ’. if it is determined that the crc check result is not ‘ good ’, the datagram extractor 613 proceeds to step 910 . otherwise , the datagram extractor 613 proceeds to step 908 . in step 908 , the datagram extractor 613 of the receiver transmits a datagram with a section header and crc excluded therefrom to an application controller 612 via a datagram controller 611 . however , when the datagram extractor 613 proceeds to step 910 because the crc check result is not ‘ good ’, the datagram extractor 613 buffers the datagrams in a buffer 314 . thereafter , the datagram extractor 613 of the receiver determines in step 912 whether the current section is at the end of the burst . if it is determined that the current section is at the end of the burst , i . e . if the current section is an end of the data transmitted by the time slicing technique as described in fig1 , the datagram extractor 613 proceeds to step 916 . otherwise , the datagram extractor 613 proceeds to step 914 where it increases the value m by 1 and then repeats the above process from step 904 . after proceeding to step 916 , the datagram controller 611 determines whether there is any datagram untransmitted to the application controller 612 , by checking section numbers . if it is determined that there is an untransmitted datagram ( s ), i . e . if there is data to be decoded by a rs decoder 315 as there is a crc =‘ bad ’ section , the datagram controller 611 error - corrects the crc =‘ bad ’ datagram using the rs decoder 315 in step 918 , and transmits the untransmitted datagram to the application controller 612 in step 920 . however , there is no datagram untransmitted to the application controller 612 , the application controller 612 ends the routine and waits for the next burst . the mpe - fec processing scheme of the present invention , unlike the conventional scheme of delivering sections in their received order , preferentially delivers a datagram of a crc =‘ good ’ section to the application controller 612 . therefore , for the datagrams delivered to the application controller 612 , there is a need for an additional process of reordering the datagrams . a description thereof will be made below with reference to fig1 . in an upper layer signal processing process , the application controller 612 performs reordering in one datagram taking the order of data included in a realtime transport protocol ( rtp ) header . therefore , the application controller 612 has no additional load , even though the proposed mpe - fec scheme is applied thereto . in particular , because the application controller 612 has a processing delay time that should be secured for synchronization datagrams through which audio and video are transmitted , it is possible to prevent an additional processing delay time by performing the reordering for the time . fig1 is a flow diagram illustrating an operation performed in an application controller during mpe - fec processing in a mobile broadcasting terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in step 1000 , an application controller 612 detects an rtp header from a received datagram and detects order of the datagram . thereafter , in step 1002 , the application controller 612 reorders the datagrams accorder to their orders and stores the reordered datagrams . because this process is performed depending on the rtp headers , the application controller 612 has no additional processing delay time and / or no additional load as described above . in step 1004 , the application controller 612 sets synchronization . the synchronization setting process matches synchronizations of audio and video data . in step 1006 , the application controller 612 performs mpeg decoding and outputs the decoded data to a corresponding output unit . that is , as for an audio signal , the application controller 612 outputs the audio signal through a speaker ( not shown ), and as for a video signal , the application controller 612 outputs the video signal through a display device ( not shown ) such as a monitor or a liquid crystal display ( lcd ). because the reordering process performed in the application controller 612 is for reordering orders of the error - corrected datagrams , the amount of the error - corrected datagrams noticeably decreases in the higher - snr environment , thus reducing the amount of datagrams to be reordered . as can be understood from the foregoing description , the use of the new mpe - fec processing scheme in the present invention can reduce the channel switching time at the dvb - h receiver . in particular , the reduction effect of the channel switching time increases , as the snr is higher and as the number of parallel services is greater . in addition , the number of required calculations decreases in a higher - snr environment , contributing to a decrease in power consumption of the channel chip . furthermore , as the proposed adaptive processing technique uses a distributed processing scheme for preferentially transmitting the crc =‘ good ’ sections to the application controller , it has a sufficient data processing time , thereby reducing the operation speed and thus reducing power consumption . in addition , the proposed method is equal to the existing method in terms of the demodulation performance , while reducing the channel switching time and the power consumption . while the invention has been shown and described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .	8
with reference to the accompanying drawings , the present invention will now be explained in more detail . fig1 shows a schematic diagram in explanation of an agglutination immunoassay system of the present invention . reference numeral 10 shows a microtiter plate including a number of wells . in the microtiter plate 10 , for example , there are provided 96 wells in an 8 × 12 matrix , that is , 8 wells in the direction y , and 12 wells in the direction x . a number of the microtiter plates 10 , with a test sample being injected into each well thereof , are held in a supply stack 12 in a supply station a . the microtiter plates 10 are successively transported one by one to a pipetting station b where an agglutination reagent is pipetted into each well of the microtiter plate 10 . more specifically , a pipetting unit 14 is moved onto each well of the microtiter plate 10 by driving means ( not shown ), and a predetermined amount of the reagent is successively added to each of the wells of the microtiter plate 10 . when it is supposed that the direction vertical or normal to the plane of this figure is x ( not shown ), and the direction normal to the direction x is y , a first well in the first column of the microtiter plate 10 is positioned right under the pipetting unit 14 , and the reagent is pipetted into the first well . the pipetting unit 14 is then successively moved in the direction x and the reagent is successively pipetted into the wells in the first column of the microtiter plate 10 . the microtiter plate 10 is then moved in the direction y in such a manner that the second column in the microtiter plate 10 comes right under the pipetting unit 14 . the reagent is successively pipetted into the wells in the second column of the microtiter plate 10 by the pipetting unit 14 in the same manner as mentioned above . the same operation is repeated so that the reagent is pipetted into all of the wells of the microtiter plate 10 . this reagent comprises magnetic - material containing particles having immobilized thereon an antigen or antibody which specifically binds to the desired analyte . therefore , by detecting the presence or absence of an immune reaction when this reagent is mixed with a test sample , the presence or absence of an antibody or antigen in the test sample is detected . furthermore , since the particles in this reagent contains a magnetic material such as ferrite , magnetic force has an effect on the particles . an example of a test sample that can be employed in the present invention is a diluted blood serum to check whether or not a specific antibody is present therein . the amount of such a test sample is , for example , about 25 μl , and the amount of the reagent is also about 25 μl . when the addition of the reagent to all the wells of the microtiter plate 10 has been finished , the microtiter plate 10 is then transported to an agitation station c , which comprises vibration means 16 . the microtiter plate 10 is vibrated by the vibration means 16 , so that the mixing of the reagent pipetted in the pipetting station b and the test sample is promoted . in an example of the present invention , the agitation is performed for about 5 minutes to secure the occurrence of an immune reaction . the microtiter plate 10 is transported to the agitation station c from the supply station a , for instance , by a transport belt ( not shown ) to which the microtiter plate 10 is attached thereto through a holder ( not shown ). when the agitation of the reagent and the test sample is finished in the agitation station c , the microtiter plate 10 is then transported to a magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d , passing over an inclination station e and an imaging station f . in the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d , there is provided a vertically movable magnetic plate 18 including magnets , which are disposed right under each well of the microtiter plate 10 , so that the magnetic - material containing particles in the mixture of the reagent and the test sample are magnetically precipitated to the bottom of each well . in the microtiter plate 10 for use in the present invention , each well thereof has a circular - cone - shaped or v - shaped bottom ( hereinafter referred to as v - shaped bottom ), so that the particles are magnetically precipitated on the lowermost portion in the center of the v - shaped bottom of each well . when such magnetic precipitation occurs , the precipitated particles in each well appear as a black spot when viewed form above or from under the well . such magnetic precipitation is carried out by positioning the microtiter plate 10 on the magnetic plate 18 for about 1 minute . when this magnetic precipitation has been finished , the microtiter plate 10 is then transported back to the inclination station e , which is positioned adjacent to the agitation station c . in the inclination station e , the microtiter plate 10 is allowed to stand at an inclination , for example , at an inclination of 60 °, for about 2 minutes . the precipitated particles are caused to flow along the bottom of the well under the influence of gravity . however , the degree or state of the flow of the precipitated particles largely depends upon whether or not an immune reaction has occurred . more specifically , when the desired analyte , that is , an antibody or antigen , is present in the test sample and an immune reaction occurs between the analyte and the sensitized magnetic - material containing particles in the reagent , the analyte and the sensitized magnetic - material containing particles agglutinate together . the agglutinated particles are precipitated by the application of magnetic force thereto . the thus precipitated particles relatively firmly agglutinate together so that even when the particles are allowed to stand at an inclination , the particles hardly flow along the bottom of the well even under the influence of gravity . in sharp contrast to this , when no immune reaction occurs , the above - mentioned agglutination reaction does not occur . therefore the precipitated particles are associated very weakly and loosely so that when the particles are allowed to stand at an inclination , the particles readily flow along the bottom of the well under the influence of gravity . therefore , when there occurs no immune reaction , that is , when the desired antibody or antigen is not present in the test sample , the particles form a long and narrow spindle - shaped developed pattern when allowed to stand at an inclination . in this case , even when the well is inclined , it does not occur that the particles flow out of the well because of the surface tension of the liquid containing the particles therein and also because of the small size of the well . the thus formed spindle - shaped developed pattern , once formed , is not readily returned to its original shape even when the well is returned to its original horizontal position . thus , after the microtiter plate 10 is allowed to stand at an inclination for a predetermined period of time , the microtiter plate 10 is transported to the imaging station f . in the imaging station f , there are provided a ccd camera 20 serving as an imaging device below the microtiter plate 10 , and a lighting device 22 above the microtiter plate 10 . the microtiter plate 10 is moved between the ccd camera 20 and the lighting device 22 . in the example shown in fig1 the microtiter plate 10 is intermittently moved by a pitch corresponding to the diameter of the well in the direction y in the imaging station f , whereby the image of the developed pattern of the precipitated particles is determined in each well of the microtiter plate 10 is taken by the ccd camera and output therefrom as image signals . the thus output image signals corresponding to the image of the developed pattern of the precipitated particles in each well are subjected to data processing by a data processing apparatus ( not shown ) and analyzed , whereby whether or not the suspected antigen or antibody is present in the test sample in accordance with the developed pattern of the sensitized magnetic - material containing particles . normally , the moving pitch of the microtiter plate 10 is the same in the directions of both x and y . the lighting device 22 comprises a cold cathode tube 22a and a diffuser plate 22b for achieving uniform lighting free from flickering . when the imaging operation is thus finished , the microtiter plate 10 is again moved onto the magnetic plate 18 in the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d . a recovery stack 24 is provided above the magnetic plate 18 . the microtiter plate 10 placed on the magnetic plate 18 is recovered and placed into the recovery stack 24 by moving the magnetic plate 10 upward . thus , in this example , the magnetic plate 18 is disposed below the recovery stack 24 , and the microtiter plate 10 can be recovered into the recovery stack 24 by the magnetic plate 18 as mentioned above . in the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d , both the precipitation of the magnetic - material containing particles by the application of magnetic force and the recovery of the microtiter plate 10 can be performed , thereby minimizing the size and space of the agglutination immunoassay system . furthermore , in this agglutination immunoassay system , the supply stack 12 and the recovery stack 24 are disposed at the opposite ends of this system , so that the supply and recovery of microtiter plates can be smoothly performed easily and automatically , and the supply stack 12 and the recovery stack 24 can also be easily and automatically exchanged with another supply stack and recovery stack , respectively . fig2 is a perspective external view of an apparatus incorporating the above - mentioned agglutination immunoassay system . reference symbol a indicates the supply station a ; reference symbol b , the pipetting station b ; reference symbol c , the agitation station c ; reference symbol e , the inclination station ; reference symbol f , the imaging station ; and reference symbol d , the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station . in front of the pipetting station b , there is provided a reagent table 30 on which a reagent bottle 32 is placed . the pipetting unit 14 sucks a predetermined amount of a reagent from the reagent bottle 32 and insects a predetermined amount of the reagent into each well of the microtiter plate 10 . on the front left side of this apparatus , there is provided an operation panel 34 for various operations , and on the front right side , there is also provided a printer 36 for printing out the results of the assays conducted . fig3 is a block diagram of the functions of the apparatus shown in fig2 . a control section 40 is connected to the operation panel 34 and controls various actions of this apparatus . more specifically , a drive section 44 which serves as a microtiter plate driving mechanism is controlled by a controller 42 , so that the microtiter plate 10 is transported to a predetermined position . furthermore , a drive section 48 which serves as an imaging device moving mechanism is controlled through a controller 46 , so that the movement of the ccd camera 20 is controlled . a control section 40 controls the timing for fetching image data from each well into the ccd camera 20 . an image data memory 52 and a data processing section 50 , serving as a shape detection section as well as a judging section , are connected to the ccd camera 20 , and process the image data from the ccd camera 20 and judge whether or not an immune reaction has occurred . the results of the judgement are output by the printer 36 . an image memory 52 stores the image data with a capacity of storing image data for at least one well . with reference to fig4 the imaging operation at the imaging station f will now be explained . first of all , it is confirmed whether or not the microtiter plate 10 and the ccd camera 20 are positioned at the respective starting positions by step s1 . when it is confirmed that the microtiter plate 10 and the ccd camera 20 are positioned at the respective starting positions , the microtiter plate 10 is moved in the direction y in such a manner that the wells in the first column in the microtiter plate 10 are positioned right above a predetermined track of the ccd camera 20 by step s2 . the ccd camera 20 is then moved in the direction x in such a manner that the first well comes right above the ccd camera 20 by step s3 . in this state , the image data of the first well is fetched into the data processing section 50 through the image memory 52 by step s4 . the thus fetched image data is processed by the data processing section 50 as will be explained later , so that judgement is made as to whether or not an immune reaction has occurred . when the fetching of the image data for the first well has been finished , detection is made as to whether or not the ccd camera 20 is positioned at the last well in the first column in the microtiter plate 10 in the direction x . when the ccd camera 20 has not yet reached the final well , the operation is returned to step s3 , so that the ccd camera 20 is moved by one pitch in the direction x up to the next well in the first column of the microtiter plate 10 . as a result , the second well in the first column of the microtiter plate 10 is positioned right above the ccd camera 20 . in this state , the image data of the second well is fetched into the image memory 52 through the data processing section 50 and processed by the data processing section 50 , so that judgement is made as to whether or not an immune reaction has occurred , in the same manner as in step s4 . the same step as mentioned above is repeated . when the fetching and processing of the image data for all the wells in the first column in the direction x are finished , the operation is moved onto step s5 at which yes is attained . it is then judged whether or not the ccd camera 20 is at the last well in the direction y by step s6 . when the ccd camera 20 has not yet reached the last well in the direction y , the moving direction of the ccd camera 20 is reversed ( x =- x ) by step s7 . thus , the operation is returned to step s2 . at that moment , the microtiter plate 10 is moved by one pitch in the direction x , and the fetching and processing of image data are repeated in the same manner as in steps s3 to s5 . when the successive fetching and processing of the image data for all the wells in the microtiter plate 10 are finished , the operation is moved onto step s6 at which yes is attained , so that the fetching of all the image data for one microtiter plate 10 is completed . more specifically , as illustrated in fig5 when the ccd camera 20 is moved in the direction x and comes to the last well in the direction x , the microtiter plate 10 is moved by one pitch in the direction x . this operation is repeated , so that the image data for all the wells in the microtiter plate 10 are fetched . when the magnetic - material containing particles are precipitated at the bottom of the well and allowed to stand at an inclination , the precipitated particles may flow along the bottom of the well under the influence of gravity to form a long and narrow spindle - shaped developed pattern . a microtiter plate in general use includes a number of wells , for instance , 96 wells ( 8 wells in direction x and 12 wells in direction y ). however , if the image data for all the wells is obtained by one imaging shot , the differences in the shot angle with respect to each well in one microtiter plate cannot be ignored , in particular , with respect to the wells in the peripheral portions of the microtiter plate . the result is that the flowing direction of the precipitated magnetic - material containing particles in each well , when viewed from one imaging device , differs depending upon the location of the well in the microtiter plate . accordingly , the length of the developed pattern of the flowed particles in each well is also differently observed depending upon the location of the well . thus , the shape of the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles cannot be precisely detected or observed by a conventional apparatus using such a single imaging device . in sharp contrast , in the present invention , image data or image signals are independently obtained from each well by an imaging device , so that the problems caused by the difference of the shot angle can be completely eliminated , and therefore the shape of the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles can be accurately detected . with reference to fig6 to 9 , how the occurrence of an immune reaction is detected by processing the image data fetched into the data precessing section 50 from each well one by one will now be explained . with reference to fig6 the image data from one well is fetched by step s11 . in this example of the present invention , the quantity of image data that can be obtained by the ccd camera 20 from the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles in each well is 512 × 128 pixels , with 256 gradations of lightness from 0 to 255 . the smaller the value , the smaller the transparency or the greater the darkness . the value &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; is black . as mentioned previously , when the magnetic - material containing particles are precipitated at the bottom of the well and allowed to stand at an inclination , a spindle - shaped developed pattern of the precipitated particles is formed , with an axis extending in the same direction as that of the inclination , for instance , as shown in fig7 ( a ). this axis is referred to as the axis of the developed pattern of precipitated particles . the position of this axis is calculated and determined by step s12 . when the microtiter plate at an inclination is returned to a horizontal position for imaging the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles by the ccd camera 20 , the above - mentioned axis of the developed pattern of precipitated particles is also horizontal extending in the same as that the direction y in which the precipitated particles have flowed , the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles is imaged by the ccd camera 20 , with the flowed , precipitated particles being positioned in such a horizontal position . from the image signals obtained by the ccd camera 20 , for instance , data of 32 lines with intervals of 16 pixels perpendicular to the horizontal direction y , are picked up and a black portion in the developed pattern is determined . the center of each of the perpendicular lines in the black portion is calculated , and the average of the values of the calculated centers is obtained , whereby the above - mentioned axis of the developed pattern of the precipitated particles is calculated and determined . the axis of the developed pattern may also be obtained by the method of least squares . after the axis of the developed pattern of the precipitated particles is thus determined , for example , four horizontal lines which are above and parallel to the axis of the developed pattern of the precipitated particles , and another four horizontal lines which are below the axis and parallel to the axis are selected . thus , a total of nine horizontal lines including the axis are selected as illustrated in fig7 ( b ) by step s13 . the pixel data of the above 9 horizontal lines are picked up . fig8 shows an example of such pixel data for 9 pixels × 5 horizontal lines , just for explanation . the above picked up pixel data is then converted into binary values by use of a predetermined threshold value , such as 1 !, 0 !, by step s14 . fig9 shows the binary data converted from the data shown in fig8 by using a threshold value of 150 . in fig9 the portions 0 ! are judged as &# 34 ; black &# 34 ; because of the presence of a particle pixel . a logical sum of the binary data for the nine horizontal lines is calculated by step s15 . in other words , even if there is only one 0 ! in the nine data in the vertical direction , the data at the corresponding horizontal position is made 0 !. from the data for one line thus obtained , the number of pixels which continuously have a value of 0 ! is counted , whereby the length of the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles pattern is calculated as a representative length of the developed pattern by step s16 . the result of this calculation is output by step s17 . thus , a representative length of the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles for each well can be determined . when an immune reaction occurs , the precipitated particles agglutinate firmly with a relatively strong agglutination force , so that the precipitated particles hardly flow under the influence of gravity . in contrast , when no immune reaction occurs , the precipitated particles do not agglutinate and therefore easily flow even under the influence of gravity . therefore , in accordance with the representative length of the representative length of the developed pattern of the flowed , precipitated particles , the presence or absence of an antibody or antigen in the test sample can be judged as (+) present , (-) absent or (±) equivocal . for instance , the judgment is made by a length of 125 pixels or more as being &# 34 ; negative or absent (-)&# 34 ;, a length of 75 pixels or less as being &# 34 ; positive or present (+)&# 34 ;, and a length of 76 to 124 pixels as being (±) equivocal . the results for all the wells in the microtiter plate 10 are thus printed out by the printer 36 . fig1 schematically shows a transportation mechanism for transporting the microtiter plate 10 from the inclination station e to the imaging station f to the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d . the microtiter plate 10 is held by a holder 60 . the holder 60 is in the shape of a frame and holds the peripheral portion of the microtiter plate 10 . at one end portion of the holder 60 ( on the left side thereof in fig1 ), there is provided a rotating shaft 60a which extends in the direction x normal to the moving direction y of the microtiter plate 10 , so that the microtiter plate 10 can be inclined as indicated in fig1 by the alternate long and short line in the inclination station e by the rotating shaft 60 with which a rotation drive mechanism ( not shown ) is engaged . the holder 60 is attached to a belt 62 which is moved from the inclination station e to the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d . the belt 62 is disposed on the back side of this apparatus relative to the holder 60 . the belt 62 is trained over a pair of pulleys 64 and 66 . the pulley 66 can be driven in rotation by a stepping motor 68 . by the rotation of the pulley 66 which is driven in rotation by the stepping motor 68 , the microtiter plate 10 can be moved between each station and intermittently in the direction y in the imaging station f . the magnetic precipitation and microtiter plate recovery station d comprises a microtiter plate recovery stack 24 which is disposed above the belt 62 , and the magnetic plate 18 which is disposed below the belt 62 . the magnetic plate 18 is mounted on the upper end of a rod 70 which is vertically movable by a motor 72 . the rod 70 is moved upward with the microtiter plate 10 being positioned on and held by the magnetic plate 18 , whereby the magnetic - material containing particles in each well are precipitated by the application of magnetic force thereto . after the imaging process , the rod 70 is moved upward with the microtiter plate 10 being placed on the magnetic plate 18 , so that the microtiter plate 10 is inserted into the lower opening of the microtiter recovery stack 24 , whereby the microtiter plate 10 is recovered and set in the microtiter recovery stack 24 . a pinion 72a is attached to the motor 72 , and a rack 70a is attached to the rod 70 , so that the rod 70 can be moved vertically by the rack 70a and pinion 72a . in this apparatus , position detectors such as photoelectric sensors are provided in each unit . fig1 is a perspective view of the moving mechanism for the ccd camera 20 . as shown in fig1 , the ccd camera 20 is fixed to a support member 80 . the support member 80 is also fixed to a guide member 84 through a support member 82 . the guide member 84 holds a rail member 86 and is movable along the rail member 86 . the support member 82 is fixed to a belt 88 . the belt 88 is trained over a pulley 92 which is rotated by a stepping motor 90 . thus , the ccd camera 20 can be moved by a predetermined distance by the rotational drive of the stepping motor 90 . japanese patent applications nos . 7 - 110960 and 7 - 110962 respectively filed may 9 , 1995 are hereby incorporated by reference .	8
the invention will be now described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments . those skilled in the art will recognize that many alternative embodiments can be accomplished using the teachings of the present invention and that the invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated for explanatory purposes . fig1 a to 4l are step - wise sectional views showing procedures for fabricating a semiconductor device 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention . this embodiment will describe an exemplary case where the present invention is applied to formation of a multi - layered wiring structure based on the dual - damascene process . the description herein will be made on a method of forming interconnects / wirings and vias by so - called , via - first process . procedures up to formation of a multi - layered wiring structure shown in fig1 a will be described . first , on an underlying insulating film 201 formed on a semiconductor substrate ( not shown ), an etching stopper film 202 , a first interlayer dielectric film 203 , and a first protective film 204 are sequentially stacked . the etching stopper film 202 is typically composed of a sic film or a sicn film . the first interlayer dielectric film 203 can be configured using low - dielectric - constant materials such as polyhydrogen siloxanes such as hsq ( hydrogen silsesquioxane ), msq ( methyl silsesquioxane ) and mhsq ( methylated hydrogen silsesquioxane ); aromatic - group - containing organic materials such as polyaryl ether ( pae ), divinyl siloxane - bis - benzocyclobutene ( bcb ) and silk ( registered trademark ); sog , fox ( flowable oxide ), cytop ( registered trademark ), bcb ( benzocyclobutene ), and sioc and so forth . of these , it is particularly preferable to use materials having sio structure such as polyhydrogen siloxane and sioc . it is also allowable to use a porous film of these materials for the first interlayer dielectric film 203 . a porous sioc film or a porous polysiloxane film having a dielectric constant of 2 . 7 or below can be used as the first interlayer dielectric film 203 . the first protective film 204 is typically composed of a sio 2 film . the film - to - be - etched in this embodiment may be any of insulating films such as interlayer dielectric films , protective films , etching stopper films and interlayer dielectric films . an interconnect trench is then formed in the first interlayer dielectric film 203 and the first protective film 204 , and the interconnect trench is filled with a barrier film 208 and an interconnect metal film 209 . the barrier film 208 is formed in the interconnect trench by sputtering . the barrier film 208 is configured , for example , by ta , tan , ti , tin or any stacked structures of these materials . the interconnect metal film 209 is formed on the barrier film 208 typically by electroplating . the interconnect metal film 209 is configured typically using a copper film . thereafter , portions of the barrier film 208 and the interconnect metal film 209 formed outside the interconnect trench are then removed by cmp ( chemical mechanical polishing ), to thereby form a lower interconnect 255 . next , on the lower interconnect 255 , an etching stopper film 211 , an interlayer dielectric film 212 , an etching stopper film 213 , a second interlayer dielectric film 216 , and a second protective film 217 are sequentially stacked . after formation of the interlayer dielectric film 212 in the above process , it is preferable to planarize the surface of the interlayer dielectric film 212 by cmp , in order to reduce any irregularity produced during the cmp process in the formation of the lower interconnect 255 . this makes it possible to keep planarity of the individual layers even when the multi - layered wiring structure is formed , and to more stably fabricate the semiconductor device . the etching stopper film 211 and the etching stopper film 213 may be formed using a material same with that used for the etching stopper film 202 . the interlayer dielectric film 212 and the second interlayer dielectric film 216 may be formed using a material same with that used for the first interlayer dielectric film 203 . the second protective film 217 may be formed using a material same with that used for the first protective film 204 . next , a first resist film 220 is formed on the second protective film 217 . a multi - wiring structure having a structure shown in fig1 a is thus formed . the first resist film 220 ( approximately 300 to 500 nm thick ) may be configured using a material same with that used for the lower resist film generally employed in the three - layered resist process , which is typically a novolac - base positive photoresist . the first resist film 220 may also be formed using a polyimide resin or thermosetting phenol resin . next , an intermediate film 222 ( approximately 50 to 100 nm thick ) is formed on the first resist film 220 ( fig1 b ). in this embodiment , the intermediate film 222 is formed typically by using teos as a film - forming gas , by the cvd process under a reduced pressure of approximately 3 torr , at 300 ° c . or below , more preferably 200 ° c . or below . the intermediate film 222 may be formed at a temperature of 100 ° c . or above . the intermediate film 222 may be formed also by the two - frequency plasma cvd process . adoption of this process successfully suppresses or controls film stress of the intermediate film 222 . one frequency in this process can be set to 1 mhz or below . adoption of this condition is successful in making the intermediate film 222 have compressive stress , even when the intermediate film 222 is formed at a temperature relatively as low as 300 ° c . or below , and more preferably 200 ° c . or below . the intermediate film 222 designed to have compressive stress can be reduced in the hygroscopicity of its own . the intermediate film 222 can typically be formed by the two - frequency plasma cvd process using a higher frequency component of 13 . 56 mhz and a lower frequency component of approximately 500 khz . the film forming gas adoptable herein may be teos , and any additional oxidative gases such as o 2 . thereafter , a second resist film 224 ( approximately 150 to 300 nm thick ) is formed on the intermediate film 222 ( fig1 c ). the second resist film 224 can be configured using a material similar to that generally used for the upper resist film in the three - layered resist process , and is typically a positive chemical amplification resist . a three - layered resist film 225 is thus formed . next , a viahole is formed in the interlayer dielectric film 212 , the second interlayer dielectric film 216 , and the second protective film 217 , masked by thus - formed three - layered resist film 225 . diameter of the viahole herein can be approximately 0 . 1 μm . first , the second resist film 224 is patterned to have a predetermined geometry , to thereby form an opening ( fig2 d ). if any misalignment should occur , the second resist film 224 can be removed by o 2 ashing ( at approximately 250 ° c .). because the intermediate film 222 in this embodiment is composed of a material having a large ashing resistance , the ashing will be only less affective to the intermediate film 222 . after removal of the second resist film 224 , re - formation of the second resist film 224 onto the intermediate film 222 makes it possible to restart the patterning of the second resist film 224 . the intermediate film 224 , masked by the second resist film 224 , is then patterned to have a predetermined geometry , to thereby form an opening ( fig2 e ). next , the first resist film 220 , masked by the second resist film 224 and intermediate film 222 , is patterned to have the predetermined geometry , to thereby form an opening ( fig2 f ). next , under masking by thus - patterned three - layered resist film 225 , a viahole 226 is made in the interlayer dielectric film 212 , the etching stopper film 213 , the second interlayer dielectric film 216 , and the second protective film 217 , using a publicly - known lithographic technique and an etching technique ( fig2 g ). the etching stopper film 211 has a function of stopping etching for forming the viahole 226 . although the second resist film 224 and the intermediate film 222 are still shown in the drawing , it is also allowable to configure the second resist film 224 using a material removable in the process of forming the opening in the intermediate film 222 , and to configure the intermediate film 222 using a material removable in the process of forming the opening in the first resist film 220 . this facilitates removal of the three - layered resist film 225 in the later process step . the three - layered resist film 225 is removed thereafter , and similarly to the case of three - layered resist film 225 , a three - layered resist film 235 comprising a third resist film 230 , an intermediate film 232 and a fourth resist film 234 is formed ( fig3 h ). next , using the three - layered resist film 235 , an interconnect trench is formed in the second interlayer dielectric film 216 and the second protective film 217 . first , the fourth resist film 234 is patterned to have a predetermined geometry . next , the intermediate film 232 , masked by the fourth resist film 234 , is patterned to have a predetermined geometry , to thereby form an opening . next , the third resist film 230 , masked by the fourth resist film 234 and the intermediate film 232 , is patterned to have a predetermined geometry , to thereby form an opening ( fig3 i ). by the way , formation of interconnects and vias according to the via - first process as described in the above have suffered from a problem in that resolution failure of resist ( resist poisoning ) was likely to occur when the chemical amplification resist was used . this sort of problem is more likely to occur when a low - k film is used as the interlayer dielectric film . the chemical amplification resist comprises a photo - acid generator generating an acid under irradiation of light , and a compound catalyzed by the generated acid , and can form a resist pattern by altering the alkali solubility thereof based on an acid - catalyzed reaction . as for the chemical amplification resist , it is considered that presence of any basic impurities , such as amines , in the lower layer of the resist film may result in resolution failure , possibly by a mechanism such that the acid catalyst generated by irradiating the chemical amplification resist with light is undesirably neutralized by the basic impurities , such as amines , so that the compound in the chemical amplification resist cannot alter its alkali solubility , and therefore the resist film cannot dissolve into an aqueous alkali solution . it is therefore preferable to provide a nitrogen - source - free layer under the chemical amplification resist . in this embodiment , the intermediate film 222 and the intermediate film 232 , placed under the second resist film 224 and the fourth resist film 234 , respectively , are formed without using nitrogen - containing gas such as n 2 o , and this raises another effect of improving resolution of the second resist film 224 and the fourth resist film 234 . next , by using the three - layered resist film 235 , patterned to have a predetermined geometry as described in the above , as a mask , and by using a publicly - known lithographic technique and an etching technique , a interconnect trench 236 is formed in the second interlayer dielectric film 216 and the second protective film 217 ( fig3 j ). the process results in formation of the viahole 226 and the interconnect trench 236 communicating with each other , on the lower interconnect 255 . also the fourth resist film 234 and the intermediate film 232 are removed in this process . thereafter , the three - layered resist film 235 used for forming the interconnect trench 236 is completely removed using a release solution , and the etching stopper film 211 exposed at the bottom of the viahole 226 is etched off ( fig4 k ). next , a barrier film 240 is formed by sputtering in the viahole 226 and the interconnect trench 236 . next , a interconnect metal film 242 is formed , on the barrier film 240 , typically by the electroplating process so as to fill the viahole 226 and the interconnect trench 236 . next , portions of the barrier film 240 and the interconnect metal film 242 formed outside the interconnect trench 236 are removed by cmp . the semiconductor device 200 is thus completed . the semiconductor device having a desired number of layers of multi - layered wiring structure can be fabricated by the dual - damascene process , by repeating the process steps of forming the interconnect , forming thereon the via electrically connecting the interconnect , and further forming the interconnect . as described in the above , the method of fabricating the semiconductor device 200 of this embodiment is successful in raising the ashing resistance of the intermediate films , because the intermediate film 222 in the three - layered resist film 225 , and the intermediate film 232 in the three - layered resist film 235 are formed by the cvd process using teos as a source gas . this makes it possible to reduce adverse effect of ashing possibly exerted on the intermediate film 222 or the intermediate film 232 when the second resist film 224 on the intermediate film 222 or the fourth resist film 234 on the intermediate film 232 , respectively , is removed by ashing . thus - formed intermediate film 222 has a low hygroscopicity , and this raises another advantage of raising stability when the intermediate film 222 or the intermediate film 232 is kept formed and allowed to stand for a while . the intermediate film 222 or the intermediate film 232 , containing no nitrogen source , also makes it possible to suppress resist poisoning and to improve the resolution , even when a chemical amplification resist film is used for the upper second resist film 224 or the fourth film 234 , respectively . for example , a problem of resist poisoning has conventionally arisen for the case where the film - to - be - etched , which comprises the first interlayer dielectric film 203 , the interlayer dielectric film 212 , the second interlayer dielectric film 216 and so forth , was configured using a porous sioc film ( typically having a dielectric constant of 2 . 7 or below ). this is supposedly because an amine - base releasing solution infiltrated into the porous sioc film , or a nitrogen source contaminated into the film during plasma treatment can affect the resist film . it was , however , confirmed that the method of fabricating a semiconductor device of the present invention successfully suppressed the resist poisoning even when the first interlayer dielectric film 203 , the interlayer dielectric film 212 , the second interlayer dielectric film 216 and so forth were configured using the porous sioc film . this is supposedly because the intermediate film 222 does not contain any nitrogen sources , and because the upper chemical amplification resist was prevented from being affected by the lower film - to - be - etched even when it contains a nitrogen source . fig5 and fig6 are structural drawings respectively showing the semiconductor device 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention . detailed structure of the lower layers under the three - layered resist film 235 herein is not shown , simply referring to as an object - to - be - etched 229 . as shown in fig5 , the three - layered resist film 235 may also be configured as having an anti - reflection film 244 between the third resist film 230 and the intermediate film 232 . the anti - reflection film 244 herein may be configured typically using sion or sioc . for an exemplary case where the anti - reflection film 244 is configured using sion , sion can be formed using sih 4 and n 2 o gases at 200 ° c . or below in a parallel - plate - type plasma cvd apparatus . the anti - reflection film 244 is preferably formed in the same apparatus in which the intermediate film 232 is formed . enrichment of the si composition of the anti - reflection film 244 can increase the attenuation coefficient of light . this makes the film less light - transmissible . also the three - layered resist film 225 can similarly be configured . as shown in fig6 , the three - layered resist film 235 can be configured also as having an anti - reflection film 246 provided between the intermediate film 232 and the fourth resist film 234 . the anti - reflection film 246 herein can be configured typically by using a novolac resin added with an anti - reflection component . this makes it possible to improve wetting property between the fourth resist film 234 and the underlying layer . also the three - layered resist film 225 can similarly be configured . the three - layered resist film 235 and / or the three - layered resist film 225 may include both the anti - reflection film 244 and the anti - reflection film 246 . as described in the above , provision of the anti - reflection film in the three - layered resist film 235 and in the three - layered resist film 225 contributes to well - controlled resist patterning . structural changes in a teos - sio 2 film , a sih 4 — sio 2 film , and a sog film before and after ashing were investigated . the individual films were prepared as follows . a mixed gas of teos and o 2 ( ratio of flow rate of 1 : 10 ) was used as a film forming gas , and the film was formed by the two - frequency plasma cvd process at 200 ° c . under a reduced pressure of approximately 3 torr . output power was adjusted to approximately 100 w for the higher frequency ( 13 . 56 mhz ), and at approximately 200 w for the lower frequency ( approximately 500 khz ). the film was formed by the cvd process at 200 ° c ., using a mixed gas of sih 4 and n 2 o ( ratio of flow rate of 1 : 20 ), under a reduced pressure of approximately 3 torr . a chemical liquid of sog was dropped through a coater , sintered at approximately 200 ° c . on a hot plate , to thereby form the film . three thus - prepared films were subjected to o 2 ashing at approximately 250 ° c ., and were investigated into their changes in ft - ir spectra , rates of change in the film thickness , and rates of change in the refractive indices before and after the ashing . fig7 a to 7c are charts showing changes in the ft - ir spectra . as is obvious from fig7 a , the teos - sio 2 showed almost no changes between spectra before ashing ( init ) and after ashing ( ash ). as is obvious from fig7 b , the sih 4 — sio 2 film after ashing showed increase in the si — oh bond as compared with that before ashing ( init ). as is obvious from fig7 c , the ashing of the sog film resulted in disappearance of ch 3 group and increase in h — oh . fig8 is a chart showing changes in the film thickness . making now reference to the film thickness before ashing , the teos - sio 2 film showed almost no changes in the film thickness even after the ashing repeated three times . on the other hand , the sog film showed a considerable shrinkage of the thickness after only a single time of ashing . as for the sih 4 — sio 2 film , although the degree of which was not so considerable as the sog film showed , it showed changes in the film thickness as compared with the teos - sio 2 film . this may be ascribable to brittleness of the film . fig9 is a chart showing changes in the refractive index . making again reference to the refractive index before ashing , the teos - sio 2 film showed almost no changes in the refractive index even after the ashing repeated three times . on the other hand , the sih 4 — sio 2 film showed a considerable change in the refractive index after only a single time of ashing . as for the sog film , although the degree of which was not so considerable as the sih 4 — sio 2 film showed , it showed changes in the refractive index as compared with the teos - sio 2 film . this may be ascribable to modification of the film quality due to destruction of si — ch 3 bonds . as described in the above , the teos - sio 2 film was proved to show almost no structural changes before and after the ashing , and to show a high resistance against the ashing . the teos - sio 2 film and the sih 4 — sio 2 film formed similarly to as described in example 1 were kept for one month in a clean room atmosphere ( 23 ° c . ), and then subjected to the ft - ir measurement . fig1 a shows an ft - ir chart for the teos - sio 2 film , and fig1 b shows an ft - ir chart for the sih 4 — sio 2 film . as is obvious from fig1 b , h — oh bond appeared in the sih 4 — sio 2 film , as compared with the as - deposited film , indicating moisture absorption . on the other hand , the teos - sio 2 film showed no peak for h — oh bond even after one month , indicating no moisture absorption . this is supposedly because teos , which is a source gas for the teos - sio 2 film , has si bonded to four o atoms , so that also the resultant low - temperature cvd film has a large ratio of content of si — o bond , ensuring a stable structure . the low - temperature formation of the film may allow existence of si — h bond , but with only a small ratio of content , so that the film is supposed to remain stable . on the contrary , the sih 4 — sio 2 film is supposed to destabilize due to a large content of si — h bond . the teos - sio 2 film was formed similarly to as described in example 1 , and subjected to measurement of film stress at room temperature . the compressive stress was found to be approximately 50 mpa . in this embodiment , the teos - sio 2 film was formed by the two - frequency plasma cvd process , wherein the low frequency component set to as low as 1 mhz or below was supposed to contribute to the well - controlled film stress , by virtue of ion bombardment effect . this was supposed to be successful also in reducing the hygroscopicity . the present invention has been described based on the embodiments and examples . it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the above - described embodiments and examples are only of exemplary purposes and can be modified in various ways , and that any modifications will be included in the scope of the present invention . for example , the interconnects and the vias in the above - described embodiments were formed by so - called via - first process of the dual - damascene process , but the present invention is applicable also to various processes including so - called , trench - first process , middle - first process , and even to single - damascene process . it is apparent that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments , that may be modified and changed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention .	7
in one aspect of the invention is a toilet bar , including but not limited to the following : ( a ) fatty acid soap ( s ) in the total concentration range of about 5 to 75 % by wt . ; ( b ) free c6 to c22 carboxylic acid ( s ) in the total concentration range of about 4 to 40 % by wt . ; ( preferably where the carboxylic acid ( s ) are c6 to c18 or c12 to c18 carboxylic acid ( s )): ( c ) non - soap synthetic detergent ( s ) in the total concentration range of about 2 to 60 % by wt . ; ( d ) a maximum of about 20 % by wt . of water ; ( preferably a maximum of about 15 , 12 , 10 , 8 , 6 , 4 or 3 % by wt . of water ); and ( e ) an effective concentration of pyran type odor masking agent ( s ) having the structure of i , ii or a blend thereof to reduce perceptible malodor in the toilet bar composition wherein r1 and r2 can be the same or different and are either hydrogen , alkyl , alkoxyl , alkenyl , alkylaryl , aryl or alkynyl , optionally substituted ( preferably r1 and r2 are either hydrogen , c1 to c6 alkyl , c1 to c6 alkenyl , c1 to c6 alkoxyl , benzyl or phenyl and more preferably r1 is methyl or ethyl , and r2 is hydrogen ) and r3 is alkyl ester or alkenyl ester ( preferably c1 - c5 alkyl or alkenyl ester ). advantageously , the inventive toilet bar has a yield stress in the range of about 20 kpa to 400 kpa at 25 ° c . and 50 % rh measured as described below . preferably , the odor masking agent ( s ) is / are in the total concentration range of about 0 . 0005 to 0 . 25 % by wt . ( preferably with a minimum value of about 0 . 0025 or 0 . 004 and a maximum value of about 0 . 025 , 0 . 01 , 0 . 005 or 0 . 025 ). more preferably the inventive toilet bar further includes one or more polyol ( s ) in a total concentration range of about 0 . 01 to 30 % by wt . ( preferably with a minimum value of about 0 . 4 or 0 . 7 and a maximum value of about 2 , 3 , 7 or 10 % by wt .). most preferably these polyol ( s ) is / are selected from dipropylene glycol , propylene glycol , glycerin , or polyethylene glycol ( s ) in the mw range of about 200 to 1500 or blends thereof . advantageously the polyol ( s ) have a viscosity under about 1000 cps at 30 c . advantageously the non - soap anionic surfactant ( s ) is / are selected from c8 to c14 acyl isethionates ; c8 to c14 alkyl sulfates , c8 to c14 alkyl sulfosuccinates , c8 to c14 alkyl sulfonates ; c8 to c14 fatty acid ester sulfonates , derivatives , or blends thereof . in a preferred embodiment , the odor masking agent is maltol ( fig . a ), ethyl maltol ( fig . b ) or a blend thereof . in another aspect of the invention is a process for manufacturing a reduced odor toilet bar including but not limited to the steps of where steps a to c are in no particular sequence : a ) blending one or more nonsoap anionic surfactants optionally with soap to form a detergent blend ; b ) dispersing or dissolving pyran type odor masking agent ( s ) having the structure of i or ii or a blend thereof in a sufficient amount of one or more polyol ( s ) to form an odor masking preblend to reduce perceptable malodor in the toilet bar , where r1 and r2 can be the same or different and are either hydrogen , alkyl , alkoxyl , alkenyl , alkylaryl , aryl or alkynyl , optionally substituted and r3 is alkyl ester or alkenyl ester ; c ) adding the odor masking preblend to the detergent blend and mixing until homogenous to form a final blend ; and finally d ) extruding the final blend followed by cutting and stamping to form reduced odor toilet bars . surfactants , also known as detergents , are an essential component of the inventive toilet bar composition . they are compounds that have hydrophobic and hydrophilic portions that act to reduce the surface tension of the aqueous solutions they are dissolved in . useful surfactants include soap ( s ), and non - soap anionic , nonionic , amphoteric , and cationic surfactant ( s ), and blends thereof . the inventive toilet bar composition contains one or more non - soap anionic detergent ( s ) ( syndets ). preferably the syndet ( s ) have a zein value of 50 or less . zein value may be measured using the test method described below . advantageously such non - soap anionic detergent ( s ) or surfactant ( s ) may be used in one preferred embodiment in the range of about 35 to 40 % by wt . or in another preferred embodiment in a total concentration range of about 45 to 55 % by wt . or a further preferred embodiment in a total concentration range of about 2 to 20 % by wt . anionic surfactants may advantageously constitute about 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 or 95 % by wt . or more , of these amounts . the anionic detergent active which may be used may be aliphatic sulfonate ( s ), such as a primary alkane ( e . g ., c 8 - c 22 ) sulfonate ( s ), primary alkane ( e . g ., c 8 - c 22 ) disulfonate ( s ), c 8 - c 22 alkene sulfonate ( s ), c 8 - c 22 hydroxyalkane sulfonate ( s ) or alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate ( s ) ( ags ); or aromatic sulfonate ( s ) such as alkyl benzene sulfonate . the anionic may also be alkyl sulfate ( s ) ( e . g ., c 12 - c 18 alkyl sulfate ) or alkyl ether sulfate ( including alkyl glyceryl ether sulfates ). among the alkyl ether sulfate ( s ) are those having the formula : wherein r is an alkyl or alkenyl having 8 to 18 carbons , preferably 12 to 18 carbons , n has an average value of greater than 1 . 0 , preferably greater than 3 ; and m is a solubilizing cation such as sodium , potassium , ammonium or substituted ammonium . ammonium and sodium lauryl ether sulfates are preferred . the anionic may also be alkyl sulfosuccinate ( s ) ( including mono - and dialkyl , e . g ., c 6 - c 22 sulfosuccinate ( s )); alkyl and acyl taurate ( s ), alkyl and acyl sarcosinate ( s ), sulfoacetate ( s ), c 8 - c 22 alkyl phosphate ( s ) and phosphate ( s ), alkyl phosphate ester ( s ) and alkoxyl alkyl phosphate ester ( s ), acyl lactate ( s ), c 8 - c 22 monoalkyl succinate ( s ) and maleate ( s ), sulphoacetate ( s ), and alkyl glucoside ( s ) and the like . r 4 conhch 2 ch 2 o 2 cch 2 ch ( so 3 m ) co 2 m wherein r 4 ranges from c 8 - c 22 alkyl and m is a solubilizing cation . wherein r 1 ranges from c 8 - c 20 alkyl and m is a solubilizing cation . wherein r 2 ranges from c 8 - c 20 alkyl , r 3 may be h or c 1 - c 4 alkyl and m is a solubilizing cation . monoacyl and / or diacyl c 8 - c 18 isethionate surfactants having the general formula : wherein r is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbons , and m is a mono or divalent cation such as , for example , sodium , potassium , ammonium , calcium and magnesium or other mono and divalent cations may be used . preferably the isethionates have an average iodine value of less than 20 . the inventive toilet bar composition includes soap . the term “ soap ” is used here in its popular sense , i . e ., the alkali metal or alkanol ammonium salts of aliphatic alkane - or alkene monocarboxylic acids preferably having about 6 to 22 carbon atoms , more preferably about 6 to about 18 or about 12 to 18 carbon atoms . they may be further described as alkali metal carboxylates of aliphatic hydrocarbons . sodium , potassium , mono -, di - and tri - ethanol ammonium cations , or combinations thereof , are suitable for purposes of this invention . in general , sodium soaps are used in the compositions of this invention , but from about 1 % to about 25 % of the soap may be potassium soaps . the soaps may contain unsaturation in accordance with commercially acceptable standards . excessive unsaturation is normally avoided to minimize color and odor issues . advantageously such soap ( s ) may be used in one preferred embodiment in the range of about 15 to 25 % by wt . or in another preferred embodiment in a total concentration range of about 7 to 10 % by wt . or a further preferred embodiment in a total concentration range of about 60 to 70 % by wt . soaps may be made by the classic kettle boiling process or modern continuous soap manufacturing processes wherein natural fats and oils such as tallow or coconut oil or their equivalents are saponified with an alkali metal hydroxide using procedures well known to those skilled in the art . alternatively , the soaps may be made by neutralizing fatty acids , such as lauric ( c12 ), myristic ( c14 ), palmitic ( c16 ), or stearic ( c18 ) acids with an alkali metal hydroxide or carbonate . specific examples of useful pyran type odor masking agents for the inventive toilet bar preferably include compounds with the structures described above , and the following specific compounds with the structures below and the like : one or more amphoteric surfactants may be used in this invention . amphoteric surfactants may be used from about 1 , 2 or 3 % by wt . to about 5 , 6 or 7 % by wt . when necessary . such surfactants include at least one acid group . this may be a carboxylic or a sulphonic acid group . they include quaternary nitrogen and therefore are quaternary amido acids . they should generally include an alkyl or alkenyl group of 7 to 18 carbon atoms . they will usually comply with an overall structural formula : r 1 —[— c ( o )— nh ( ch 2 ) n —] m — n + —( r 2 )( r 3 ) x — y where r 1 is alkyl or alkenyl of 7 to 18 carbon atoms ; r 2 and r 3 are each independently alkyl , hydroxyalkyl or carboxyalkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms ; x is alkylene of 1 to 3 carbon atoms optionally substituted with hydroxyl , and suitable amphoteric surfactants within the above general formula include simple betaines of formula : r 1 — n + —( r 2 )( r 3 ) ch 2 co 2 − r 1 — conh ( ch 2 ) n — n + —( r 2 )( r 3 ) ch 2 co 2 − in both formulae r 1 , r 2 and r 3 are as defined previously . r 1 may in particular be a mixture of c 12 and c 14 alkyl groups derived from coconut oil so that at least half , preferably at least three quarters of the groups r 1 have 10 to 14 carbon atoms . r 2 and r 3 are preferably methyl . a further possibility is that the amphoteric detergent is a sulphobetaine of formula : r 1 — n + —( r 2 )( r 3 ) ( ch 2 ) 3 so 3 − r 1 — conh ( ch 2 ) m — n + —( r 2 )( r 3 )( ch 2 ) 3 so 3 − where m is 2 or 3 , or variants of these in which —( ch 2 ) 3 so 3 − is replaced by in these formulae r 1 , r 2 and r 3 are as discussed previously . amphoacetates and diamphoacetates are also intended to be covered in the zwitterionic and / or amphoteric compounds which are used such as e . g ., sodium lauroamphoacetate , sodium cocoamphoacetate , and blends thereof , and the like . one or more nonionic surfactants may also be used in the toilet bar composition of the present invention . when present , nonionic surfactants may be used at levels as low as about 1 , 2 or 3 % by wt . and as high as about 10 , 15 or 20 % by wt . in the inventive toilet bars . the nonionics which may be used include in particularly the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom , for example aliphatic alcohols , acids , amides or alkylphenols with alkylene oxides , especially ethylene oxide either alone or with propylene oxide . specific nonionic detergent compounds are alkyl ( c 6 - c 22 ) phenols ethylene oxide condensates , the condensation products of aliphatic ( c 8 - c 18 ) primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols with ethylene oxide , and products made by condensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine . other so - called nonionic detergent compounds include long chain tertiary amine oxides , long chain tertiary phosphine oxides and dialkyl sulphoxide , and the like . the nonionic may also be a sugar amide , such as a polysaccharide amide . specifically , the surfactant may be one of the lactobionamides described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 389 , 279 to au et al . titled “ compositions comprising nonionic glycolipid surfactants issued feb . 14 , 1995 ; which is hereby incorporated by reference or it may be one of the sugar amides described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 009 , 814 to kelkenberg , titled “ use of n - poly hydroxyalkyl fatty acid amides as thickening agents for liquid aqueous surfactant systems ” issued apr . 23 , 1991 ; hereby incorporated into the subject application by reference . an optional component in compositions according to the invention is a cationic skin feel agent or polymer , such as for example cationic celluloses or polyquarterium compounds . advantageously cationic skin feel agent ( s ) or polymer ( s ) are used from about 0 . 01 , 0 . 1 or 0 . 2 % by wt . to about 1 , 1 . 5 or 2 . 0 % by wt . in the inventive toilet bars . cationic cellulose is available from amerchol corp . ( edison , n . j ., usa ) in their polymer jr ( trade mark ) and lr ( trade mark ) series of polymers , as salts of hydroxyethyl cellulose reacted with trimethyl ammonium substituted epoxide , referred to in the industry ( ctfa ) as polyquaternium 10 . another type of cationic cellulose includes the polymeric quaternary ammonium salts of hydroxyethyl cellulose reacted with lauryl dimethyl ammonium - substituted epoxide , referred to in the industry ( ctfa ) as polyquaternium 24 . these materials are available from amerchol corp . ( edison , n . j ., usa ) under the tradename polymer lm - 200 , and quaternary ammonium compounds such as alkyldimethylammonium halogenides . a particularly suitable type of cationic polysaccharide polymer that can be used is a cationic guar gum derivative , such as guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride ( commercially available from rhone - poulenc in their jaguar trademark series ). examples are jaguar c13s , which has a low degree of substitution of the cationic groups and high viscosity , jaguar c15 , having a moderate degree of substitution and a low viscosity , jaguar c17 ( high degree of substitution , high viscosity ), jaguar c16 , which is a hydroxypropylated cationic guar derivative containing a low level of substituent groups as well as cationic quaternary ammonium groups , and jaguar 162 which is a high transparency , medium viscosity guar having a low degree of substitution . particularly preferred cationic polymers are jaguar c13s , jaguar c15 , jaguar c17 and jaguar c16 and jaguar c162 , especially jaguar c13s . other cationic skin feel agents known in the art may be used provided that they are compatible with the inventive formulation . other preferred cationic compounds that are useful in the present invention include amido quaternary ammonium compounds such as quaternary ammonium propionate and lactate salts , and quaternary ammonium hydrolyzates of silk or wheat protein , and the like . many of these compounds can be obtained as the mackine ™ amido functional amines , mackalene ™ amido functional tertiary amine salts , and mackpro ® cationic protein hydrolysates from the mcintyre group ltd . ( university park , ill .). in a preferred skin cleansing embodiment of the invention having a hydrolyzed protein conditioning agent , the average molecular weight of the hydrolyzed protein is preferably about 2500 . preferably 90 % of the hydrolyzed protein is between a molecular weight of about 1500 to about 3500 . in a preferred embodiment , mackpro ™ wwp ( i . e . wheat germ amido dimethylamine hydrolyzed wheat protein ) is added at a concentration of 0 . 1 % ( as is ) in the bar . this results in a mackpro ™ wwp “ solids ” of 0 . 035 % in the final bar formula for this embodiment . one or more cationic surfactants may also be used in the inventive toilet bar composition . when desired , cationic surfactants may be used from about 0 . 1 , 0 . 5 or 1 . 0 % by wt . to about 1 . 5 , 2 . 0 or 2 . 5 % by wt . examples of cationic detergents are the quaternary ammonium compounds such as alkyldimethylammonium halogenides . other suitable surfactants which may be used are described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 723 , 325 to parran jr . titled “ detergent compositions containing particle deposition enhancing agents ” issued mar . 27 , 1973 ; and “ surface active agents and detergents ” ( vol . i & amp ; ii ) by schwartz , perry & amp ; berch , both of which are also incorporated into the subject application by reference . in addition , the toilet bar composition of the invention may include 0 to about 15 % by wt . optional ingredients as follows : sequestering agents , such as tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate ( edta ), ehdp or mixtures in an amount of about 0 . 01 to 1 %, preferably about 0 . 01 to 0 . 05 %; and coloring agents , opacifiers and pearlizers such as zinc stearate , magnesium stearate , tio 2 , egms ( ethylene glycol monostearate ) or lytron 621 ( styrene / acrylate copolymer ) and the like ; all of which are useful in enhancing the appearance or cosmetic properties of the product . perfumes may be included at levels of less than about 2 , 1 , 0 . 5 or preferably less than about 0 . 3 , 0 . 2 or 0 . 1 % by wt . the compositions may further comprise preservatives such as dimethyloldimethylhydantoin ( glydant xl1000 ), parabens , sorbic acid etc ., and the like . the compositions may also comprise coconut acyl mono - or diethanol amides as suds boosters , and strongly ionizing salts such as sodium chloride and sodium sulfate may also be used to advantage . antioxidants such as , for example , butylated hydroxytoluene ( bht ) and the like may be used advantageously in amounts of about 0 . 01 % or higher if appropriate . skin conditioning agents such as emollients are advantageously used in the present invention for personal toilet bar compositions . hydrophilic emollients including humectants such as polyhydric alcohols , e . g . glycerin and propylene glycol , and the like ; polyols such as the polyethylene glycols listed below , and the like and hydrophilic plant extracts may be used . advantageously humectants may be used from about 0 . 01 , 0 . 2 or 1 . 0 % by wt . to about 3 , 5 or 10 % by wt . in a toilet bar . humectants may also confer the ability for the bar to retain water . hydrophobic emollients may be used in the inventive toilet bar . advantageously hydrophobic emollients may be used from about 5 , 10 or 15 % by wt . to about 20 , 25 , 30 , 35 , 40 , 45 % by wt . in the inventive toilet bar . the term “ emollient ” is defined as a substance which softens or improves the elasticity , appearance , and youthfulness of the skin ( stratum corneum ) by increasing its water content , and keeps it soft by retarding the decrease of its water content . ( a ) silicone oils and modifications thereof such as linear and cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes ; amino , alkyl , alkylaryl , and aryl silicone oils ; ( b ) fats and oils including natural fats and oils such as jojoba , soybean , sunflower , rice bran , avocado , almond , olive , sesame , persic , castor , coconut , mink oils ; cacao fat ; beef tallow , lard ; hardened oils obtained by hydrogenating the aforementioned oils ; and synthetic mono , di and triglycerides such as myristic acid glyceride and 2 - ethylhexanoic acid glyceride ; ( c ) waxes such as carnauba , spermaceti , beeswax , lanolin , and derivatives thereof ; ( e ) hydrocarbons such as liquid paraffin , petrolatum , microcrystalline wax , ceresin , squalene , pristan and mineral oil ; ( f ) higher fatty acids such as lauric , myristic , palmitic , stearic , behenic , oleic , linoleic , linolenic , lanolic , isostearic , arachidonic and poly unsaturated fatty acids ( pufa ); ( g ) higher alcohols such as lauryl , cetyl , stearyl , oleyl , behenyl , cholesterol and 2 - hexydecanol alcohol ; ( h ) esters such as cetyl octanoate , myristyl lactate , cetyl lactate , isopropyl myristate , myristyl myristate , isopropyl palmitate , isopropyl adipate , butyl stearate , decyl oleate , cholesterol isostearate , glycerol monostearate , glycerol distearate , glycerol tristearate , alkyl lactate , alkyl citrate and alkyl tartrate ; ( i ) essential oils and extracts thereof such as mentha , jasmine , camphor , white cedar , bitter orange peel , ryu , turpentine , cinnamon , bergamot , citrus unshiu , calamus , pine , lavender , bay , clove , hiba , eucalyptus , lemon , starflower , thyme , peppermint , rose , sage , sesame , ginger , basil , juniper , lemon grass , rosemary , rosewood , avocado , grape , grapeseed , myrrh , cucumber , watercress , calendula , elder flower , geranium , linden blossom , amaranth , seaweed , ginko , ginseng , carrot , guarana , tea tree , jojoba , comfrey , oatmeal , cocoa , neroli , vanilla , green tea , penny royal , aloe vera , menthol , cineole , eugenol , citral , citronelle , borneol , linalool , geraniol , evening primrose , camphor , thymol , spirantol , penene , limonene and terpenoid oils ; and preferred hydrophobic emollient moisturizing agents are selected from fatty acids , di and triglyceride oils , mineral oils , petrolatum , silicone oils , and mixtures thereof ; with fatty acids being most preferred for the toilet bar . advantageously such fatty acids may be used in one preferred embodiment in the range of about 25 to 30 % by wt . or in another preferred embodiment in a total concentration range of about 20 to 25 % by wt . or in a further preferred embodiment in a total concentration range of about 2 to 10 % by wt . the krafft point of a surfactant is defined as the temperature ( or more precisely , the narrow temperature range ) above which the solubility of a surfactant rises sharply . at this temperature the solubility of the surfactant becomes equal to the critical micelle concentration . it may be determined by locating the abrupt change in slope of a graph of the logarithm of the solubility against temperature or 1 / t or can be rapidly estimated using the rapid estimation procedure described below . the inventive toilet bar may contain particles that are greater than 50 microns in average diameter that help remove dry skin . not being bound by theory , the degree of exfoliation depends on the size and morphology of the particles . large and rough particles are usually very harsh and irritating . very small particles may not serve as effective exfoliants . such exfoliants used in the art include natural minerals such as silica , talc , calcite , pumice , tricalcium phosphate ; seeds such as rice , apricot seeds , etc ; crushed shells such as almond and walnut shells ; oatmeal ; polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene beads , flower petals and leaves ; microcrystalline wax beads ; jojoba ester beads , and the like . these exfoliants come in a variety of particle sizes and morphology ranging from micron sized to a few mm . they also have a range of hardness . some examples are given in table a below . table a material hardness ( mohs ) talc 1 calcite 3 pumice 4 - 6 walnut shells 3 - 4 dolomite 4 polyethylene ˜ 1 advantageously , active agents other than skin conditioning agents defined above may be added to the inventive toilet bar . these active ingredients may be advantageously selected from bactericides , vitamins , anti - acne actives ; anti - wrinkle , anti - skin atrophy and skin repair actives ; skin barrier repair actives ; non - steroidal cosmetic soothing actives ; artificial tanning agents and accelerators ; skin lightening actives ; sunscreen actives ; sebum stimulators ; sebum inhibitors ; anti - oxidants ; protease inhibitors ; skin tightening agents ; anti - itch ingredients ; hair growth inhibitors ; 5 - alpha reductase inhibitors ; desquamating enzyme enhancers ; anti - glycation agents ; or mixtures thereof ; and the like . these active agents may be selected from water - soluble active agents , oil soluble active agents , pharmaceutically acceptable salts and mixtures thereof . the term “ active agent ” as used herein , means personal care actives which can be used to deliver a benefit to the skin and / or hair and which generally are not used to confer a skin conditioning benefit , such are delivered by emollients as defined above . the term “ safe and effective amount ” as used herein , means an amount of active agent high enough to modify the condition to be treated or to deliver the desired skin care benefit , but low enough to avoid serious side effects . the term “ benefit ,” as used herein , means the therapeutic , prophylactic , and / or chronic benefits associated with treating a particular condition with one or more of the active agents described herein . what is a safe and effective amount of the active agent ( s ) will vary with the specific active agent , the ability of the active to penetrate through the skin , the age , health condition , and skin condition of the user , and other like factors . preferably the personal toilet bar compositions of the present invention comprise from about 0 . 0001 % to 50 %, more preferably from about 0 . 05 % to 25 %, even more preferably about 0 . 1 % to 10 %, and most preferably about 0 . 1 % % to 5 %, by weight of the active agent component ( s ). a wide variety of active agent ingredients are useful for the inventive personal toilet bar compositions and include those selected from anti - acne actives , anti - wrinkle and anti - skin atrophy actives , skin barrier repair aids , cosmetic soothing aids , topical anesthetics , artificial tanning agents and accelerators , skin lightening actives , antimicrobial and antifungal actives , sunscreen actives , sebum stimulators , sebum inhibitors , anti - glycation actives and mixtures thereof and the like . anti - acne actives can be effective in treating acne vulgaris , a chronic disorder of the pilosebaceous follicles . nonlimiting examples of useful anti - acne actives include the keratolytics such as salicylic acid ( o - hydroxybenzoic acid ), derivatives of salicylic acid such as 5 - octanoyl salicylic acid and 4 methoxysalicylic acid , and resorcinol ; retinoids such as retinoic acid and its derivatives ( e . g ., cis and trans ); sulfur - containing d and l amino acids and their derivatives and salts , particularly their n - acetyl derivatives , mixtures thereof and the like . antimicrobial and antifungal actives can be effective to prevent the proliferation and growth of bacteria and fungi . nonlimiting examples of antimicrobial and antifungal actives include b - lactam drugs , quinolone drugs , ciprofloxacin , norfloxacin , tetracycline , erythromycin , amikacin , 2 , 4 , 4 ′- trichloro - 2 ′- hydroxy diphenyl ether , 3 , 4 , 4 ′- trichlorocarbanilide ( triclocarban ), phenoxyethanol , 2 , 4 , 4 ′- trichloro - 2 ′- hydroxy diphenyl ether ( triclosan ); and mixtures thereof and the like . anti - wrinkle , anti - skin atrophy and skin repair actives can be effective in replenishing or rejuvenating the epidermal layer . these actives generally provide these desirable skin care benefits by promoting or maintaining the natural process of desquamation . nonlimiting examples of antiwrinkle and anti - skin atrophy actives include vitamins , minerals , and skin nutrients such as milk , vitamins a , e , and k ; vitamin alkyl esters , including vitamin c alkyl esters ; magnesium , calcium , copper , zinc and other metallic components ; retinoic acid and its derivatives ( e . g ., cis and trans ); retinal ; retinol ; retinyl esters such as retinyl acetate , retinyl palmitate , and retinyl propionate ; vitamin b 3 compounds ( such as niacinamide and nicotinic acid ), alpha hydroxy acids , beta hydroxy acids , e . g . salicylic acid and derivatives thereof ( such as 5 - octanoyl salicylic acid , heptyloxy 4 salicylic acid , and 4 - methoxy salicylic acid ); mixtures thereof and the like . skin barrier repair actives are those skin care actives which can help repair and replenish the natural moisture barrier function of the epidermis . nonlimiting examples of skin barrier repair actives include lipids such as cholesterol , ceramides , sucrose esters and pseudo - ceramides as described in european patent specification no . 556 , 957 ; ascorbic acid ; biotin ; biotin esters ; phospholipids , mixtures thereof , and the like . non - steroidal cosmetic soothing actives can be effective in preventing or treating inflammation of the skin . the soothing active enhances the skin appearance benefits of the present invention , e . g ., such agents contribute to a more uniform and acceptable skin tone or color . nonlimiting examples of cosmetic soothing agents include the following categories : propionic acid derivatives ; acetic acid derivatives ; fenamic acid derivatives ; mixtures thereof and the like . many of these cosmetic soothing actives are described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 985 , 459 to sunshine et al ., issued jan . 15 , 1991 , incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . artificial tanning actives can help in simulating a natural suntan by increasing melanin in the skin or by producing the appearance of increased melanin in the skin . nonlimiting examples of artificial tanning agents and accelerators include dihydroxyacetaone ; tyrosine ; tyrosine esters such as ethyl tyrosinate and glucose tyrosinate ; mixtures thereof , and the like . skin lightening actives can actually decrease the amount of melanin in the skin or provide such an effect by other mechanisms . nonlimiting examples of skin lightening actives useful herein include aloe extract , alpha - glyceryl - l - ascorbic acid , aminotyrosine , ammonium lactate , glycolic acid , hydroquinone , 4 hydroxyanisole , mixtures thereof , and the like . also useful for the inventive personal toilet bar compositions are sunscreen actives . a wide variety of sunscreen agents are described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 087 , 445 , to haffey et al ., issued feb . 11 , 1992 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 073 , 372 , to turner et al ., issued dec . 17 , 1991 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 073 , 371 , to turner et al . issued dec . 17 , 1991 ; and segarin , et al ., at chapter viii , pages 189 et seq ., of cosmetics science and technology , all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . nonlimiting examples of sunscreens which are useful in the compositions of the present invention are those selected from the group consisting of octyl methoxyl cinnamate ( parsol mcx ) and butyl methoxy benzoylmethane ( parsol 1789 ), 2 - ethylhexyl p - methoxycinnamate , 2 - ethylhexyl n , n - dimethyl - p - aminobenzoate , p - aminobenzoic acid , 2 - phenylbenzimidazole - 5 - sulfonic acid , oxybenzone , mixtures thereof , and the like . sebum stimulators can increase the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands . nonlimiting examples of sebum stimulating actives include bryonolic acid , dehydroetiandrosterone ( dhea ), orizanol , mixtures thereof , and the like . sebum inhibitors can decrease the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands . nonlimiting examples of useful sebum inhibiting actives include aluminum hydroxy chloride , corticosteroids , dehydroacetic acid and its salts , dichlorophenyl imidazoldioxolan ( available from elubiol ), mixtures thereof , and the like . also useful as actives in the inventive personal toilet bar compositions are protease inhibitors . protease inhibitors can be divided into two general classes : the proteinases and the peptidases . proteinases act on specific interior peptide bonds of proteins and peptidases act on peptide bonds adjacent to a free amino or carboxyl group on the end of a protein and thus cleave the protein from the outside . the protease inhibitors suitable for use in the inventive personal toilet bar compositions include , but are not limited to , proteinases such as serine proteases , metalloproteases , cysteine proteases , and aspartyl protease , and peptidases , such as carboxypepidases , dipeptidases and aminopepidases , mixtures thereof and the like . other useful active ingredients in the inventive personal toilet bar compositions are skin tightening agents . nonlimiting examples of skin tightening agents which are useful in the compositions of the present invention include monomers which can bind a polymer to the skin such as terpolymers of vinylpyrrolidone , ( meth ) acrylic acid and a hydrophobic monomer comprised of long chain alkyl ( meth ) acrylates , mixtures thereof , and the like . active ingredients in the inventive personal toilet bar compositions may also include anti - itch ingredients . suitable examples of anti - itch ingredients which are useful in the compositions of the present invention include hydrocortisone , methdilizine and trimeprazine , mixtures thereof , and the like . nonlimiting examples of hair growth inhibitors which are useful in the inventive personal toilet bar compositions include 17 beta estradiol , anti angiogenic steroids , curcuma extract , cycloxygenase inhibitors , evening primrose oil , linoleic acid and the like . suitable 5 - alpha reductase inhibitors such as ethynylestradiol and , genistine mixtures thereof , and the like . nonlimiting examples of desquamating enzyme enhancers which are useful in the inventive personal toilet bar compositions include alanine , aspartic acid , n methyl serine , serine , trimethyl glycine , mixtures thereof , and the like . a nonlimiting example of an anti - glycation agent which is useful in the compositions of the present invention would be amadorine ( available from barnet products distributor ), and the like . except in the operating and comparative examples , or where otherwise explicitly indicated , all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material ought to be understood as modified by the word “ about ”. the following examples will more fully illustrate the embodiments of this invention . all parts , percentages and proportions referred to herein and in the appended claims are by weight unless otherwise illustrated . physical test methods are described below . the following inventive toilet bar compositions may be formulated according to the manufacturing methods described below : useful synthetic detergent toilet bars according to the present invention ( inv .) as compared to a comparative bar ( comp .) can be prepared according to table 1 : useful combination toilet bars according to the present invention ( inv .) as compared to a comparative bar ( comp .) can be prepared according to table 2 : useful synthetic toilet bars with maltol and / or ethyl maltol and reduced fragrance level according to the present invention ( inv .) as compared to a comparative bar ( comp .) can be prepared according to table 3 : useful synthetic toilet bars with maltol and / or ethyl maltol in place of some or all of the maltol and reduced fragrance level according to the present invention ( inv .) as compared to a comparative bar ( comp .) can be prepared according to table 4 : in the syndet bar process , first melt the emollients and structurants by heating above 90 c in a z - blade mixer . then add the anionic surfactants in the mixer and homogenize the mass to form the base . other optional ingredients such as titanium dioxide , brighteners and clays can be added to the mixer at this time . the free water content of the mass is optimally adjusted to about 5 - 6 %. the resulting doughy or flowable liquid mass is then chill roll milled . the milled mass is added in the chip mixer and the rest of the minor ingredients such as color , optional fragrance and specialty ingredients are added and mixed . ethyl maltol is added at this point and mixed with the base . it has been observed that the pre - dilution of ethyl maltol ( em ) in polyol ( s ) or perfume ( s ) provides better dispersion in the final product . different types of polyols may be used to solubilize em . surprisingly it was observed that the color and the odor of the inventive toilet bar were more stable in dipropylene glycol ( dpg ) after aging for 4 weeks at 43 ° c . another observation is that in the initial stage one can detect the characteristic odor of maltol , which is described as a fruity candy - like odor , but on aging for a period of about 2 - 3 weeks this characteristic odor slowly disappears and the bar becomes nearly odorless provided that the bar does not contain added perfume . in the instant invention in a preferred embodiment , a premix is made separately with em and the polyol ; e . g . em is mixed with dpg at 0 . 5 % by wt . level . this pre - mix is added in the base at 0 . 1 - 2 . 0 % level or more as desired in the chip - mixer . the mixed mass is then milled / refined and extruded . the extruded bars are stamped and cartoned / wrapped . the combar toilet bars can be made by mixing the maltol blend with the base and other ingredients in the chip mixer . then the mixed mass can be processed to get the final bar by the method mentioned above . flowable and castable inventive compositions can be made using art recognized and other equivalent techniques . suitable compositions may be made by adding low kraftt point surfactants / structurants / emollients / humectants / solvents , etc ( preferably surfactant kp & lt ; 30 c ) and / or water in a total range of 10 - 30 % by wt ., preferably greater than 10 %, 12 %, 14 , and 15 % by wt . very high levels are preferably avoided in order to minimize the mush factor of the cast melt toilet bar . in a preferred embodiment , a mixture of sodium cocoyl isethionate , and magnesium cocoyl isethionate is structured by using an effective quantity of sodium stearate or 12 hydroxystearic acid in presence of emollients for skin conditioning such as e . g . glycerin , propylene glycol and / or fatty alcohols . these emollients act as solubilizers which are needed to obtain a homogeneous liquid at elevated temperature which on cooling yields a hard bar as determined by its yield stress . optionally a quantity of cosurfactants with krafft point preferably less than 30 c can also be used in the formulations . in addition to the inventive odor masking agent , optional fragrance , sunflower seed oil , scl and mgcl 2 , the remainder of the ingredients are added in a mixer . the mixture is heated to about 90 c and mixed slowly to make a homogeneous liquid . scl and mgcl 2 is added slowly and dissolved at about 100 c . once the mass is homogeneous , the temperature is brought to about 80 c and sunflower seed oil is added slowly with continuous mixing . fragrance is optionally added to the homogeneous mass preferably at about 70 c to avoid fragrance deterioration . this homogeneous off - white liquid is poured into molds . the molds are cooled by suitable cooling techniques or under ambient conditions to obtain solid bars . a ) analytical method for estimating the maltol , ethyl maltol or its derivatives and analogues content of a toilet bar . pyran type odor masking compounds such as maltol and ethyl maltol can be quantified using the following solid phase micro extraction ( spme ) headspace sampling method applied to the toilet bar . a ctc analytics pal automated spme sampling system was used to sample the headspace of bar soap samples . the spme fiber was then desorbed into a gc - ms . the following parameters were used : column : spb - 1 30 m × 0 . 25 mm × 0 . 25 um thickness ( 100 % methyl silicone column obtained from supelco ( belleton , pa .). b ) method for calculation of yield stress with cheese cutter device an approximate value for yield stress can be determined by the cheese cutter method . the principle of the measurement is that a wire penetrating into a material with a constant force will come to rest when the force on the wire due to stress balances the weight . the force balance is : m = mass driving wire ( actual mass used in calculation is the mass placed on the device plus the weight of the arm which adds to the extra weight on the sample ) cut a square of soap and position on the yield stress device . place a mass on the yield stress device while holding the arm . 400 g is an appropriate mass , although less might be needed for a very soft material . gently lower the arm so the wire just touches the soap and let the arm go . stop the vertical motion of the arm after one minute , and push the soap through the wire horizontally to cut a wedge out of the sample . take the mass off the device and then measure the length of the cut in the sample . the wire would continue to cut the soap at a slow rate , but the length of the cut made by the wire in one minute is taken as the final value . measure the temperature of the soap while the test proceeds . a 400 gram weight is used on the yield stress device and a 22 mm slice is measured where the wire has cut the soap after 1 minute . assuming the diameter of the wire is 0 . 6 mm , the approximate yield stress is ( 3 / 8 ) ⁢ ( 400 + 56 ) ⁢ [ g ] ⁢ ⁢ 9 . 8 ⁢ [ m ⁢ / ⁢ sec 2 ] ⁢ ⁢ 10 - 3 ⁢ [ kg ⁢ / ⁢ g ] 22 ⁢ [ mm ] ⁢ ⁢ 0 . 6 ⁢ [ mm ] ⁢ ⁢ 10 - 6 ⁢ [ m 2 ⁢ / ⁢ mm 2 ] = 1 . 3105 ⁢ ⁢ pa ⁢ ⁢ or ⁢ ⁢ 130 ⁢ ⁢ kpa optionally an instron testing device ( supplied by instron co ., boston , mass .) may be used instead of a weight to apply stress to the wire contacting the bar . make up a 10 % by wt . solution of surfactant or other sample in water . if needed , heat the system to dissolve the sample completely . transfer the clear solution to a glass test tube . place the test tube in a beaker equipped with a stirrer and filled with sufficient water to evenly cool the surfactant or sample solution . the solution should be cooled with continuous stirring and the temperature should be continuously recorded . note the temperature when the crystallization process begins such that the solution becomes turbid . this temperature is taken as the krafft point . if the crystallization temperature is below room temperature , add ice to the beaker to cool the test tube below room temperature to measure the subambient krafft point . the inventive toilet bar composition ( especially for personal cleansing of the skin and hair ) preferably has a zein solubility of under about 50 , 40 , 30 , and most preferably under about 25 using the zein solubility method set forth below . the lower the zein score , the milder the product is considered to be . this method involves measuring the solubility of zein ( corn protein ) in cleansing base solutions as follows : 0 . 3 g of cleansing base and 29 . 7 g of water at room temperature ( 25 c ). are mixed thoroughly . to this is added 1 . 5 g of zein , and mixed for 1 hour . the mixture is then centrifuged for 30 minutes at 3000 rpm . after centrifugation , the pellet is extracted , washed with water , and dried in a vacuum oven for 24 hours until substantially all the water has evaporated . the weight of the dried pellet is measured and percent zein solubilized is calculated using the following equation : the % zein is further described in the following references : e . gotte , skin compatibility of tensides measured by their capacity for dissolving zein protein , proc . iv international congress of surface active substances , brussels , 1964 , pp 83 - 90 . while this invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof , it is apparent that numerous other forms and modifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art . the appended claims and this invention generally should be construed to cover all such obvious forms and modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .	2
fig1 schematically illustrates a vehicle seat 1 , with a backrest 4 and a seat part 6 . a pivoting means 13 is connected both to the backrest 4 and to the seat part 6 and has a gearwheel 8 and a tab 10 with a toothing 9 . the backrest 4 can be rotated about a first axis of rotation 5 . in this case , the first axis of rotation 5 is located at a minimum distance from the support surface 15 of the backrest 4 in order to increase the seat comfort of the vehicle seat 1 ( for example with regard to the first axis of rotation 5 possibly pressing through ). in the normal position , the gearwheel 8 is located in a rear stop position 11 of the tab 10 or on a stop 11 . the second axis of rotation 7 which is virtual and is produced by the pivoting means 13 is also illustrated . fig1 furthermore illustrates a further backrest 3 . in this exemplary embodiment , the seat part 6 of the vehicle seat 1 is at the same time also seat part 6 for the further backrest 3 . however , it is also conceivable for the backrest 4 and the further backrest 3 , with in each case separate seat parts 6 , to form a vehicle seat 1 . fig2 shows , schematically , the vehicle seat 1 in an armrest position . by rotation of the backrest — partially about the first axis of rotation 5 and partially about the second axis of rotation 7 — the gearwheel 8 migrates forward along the toothing 9 in the direction of the seat part 6 and therefore leaves the rear stop position 11 of the tab 10 . the tab 10 remains unchanged in its position in this case . in the example , the backrest 4 has no contact with the seat part 6 . a latching means 14 which is intended to prevent inadvertent rotation of the backrest 4 is located in the region of the first axis of rotation 5 . the further backrest 3 which remains upright in the armrest position of the backrest 4 is also illustrated . fig3 illustrates the backrest 4 in the loading position . in this case , the backrest 4 together with the further backrest 3 is rotated about the first axis of rotation 5 until the backrest 4 and the further backrest 3 are in contact with the seat part 6 or are substantially horizontal . the tab 10 pivots forward about the first axis of rotation 5 in the direction of the seat part 6 . the gearwheel 8 remains in the rear stop position 11 in the toothing 9 ( starting from the normal position during a folding - down operation ) or the gearwheel 8 migrates along the toothing 9 to the rear stop position 11 ( starting from the armrest position during a folding - down operation ). fig4 shows , schematically , the backrest 4 in the armrest position , with the further backrest 3 adopting the normal position . the gearwheel 8 also migrates forward here in the direction of the seat part 6 and is located in a front region of the tab 10 . in this exemplary embodiment , the head restraint of the backrest 4 is in contact with the seat part 6 . fig5 illustrates the vehicle seat 1 , with a four - bar mechanism 12 being provided in this example as the pivoting means 13 . the backrest 4 has been rotated and is in the armrest position . the second backrest 3 is illustrated here in a normal position . if the backrest 4 adopts a loading position , the four - bar mechanism is essentially completely extended ( not illustrated ). fig6 shows , schematically , the four - bar mechanism 12 its joint with points a , b , c , d . a first lever is produced between the points a and b , a second lever between the points a and d , a third lever between the points b and c , and a fourth lever between the points c and d . however , the points c and d are fixedly connected rotatably to the backrest 4 . in the normal position and in the armrest position , the points a and b are fixedly connected to the seat part 6 . during a rotation of the backrest from the normal position into the armrest position , the point d moves on a semicircular path around the point a , as illustrated , and at the same time the point c moves on a semicircular path around the point b . by this means , a virtual second axis of rotation 7 is produced approximately at the point shown in fig1 . when the further backrest 3 is folded down from the normal position into the loading position , the entire four - bar mechanism 12 is rotated about the point a which essentially coincides with the first axis of rotation 5 . in this case , the four - bar mechanism remains essentially entirely extended .	1
preferred compounds of the invention are those in which x is -- ch ═ ch --. preferred substituent groups for r 1 are phenyl and substituted phenyl , while preferred groups for r 2 are alkyl or cycloalkyl . phenyl and substituted phenyl groups are preferred for r 3 . as used throughout this specification and the appended claims , the term &# 34 ; alkyl &# 34 ; denotes a branched or unbranched saturated hydrocarbon group derived by the removal of one hydrogen atom from an alkane . the term &# 34 ; lower alkyl &# 34 ; denotes alkyl of from one to four carbon atoms . the term &# 34 ; alkoxy &# 34 ; denotes an alkyl group , as just defined , attached to the parent molecular residue through an oxygen atom . compounds of the present invention are prepared by the general synthetic methods outlined in the following reaction scheme . referring to the reaction scheme , the β - ketoester , represented by ethyl acetoacetate , is condensed with the desired carboxaldehyde , represented by 4 - fluorobenzaldehyde , 1 , to produce the condensation product 2 . this reaction is generally carried out in toluene under reflux with azeotropic removal of water , and in the presence of a base such as piperidine acetate ( formed in situ from piperidine and glacial acetic acid ). ## str6 ## the condensation product , 2 , is further condensed with the desired amidine , represented in the reaction scheme by acetamidine hydrochloride . ureas , thioureas , and guanidines may also be employed in this reaction . the reaction is generally carried out in a high - boiling alcoholic solvent such as n - butanol under reflux in the presence of a base such as triethylamine . the resulting dihydropyrimidine , 3 , is next aromatized to the pyrimidine , 4 , by heating with powdered sulfur for a period of 1 - 3 hours in the absence of a solvent , generally at a temperature of about 130 °- 150 ° c . compound 4 is then reduced by the action of diisobutyl aluminum hydride ( dibal ) in dichloromethane at - 78 ° c . to produce the alcohol , 5 . the alcohol , 5 is then oxidized to the corresponding aldehyde , 6 , by the method of swern ( swern , et al , j . org . chem ., 43 : 2480 ( 1978 )). this reaction is generally carried out in dichloromethane at - 78 ° c . witting reaction of the aldehyde , 6 , with an ylide such as methyl ( triphenylphosphoranylidene ) acetate in methylene chloride at room temperature produces the trans - ester , 7 , in high yield . the ester , 7 , is reduced to the corresponding alcohol , 8 , using two equivalents of diisobutyl aluminum hydride at - 78 ° c . alternatively , the unsaturated ester , 7 , is reduced over pd / c by the action of hydrogen to produce the saturated ester , 9 , which is then reduced by the action of dibal to produce the corresponding alcohol which is then carried forward in the sequence of steps to produce the product having the saturated ethyl bridge ( x = ethylene in generic formula i ). the alcohols , 8 or 10 , are oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes , 11a or 11b , by swern oxidation , followed by an aldol condensation with the sodium lithium dianion of ethyl acetoacatate at - 78 ° c . in tetrahydrofuran ( see kraus , et al , j . org . chem ., 48 : 2111 ( 1983 ) to form the 5 - hydroxy - 3 - oxo - 6 - heptenoic acid esters , 12a , and 12b . the product of this condensation is then reduced in a sequence of steps in which it is first dissolved in a polar solvent such as tetrahydrofuran under a dry atmosphere . a small excess of triethylborane and catalytic amounts of 2 , 2 - dimethylpropanoic acid are next added . the mixture is stirred at room temperature for a short period , after which it is cooled to a temperature preferably between about - 60 ° c . and - 80 ° c . dry methanol is added , followed by sodium borohydride . the mixture is kept at low temperature for 4 - 8 hours before treating it with hydrogen peroxide and ice water . the substituted 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid ethyl esters , 13a and 13b , are isolated having the preferred r * , s * and r * , r * configurations , respectively . the esters , 13a and 13b , may be utilized as such in the pharmaceutical method of this invention , or may be converted , if desired , to the corresponding acid salt forms , such as the sodium salt , employing basic hydrolysis by generally well - known methods . the free acids , produced by neutralization of the sodium salts , can be dehydrated to the lactone , i by heating the acids in an inert solvent such as toluene with concomitant azeotropic removal of water . in the ring - opened dihydroxy acid form , compounds of the present invention react to form salts with pharmaceutically acceptable metal and amine cations formed from organic and inorganic bases . the term &# 34 ; pharmaceutically acceptable metal cation &# 34 ; contemplates positively charged metal ions derived from sodium , potassium , calcium , magnesium , aluminum , iron , zinc and the like . the term &# 34 ; pharmaceutically acceptable amine cation &# 34 ; contemplates the positively charged ions derived from ammonia and organic nitrogenous bases strong enough to form such cations . bases useful for the formation of pharmaceutically acceptable nontoxic base addition salts of compounds of the present invention form a class whose limits are readily understood by those skilled in the art . ( see , for example , berge , et al , &# 34 ; pharmaceutical salts ,&# 34 ; j . pharm . sci ., 66 : 1 - 19 ( 1977 )). the free acid form of the compound may be regenerated from the salt , if desired , by contacting the salt with a dilute aqueous solution of an acid such as hydrochloric acid . the base addition salts may differ from the free acid form of compounds of this invention in such physical characteristics as melting point and solubility in polar solvents , but are considered equivalent to the free acid forms for purposes of this invention . the compounds of this invention can exist in unsolvated as well as solvated forms . in general , the solvated forms , with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents such as water , ethanol , and the like , are equivalent to the unsolvated forms for purposes of this invention . the compounds of this invention are useful as hypocholesterolemic or hypolipidemic agents by virtue of their ability to inhibit the biosynthesis of cholesterol through inhibition of the enzyme 3 - hydroxy - 3 - methyl - glutaryl - coenzyme a reductase ( hmg - coa reductase ). the ability of compounds of the present invention to inhibit the biosynthesis of cholesterol was measured by a method ( designated csi screen ) which utilizes the procedure described by r . e . dugan et al , archiv . biochem . biophys ., ( 1972 ), 152 , 21 - 27 . in this method , the level of hmg - coa enzyme activity in standard laboratory rats is increased by feeding the rats a chow diet containing 5 % cholestyramine for four days , after which the rats are sacrificed . the rat livers are homogenized , and the incorporation of 14c - acetate into nonsaponifiable lipid by the rat liver homogenate is measured . the micromolar concentration of compound required for 50 % inhibition of sterol synthesis over a one - hour period is measured , and expressed as an ic50 value . the activities of several representative examples of compounds in accordance with the present invention appear in table 1 . for preparing pharmaceutical compositions from the compounds described by this invention , inert , pharmaceutically acceptable carriers can be either solid or liquid . solid form preparations include powders , tablets , dispersible granules , capsules , cachets , and suppositories . a solid carrier can be one or more substances which may also act as diluents , flavoring agents , solubilizers , lubricants , suspending agents , binders , or tablet disintegrating agents ; it can also be an encapsulating material . in powders , the carrier is a finely divided solid which is in a mixture with finely divided active compound . in tablets , the active compound is mixed with the carrier having the necessary binding properties in suitable proportions and compacted in the shape and size desired . table 1______________________________________ ## str7 ## csi ic . sub . 50x r . sub . 1 r . sub . 2 r . sub . 3 μmole / liter______________________________________chch 4 - fluoro - ch . sub . 3 phenyl 0 . 15 phenylchch 3 , 5 - dimethyl - ch . sub . 3 phenyl 0 . 22 phenylchch 4 - fluoro - ch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 0 . 13 phenyl______________________________________ for preparing suppository preparations , a low - melting wax such as a mixture of fatty - acid glycerides and cocoa butter is first melted , and the active ingredient is dispersed homogeneously therein , as by stirring . the molten homogeneous mixture is then poured into convenient sized molds and allowed to cool and solidify . the powders and tablets preferably contain 5 to about 70 % of the active ingredient . suitable solid carriers are magnesium carbonate , magnesium stearate , talc , sugar , lactose , pectin , dextrin , starch , tragacanth , methyl cellulose , sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , a low - melting wax , cocoa butter , and the like . the term &# 34 ; preparation &# 34 ; is intended to include the formulation of the active compound with encapsulating material as carrier providing a capsule in which the active component ( with or without other carriers ) is surrounded by a carrier , which is thus in association with it . similarly , cachets are included . tablets , powders , cachets , and capsules can be used as solid dosage forms suitable for oral administration . liquid form preparations include solutions , suspensions , and emulsions . as an example may be mentioned water or water - propylene glycol solutions for parenteral injection . liquid preparations can also be formulated in solution in aqueous polyethylene glycol solution . aqueous solutions for oral use can be prepared by dissolving the active component in water and adding suitable colorants , flavoring agents , stabilizers , and thickening agents as desired . aqueous suspensions for oral use can be made by dispersing the finely divided active component in water with viscous material , i . e ., natural or synthetic gums , resins , methyl , cellulose , sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , and other well - known suspending agents . preferably , the pharmaceutical preparation is in unit dosage form . in such form , the preparation is subdivided into unit doses containing appropriate quantities of the active component . the unit dosage form can be a packaged preparation , the package containing discrete quantities of preparation , for example , packeted tablets , capsules , and powders in vials or ampoules . the unit dosage form can also be a capsule , cachet , or tablet itself or it can be the appropriate number of any of these packaged forms . in therapeutic use as hypolipidemic or hypocholesterolemic agents , the compounds utilized in the pharmaceutical method of this invention are administered to the patient at dosage levels of from 40 mg to 600 mg per day . for a normal human adult of approximately 70 kg or body weight , this translates to a dosage of from about 0 . 5 mg / kg to about 8 . 0 mg / kg of body weight per day . the dosages , however , may be varied depending upon the requirements of the patient , the severity of the condition being treated , and the compound being employed . determination of optimum dosages for a particular situation is within the skill of the art . the following examples illustrate particular methods for preparing compounds in accordance with this invention . these examples are illustrative and are not to be read as limiting the scope of the invention as it is defined by the appended claims . preparation of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid and [ 4α , 6β ( e )]- 6 -[ 2 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ] ethenyl ] tetrahydro - 4 - hydroxy - 2h - pyran - 2 - one piperidine ( 4 . 0 ml ) and glacial acetic acid ( 12 ml ) were added to a stirred solution of ethyl acetoacetate ( 127 . 5 ml , 1 . 0 mol ) and 4 - fluorobenzaldehyde ( 136 . 52 g , 1 . 1 mol ) in 200 ml of toluene . this mixture was heated under reflux for four hours with azeotropic removal of water . the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and concentrated . the residue was flash chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with toluene , to produce 226 . 0 g of crude product which was then distilled to yield 186 . 2 g of a mixture of cis - and trans - ethyl 2 -[( 4 - fluorophenyl ) methylene ]- 3 - oxobutanoate , bp 160 °- 170 ° c . at 5 mm hg . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 0 - 1 . 3 ( triplet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 2 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 4 . 0 - 4 . 3 ( quartet , 2 protons ), and δ 6 . 7 - 7 . 0 ( multiplet , 3 protons ). to a solution of 100 g ( 0 . 42 mol ) of cis - and trans - ethyl 2 -[( 4 - fluorophenyl ) methylene ]- 3 - oxo - butanoate in 700 ml of n - butanol was added , with stirring , 48 . 0 g ( 0 . 502 mol ) of acetamidine hydrochloride and 58 . 3 g ( 0 . 576 mol ) of triethylamine . the resulting mixture was heated under reflux for two hours and then cooled to room temperature and concentrated under vacuum . the residue was partitioned between ethyl acetate and 1m hydrochloric acid solution . the organic layer was extracted with 1m hydrochloric acid solution and the combined acid solutions were washed with diethyl ether and then made basic with saturated potassium carbonate solution . the basic solution was extracted with ethyl acetate , the organic layer filtered and concentrated to yield 75 . 7 g of ethyl 6 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 1 , 6 - dihydro - 2 , 4 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinecarboxylate . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 0 - 1 . 3 ( triplet , 3 protons ), δ 1 . 8 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 2 ( triplet , 3 protons ), δ 3 . 9 - 4 . 1 ( quartet , 2 protons ), δ 5 . 4 ( singlet , 1 proton ), 6 . 8 - 7 . 4 ( multiplet , 4 protons ), and 8 . 1 - 8 . 4 ( broad singlet , 1 proton ). ethyl 6 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 1 , 6 - dihydro - 2 , 4 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinecarboxylate ( 75 . 7 g , 0 . 274 mol ) and 9 . 67 g ( 0 . 3 mol ) of powdered sulfur were heated together at 130 °- 150 ° c . for three and one - half hours . after hydrogen sulfide evolution had ceased , the melt was cooled to room temperature and flash chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with 10 % ethyl acetate / hexane , to yield 48 . 7 g of ethyl 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinecarboxylate . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 0 ( triplet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 5 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 6 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 4 . 1 ( quartet , 2 protons ), and δ 7 . 5 - 7 . 7 ( multiplet , 2 protons ). to a solution of 46 . 5 g ( 0 . 169 mol ) of ethyl 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinecarboxylate in 500 ml of dichloromethane at - 78 ° c . under nitrogen was added 340 ml of a 1m solution of diisobutylauminum hydride ( 0 . 339 mol ) in dichloromethane . the resulting mixture was stirred at - 78 ° c . for one - half hour and then the reaction was quenched by the addition of a saturated aqueous solution of sodium sulfate ( 48 . 15 g , 0 . 34 mol ). the cooling bath was removed and the mixture was vigorously stirred for twenty minutes and then filtered through celite ®. the filter cake was thoroughly washed with chloroform and the combined filtrate and washings were dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and evaporated to yield 31 . 14 g of 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinemethanol , mp 174 °- 176 ° c . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 2 . 2 ( triplet , 1 proton ), δ 2 . 6 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 65 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 4 . 55 ( doublet , 2 protons ), δ 7 . 0 - 7 . 2 ( multiplet , 2 protons ), and δ 7 . 5 - 7 . 7 ( multiplet , 2 protons ). to a solution of 12 . 9 ml ( 0 . 147 mol ) of oxalyl chloride in 250 ml of dichlormethane at - 78 ° c . under nitrogen was added dropwise , over a period of two minutes , a solution of 21 ml ( 0 . 295 mol ) of dimethylsulfoxide in 20 ml of dichloromethane . 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinemethanol ( 31 . 14 g , 0 . 134 mol ) in 150 ml of dichloromethane and 50 ml of dimethylsulfoxide was added dropwise over a period of twenty - five minutes . the resulting mixture was stirred for an additional twenty minutes at - 78 ° c . and then 93 . 2 ml ( 0 . 67 mol ) of triethylamine was added and the cooling bath was removed . the solution was then allowed to warm to room temperature and 200 ml of a saturated aqueous solution of ammonium chloride was added . the mixture was stirred vigorously , chloroform was added , and the phases separated . the organic layer was washed successively with water and brine solution , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered , and evaporated to yield 31 . 0 g of 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidine - carboxaldehyde . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 2 . 7 ( singlet , 6 protons ), δ 7 . 0 - 7 . 2 ( multiplet , 2 protons ), δ 7 . 4 - 7 . 6 ( multiplet , 2 protons ), and δ 9 . 9 ( singlet , 1 proton ). 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinecarboxaldehyde ( 31 g , 0 . 134 mol ) and methyl ( triphenylphosphoranylidene ) acetate ( 46 . 6 g , 0 . 139 mol ) in 500 ml of dichlormethane were stirred at room temperature for twenty - four hours . the solution was then concentrated and flash chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with 20 % ethyl acetate / hexane , to give 36 . 3 g of methyl 3 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 2 - propenoate . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 2 . 6 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 7 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 3 . 7 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 5 . 9 ( doublet , 1 proton ), and δ 7 . 0 - 7 . 7 ( multiplet , 5 protons ). to a solution of 30 g ( 0 . 104 mol ) of methyl 3 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 2 - propenoate in 400 ml of dichloromethane at - 78 ° c . under nitrogen was added , in a dropwise manner , 231 ml of a 1m solution of diisobutylaluminum hydride ( 0 . 231 mol ). the resulting solution was stirred at - 78 ° c . for one hour , after which the reaction was quenched by the addition of a saturated solution containing 38 . 0 g ( 0 . 231 mol ) of sodium sulfate . the mixture was stirred vigorously , filtered through celite ®, and the filter cake washed with chloroform . the filtrate and washings were combined , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered , and evaporated to yield 26 . 6 g of ( e )- 3 -[ 4 -( fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 2 - propen - 1 - ol . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 2 . 5 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 7 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 4 . 0 ( broad multiplet , 2 protons ), δ 5 . 5 - 5 . 8 ( doublet of triplets , 1 proton ), δ 6 . 2 - 6 . 5 ( doublet , 1 proton ), δ 6 . 9 - 7 . 1 ( mulitplet , 2 protons ), and δ 7 . 4 - 7 . 6 ( multiplet , 2 protons ). a solution of oxalyl chloride ( 10 . 3 ml , 0 . 118 mol ) in 40 ml of dichloromethane was cooled to - 78 ° c . under a nitrogen atmosphere . a solution of dimethylsulfoxide ( 16 . 8 ml , 0 . 236 mol ) in 20 ml of dichloromethane was added dropwise with stirring over a period of two minutes . five minutes after addition was complete , a solution of 27 . 72 g ( 0 . 107 mol ) of ( e , uns / e / )- 3 -[ 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 2 - propen - 1 - ol in 100 ml of dichloromethane was added dropwise . this solution was stirred at - 78 ° c . for thirty minutes and then 75 ml ( 0 . 537 mol ) of triethylamine was added and the cooling bath removed . the mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and the reaction was quenched by the addition of 200 ml of saturated ammonium chloride solution . the organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with chloroform . the combined organic layers were washed with water and then brine solution , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , and evaproated to yield 21 . 27 g of ( e )- 3 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 2 - propenal . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 2 . 6 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 7 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 6 . 1 - 6 . 4 ( multiplet , 1 proton ), δ 7 . 0 - 7 . 6 ( multiplet , 5 protons ), and δ 9 . 5 ( doublet , 1 proton ). step 9 -- preparation of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 5 - hydroxy - 3 - oxo - 6 - heptenoic acid , ethyl ester a solution of ethyl acetoacetate ( 11 . 65 ml , 0 . 0914 mol ) in 50 ml of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added dropwise with stirring to a suspension of sodium hydride ( 2 . 39 g , 0 . 0992 mol ) in anhydrous tetrahydro furan at 0 ° c . under nitrogen . the resulting mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for ten minutes , after which n - butyl lithium ( 38 . 1 ml , 2 . 4m solution in tetrahydrofuran , 0 . 0914 mol ) was added dropwise . the resulting orange solution was stirred for an additional ten minutes and then cooled to - 78 ° c . a solution of ( e )- 3 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 2 - propenal ( 21 . 27 g , 0 . 083 mol ) in 100 ml of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added dropwise . the resulting solution was stirred for thirty minutes , and the cooling bath was removed , after which the reaction was quenched by the addition of 12 ml of glacial acetic acid . the pale orange solution was then stirred at room temperature for two hours after which it was partitioned between diethyl ether and water . the organic layer was separated , washed successively with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution , water , and brine soluiton , dried , and evaporated . this yielded 33 . 7 g of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 5 - hydroxy - 3 - oxo - 6 - heptenoic acid , ethyl ester . flash chromatography on silica gel , eluting with 10 % methanol / chloroform yielded 27 . 5 g of pure material . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 2 ( triplet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 4 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 5 ( doublet , 2 protons ), δ 2 . 6 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 3 . 4 ( singlet , 2 protons ), δ 4 . 1 ( quartet , 2 protons ), δ 4 . 5 ( multiplet , 1 proton ), δ 5 . 5 ( doublet of doublets , 1 proton ), δ 6 . 5 ( doublet , 1 proton ), and δ 6 . 9 - 7 . 5 ( multiplet , 4 protons ). step 9 -- preparation of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid , ethyl ester to a solution of 27 . 5 g ( 0 . 071 mol ) of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 5 - hydroxy - 3 - oxo - 6 - heptenoic acid , ethyl ester and 0 . 73 g ( 0 . 0071 mol ) of pivalic acid in 140 ml of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran under a dry air atmosphere at room temperature was added a 1m solution of triethylborane ( 28 . 4 ml , 0 . 0784 mol ) in a dropwise manner . this solution was stirred for five minutes before 20 ml of air was bubbled through the solution . the mixture was then cooled to - 78 ° c . and 18 ml of methanol and 2 . 96 g ( 0 . 0784 mol ) of sodium borohydride were added . this mixture was stirred at - 78 ° c . for six hours and then poured into 140 ml of ice cold 30 % hydrogen peroxide solution at 0 ° c . this mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight and then diluted with water and extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic layer was separated , washed extensively with water and brine solution , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and evaporated to yield 25 . 7 g of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid , ethyl ester which was used in the next step without further purification . step 10 -- preparation of [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid , and the sodium salt [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid , ethyl ester ( 25 . 7 g ) was dissolved in 300 ml of tetrahydrofuran and 30 ml of methanol and 66 . 2 ml of 1m sodium hydroxide solution ( 0 . 0662 mol ) was added in one portion at room temperature . this mixture was stirred for one hour at room temperature and then concentrated under vacuum to yield crude [ r * , s ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid , sodium salt , melting range 135 °- 150 ° c . the salt was taken up in water , acidified with 6m hydrochloric acid , and the acidic solution extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic layer was washed successively with water and brine solution , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , and evaporated to yield [ r , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid . the [ r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid from step 10 was dissolved in a mixture of 525 ml of toluene and 175 ml of ethyl acetate and the resulting mixture was heated under reflux for five hours with the azeotropic removal of water . the reaction mixture was then cooled to room temperature , concentrated and the residue recrystallized from ethyl acetate to yield 11 . 14 g of [ 4α , 6β ( e )]- 6 -[ 2 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ] ethenyl ] tetrahydro - 4 - hydroxy - 2h - pyran - 2 - one , mp 145 °- 147 ° c . proton nmr spectrum ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 6 - 1 . 9 ( multiplet , 2 protons ), δ 2 . 57 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 6 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 2 . 7 ( singlet , 3 protons ), δ 4 . 3 ( multiplet , 1 proton ), δ 5 . 2 ( multiplet , 1 proton ), δ 5 . 6 ( doublet of doublets , 1 proton ), δ 6 . 6 ( doublet , 1 proton ), δ 7 . 1 - 7 . 3 ( multiplet , 2 protons ), and δ 7 . 5 - 7 . 6 ( multiplet , 2 protons ). infrared spectrum ( kbr pellet ): principal absorption peaks at 3250 , 1737 , 1606 , 1545 , 1511 , 1422 , 1358 , 1230 , 1160 , 1069 , and 1037 cm - 1 . preparation of [ 4α , 6β ( e )]- 6 -[ 2 -[ 4 -( 3 , 5 - dimethylphenyl )- 6 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ] ethenyl ]- tetrahydro - 4 - hydroxy - 2h - pyran - 2 - one and [ r * , s * -( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid employing the general method of example 1 , but employing 3 , 5 - dimethylbenzaldehyde and benzamidine hydrochloride in step 1 , there was obtained ] r * , s * ( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid , as the sodium salt , melting range 214 °- 220 ° c . ( dec ) and [ 4α , 6β ( e )]- 6 -[ 2 -[ 4 -( 3 , 5 - dimethylphenyl )- 6 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- ethenyl ] tetrahydro - 4 - hydroxy - 2h - pyran - 2 - one , mp 145 °- 147 ° c . preparation of [ r * , s * -( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 6 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid and [ 4α , 6β ( e )]- 6 -[ 2 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 6 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ] ethenyl ] tetrahydro - 4 - hydroxy - 2h - pyran - 2 - one employing the general methods of examples 1 , there was obtained [ r * , s * -( e )]- 7 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 6 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- 3 , 5 - dihydroxy - 6 - heptenoic acid as the sodium salt , melting range 110 °- 120 ° c . and [ 4α , 6β ( e )]- 6 -[ 2 -[ 4 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 6 - methyl - 2 - phenyl - 5 - pyrimidinyl ]- ethenyl ] tetrahydro - 4 - hydroxy - 2h - pyran - 2 - one , mp 165 °- 167 ° c .	2
a number of improvements to leadless package designs are described below . in the following description , numerous specific details - are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be understood , however , to one skilled in the art , that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention . as described in the background section of the application , conventional semiconductor packaging processes result in a package with a plurality of solder - plated contacts exposed on the bottom surface of the package . fig5 a illustrates a compact solder joint 150 that results when the package is mounted to a circuit board attach pad 151 which in turn is part of a printed circuit board 153 . note that in fig5 a a portion of molding material 125 remains adhered to the underside of the contact 109 ( and under the tie bar stub 112 ) after a conventional singulation cut . the tie bar stubs 112 are exposed at the peripheral edges of the package and are substantially co - planer with the package edge 154 . the exposed portion of the tie bar stub 112 does not serve as an attachment point for the leadless lead frame package . thus , the solder joint 150 between the contact 109 and the printed circuit board attach pad 151 is confined to a relatively small area ( i . e ., the area of the contact pad ). although the solder joint 150 of fig5 a works well in a wide variety of application , in some applications it may be desirable to provide better solder joint visibility to better facilitate visual inspection of the solder joints and / or inspection by certain types of inspection machines . a weaker , less visible solder joint results because the molding material 125 partially obscures the joint . as can be appreciated by one skilled in the art , in some circumstances better visual confirmation of the solder joint of a particular package is desirable both for quality assurance and for troubleshooting purposes . referring next to fig5 b , a package in accordance with the present invention will be described . fig5 b illustrates a leadless lead frame package attached to a printed circuit board 153 . in this illustration , the molding material previously attached to the underside of the contact 109 is removed such that the solder joint 152 fills a larger region and is readily visible from the side of the package . one advantage of the present embodiment is that the solder joint 152 may be more easily inspected . whereas the molding material 125 in fig5 a obstructs the view of solder joint 150 , the solder joint 152 of the present invention ( referring to fig5 b ) can readily be seen at the peripheral edge of the package . therefore , the resulting solder joint 152 may be visually inspected for joint integrity . in some applications , the exposed solder joint 152 may also be more easily probed and tested since the solder joint can be readily accessed from the side of the package . for a fixed sized lead frame , this permits the use of somewhat larger solder joints which provides a greater potential mechanical strength to the joint due both to the increased area of attachment between the contact 109 and the landing pad 158 of the printed circuit board and to the increased volume of solder material in solder joint 152 . in other applications , this permits the use of smaller device areas while maintaining the same solder joint footprint , which may be used to facilitate higher density lead frame panels . referring next to fig3 - 4 , 5 b , and 6 b , a method of producing the described packages will be explained . generally , the lead frame panels may be formed and assembled using any appropriate process . by way of example , in a particular embodiment illustrated in fig6 b — a lead frame panel 180 is patterned to define a plurality of device areas and a matrix of tie bars . each device area includes a multiplicity of conductive contacts that are attached to an associated tie bar . during assembly , dice are attached to die attach pads 181 or otherwise positioned within associated device areas ( e . g ., on a support tape if die attach pads are not provided ). the dice are then electrically connected to the contacts ( e . g ., by wire bonding 182 ) and a casing is molded 183 or otherwise provided that encapsulates the die and connectors while leaving the bottom surfaces of the contacts exposed . after the encapsulation has cured 184 , portions of the contacts adjacent to the tie bars are undercut without severing the tie bars 185 . by way of example , the undercutting can be accomplished by a partial depth sawing operation along the tie bars . this undercutting exposes a side and an underside surface of the contacts . the lead frame package is then buffed 186 and solder - plated 187 using industry standard techniques . after the lead frame package has been marked 188 , tested 189 , and singulated 190 it is ready for shipping 191 or attachment to an electronic component as described above . it should be apparent that the primary difference between the present invention , and earlier processes is the addition of the partial cut 185 . this step is generally illustrated in fig3 . in fig3 , a partial sawing operation is illustrated . in this operation , a relatively wide blade 131 is passed along the tie bar axis . the blade 131 removes portions of the encapsulating molding ( see above fig2 c 125 ), the tie bar 111 , and the tie bar stub 112 thereby exposing the side and underside surfaces of adjacent contacts 109 . cleaning the molding material from the contacts 109 and their corresponding side and underside surfaces allows those surfaces to be solder - plated in a subsequent step . in the embodiment shown , a circular saw blade 131 is used , although it should be appreciated that any suitable technique may be used to remove the molding material to expose the contact side and underside surfaces including , but not limited to : grinding , etching , laser cutting , gouging , and other chemical and mechanical techniques . furthermore , the partial sawing operation may be accomplished in single or multiple operational steps . in the described embodiment , the width of the blade 131 is slightly wider than the width of the molding material 125 as shown in fig3 , therefore cleaning the molding material from the contacts 109 and their corresponding side and underside surfaces . the same result may be achieved using narrower blades in successive passes along the tie bar axes . fig4 a illustrates the resultant undercut surfaces from the partial saw pass . the exposed undercut surfaces created by the partial saw pass may now be solder - plated to facilitate attachment to printed circuit boards or other electronic devices . solder plating the exposed surfaces prevents surface oxidation of the contacts 109 that inhibits a reliable solder connection to a printed circuit board or other electronic device . solder plating 140 attaches to all exposed metallic surfaces including the adjacent contacts 109 , the tie bar stub 112 , the tie bar 111 , and the die attach pads 107 . solder plating does not attach to the molding material 125 . once the contacts have been solder - plated , the lead frame panel is ready to be singulated or separated into individual devices . referring to fig4 b , the singulation cut is accomplished by conventional means . in the present embodiment shown , a singulation blade 141 is passed along each tie bar axis on the lead frame panel . singulation removes the tie bar 111 , a portion of the tie stub 112 , and a portion of the molding material 125 leaving exposed molding and contact surfaces discussed below . it should be appreciated that the singulation blade 141 is generally narrower than the blade 131 described above for use in making the undercut . with this arrangement , a gap is created between the side of the contact 109 and the edge of a package , which leaves the outside edges of the contacts 109 , as well as the undersides of the tie bar stubs 112 , exposed prior to solder plating . the ends of the tie bars stubs 112 are also exposed , however , they are not solder - plated . the singulated packages may then be attached to a printed circuit board or other appropriate substrate using standard attachment techniques ( e . g ., soldering ). fig5 b illustrates a finished and singulated leadless lead frame package mounted on a printed circuit board 153 . as seen therein , the solder joint 152 fills an area to the peripheral side of the contact and under the tie bar stub 112 ( which , in the version illustrated in fig5 a , is occupied by the molding material ). this provides a strong , high quality joint that can be readily seen and accessed from the side as described above . it should be apparent that because the area of attachment of the contact 109 has been increased , the size of the landing pad 158 on the printed circuit board may need to be increased a corresponding amount . the larger solder joint 152 provides a more robust connection between the contact 109 and the printed circuit board landing pad 158 as well as a visual inspection point for solder joint integrity and a convenient test site that can be reached by conventional test probes over the prior art . referring next to fig7 a , another embodiment of the present invention will be described . fig7 a is a 3 - dimensional perspective view of a contact 109 having a well 701 created as a result of etching the contact surface 703 . before a die is attached to the lead frame panel as in step 1001 in fig1 , the lead frame panel is selectively etched at the intersection of the contact 109 and the tie bar 111 . etching the contact 109 has the advantage of eliminating a partial cutting step as in step 185 in fig6 b . when the tie bars are etched to reduce their thickness , the simplest approach to forming the wells is to etch the wells at the same time that the tie bars are being etched . it may be appreciated by one skilled in the art that etching may be accomplished by a variety of methods well known in the art . fig7 b is a diagrammatic top view of a pair of contacts 109 having a well 701 as shown in fig7 a . as shown in fig7 b , the well 701 is aligned along the axis of the tie bar 111 , which is part of a lead frame panel . the well 701 is sized such that the well 701 leaves an exposed region on both contacts after the singulation cut . singulation cut - lines 702 demark the portions of the contact 109 and the tie bars 111 that are removed during singulation of the panel . the side wall 705 of the well 701 must be thick enough to withstand taping , encapsulating , and tape removal without collapsing as well as narrow enough to provide a reasonably sized well 701 . further , the leading ed ge 704 of the contact 109 must be accordingly sized to resist collapse during singulation and / or other subsequent manufacturing . in another embodiment , a singulation cut as demarked by the singulation cut - lines 702 leaves a portion of the exposed well continuous side surface 706 and the well bottom surface 707 of the contact 109 as illustrated in fig7 c — a diagrammatic cross sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention . when the package is ultimately attach ed by soldering to an electronic device , the solder flows to the undercut portions of the contact formed by the well side surface 706 and the well bottom surface 707 resulting in a stronger , more easily inspected and tested joint . in one particular described embodiment , the etching creates an exposed well having an average depth of approximately 0 . 1 mm and an average circumference of approximately 0 . 3 mm . it is desirable in some embodiments to restrict the exposed well to within approximately 0 . 05 mm of the nearest side surface of the contact . it should be appreciated that the shape of the wells may be widely varied . for example , fig8 a - 8c illustrate other suitable well geometries . fig8 a is a diagrammatic top view of a pair of contacts 109 having an ovate shaped well 801 . one advantage of this embodiment is that the undercut region 805 of the contact after singulation , as demarked by the singulation cut - lines 702 , is larger than a similarly sized circle as illustrated in fig7 b . fig8 b , a diagrammatic top view of a pair of contacts 109 having a substantially rectangular shaped well 803 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention . the rectangular shaped well provides an even larger undercut region 806 than a similarly sized ovate well as illustrated in fig8 a with similar advantages . another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig8 c . fig8 c is a diagrammatic top view of a pair of contacts 109 having circular shaped wells 804 . in this embodiment , the contacts 109 are connected to the tie bar 111 by tie bar stubs 112 . here , a smaller well 804 must be etched on each contact 109 to create an exposed region 807 in the resulting semiconductor package . as can be appreciated by one skilled in the art , a variety of well shapes may be achieved by selectively etching the lead frame surface depending on the particular manufacturing requirements . fig9 is a diagrammatic cross sectional side view of a small section of a lead frame panel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention illustrating the exposed well 701 of the contact 109 protected from encapsulation material 125 prior to a singulation cut as demarked by singulation cut - lines 702 . prior to encapsulation , adhesive tape 801 is adhered to the bottom surface 802 of the lead frame panel . the adhesive tape 801 seals the well 701 thus preventing encapsulating material 125 from filling the void therein . the adhesive tape 801 also serves to ensure the encapsulating material 125 is substantially co - planer with the bottom surface 802 of the lead frame panel . fig1 is a flow chart illustrating a modified packaging process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . note in particular , the first step 1000 wherein a lead frame pattern is provided with etched wells . etching is accomplished by any means common in the art to provide any of a number of shaped wells as described above . it may be appreciated that etching the lead frame pattern eliminates a subsequent partial cut step 185 as illustrated in fig6 b . as a further advantage , well etching may be accomplished at the same time as the lead frame is etched to create device areas , contacts , and tie bars . once the pattern has been provided , packaging of the device follows conventional manufacturing steps 1001 - 1010 as illustrated in fig1 . although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described in detail , it should be understood that the present invention might be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . for example , it should be apparent that the described undercutting may be used with a wide variety of packaging processes and the application of the invention is not limited to the particular packaging processes described . as suggested , a variety of methods may be utilized to accomplish the partial sawing . further , the depth and width of the partial sawing may be widely varied . by way of example , the initial cut may have an average depth of approximately 0 . 125 mm and an average width of approximately greater than 0 . 25 mm . specific depths and widths of the partial saw are dependent on a particular application and are contemplated in this application . in the primary embodiment described , a single sawing pass using a relatively wider blade is used to accomplish the undercutting . however , it should be appreciated that the same effect can be realized using multiple passes of a thinner blade . in the illustrated embodiments , narrower tie bar stubs 112 are used to couple the contacts to narrow tie bars 111 . the narrowed tie bars and tie bar stubs tend to be preferred to minimize the risk of shorting between contacts due to copper ( or other metal ) streaking during sawing . however , the invention may also be used in embodiments where tie bar stubs are not used and / or thicker tie bars are used . in other applications , the tie bar stubs may be the same width ( or wider ) than the contacts providing additional surfaces to which the solder can adhere . moreover , in another embodiment of the present invention the distance between the bottom surface portions of adjacent contacts in adjacent device areas are spaced to no more than approximately 0 . 45 mm . spacing between the contacts is critical because of the partial cut operation . in particular , if the spacing is too narrow , the partial cut operation will remove an excessive amount of contact material thus compromising the electronic and mechanical integrity of the contact . alternatively , if the contact spacing is too wide , then the partial cut operation may remove material only from the tie bar stubs rather than from the contacts . additionally , the size , geometry and placement of the described wells may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of the invention . as suggested above , the wells can be circular , oval , rectangular , square , elongated or any appropriate geometry and the size of the side walls can be varied to meet the needs of a particular embodiment . as suggested above , when it is known that the described process will be used , the lead frame panels may be designed to take advantage of the greater strength solder bonds that are achievable . by way of example , the size of the contact pads that are co - planer with the bottom surface of the package can be reduced while maintaining overall joint strength . the invention may be used in conjunction with any suitable conductive lead frame material . in present applications , copper and copper alloy - 42 are the most common lead frame materials , but the invention may be used in conjunction with lead frames made from other materials , including aluminum and other metals . a number of conventional package processing techniques have been described as being used to accomplish specific steps in the formation of the described devices . it should be apparent that in most cases these processing techniques can be widely varied and a wide variety of alternative conventional processes may be used in their place . accordingly , the present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive , and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein , but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims .	7
fig1 a – 1 b illustrate the formation of an electronic component 10 that includes an airdome enclosure according to the present teachings . the airdome enclosure of the electronic component 10 protects the electronic component 10 and forms a set of air spaces 29 and 30 that provide electrical isolation among the subcomponents of the electronic component 10 . the relatively low dielectric constant associated with the air in the air spaces 29 and 30 hinder the formation of undesirable parasitic capacitances among the subcomponents of the electronic component 10 . the electronic component 10 is formed onto a substrate 11 . example materials for the substrate 11 include silicon and gallium - arsenide . other substrate materials include metal , plastic , circuit board materials , organic film , etc . the electronic component 10 includes a series of layers deposited onto the substrate 11 . the layer materials deposited onto the substrate 11 may be selected and patterned into the particular subcomponents for the electronic component 10 . for example , the layers may be deposited and patterned to form transistor subcomponents , capacitor subcomponents , resistor subcomponents , etc ., depending on the particular design of the electronic component 10 . the materials of these layers may include any combination of metal and dielectric materials . in one embodiment , the series of layers deposited onto the substrate 11 include a first , a second , and a third metal layer . example methods for forming the metal layers include evaporation , sputtering , and plating . the first metal layer is patterned into a set of metal structures 12 , 13 , and 14 . the second metal layer is patterned into a set of metal structures 15 and 16 . a dielectric material is deposited over the metal structures 12 – 16 and patterned to form what will be the air spaces 29 and 30 and then the third metal layer is deposited over the dielectric material that covers the metal structures 12 – 16 . the third metal layer is then patterned into a set of metal structures 17 , 18 , and 19 . the dielectric material is then removed to reveal the air spaces 29 and 30 . the dielectric material deposited over the metal structures 12 – 16 and patterned to form what will be the air spaces 29 and 30 may be a photo - resist or some other type of dielectric material . the patterning of the third metal layer forms a ledge 20 on the structure 17 and a ledge 21 on the structure 18 with an air gap 40 in between the ledges 20 and 21 . the patterning of the third metal layer also forms a ledge 22 on the structure 18 and a ledge 23 on the structure 19 with an air gap 42 in between the ledges 22 and 23 . the air gaps 40 – 42 may be formed to the most narrow possible gap width given the process technology used to form the electronic component 10 . in one embodiment , the width of each air gap 40 – 42 is between 1 and 3 microns . a dielectric overcoat is then deposited onto the electronic component 10 to form a set of dielectric films 26 – 28 . the dielectric films 26 – 28 form a seal 70 in the air gap 40 and a seal 72 in the air gap 42 but do not fill in the air spaces 29 – 30 . example materials for the dielectric overcoat include silicon - dioxide , silicon - nitride , or a combination of silicon - dioxide and silicon - nitride , a plastic molding compound , or an organic molding compound . the dielectric overcoat may be deposited using a dry process in which a gas reaction is used to form the dielectric material . the dielectric overcoat may be deposited using a wet process in which a liquid form of glass is applied and then heated . the dielectric overcoat may be formed by depositing an organic film followed by a curing step . the width and / or shapes of the air gaps 40 – 42 may be selected to allow the dielectric overcoat to form the seals 70 – 72 while preventing the dielectric overcoat from entering and filling the air spaces 29 and 30 . the widths and / or shapes of the air gaps 40 – 42 may be selected in response to the viscosity of the dielectric overcoat during deposition and / or the process temperature during deposition . the air spaces 29 and 30 may be filled with a air or low pressure gases during the deposition of the dielectric overcoat . fig2 is a cut - away perspective view of the electronic component 10 that shows a set of dielectric regions 50 – 52 of the dielectric overcoat that form seals in the air gaps 40 – 42 . this view also shows a set of dielectric regions 60 – 64 that form seals in openings on the top of the metal structure 18 . the openings on the top of the metal structure 18 may be formed during cleanout of process material . fig3 shows an embodiment in which the third metal layer includes a pair of valleys 80 – 82 . the valleys 80 – 82 are shaped so as to impede the movement of dielectric material through the air gaps 40 – 42 into the air spaces 29 and 30 during formation of the dielectric overcoat . as before , the dielectric material underneath the third metal layer is removed after patterning of the air gaps 40 – 42 to reveal the air spaces 29 and 30 . the valleys 80 – 82 may be shaped by shaping the dielectric material , e . g . a photo - resist , underneath the third metal layer . for example , the v - shaped dips of the valleys 80 – 82 may be formed with a photo - masking step and exposure of the photo - resist . alternatively , a single photo - mask may be employed with specially designed aperture patterns using opc ( optical proximity correction ) algorithms . if a dielectric material is used underneath the third metal layer then that dielectric material may be subjected to a second photo - masking and etching to produce the v - shaped dips for the valleys 80 – 82 . an airdome enclosure according to the present techniques may be used in any type of electronic component including active components and passive components . in addition , an airdome enclosure according to the present techniques may be used for any component , electronic or otherwise , that may benefit from the protection provided from an external environment . the foregoing detailed description of the present invention is provided for the purposes of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiment disclosed . accordingly , the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims .	7
in the present invention , the participation process for players of a game requires providing at least two options to a participant ( or player ) for his selection . these two options relate possible and potential outcomes of an event on which the player is predicting or betting upon . as such , this keeps the game simple by having the participant to simply select a choice from a small handful of choices ( normally two , in this case ). there may be any number of choices that may be made available to a player , for example two , three , four etc . each player will be provided with a unique user id . this user id will allow the system to identify the player and may be the player &# 39 ; s facebook account ( or other social media accounts e . g . twitter , instagram , etc . ), email address , mobile phone number or the like . the system then receives and obtains the selection made from the player and the system then issues an identifier that is unique to that player . in other words , the player will have to choose one answer in those options / choices made available to him . once he has done so , the system automatically and randomly assigned him an identifier that is unique to that entry made by the player . if the player wishes to make another selection , he can play the game multiply times , in which case , each entry ( or choice made by him ) will assign him a unique identifier . as such , if he has multiple entries , he will be assigned multiple identifiers — each identifier unique to each entry . the unique identifier is obtained from a set of identifiers representing possible values associated with the outcome of the event . the winner is then determined by comparing the outcome of the event with the player &# 39 ; s identifier value . in a preferred embodiment , the identifier is automatically and randomly assigned to the participant . the set of identifiers represent all possible values that are associated with the outcome of the event , the event being the subject of the question . for example , returning to the example question —“ will apple stock price closed above usd500 or below usd500 on the 8 aug . 2013 ?”. the possible identifiers may be all values from usd400 to usd600 . the total number of identifiers may be set and pre - determined by the game organiser or developer . if a player selects the option “ below usd500 ”, then the system will automatically and randomly assign him an identifier from the set of identifiers that are below usd500 , i . e . between usd400 to usd499 . likewise , if a player selects the option “ above usd500 ”, then the system will automatically and randomly assign him an identifier from the set of identifiers that are above usd500 , i . e . between usd501 and usd600 . the introduction of the unique identifier speeds up the process of identifying the winner or winners automatically in a prediction game ( when the result is released ). in an embodiment of the present invention , the unique identifier is randomly issued to the player by the system . preferably , any data processing module known to the skilled person will be able to carry out this function . the identifiers may be arranged in a table consisting of rows and columns . this feature allows the position of the specific winner or winners to be identified and communicated using rows and columns . additionally , the rows and columns method of arranging the cells allow the additional patterns of further other winners ( for example , consolation prize winners ) to be specifically defined during the setup stage . fig1 shows an example of how the identifiers are arranged in rows and columns , for example in the form of a table . with reference to fig1 , the identifiers will be populated from the left to the right , starting from the top left - most cell . if there are too many identifiers and their numbers run into the thousands , then the rows and columns may be spread over a few pages . in the example provided in fig1 , a board could be made up of 10 columns × 9 rows which equates to go identifiers per board . and if there are 900 identifiers allow for each choice , then there will be 900 / 100 = 10 boards needed to display the identifiers . if one page displays a board , then 10 pages will be needed to display 10 boards . the “ row and column ” arrangement allows for the quick identification of the winner and / or consolation prize winners . this will be described in greater detail below . the winner of the game / contest is identified once the outcome of the event is known . this is done by comparing the outcome of the event with the player &# 39 ; s identifier to determine if he wins the game . as mentioned earlier , a player can have more than one identifier in the event where he plays the game more than once . in other words , a player gets more than one identifier when he makes more than one selection . each selection will offer him a unique identifier . this increases the player &# 39 ; s chances of winning the game . returning to the example question —“ will apple stock price closed above usd500 or below usd500 on the 8 aug . 2013 ?”. if the outcome of the event is below usd500 , then all the players who made the selection “ below usd500 ” stand a chance to win the game . the winner is identified almost instantaneously by comparing the actually closing price of the stock to his unique identifier . this means that if the closing price is usd450 , then the player with the unique identifier 450 wins the game . the present invention obviates the requirement for a further draw to pick a winner from those players who selected the option that represents the winning outcome . the identifiers may be configured in any way that suits the possible outcomes of the event . different decimal places ( and other formats ) may also be provided ( this will be described in detail below ). its numbers may also be determined in order to restrict or allow the number of participants in any given game . in addition to one winner , the system may also provide for the selection of consolation winners . this will be described in detail below . the following example further illustrates the system and method of playing the game according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig2 shows a flow chart showing a summary of the system and method . the organiser of the game will initiate a new game by setting up a new question 100 . the question will be one which asks players ( i . e . participants to the game ) to make a prediction . for example , any one of the following questions may be asked : 1 . “ what is the close price of apple stock on the 8 oct . 2013 ?” the organizer will then set up various dates 105 . this allows the organizer to set the starting / closing dates of the game . in an embodiment of the invention , the game may be a contest . as such , the organiser will have to set the start / close dates for players to participate in the competition by answering the question via making a selection . the closing date may be the same as the date for the release of the results of the contest . since the identifiers are automatically allocated by the system , the system is opened for participation up to the last second before the result is released . automatic and random assigning of identifiers by the system would also mean that no participant needs to wait until the last minute prior to closing of the contest to make his selection . this means that making the selection early on or later during the contest would have no impact on his chances of winning . the game may be played in an online internet environment . for example , the game may be offered to players via social network platforms such as facebook ® and the like . in a preferred embodiment , the system may extract profiles of the players , for example profile pictures . the rules of the game will also be explained and provided to players 110 . the rules include instructions to participants on how to play the game , including providing information on the “ game type ” ( for example , the total number of winners that will be decided upon ) and what the identifiers represent and hence how the winner or winners are identified using the identifiers . at least two options ( or choices ) may be provided to each player for the players &# 39 ; selection 115 . these options relate to potential outcomes of an event associated with the question asked . with reference to the above three questions , the following options may be available to those questions : in the above examples , only two options are presented to the players . there may be no limitation to the number of options that may be presented to the players . upon making a selection , the system will issue an identifier to that player . further , the organizer may also indicate the “ game type ” that may be available to the players : fig3 shows a flow chart to illustrate how an organizer generates the set of identifiers that will be assigned or issued to the player . for each option ( possible outcomes ) presented to the players , each option will have its respective set of identifiers . as such , for each option , a starting identifier number will first be provided 205 and the order of increment ( or decline as the case may be ) is then provided 210 . the total number of identifiers to generate is also provided 215 and this will result in the generation of the entire set of numbers that will be available to players . at the start of the game , a player may be asked to sign in at a graphical user interface or web page in an online environment as set up by the organizer . the player may sign up using his mobile phone number or email address , or social media accounts , for example facebook ® account . this allows the organizer to recognize the player and possibly extract certain useful personal particulars of the player , including the player &# 39 ; s profile picture . when an identifier is assigned to a player , the profile picture of the player may be posted in that position in the set of identifiers ( in this case , a table of identifiers ) at that location where the identifier is placed in the set / table . fig4 illustrates how the winner is determined . the set of identifiers represents possible values associated with the outcome of the event . once the event is over , the identifier that represents the outcome of the event will be the winning identifier . the player with that winning identifier is identified as the winner of the game . this will be further illustrated below . in an embodiment of the invention , the organizer can manually enter and input the result ( for example , the closing price of the stock ) into the system . the system will trigger an algorithm to check if there is or are any specific winner by performing the following steps : ( a ) check for the identifier that tallies with the result value entered ; a . if the identifier has not been issued , then there is no winner in the game , b . if the identifier has been issued to a player , then the player who was assigned that identifier wins the game ; the winner or winners may be notified via email . if there are no winners , then no action needs to be taken . there will be no winner if there is no player that was issued that winning identifier . the system &# 39 ; s algorithm will further check if the game allows for additional winners , in particular consolation winners . consolation prize winners may be identified with reference to the winner of the game . as the unique identifier may be created automatically by the system via a random algorithm , some players will be allocated an identifier that may have a high chance of winning while others will be allocated an identifier that has little or no chance of winning . for a game to have consolation prize winners , the organiser of the gamer will need to select from a list of possible options , in particular possible patterns on the table of identifiers to identify the additional winners . the at least one consolation winner can be determined by comparing the identifier of the at least one consolation winner with reference to the identifier of the winner . in an embodiment of the invention , since the identifiers may be arranged in a table , the identifier of the at least one consolation winner is proximate to the identifier of the winner in the table of identifiers . by “ proximate ”, and with reference to the comparison between identifiers of consolation winners and identifiers of the winner , it is meant to include identifiers of the consolation winners that are close to the identifier of the winner . fig5 ( a ) to ( f ) show the various examples where consolation prize winners may be identified . in fig5 ( a ), all the identifiers surrounding the winning identifier may be considered the consolation prize winners . in fig5 ( b ), alternate identifiers may be considered the consolation prize winners . alternatively , as shown in fig5 ( c ) to ( e ) entire row or column or table may be identified as consolation prize winners . fig5 ( f ) shows a further alternative to the selection and identification of consolation prize winners . in fig5 ( f ), the consolation winners are identified based on the “ day high closed ” value and the “ day low closed ” value . in this example shown , there are only two consolation winners — the identifier that represents the highest stock price and the identifier that represents the lowest stock price recorded within the day . as such , consolation prize winners can be determined from the start of the game by pre - determining the selection of identifiers that correspond to alternative outcomes of the event . in these examples , additional consolation prize winners may only be identified if there is a winner in the game . fig6 ( a ) to ( c ) show pictorial summaries of an example of a game according to an embodiment of the present invention . the pictorial summaries may be a graphical user interface of the present system . in this example , the prediction question posed to players is “ will apple stock price close above us $ 500 or below us $ 500 on the 8 oct . 2013 ” 600 and the two options (“ above ” or “ below ”) 605 are provided to players for selection . fig6 ( b ) shows the two separate set of identifiers 610 a , 610 b associated with either option 610 ( a )/ 610 ( b ) from which an identifier is issued to each player . fig6 ( c ) shows the identification of the winner . fig7 ( a ) to ( c ) show pictorial summaries of an example of a game according to another embodiment of the present invention . the pictorial summaries may be a graphical user interface of the present system . in this example , the prediction question posed to players is “ who will win the coming france presidential elections ” 700 and options of sarkozy and hollande 705 are provided to players for selection . fig7 ( b ) shows the set of identifiers 710 from which an identifier is issued to each player . fig7 ( c ) shows the identification of the winner . fig8 ( a ) to ( c ) show pictorial summaries of an example of a game according to another embodiment of the present invention . the pictorial summaries may be a graphical user interface of the present system . in this example , the prediction question posed to players is “ who will win this friday soccer match ?” 800 and options of chelsea and liverpool 805 are provided to players for selection . fig8 ( b ) shows the set of identifiers 810 from which an identifier is issued to each player . fig8 ( c ) shows the identification of the winner . whilst there has been described in the foregoing description preferred embodiments of the present invention , it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations or modifications in details of design or construction may be made without departing from the present invention .	0
to aid in the understanding of this disclosure the following definitions are provided : analytical geoquery language ( agl ): a language used to express a series of steps for creating a geovisualization , analysis , and or general computation . agl interpreter : a computer program that takes as input a valid agl program and produces the ( possibly geovisual ) result of that program . agl program : a syntactically and semantically correct set of statements to perform a function using agl . spatial information : data which is associated with any type of coordinate information or a coordinate itself . visualization machine : an computation entity used to define and describe the geovisual capabilities required to generate any geovisualization described by a valid agl program . visualization program : a program that takes data as input and renders the result in the form of pictures and other information rather than merely text . visualization adapter : a program that purports to be a visualization machine and maps the required abstract capabilities onto the specific actual capabilities of real visualization programs . visualizer : a program or environment capable of creating visual representations of information . the instant disclosure describes various embodiments of methods and systems for interacting with one or more geospatial data servers . in fact , more than one geospatial data server and other external data sources may be queried concurrently to present a geovisual representation in response to the single query . while the embodiments below describe coordinate space in the context of the planet earth , it should be noted that the following disclosure is applicable to any theoretical space ( e . g ., another planet or a subset of earth &# 39 ; s real space , e . g ., a city or a server room relative to a corporate computer network ). in one embodiment , an agl interpretation layer provides a capability within the data injection frameworks of one or more geovisualization applications for new predicates to be created and applied unpredictably at runtime thereby allowing a user to produce the desired view without having to restart a user session or re - enter the entire and possibly complex query . in another embodiment , an agl interpreter can simultaneously translate a user request for information into the proper data injection technique of more than one geovisualization application and render the result of a single request in both applications . in yet another embodiment , the agl interpreter can interact with other data processing capabilities such as , but not limited to , external web pages , web services , simulation engines , and database repositories . a single agl expression could be deployed across each of the supported geovisualization environments simultaneously . thus , agl interpretation provides a “ write once , render anywhere ” capability . referring now to fig1 , a system 100 is shown in which an example agl session may be implemented . input from a user ( 121 ) at an input and visualization device ( 120 ) or a user initiated application ( not shown ) is received at block 110 . translation engine ( 130 ) performs the interpretation process 200 , described below , and possibly other processing . translation engine ( 130 ) may reference internal data ( 131 ) or request other informational data ( e . g ., across a network ) from an external data source ( 140 ). this external data source may include informational data , such as , an faa web page listing flight delays for a particular region or airport . after translation , the user query is sent to one or more geospatial data servers ( 150 and 160 ) which return a visual result to the display of the user input and visualization station ( 120 ). note that each of the one or more geospatial data servers ( 150 and 160 ) may require one or more particular visualization adapters ( 135 or 136 ) which act in an analogous manner to a plug - in for a web browser ( i . e ., they translate a common formatted input into the format required for a particular geospatial data server ). also note that , the result may be displayed on a separate visualization device from where the user ( 121 ) input the request , as shown with display 125 . further , explaining by way of a non limiting example with example pseudo code for explanatory purposes , system 100 may be used by a marketing team to investigate the performance of a particular advertisement and sales campaign . consider a retail store wanting to determine if an expansion in a billboard advertisement program is required , and if so , the actual location to place more billboards . as each patron pays their bill , the cashier requests the patron &# 39 ; s phone number . the phone number may also be indexed against a reverse phone directory to determine the home address of each patron . the phone number , home address , and purchase data information may be stored in a data store such as a database ( e . g ., external data source 140 ). the agl user 121 may later query the system 100 and obtain a geovisual plot of all locations that generated a purchase and the locations of existing billboards . this geovisual plot may provide much more intuitive information than a tabular representation of the same data . this is because the user will be able to visualize on the surface of the earth the actual locations of purchasing customers relative to existing billboards . using dynamic predicates this user may then refine the geovisual plot with an analytical filter to display a pie chart for each zip code representing the percentage of purchases over a certain dollar amount . & gt ; foreach ( zip z in customerzipstxdistinct ) chart ( count from junesalestx where customerhomeaddress . zipcode = z and invoiceamount & gt ; 50 . 00 , count from junesalestx where customerhomeaddress . zipcode = z , z ); next , the user may further refine the geovisual plot to display a median location based on both zip codes and dollar amounts to determine a preferred location for the next billboard or alternatively determine that some billboards are not generating any sales . if the median location is determined to be too close to an existing billboard location the user may restrict the data to exclude all purchases from a particular area to knowingly alter the median by changing a single set of input data while keeping all other available data in an unbiased manner . furthermore , all of these steps may be performed in a single user session utilizing dynamic predicates . the results are displayed to a user in a geospatial context . thus , these results may be more intuitive regarding both refinement decisions and determining where the best potential location of a new billboard might be . referring now to fig2 a diagram of process ( 200 ) is shown to generally describe the acts performed by the “ translation engine ” when processing a user &# 39 ; s query . process 200 is described based on an embodiment utilizing an interpretation technique for clarity . however , it should be understood that other techniques generally known to those of skill in the art ( e . g ., source to source compilation , cross compilation , etc . could also be used ). furthermore , these other techniques can also be considered a special case of the more general interpretation technique . process 200 is an iterative process . that is , for a single visualization result to be rendered for presentation to a user several iterations of process 200 may be required . the iterative nature is shown by the dotted line ( 270 ) connecting the termination point ( 260 ) to the starting point ( 210 ) of process 200 . the number of iterations may be dependent upon how a user structures the agl program text ( 210 ). for a given visualization it may be possible for a user to describe the entire visualization in one “ hunk ” of agl text represented at the start of the program or a user may elect to describe the visualization using several distinct “ hunks ” of program text that are fed sequentially to the translation engine to converge upon a visualization . process 200 begins with block 210 when the agl text program ( or program hunk ) that is given to the translation engine as input from a user . next , at block 215 , lexing is performed . lexing is the process of carving the program text into individual words ( called lexemes ) and establishing each lexeme &# 39 ; s roles within the text . lexing is somewhat similar to diagramming a sentence from a natural language . next , flow continues to block 220 where parsing is performed . parsing is the process of examining the lexemes and ensuring they conform to the grammar of the agl language ( formally , the context free grammar ). next , flow continues to block 225 to generate an intermediary representation . this is the process of changing the input from a text oriented representation into a more data structure driven representation in order to make computational analysis and interpretation easier . after the intermediary representation has been generated , a context sensitive analysis is performed at block 230 . this is the process of verifying that the semantics of the program are logical . for example , there are many grammatically valid english sentences that are nonsensical , e . g . “ the dog bit his wing .” grammatically valid , but illogical since dogs do not have wings . the goal of context sensitive analysis ( csa ) is to detect similar types of errors in program text — for example invoking a three argument function but only passing two arguments . at block 235 optimization may be performed . optimization is the process of transforming the intermediary representation into a new semantically equivalent intermediary representation that is in some way more desirable than the former representation . interpretation is performed at block 240 and is the process of examining the program in intermediary representation form and computing the result of that program . during interpretation , zero or more of the sub processes of blocks 245 , 250 or 255 may occur . block 245 represents “ environmental modification / retrieval ” which is the process of representing and retrieving the state of an ongoing program . this state may influence the result of the current program hunk or future program hunks . for example , if the agl program hunk where “ num j = 3 ;” this is the part of the system that tracks the assignment of j to three and also provides the value of j to future uses of j in the current or upcoming program hunks . block 250 represents “ adaptation ” which is the process of outputting a visualization element to one of the “ geospatial data servers .” in the example of nasa world wind this could be the act of drawing a point or line on the screen , or in the case of google maps , adding a new line of javascript code to a file on disk . block 255 represents “ input / output ” which is the process of showing non visualization results , e . g . textual components , to a user or other types of interaction such as but not limited to , user interaction , web services requests , socket connections , etc . after interpretation is completed flow continues to block 260 where another iteration may be performed . agl may also be used to provide for persistent queries where the visualization is updated periodically either via a timer or based on changes in the underlying data . agl may further be used to provide delta visualization of data changes between different points in time . agl may still further be used to provide analytical capability such as rendering of a pie chart or histogram associated with the geospatial data being visualized , derived from geospatial data or data generated by the environment itself . the description above is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed above , variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments , but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein . also , the foregoing examples have been presented in the context of a human generating the dynamic queries allowed within agl . it is also possible for a computer program to utilize this same dynamic interface . one of skill in the art , given the benefit of this disclosure , will recognize that the inventive nature of this disclosure is not limited to the airline industry . other examples of industries and uses include but are not limited to : marketing where agl could study the effectiveness of advertising campaigns in different geographies ; environmental impact monitoring where agl could visualize which operational centers are impacted by a weather event ; health monitoring where agl could be used to visualize health impacts based on pollution reports or clinical diagnostic reports ; travel by providing visualization of regional content ( e . g ., all gas stations within 15 miles with unleaded less than $ 3 . 90 ); realty where agl could visualize house searching information based on purchase criteria ; etc . various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims . for instance , illustrative interpretation process 200 may perform the identified steps in an order different from that disclosed here . alternatively , some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps . similarly , one or more of the described steps may be omitted , depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in . in addition , acts in accordance with fig1 and 2 may be performed by a programmable control device executing instructions organized into one or more program modules . a programmable control device may be a single computer processor , a special purpose processor ( e . g ., a digital signal processor , “ dsp ”), a plurality of processors coupled by a communications link or a custom designed state machine . custom designed state machines may be embodied in a hardware device such as an integrated circuit including , but not limited to , application specific integrated circuits (“ asics ”) or field programmable gate array (“ fpgas ”). storage devices for persistently storing information , sometimes referred to as computer readable medium , suitable for tangibly embodying program instructions include , but are not limited to : magnetic disks ( fixed , floppy , and removable ) and tape ; optical media such as cd - roms and digital video disks (“ dvds ”); and semiconductor memory devices such as electrically programmable read - only memory (“ eprom ”), electrically erasable programmable read - only memory (“ eeprom ”), programmable gate arrays and flash devices .	6
the core of the composite panel of the present invention comprises a thermoplastic material . a thermoplastic material must be chosen which , when exposed to flames , does not form droplets but rather tends to form a compact crust . suitable thermoplastic may include olefinic thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene , polypropylene and the like . in accordance with the present invention , the thermoplastic core should be in the form of a foamed thermoplastic core rather than a compact core . the preferred thermoplastic material is a rigid pvc ( polyvinylchloride ) without plasticizers . the pvc core is less flammable than polyethylene which is normally used in the prior art . by foaming the pvc the density thereof can be lowered thereby allowing for easy forming of the composite panel as will be explained hereinbelow . the preferred thickness of the thermoplastic core is from 1 to 10 mm . in order to improve the fire resistant properties of the composite panel , inorganic filling powder is added to the plastic core material . suitable inorganic powders include metallic oxides and / or hydroxides . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , a mixture of sb 2 o 3 and al ( oh ) 3 in proportion of weight of from 1 : 3 to 1 : 5 and preferably about 3 : 10 is preferred . the total inorganic powder addition should be in the range of from 7 to 20 % by weight and preferably about 13 % by weight of the weight of the pvc so as to increase the index of oxygen as will be expounded on hereinbelow . the particle size of the sb 2 o 3 and al ( oh ) 3 ranges from about 0 . 2 to 10 microns . the al ( oh ) 3 particles are coated with 2 % by weight with respect to the al ( oh ) 3 of stearic acid . the stearic coating aids in providing a good homogeneous distribution of the al ( oh ) 3 and also of the sb 2 o 3 in the pvc . as noted above , the composite panel of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a foamed thermoplastic core and therefore a blowing agent is employed in the manufacture of the foamed core material . the preferred blowing agent employed for the preferred thermoplastic core of pvc leads to a foamed core having fine pores dispersed therein , the pores containing a non - combustable gas mixture of 55 % n 2 , 15 % co 2 , 15 % co and 15 % nh 3 . by coating the foamed core with the impervious metallic layers the gas mixture remains in the foamed core and since said mixture is a non - combustible gas it improves the fire resistance of the rigid pvc . it should be appreciated that other non - combustable gas blowing agents may be employed . by applying the blowing agent the density of the pvc is reduced from 1 . 4 g / cm 3 in its homogeneous compact condition to a density of 0 . 8 g / cm 3 in its foamed condition when pulverized with 13 % by weight sb 2 o 3 and al ( oh ) 3 . the reduction in the density of the core material results in an increase in the specific stiffness of the composite panel thereby allowing the panel to be readily shaped at room temperature . the density is preferably in the range of from 0 . 5 to 1 . 2 g / cm 2 . as can be seen in fig1 the gas bubbles produced by the blowing agent are distributed in a homogeneous manner in the rigid pvc core . the gas bubbles are situated under a thin layer of pvc and do not appear as crevices or pits on the surface of the pvc core . this even distribution of the gas bubbles is achieved by means of a direct intensive cooling of the extruded pvc strip at the end of the extrusion die , for example screw extruders and subsequent smooth rolls . the smooth external surfaces of the foamed core is important in that it allows for good adherence between the core and the metallic cover layers with only a thin , evenly distributed layer of adhesive of about 15 microns . a thin evenly distributed layer of adhesive is important in the overall flame behavior of the composite because , as pointed out above with regard to the prior art , the adhesive itself may lead to combustion . the adhesives used to bond the plastic core to the metallic layers must not , when exposed to heat , become soft so that there is no shear strength at the interface between the core layer and the covering layers . if softening occurs the core will be able to slip out from between the cover layers and expose the adhesive to the fire . furthermore , adhesives which do not contribute to the fire must be chosen , for example adhesives which are not easily combustible or are not very exothermic in burning . besides the usual two component adhesives based on epoxy - resin and / or polyurethane , thermoplastic fusion adhesives of good heat resistance are used , for example a copolymer or graft polymer of olefin containing 70 - 90 weight percent ethylene or propylene , 3 - 9 % of an aliphatic unsaturated c 3 to c 5 carbonic acid and 1 - 20 % of a c 1 to c 8 alkylic ester of an aliphatic unsaturated c 3 to c 5 carbonic acid is preferred . a further preferred adhesive comprises vinyl - resin , acrylic - resin and epoxy - resin which is applied in an organic solution . the adhesive layer may have a thickness of from 5 to 100 microns , preferably 10 to 20 microns and ideally about 15 microns . the metallic covering layers are preferably made of aluminum , copper , iron or an alloy based on one of these metals , the thickness of the strips used being 0 . 1 - 2 mm . the process for surface treatment of al cover layers and application of the adhesive is as follows . the al cover layers are degreased by means of an alkaline degreasing agent . in order to improve the weather resistance of the strips they are treated with an aqueous solution of chromates and phosphates . the strips are then rinsed and dried and the side of the strip which is to be laminated to the core is coated with a priming layer of 2 . 5 g / m 2 of a solution of mixed polymer vinylchloride and vinylacetate . an adhesive having a dry thickness of about 15 microns comprising vinyl - resin , acrylic - resin and epoxy - resin is applied in an organic solution to the strip . the adhesive is dried in a run - through air floater oven and the outside of the composite is simultaneously lacquered . the production of the composite is a continuous process . the extruded and calibrated core of foamed rigid pvc with the additives mentioned is laminated on both sides with the al - strip , pretreated with adhesive and decorative lacquer , in a laminater . the composite panels of the present invention have superior flammability properties when compared to composites heretofore known while remaining readily formable at room temperature . according to the ubc and the nfpa codes the composite panels of the present invention rate as class i and class a materials respectively . both the sb 2 o 3 and al ( oh ) 3 additives as well as a foamed core , preferably of pvc , account for the superior properties of the present invention . the sb 2 o 3 and al ( oh ) 3 additives improved the fire resistance of rigid pvc by increasing the lowest oxygen index ( loj ) from 45 % o 2 to 52 % o 2 , the loj being the amount of oxygen in a mixture of o 2 and n 2 in which a test specimen can be inflamed . the thermal decomposition of pvc generates hcl . it is probable that the chlorine reacts at high temperatures with the al - covering layers to give alcl 3 resulting in an increase in temperatures due to this exothermic reaction . however , by means of the addition sb 2 o 3 , the chlorine from the pvc is bounded . at burning temperatures , the al ( oh ) 3 desintegrates into al 2 o 3 and h 2 o with a relatively high need of heat . the result is a withdrawal of heat from the hot core which produces a cooling effect . the generated water acts as an internal fire extinguisher . the reduced density of the foamed core also results in a lower calorific value of the flammable part , the pvc , which is reduced from about 6500 to 3200 kcal / kg . this decreased value leads to a clear improvement with the properties &# 34 ; flame spread &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; fuel contribution &# 34 ; according to astm e 84 . the classification according to ubc and nfpa is based on the test according to astm e 84 . the composite panel can be shaped at room temperature without machining . this property is principally achieved by means of a relatively sturdy core layer of rigid foamed pvc with a density of 0 . 5 - 1 . 2 g / cm 3 , preferably about 0 . 8 g / cm 3 which does not allow for the metallic cover layers to bend in . as noted previously , known composite panels are not difficult to inflame or non - combustible according to astm e 84 test on which the classification of the corresponding ubc and nfpa classes are based . this invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiment is therefore to be considered as in all respects illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims , and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency are intended to be embraced therein .	4
referring now to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views , fig1 illustrates a tractor 5 drawing an agricultural implement , e . g ., a planter 10 , comprising a toolbar 14 operatively supporting multiple row units 200 . an implement monitor 50 preferably including a central processing unit (“ cpu ”), memory and graphical user interface (“ gui ”) ( e . g ., a touch - screen interface ) is preferably located in the cab of the tractor 10 . a global positioning system (“ gps ”) receiver 52 is preferably mounted to the tractor 10 . turing to fig2 , an embodiment is illustrated in which the row unit 200 is a planter row unit . the row unit 200 is preferably pivotally connected to the toolbar 14 by a parallel linkage 216 . an actuator 218 is preferably disposed to apply lift and / or downforce on the row unit 200 . an opening system 240 preferably includes two opening discs 244 rollingly mounted to a downwardly - extending shank 254 and disposed to open a v - shaped trench 38 in the soil 40 . a pair of gauge wheels 248 is pivotally supported by a pair of corresponding gauge wheel arms 260 ; the height of the gauge wheels 248 relative to the opener discs 244 sets the depth of the trench 38 . a depth adjustment rocker 268 limits the upward travel of the gauge wheel arms 260 and thus the upward travel of the gauge wheels 248 . continuing to refer to fig2 , a seed meter 230 such as that disclosed in applicant &# 39 ; s co - pending international patent application no . pct / us2012 / 030192 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference , is preferably disposed to deposit seeds 42 from a hopper 226 into the trench 38 , e . g ., through a seed tube 250 disposed to guide the seeds toward the trench . the seed meter 230 is preferably driven by an electric drive 310 configured to drive a seed disc within the seed meter . a seed sensor 305 ( e . g ., an optical or electromagnetic seed sensor configured to generate a signal indicating passage of a seed ) is preferably mounted to the seed tube 250 and disposed to send light or electromagnetic waves across the path of seeds 42 . a closing system 280 including one or more closing wheels is pivotally coupled to the row unit 200 and configured to close the trench 38 . turning to fig3 , a planter monitoring and control system 300 is schematically illustrated . the monitor 50 is preferably in electrical communication with components associated with each row unit 200 including the drives 310 , and the seed sensors 305 . the monitor 50 is preferably in electrical communication with at least one vacuum sensor 340 and the gps receiver 52 . the vacuum sensor 340 is preferably a transducer configured to generate a signal related to a pressure associated with one or more seed meters 230 . in one embodiment , the vacuum sensor 340 is disposed to measure a pressure ( i . e ., vacuum level ) in a pneumatic line supplying vacuum to one of the seed meters 230 . in another embodiment , the vacuum sensor 340 is disposed to measure a pressure inside one of the seed meters 230 . the monitor 50 is preferably in electrical communication with a vacuum switch 345 ; the vacuum switch is preferably configured to selectively activate or deactivate a vacuum impeller in fluid communication with the seed meters 230 for pulling a vacuum in the seed meters . continuing to refer to fig3 , in embodiments in which the row unit 200 includes a seed conveyor , the monitor 50 is preferably in electrical communication with a seed conveyor drive 315 configured to drive the seed conveyor . the seed conveyor is preferably configured to convey seeds from the meter 230 to the trench 38 ; the seed conveyor is preferably one of the embodiments disclosed in applicant &# 39 ; s co - pending pct / us2012 / 057327 , the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference . continuing to refer to fig3 , the monitor 50 is preferably in electrical communication with a cellular modem 330 or other component configured to place the monitor 50 in data communication with the internet , indicated by reference numeral 335 . via the internet connection , the monitor 50 is preferably enabled to receive planting prescriptions and other data . in fig3 , two row units 200 - 1 , 200 - 2 are illustrated with associated components labeled with like suffixes . it should be appreciated that the planter 10 may include a larger plurality of row units , e . g ., 16 or 48 row units . turning to fig6 , the seed meter 230 is shown in operation with the cover 232 removed for illustrative purposes . in operation , a seed disc 234 rotates along the direction indicated by an arrow a . a vacuum imposed on one side of the seed disc 234 ( opposite the side shown in fig6 ) creates a vacuum differential on seed apertures 235 formed in the seed disc such that seeds 42 become entrained on the apertures . thus the seed disc 234 rotates past a seed pool 43 at approximately the 6 o &# 39 ; clock position and carries entrained seeds 42 along a seed path defined by the seed apertures 235 . a portion of the seed path is preferably adjacent to a singulator 237 configured to strip all but one seed from each seed aperture . the vacuum is preferably substantially cut off at a seed release location , e . g ., where the seed path intersects a plane pc . thus as seeds 42 reach the plane pc they are released from the disc and fall from the meter into the seed tube 250 . a brush 238 is preferably mounted to the cover 232 . the brush 238 is preferably disposed to contact the seed disc 234 along its length and brush debris from the seed disc as the seed disc rotates . the brush 238 is preferably disposed to retain seeds 42 in the seed pool 43 such that the seeds do not fall directly out of the meter without being carried out by the seed apertures 235 as described above . referring to fig4 and 5 , the drive 310 comprises an electrical assembly 311 shielded by a cover 312 and a gearbox 313 shielded by a cover 314 . the electrical assembly 311 is in electrical communication with a motor 315 ( e . g ., a 12 volt electric motor ) and configured to control an operating speed of the motor 315 . the motor 315 drives an input gear ( not shown ) of the gearbox 313 . the drive 310 is mounted to the seed meter 230 . the seed meter is preferably of the type disclosed in applicant &# 39 ; s co - pending international patent applications no . pct / us2012 / 030192 and pct / us2013 / 051971 , the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference . specifically , the drive module 310 is mounted to a cover 232 shielding the seed disc 234 housed within the meter 230 . the gearbox 313 includes an output gear 316 adapted to drive the seed disc 234 by sequential engagement with gear teeth 236 arranged circumferentially around a perimeter of the seed disc 234 . turning to fig7 , a process 700 for unloading seeds from a seed disc 230 is illustrated . at step 705 , the monitor 50 preferably commands the vacuum switch 345 to activate the vacuum impeller such that the seed meters 230 impose a vacuum across the seed apertures 235 . at step 710 , the monitor 50 preferably commands the drives 310 to rotate the seed discs 234 in a first direction , thus loading seeds 42 on the seed discs . referring to fig6 , the first direction is preferably in the direction of the arrow a , i . e ., such that one of the seed apertures 235 moves from the seed pool 43 to the plane pc before passing the brush 238 . after step 710 the operator may carry out planting operations . at step 715 the monitor 50 preferably identifies one or more seed unload conditions ; in a preferred embodiment , the seed unload conditions are one of the seed unload conditions identified using a process 800 illustrated in fig8 and described later herein . once a seed disc unload condition has been identified at step 720 , the monitor 50 preferably commands the drives 310 to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction . on the view of fig6 , the second direction is preferably opposite the direction of the arrow a . at step 725 , the monitor 50 preferably determines whether an unloading rotation threshold has been met . the threshold may comprise a rotation of the seed disc 232 , a rotation of the drive 310 , or a time of rotation ( preferably at a specified or minimum rotational rate ) of the drive or seed disc . once the threshold has been met at step 725 , the monitor preferably commands the motor to stop driving the seed discs at step 730 . the threshold applied at step 725 is preferably selected such that seeds 42 will not be released from the meter upon reduction of vacuum in the seed meter 230 . for example , referring to fig6 , seeds 42 along the seed path between a plane pv and the plane pc will be released from the meter 230 when the seeds are released from the seed disc 232 ( e . g ., by loss of vacuum ). the plane pv intersects the seed path at a location vertically above an upper end of the brush 238 ( i . e ., such that a vertical plane intersects both the upper end of the brush and the intersection of the plane pv and the seed path ) such that seeds 42 released counterclockwise ( on the view of fig6 ) of the plane pv and clockwise of a lower portion of the brush will be retained in the meter 230 upon being released from the seed disc 232 . thus the threshold applied at step 725 preferably corresponds to a seed disc rotation of at least an angle b ( fig6 ) sufficient to rotate a seed aperture 235 from the plane pc to the plane pv . the angle b may be approximately 45 degrees . the threshold applied at step 725 preferably corresponds to a seed disc rotation greater than the angle b , e . g ., a quarter - rotation , half rotation , full rotation , or two full rotations of the seed disc 232 . the process 700 may be carried out with respect to individual meters or a plurality of meters . in one embodiment , if a seed disc unload condition is identified as to a single meter at step 715 , steps 720 , 725 , 730 are carried out as to that single meter . in a second embodiment , if a seed disc unload condition is identified as to a single meter at step 715 , steps 720 , 725 , 730 are carried out as to all of the meters on the planter 10 . in either embodiment , steps 720 , 725 , 730 are preferably carried out on a meter - by - meter basis ; that is , the monitor 50 carries out step 725 using a motor encoder signal from a given drive 310 in order to determine whether the threshold has been met for that drive , and stops that drive at step 730 when the threshold has been met for that drive . thus it should be appreciated that the drives 310 associated with various row units may not stop simultaneously . turning to fig8 , a preferred process 800 for identifying a seed disc unload condition is illustrated . at step 805 , the monitor 50 preferably determines whether any of the drives 310 are currently being commanded to plant ( e . g ., drive the seed discs at a non - zero rate ). if no drives 310 are being commanded to plant , at step 810 the monitor 50 preferably determines whether a command to shut off the vacuum impeller has been entered to the monitor by the operator . if so , then at step 815 , the monitor 50 preferably identifies an unload condition ( e . g ., determines that an unload condition has been met such that step 715 and subsequent steps of process 700 are carried out ). at step 817 , the monitor 50 waits for the unload process to complete for all the seed meters on the planter , and then subsequently at step 819 commands the vacuum switch 345 to turn off the vacuum impeller . if no command has been entered to shut off the vacuum impeller , then at step 820 the monitor 50 preferably determines whether any of the signals generated by the vacuum sensors 340 are below a minimum threshold . a low pass filter is preferably applied to the vacuum sensor signals , or another suitable filter is applied such that very brief variations in the signal are ignored in performing step 820 . the minimum threshold applied preferably corresponds to a vacuum pressure of between 9 . 5 and 11 inches of water and preferably about 10 inches of water . if any filtered vacuum sensor signal is below the minimum threshold , then at step 825 the monitor 50 preferably identifies an unload condition . if no filtered vacuum sensor signal is below the minimum threshold , then at step 830 the monitor preferably determines whether any seed conveyor drive 315 has been commanded to turn off . if so , then at step 835 the monitor 50 preferably identifies an unload condition , at step 837 waits for one of the seed meters , and then subsequently at step 839 turns off the seed conveyor drive 315 associated with that meter . steps 837 , 839 are preferably repeated for each associated pair of seed meters 230 and seed conveyor drives 315 . it should be appreciated that a seed meter and seed conveyor are associated if they are part of the same row unit , i . e ., such that the meter is supplying seed to the seed conveyor . the foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements . various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus , and the general principles and features of the system and methods described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art . thus , the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments of the apparatus , system and methods described above and illustrated in the drawing figures , but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims .	0
the following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention , and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements . various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown , but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein . referring to fig1 there is shown a pictorial illustration of one embodiment of the miniaturized micro - fabricated double condenser in accordance with the present invention . this embodiment includes a charger 101 d and two aspiration capacitors in series 102 a , 102 b and 105 a , 105 b . both aspiration capacitors would nominally be held at the same voltage , but optionally may use separate high voltage power supplies to reduce the likelihood that the current signals to the respective electrometers would be confounded ; only one differentiation of the i / v curve of the second condenser 10 b would give the number of particles in a given size bin . ( see fig5 a .) the first condenser 102 a , 102 b serves two critical functions : it acts like the sheath air , separating the response of the different particle sizes so they are not confounded , and it serves as an ion trap , reducing the prevalence of combined charging . with this design , the i / v vs . mobility ( k ) characteristic is the same for a given set of design parameters , and so various settings of potential ( v ) and flow rate ( q ) can be selected that will maximize the possible range of sampled critical mobilities ; discussed in more detail herein . the size distribution is determined from the i / v vs . k characteristic as shown by eq . 8 . ( see paragraph 49 .) differentiating eq . 8 with respect to critical mobility k c results in eq . 9 . ( see paragraph 49 .) plotting i 3 / v 3 vs . k c for all settings of v 3 and q a , results in a curve where the slope of the curve at each selected value of k c provides the number of particles in the mobility range k d to k c . see fig5 a - 5d and fig6 a - 6b . the series embodiment of the present invention supports a sweep v and / or q operation . this embodiment supports the linear sweep of voltage and / or flow rate , and is able to measure a continuously varying i / v response . this embodiment could be extended in this way to give a direct ( non - differentiated ) measurement of the particle size distribution . the linear sweeping of v and q will obviate the need to differentiate the resulting in curve . there are four parameters of interest to the characterization of charging efficiency : intrinsic charging efficiency ( ε i ), the fraction of originally neutral particles which become charged within the charger ; extrinsic charging efficiency ( ε e ), the fraction of originally neutral particles which emerge out of the charger carrying at least one unit of charge ; diffusion loss ( ld ), the fraction of particles lost in the charger through diffusion to the walls ; and electrostatic loss ( le ), the fraction of particles lost in the charger through electrical attraction to the plates that create the corona - inducing field . the four parameters are represented as : ε e =( c 2 − c 3 )/ c o eq . 2 ld =( 1 − ε i )( 1 − c 1 / c o ) eq . 4 four measurements are undertaken for each corona voltage ( v 1 ), flow rate ( q a ), and particle size ( dp ) combination to be characterized in order to calculate the above four parameters : first , the cpc measured concentration ( c o ) when the charger and an electrostatic precipitator ( esp ) are bypassed ; second , the cpc measured concentration ( c 1 ) when the voltages of both charger and esp are zero ; third , the cpc measured concentration ( c 2 ) when the charger is at its set point voltage and the esp is set at voltage ( v ir ) sufficient to remove the free ions only ; and fourth , the cpc measured concentration ( c 3 ) when the charger is at its set point voltage and the esp is set a voltage ( v pr ) sufficient to remove all charged particles . testing the present embodiment of the miniaturized micro - fabricated double condenser 10 shown in fig2 includes a radioactive neutralizer in order to re - neutralize the charged mono - disperse aerosol provided by a differential mobility analyzer ( dma ). first , an optimum corona voltage ( v 1 ) can be selected . then , over the range of condenser voltages ( v 2 = v 3 = v ) and aerosol flow rates ( q a ) for each particle diameter ( dp ), the curve of i 3 / v 3 vs . k c will be recorded , and then numerically differentiated once to determine the number of particles in a given size bin ( as described earlier ), where the bin extent is defined by the mobility range k d to k c , with the capacitances determined by the direct measurement method and the relative measurement method . the bins can be adjusted until each mono - disperse aerosol is detected by a single bin . this will provide the relationship between d p and k c that will be used for calculating the size distribution of a poly - disperse aerosol . it will be appreciated that the present invention also enables a size distribution measurement of a poly - disperse aerosol . ( see fig7 ). the size distribution measurement is made by measuring the mobility distribution of a poly - disperse aerosol ; assigning a d p to each mobility bin ; correcting the counts in each bin using the charger extrinsic efficiency for each bin &# 39 ; s q a and d p ; and correcting the counts in each bin with the charge distribution ( which will shift the multiply - charged fraction of a bin to larger d p bins ). the system may be further extended with a single new ncas device that implements the series / parallel design for direct measurement of the size distribution or a ncas device and electronic circuit suitable to implement the v and / or q sweep method . referring still to fig1 there is shown pictorial illustration of one embodiment of the miniaturized micro - fabricated double condenser 10 in accordance with the present invention . the components of the micro - fabricated corona ionizer are deposited on an insulating substrate 103 . one possible material for insulating substrate 103 is glass ; although it will be appreciated that any suitable insulating substrate may be used . anchor 101 is deposited on substrate 103 . a typical material for anchor 101 is copper ; although it will be appreciated that any suitable anchoring material may be used . grids 101 a , 101 b are suitably deposited and anchored on the substrate 103 such that they are parallel to probe 101 d and equidistant from probe 101 d . in this configuration , the corona ionizer forms a flow - through ionizer , which is useful for creating micro - fabricated particulate sensors . probe 101 d is deposited with anchor 101 c but is undercut so that it is suspended above substrate 103 . the radius of the tip of probe 101 d is typically less than approximately 20 μm , while the suspension height of probe 101 d above substrate 103 is typically less than 500 μm . still referring to fig1 , differential mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b are deposited on the substrate 103 such that airflow passing the ionizer is directed between mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b . when a potential difference is applied between mobility separator 102 a and 102 b , an electric field is created between them . when charged particulates enter the space between mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b , they are deflected by the electric field . the amount of deflection is dependent upon the mobility of the particulates and the strength of the applied field . by varying the voltage applied to mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b , particulates of different mobility can be made to impinge on mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b and the resultant current can be measured as discussed herein to determine the concentration of particulates with a given mobility . it will be understood that a relationship can be established between a particle &# 39 ; s mobility and its diameter . ( see fig4 a and fig4 b .) with general regard to aerosol technology and particle measurement , reference can be had to flagan , r . c . ( 1998 ). “ history of electrical aerosol measurements .” aerosol science and technology 28 ( 4 )”; and , hinds , w . c . ( 1999 ). “ aerosol technology : properties , behavior , and measurement of airborne particles .” new york , john wiley & amp ; sons . see also fig3 , where there is shown a graphical depiction of calculations verifying scalability of design to nanometer dimensions and operating parameter ranges in accordance with the present invention shown in fig1 . charged particles not collected by mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b flow into the second series connectable condenser 10 b . condenser 10 b includes mobility separator plates 105 a and 105 b deposited on substrate 104 . mobility separator plates 105 a and 105 b are suitably charged to collect charged particles of interest . referring also to fig2 there is shown an operational control method diagram for the measurement of number - size distribution of airborne nanometer - particles in accordance with the present invention shown in fig1 . the control board 214 applies a control voltage to the high voltage power supply ( hvps ) 211 driving a high voltage output ( v 1 ) to the micro - fabricated corona charger 26 . a corona develops on the end of the probe pin 101 a , and electrons from the corona , propelled by the electrical field , drift between the condenser plates 102 a , 102 b . this establishes a leakage current between pin 101 d and plates 101 a , 101 b which is amplified by a corona electrometer 22 and recorded by measurement board 21 . the average number of charges acquired by each particle can be determined based on a function of charger voltage , aerosol flow rate , and particle diameter . still referring to fig2 , pump 210 is adjusted to pull aerosol at a desired flow rate ( q ) thru the miniaturized micro - fabricated double condenser 10 . flow rate is monitored by flow meter 29 . still referring to fig2 , hvpss 212 , 213 provide high voltage outputs ( v 2 v 3 ) establishing electric fields in condenser 27 and condenser 28 , respectively . the inertial impactor 25 , filters the aerosol 217 to pass particle diameters of interest to the corona charger 26 . it will be appreciated that any suitable method for filtering particles of interest may be used . the aerosol then passes thru the corona charger 26 and its particles are ionized . the charged particles of the aerosol then flow into the first condenser 27 and begin to flow toward the condenser plate 102 a or 102 b with the opposite charge . charged particles with an electrical mobility greater than the critical mobility of the condenser for this flow rate and voltage are collected on the condenser plate 102 a or 102 b . ( this includes the air molecules ionized by the corona .) the critical mobility of the first condenser is : k c = q a /( 4π c 1 v 2 ) eq . 5 when the charged particles stick to the condenser plate 102 a or 102 b , the particle transfers it charge , which become a current that is amplified by the electrometer 23 and recorded by measurement board 21 . charged particles not collected by the first condenser flow into the second condenser 28 where they are driven to the opposite charged plate of this condenser as described earlier . charged particles with a critical mobility greater than the critical mobility k d of both condensers combined but less than k c , because the particles were not collected in the first condenser 27 , are collected in the second condenser 28 . the critical mobility k d of both condensers combined is described as : k d = q a /( 4π ( c 1 + c 2 ) v 3 ) eq . 7 it will be understood that there is also a fraction of charged particles with mobilities less than k d that gets collected ; this can be taken into account , as shown in the data analysis below . the current from these collected charges is amplified by electrometer 24 and recorded by measurement board 21 . the aerosol with whatever particles still remain in it passes that the flow meter and pump and exits the instrument . this process is repeated over a range of airflow q a and voltage ( v 2 , v 3 ) values , with the current from the second condenser 28 recorded at each setting . the airflow and voltage values are selected to provide values of the critical mobilities that will define particle diameter ranges that are of interest . the recorded data is arranged as i 3 / v 3 vs . k c and differentiated once in accordance with eq . 9 . this information , along with eq . 8 below , and the corrections calculated from the instrument characterization ( described above ) results in the number vs . diameter distribution , f ( k ), of the aerosol sample , the desired measurement . i 3 / v 3 = 4π e [ c 1 k c ∫ k d k c f ( k ) dk +( c 1 + c 2 )∫ 0 k d kf ( k ) dk − c 1 ∫ 0 k e kf ( k ) dk ] eq . 8 i 3 = second separator current v 3 = second separator voltage c 1 = condenser 1 capacitance c 2 = condenser 2 capacitance e = electron charge k c = first condenser critical mobility k d = second condenser critical mobility f ( k )= mobility spectrum of the sample aerosol still referring to fig2 , control board 214 may be any suitable computer / microcontroller . for example , computer / microcontroller 214 and measurement board 21 may be , or include , a “ mote ” 215 . as used in this disclosure , the term “ mote device ” or “ mote ” typically indicates an autonomous or semi - autonomous computing ; communication , actuating , and / or sensing device as described in the mote literature ( e . g ., intel corporation &# 39 ; s , or crossbow inc .&# 39 ; s mote literature ). certain embodiments of the mote device ( s ) 215 can be fabricated to be relatively small ( typically less than several inches in dimension , often a fraction of an inch ). certain embodiments of mote systems ( s ) can be relatively inexpensive to produce , and can be designed to stand up to relatively harsh and / or external environments . many embodiments of mote systems ( s ) 215 , or simply “ motes ”, as described in this disclosure can provide a wide variety of parameter sensing and / or actuating functionalities . such parameter sensing may be controlled ( and / or light or display device actuated ) using computer - based sensing , electro - mechanical sensing , magnetic sensing , and / or other sensing techniques . certain embodiments of mote device ( s ) and networks can be located at remote , hostile , external , or inaccessible location ( s ); and can be wirelessly networked . still referring to fig2 , control board 214 may also include a global positioning satellite ( gps ) transceiver 216 for determining location information associated with particle measurements . in addition , control board 214 may also include a radio frequency identification tag ( rfid ) 218 , passive , active , or a hybrid . rfid tags are well known in the art and need not be discussed here . it will be appreciated that the invention described herein advantageously provides particle diameter measurement and particle count for a range of nanoparticle diameters over a range of operating conditions suitable for on - board exhaust sampling of spark and compression ignition vehicles and for road - side exhaust sampling in a miniaturized package . the effect of the first condenser is to simplify the data inversion and to improve the signal - to - noise ratio . and , as described above , the two condensers working in tandem sweep through a range of voltage settings , and the particles collected by the second condenser are measured by a single electrometer . it will be further appreciated that the miniaturized voltage - stable , and feedback - controlled instrument package includes a novel , micro - fabricated nanoparticle charging and sorting device ( ncas ) ( see fig1 ). using the separator portion of the ncas device as an aspiration capacitor , also known as an ion condenser ) advantageously removes , the requirement for a separate particle separation step using a faraday cup ; this further reduces the size and weight of the device . another advantage of the present invention is that the parallel condenser plates 102 a , 102 b and 105 a , 105 b , are held at a potential voltage difference and the current through that circuit is monitored as the charged particles of the sample aerosol are collected on one of the condenser plates and release their electrons . referring also to fig8 there is shown a pictorial illustration of an alternate charger + series / parallel aspiration capacitor embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 . this embodiment requires at least three ncas devices , or one enhanced ncas device integrating the function of at least three of the ncas devices . this embodiment allows for the direct ( non - differentiated ) measurement of the particle size distribution . in essence , the parallel capacitors 8 a , 8 b ( held at slightly different voltages ) do the work of the double differentiation . still referring to fig8 , differential mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b are deposited on the substrate 103 such that airflow passing the ionizer is directed between mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b . when a potential difference is applied between mobility separator 102 a and 102 b , an electric field is created between them . when charged particulates enter the space between mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b , they are deflected by the electric field . the amount of deflection is dependent upon the mobility of the particulates and the strength of the applied field . by varying the voltage applied to mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b , particulates of different mobility can be made by control board ( fig2 - 214 ) to impinge on mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b and the resultant current can be measured by measurement board ( fig2 - 21 ) as discussed herein to determine the concentration of particulates with a given mobility . it will be understood that a relationship can be established between a particle &# 39 ; s mobility and its diameter . charged particles not collected by mobility separator plates 102 a and 102 b flow into condensers 8 a and 8 b . condenser 8 a includes mobility separator plates 108 c and 108 d deposited on substrate 103 c . mobility separator plates 108 c and 108 d are suitably charged to collect charged particles of interest . similarly , condenser 8 b includes mobility separator plates 108 a and 108 b deposited on substrate 103 b . mobility separator plates 108 a and 108 b are suitably charged to collect charged particles of interest . referring also to fig9 , there is a pictorial illustration of an alternate switchable series condenser configuration of the present invention shown in fig1 . switching the segmented condenser sections via control board ( fig2 - 214 ) into varying lengths , for example 9 e and 9 f , allows the overall ratio of critical mobilities to be varied , providing for a user - selectable accuracy / precision tradeoff . still referring to fig9 , condenser stages 9 c and 9 d can be switched off or on in the high voltage and electrometer circuits ( see fig2 ), so that the critical mobility of the two stages 9 c , 9 d can be equally raised or lowered . also , using one condenser in each stage and then the other would extend the time between cleaning or condenser replacement . it should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention . thus , various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention . accordingly , the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims . for example , referring again to fig1 , it will be understood that in the event of a malfunction of the second condenser 10 b , the invention can operate in charger + single aspiration capacitor mode . this mode uses a single ncas device plus an electrometer circuit to measure the current induced by the charges collected to the separator plates 102 a and 102 b . this mode requires a double differentiation , but now of the i / v curve . operationally this is accomplished as two single differentiations for the tangent intercepts to determine the number of particles in a single size bin . in addition , the present invention and embodiments are constricted with suitable materials to withstand and operate in a temperature range of approx . − 20 to 300 c ( from the ambient temperatures in the winter of northern climates to tailpipe exhaust temperatures ); relative humidity from zero to fully saturated ( encountered in both the ambient air and in direct vehicle exhaust ); particle compositions both hydrophobic and hydrophilic ; particle morphologies both simple and agglomerated ( to cover both the nucleation and the accumulation modes of the particle spectrum , the latter especially an issue with diesel exhaust , which forms long - chain agglomerates ); a particle diameter range of 10 - 300 nm to cover the high end of the nucleation mode and the low end of the accumulation mode ; and a size - bin resolution sufficient to clearly differentiate the two modes .	6
the following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings . fig2 is a functional block diagram showing the structure of a semiconductor memory device that relates to the first embodiment . in fig2 the semiconductor memory device 1 includes a control unit 102 , a volatile memory 103 , a non - volatile memory 104 , a selector 101 , and a power - supply unit 105 . the power - supply unit 105 supplies power to the control unit 102 , when the power - supply unit 105 has received power from outside of the semiconductor memory device . the control unit 102 controls operations of the semiconductor memory device 1 . the control unit 102 receives a reference signal from outside of the semiconductor memory device 1 , and performs data copying between the volatile memory 103 and the non - volatile memory 104 ( i . e . save or restore ), according to the reference signal . fig3 is a flow chart showing operations that the control unit executes , for performing data copy between the volatile memory 103 and the non - volatile memory 104 . in fig3 the control unit 102 first refers to a reference signal ( s 1 ). when the reference signal has changed from l to h ( s 2 : yes ), the control unit 102 , judging that the power supply has begun , shuts out any access to the volatile memory 103 from outside , so that the control unit 102 may access the volatile memory 103 . more specifically , the control unit 102 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 101 ( s 7 ). after this , the control unit 102 reads data from the non - volatile memory 104 , and copies the read data to the volatile memory 103 ( i . e . restoring of data ) ( s 8 ). after completion of restoring the data in the volatile memory 103 , the control unit 102 inputs a select signal ( h ), so as to permit access from outside to the volatile memory 103 ( s 9 ). on the contrary to the above , when the reference signal has changed from h to l ( s 3 : yes ), the control unit 102 , judging that the power supply has stopped , inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 101 ( s 4 ). after this , the control unit 102 copies data having been stored in the volatile memory 103 to the non - volatile memory 104 ( saving of data ) ( s 5 ), and inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 101 ( s 9 ). if the judgment in step s 3 is in the negative ( s 3 : no ), or after steps s 6 and s 9 , the control will be passed to s 1 again , and the reference signal will be referred to . the selector 101 receives a select signal having been sent from the control unit 102 as in the above , and switches between two modes in which access to the volatile memory is allowed differently . that is , when receiving a select signal ( h ), the selector 101 allows access from outside the semiconductor memory device 1 to the volatile memory 103 ; and when receiving a select signal ( l ), the selector 101 allows the control unit 102 to access the volatile memory 103 . the selector 101 receives , from a party that has been allowed an access , a control signal , an address signal , and a data signal , and transmits the received signals to the volatile memory 103 . when receiving a data signal from the volatile memory 103 , the selector 101 transfers the data signal to the party that is allowed an access . here , the volatile memory 103 and the non - volatile memory 104 have a same capacity . in copying data , the control unit 102 refers to a source memory from the beginning in sequence , and writing of data in a destination memory is also performed from the beginning in sequence . in order to access these memories , the control unit 102 outputs a control signal and an address signal , so as to perform read / write of data . when receiving power from outside the semiconductor memory device 1 , the power - supply unit 105 supplies power to the control unit 102 and the like , and at the same time , accumulates power inside the power - supply unit 105 . the power - supply unit 105 accumulates power in itself up to an amount that is sufficient for saving data from the volatile memory 103 to the non - volatile memory 104 , as a preparation to the stop of power supply . when detecting the stop of power supply from outside , the power - supply unit 105 supplies the accumulated power to the control unit 102 , and the like . note here , that the accumulation of power is realized by integrating a power accumulating means that is both chargeable / dischargeable and has a small power capacity , in the semiconductor memory device 1 . examples for the power accumulating means are a ferroelectric capacitor , a reactance device , and a thin - film battery . according to the above , the semiconductor memory device 1 is able to save data from the volatile memory 103 into the non - volatile memory 104 , without receiving any external power supply . as a reference signal , other signals may be used such as so - called ce ( chip enable ), and cs ( chip select ). by using such signals , the effect of the present invention is achieved without increasing the number of pins at the semiconductor memory device 1 . therefore , the semiconductor memory device 1 according to the present invention is mountable on a circuit board , in the same manner as existing semiconductor memory devices . in the above description , the volatile memory 103 may be sram and dram ; the non - volatile memory 104 is desirably a ferroelectric ram , for example . with use of ferroelectric ram , the amount of power required for copying data between the volatile memory 103 and the non - volatile memory 104 will be reduced . accordingly , it becomes possible to reduce the size of the power - supply unit 105 . the non - volatile memory 104 may also be a flash memory . as in the above , the volatile memory 103 , the non - volatile memory 104 , the control unit 102 , the power - supply unit 105 , and the like are integrated into one chip . as a result , an amount of power required for saving data when the power supply stops is reduced to the amount that is enough for the semiconductor memory device 1 to copy the data . therefore , it becomes unnecessary to have a large - scale backup power source in saving data . in addition , in the semiconductor memory device 1 , the number of rewriting performed for the non - volatile memory 104 is reduced . this is because the semiconductor memory device 1 only performs rewriting for the volatile memory 103 as long as it receives power from outside . as a result , the non - volatile memory 104 according to the present invention has much enhanced erase / write cycle endurance , compared to a conventional non - volatile memory . practically speaking , the non - volatile memory 104 allows unlimited erase / write cycles , in number . furthermore , the semiconductor memory device 1 achieves the same access speed as that of the conventional volatile memory , since only the volatile memory portion will be allowed access from outside the semiconductor memory device 1 . therefore , the present invention provides a semiconductor memory device that does not require a large - scale backup power source , allows practically an unlimited number of rewriting , and achieves the same access speed as the conventional volatile memory . next , a semiconductor memory device according to the second embodiment is described as follows . the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment , except for the capacity of the non - volatile memory . fig4 is a functional block diagram showing the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment . in fig4 the semiconductor memory device 2 includes , just as the semiconductor memory device 1 , a selector 201 , a control unit 202 , a volatile memory 203 , a non - volatile memory 204 , and a power - supply unit 205 . in particular , the non - volatile memory 204 consists of n memory areas , from memory area # 1 to memory area # n . the memory areas each have the same capacity as that of the volatile memory 203 . besides inputting and outputting the same kind of signals as the control unit 102 , the control unit 202 receives an area - select signal from outside the semiconductor memory device 2 . according to the received area - select signal , the control unit 202 selects a memory area from the memory areas # 1 -# n of the non - volatile memory so as to perform data copy between the selected memory area and the volatile memory 203 . that is , when the reference signal has changed from l to h , the control unit 202 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 201 , copies data from the non - volatile memory 204 corresponding to the received area - select signal to the volatile memory 203 , and inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 201 . conversely , when the reference signal has changed from h to l , the control unit 202 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 201 , copies data from the volatile memory 203 to the non - volatile memory 204 corresponding to the received area - select signal , and inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 201 . in the first embodiment , in order to increase the capacity of the semiconductor memory device 1 , the capacity of the volatile memory 103 should be increased , whereas the present embodiment is able to increase the capacity of the semiconductor memory device 2 as a non - volatile memory device , without increasing the capacity of the volatile memory 203 . therefore , the second embodiment has advantages of reducing cost for producing a semiconductor memory device , and reducing the device - size . next , a semiconductor memory device according to the third embodiment is described as follows . the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment is almost the same as that of the second embodiment , except that the non - volatile memory is increased in number , instead of in capacity . fig5 is a functional block diagram showing the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment . as shown in fig5 the semiconductor memory device 3 includes a selector 301 , a control unit 302 , a volatile memory 303 , non - volatile memories 3041 - 304 n , and a power - supply unit 305 . the non - volatile memories 3041 - 304 n each have the same capacity as that of the volatile memory 303 , and receive power from the power - supply unit 305 . in addition to having the same structure as the control unit 202 in the second embodiment , the control unit 302 has n interfaces used for accessing each of the non - volatile memories 3041 - 304 n . the control unit 302 selects one of the non - volatile memories 3041 - 304 n according to the area - select signal received from outside the semiconductor memory device 3 , and performs data copy between the selected non - volatile memory and the volatile memory 303 . according to the above construction , unlike the semiconductor memory device 2 in the second embodiment , the number of erase / write cycles is counted for each non - volatile memory independently . therefore , the life of the overall semiconductor memory device 3 will be further prolonged . note here that users may also use the semiconductor memory device 3 as an extremely long - life non - volatile memory having the same capacity as the volatile memory 303 . use of the semiconductor memory device 3 in this way further increases the maximum possible number of erase / write cycles by n - times . it is also possible to manipulate a reference signal and an area - select signal whenever necessary , so as to have the semiconductor memory device 3 perform data copy between the non - volatile memory 304 and the volatile memory 303 . this enables use of the semiconductor memory device 3 as a large - capacity non - volatile memory . next , a semiconductor memory device according to the fourth embodiment is described as follows . the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment , except for not requiring an input of a reference signal from outside . fig6 is a functional block diagram showing the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment . in fig6 the semiconductor memory device 4 includes a selector 401 , a control unit 402 , a volatile memory 403 , a non - volatile memory 404 , and a power - supply unit 405 . the power - supply unit 405 inputs a power - condition signal to the control unit 402 . while receiving power from outside the semiconductor memory device 4 and supplying power to the control unit 402 and the like , the power - supply unit 405 outputs h as a supply - condition signal . conversely , while supplying power using the power accumulated in itself , the power - supply unit 405 outputs l as a supply - condition signal . when the control unit 405 detects that the supply - condition signal has changed from l to h , the control unit 402 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 401 , copies data from the non - volatile memory 404 to the volatile memory 403 , and inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 401 . on the other hand , when detecting that the supply - condition signal has changed from h to l , the control unit 402 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 401 , copies data from the volatile memory 403 to the non - volatile memory 404 , then inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 401 . note here that the selector 401 , upon receiving an input of a select signal ( l ) from the control unit 402 , permits the control unit 402 to access the volatile memory 403 . in this way , the control unit 402 is allowed to perform data copy between the volatile memory 403 and the non - volatile memory 404 . conversely , when receiving a select signal ( h ), the selector 401 permits access from outside the semiconductor memory device 4 to the volatile memory 403 . next , a semiconductor memory device according to the fifth embodiment is described as follows . the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment is a combination of the structure of the semiconductor memory device of the second embodiment and that of the fourth embodiment , except for permitting an access from outside to the non - volatile memory as well . fig7 is a functional block diagram showing the structure of the semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiment . in fig7 the semiconductor memory device 5 includes a selector 501 , a control unit 502 , a volatile memory 503 , a non - volatile memory 504 , and a power - supply unit 505 . just as in the second embodiment , the non - volatile memory 504 is comprised of n memory areas , from memory area # 1 to memory area # n , and the memory areas each have the same capacity as that of the volatile memory 503 . when the supply - condition signal has changed from l to h , the control unit 502 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 501 , copies data from the non - volatile memory 504 corresponding to the received area - select signal to the volatile memory 503 , and inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 501 , just as in the second embodiment . conversely , when the supply - condition signal has changed from h to l , the control unit 502 inputs a select signal ( l ) to the selector 501 , copies data from the volatile memory 503 to the non - volatile memory 504 corresponding to the received area - select signal , and inputs a select signal ( h ) to the selector 501 . an area - select signal is also inputted to the selector 501 , as well as to the control unit 502 . upon receiving an access request from an external apparatus ( e . g . cpu ) outside the semiconductor memory device 5 , the selector 501 refers to the inputted address signal . when the address contained in the address signal designates the memory area that is designated by the area - select signal , the selector 501 has the external apparatus access the volatile memory 503 . on the other hand , when the address signal inputted by the external apparatus ( e . g . cpu ) requesting access does not designate the memory area that is designated by the area - select signal , the selector 501 has the external apparatus access the non - volatile memory 504 . note that in this case , only a request for reading data from the non - volatile memory will be accepted , and not a request to write data to the non - volatile memory 504 . in the semiconductor memory device 5 described in the above , when it is necessary to write data , the data will be restored to the volatile memory 503 , while when it is only required to read data , the data will be directly read from the non - volatile memory 504 . consequently , the semiconductor memory device 5 allows users to refer to a large amount of data , without requiring a large volatile memory in capacity . furthermore , the semiconductor memory device 5 is capable of reading a large amount of data at high speeds , since the speed of reading data from the non - volatile memory is substantially the same as the speed of reading data from the volatile memory . this invention so far has been explained on the basis of the preferred embodiments ; however , needless to say , the embodiments of this invention are not limited to the ones mentioned above . the following describes other possible modifications . ( 1 ) the amount of power to be accumulated in the power - supply unit from the viewpoint of ensuring reliability in retaining stored data , the power to be accumulated such as in the power - supply unit 105 may be about 10 times as much as the amount actually required for copying between the volatile memory and the non - volatile memory . as an example , the amount of power is calculated for a case where ferroelectric ram is used as a non - volatile memory . here , for writing data in a 1 - bit cell in the ferroelectric ram , the following are assumed : cell current of 1 μa , writing voltage of 5v , and writing time of 100 nsec . then the energy required for writing data in the 1 - bit cell is expressed as : suppose here that 1 kb data is to be transferred from the volatile memory to the non - volatile memory . then , the energy required to write all the data to the non - volatile memory is calculated as follows : even if the amount of power required for transferring data from the volatile memory to the non - volatile memory is added to the above - calculated value , the total amount of energy required for copying data from the volatile memory to the non - volatile memory will never exceed the value calculated by multiplying 0 . 14wh by 10 . this means that the amount of power required for copying data in the present invention is much less than the amount required by the conventional technology that entails operation of the whole circuit for data backup . as a consequence , reduction of cost in accumulating power will be realized by the present invention . in all the mentioned embodiments , the capacity of the non - volatile memory is made to be greater than that of the volatile memory . however , the capacity of the non - volatile memory may be smaller than that of the volatile memory . in such a case , arrangements may be made such as saving only a part of the memory area from the volatile memory , and accepting external designation of memory area to be saved . as described earlier , the present invention enables the power - supply unit in the semiconductor memory device to accumulate a required amount of power in itself , so as to use the accumulated power for the data copy performed between the volatile memory and the non - volatile memory . therefore , when the external power supply to the semiconductor memory device stops , the data initially stored in the volatile memory will be saved to the non - volatile memory , without being lost . for example , a so - called contact less integrated circuit card receives power through radio waves sent from outside . if the semiconductor memory device relating to the present invention is applied to such contact less integrated circuit cards , data stored at the semiconductor memory device will not be lost , even when there is an accidental power loss , such as when the card is placed out of reach of the radio waves . furthermore , the memory access from outside the semiconductor memory device will only be directed to the volatile memory portion . as a result , it will greatly reduce the erase / write cycles to be performed for the non - volatile memory portion , to practically remove the limitation on number of erase / write cycles . this will further speed up the memory access . accordingly , for example , the present invention shortens time required for reading a large amount of data ( e . g . file data ) from the semiconductor memory device . still further , the amount of power that is required to be accumulated in the semiconductor memory device will be 10 times as much as the amount necessary for copying data from the volatile memory to the non - volatile memory , at the maximum , which is a great reduction in the amount of power to be accumulated , compared to the conventional technology . as a result , it becomes further possible to downscale the circuit including the semiconductor memory device . 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 such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention , they should be construed as being included therein .	6
preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described referring to fig1 to 7 . illustrated in fig1 to 4 is a film hold - down mechanism in a photographic processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention . there are provided first transfer rollers 1 , a negative brush 2 , magnetic heads 3 , a solenoid 4 , a perforation detecting sensor 5 , and second transfer rollers 6 , which are aligned in a row from the first transfer rollers 1 to the second transfer rollers 6 . a photographic film , having a series of magnetic recording tracks provided thereon as denoted by a ( referred to , a film hereinafter ) is transferred along a transfer path from the first transfer rollers 1 to the negative brush 2 , the magnetic heads 3 , the solenoid 4 , the perforation detecting sensor 5 , and the second transfer rollers 6 as driven by the first and second transfer rollers 1 , 6 . while the film a is being carried between the first transfer rollers 1 and second the transfer rollers 6 , it is pressed down by a downward displacement of the magnetic heads 3 across the transfer path which extends tangent to the first and second transfer rollers 1 , 6 . a pressing member 7 is located on the opposite side of the path of the film a relative to each of the two magnetic heads 3 . the pressing member 7 includes two contact plates 8 each of which are biased by a spring 7a towards the corresponding magnetic head 3 . the magnetic head 3 has a back or upper surface 3a linked to a substantially square shape actuator frame 9 . the actuator frame 9 is in turn connected to a movable plunger 4a of the solenoid 4 disposed on the spring 7a side as shown in fig1 . when the solenoid 4 is energized , the movable plunger 4a is attracted to move from an original location shown in fig1 to the location shown in fig2 . accordingly , the actuator frame 9 is moved in a downward direction denoted by the arrow in fig2 and applies a moderate pressing force to the backs 3a of the respective magnetic heads 3 . the magnetic heads 3 press against the yielding force of the springs 7a of the pressing members 7 , thus allowing the displacement of the magnetic heads 3 towards the film a . simultaneously , the film a which is sandwiched between the magnetic heads 3 and the contact plate 8 is adequately secured due to the counter action of the springs 7a . as the film a travels from the first transfer rollers 1 to the negative brush 2 , the magnetic heads 3 , the solenoid 4 , the perforation detecting sensor 5 , and the second transfer rollers 6 , the film &# 39 ; s perforations are detected , counted , and translated to a pulse signal indicating a predetermined record track . the signal actuates the solenoid 4 ( or a motor ) for displacement of the magnetic heads 3 to a target track on the film a . the displacement of the magnetic heads 3 produces a tension on the film a thus allowing the magnetic heads 3 to accurately read and write any magnetic record data on the film a . fig5 to 7 illustrate a film hold - down mechanism in a photographic processing apparatus showing another embodiment of the present invention . as best shown in fig5 a film a is passed from first transfer rollers 1 to a brush 2 , magnetic heads 3 , sets of rollers 11 , a perforation detecting sensor 5 , and second transfer rollers 6 , similar to the previous embodiment . the two magnetic heads 3 are disposed between the brush 2 and the perforation detecting sensor 5 which are spaced by a given distance from each other . each of the magnetic heads 3 has an arcuate head surface 3b . two rollers 11 , 11 are disposed opposite to the arcuate head surface 3b of the magnetic head 3 . the roller are rotatably supported by a bracket 12 and are spaced from each other by a small distance . the bracket 12 supporting the two rollers 11 , 11 has a spring 13 mounted on the bottom thereof . the spring 13 is connected to a movable plunger 10 of a solenoid 4 . as the movable plunger 10 is driven , the rollers 11 to moved to and from the magnetic heads 3 . when the film a is introduced , the rollers 11 are separated from the magnetic heads 3 to ease the feeding of the film a to a transfer path . accordingly , upon energization of the solenoid 4 , the movable plunger 10 moves towards the magnetic heads 3 and lifts up the rollers 11 which in turn press the film a against the arcuate head surfaces 3b of their respective magnetic heads 3 . by then , a target track on the film a has been identified by counting the number of pulses from the perforation detecting sensor 5 . as the target track on the film a between the two rollers 11 is pressed against the arcuate head surface 3b of the corresponding magnetic head 3 , the film deflects a bit and comes into close contact with the arcuate head surface 3b , thereby allowing the magnetic head 3 to read the magnetic record data without error or to write any magnetic record data thereto accurately . the rollers 11 in the bracket 12 rotate in the direction of transfer as the film a is transferred . also , there is a sufficient space about the rollers 11 and between the film a and the brackets 12 to prevent the capture and accumulation of dirt and dust . furthermore , the rollers 11 come into virtually no frictional contact with the advancing film a , thus reducing the possibility of injuring the film a .	6
terms used in various embodiments of the present invention will be described in brief first , and then the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail . with respect to the terms in the various embodiments of the present invention , the general terms which are currently and widely used are selected in consideration of functions of structural elements in the various embodiments of the present invention . however , meanings of the terms may be changed according to an inventor &# 39 ; s intention , a judicial precedent , appearance of a new technology , and the like . further , in a certain case , a term arbitrarily selected by the applicant may be used . in such a case , the meaning of the term will be described in detail at the corresponding part in the description of the present invention . thus , the terms used in various embodiments of the present invention should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall contents of the embodiments of the present invention instead of simple titles of the terms . fig1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a card reader according to an embodiment of the present invention , and fig2 is a perspective view illustrating the coupled state of the card reader according to the embodiment of the present invention . the configuration of the card reader 10 will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . the card reader 10 includes a card reader main body 20 , a contact type card identification module 30 , a circuit board 40 having a non - contact type card identification module 70 mounted thereon , a card insertion opening 50 ; and a rotation guide unit 60 . the card reader main body 20 is configured such that the contact type card identification module 30 , the circuit board 40 , the card insertion opening 50 , and the rotation guide unit 60 , which will be described below , may be provided therein . the contact type card identification module 30 is provided in the card reader main body 20 to identify a contact type card 11 , which will be described below . the circuit board 40 has the non - contact type card identification module 70 mounted thereon for identifying a non - contact type card 12 , which will be described below , and is provided in the card reader main body 20 . the card insertion opening 50 , into which both the contact type card 11 and the non - contact type card 12 may be inserted , is formed in the card reader main body 20 . the rotation guide unit 60 is rotatably provided in the card insertion opening . the rotation guide unit 60 passes the contact type card 11 through the card insertion opening 50 according to the rotation thereof such that the contact type card identification module 30 may identify a magnetic stripe ( not illustrated ) provided on the contact type card 11 . in addition , the rotation guide unit 60 restricts the movement of the non - contact type card 12 according to the contact therewith after the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 such that the non - contact type card identification module 70 may identify an ic chip 12 a provided in the non - contact type card 12 . namely , the rotation guide unit 60 passes the contact type card 11 through the card insertion opening 50 while rotating at the same time as making contact with the contact type card 11 . in addition , the rotation guide unit 60 restricts the movement of the non - contact type card 12 within the card insertion opening 50 without rotating when it makes contact with the non - contact type card 12 that is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 . as described above , the single card insertion opening 50 is formed in the card reader main body 20 such that both the contact type card 11 and the non - contact type card 12 may be identified and used at the same moment they are inserted into the card insertion opening 50 . accordingly , both the contact type card 11 and the non - contact type card 12 can be used in the single card reader , instead of a contact type card reader and a non - contact type card reader , thereby enhancing the use of the product and reducing the cost required for additionally purchasing a product . as illustrated in fig1 , a cover 90 is provided on the exterior of the card reader main body 20 . the cover 90 is coupled to the card reader main body 20 to protect the card reader main body 20 . further , first and second connection terminals 41 and 42 are mounted on the circuit board 40 to electrically connect the card reader main body 20 and external electronic devices ( not illustrated ). the first connection terminal 41 may include a connection jack , and the second connection terminal 42 may include a usb terminal . in this embodiment , the first and second connection terminals 41 and 42 are exemplified by the connection jack and the usb terminal , respectively , but they are not limited thereto . namely , any other configurations that may be electrically connected with the external electronic devices ( not illustrated ) may be applied as various modified examples of the first and second connection terminals 41 and 42 . the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes all information and communication devices and multimedia devices , such as a portable multimedia player ( pmp ), an mp3 player , a navigation , a game player , a notebook , a netbook , an advertising panel , a tv , a digital broadcasting receiver , a personal digital assistant , and a smart phone , as well as all kinds of mobile communication terminals which operate according to communication protocols corresponding to various communication systems , and application devices thereof . further , as illustrated in fig1 , a battery unit 80 is provided in the card reader main body 20 to supply power to the contact type card identification module 30 and the non - contact type card identification module 70 . the contact type card identification module 30 is constituted by a magnetic head unit in which a magnetic stripe reader ( msr ) is installed to detect data stored in the magnetic stripe ( not illustrated ) that is provided on the contact type card 11 . namely , at the same moment the contact type card 11 makes contact with the rotation guide unit 60 when passing through the card insertion opening 50 , the rotation guide unit 60 rotates to pass the contact type card 11 . in other words , the magnetic head unit detects and reads the data stored in the magnetic stripe of the contact type card 11 at the same moment the magnetic stripe ( not illustrated ) of the contact type card 11 passes through the magnetic head unit . here , the contact type card 11 may be a magnetic card having a magnetic stripe provided thereon . the contact type card 11 is exemplified by the magnetic card in this embodiment , but it is not limited thereto . namely , any other card configurations from which the magnetic head unit may read data at the same moment they make contact with the magnetic head unit may be applied as various modified examples of the contact type card 11 . as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , the non - contact type card identification module 70 is constituted by a reader that reads information stored in the ic chip 12 a that is provided within the non - contact type card 12 . namely , if the rotation guide unit 60 restricts the movement of the non - contact type card 12 while making contact with it at the same moment the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 , the reader reads the information stored in the ic chip 12 a of the non - contact type card 12 . here , the non - contact type card 12 may be an ic card having the ic chip 12 a therein . likewise , the non - contact type card 12 is exemplified by the ic card in this embodiment , but it is not limited thereto . namely , any other card configurations that may not make contact with the reader may be applied as various modified examples of the non - contact type card 12 . more specifically , as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , the rotation guide unit 60 includes a rotation hole 61 , a rotary part 62 , a rotation hinge part 63 , and a resilient member 64 . the rotation hole 61 is formed in the card reader main body 20 in order to rotate the rotary part 62 therein and restrict the rotation of the rotary part 62 . the rotary part 62 is provided in the rotation hole 61 in order to pass the contact type card 11 through the card insertion opening while rotating at the same time as making contact with the contact type card 11 and to restrict the movement of the non - contact type card 12 within the card insertion opening while making contact with the non - contact type card 12 . the rotation hinge part 63 is located adjacent to the rotation hole 61 to rotatably support the rotary part 62 . the resilient member 64 is coupled to the rotary part 62 and provides a resilient force in order to rotate the rotary part 62 . the resilient member 64 may be constituted by a wire spring , and other types of springs , such as a coil spring and a plate spring , may be employed for the resilient member 64 , as well as the wire spring . further , a contact stopper 61 a is formed in the rotation hole 61 such that the rotary part 62 makes contact with the contact stopper 61 a to restrict the movement of the non - contact type card 12 after the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 . namely , the contact stopper 61 a restricts the rotation of the rotary part 62 while making contact with one end of the rotary part 62 . in other words , when the contact type card 11 is inserted into an inlet at one side of the card insertion opening 50 , the contact type card 11 makes contact with the rotary part 62 to rotate the rotary part 62 while separating the end of the rotary part 62 from the contact stopper 61 a . in this way , the contact type card 11 passes through the card insertion opening 50 . after the contact type card 11 passes through the card insertion opening 50 , the rotary part 62 rotates by the resilient member 64 and returns to the original position , in which case the end of the rotary part 62 makes contact with the contact stopper 61 a so that the rotation of the rotary part 62 is restricted by the contact stopper 61 a . when the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into an inlet at the opposite side of the card insertion opening 50 , the non - contact type card 12 makes contact with the rotary part 62 so that the movement of the non - contact type card 12 is restricted by the rotary part 62 . namely , the non - contact type card 12 inserted into the card insertion opening 50 is identified by the non - contact type card identification module 70 that is provided in the card reader main body 20 . herein , the assembly of the card reader will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . first , the rotary part 62 is rotatably coupled to the card reader main body 20 in which the card insertion opening 50 is formed as illustrated in fig1 and 2 . in this case , the rotary part 62 is provided so as to be rotatable within the rotation hole 61 that is formed in the card reader main body 20 to receive the rotary part 62 therein . the rotary part 62 is rotatably coupled to the rotation hinge part 63 that is located adjacent to the rotation hole 61 to support the rotation of the rotary part 62 . the rotation hinge part 63 is screw - coupled to the card reader main body 20 . in other words , the rotation hinge part 63 has hinge holes 63 a formed on opposite sides thereof , and hinge arms 62 a of the rotary part 62 are coupled to the hinge holes 63 a . in this case , the resilient member 64 is mounted on one of the hinge arms 62 a of the rotary part 62 in order to apply a resilient force to the rotary part . further , the contact type card identification module 30 and the circuit board 40 on which the non - contact type card identification module 70 is mounted are provided in the card reader main body 20 . in this case , the contact type card identification module 30 and the non - contact type card identification module 70 are arranged side by side in the card reader main body 20 . the battery unit 80 is provided in the card reader main body 20 to supply power to the non - contact type card identification module 70 . the cover 90 is mounted on the exterior of the card reader main body 20 . hereinafter , the operation of the card reader will be described in more detail . fig3 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the contact type card 11 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 of the card reader main body 20 according to the present invention . fig4 is an enlarged plan view of portion a of fig3 . fig5 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 of the card reader main body 20 according to the present invention . fig6 is a side view illustrating the state in which the card reader , according to the present invention , is used for the non - contact type card 12 . fig7 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the non - contact type card 12 and the rotation guide unit 60 make contact with each other in the card reader according to the embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated in fig3 and 4 , the contact type card 11 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 through one side thereof and passes through the card insertion opening 50 . namely , when the contact type card 11 starts from one side of the card insertion opening 50 and passes through the card insertion opening 50 from the left to the right , the contact type card 11 makes contact with the rotary part 62 of the rotation guide unit 60 at the same moment it is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 , and the rotary part 62 rotates at the same moment the contact - type card 11 is brought into contact with the rotary part 62 , and passes the contact type card 11 through the card insertion opening 50 . when the contact type card 11 passes through the rotary part 62 , the contact type card identification module 30 provided in the card reader main body 20 reads data stored in the magnetic stripe ( not illustrated ) that is provided on the contact type card 11 . the contact type card identification module 30 imparts the data , which is read from the magnetic stripe , to the external electronic devices ( not illustrated ) through the first and second connection terminals 41 and 42 . as illustrated in fig3 , after the contact type card 11 passes through the card insertion opening 50 , the rotary part 62 rotates again by the resilient member 64 and returns to the original position . at this time , the end of the rotary part 62 makes contact with the contact stopper 61 a formed in the rotation hole 61 so that the rotation of the rotary part 62 is restricted . in a case where a user uses the non - contact type card 12 , the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 through the opposite side thereof . namely , when the non - contact type card 12 is inserted into the card insertion opening 50 from the right to the left , the non - contact type card 12 makes contact with the rotary part 62 and stops . in other words , as illustrated in fig5 , when the non - contact type card 12 starts from the opposite side of the card insertion opening 50 and is inserted thereinto from the right to the left , the non - contact type card 12 does not completely pass through the card insertion opening 50 , and makes contact with the rotary part 62 in a position that exceeds half of the card insertion opening 50 so that the movement of the non - contact type card 12 is restricted . the rotary part 62 does not rotate because the rotary part 62 makes contact with the contact stopper 61 a . in this case , as illustrated in fig7 , the non - contact type card 12 corresponds to the non - contact type card identification module 70 provided in the card reader main body 20 and is close to the non - contact type card identification module 70 . the non - contact type card identification module 70 reads and identifies the information of the ic chip 12 a ( not illustrated ) that is provided in the non - contact type card 12 . further , an rf module ( not illustrated ) and an antenna ( not illustrated ) that are provided in the non - contact type card identification module 70 receive the signal of the non - contact type card 12 , and the signal is imparted to a signal processing unit ( not illustrated ) of the non - contact type card identification module 70 . the signal processing unit ( not illustrated ) transmits the signal to the external electronic devices ( not illustrated ) through the first and second connection terminals 41 and 42 . in a case where a user uses an existing contact type card ( not illustrated ) or non - contact type card ( not illustrated ), the user has to have separate card readers ( not illustrated ) so that it costs a lot to purchase the products . further , an existing card reader that is usable for both a contact type card and a non - contact type card , which has separate card insertion openings for them , causes an inconvenience to a user because the user has to insert a contact type card into the card insertion opening dedicated to a contact type card in order to use it , and has to insert a non - contact type card into the separate card insertion opening dedicated to a non - contact type card in order to use it . accordingly , in order to overcome the shortcoming , the card reader 10 ( illustrated in fig1 ) of the present invention is configured such that both the contact type card 11 ( illustrated in fig3 ) and the non - contact type card 12 ( illustrated in fig5 ) are used through the single card insertion opening 50 ( illustrated in fig1 ). therefore , it is possible to enhance user convenience and to reduce the cost required to purchase a product because there is no need to additionally purchase an existing card reader according to use . according to the various embodiments of the present invention , the single card insertion opening is formed in the single card reader main body to identify both a contact type card and a non - contact type card passing through the card insertion opening so that it is possible to use only the single card reader instead of existing contact and non - contact type card readers that are separately provided , thereby enhancing the use of the product and reducing the cost required for additionally purchasing a product . in addition , both a contact type card and a non - contact type card can be used through the single card insertion opening formed in the single card reader main body so that it is possible to further enhance the use of the product . while the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .	6
the following sections provide a detailed explanation of the invention and how to practice the invention . we explain first how to select and administer a macromolecular contrast medium ( mcm ). we then give an overview of the methods for imaging the change over time of the signal intensities of a tumor and blood to obtain dynamic signal intensity responses for these tissues . we then explain how to apply the responses to a kinetic model to calculate tumor microvascular permeability . finally , we explain how to determine the histopathologic grade of the tumor from a standard curve of permeability values . contrast media can be used for resolving adjacent tissues which are similar upon imaging but histologically or physiologically different , and in functional studies of organs such as the kidney . several classes of compounds have been explored as potential contrast agents . for mri , these classes include superparamagnetic iron oxide particles , nitroxides , and paramagetic metal chelates . see , mann j . s . and brasch r . c . in handbook of metal - ligand interactions in biological fluids : biorganic medicine vol . 2 , berthon , g ., ed ., marcel dekker , inc ., new york , n . y . ( 1995 ). for ct scans , these classes include iodinated hydrocarbons , such as benzene rings . for positron emission tomography and radionuclide imaging , these classes include short lived radioisotopes . because the capillary endothelium of tumors and injured tissues exhibit high permeability rates relative to normal tissue , mcm passively diffuses into these tissues . the poorly developed or absent lymphatic system of tumors and some tissues limits the rate of movement of macromolecules out of these tissues . this combination ( enhanced permeability and retention ) is used during imaging of these tissues . the tumors and injured tissues are seen by imaging as a time - dependent increased intensity in the interstitial space ( mann and brasch , supra ). the prolonged retention within the vascular compartment of tumors and some injured tissues provides nearly a constant level of enhancement for more than one hour after administration . the mcm of this invention include contrast agents attached to a large backbone . the backbone can be a protein , such as albumin , a polypeptide , such as poly - l - lysine , a polysaccharide , a dendramer , or a rigid hydrocarbon or other compound with a small molecular weight but a larger effective molecular size . the preferred backbones of this invention are compounds that when passed through a gel filtration matrix , behave similarly to a peptide of 30 kd . this invention also encompasses mcm that is formed in vivo . a contrast medium is administered to an animal and the medium attaches to a large backbone , such as albumin or polysaccharides . in mri , contrast media improve the image obtained by altering t 1 and t 2 of hydrogen protons . in the presence of an external magnetic field , protons produce a weak fluctuating field which is capable of relaxing neighboring protons . this situation is dramatically altered in the presence of a strong paramagnet ( such as a contrast agent ). a single unpaired electron in a contrast agent induces a field which is nearly 700 times larger than that produced by protons and fluctuates with a frequency component which is in a range that profoundly affects boh the t 1 and t 2 values of nearby protons . thus in a t 1 - weighted imaging sequence , the paramagnetic contrast media causes the protons of nearby hydrogen nuclei to release far greater amounts of energy to reach equilibrium after a r - f pulse and appear as very bright areas in an mr image . in a t 2 - weighted image , the protons in tissues that take up the contrast medium release less energy to reach equilibrium and appear darker in an mri . normally , paramagnetic lanthanides and transition metal ions are toxic in vivo . therefore , it is necessary to incorporate these compounds into chelates with organic ligands . acceptable chelates include : 1 , 4 , 7 , 10 - tetraazacyclododecane - n , n &# 39 ;, n &# 34 ;, n &# 34 ;&# 39 ;- tetraacetic acid ( dota ); 1 , 4 , 7 , 1 0 - tetraazacyclododecane - n , n &# 39 ;, n &# 34 ;- triacetic acid ( do3a ), 1 , 4 , 7 - tris ( carboxymethyl )- 10 -( 2 - hydroxypropyl )- 1 , 4 , 7 , 10 - tetraazacyclododecane ( hp - do3a ), and more preferably , diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid ( dpta ). paramagnetic metals of a wide range are suitable for chelation . suitable metals are those having atomic numbers of 22 - 29 ( inclusive ), 42 , 44 and 58 - 70 ( inclusive ), and having oxidation states of 2 or 3 . those having atomic numbers of 22 - 29 ( inclusive ), and 58 - 70 ( inclusive ) are preferred , and those having atomic numbers of 24 - 29 ( inclusive ) and 64 - 68 ( inclusive ) are more preferred . examples of such metals are chromium ( iii ), manganese ( ii ), iron ( ii ), cobalt ( ii ), nickel ( ii ), copper ( ii ), praseodymium ( iii ), neodymium ( iii ), samarium ( iii ), gadolinium ( iii ), terbium ( iii ), dysprosium ( iii ), holmium ( iii ), erbium ( iii ) and ytterbium ( iii ). chromium ( iii ), manganese ( ii ), iron ( iii ) and gadolinium ( iii ) are particularly preferred , with gadolinium ( iii ) the most preferred . see published pct application wo 94 / 27498 . gadolinium ( gd ) is a lanthanide metal with an atomic weight of 157 . 25 and an atomic number of 64 . it has the highest thermal neutron capture cross - section of any known element and is unique for its high magnetic moment ( 7 . 98 at 298 ° k .). this is reflected in its seven unpaired electrons ( crc handbook of chemistry and physics , 75th ed ., lide , d . r ., ed ., 1995 ). the preferred mmcm is albumin -( gd - dpta ) 30 . albumin -( gd - dpta ) 30 is prepared by the method of ogan ( supra ). the molecular weight of albumin -( gd - dpta ) 30 is 92 kd . the distribution volume of albumin -( gd - dpta ) 30 is 0 . 05 l / kg which closely approximates the blood volume . plasma half life is approximately 3 hours with a delayed renal elimination over days . see , schmiedl , u ., et al ., invest . radiol . 22 ( 9 ): 713 ( 1987 ). typically , the administration of contrast media for imaging tumors is parenteral , e . g ., intravenously , intraperitoneally , subcutaneously , intradermally , or intramuscularly . thus , the invention provides compositions for parenteral administration which comprise a solution of contrast media dissolved or suspended in an acceptable carrier , preferably an aqueous carrier . the concentrations of mcm varies depending on the strength of the contrast agent but typically varies from 0 . 1 μmol / kg to 100 μmol / kg . a variety of aqueous carriers may be used , e . g ., water , buffered water , 0 . 9 % saline , 0 . 3 % glycine , hyaluronic acid and the like . these compositions may be sterilized by conventional , well known sterilization techniques , or may be sterile filtered . the resulting aqueous solutions may be packaged for use as is , or lyophilized , the lyophilized preparation being combined with a sterile solution prior to administration . the compositions may contain pharmaceutically acceptable auxiliary substances as required to approximate physiological conditions , such as ph adjusting and buffering agents , tonicity adjusting agents , wetting agents and the like , for example , sodium acetate , sodium lactate , sodium chloride , potassium chloride , calcium chloride , sorbitan monolaurate , triethanolamine oleate , etc . one of skill in the art will realize that mcmi can be used by various methods , for instance mri , ct , pet or radionuclide scanning . for example , mcm for ct scanning interrupt the x - rays used to image and appear as bright areas . radioisotopes that accumulate in tissues appear as bright areas in pet or radionuclide scanning . signal intensity values ( or bright areas in an image ) can be obtained for every image time point from the tumor , from normal tissue , preferably the inferior vena cava ( ivc ) or normal muscle , and from the phantom ( corn oil , water or contrast media ). preferably , 4 - 6 regions of interest with a minimum of 30 pixels / regions can be analyzed over several different anatomical image slices using an image analysis program , e . g ., mr vision , menlo park , calif . these images can then be used to generate the dynamic signal intensity response of the tissues . mri has been used to visualize tumors in situ since the 1960 &# 39 ; s ( belfi , c . a ., et al ., int . j . oncology biol . phys . 20 : 497 ( 1991 ). success in imaging tumors is based on the differences between the spin - lattice relaxation time ( t 1 ) and the spin - spin relaxation time ( t 2 ) between malignant and normal tissue . t 1 and t 2 are measurements of time which depend on the magnetic field and pulsing radio waves that perturb the equilibrium of the magnetic moment of hydrogen nuclei of the cells in the tissue being imaged . after stimulation by the pulsing radio waves , the nuclei , returning to their equilibrium state lose energy by emitting radio waves and by transferring energy to surrounding molecules . the process by which energy is lost to the environment is called &# 34 ; relaxation .&# 34 ; bradley , w . and tosteson , h ., in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in medicine , kaufman , l ., et al ., eds ., igaku - shoin , ltd . new york , 1981 . t 1 is the longitudinal magnetic relaxation time , and t 2 , the transverse magnetic relaxation time . t 1 measures the time it takes the sample initially to become polarized in the fixed external magnetic field . it is also the time constant of return to equilibrium in the fixed magnetic field after a radio frequency ( r - f ) pulse . the surrounding protons (&# 34 ; the lattice &# 34 ;) absorb energy given off by other protons and dampen the oscillations of the proton caused by the r - f pulse . this dampening effect causes the sample to return to equilibrium . therefore , t 1 is sometimes referred to as the &# 34 ; spin lattice relaxation time .&# 34 ; t 2 is a measure of how long the resonant nuclei hold the temporary transverse magnetization . it indicates the relationship between the strength of the external field and the strength of the local internal fields caused by surrounding molecules . after an r - f pulse , the protons become synchronized and begin wobbling around the axis of the magnetic field (&# 34 ; precess &# 34 ;) together . however , if the protons experience locally different magnetic fields , they will precess at different frequencies , quickly getting out of phase . this dephasing causes the collective transverse magnetization to average to zero . because the exchange of energy from one spinning proton to another spinning proton causes dephasing , the transverse magnetic relation time t 2 is also called the &# 34 ; spin - spin relaxation time .&# 34 ; although other nuclei can be imaged by mri , such as 19 f ( meyer , k . l ., dissertation abstracts int &# 39 ; l 53 ( 5 ): 2428b ( 1992 ), the preferred nuclei is 1 h . this is the most abundant spin - bearing nucleus in the human body , being found predominantly in fat and water . the hydrogens associated with proteins and other building blocks of tissues have very short t 2 values and therefore do not contribute directly to the mri signal . the most routinely used imaging sequence is the spin - echo . its popularity is attributable to its ability to produce images which display variations in t 1 , t 2 and spin density , ρ , of tissues . the spin - echo sequence consists of 90 ° and 180 ° r - f pulses repeated every tr ( repetition time of the sequence ) seconds . the signal is referred to as an echo because it comes about from the refocussing of the transverse magnetization at an echo time ( te ) after the application of the 90 ° pulse . a t 1 - weighted image is one in which image contrast displays differences in the t 1 of the tissues . a t 1 - weighted image is produced when the spin echo sequence produces a tr ≦ t 1 and te & lt ; t 2 . a t 2 - weighted image is one in which image contrast displays differences in the t 2 of the tissues . a spin - echo sequence produces a t 2 - weighted image when tr & gt ; t 1 and te ≧ t 2 . spin density weighting is an image where contrast displays differences in spin density of the tissues . a spin - echo sequence produces a p - weighted image when tr & gt ; t 1 and te & lt ; t 2 . the goal of the mri scientist is to maximize the contrast to noise ratio between tissues . by varying tr and te , the clinician has a tremendous amount of flexibility to select the desired contrast between two tissues . to do so , the parameters mentioned above can be optimized or contrast agents can be utilized when mr imaging . many different types of tissue and tumors can be imaged by mri , including , but not limited to , brain , mammary , and any solid tumor found in any soft tissue in the body ( including liver , pancreas , ovaries , etc .) mmcm - mri can be used to enhance the contrast of vascular structures of non - diffuse tumors , such as breast , lung , prostate , head and neck ( squamous ), rectal , testicular , bladder and ovarian carcinomas , soft tissue and central nervous system tumors and multiple myelomas . for in vivo measurements , the tumor or tissue host is typically placed within a radiofrequency coil with an external intensity standard , preferably a 5 mm diameter tube filled with corn oil , water or contrast media . this is referred to as the &# 34 ; phantom &# 34 ; and is used to correct for instrument anomalies . various types of images can be obtained . two types of images are three - dimensional spoiled gradient and two - dimensional spin warp proton . the images can be t 1 - weighted , t 2 - weighted or ρ - weighted . images can obtained through sections of the tumor with a tr of from 200 msec to 50 msec and a te of 6 msec to 1 msec . the thickness of each section can be from 1 to 5 mm with 2 to 3 mm being preferable , the field of view can be from 50 × 50 mm to 100 × 100 mm in a two dimensional image to 40 × 40 × 40 mm to 100 × 100 × 50 in a three dimensional image . the data matrix of a three dimensional image can range from 100 × 100 × 5 to 200 × 200 × 256 . the total image acquisition time can range from 0 . 5 to 2 minutes ( van dijke , supra ). see also , cohen , f . m ., et al ., investigative radiology 29 ( 11 ): 970 ( 1994 )). in a preferred embodiment , the tumor hosts being imaged are placed supine within a radiofrequency coil of ± 10 - 30 g / cm , preferably ± 20 g / cm . t 1 - weighted axial single section images are obtained with the following settings : repetition times of 2000 - 50 msec , an echo time of 1 - 2 msec , preferably 1 . 4 msec , a field - of - view of about 50 × 50 × 16 mm , a pixel matrix of 1200 - 1300 , preferably 1282 , and an effective slice thickness of 1 - 5 mm , preferably 2 - 3 mm . those of skill in the art will recognize that mri can be performed with various parameters depending in part , on the location of the tumor being imaged and the particular mri apparatus being utilized . it is important for clear imaging that the host remain still during the imaging process . animal test subjects usually must be anesthetized . it may be necessary to anesthetize small children as well . in any event , the area to be imaged must be secured so that it does not move during the imaging process . from the description above , one of skill can appreciate that mcm can be used to determine the leakiness of tumor microvessels by the accumulation of mcm into the interstitial space of the tumor over time . to determine the microvascular permeability of a tumor , a kinetic model of microvessel &# 34 ; leakiness &# 34 ; is generated . curve fittings algorithms are used to find the change in relaxation rates of the imaged tissues before and after mcm administration . for example , in mr imaging , from the change in relaxation rates , parameters important to determining the microvascular permeability are determined . precontrast relaxation rates ( r 1 ) ( 1 / t 1 ) estimates for normal tissue and tumor are obtained by curve fittings based on more than two , preferably 5 unenhanced three dimensional image sets with tr &# 39 ; s varying from 50 msec to 2000 msec . postcontrast r 1 values are calculated based on signal intensity and knowledge of precontrast values . the precontrast r 1 for each response is then subtracted from the postcontrast r 1 to obtain the change in the longitudinal relaxation rate , δr 1 , at all postcontrast time points . δr 1 is taken to be directly proportional to the local paramagnet concentration in a tissue . again , in mr imaging , the functional characteristics , fractional blood volume ( fbv ), fractional leak rate ( flr ), fractional reflux rate ( frr ), and permeability surface area product ( ps ), which is directly related to the microvascular permeability , are estimated from the δr 1 data . one model used to analyze the δr 1 data obtained from the vena cava and tumor is shown in fig1 . in fig1 the kinetics of mmcm disappearance from the blood following bolus intravenous injection is described by a single compartment , the inferior vena cava ( ivc ). the turnover rate of contrast media is k and the initial condition of the ivc is ic ( before the addition of contrast media ). the tumor model is composed of two compartments , tumor blood ( b ) and tumor interstitial water ( iw ). the kinetics of fractional transport of mcm from b to iw is designated the flr and from iw to b as frr . as described above , the leakiness of the tumor microvasculature allows mcm to accumulate in the interstitial space of the tumor . the fpv of the tumor is a proportionality constant , determined by the size of the tumor . in one embodiment , four parameters of the model ( k , ic , flr , frr and fpv ) are fitted to the δr 1 data from the ivc and from the tumor using the saam ii program ( saam institute , seattle wa ). in another , more preferred embodiment , a linear regression analysis is used to compare the slopes of tissue and blood responses to mmcm to determine microvascular permeability . microvascular permeability can be estimated as the product of fbv ( after correction for hematocrit to yield an estimate of the plasma volume of the tissue ) and flr . the figure obtained is then multiplied by 60 to convert to hours . various different statistical analyses can be done to correlate the microvascular permeability results obtained by imaging to the histological results obtained by the s - b - r system , i . e ., a high microvascular permeability value is indicative of malignancy and a low microvascular permeability value is indicative of benign status . a preferred method is the two - tail , paired t - test . for this analysis , a correlation value of greater than 0 . 70 , preferably greater than 0 . 80 with a probability of correlation of preferably less than 0 . 05 is assigned statistically significant . we found that tumors with a permeability value of 0 were benign or were determined to be the lowest grade of malignancy by the s - b - r grading system . tumors with a permeability value of 0 . 01 to 0 . 05 corresponded with tumors of moderate grade malignancy . tumors with a permeability value greater than 0 . 05 corresponded to high grade tumors , however there was some overlap in permeability values between the moderate and high grade tumors . an aspect of this invention is the comparison of the permeability values of the tumors to the histopathologic grade of the tumors to create a standard value , values or curve that can be generally applied to a variety of tumors . to accomplish this , a number of tumors of different grades of malignancy are examined histopathologically and a comparison of the histopathology to the microvascular permeability made to generate standards . histological evaluation of tumors consists of the removal of cells from the host , and examining the cells for structural features . the cells can be fixed in a formaldehyde solution prior to examination . in addition , the cells may be embedded in paraffin and sliced prior to examination . for enhanced viewing of certain cellular structures , the cells may be stained with a chemical stain or by immunological staining . in one embodiment , angiogenesis is measured by fixing and staining individual tumor cells and examining them microscopically for structures indicative of newly formed vasculature . tumor cells can be removed from the host animal through a needle biopsy wherein a small sample of the tumor is removed for analysis or through surgical biopsy wherein the entire tumor is removed from the host animal . alternatively , if the tumor is readily accessible , the entire tumor can be excised or tumor cells scraped off with a scalpel or other instrument capable of removing cells . once the cells are removed from the host animal , they can either be fixed in solutions well known in the art prior to embedding , or they can be frozen in liquid n 2 and embedded directly without fixation . an incomplete list of fixation solutions include : buffered formal saline ( 10 % formalin , 150 mm nacl , ph 7 . 0 ); b5 fixative ( mercuric chloride - formalin mixture ); 8 % glutaraldehyde ; 2 . 5 % osmium tetroxide ; paraformaldehyde ; and more preferred , formalin ( 37 % formaldehyde ) ( all are available from sigma chemicals , st . louis , mo .). after the cells have been fixed , they are embedded in a solid support which can be sliced thinly , e . g ., 2 - 5 μm . embedding media are well known in the art . the most common embedding media for light microscopy is paraffin and compounds containing paraffin , however other media , such as araldite ®, durcupan ®, glycol methacrylate , and hydroxypropyl methacrylate as well as other appropriate media can be used . after fixation , the tumor sections are stained to better identify cellular structures . for example , to assay for angiogenesis based on microvascular density , the number of endothelial clusters are viewed by staining the sectioned tumor with labeled antibodies to von willebrand &# 39 ; s factor and / or factor viii or other proteins , including acidic fibroblastic growth factor , angiogenin , basic fibroblastic growth factor , heparinase , interleukin - 8 , placenta growth factor , platelet - derived endothelial growth factor , prostaglandins e 1 and e2 and tumor necrosis factor - α , all of which are highly specific for endothelial cells or are stimulators of angiogenesis . see , brasch , r . c ., diaginostic imaging , june 1996 , p73 . in another embodiment , sectioned tumors are immunostained with antibodies to vascular endothelial growth / permeability factor ( vegf , pf ) to measure the angiogenic activity of the tumor . see , strugar , j . f ., et al , j . neurosurg . 83 : 682 ( 1995 ). cells that are to be analyzed by the s - b - r system for tumor malignancy are examined for three types of structures : ( 1 ) mitotic structures ; ( 2 ) anaplasia , or nuclear pleomorphism ; and ( 3 ) ductoglandular differentiation . the presence and / or absence of these structures determines the degree of differentiation exhibited by the tumor cell . a well differentiated cell ( e . g ., normal breast tissue cell ) is considered non - malignant and given a low s - b - r score . an undifferentiated cell or a cell which contains indices of frequent mitosis is considered malignant and given a high s - b - r score . it is necessary to stain the tumor sections to be examined microscopically so that the structural elements indicative of malignancy are evident . a preferred cellular stain is hematoxylin and its counterstain , eosin ( howell , l . p ., et al , am j . clin . pathol . 101 : 262 ( 1994 )). hematoxylin preferentially stains nuclear structures . in addition to chemical stains , immunological stains have been used to determine the presence of differentiation factors which may indicate the degree of malignancy of the cells . other stains used in light microscopy are well known in the art and can be used if desired . for immunological staining , the label conjugated to the antibody which binds to the structural elements is typically an enzyme that reacts with a specific substrate ( i . e ., alkaline phosphatase or β - galactosidase ), a fluorophore , a radioisotope or any number of compounds known to those of skill which afford increased visibility of microscopic structures . to prepare a comparison between the accepted s - b - r grading system and the microvascular permeability as measured by imaging techniques , imaged tumors are examined by the s - b - r grading system . in a preferred embodiment , either the entire tumor or a portion is removed and frozen in liquid n 2 . the tumor then is fixed in formalin , preferably 5 - 20 %, most preferably 10 %, embedded in an embedding media , preferably paraffin and sectioned in the same plane as the mri images , to the desired thickness with a microtome , preferably about 5 - 100 μm , most preferably 5 μm . see , van dijke , supra . it is anticipated that the method of grading tumors can be incorporated into a commercial kit or system for grading certain types of tumors . the kit would incorporate a system wherein an algorithm is used to assign a grey scale to the regions of interest from the permeability values collected from the imaging . the grey scale values could be combined to form an image wherein the regions of interest which accumulated the most mcm would appear the brightest . the combined grey scale image could then be compared to previously obtained controls that had been correlated with histopathologic grade to grade the tumor being imaged . in a preferred embodiment , the algorithm performs a simple linear regression analysis . the data analyzed are the slopes of response of both tissue and blood to mmcm . in other words , the permeability over time is plotted . the slope of the permeability of the tissue is compared to the slope of the permeability of blood . if the slopes are the same , the tissue is not more permeable to mmcm than blood and likely is not pathogenic . if the slope is greater than the slope of blood , the degree of difference is proportional to the degree of malignancy . a simple statistical analysis can then be done , assuming the null hypothesis is no difference in slopes , to determine the confidence level of the analysis . if the null hypothesis is rejected because p & lt ; 0 . 05 , the reciprocal of this p value can be calculated and presented as a simple grey scale superimposed on the image . thus , the more unlikely the null hypothesis in a given pixel or group of pixels , the brighter the pixel or group of pixels . in addition to the algorithm and instructions for use , the kit may contain mcm needed to enhance the image of the tumor . the following examples are offered to illustrate , but not to limit the claimed invention . n - ethyl - n - nitrosurea ( enu ) is an alkylating agent and a potent carcinogen that induces tumors of varying grade and location in rats , depending on the site of injection , the dose , the age and the sex of the rat ( mandybur , t . i ., et al ., radial . res . 101 ( 3 ): 460 ( 19850 . mammary cells are the primary target cells when 45 - 180 mg / kg enu is administered intraperitoneally into 30 day old female rats ( stoica , g ., et al ., anticancer res . 11 ( 5 ): 1783 ( 1991 ). pharmacologically , enu acts without the necessity of enzymatic activation on cellular targets including dna , various species of rna and a variety of proteins . the histologic spectrum of induced mammary tumors using this model has been shown to be similar to the spectrum of histologies encountered in humans ( stoica , supra ). following a single intraperitoneal administration of 180 mg / kg enu , malignant breast tumors develop in up to 100 % of rats after an average of 92 days . at lower doses of 45 mg / kg approximately 42 % of the rats developed fibroadenomas ( stoica , supra ). for this study enu ( sigma chemicals , st . louis , mo . ), was dissolved shortly before administration in sterile saline to a concentration of 10 mg / ml . fifty 30 - day - old female sprague dawley rats were randomly divided in two groups . one group ( n = 35 ) received a single intraperitoneal dose of 45 mg / kg enu and the other group ( n = 15 ) received 180 mg / kg enu intraperitoneally . animals were observed daily for tumor development . when tumors became apparent , tumor growth was allowed until the tumors reached a diameter of 1 - 1 . 5 cm . criteria for elimination of animals from the study were as follows : 1 ) no visible tumor observed within 160 days ; 2 ) no visible tumor in the mammary fat pad ; and 3 ) animal demise . fourteen of the 15 rats ( 93 %) in the high enu dose group ( 180 mg / kg ) and of the 35 rats ( 57 %) of the low dose group ( 45 mg / kg ) developed mammary tumors . two rats were eliminated because of non - mammary tumors , a synovial sarcoma and an undifferentiated limb sarcoma . fourteen rats did not develop any tumor by 180 days after enu administration . the 34 mammary tumors covered a broad spectrum of pathology from benign to highly malignant . see table 1 . the lower enu dose tended to induce more benign tumors and vice versa . before mri , the animals were anesthetized by an intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg / kg pentobarbital . a 23g butterfly cannula ( abbott laboratories , north chicago , ill .) was inserted in a tail vein for contrast medium injection . after completion of imaging procedures , the animals were killed and tumors were removed for histological analysis . mr imaging was performed using a 2 . 0 tesla system ( omega csi - ii ; bruker ; fremont , cailf .). the anesthetized rats described in example 1 were placed supine within a &# 34 ; bird - cage &# 34 ; radiofrequency coil ( inner diameter 4 . 5 cm , length 7 . 6 cm ). axial t 1 - weighted 3d - spoiled gradient recalled ( spgr ) sequences were obtained using the following settings : repetition times ( tr ) of 2000 - 50 msec , an echo time ( te ) of 1 . 4 msec , one acquisition , a field - of - view of 50 × 50 × 16 mm , a 1282 pixel matrix and an effective slice thickness of 2 mm . precontrast spgr sequences included multiple tr of 50 - 2000 msec for calculating baseline relaxation rates ( r 1 = 1 / t 1 ) dynamic postcontrast images were performed with tr fixed at 50 msec . albumin -( gd - dtpa ) 30 ( 0 . 03 mmol gd / kg ), randomly ordered , was injected via the tail vein . three precontrast and 30 postcontrast images were acquired during 1 hour at 2 minutes intervals . qualitatively , benign tumors were noted to enhance uniformly throughout following administration of mmcm , consistent with the absence of necrosis on histology . all malignant tumors showed a strong enhancement of the periphery or rim ; however , the enhancement response of the tumor center varied from weak to strong , apparently as a function of central tumor necrosis . following administration of the macromolecular albumin -( gd - dtpa ) 30 , two dynamic patterns of tumor signal enhancement were observed . in some cases the tumor response tended to decrease over 60 minutes and to parallel the response of blood in the vena cava ; this response corresponded histologically to benign tumors ( fig2 ). the tumor enhancement for malignant tumors , relative to blood signal , was noted to increase over time ( fig2 ). after the animals were sacrificed , all tumors were removed , fixed in 10 % formalin , embedded in paraffin and sectioned in the same plane as the mr - images . hematoxylin - eosin staining was performed for histological analyses . tumors were graded for level of malignancy using the s - b - r method ( le doussal , supra ). for this method each tumor is assigned from 1 to 3 points in each of the three categories , structures counted at 10 high power fields at the most mitotic active area using a field diameter of 0 . 44 mm . the lowest score possible , even for a benign tumor , is 3 . the highest score , indicative of a poorly differentiated malignancy , is 9 . all benign tumors were diagnosed as fibroadenomas with variable amounts of fibrous and adenomatous tissue . all carcinomas were intraductal adenocarcinomas . histologic analysis using the s - b - r score resulted in the following classification : benign fibroadenomas ( fig3 ) and low grade carcinomas ( s - b - r = 3 - 5 ; fig3 ) demonstrated more than 75 % of ductoglandular formations within the tumor , nuclei with minimal variation in size and shape and five or less mitotic figures , counted at 10 high power fields at the most mitotic active area using a field diameter of 0 . 44 mm . both histologic entities could be only differentiated by minimal invasion of the carcinomas . high grade carcinomas ( s - b - r = 8 - 9 ) demonstrated less than 10 % of ductoglandular formations within the tumor , nuclei with marked variation in size and shape and more than 11 mitotic figures at 10 high power fields . moderate grade carcinomas ( s - b - r 6 - 7 ) showed patterns in between low and high grade carcinomas . comparison between mr imaging of microvascular permeability of tumors and histological staining average signal intensities ( si ) for the whole tumor , the tumor rim and blood within the vena cava were measured in the central section in two to four operator - defined regions - of - interest ( roi ; minimum of 30 pixels / region ). r 1 precontrast ( r 1 pre = 1 / t 1 pre ) was calculated from signal intensities of rois in a set of preliminary 3d - spgr images obtained with tr values of 50 , 100 , 200 , 400 , 800 and 2000 msec . these values were fit to equation 1 with m o . being the external magnetic field strength . r 1 postcontrast ( r 1 post = 1 / t 1 post ) was calculated from the measured signal increase in each roi using equation 2 : the changes in the relaxation rate ( δr 1 = 1 / t 1 post - 1 / t 1 pre ), which were assumed to be directly proportional to the gadolinium concentration , were used for the kinetic analysis . kinetic analysis of tumor enhancement responses was limited to the tumor rim ; the tumor rim is typically the most vascularized and least necrotic region and is less subject to elevated interstitial pressure , which is a primary determinant of drug distribution in the tumor center ( jain , supra ). furthermore , previous mri tumor studies have shown the tumor rim to be the region most representative of viable tumor tissue ( van dijke , supra ) and the most responsive to chemotherapy ( aicher , k . p ., et al ., cancer res . 50 ( 22 ): 7376 ( 1990 )), radiotherapy ( cohen , f . m ., et al ., invest . radiol . 29 ( 11 ): 970 ( 1995 )) and angiogenesis inhibition . blood δr 1 data were fitted to a monoexponential decay for tumors imaged in the presence of albumin -( gd - dtpa ) 30 . tissue δr 1 data were fitted to a bidirectional , 2 - compartmental ( albumin -( gd - dtpa ) 30 ) kinetic model . using saam - computer software ( mcguire , r . a . and berman , m ., endocrinology 103 ( 2 ): 567 ( 1978 )), a modification of the renkin - crone equation was applied to δr 1 data to derive tumor permeability surface area product ( ps ) measurements ( shames , d . m . et al ., magn . res . in med . 29 : 616 ( 1993 )) and the data extrapolated to time zero to derive the fractional blood volume ( schwickert , h . c ., et al ., radiology 198 : 893 ( 1996 )). statistical analysis was performed using a &# 34 ; statistical analysis system &# 34 ;( sas ) software package with an ibm 4043 computer . statistical significance was assigned if p & lt ; 0 . 05 . kinetic analysis of the dynamic δr 1 data from tumor rim and blood using a two - compartmental bidirectional model yielded estimates of blood volume ( bv ) and permeability surface area product ( ps ). for each contrast medium , these mri - derived physiological parameters were examined for differences between benign and malignant tumors and for correlations with the s - b - r histologic score . with respect to fractional blood volume ( fbv ) estimates , no significant difference was observed between benign and malignant tumor groups with either contrast medium ( p & gt ; 0 . 05 ), although there was a tendency for higher blood volumes in malignant tumors ( fig4 ). analysis of albumin -( gd - dtpa ) 30 data showed a significant difference in mean ps products between benign tumors and carcinomas ( p & gt ; 0 . 05 ). all 10 benign tumors had ps products of zero , while the ps values in 24 carcinomas ranged from zero to 0 . 09 ml / cm 3 h ( table 1 ). albumin -( gd - dtpa ) 30 derived ps values correlated strongly with histologic tumor grade ( r 2 = 0 . 76 ; p & lt ; 0 . 001 , table 1 ). some overlap in ps values was observed for benign tumors and low grade carcinomas with no measurable macromolecular permeability . however , a macromolecule hyperpermeability was exclusively found in carcinomas . thus , microvascular permeability as measured by ps values correlated well with malignancy . table 1______________________________________specificity of albumin -( gd - dtpa ). sub . 30 mri forbreast tumor differentiationby quantitative estimates of microvascular permeability albumin - ( gd - dpta ). sub . 30histology grade ps & lt ; . 005 ps & gt ; . 005______________________________________benign tumors 3 10 / 10 0 / 10carcinomas 5 / 24 19 / 24low grade 4 - 5 5 / 6 1 / 6moderate gr . 6 - 7 0 / 6 6 / 6high grade 8 - 9 0 / 12 12 / 12______________________________________ table 2______________________________________comparison of permeability values and s -- b -- rhistopathologic graderat number s -- b -- r grade permeability value______________________________________ enu - 1 7 . 0239enu - 2 . 0032enu - 3 . 0000enu - 4 . 0000enu - 5 6enu - 6 . 0440enu - 7 4enu - 8 . 0000enu - 9 8enu - 10 8enu - 11 . 0798enu - 12 . 0134enu - 13 . 0902enu - 14 5______________________________________	6
referring to fig1 , there is shown the apparatus 10 of the present invention for forming an oversize circular pipe . the apparatus includes spiral pipe forming machine 12 along with the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 . the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 has a bottom end 16 of sharpest curvature supported on the bed 18 of the forming machine 12 . a frame structure 20 extends upwardly from the floor upon which the machine 12 rests . frame structure 20 includes several rollers 22 that are positioned in various locations so as to ride against the exterior surface of the circular pipe produced by the apparatus 10 . a cross bar 24 extends across the narrow diameter portion of the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 so as to maintain the structural integrity of the forming head . a beam 26 is secured to an external structure , or is secured to frame 20 , if required . struts 28 serve to connect the cross bar 24 to the beam 26 and to maintain the structural integrity of the ellipse formed by the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 . the machine 12 is a conventional spiral pipe forming machine such as those manufactured by spiral - helix , inc . of buffalo grove , ill . this spiral pipe forming machine 12 includes a frame 30 and a control cabinet 32 . a plurality of control knobs , gauges and dials 34 are located on the control panel 36 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the machine 12 . a roller housing 38 is mounted on the frame 30 . the roller housing 38 contains a plurality of rollers which bend the edges of the metal strip 40 in predetermined shapes for forming a lockseam , and which may form corrugation grooves and stiffening ribs in the metal strip 40 . an upper drive roller 42 and a lower drive roller 44 are rotatably mounted within the frame 30 adjacent to the roller housing 38 . the upper drive roller 42 pulls the continuous metal strip 40 into the frame 30 through the roller housing 38 , and over the lower drive roller 44 . the drive rollers then cooperate to push the metal strip 15 between the upper guide plate 46 and the lower guide plate 48 into the forming head 14 . the forming head 14 curls the metal strip in a helical manner so that the outer pre - formed edges of the strip 40 are adjacent to each other and mesh therewith . the helically - curled strip thus takes the shape of a spiral cylinder . the adjacent , mated edges of the strip are then compressed between a support roller and a clenching roller so as to form a proper lock seam . the metal strip 40 is continuously pushed by the drive rollers 42 and 44 through the forming head 14 , in spiral manner , so that the spiral pipe is continuously produced with a spiral lockseam . as the spiral pipe is formed , it will move out of the forming head 14 in a spiral manner . that is , the pipe and its leading edge will simultaneously rotate and move forward in the axial direction of the pipe . the pipe will be continuously produced until its reaches its desired length . at that point , a pipe cutting and notching apparatus will notch and sever the pipe into a section . importantly , in fig1 , it can be seen that the frame 30 includes a frame portion 50 that is positioned adjacent to the periphery of the forming head 14 . this frame portion 50 is essential for the proper positioning of the drive rollers 42 and 44 . the drive rollers 42 and 44 push the metal strip 40 between the upper guide plate 46 and the lower guide plate 48 and into the support arm 52 . support arm 52 pushes down on the support roller and holds it in place . as such , the metal strip 40 will start to follow a path along the interior surface 54 of the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 . as a result , the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 will create an elliptically - shaped spiral pipe , rather than the circular - shaped pipe of the prior art . as can be seen , the location of the frame portion 50 would create a obstruction relative to the support arm 52 and the location of the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 if the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 were of a circular configuration . the frame 50 creates an inherent barrier to the expansion of duct diameters beyond forty - eight inches in diameter . if the forming head 14 were circular , then extensions would have to be formed outwardly of the machine 12 in an inconvenient and unreliable manner . so as to accommodate the location of the frame 50 , the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 is positioned so that the sharp curvature of the forming head 14 is located at the support arm 52 and on the bed of the machine 12 . as a result , the sides adjacent to the frame portion 50 can extend upwardly therefrom in generally spaced relationship and non - interfering relationship with frame portion 50 . the support frame 20 will maintain the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 in its desired orientation above the machine 12 . as a result of the structure of the present invention , it is now possible to form circular pipe having diameters of greater than forty - eight inches . in order to determine the proper ellipse for the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 , it is first necessary to understand the desired diameter of the ultimate circular pipe . once the desired diameter is determined , then it is necessary to know the spacing between the support arm 20 and the frame portion 50 . as a result , a properly shaped ellipse of the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 can be calculated . as an example , if the ultimate diameter of the circular pipe is 100 inches then the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 will have a narrow diameter of 85 inches and a wide diameter of 114 inches . fig2 is an isolated view showing the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 of the present invention . the forming head 14 is formed of a steel material having a proper ellipse for the purposes of installation on the machine 12 . the bottom end 16 of the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 should be positioned under the support arm 52 . as a result , a suitable slotted area 60 should be formed at the bottom 16 so as to allow the metal strip 40 to be introduced thereinto . the metal strip 40 is free to be driven along the interior surface 54 in a continuous and spiral manner . the exterior surface 62 can be supported by the frame structures described hereinbefore . after the machine 12 has driven the metal strip 40 through the interior of the elliptically - shaped forming head , a length of elliptically - shaped spiral pipe will be formed . however , it is important consideration of the present invention that the ultimate goal is to produce a section of circular pipe of constant diameter . as such , the elliptically - shaped spiral pipe will need to be converted into circular pipe . fig3 shows the manner in which this conversion can occur . as can be seen in fig3 , a first section 70 of spiral pipe has been positioned in a desired location . this first section 70 is of a circular configuration . the second section 72 illustrates the spiral pipe as formed by the process 10 of the present invention . spiral pipe 72 will initially be of elliptical form . however , within the concept of the present invention , it is easy to form the elliptically - shaped spiral pipe section 72 into a circular pipe section by simply securing the end 74 of section 72 to the end 76 of section 70 . since the pipe section 72 is elliptically shaped , it can be easily manipulated , maneuvered and adjusted so as to conform with the edge of the circular spiral pipe 70 . after connecting the end 74 to the end 76 by various means , such as welding , tapping , adhesive , sealants , or other means , the second pipe section 72 will have its desired circular configuration . within the concept of the present invention , although the ultimate result of the use of the elliptically - shaped forming head 14 is the creation of elliptically - shaped spiral pipe , the spiral pipe is of a configuration that can be easily manipulated for movement and configuration into a circular design of constant diameter . fixtures and other supports can be employed so as to maintain the circular orientation of the elliptically - shaped section 72 during its installation onto the circular section 70 . fig4 shows an alternative embodiment of the elliptically - shaped forming head 80 of the present invention . forming head 80 has an elliptically - shaped configuration as in the previous embodiment of the forming head 14 . however , a first break 82 is formed on one side of the forming head 80 and a second break 84 is formed on an opposite side of the forming head 80 . these breaks 84 and 82 are cuts through the wall thickness of the forming head 80 . the breaks 82 and 84 are particularly configured so that the forming head 80 can be manipulated for size adjustments and for producing spiral pipe of different diameters . in fig4 , it can be seen that an insert element 86 has been positioned between the edges of the break 82 . similarly , another insert element 88 has been positioned between the edges 84 . as a result , the wide diameter of the elliptically - shaped forming head 80 is greater by a function of the length of the insert elements 86 and 88 . generally , each of the insert elements 86 and 88 has a u - shaped configuration in which the inner surface 90 of the insert element 86 is flush with the interior surface 92 of the forming head 80 . similarly , the inner surface 94 of the insert 88 is flush with the interior surface 92 of the forming head 80 . as a result , there will be no interruption or obstruction of the travel of the metal strip during the formation of the elliptically - shaped spiral pipe . as will be described hereinafter , when the insert elements 86 and 88 are removed , the breaks 82 and 84 will be closed such that the interior surface 92 of forming head 80 is contiguous and flush with itself . fig6 illustrates the configuration of the insert element 86 as positioned on the forming head 80 . the insert element 86 is positioned in the area of the break 82 . as can be seen in fig5 , break 82 will have a first edge 100 and a second edge 102 . a first flange 104 extends outwardly of the exterior surface 106 of the forming head 80 at break 100 . a second flange 108 extends outwardly of the exterior surface 106 of the forming head 80 at break 102 . importantly , the first insert element 86 includes a third flange 110 positioned in juxtaposition against an interior surface of the first flange 104 . the insert element 86 also includes a fourth flange 112 which is positioned in juxtaposition against an inside surface of the second flange 108 . bolts 114 serve to secure the first flange 104 to the second flange 110 . similarly , bolts 116 are used to secure the second flange 108 to the fourth flange 112 . as a result , the insert element 86 will fill in the space between the edges 100 and 102 of break 82 . a similar structure , such as that shown in fig5 , is employed in association with the second break 84 and the second insert element 88 on the other side of the forming head 80 . in fig6 , it can be seen how the first insert element 86 is positioned between the first flange 104 and the second flange 108 . insert element 86 has a surface 120 positioned between the edge 100 and the edge 102 of break 82 . the inner surface 90 will be flush with the inner surface 92 of the forming head 80 . the insert element 86 also shows the third flange 110 and the fourth flange 112 . the bolts 114 join the first flange 104 to the third flange 110 in surface - to - surface relationship . similarly , bolts 116 join the second flange 108 to the fourth flange 112 in surface - to - surface relationship . suitable bolt holes are formed through each of the flanges 104 , 108 , 110 and 112 so that proper alignment of the surfaces 90 and 92 can be achieved . in fig7 , it can be seen how the insert element 86 has been removed . as a result , the break 82 is closed so that the edges 100 and 102 are in juxtaposition . the inside surface 92 of the forming head 80 will be continuous and flush . the first flange 104 is joined the second flange 108 through the use of bolts 122 . removal of the insert element 86 will cause the maximum diameter of the elliptically - shaped forming head 80 to be reduced in size . if it is necessary to make minor adjustments in the diameter in the forming head 80 , then the insert elements 86 and 88 can be suitably employed . as a result , the present invention eliminates the need for constantly scrapping , reforming or otherwise taking other expensive measures for the remedying of diameter discrepancies in the elliptically - shaped spiral pipe . the foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof . various changes in the details of the illustrated construction or in the steps of the describesd method can be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention . the present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents .	1
the starting material , 15 - keto pgb 1 methyl ester , is represented by the formula : ## str1 ## trace amounts of pgb 1 occur in mammalian organisms and in certain species of coral . however , various synthetic methods for preparing it are known , but due to the lack of large scale synthetic laboratory facilities , synthesis of the starting material for the present invention is adapted from earlier smaller scale synthesis . see polis , b . d . et al ., studies on pgb x a polymeric derivative of prostaglandin b 1 : i - synthesis and purification of pgb x , naval air development center report nadc - 78235 - 60 , ( oct . 30 , 1978 ). five gram of 15 - keto pgb 1 methyl ester is dissolved in 100 ml of ethanol and 100 ml of 2 . 0n koh base solution is added . the resultant mixture is heated at 80 ° c . with the absorption characteristics of 15 - keto pgb 1 and pgb x being monitored during the course of the reaction . the uv absorption maximum for 15 - keto pgb 1 is 296 nm and the uv absorption maximum for pgb x is at 243 nm . the reaction , which takes approximately four hours , is completed when the pgb x activity reaches a maximum as determined by the in vitro mitochondrial test for restoration of oxidative phosphorylation . during the course of the reaction , the base solution hydrolyzes the 15 - keto pgb 1 methyl ester to the salt form . the mixture is then cooled and shaken with equal parts of water and isobutanol , and acidified to ph 3 . 0 with 2 . 3n hclo 4 , which has the unique advantage of converting the pgb x into a free acid soluble in isobutanol and converting the potassium to a relatively insoluble potassium perchlorate salt in water . the mixture is then allowed to settle into separate isobutanol and water layers . the water and impurities therein are removed and the remaining isobutanol layer containing active pgb x is washed and separated twice with 100 ml of water . the pgb x in the isobutanol layer is then shaken with 100 ml of 0 . 1m nahco 3 which converts the pgb x to a water - soluble salt form . the aqueous nahco 3 layer containing pgb x , and the isobutanol and impurities dissolved therein , settle into separate layers and the isobutanol layer removed . the remaining nahco 3 layer containing pgb x is acidified to ph 3 . 0 with an acid , such as 1 . 0n hcl , to convert the pgb x back to its isobutanol - soluble acid form , insoluble in water and shaken with 100 ml of isobutanol . the water and other impurities therein are then removed , and the remaining isobutanol is first washed with 100 ml h 2 o , two times , to remove excess acid , and then evaporated under reduced pressure to to leave a residue of approximately 4 g ( 80 % yield ) of crude pgb x . the crude pgb x is then separated by molecular exclusion chromotography into fractions by monitoring the column effluent with a refractive index detector . best results from the standpoint of increased purification and recovery of pgb x were obtained with methanol as the carrier solvent and a gel filtration packing , such as sephadex lh20 manufactured by pharmacia , inc . charges of 2 g of 20 % pgb x in methanol are injected on a 95 cm × 5 cm column of the adsorbent and chromatography is carried out at a flow rate of 20 ml per minute . fractions are collected at one minute intervals with the course of chromatographic separation monitored by a refractive index detector . fig1 represents the chromatogram for pgb x in methanol collected in forty tubes of discrete fractions . the fractions in tubes of selected refractive indices are combined to form six fractions which are dried and assayed for in vitro mitochondrial pgb x activity . although pgb x is distributed in most of the fractions , highest activity of pgb x appears in fraction 2 . the molecular weight range in this fraction is usually between 2200 and 2500 , or approximately 6 - 7 monomeric units . the purification of pgb x resulting from one chromatography is shown in table i below : table i__________________________________________________________________________ weight pgb . sub . x activitymolecular mg per % mg per % fractionweight fraction recovery units / mg fraction recovery__________________________________________________________________________starting 4190 0 . 86 36031 4300 500 12 . 0 0 . 89 445 12 . 42 2200 - 2500 1490 35 . 6 1 . 00 1490 41 . 43 1300 990 23 . 7 0 . 64 634 17 . 64 800 490 11 . 7 0 . 11 54 1 . 55 350 100 2 . 5 0 . 05 5 0 . 16 -- 10 0 . 3 -- -- -- __________________________________________________________________________ the pgb x activation of oxidative phosphorylation of degraded mitochondria disclosed in the patent application ser . no . 635 , 947 supra employs the warburg technique . pgb x activation in the present application is demonstrated as follows . mitochondria are isolated by a modification of the method disclosed by hogeboom , g . h . et al ., cytochemical studies of mammalian tissues i . isolation of intact mitochondria from rat liver , journal of biological chemistry , vol . 172 , page 619 ( 1948 ). rats are decapitated , and their livers excised as rapidly as possible and washed with 0 . 3m sucrose ( enzyme grade ) containing 5 × 10 - 4 m edta ( ethylene diamine tetra - acetic acid ), ph 7 . 35 . the livers are homogenized ( glass barrel , teflon pestle ) in the same solution and the mitochondria separated by differential centrifugation . the nuclei are sedimented at 1000 g for 15 minutes . the yield of mitochondria is increased by rehomogenizing the nuclei in three volumes of sucrose - edta and centrifuging at 1000 g . the 1000 g supernatant layers are combined and centrifuged at 10 , 000 g for 15 minutes to sediment the mitochondria . the mitochondrial pellet is homogenized in sucrose - edta and centrifuged at 6000 g , rehomogenized in fresh sucrose - edta and centrifuged at 4000 g . the supernatant layers from both the 10 , 000 g and 6000 g centrifugations are removed by aspiration while the 4000 g supernatant layer was &# 34 ; poured hard &# 34 ; to remove the &# 34 ; fluffy layer .&# 34 ; to increase the yield of mitochondria , the &# 34 ; fluffy layer &# 34 ; is homogenized with two volumes of sucrose - edta and centrifuged at 6000 g . the 6000 g supernatant layer is &# 34 ; poured hard &# 34 ; and the pellets from both the 4000 g and 6000 g centrifugations are homogenized in sucrose - edta and centrifuged at 600 g to separate any cellular debris or nuclei that might still remain . after determining the protein content by the biuret method , disclosed in kingsley , g . r ., journal of laboratory chemical medicine , vol . 27 , p . 840 ( 1942 ), the mitochondrial suspension is diluted with coldsucrose - edta to make a final concentration of 100 mg protein per ml . usually 1 . 3 g of mitochondria are isolated from a 100 g of rat liver . the mitochondria are then stored at 4 ° c . prior to assaying the pgb x , the mitochondria are further degraded by incubation at 28 ° c . in the absence of the phosphate acceptor adp ( adenosine diphosphate ). since the degree of degradation required for the pgb x effect varied with each mitochondrial preparation as well as the time of storage , preliminary incubations of varying times are run to determine the optimum degree of degradation . for this purpose , an aliquot of aged mitochondria ( usually of the amount needed for one day &# 39 ; s use ) is diluted with cold distilled water and centrifuged to 6000 g . the supernatant is removed and an equivalent volume of 0 . 15 m sucrose plus 2 . 5 × 10 - 4 m edta is added , and the mitochondria suspended by gentle mechanical mixing . the optimal degradation time is determined by adding 4 mg of mitochondria each into four beakers containing 0 . 1 ml of 0 . 1m phosphate buffer of ph 7 . 35 , 0 . 15 ml of 0 . 2m alphaketoglutarate ( ph 7 . 35 ), 0 . 1 ml of 0 . 1m mgso 4 and water to a total volume of 2 . 01 ml . the beakers are covered and shaken at 28 ° c . for 5 , 10 , 15 and 20 minutes , respectively . at the end of each time period , 0 . 15 ml of a mixture containing 0 . 0333m adp , 0 . 0333m amp ( adenosine monophosphate ) and 0 . 66m kcl is added followed immediately with 0 . 04 ml of 3 . 75 % bovine syrum albumin to give a final volume of 2 . 2 ml . the order of addition and the composition of the reactants are summarized in table ii below . table ii______________________________________ mitochondrialorder of degrading reactionaddition medium mixture______________________________________water 1 . 55 ml 1 . 55 mlphosphate buffer ph 7 . 35 4 . 98 mm 4 . 55 mmα - ketoglutarate ph 7 . 35 14 . 93 mm 13 . 64 mmmgso . sub . 4 4 . 98 mm 4 . 55 mmaged mitochondria 1 . 99 mg / ml 1 . 82 mg / mlsucrose * 5 . 97 mm 5 . 45 mmedta 0 . 010 mm 0 . 009 mmamp -- 2 . 27 mmadp -- 2 . 27 mmkcl -- 45 . 45 mmbovine serum albumin -- 0 . 68 mg / ml______________________________________ * added with mitochondria shaking of the beakers is continued for 20 minutes at which time the reaction is terminated by the addition of 0 . 5 ml of 31 % hclo 4 . the inorganic phosphate concentration is then determined in the protein - free filtrate by the method disclosed in dreisbach , r . h ., submicrogram determination of inorganic phosphate , analytical biochemistry , vol . 10 , no . 169 ( 1965 ). that is , 0 . 5 ml aliquot of protein - free filtrate is added to 3 . 5 ml of water , 1 ml of 10 % ammonium molybdate in 5n h 2 so 4 and 5 ml isobutanol . the mixture is shaken thoroughly and the phases allowed to separate . 0 . 5 ml of the isobutanol layer formed thereby is diluted to 5 . 0 ml with 3 . 2 % h 2 so 4 in ethanol and the absorbane measured at 310 nm wavelength . the phosphate disappearance ( or phosphate p i esterified ) is calculated by the difference from the phosphate concentration found in each beaker at the end of the reaction time period to that in which no reaction has taken place , i . e ., a reaction beaker in which perchloric acid is added prior to the addition of the mitochondria . the degradation time used to show the pgb x effect is chosen as the minimum time required to reduce the level of phosphorylation to less than 5 % of the level shown in fig2 for nondegraded mitochondria . thus , having established the condition for mitochondrial degeneration to near zero phosphorylation , the pgb x effect is shown in fig3 by adding varying amounts of pgb x , e . g ., 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 μg during the predetermined incubation period and prior to the addition of the phosphate acceptor . it is apparent in fig3 that , in the absence of pgb x , the ability of degraded mitochondria to carry out oxidative phosphorylation is markedly inhibited . when pgb x is added in small increments , such as 0 - 2 μg , a recovery of the phosphorylation ability may be noted after a short induction period . at the level of 2 - 4 μg pgb x , a sharp increase in phosphorylation occurs . above 4 μg pgb x , the mitochondria are saturated and phosphorylation levels off . for purposes of quantification , a unit of pgb x activity is defined as the inverse ratio of the amount ( in μg ) of pgb x required to restore 50 % of the phosphorylation ( 3 . 0μ moles esterified phosphate ) to that required by the standard pgb x preparation . for this purpose the best fitting curve of the rising portion of the pgb x concentration - activity curve is calculated by the method of linear regression to yield the value of the constants , a 0 and a 1 in the equation that describes the curve : y = a 0 + a 1 x . by substituting 3 for y and solving for x , the amount of pgb x required for 50 % recovery of activity is obtained . the unit of pgb x activity is then defined as ## equ1 ## the k a values calculated in this manner describe the activity of the various pgb x preparation as follows : when k a = 1 , activity of unknown is equal to activity of standard , in addition , if the total amount of pgb x ( in mg ) is multiplied by the k a value , the numerical figure obtained is essentially a measure of the total activity of the sample . in this manner the recovery of the activity may be followed during any fractionation procedure . from the foregoing , some of the advantages and novel features of the invention should now be apparent . for example , an improved method of synthesizing prostaglandin derivatives pgb x from a starting material of 15 - keto pgb 1 methyl ester is disclosed which substantially reduces processing time with a higher yield of more predictable reproducibility . it will be understood , of course , that various changes in the details and steps , which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention , may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims .	2
in the following description , a magnetic anomaly detector and method making use of the microwave gmi effect are discussed . the magnetic anomaly detector comprises at least one electromagnetic transmission line having at least one conductor acting as a sensing element comprised of a soft magnetic material . in one embodiment , the at least one conductor is an amorphous magnetic wire , 40 to 120 μm in diameter , made of a ni 45 co 25 fe 6 si 9 b 13 mn 2 or similar alloy , for a saturation magnetization of the magnetic wire of around 200 ka / m or emu / cm 3 . this is high enough that a ferromagnetic resonance is detectable in the skin depth of the magnetic wire , but not too high , so that the resonance frequency stays in the low ghz range . this provides advantages concerning the signal to noise ratio and the resolution in frequency of the magnetic anomaly detector as will be described . for ease of reference , the principles of ferromagnetic resonance and the microwave gmi effect will be firstly discussed with reference to fig1 a and 1 b . ferromagnetic resonance ( fmr ) occurs in a thin soft magnetic film 10 when the magnetic film 10 , of thickness t , is submitted simultaneously to a longitudinal static magnetic field , h , and to an alternating magnetic field , h w , oriented along the width w of the film 10 , thus perpendicular to the static magnetic field h . all of the material in the magnetic film 10 participates to the fmr . a strong absorption peak is observed at the resonant frequency , f 0 , where the losses of the magnetic material are at a maximum . in measuring the transverse permeability μ w of the magnetic film 10 , the imaginary part of the permeability peaks , while the real part of the permeability passes through zero at this frequency . if the static magnetic field changes from h to ( h + δh ), the resonant frequency increases to ( f 0 + δf 0 ). fig1 b shows a magnetic wire 20 that forms the central conductor of a coaxial transmission line . although not shown , the coaxial transmission line comprises an outer conductor spaced from and surrounding the magnetic wire 20 . a dielectric in the form of air is interposed between the magnetic wire 20 and the outer conductor . an electromagnetic signal in the ghz range of frequency is provided at the input of the coaxial transmission line by a network analyzer or other similar electronics ( not shown ). the transmission line geometry favors the propagation of a transverse electromagnetic ( tem ) wave along the coaxial transmission line . such propagation is strongly influenced by a static magnetic field h applied to the coaxial transmission line 20 . the electric field component of the tem wave is radial , while the magnetic component h φ of the tem wave , which is in the microwave range , is circumferential . parts of these components penetrate the surface of the magnetic wire 20 to a depth δ given by equation ( 1 ) below : ρ is the electrical resistivity ; f is the frequency ; and μ φ is the circumferential magnetic permeability of the magnetic wire . this modifies the surface impedance of the magnetic wire 20 , which is related to the magnetic wire impedance through a geometrical factor . a static magnetic field , h , applied along the magnetic wire 20 , thus perpendicular to the microwave field h φ , excites a ferromagnetic resonance of the magnetic ions located within the skin depth δ of the magnetic wire 20 ( the microwave gmi effect ). the magnetic moments , m , of the ferromagnetic ions near the magnetic wire surface precess at the resonant frequency . this precession is maintained by the microwave field h φ . the resonant frequency increases with the saturation magnetization of the magnetic wire material and the strength of the applied static magnetic field h . the losses in the magnetic wire 20 are expressed by the real part of its impedance , which shows a peak at the resonant frequency . the imaginary part of the impedance passes through zero at the same frequency . if the static magnetic field changes from h to h + δh , the resonant frequency increases to f 0 + δf 0 . this means that both the peak of the real part of the magnetic wire impedance and the zero crossing of the imaginary part of the magnetic wire impedance , shift on the frequency axis . the physics of the microwave gmi effect are similar to that of the ferromagnetic resonance ( fmr ). the latter phenomenon occurs in transmission lines subjected simultaneously to a static magnetic field , which causes saturation of the transmission line and precession of the spins , and a perpendicular oscillating magnetic field , which provides the energy to maintain the precession and produces the resonance . in order to excite fmr , the frequency of the ac field is equal to that of the larmor frequency of the magnetic material . this frequency increases with the saturation magnetization of the magnetic material and the strength of the applied static magnetic field . the losses induced by the fmr heat the magnetic material . the imaginary part of the permeability of this magnetic material shows a peak while the real part passes through zero at the resonant frequency . turning now to fig2 a magnetic anomaly detector using the microwave gmi effect is shown and is generally identified by reference numeral 100 . as can be seen , magnetic anomaly detector 100 comprises a coaxial transmission line 102 to which a tem electromagnetic wave and a static magnetic field h are applied . the coaxial transmission line 102 has an outer , tubular , non - magnetic metal conductor 104 with large electrical conductivity , surrounding a central , soft magnetic wire 106 exhibiting a large microwave gmi effect in the operating frequency range of the magnetic anomaly detector 100 i . e . in the frequency range of from about 0 . 5 ghz to about 20 ghz . the size and shape of the magnetic wire 106 is selected to provide adequate impedance matching within the operating frequency range . an air gap 108 is provided between the outer conductor 104 and the magnetic wire 106 and acts as a dielectric . a conductive metal disc 110 is provided at one end of the magnetic wire 106 . the disc 110 spans the air gap 108 and contacts the outer conductor 104 to provide an electrical short between the magnetic wire 106 and the outer conductor 104 . shorting the magnetic wire 106 and the outer conductor 104 increases the signal - to - noise ratio of the magnetic anomaly detector 100 as the propagating tem electromagnetic wave travels twice the length of the transmission line 102 . the soft magnetic wire is composed of alloys of ni , co and fe and other elements such as si , b , mn , cu etc . in this particular embodiment , the soft magnetic wire 106 is composed of a ni 45 co 25 fe 6 si 9 b 13 mn 2 alloy . the material used to form the alloy from which the magnetic wire 106 is created , may be amorphous , nanocrystalline or polycrystalline . the amorphous , nanocrystalline or polycrystalline material is processed using sputtering , rapid solidification technology i . e . melt spinning or casting into water , electrodeposition , rolling or other techniques to form the alloy . the magnetic wire 106 has a saturation magnetization of about 200 ka / m ( emu / cm 3 ) and a diameter in the range of 40 to 120 μm . the length of the magnetic wire 106 is selected to be less than a quarter of the wavelength of the propagating tem electromagnetic signal to inhibit the occurrence of an electrical resonance which may overlap with the tem electromagnetic ferromagnetic resonance . during operation of the magnetic anomaly detector 100 , the tem electromagnetic wave , whose electric field component e r is radial and magnetic field component h φ is circumferential , is applied to the transmission line 102 using a network analyzer 112 and propagates through the transmission line 102 . the power of the tem electromagnetic signal generated by the network analyzer 112 at the transmission input of the line should be around 1 mw in order to avoid non - linear effects . the frequency of the tem electromagnetic wave is selected so that the frequency of the magnetic field h φ is in the operating range of the natural ferromagnetic resonance of the magnetic wire material . the magnetic field h φ is also modulated in amplitude , frequency or phase . as discussed above , parts of the tem electromagnetic wave components penetrate the surface of the magnetic wire 106 to the skin depth δ , defined previously . this modifies the impedance of the magnetic wire 106 . the static magnetic field , h , is also applied to the magnetic wire 106 . the static magnetic field h , which is perpendicular to the magnetic field h φ along the magnetic wire 106 , excites a ferromagnetic resonance of the magnetic ions located within the skin depth of the magnetic wire 106 . the static magnetic field h is applied using electromagnetic coils or permanent magnets and is modulated in amplitude , frequency or phase . for example , the static magnetic field h may be ramp , sawtooth , sinusoidal or pulse modulated . the amplitude of the static magnetic field h determines the resonant frequency of the magnetic wire 106 in the operating frequency range of the magnetic anomaly detector 100 while the magnetic field h φ provides the energy for precession at resonance . the resonant frequency increases with the saturation magnetization of the magnetic wire material and the strength of the applied magnetic field h . the losses in the magnetic wire 106 are expressed by the real part of its impedance , which shows a peak at the resonant frequency . the imaginary part of the impedance passes through zero at the same frequency . these two parts are calculated by measuring the reflection coefficient , s 11 , of the transmission line 102 using the network analyzer 112 . the change in resonant frequency is measured using standard techniques either in the frequency or time domain thereby to detect magnetic anomalies . the input impedance of the transmission line 102 is calculated from the complex reflection coefficient for a given frequency and field . the characteristic impedance , z c of the transmission line 102 and longitudinal propagation coefficient , γ , of the tem mode are deduced from the input impedance . the lumped parameters of the transmission line 102 are calculated using the impedance z c and propagation coefficient γ . the external inductance due to the line transmission is subtracted from the total inductance , yielding the intrinsic inductance of the magnetic wire 106 , while the resistance of the external conductor 104 and the conductance of air 108 are negligible compared to those induced by the high permeability and resistivity of the magnetic wire 106 . the impedance spectra of the magnetic wire 106 is measured by sweeping the frequency of the input tem electromagnetic signal in the static magnetic field . fig3 shows the frequency spectra of the real part , r , and the imaginary part , x , of the impedance of a ni 45 co 25 fe 6 si 9 b 13 mn 2 magnetic wire for three static magnetic fields . the frequency is swept from 30 mhz to 6 ghz , while static magnetic fields of 240 , 520 and 1 , 000 oe are applied along the transmission line 102 . the resonant frequency , f 0 , is the frequency value at which the real part r peaks and the imaginary part x is null . at a static magnetic field of 240 oe , f 0 = 2 . 4787 ghz , the resonant frequency increases up to 5 . 4 ghz for a static magnetic field of 1 koe . the importance of keeping this frequency as small as possible is illustrated by a simple calculation . the earth &# 39 ; s magnetic field is about 0 . 25 oe . for example in the case of a magnetic anomaly that amounts to 0 . 02 oe , if this amount is added to the 240 oe static magnetic field , the result h + δh is 240 . 02 oe . using kittel &# 39 ; s equation for the ferromagnetic resonance frequency as represented by equation ( 2 ) below : f 0 2 = ( γμ 0 2 ⁢ π ) 2 ⁢ h ⁡ ( h + m s ) ( 2 ) γ is the gyromagnetic ratio of the electron ; μ 0 is the permeability of the air ; and m s the saturation magnetization of the magnetic alloy , yields a frequency change δf 0 equal to 103 . 2 khz resulting in a reasonably high frequency resolution of the magnetic anomaly detector , δf 0 / f 0 equal to 41 . 66 10 − 6 , or 41 . 66 ppm . although the above embodiment shows a magnetic anomaly detector comprising a single coaxial transmission line , the magnetic anomaly detector may in fact comprise an array of coaxial transmission lines . for example , turning to fig4 , a magnetic anomaly detector comprising three coaxial transmission lines is shown . as can be seen , in this embodiment , the coaxial transmission lines are mounted in an orthogonal ( triaxial ) configuration . this arrangement of coaxial transmission lines is advantageous in that the vector components of the magnetic anomaly can be detected , which helps to spatially locate the source of the magnetic anomaly . fig5 shows yet another magnetic anomaly detector . in this embodiment , the magnetic anomaly detector comprises a four by five array of parallel , coaxial transmission lines . of course larger or smaller arrays of transmission lines can be used . in the above embodiments , the magnetic anomaly detector is described and shown as a coaxial transmission line . those of skill in the art will however appreciate that the magnetic anomaly detector may take other forms . for example , the transmission line may be in the form of a waveguide or stripline with the magnetic conductor being a ribbon , thin film or thick film . although particular embodiments have been described and illustrated , those of skill in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the sphere and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .	6
the instrument structure provided by the present invention enables increased stability and accuracy in an induction wellbore logging tool and its operational capabilities , which , in turn , results in better quality and utility of wellbore data acquired during logging . the features of the present invention are applicable to improve the structure of a majority of known induction tools . the invention will now be described in more detail and by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 schematically shows a wellbore 1 extending into a laminated earth formation , into which wellbore an induction logging tool as used according to the present invention has been lowered . the wellbore in fig1 extends into an earth formation which includes a hydrocarbon - bearing sand layer 3 located between an upper shale layer 5 and a higher conductivity than the hydrocarbon bearing sand layer 3 . an induction logging tool 9 used in the practice of the invention has been lowered into the wellbore 1 via a wire line 11 extending through a blowout preventor 13 ( shown schematically ) located at the earth surface 15 . the surface equipment 22 includes an electric power supply to provide electric power to the set of coils 18 and a signal processor to receive and process electric signals from the receiver coils 19 . alternatively , the power supply and / or signal processors are located in the logging tool . the relative orientation of the wellbore 1 and the logging tool 9 with respect to the layers 3 , 5 , 7 is determined by two angles , one of which θ as shown in the fig1 . for determination of these angles see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 999 , 883 to gupta , et al . the logging tool 9 is provided with a set of transmitter coils 18 and a set of receiver coils 19 , each set of coils 18 , 19 being connected to surface equipment 22 via suitable conductors ( not shown ) extending along the wire line 11 . each set of coils 18 and 19 includes three coils ( not shown ), which are arranged such that the set has three magnetic dipole moments in mutually orthogonal directions , that is , in x , y and z directions . the three - coil transmitter coil set transmits t x , t y and t z . the receiver coil receives r x , r y and r z plus the cross components , r xy , r xz and r zy . thus , coil set 18 has magnetic dipole moments 26 a , 26 b , 26 c , and coil set 19 has magnetic dipole moments 28 a , 28 b , 28 c . in one embodiment the transmitter coil set 18 is electrically isolated from the receiver coil set 19 . in an alternative embodiment , each coil in transmitter coil set 18 electrically isolated from each other and each coil in receiver coil set 19 electrically isolated from each other . the coils with magnetic dipole moments 26 a and 28 a are transverse coils , that is they are oriented so that the magnetic dipole moments are oriented perpendicular to the wellbore axis , whereby the direction of magnetic dipole moment 28 a is opposite to the direction of magnetic dipole moment 26 a . furthermore the sets of coils 18 and 19 are positioned substantially along the longitudinal axis of the logging tool 9 . as shown in fig2 a , conventional induction logging tools provide a single transmitter and receiver coil that measure resistivity in the horizontal direction . in the conventional horizontal mode , as shown in fig2 a , the resistivities of adjacent high resistivity sand and low resistivity shale layers appear in parallel , thus the resistivity measurement is dominated by low resistivity shale . as shown in fig1 and 2 b , in the present invention a transverse coil is added to measure resistivity in the vertical direction . in the vertical direction , the resistivity of the highly resistive sand and low resistivity shale are appear in series and thus the vertical series resistivity measurement is dominated by the resistivity of the highly resistive sand . for ease of reference , normal operation of the tool 9 , as shown in fig1 and 2 b , will be described hereinafter only for the coils having dipole moments in the x - direction , i . e . dipole moments 26 a and 28 a . during normal operation an alternating current of a frequency f 1 is supplied by the electric power supply of surface equipment 22 to transmitter coil set 18 so that a magnetic field with magnetic dipole moment 26 a is induced in the formation . in an alternative embodiment , the frequency is swept through a range f 1 through f 2 . this magnetic field extends into the sand layer 3 and induces a number of local eddy currents in the sand layer 3 . the magnitude of the local eddy currents is dependent upon their location relative to the transmitter coil set 18 , the conductivity of the earth formation at each location , and the frequency at which the transmitter coil set 18 is operating . in principle the local eddy currents act as a source inducing new currents , which again induce further new currents , and so on . the currents induced into the sand layer 3 induces a response magnetic field in the formation , which is not in phase with the transmitted magnetic field , but which induces a response current in receiver coil set 19 . the magnitude of the current induced in the sand layer 3 depends on the conductivity of the sand layer 3 , the magnitude of the response current in receiver coil set 19 . the magnitude also depends on the conductivity and thereby provides an indication of the conductivity of the sand layer 3 . however , the magnetic field generated by transmitter coil set 18 not only extends into sand layer 3 , but also in the wellbore fluid and in the shale layers 5 and 7 so that currents in the wellbore fluid and the shale layers 5 and 7 are induced . the overall procedures of the present invention used to ensure proper functioning of a deployed multicomponent induction logging tool is summarized in fig3 . calibration the instrument &# 39 ; s arrays is done , particularly estimating its transfer coefficient 101 . subsequently , a final verification of the tuning and calibration consistency is performed 103 . this is followed by a verification of isolator sufficiency 105 for preventing an axial current flow between the tool &# 39 ; s top and bottom housings / electronics through the feed - through pipe and conductors while logging in the boreholes filled with conductive mud . in further detail , the fully made tool is placed in calibration area which has a small number of external conductive parts that could affect tool readings ( machinery , measurement tools , etc .). for example , positioning the tool at approximately 15 ft ( 4 . 6 m ) above the ground typically reduces the tool reading to a value less than about 10 ms / m . the tool is positioned parallel to the earth with the array to be adjusted pointing normal to the ground . the instrument &# 39 ; s top and bottom housing are interconnected with a borehole conductivity simulator ( bcs ) and the insulator is shorted . fig4 illustrates the bcs , comprising an assembly of conductor 401 and resistor 410 , which electrically couples top housing 405 and bottom housing 404 . a closed circuit is thus created from bottom housing 404 through resistor 410 through top housing 405 through a feed - through pipe running from bottom housing to top housing through mandrel 408 . the value of resistor 410 can be configured to be approximately equal to a total conductance value the tool would experience inside a borehole well according to its specifications . a resistance value of approximately 20 ohms is typically chosen . in this arrangement the tool becomes very sensitive to the axial current that could be induced by the array transmitter in the following loop : “ top housing — shorted feed - through pipe — bottom housing — bcs ”. the magnitude of the current will be proportional to the array coils displacement from their longitudinal alignment and simulator resistor value . to balance the array its transmitter coil may be moved in the plane parallel to the ground . this coil movement is performed until absolute minimum in the array reading is reached . upon adjustment the transmitter coil frame is fixed inside the mandrel with the sets of non - conductive screws and / or with epoxy . shorting the isolator between the upper housing and the mandrel is done to significantly increase the magnitude of the axial current in this test procedure and , therefore , increase accuracy of balancing . a similar positioning may be done in the vertical direction . as discussed below , the tool is more sensitive to mispositioning in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction . suitable positioning screws may be provided in the logging tool to accomplish this movement . after the first horizontal array has been tuned the tool is rotated about its axis and similar procedure has been performed with next horizontal array . generally , the instrument might have a plurality of transverse and tilted arrays so that similar tuning could be developed for each sensor . after balance of all arrays has been completed , the tool isolation short is removed and mandrel is covered with the non - conductive pressure sleeve . calibration of transfer coefficient is done after the instrument is positioned in the low conductive calibration environment and inserted inside the calibrator . the calibration principle lies in introducing a certain magnetic load for calibrating array so that its signal readings are identical to the values to be read while logging a homogeneous formation . this is done with use of a calibrator whose electromagnetic parameters and coupling with the tool are precisely known . using the calibrator , tool loading is achieved by the connecting certain impedance to the terminal of normally - open calibrator loop . thus , the open loop presents an infinitely resistive formation . conversely , by shorting , almost infinitely conductive formation is presented . therefore , any value of the formation conductivity corresponds to its unique value of the calibration loop load . acquiring the calibration signal is typically done in the mode “ calibration load connected — disconnected ”. this difference in the tool reading indicates on how much the tool output voltage swings when the formation conductivity changes from 0 to the calibrated value . to perform calibration the tool array may be oriented normal to the ground as this leads to more consistency in measurements and apparently make its transversal arrays less sensitive to any noise currents that maybe circulating on the earth surface in place of measurement ( machinery , radio - stations , etc .). after the tool transfer coefficient has been determined , the tool readings while the calibrator loop is not loaded reflect environmental conductivity and , in particular , ground conductivity . this data has to be known and stored for further processing . the last step in calibration is verification of the tool symmetry and immunity to axial currents . the overall tool symmetry assumes that the same array reads the same values of the “ ground ” or environmental conductivity while its measurement direction points to ground or from the ground . for these purposes the tool is rotated around its longitudinal axis on 180 °. absence of such a “ direction sensitivity ” would indicate normal tool functioning and ensure respective symmetry while operating in the well bore . for verification of the suppressing axial currents — a modified bcs test may be run with the short removed in the feed - through . thus , connecting and disconnecting the bcs to the tool should result in absolute minimal difference in readings that would indicate for proper operation in the well without formation - dependable offset in the tool data . this modified bcs test could be run as described , or , to reduce calibration time , performed right after the transfer coefficient is determined . turning now to fig5 , one arrangement of the alignment loop is discussed . shown therein is an alignment loop 501 surrounding an array characterized by the transmitter coil 504 directed along an x direction ( t x ) and the receiver coil 508 directed along the x direction ( r x ). bucking coil b x 506 is also shown . this array is denoted as xx , using a nomenclature in which the first letter signifies the orientation direction of the transmitter coil and the last letter signifies the orientation direction of the receiver coil . this nomenclature is generally used herein . the xx and yy arrays in the multi - component tool are ideally aligned at 90 ° from each other . when this alignment is not met , the response of the cross components ( xy , yx ) are affected by part of the reading of the related main component . the alignment measuring method of the present invention is based on analyzing the output of the cross - component system when the tool is rotated inside of an alignment loop . the alignment loop 501 is a stationary loop , lying so that the longitudinal axis of the loop and the longitudinal axis of the well - logging tool are substantially aligned . its dimensions are such as to obtain substantial inductive coupling with the transmitter as well as with the receiver of both xx and yy arrays . an important aspect of the present invention is that no portion of either the transmitter or the receiver coil extend beyond the loop . this is in contrast to prior art devices in which this condition is not satisfied . when this condition is not satisfied , the resulting calibration is sensitive to the position of the calibration loop relative to the transmitter and receiver coils , and is hence suspect . the arrangement shown in fig5 uses a single calibration loop where this condition is satisfied . the single calibration loop axially encompasses the transmitter coil and the receiver coil . a detailed analysis of the signals is given later in this document . the logging tool is supported within the alignment loop by suitable support ( not shown ) that has the capability of rotating the logging tool about its axis through known angles . fig6 illustrates a loop alignment assembly usable for aligning zz arrays in a testing device . transmitter tz 601 , bucking coil bz 603 and receiver rz 605 are disposed along the feed - through pipe 615 and have a common longitudinal axis . alignment loop 610 is substantially coaxial with receiver rz 605 and substantially centered on rz . as with the arrangement of fig5 , the receiver coil is axially encompassed by d the calibration loop 610 . cross component array calibration is discussed next . fig7 illustrates an embodiment for calibration of an xy array using a calibration box . this functions in the same manner as a calibration loop , and may be considered to be one . transmitter 701 and bucking coil 703 are disposed along the feed - through pipe oriented to produce a magnetic moment in an x - direction . receiver 705 is disposed along the same feed - through pipe having an orientation so as to receive components of a magnetic moment in a is disposed along the same feed - through pipe having an orientation so as to receive components of a magnetic moment in y - direction . the alignment loop 710 is disposed at an angle of 45 ° so as to be oriented halfway between the x - direction and the y - direction . to simplify the illustration , the box has been depicted without showing it as extending beyond the transmitter and receiver coils . those skilled in the art would recognize that the alignment loop shown in fig5 and 7 would be bulky and possible difficult to manage under field conditions . an embodiment of the present invention that addresses this problem is discussed next . fig8 illustrated an alternate embodiment for aligning an xy array . alignment loop 815 is located at the tx 801 , and alignment loop 810 is positioned at the rxy cross - component receiver 805 . both alignment loops are oriented along the same direction as their respective transmitter / receiver . a wire 820 electrically couples alignment loop 810 and alignment loop 815 . the individual loops 810 and 815 are easier to handle than a single large box , and by use of the electrical connection 820 , are functionally equivalent to box 501 of fig5 . in the configuration of fig8 , the loop 815 axially encompasses the transmitter coil 801 and tge loop 810 axially encompasses the receiver coil . fig9 illustrates an assembly for orienting of the xz cross - component array . transmitter tx 901 and bucking coil bx 903 are disposed along the feed - through pipe oriented so as to produce a magnetic moment along an x - direction . the receiver rz 905 is disposed along the feed - through pipe and oriented so as to be receptive to z - components of magnetic moments . the alignment loop 920 can be positioned centrally between main x - transmitter 901 and z - cross - component receiver 905 and tilted 45 ° with respect to the tool longitudinal axis 910 . the assembly of fig8 displays small signals during xz array calibration . this signal tends to display a high sensitivity to the angle . fig1 illustrates an alternate embodiment for aligning the xz cross - component array . as in the apparatus shown in fig8 , two loops are used . transmitter tx 1001 and bucking coil bx 1003 are disposed along the feed - through pipe oriented so as to produce a magnetic moment along an x - direction . the receiver rz 1005 is disposed along the feed - through pipe and oriented so as to be receptive to z - components of magnetic moments . alignment loop 1010 is centered on transmitter tx 1001 , and alignment loop 1015 is coaxial with receiver rz 1005 . a wire 1020 electrically couples alignment loop 1010 and alignment loop 1015 . in contrast to the assembly of fig1 , calibration using two alignment devices displays a large signal for the xz array calibration . we next discuss in detail the use of the alignment loop for establishing the coil orientation . when examining a cross - component array , the xy or yx response obtained by rotating the tool inside of the alignment loop has a zero - crossing each time that either a transmitter or a receiver coil is perpendicular to the plane of the loop . whichever coil ( transmitter or receiver ) is substantially aligned with the loop ( enclosed in the same plane ) experiences a maximum coupling with the alignment loop . when the position of the aligned coil is varied around the point of alignment with the alignment loop , the coupling response between them undergoes a slow change corresponding to the variation . the non - aligned coil experiences a minimum coupling with the alignment loop . when the position of the non - aligned coil is varied around this point of minimal coupling , the coupling experiences an abrupt change . the coupling becomes zero when the non - aligned coil achieves perpendicularity with the alignment loop . a practitioner in the art would recognize that the zero - crossings of the coupling response are significantly affected by the coil that is at right angle to the alignment loop , regardless of whether the perpendicular coil is a receiver or a transmitter . the substantially aligned coil plays little or no role in the production of a zero - crossing . the angle between successive zero crossings thereby represents an alignment angle between the two related coils . mathematically , the inductive coupling between two coils resembles a cosine function of the angle between them . thus , the coupling response system of coils made by an aligned system of cross components and an alignment loop is given by the following expression : r ⁡ ( ϕ ) = k · cos ⁡ ( ϕ ) · cos ⁡ ( ϕ - π 2 ) . ( 1 ) sin ⁡ ( ϕ ) · cos ⁡ ( ϕ ) = 1 2 ⁢ sin ⁡ ( 2 · ϕ ) , ( 3 ) r ⁡ ( ϕ ) = k · 1 2 · sin ⁡ ( 2 · ϕ ) . ( 4 ) eqn . ( 4 ) illustrates that there are two cycles of variation for each cycle of tool rotation . by considering a misalignment angle β between transmitter and receiver , the response function can now be expressed as r ⁡ ( ϕ , β ) = k · cos ⁡ ( ϕ ) · cos ⁡ ( ϕ - π 2 + β ) , ( 5 ) where each cosine function characterizes the response of the individual cross component coils . it is easy to see that r ⁡ ( ϕ , β ) = 0 ⁢ ⁢ when ⁢ ⁢ ϕ = n · π 2 , ( 6 ) ⁢ ϕ - π 2 + β = n · π 2 ⁢ ⁢ with ⁢ ⁢ n = ± 1 , 2 , 3 , … eq . ⁢ ( 7 ) according to eqn . ( 7 ), the angle between successive zero - crossings represents the alignment angle among the cross component coils . an intuitive graphical approach can therefore be used to measure the misalignment angle between transmitter and receiver . alternatively , the misalignment angle can be obtained simply by using a trigonometric regression function to analyze the response of the system . applying trigonometric identities to eqn . ( 5 ), the response of the misaligned system can be written as r ⁡ ( ϕ , β ) = k · 1 2 · sin ⁡ ( 2 · ϕ ) · cos ⁡ ( β ) + k · cos 2 ⁡ ( ϕ ) · sin ⁡ ( β ) ⁢ ⁢ r ⁡ ( ϕ , β ) = k 2 · sin ⁡ ( 2 · ϕ + β ) + k 2 · sin ⁡ ( β ) ( 8 ) the last expression in eqn . ( 8 ) indicates that a graphical representation of the coupling response of the misaligned cross component system resembles a sinusoidal function . the period of this sinusoid equals 180 ° and has offsets on both the abscissa and the ordinate . the offset on the abscissa is β , and the offset on the ordinate is ( k / 2 ) sin ( β ). also , the coupling response is of the form a sin ( x + b )+ c , where a = k / 2 , b = β and c =( k / 2 )( sin ( β ). the coefficient b obtained with such fitting represents the misalignment angle . the cross component response can thus be fit to this curve . the sensitivity to possible displacement along the tool &# 39 ; s longitudinal axis or vertically can be analyzed by changes in the product m = m t − c m c − r , where m t − c is the mutual inductance between the transmitter and the alignment coils , and m r − c is the mutual inductance between the alignment and the receiver coils . measurements show that typically there is in general a flexibility of 1 ″ in horizontal positioning , and about half that amount in vertical positioning without substantially affecting the induction response . to properly position the arrays , the transmitter coil of one array is moved in the direction normal to the ground . this coil movement is performed until an absolute minimum in the coupling response is determined . upon adjustment , the transmitter coil frame is fixed inside the mandrel . after the first horizontal array has been tuned , the tool is rotated on its axis and a similar procedure is performed with the other horizontal array . generally , similar tuning can be developed for an instrument having a plurality of transverse and tilted arrays . after balance of all arrays has been achieved , the tool isolation short is removed and mandrel is covered with the non - conductive pressure sleeve . a final verification of the coil balancing and calibration consistency is made . calibration of a transfer coefficient is performed once the instrument is inserted inside the calibrator in the low conductive calibration environment . a magnetic load is introduced suitable for calibrating array , so that its signal readings are identical to the values to be read while logging a homogeneous formation . the magnetic load is introduced using the above - referenced calibrator using known electromagnetic parameters and coupling parameters . the tool loading can be achieved by connecting selected impedance to the terminal of a normally - open calibrator loop . thus , the open loop represents an infinitely resistive formation . once shorted , the closed loop represents an almost infinitely conductive formation ( limited only by internal impedance of the wires of the calibrator loop ). therefore , a calibration loop load can be chosen effectively representing a given formation conductivity values . implicit in the control and processing of the data is the use of a computer program on a suitable machine readable medium that enables the processor to perform the control and processing . the machine readable medium may include roms , eproms , eeproms , flash memories and optical disks . while the foregoing disclosure is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention , various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . it is intended that all variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims be embraced by the foregoing disclosure . the following definitions are helpful in understanding the scope of the invention : alignment : the proper positioning or state of adjustment of parts in relation to each other ; calibrate : to standardize by determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors ; coil : one or more turns , possibly circular or cylindrical , of a current - carrying conductor capable of producing a magnetic field ; earom : electrically alterable rom ; encompass : to enclose completely eprom : erasable programmable rom ; flash memory : a nonvolatile memory that is rewritable ; machine readable medium : something on which information may be stored in a form that can be understood by a computer or a processor ; misalignment : the condition of being out of line or improperly adjusted ; optical disk : a disc shaped medium in which optical methods are used for storing and retrieving information ; position : an act of placing or arranging ; the point or area occupied by a physical object quadrature : 90 ° out of phase ; and rom : read - only memory .	6
in accordance with the present invention , a method for fabricating vertical cmos electrical components is illustrated in fig1 a through 1s . fig1 a presents the starting point for the present invention and reveals a silicon wafer 10 in cross - section containing a series of alternately doped silicon layers . the first p + layer 12 is a relatively thick silicon wafer and forms the structural substrate for the circuit components to be constructed . the wafer &# 39 ; s thickness depends upon the structural characteristics required and upon the diameter of the wafer used . next , a series of silicon layers are epitaxially deposited on top of the substrate p + layer 12 . first , a thin p + layer 14 (˜ 0 . 03 μms ), a somewhat thicker n layer 16 (˜ 0 . 1 μms ) and another thin p + layer 18 (˜ 3 . 03 μms ) are deposited . the p + - n - p + layer series , subject to further fabrication steps , will form the first vertical transistor above substrate 12 . the n middle layer 16 functions as the first transistor &# 39 ; s channel layer , while the first and second p + layers 14 , 18 may function as source or drain layers , depending upon eventual circuit connections . for this reason , they will be termed source / drain layers for the remainder of the description . next , a thicker n layer 20 (˜ 0 . 3 μms ) is deposited followed by another thin p + layer 22 . these two layers separate the two vertical transistors from one another and are useful for several of the subsequent processing steps . finally , the second vertical transistor region is formed by epitaxially depositing an n + source / drain layer 24 , a p channel layer 26 and another n + source / drain layer 28 , the layers approximately duplicating the layer thicknesses chosen for the first transistor . in the present embodiment , the substrate layer 12 and the first source / drain layer 14 are both of p + semiconductor material , but this is not necessary and various other combinations are also possible . in addition , the substrate serves as a power supply connection v dd to the circuitry . a thick oxide layer 30 ( approximately 0 . 5 to 1 . 0 μms ), deposited over the top n + layer 28 , is masked and etched to form an aperture 32 approximately 1 . 0 μms wide , extending down to upper n + layer 28 , as shown in fig1 b . nitride is deposited along the inner wall of aperture 32 to form a first nitride spacer 34 , approximately 500 å wide . oxide is deposited next to the first nitride spacer 34 , to form an oxide spacer 36 , also approximately 500 å wide . all spacers used in the preferred embodiment are formed in the same way . first , a conformal ( or isotropic ) deposition of the particular material leaves a constant thickness of material , for example nitride , everywhere , especially down the face of a stair - step . in the present instance , the stair - step would comprise the inner wall of aperture 32 . second , an anisotropic vertical etch removes all material along exposed horizontal portions of the wafer , leaving most of the spacer intact along the wall of the stair - step . using the collection of oxide layer 30 , nitride spacer 34 and oxide spacer 36 as a mask , a hole 38 is cut through aperture 32 , through all of the epitaxially - deposited layers 14 through 28 and into the substrate layer 12 , as illustrated in fig1 c . any anisotropic silicon etching process may be employed to cut hole 38 . using electron cyclotron resonance deposition ( ecr ), or other similar anisotropic deposition techniques , the bottom portion of the hole is filled with an oxide deposit 40 to a depth of about 0 . 15 μms , depending on the depth of the etch , so that its top edge aligns closely with the top of layer 12 , as seen in fig1 d . an isotropic clean - up etch removes any oxide left on the side - walls of hole 38 . then , using a furnace or rapid thermal process ( rtp ), a thin layer of high - quality gate oxide 42 is grown along the walls of hole 38 . as familiar to the art , the oxide deposit may be accomplished by raising the substrate to a carefully controlled temperature of approximately 800 ° c . in an oxygen environment . rtp can raise substrate temperature while avoiding substantial interdiffusion of the epitaxial layers . hole 38 is next filled with polysilicon doped with enough impurities to function as a highly - conductive gate post 44 . a chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) process may be used to fill hole 38 with the polysilicon . the polysilicon of gate post 44 is etched back so that its upper edge 45 locates near the center of oxide spacer 36 , but above the upper n + layer 28 . the remaining depression in hole 38 is filled with a nitride layer 46 by depositing a layer of nitride across the wafer , and then etching the nitride back ( with a resist etch - back process ) so that it just fills the depression left in hole 38 . the original oxide layer 30 is removed from the top of wafer 10 using an oxide - selective etch ( such as applying hydrofluoric acid ) leaving the faces of the first nitride spacer 34 exposed , as revealed in fig1 f . next , a vertical silicon etching process etches a trench 48 into the epitaxial layers , using the first nitride spacer 34 and nitride layer 46 as a mask . end - point detection , which is sensitive to dopant concentration of the current etch layer , allows the vertical etching process to end on a particular layer . in the first trech etching , the process ends on or in n + layer 24 , as shown in fig1 g . the exposed faces of n + layer 28 , p layer 26 and n + layer 24 are then coated with a thin protective oxide layer 50 using a rapid thermal oxidation process . a second nitride spacer 52 is applied to the exposed side of first nitride spacer 34 , and down the vertical faces of the first transistors layers 28 , 26 and 24 . the remainder of the exposed oxide layer 50 is then removed , as shown in fig1 h , re - exposing n + layer 24 . using the second nitride spacer 52 as a mask , a second trench 54 is etched through the n + layer 24 , p + buffer layer 22 and into the n buffer layer 20 , as illustrated in fig1 i . a third nitride spacer 56 is deposited along the side of second nitride spacer 52 and the exposed vertical faces of layers 24 , 22 and 20 , and any remaining nitride left on the exposed horizontal areas of n layer 20 is removed as shown in fig1 j . a dopant - selective wet etch then removes the entire n layer 20 up to oxide layer 42 surrounding polysilicon gate post 44 . the resulting structure is shown in fig1 k . thermal oxidation applies a thin oxide layer 58 on all exposed silicon and a second oxide deposition 60 fills in the cavity left between the first and second transistor layers ( i . e . between layers 22 and 18 ). oxide depositions 58 and 60 are then etched back anisotropically , using third nitride spacer 56 as a mask , allowing the next p + layer 18 to be exposed , as shown in fig1 l . next , a fourth nitride spacer 62 , deposited against the third nitride spacer 56 , extends downwards against oxide deposition 60 to p + source / drain layer 18 , as shown in fig1 m . using fourth nitride spacer 62 as a mask , an anisotropic etch excavates a third trench 64 extending through the p + source / drain layer 18 , through n channel layer 16 and into p + source / drain layer 14 , as shown in fig1 n . again , thermal oxidation deposits a thin oxide layer 68 over the exposed vertical faces of the second transistor layers 14 , 16 and 18 and over the exposed horizontal face of layer 14 as illustrated in fig1 p . removing , through appropriate etches , all nitride spacers 34 , 52 , 56 , and 62 and nitride layer 46 leaves the structure as seen in fig1 q . an anisotropic etch removes oxide layer 50a ( the suffix &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; denotes the horizontal components of this conformal oxide layer 50 ) on the horizontal silicon surface of layer 24 , shown in fig1 r . finally , a metal connection 70 of tungsten is grown on the exposed horizontal ledges of all silicon areas ( silicon layers 18 , 24 , and 28 and the upper surface 45 of polysilicon gate post 44 ). the original oxide spacer 36 prevents the connection 70a on gate post 44 from connecting with electrical connection 70b on upper source / drain layer 28 of the upper vertical transistor . the resulting arrangement is revealed in fig1 s . the fabrication of the vertical cmos inverter is now essentially complete . as shown in fig1 s , vertical polysilicon gate post 44 rises from the silicon substrate 12 surrounded by two transistors t1 and t2 . the individual layers of each vertical transistor surround the vertical gate post 44 and mirror its geometry . for instance , if the gate post 44 were round , the transistors and their layers would have a round annular geometry ; if the gate post were square , the transistor layers would have a square annular geometry ( annular in this context describes an enclosed region having a smaller central portion removed of the same boundary shape ). transistor t1 comprises p + source / drain layer 14 , n channel layer 16 and p + source / drain layer 18 , and their associated connections 70a , 70d and substrate layer 12 . transistor t2 comprises n + source / drain layer 24 , p channel layer 26 and n + source / drain layer 28 , and their associated connections 70a , 70b and 70c . the channel length , the distance between the two source / drain layers of an individual transistor , is determined in the preferred embodiment by the epitaxial layer thickness , not the placement and resolution of a photolithographic mask . epitaxial deposition allows for much tighter control over this thickness and therefore over transistor operational characteristics . in addition , by orienting the transistor vertically , in contrast to conventional horizontal technology , and removing any silicon material from the underside of the channel ( that portion below the source / channel / drain regions of a conventional mos transistor and opposite the gate ) any path for spurious parasitic current to flow is removed as with soi transistors . hence , the present novel approach furnishes greater control over transistor operation . the gaps left in the substrate from the trench - etching operations may be filled with a dielectric material , thereby covering the underside of the channel region with an insulator and yielding true silicon - on - insulator transistors . to create a usable integrated circuit , one needs to connect the two transistors to each other , to other transistors and circuit elements on the chip , and / or to connections with the outside world . to accomplish this , a series of steps selectively fill the open areas between the gate post / transistor &# 34 ; islands &# 34 ; and other deposited vias ( electrical posts that penetrate multiple layers in the substrate ) with a dielectric material , and etch the dielectric fill to particular levels to lay down metal interconnections . to illustrate the procedures , fig2 shows one - half of the previously - constructed vertical gate post 44 and transistors t1 and t2 . the first step in the connection procedure consists of filling the substrate up to above top layer 28 with a dielectric material 76 such as an oxide . a first interconnect mask is used to pattern via 72 , which is etched partway to layer 14 leaving oxide insulation layer 68a . via 72 is then filled with a tungsten plug using a blanket deposition of tungsten which then is etched back . a second interconnect mask is employed to expose a portion of the dielectric material around gate post 44 ( and transistors t1 and t2 ) and via 72 . the outline of the masked area can be seen as area w1 in the plan view of the inverter shown in fig3 a . in fig3 a , the inverter island comprises a square vertical gate post 44 surrounded by the stacked , square annular transistors t1 and t2 as previously described . the upper surface of gate post 44 has the metallic connection 70a attached , as shown in fig2 . after the area w1 is exposed by the mask , the dielectric is etched down to the level of source / drain layer 18 of transistor t1 , forming a shelf 78 running from connection 70d on source / drain layer 18 to via 72 . before removal of the second interconnect mask , a silicon implantation into the shelf 78 creates a nucleation layer for selective tungsten deposition . the second interconnect mask is removed and a third interconnect mask is applied , this time exposing area w2 in fig3 a . the dielectric layer 76 is etched in area w2 down to the level of source / drain layer 24 of transistor t2 , exposing a shelf 80 of dielectric running from connection 70c to via 72 . once these shelves 78 and 80 are exposed and implanted with silicon , a second metal deposition forms connections w1 and w2 from the inner source / drain layers 18 and 24 of transistor t1 and t2 to via 72 , effectively connecting these closest layers of the two transistors together . after these connections have been made , the trenches left in the dielectric layer 76 may be refilled to provide a solid substrate . a final masking step constructs a top - level connection w3 , from the top source / drain layer 28 of transistor t2 to another via 82 , which connects the transistors to ground as shown in fig3 a / b . top - level metallic trace can then be fabricated to connect the output via 72 , the input connection 70a for gate post 44 , and the ground via 82 to appropriate other portions of the integrated circuit . the resulting schematic for the inverter may be seen in fig3 b , where appropriate physical portions of the circuit are also noted . in the present embodiment , substrate 12 provides the v dd voltage for circuit operation , through its direct connection with first transistor layer 14 . as can be seen in fig3 a , if the physical area of the gate post 44 determines the fundamental feature size of the integrated chip , the entire inverter requires only two features by six features for fabrication , significantly reducing the horizontal room required per inverter . although the present description focused on an inverter element comprising two transistors and associated vias , the present invention may be adapted to a wide variety of circuit designs . each different circuit embodiment depends only upon how the individual connections w are formed between each transistor layer . for example , one transistor of the vertical pair may remain unconnected , using only one of the vertical transistors from each gate post . or , the transistors between gates may be connected in much more complicated ways to achieve circuit design goals as understood by those skilled in the art of integrated circuitry . further , it is not necessary to fabricate two stacked transistors on top of one another . if only one vertical transistor is required , layers 20 through 28 need not be deposited and the process may be followed by depositing the oxide layer 30 onto the now upper source / drain layer 18 , and proceeding with the remainder of the process steps . or , three or more transistors may be fabricated as necessary for circuitry designs . also , the vertical transistors need not completely encircle the central gate post , but can be further patterned . thereby , several individual transistors at the same level can be formed , each transistor only partially surrounding the gate post . and , as described , the substrate need not provide v dd for circuit operation , and the vertical transistors need not directly contact the substrate . these and other variations upon and modifications to the described embodiments are provided for by the present invention , the scope of which is limited only by the following claims .	7
the present invention pertains to part of a machine for continuously assembling elastic leg disposable diapers . the machine sandwiches a highly absorbent material between a fluid permeable facing sheet and a fluid impervious poly backing sheet . the specific construction of the disposable diaper is the subject of a copending application titled &# 34 ; disposable diaper with elasticised leg openings &# 34 ; by w . sigl and r . frick and assigned to the assignee of the present invention , but the present invention is equally applicable to other disposable diaper designs , including the design disclosed by gore , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 239 , 578 issued dec . 16 , 1980 . the present invention involves the part of the diaper assembly machine that bonds elastic strips to the diaper material for elasticizing the leg openings of the finished diapers . turning now to the drawings , fig1 schematically shows the mechanism whereby differential stretch is imparted to an elastic strip 10 as it is bonded to poly backing sheet 18 . the continuous elastic strip 10 is fed at a generally constant rate v 1 by a fixed stretching roller 12 rotated by shaft 14 . the elastic strip slips off the stretching roller 12 at the tangent point 16 and is picked up by oscillator roller 20 . oscillator roller 20 is journaled for free rotation about shaft 22 secured to a movable oscillator frame 30 . a continuous sheet of poly backing material 18 is also fed around oscillator roller 20 , and receives the elastic at a tangent point 24 . the poly with adhered elastic 28 is then pulled off the oscillator roller 20 for further processing in a diaper assembly line . differential stretch is induced in the elastic strip 10 as it travels over distance x between the tangent points 16 and 24 . the stretch s of the elastic 10 may be defined in terms of the linear density dx / dm of the elastic 10 . with the units of the mass , m , chosen so that the linear density dx / dm of the unstretched elastic 10 is equal to 1 , the elongation e is directly proportional to linear density : where m is the total mass of the elastic strip 10 between the tangent points 16 and 24 . since the process whereby the elastic 10 is carried or taken up by the rollers 12 , 20 is a form of gear engagement , the elongation of the elastic 10 as it is bonded to the poly backing 18 is the same as the elongation of elastic strip 10 between the tangent points . the stretch s may also be defined in terms of the elongation e as : the velocity v 1 of the elastic 10 as it travels around the stretching roller 12 is porportional to the radius and angular velocity of the stretching roller 12 . similarly the velocity v p of the poly backing 18 fed to the oscillator roller 20 is proportional to the radius and the angular velocity of the oscillator roller 20 . the rate at which the elastic 10 between the tangent points 16 , 24 is taken up by the oscillator roller 20 is defined as v 2 , which is fig1 equals v p . v 1 and v 2 are functionally related to the elongation e and stretch s via the mass m of the elastic 10 by the conservation of mass equation : in general , x is not independent of time , and is related to the velocity v s of the tangent point 24 of the oscillator roller 22 with respect to the tangent point 16 of the stretching roller 12 : in fig1 v s = v a , the tangential velocity of the oscillator frame 30 . equations ( 1 ) through ( 4 ) supra completely define the stretch of the elastic strip bonded to the poly 28 . the general solution , however , is non - linear . the solution for de / dt = 0 is of interest since then dx / dt = edm / dt and therefore : or equivalently for fig1 v a = ev 1 - v p . by setting v p = 1 . 5v 1 , for example , v a =- 0 . 5 v 1 for e = 1 and v a =+ 0 . 5 v 1 for e = 2 . the solution for v s = 0 is also of interest since then equation ( 3 ) is linear and has the solutions : ## equ1 ## thus a time constant τ = x / v 2 defines the response of the elongation to changes in v 2 or v 1 . as shown in fig3 if a velocity v which may be either v 1 , v 2 , or v p is switched between two values v l and v h as illustrated by the trapezoidal waveform generally designated 40 , the response of the stretch s as illustrated by the waveform generally designated 50 has a triangular shape caused by a time delay measured by the time constant τ . in practice a stretch s that rapidly changes from a stretched to an unstretched condition is desirable . one method to obtain a rapid change is to reduce the time constant τ by decreasing the distance x . as shown in fig2 the tangent point 16 of the elastic strip 10 with the stretching roller 12 may be made coincident with the tangent of contact 24 with the poly backing 18 by providing the oscillator frame 30 with an arcuate face plate 34 to press the poly backing in contact with the elastic 10 as the elastic slips off the stretching roller 12 . rollers 32 and 36 are provided at the ends of the face plate 34 and journaled to the oscillator frame 30 for free rotation to reduce the sliding friction of the poly backing 18 around the ends of the face plate 34 . the geometry in fig2 indicates that the velocity v 2 at which the elastic 10 is taken up by the poly 18 is the sum of the poly velocity v p and the tangential velocity v a of the oscillator frame 30 . the geometry in fig2 is more complicated than the geometry in fig1 and thus it is desirable to find another way to reduce the delay in the response of the stretch s to changes in velocity v . although the time constant τ is inversely proportional to v 2 , increasing v 2 does not help since the distance on the final diaper product over which the stretch is changing is the result to be minimized and this distance is defined by x and is independent of v 2 . the response of slew rate of the stretch s may , however , be increased by peaking either v 1 or v s while the stretch s is changing , as shown by the waveforms generally designated 60 and 70 in fig3 . the peaking 62 may be adjusted to obtain a desired rate of slew 72 . peaking of v s is easily obtained by varying the tangential velocity v a of the oscillator frame 30 . pursuant to the present invention and as shown in fig4 variations in the tangential velocity v a are generated by the profile of an eccentric cam 102 . a recessed track 107 in the cam 102 is provided to receive a cam follower 106 journaled via pin 110 to bracket 108 fastened to the oscillator frame 30 . the oscillator frame 30 pivots about a shaft 100 affixed to the frame 90 of the diaper making machine . as cam 102 is rotated by a drive shaft 104 of the machine drive 92 , the oscillator frame 30 is tangentially displaced periodically in an upward direction 138 and downward direction 140 through a displacement a . the maximum upward displacement 142 and downward displacement 144 are indicated by phantom lines . in the preferred embodiment , rollers 112 and 120 are journaled to the oscillator frame 30 by shafts 114 and 122 and are positioned about the pivot 100 along a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the oscillator frame , thereby minimizing variations in the feed rate v p caused by variations in the tangential velocity v a of the oscillator frame 30 . the elastic 10 is obtained from a spool 124 which may freely rotate around shaft 126 affixed to the machine frame 90 as the elastic is pulled by a preheat roll 126 driven by a drive shaft 128 of the machine drive 92 . the elastic 10 passes around idler 130 journaled to shaft 132 affixed to the machine frame 90 . the elastic then passes around a stretching chill roller 12 driven by a drive shaft 14 of the machine drive 92 , and glue from a glue gun 134 is applied to the elastic 10 at point 136 . the elastic 10 slips off the stretching chill roller 12 at tangent point 16 . the elastic 10 and poly backing 18 are then both fed to the oscillator roller 20 which is journaled on shaft 22 fixed to the oscillator frame 30 . the elastic 10 , having differential stretch induced by displacement of the oscillator frame 30 , bonds to the poly 18 at the tangent point 24 of the oscillator roller 20 and the poly and bonded elastic 28 are fed around idler roller 116 journaled on shaft 118 fixed to the oscillator frame 30 . from idler roller 116 the poly and bonded elastic 28 pass around roller 120 and exit from the elastic bonding portion of the diaper assembly line . the preferred embodiment of fig4 provides satisfactory differential stretch during the manufacture of diapers even without peaking of the oscillator frame 30 tangential velocity v a . typically the feed rate of the poly backing v p is set about 1 . 5 times the feed rate of the elastic v 1 and a triangular displacement cam profile is used to switch the oscillator frame velocity v a between plus and minus one - half the elastic feed rate v 1 . eighteen inch diapers , for example , may be manufactured using an arc displacement a of three inches , an oscillator frame velocity v a of plus and minus eight feet per minute , an elastic feed rate v 1 of sixteen feet per minute , and a poly feed rate v p of twenty - four feet per minute . the present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims , as well as that of the foregoing description . although this 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 examples and that numerous changes in details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed . in fig4 for example , the elastic 10 is bonded to the poly backing 18 , but in alternative diaper designs the elastic 10 could be bonded to the fluid permeable facing sheet by replacing the poly 18 with the fluid permeable facing sheet . moreover , the adhesive could be applied to the poly backing 18 or fluid permeable sheet before bonding to the elastic 10 without substantially affecting the result . these are just a few of the modifications obvious to persons skilled in the art .	0
fig1 illustrates , generally , the environment of offshore drilling . here , surface facilities 10 , including a derrick 12 , are provided above ocean surface 14 . the surface facilities are connected to a subsea wellhead 16 at ocean floor 18 through a riser 20 . several lengths of casing 22a , b , and c , are hung from wellhead 16 sealing off the borehole wall as drilling advances . extended reach drilling plans require the well to deviate from vertical in a controlled manner and can require bend 26a in regions of shallow angle progress 26b , both of which require additional tolerances to dependably pass casing strings . in the preferred embodiment , practice of the present invention begins with setting a large diameter subsea wellhead 16 . see fig2 . alternatively , the wellhead may be provided on a subsea template . the drawworks of the surface facility lowers the subsea wellhead toward the ocean floor 18 on the end of drill string 28 . further , in the preferred embodiment , subsea wellhead 16 is provided with a structural casing 26a and the drill string running the wellhead terminates in a jetting assembly 30 which extends through and slightly out of the bottom of structural casing 26a . referring to fig3 drilling fluid is pumped down drill string 28 through jetting assembly 30 as the subsea wellhead 16 approaches ocean floor 18 . after touchdown , the jetting action sweeps the soft mud at the ocean floor up through annulus 32 between the structural casing and the jetting assembly and out ports 35 . the passage of the drilling fluid and entrained mud is generally illustrated with arrows 37 . structural casing 26a advances into ocean floor 18 as the soft sedimentary material is swept away by the force of the jets . when subsea wellhead 16 is fully set in ocean floor 18 , drill string 28 is released from the subsea wellhead . see fig4 . in the preferred embodiment , each of the joints along the drill string are made up with a right hand rotation and a running tool connection 36 between drill string 28 and subsea wellhead 16 makes up with a left hand rotation such that a right hand rotation of the drill string will unscrew the connection between the drill string and the subsea wellhead without loosening any joint along the drill string . fig4 illustrates the disengaged drill string 28 with jetting assembly 30 being retrieved to the surface . referring now to fig5 drill string 28 is then outfitted with a drill bit 38 and run back into subsea wellhead 16 and through structural casing 22a to drill an interval forming a conductor borehole 40 . drilling fluid circulating through the bit entrains the cuttings and carries those up annulus 32 through the conductor borehole and through the structural casing to discharge the fluid returns and entrained cuttings through ports 35 of subsea wellhead 16 . the flow of fluid returns is diagrammatically illustrated with arrows 37 . operations drilling this interval continue until the conductor borehole is at least as long as necessary to accommodate the conductor casing . then , drill string 28 is retrieved and conductor casing 22b is made up on running tool connection 36 of the drill string ; see fig6 which illustrates running conductor casing 22b on drill string 28 for insertion through wellhead 16 , structural casing 22a and the length of conductor borehole 40b . the conductor casing seals off this initial drilling and extends generally into only mud and soft sediment which is incompetent to hold any significant geothermal pressures . thus , well control over this interval is not a concern and it is not necessary to maintain a hydrostatic head on the borehole wall from the riser . thus , drilling for this interval can safely proceed without a riser . fig7 illustrates conductor casing 22b landed within wellhead 16 and with cementing operations in which cement is circulated into the annulus 42 between conductor casing 22b and the wall of conductor borehole 40b . the circulation of cement 44 is generally illustrated with arrows 46 . notice also that conductor casing 22b seals ports 35 and provides a load and seal area 48 for receiving a surface casing . after cementing , drill string 28 is retrieved and a first riser is lowered into place . see fig8 . unlike the conductor borehole , a well plan to minimize the number of casing strings and maximize the internal diameter of the wellbore during critical initial stages will require that the next interval drilled extend into the depths in formations capable of holding geopressure . therefore , a riser is desired for drilling the next interval . this first riser 50 is a large diameter riser which , in the preferred embodiment , is a light duty riser designed for use only with relatively light drilling mud . since it is designed for light weight mud , the first riser can provide a greater inside diameter without greatly increasing the weight or direct cost of the riser . this also helps to control the indirect cost of the riser in not requiring the buoyancy necessary to offset the increased weight that a riser having the same large internal diameter would entail if provided with the strength for using heavy drilling muds . first riser 50 receives the drill string at its top at surface facility 10 and provides an outlet 52 for the annular flow drilling mud and cuttings returned . further , floating surface facilities will be subject to wave action and a tensioned telescopic connection 54 adjacent surface facilities 10 is necessary to maintain compensated tension over the first riser in order to prevent buckling failure . a flexjoint 56 near subsea wellhead 16 also helps isolate the wellhead from motions at the surface by allowing angular flexure of the riser . connector 57 , preferably an hydraulically actuated pin connection , secures secure the riser to the subsea wellhead . an annular preventer 58 helps control the well and diverters 60 will vent away any minor gas kicks encountered during drilling operations over the next interval . fig9 illustrates the resumption of drilling with drill bit 38 on the end of drill string 28 extending through first riser 50 . the large diameter of light duty first riser 50 permits use of a larger diameter drill bit which , preferably , drills a surface borehole 40c in one pass which is capable of receiving the largest diameter surface casing which conductor casing 22b will dependably pass . drilling mud circulated down the drill string cools the bit and sweeps away cuttings from the bit face , carrying the cuttings up annulus 32 of the borehole and its continuation within the riser and exiting the riser through outlet 52 . the hydrostatic head of the drilling mud also controls the well as drilling advances throughout the surface borehole interval 40c . this also controls the wells on trips necessary to change the bit . in addition , the large diameter light duty riser allows the passage of surface casing 22c , see fig1 , such that the well may be controlled throughout casing operations . the passage of surface casing 26c through first riser 50 is also facilitated by separating the high pressure housing from the surface casing and providing load and seal area 48 within conductor casing 22b for landing the surface casing 26c . the exterior dimensions of the profile 48a necessary to securely seat at load and seal area 48 is less than that required by the integral surface casing and high pressure housing of the prior art . after surface casing string 22c lands at load and seal area 48 , cement 44 is pumped through drill string 28 upon which the surface casing is run and this cement fills up the annular space 42 between the exterior of the surface casing and the wall of surface borehole 40b . thereafter , the running tool connection 36 is disengaged from surface casing 22c and the drill string is retrieved through first riser 50 . it is preferred to activate the seal at load and seal area 48 with the running tool to secure the seal between the surface and conductor casings after cement 44 is in place and before removing the riser and the hydrostatic control it provides . thereafter , riser 50 may be safely removed from subsea wellhead 16 and the high pressure housing may be inserted into the subsea wellhead . see fig1 . high pressure housing 66 is run on drill string 28 after makeup at running tool connection 36 . the high pressure housing has a profile providing a load shoulder and lockdown 68 for securing the housing within the subsea wellhead and extends to seal stab 70 or other means for effecting a seal with the top of surface casing 22c . fig1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of this connection in which the high pressure housing of lands within subsea wellhead 16 with the load and shoulder lockdown 68 engaging the top of conductor casing 22b and seal stab 70 engaging the top of surface casing 22c at tieback sleeve 72 . the drill string releases housing 62 and is retrieved after the high pressure housing is fully secured to subsea wellhead 16 . drilling can now proceed conventionally with a traditional heavy duty second riser 80 . see fig1 . in the preferred embodiment , heavy duty second riser 80 is designed to handle any mud loads necessary to control the well throughout the remainder of the drilling program and the interior dimensions will allow passage of remaining drill bits and subsequent casing . here , second riser 80 provides a ball joint 82 adjacent surface facility 10 . ball joint 82 cooperates with tensioned telescopic connection 54 in allowing for relative motion between surface facility 10 and subsea wellhead 16 induced by wave action at surface 14 . the riser is preferentially provided with buoyancy means 84 such as air cans , syntactic foam or the like to lessen the load on tensioners 55 at telescopic connection 54 and ultimately on surface facility 10 . a subsea blowout preventer 86 is provided in second riser 80 adjacent wellhead 16 and the second riser is connected to the subsea wellhead through an hydraulic connector 88 sealingly engaging the high pressure housing . the economics of using the present two - riser method of drilling can be enhanced with batch drilling programs , drilling multiple wells through the setting of the surface casing before proceeding with operations employing the heavy duty second riser . this eliminates the inefficiencies of frequent loading and offloading of first and second risers . the present invention provides larger diameter early risers which can be used in subsequent drilling to provide additional tolerances for highly deviated intervals , or to eliminate the need for under - reaming or to permit additional intervals for greater depth . other modifications , changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features . accordingly , it is appropriate that the pending claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein .	4
advantages and features of the present disclosure and methods of achieving the advantages and features will be clear with reference to an exemplary embodiment described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings . meanwhile , the terms used in the description are defined considering the functions of the present disclosure and may vary depending on the intention or usual practice of a manufacturer . therefore , the definitions should be made based on the entire contents of the present specification . hereinafter , a fuel injector for a diesel particulate filter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to fig1 . the attached fig1 is a view for explaining a fuel injector for a diesel particulate filter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure . the fuel injector for a diesel particulate filter ( dpf ) according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure allows heat exchange between a coolant and fuel to be performed , and provides fuel to an exhaust gas line disposed at a front side of the diesel particulate filter during the winter season or in a cold region . the fuel injector for a diesel particulate filter according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure allows heat exchange between a coolant and fuel to be performed by a heat exchanger 10 so as to provide fuel in an unfrozen fluid state to the fuel injector . first and second coolant lines 31 and 32 are disposed upstream and downstream of the heat exchanger 10 , respectively . coolant flows into the first coolant line 31 , and the coolant passing through the heat exchanger 10 is discharged through the second coolant line 32 . the coolant is a fluid that circulates to prevent a diesel engine from overheating , and the coolant is heated such that a temperature of the coolant may be higher than a room temperature . in addition , first and second fuel lines 41 and 42 are disposed upstream and downstream of the heat exchanger 10 , respectively . fuel flows into the first fuel line 41 , and fuel passing through the heat exchanger 10 is discharged through the second fuel line 42 . an hc injector 20 is connected at the other side of the second fuel line 42 . that is , the hc injector 20 is supplied with fuel in a fluid state , and provides fuel to the exhaust gas line disposed at the front side of the diesel particulate filter . meanwhile , a third fuel line 43 branches off from the first fuel line 41 , and an automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 is installed at a point where the third fuel line 43 branches off from the first fuel line 41 . the third fuel line 43 is used as a line that provides fuel to the hc dosing module 20 while allowing fuel to bypass the heat exchanger 10 . the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 is a three - way valve , and based on a predetermined temperature , one side of the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 is opened in a specific direction , and the other side of the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 is closed . in more detail , the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 opens a side directed toward the heat exchanger 10 , and closes a side directed toward the hc dosing module 20 in a case in which the current temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature . in addition , in a case in which the current temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature , the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 opens the side directed toward the hc dosing module 20 , and closes the side directed toward the heat exchanger 10 . accordingly , in a case in which the current temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature , fuel flows into the first fuel line 41 , and flows to the hc dosing module 20 while passing through the heat exchanger 10 . in contrast , in a case in which the current temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature , fuel flows to the hc dosing module 20 while bypassing the heat exchanger 10 . on the other hand , in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure , the temperature set to the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 may be 0 ° c . however , the present disclosure is not limited thereto , and even though a freezing point of water is 0 ° c . under standard atmospheric pressure , the freezing point of water may be varied because atmospheric pressure is changed in a high altitude region , and as a result , the predetermined temperature may be appropriately set in consideration of local atmospheric pressure . in addition , because the temperature may drop in accordance with an air flow rate , the predetermined temperature may be changed in consideration of conditions such as ambient environment . on the other hand , the automatic temperature adjusting valve unit 100 may have a temperature sensor which senses a temperature , and a valve that is operated by a solenoid . the temperature sensor may sense a temperature of fuel , but may be installed at any portion exposed to the atmosphere in the line through which fuel is supplied to the hc dosing module 20 . that is , when there is concern that fuel will become frozen , fuel passes through the heat exchanger , such that fuel may smoothly flow and be injected . as described above , according to the fuel injector for a diesel particulate filter according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure , when the current temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature by measuring a temperature of the fuel line , the coolant line and the fuel line may be connected to the heat exchanger such that fuel is heated , and the heated fuel may be provided to the hc dosing module . accordingly , during the winter season or in a cold region , fuel may be provided to the exhaust gas line , such that it is possible to prevent the dpf from being clogged or prevent performance of the dpf from deteriorating , and particularly , dpf regeneration may be smoothly carried out . the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings , but those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented in any other specific form without changing the technical spirit or an essential feature thereof . accordingly , it should be understood that the aforementioned exemplary embodiment is described for illustration in all aspects and are not limited , and the scope of the present disclosure shall be represented by the claims to be described below , and it should be construed that all of the changes or modified forms induced from the meaning and the scope of the claims , and an equivalent concept thereto are included in the scope of the present disclosure . the fuel injector for a diesel particulate filter according to the present disclosure may be used to inject fuel into an exhaust gas line , remove particulate matters using heat from combustion , and carry out dpf regeneration .	5
in the first embodiment shown in fig1 through 6 , a retractor base 1 rotatably supports a take - up shaft 2 to which the inner end of a webbing w is fixed . the take - up shaft 2 is biased by a take - up spring 3 in the webbing taking up direction ( clockwise as viewed on the drawing of fig1 ). within the base 1 and near the both ends of the take - up shaft 2 there are provided relatively large ratchet wheels 4 and 5 formed integrally with the shaft 2 . the ratchet wheels 4 and 5 are engageable with a stopper ( not shown ). when a vehicle speed change sensor ( not shown ) detects a predetermined level of change in vehicle speed , the stopper comes into mesh with the ratchet wheels 4 and 5 to stop the rotation of the shaft 2 in the webbing pulling out or unwinding direction . the take - up shaft 2 has also a relatively small ratchet wheel 6 at the extreme end thereof opposite to the end having the spring 3 . the engagement surface of the ratchet wheel 6 faces in the webbing taking up direction . the ratchet wheel 6 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 2 relative to rotation thereof and therefore it rotates together with the shaft 2 . the ratchet wheel 6 is axially inward pushed by a wave washer 7 . on the take - up shaft 2 is mounted also a cam plate 8 sandwiched between the ratchet wheel 6 and the base 1 . in the vicinity of the ratchet wheel 6 there is provided a ratchet 9 pivotable about a pivot 10 . the ratchet 9 is disposed engageable with the ratchet wheel 6 to lock the shaft 2 against rotation thereof in the webbing taking up direction . the ratchet 9 is urged by a spring 11 toward its engaged position with the ratchet wheel 6 . the form of the cam plate will be described in detail with reference to fig3 . the cam plate 8 has three guide surfaces , that is , a first guide surface 12 , a second guide surface 13 and a third guide surface 14 . as seen from fig3 the first guide surface 12 generally extends circumferentially with a central angle of not less than 360 °. when the webbing is pulled out , the first guide surface 12 guides the ratchet 9 from the position engaged with the ratchet wheel 6 to a disengaged position from the wheel 6 . the second guide surface 13 is so formed as to guide the ratchet 9 , when the webbing is taken up after pulled out , to another disengaged position immediately before the engaged position while keeping the ratchet 9 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 and then hold the ratchet 9 in the other disengaged position . of the second guide surface 13 , the portion extending from the beginning point to the entrance point to the holding section for holding the ratchet 9 is common to the end portion of the first guide surface 12 . the third guide surface 14 extends from the end of the second guide surface 13 to the beginning of the first guide surface 12 . when the webbing is a little pulled out after taken up , the third guide surface 14 guides the ratchet 9 from the position held by the second guide surface 13 to the engaged position . the ratchet 9 has a projection 9a serving as a cam follower on the guide surfaces 12 , 13 and 14 , of the cam plate 8 . as described above , along the second guide surface 13 of the cam plate 8 the ratchet 9 is guided to the holding section of the second guide surface 13 passing through the entrance thereto provided in the second guide surface 13 . the entrance portion to the holding section of the second guide surface 13 is formed in such manner that at the time of the webbing being pulled out , the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 can not fall into the entrance but it can enter the entrance at the time of the webbing being taken up , as seen from the drawing . the members mentioned above including the cam plate 8 are covered with a cover member 15 fixed to the base 1 . the manner of operation of the above first embodiment is as follows : fig1 shows the apparatus in the position in which a driver or passenger wears the seat belt . in this position , the tooth of the ratchet 9 is in mesh with a tooth of the ratchet wheel 6 to lock the take - up shaft 2 against rotation thereof in the webbing taking up direction . therefore , the spring force of the take - up spring 3 can not be applied to the wearer through the webbing . accordingly , in this position , no pressure is applied to the wearer . however , since the engagement surface of the ratchet wheel 6 faces in the webbing taking up direction , it is allowed to pull out the webbing from the position shown in fig1 . fig3 shows the apparatus in the position after the webbing has been pulled out a little from the position shown in fig1 . when the webbing is pulled out to the position shown in fig3 the cam plate 8 rotates counterclockwise together with the take - up shaft 2 through frictional engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 . as the cam plate 8 rotates counterclockwise , the ratchet projection 9a rides on the circular part 12b from the chordal part 12a of the first guide surface 12 and therefore the ratchet 9 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 6 . the webbing taking up force of the spring 3 is then restored . therefore , if the force for pulling out the webbing against the take - up spring 3 is lost , for example , at the position shown in fig3 then the pulled webbing will be rewound on the shaft 2 and returned to the position shown in fig1 at once by the spring 3 . in this manner , the apparatus always remembers the initial belt wearing position shown in fig1 and allows a pull - out and take - up of the webbing within a certain range from the initial position . however , when the webbing w is further pulled out beyond this range , for example , up to the position shown in fig4 and the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 is moved relative to the cam plate 8 along the first guide surface 12 thereof to the extent more than 360 °, the webbing can no longer return back to the position shown in fig1 . in this case , when the force for pulling out the webbing is lost the ratchet projection 9a moves in the opposite direction along the second guide surface 13 and comes into the holding section as indicated by the arrow a in fig5 . since the webbing pulling - out force has been lost , the shaft 2 continues taking up the webbing by the force of the take - up spring 3 while the ratchet 9 remains in the position held by the holding section of the second guide surface 13 . in this manner , after the projection 9a of the ratchet has been caught in the holding section of the second guide surface 13 , the cam plate 8 remains stopped and only the shaft 2 and the ratchet wheel 6 continue rotating until the webbing w is completely taken up on the shaft 2 . after completing the take - up of the webbing , the apparatus waits for the next pull - out of the webbing by a person who will wear the seat belt . namely , it is the waiting position ready for the next use . when a person pulls out the webbing from the waiting position to put it on , the apparatus is brought to the position shown in fig4 passing through the positions shown in fig6 and 3 . after the person has pulled out a suitable amount of the webbing and worn it , the webbing w is rewound up a little by the take - up spring 3 so as to fit it to the wearer . this position is shown in fig5 . in this position , the wearer pulls out further a small amount of the webbing by his hand or by leaning forward . by doing so , the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 comes to chordal part 12a of the first guide surface 12 passing through the third guide surface 14 . thus , the apparatus is brought to the initial position shown in fig1 . as seen from the foregoing , with the retractor of the present invention , the pressure , namely the webbing taking up force applied to the wearer is moderated and it is made possible to wear the seat belt in a comfortably relaxed state . this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the arrangement of the second guide surface . the first guide surface 16 and the second guide surface 17 of the cam plate 15 in the second embodiment have no common part . instead , the second guide surface 17 extends radially inwards returning back from the end of the first guide surface 16 . with this arrangement , pull - out and take - up of the webbing from the initial position , in which a person wears the seat belt and the webbing taking up force applied to the wearer is moderated , is possible so long as the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 is within the range of the first guide surface 16 . different from the first embodiment , it is unnecessary to provide a particular entrance portion to the ratchet holding section of the second guide surface 17 . after the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 has reached the end of the first guide surface 16 , the projection 9a can automatically enter the second guide surface 17 under the influence of the biasing force of the spring 11 . the third guide surface 18 of the second embodiment is formed in the same manner as in the first embodiment . the third embodiment is featured by a long extending first guide surface 19 . the first guide surface 19 of the cam plate 18 in this embodiment extends turning round the center of the cam plate 18 nearly two times . from the end of the first guide surface 19 , the cam surface of the cam plate 18 is turned back radially inwards to form the second guide surface 20 and the third guide surface 21 . therefore , in this embodiment , the webbing w can be returned to the initial belt wearing position in which the above mentioned tension lock is in effect , even after the webbing has been pulled out to the extent corresponding to about two turns of the take - up shaft 2 from the initial wearing position . this broadens the range within which the belt wearer is allowed to move free . fig9 and 10 show the fourth embodiment of the invention wherein like reference numerals to the first embodiment represent the same or corresponding elements . an important difference between the first and fourth embodiments is in the use of steel balls 23 sandwiched between the ratchet wheel 6 and the base 1 . the steel balls 23 are fitted into holes 24 provided in the cam plate 22 for rolling therein . in this embodiment , the cam plate 22 is rotated through the balls 23 which are rolled between the ratchet wheel 6 and the base 1 . consequently , by suitable adjustment of the friction between the ratchet wheel and balls 23 and between balls 23 and base 1 , the number of revolutions of the cam plate 22 may be reduced to nearly a half of the number of revolutions of the take - up shaft 2 and therefore of the ratchet wheel 6 . compared with the first embodiment , therefore , the length of the webbing w required to be pulled out from the initial wearing position for taking up the webbing completely or the range allowable for pull - out and take - up of the webbing during wearing the belt becomes about two times larger in this embodiment . an important merit obtainable from the fourth embodiment is found in that a larger range can be set for pull - out and take - up of webbing from the initial wearing position . other parts of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment and so is other operation of the fourth embodiment . fig1 and 12 show the fifth embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , the ratchet wheel 25 is an internal gear . with this change in structure of the ratchet wheel 25 , the configurations of the ratchet 26 and the cam plate 27 are changed accordingly as compared with those of the first embodiment . the ratchet 26 is disposed pivotable about a pivot 28 and is biased clockwise . the cam plate 27 again has a first guide surface 29 , a second guide surface 30 and a third guide surface 31 as shown in fig1 and 12 . the ratchet 26 has a projection 26a which follows the guide surfaces of the cam plate 27 as indicated by the arrows in fig1 . as the belt is unwound , for example , projection 26a will follow the arrow having the curved segments whereby the projection will be captured by guide surface 29 . other points of the fifth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment . lastly , the sixth embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to fig1 through 17 wherein like reference numerals to the first embodiment represent the same or corresponding elements . in this embodiment is used a cam plate 32 as shown in fig1 and 14 . the cam plate 32 has a spiral first guide surface 33 extending through an angle of more than 720 °, a second guide surface 34 having a holding section for holding the ratchet 9 , and a third guide surface 35 extending from the end of the second surface 34 to the beginning of the first surface 33 . when the webbing is pulled out , the first guide surface 33 guides the ratchet 9 from its position engaged with the ratchet wheel 6 to its position of disengagement from the wheel 6 . when the webbing is taken up , the second guide surface 34 guides the ratchet 9 up to a disengaged position immediately before the said engaged position with the wheel 6 while keeping the ratchet 6 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 and then holds the ratchet 9 in its holding section . the function of the third guide surface 35 is to guide the ratchet 9 from the position held by the holding section of the second guide surface 34 to the engaged position when the webbing is pulled out a little . the first guide surface 33 includes a chordal part 33a formed at its innermost section . so long as the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 rides on the chordal part 33a , the ratchet 9 remains in engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 . at the outermost section , the first guide surface 33 has an ascending part 33b along which the projection 9a of the ratchet is gradually raised up . a circumferential partition wall 36 is formed between the first and second guide surfaces 33 and 34 and a circumferential partition wall 37 is formed between the chordal part 33a of the first guide surface and the second surface 34 . structure and height of these partition walls are schematically shown in fig1 which is a cross - section taken along a line a -- a in fig1 . the partition wall 36 is h 1 in height and the partition wall 37 is h 2 . the final height of the ascending part 33b of the first guide surface 33 is h 3 . as seen from fig1 , h 1 is smaller than h 3 and the partition wall 36 has a chamfered surface 36a at its outer side . the height h 2 of the partition wall 37 is so predetermined as not to allow the projection 9a to jump over the wall 37 from the outer side to the inner side . the projection 9a can jump over the wall 36 when the ratchet 9 has been guided to the ascending part 33b and it is inwards moved by the force of the spring member 11 . at this time point , the projection 9a runs against the wall 37 passing over the wall 36 without fail and falls in the second guide surface 34 as suggested by the arrow in fig1 . the chamfered surface 36a helps the projection 9a to jump over the wall 36 smoothly . the manner of operation of the above sixth embodiment is as follows : fig1 shows the apparatus in the initial wearing position in which a person wears the seat belt . in this position , the ratchet 9 is in engagement with a tooth of the ratchet wheel 6 to lock the shaft 2 against rotation in the webbing taking up direction . therefore , in this initial wearing position , no pressure is applied to the belt wearer by the take - up spring 3 through the webbing . however , since the engagement surface of the ratchet wheel 6 is oriented in the webbing taking up direction , the webbing is allowed to be pulled out from the initial wearing position . when the webbing is pulled out from the initial position and the cam plate 32 is rotated together with the shaft 2 through frictional engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 , the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 is guided from the chordal part 33a to the part of the first guide surface 33 extending in the circumferential direction . as a result , the ratchet 9 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 6 and thereby the force of the spring 11 for taking up the webbing is restored . therefore , if the force for pulling out the webbing is lost after the pulling out the webbing to a position as shown in fig1 , then the webbing is again taken up on the shaft 2 by the force of the take - up spring 11 and returned back to the initial wearing position shown in fig1 at once . in this manner , the apparatus remembers the initial wearing position . within a predetermined range corresponding to about two rotations of the shaft 2 from the initial wearing position , pull - out and take - up of the webbing is possible . however , if the webbing is pulled out through over two turns from the initial wearing position and the projection 9a of the ratchet is guided along the first guide surface 33 up to a position beyond the position shown in fig1 , then the projection 9a is introduced into the second guide surface 34 as suggested by the arrow in fig1 . even if the force for pulling out the webbing is lost after the projection being introduced into the second guide surface 34 , the projection 9a will be caught in the holding section of the second guide surface 34 as suggested by the arrow in fig1 . namely , this time , the apparatus and the webbing can not be returned back to the initial wearing position shown in fig1 . after the webbing pulling - out force is lost , the ratchet 9 is held in the holding section of the second guide surface 34 and the shaft 2 is rotated in the webbing taking up direction by the force of the take - up spring 3 until the webbing is taken up completely on the shaft 2 . during this stage of operation , only the shaft 2 and the ratchet wheel 6 continue rotating and the cam plate 32 can not rotate . thus , the apparatus is brought to the waiting position in which it waits for the next pull - out of the webbing . when the webbing is pulled out from the waiting position by a person who wishes to wear the seat belt , the projection 9a is at first moved in the direction opposite to the arrow in fig1 provisionally and thereafter it again gets in the position held by the holding section of the second guide surface 34 . namely , after the person has put the pulled - out webbing w on him , the take - up spring 3 takes up a small amount of the webbing so as to make it fit to the wearer . next , the wearer pulls out the webbing a little to relax it by his hand or by leaning forward . by doing so , the projection 9a of the ratchet 9 is guided to the beginning of the first guide surface 33 passing through the third guide surface 35 of the cam plate 32 . thus , the apparatus is brought to the initial wearing position shown in fig1 in which no pressure is applied to the wearer by the take - up spring . all of the above embodiments can be used in various application forms . for example , the retractor may be used in an active belt system with addition to the retractor such mechanism which brings the ratchet forcedly to a disengaged position operatively associated with the releasing motion of the buckle of the seat belt and then holds it in this position . when the retractor of the invention is used in a passive belt system , there may be added such mechanism which brings the ratchet forcedly to a disengaged position operatively associated with the opening motion of the door and holds it in this position . these application forms have advantages that buffer means according to the invention becomes effective only after the door being opened or the buckle being released and that the webbing taking - up force can be restored simultaneously with the opening of door or with the releasing of buckle and therefore there is required no particular operation to take up the full length of the webbing . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	1
fig1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates , somewhat schematically and from the side , a portion of a calorimeter 10 wherein a sample is ignited in accordance with the principles of the invention . fig1 schematically depicts only that part of a calorimeter bomb which is necessary for an understanding of the invention . generally the bomb is constructed in a conventional manner and , for this reason , is only shown notionally by means of dotted lines 12 and not further described herein . the calorimeter includes a removable lid 14 . oxygen from a suitable source 16 can be charged into the interior of the bomb . a conventional electronic control system , schematically represented by a block 18 , which includes temperature sensors and the like , is provided for operating , and monitoring the operation of , the bomb . again no novelty is claimed in respect of these components and , for this reason , as is the case of the oxygen charging system , no further description is included in this specification . inside the bomb and supported in any appropriate manner or by structure of the bomb , are two spaced support members 20 and 22 respectively . these members are for example made from a heat resisting material such as stainless steel and include internal electrical conductors , indicated schematically by dotted lines 19 , which lead from the electronic system 18 to electrodes 24 and 26 which extend towards one another from the respective members 20 and 22 . a funnel - shaped holder 28 , which is made from a suitable heat resisting material , is supported by the electrodes at a central position inside the bomb . a mouth 30 of the funnel faces upwardly and a discharge spout 32 of the funnel faces downwardly and is directly positioned over a crucible 34 which is of known construction and which is suitably supported the crucible , in use of the calorimeter , receives a sample 36 of material which is to be tested . as has been indicated in the preamble of this specification many calorimeters have been developed to the point at which they are substantially completely automated in operation . thus the placing of a sample in the crucible , the closure of the bomb , the charging of the bomb with oxygen , the ignition of the sample and the monitoring of the subsequent reactions , and any other steps save for preliminary work required to ignite the sample , can all be automated and carried out automatically in the correct sequence . a filament wire 38 of a relatively robust construction is positioned inside the conical holder 28 so that it traverses the outlet 32 , effectively reducing the cross sectional area of the outlet , and is connected to and between the electrodes 24 and 26 . a dispensing device 40 is positioned outside the bomb at any appropriate location which depends , at least , on the nature of the dispensing device . any appropriate dispensing device can be used . in this instance a housing of the dispensing device includes a door 42 which is movable by means of an actuator 44 under the control of the electronic unit 18 . the door 42 is movable between a first position at which it exposes an opening 46 in the housing of the dispenser and a second position at which the opening is totally sealed . the arrangement is such that the door , when moved by the actuator , is opened and then closed thereby to allow one pellet 48 , from a plurality of pellets in the housing of the device 40 , to be discharged through the opening . the pellet then falls under gravity action and is guided inside a chute 50 thereby to fall directly into the funnel - shaped holder 28 . the door is designed so that when it closes the opening 46 it simultaneously effectively seals the opening in a gas - tight manner which is well able to withstand the working requirements of the calorimeter . in this example of the invention each pellet 48 is made to a predetermined size from suitable ingredients . for example the pellets may be formed from a precisely formed mixture of benzoic acid and alumina powder which is pelletised and which is then formed into a plurality of pellets , each pellet being of an exact size eg . approximately 0 . 5 mm in diameter , and hence of an exact weight . the pellets should be as small as possible to limit extraneous effects produced in the bomb by the ignition of the pellets . as has been noted the dispenser 40 causes one of the pellets 48 to be passed through the opening 46 into the holder 28 . the important aspect about this step is that it can be carried out totally automatically . in a preferred form of the invention all of the remaining steps in the calorimetric process are also carried out automatically . thus the sample 36 is placed in the crucible 34 and the bomb is closed and charged with oxygen the electronic unit then applies a voltage to the electrodes 24 and 26 which causes a current of a predetermined magnitude to flow through the filament wire 38 for a predetermined period . the pellet 48 which is in the holder initially rests on the filament wire 38 . the filament wire , when heated to the required extent , caused the pellet 48 to be ignited . the pellet commences burning , although it burns relatively slowly due to its composition and structure . ultimately however the pellet is reduced in size sufficiently so that it can fall under gravity action past the filament 38 and through the outlet spout 32 . the pellet continues burning as it falls through the oxygen in the bomb onto the sample in the crucible . the burning pellet , when it impacts the sample , almost instantaneously causes ignition of the sample so that the calorimetric measuring process can be completed . the crux of the invention is that the combustible substance constituted by the pellet is ignited and the pellet is then caused or allowed to migrate , while burning , by gravity or other action , onto or near the sample material under test in the calorimeter thereby causing the sample material to ignited . the aforementioned principle can be used in other ways to cause ignition of the sample material fig2 and 3 , illustrate , somewhat conceptually , two variations of the invention . in the former instance a filament wire 60 is bent with a central loop 62 and is supported between extremities of spaced members 20 a and 22 a which are similar to the members 20 and 22 respectively in fig1 . a dispenser places a combustible substance 64 on the loop the combustible substance could be a pellet of the type described in connection with fig1 alternatively it could be a drop of a combustible liquid such as a mixture of alcohol and water which is made to a suitable ratio of ingredients and which is then placed , for example by means of a drop injection mechanism 66 , of any appropriate construction , directly onto the loop 62 . the mechanism 66 is of a type known in the art , and no novelty is claimed in respect thereof . when activated it produces a single droplet of the combustible liquid mixture which is directed onto the loop 62 . the liquid adheres , due to capillary action or surface tension effects , to the loop 62 . when the filament wire is heated by passing a current through the wire the loop 62 heats the liquid drop which adheres to the loop and the drop is ignited and burns , again relatively slowly , until its size is reduced to such an extent that the drops falls through the loop under gravity action directly onto a sample 68 contained in an underlying crucible 70 . the sample is thereby ignited . the combustible drop 64 is sufficiently small eg . again of the order of 0 . 5 mm in diameter , a size which is similar to the diameter of the loop 62 , to ensure that initially the drop adheres to the loop . also the amount of energy released into the bomb by ignition of the drop is small . in the arrangement shown in fig3 like reference numerals designate like components . the filament wire 60 is not bent to form a loop but instead directly traverses a space between walls of a holder 72 which is supported by the members 20 a and 20 b . a combustible drop 74 , eg of water and alcohol , is introduced into the interior of a housing of the holder through an inlet or upper opening 76 and comes to rest on lower inner surfaces of the holder adjacent an outlet 78 from the holder . when the filament wire is heated by the application of an electric current the drop is ignited and once it has burnt to some extent the pressure which is built up inside the holder by this combustion causes the remainder of the drop to be ejected through the outlet 78 onto a sample 68 in an underlying crucible 70 again it is to be noted , with fig2 and 3 , that the invention makes use of a separate substance which is ignited and , while burning , is allowed to move through the interior of the bomb into contact with the sample material which is then caused to ignite . clearly the principles of the invention can be used in ways other than those described in connection with fig1 to 3 and such variations are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention .	6
in an exemplary embodiment of the detector according to the invention , gallium arsenide gaas is selected as the preferred semiconductor material . based on the atomic numbers of its elements , this is comparable to germanium for the absorption of x - rays , however , it has a band gap of 1 . 43 ev , and is therefore significantly better - suited for detector operation at room temperature than is germanium . gallium arsenide is also the preferred choice from comparable compound semiconductors with respect to the available crystal quality . a gallium arsenide wafer having a thickness of 0 . 6 mm and having a resistivity of 2 . 2 × 10 7 ohm - cm is selected for a test set - up . as shown in fig1 layers serving as electrodes are applied as ohmic contacts 7 on both sides of the gallium arsenide wafer forming the semiconductor body 1 . to that end , a flat , highly doped region 2 is first produced at the two opposite wafer surfaces . for example , an n + - doping , which is approximately 200 nm deep , is produced by diffusion or implantation . this serves the purpose of improving the collection of charge carriers and facilitates the ohmic contact to the next layer . the next layer is a diffusion barrier 3 for the actual metallic electrode layer . for example , the diffusion barrier 3 may be a 13 nm thick germanium layer deposited for this purpose over the highly doped layer region 2 . next , a first metallic contact layer 4 is applied which may be , for example , a 27 nm thick gold layer . a further diffusion barrier 5 covers the contact layer 4 , for example , a 10 nm thick nickel layer . lastly , the actual electrode layer 6 is provided over the further diffusion barrier 5 . the actual electrode layer may , for example , be a 300 nm gold coat . standard thin - film techniques can be employed for the deposition of the layers forming the ohmic contact 7 , for example , vapor - deposition or sputtering or an electrolytic or currentless metal deposition . the layer combination selected for the ohmic contact layers 7 is known in the art for use as a contact for microwave electronic modules of gallium arsenide . it is possible , however , to employ other electrode materials . a condition , however , is that the electrode materials must form a good ohmic contact to the semiconductor and must be stable over a long term and must not degrade the semiconductor properties by virtue of diffusion during long - term operation . a test member which is approximately 1 . 5 cm 2 in size is selected as a photoconductor 8 and is cut from the semiconductor body 1 provided with the ohmic contacts 7 as shown above . the photoconductor 8 is first provided with electrical contacts , and is connected to a test circuit as shown in fig2 . to that end , the photoconductor 8 is connected in series with an 18 volt battery as a constant voltage source 9 , and in series with a protective resistor 10 of , for example , 1 mω . an electrolytic capacitor 11 of 4 μf is connected in parallel with the voltage source 9 , and a further capacitor 12 , for example , of 100 nf is additionally connected in parallel with the electrolytic capacitor 11 . a measuring instrument 14 is connected in parallel with the photoconductor 8 and is coupled to the remainder of the circuit via a third capacitor 13 which may be , for example of 1 μf . the detector element and the circuitry shown in fig2 are built into a housing composed , for example , of sheet aluminum having a thickness of 0 . 5 nm , which serves the purpose of shielding the photoconductor 8 against external electrical interference and against stray light . an oscilloscope having a minimum input sensitivity of 10 μv / cm and a 1 mω input impedance can be used as the measuring instrument 14 . the arrangement shown in fig2 is irradiated with chopped x - rays proceeding from the end face of the detector , i . e ., proceeding parallel to the electrodes 7 . in the exemplary embodiment , the specimen exhibits a dark resistance of approximately 1 mω . correspondingly , a dark current of approximately 10 μa arises given a field strength of approximately 10 2 v / cm . the x - ray pulses which are generated have a duration of 2 milliseconds and produced every 45 milliseconds . the x - ray tube which emits the x - ray pulses is placed at a distance 25 cm from the photoconductor 8 , and is filtered with sheet aluminum having a thickness of 8 mm . the power of the operating voltage generator for the x - ray tube is varied between 20 kv and 55 kv in order to simulate the different absorptions which occur in a transirradiated body . specimen signals between 2 volts and 0 . 1 millivolts are measured at the oscilloscope ( measuring instrument 14 ). this corresponds to a dynamic range of 2 × 10 4 . the shape of the measured signal observed at the measuring instrument 14 is approximately rectangular . this permits conclusions to be made regarding the good response of the photoconductor 8 with regard to a rapid decay of the photocurrent following the trailing edge of the x - ray pulse . the signal - to - noise ratio formed by the quotient of the signal current and dark current is defined as 7 × 10 3 given a power of 55 kv for the x - ray source . further compound semiconductor specimens can be provided with ohmic contacts in the manner set forth above with regard to the gallium arsenide photoconductor 8 shown in fig1 and can be charged with pulsed x - rays in a testing arrangement as shown in fig2 . the characteristics in such a testing circuit are modified according to the respective characteristic data of the semiconductor materials forming the photoconductor 8 . the following table provides information regarding the measured values thereby obtained . __________________________________________________________________________1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8semiconductor specimen specimen u . sub . specimen field strength p . sub . dark u . sup .) ( signal ) u ( noise ) 9material diameter mm ! thickness mm ! v ! v / cm ! ohm / cm ! mv ! mv ! s / n__________________________________________________________________________cd . sub . 0 . 9 8 1 . 7 16 . 5 9 . 7 · 10 . sup . 1 2 . 8 · 10 . sup . 7 60 10 . sup .- 2 6 · 10 . sup . 3zn . sub . 0 . 1 tecd te . sub . 0 . 9 8 1 . 4 16 . 4 1 . 2 · 10 . sup . 2 3 . 2 · 10 . sup . 7 250 4 · 10 . sup .- 1 2 6 · 10 . sup . 3se . sub . 0 . 1gaas 9 . 2 0 . 6 9 . 1 1 . 5 · 10 . sup . 2 2 . 2 · 10 . sup . 7 700 0 . 1 7 · 10 . sup . 3 ( 216 ) __________________________________________________________________________ . sup .) given 55 kv / 5 ma xray tube power the detector element constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention has a high signal - to - noise ratio of more than 10 3 in the detection of x - rays even with photoconductors composed of other semiconductor materials other than the type described above in the exemplary embodiment . the same is true for other binary and ternary compound semiconductors which are identified above , but which are not listed in the table . because of the high signal - to - noise ratio , which is an indication of the high sensitivity of the detector , the detector element of the invention is particularly suited for conducting x - ray examinations of the human body . because the detector element directly converts the absorbed x - rays into electrical energy , both the measured conversion efficiency ( 7 %) and the theoretical conversion efficiency ( more than 20 %) signify the advantages of the detector element compared to known x - ray detectors . given , for example , scintillation detectors , conversion efficiencies of only up to 4 % are measured . the signal - to - noise ratio of the detector of the invention is also better than that of a scintillator followed by a si - diode . when the detector element of the invention is employed for medical x - ray examinations , for example , in a computer tomography apparatus , the geometrical quantities of the detector element are optimized in order to obtain as complete as possible absorption of x - rays , and in view of the desired resolution . dependent on the energy of the incident x - rays , the absorption length , i . e ., the length within which the radiation is completely absorbed , amounts , for example , to 2 mm for gallium arsenide , and is approximately 1 mm for cadmium telluride . a suitable detector element can then be constructed having a semiconductor body whose &# 34 ; depth &# 34 ; measured parallel to the incident radiation is slightly larger than the aforementioned absorption length . the thickness of the lamina - shaped semiconductor body is selected according to the desired resolution . known computer tomography systems have a resolution grid of approximately 1 mm , which is also desired for the detector element of the invention . in a tomography apparatus , the individual detectors are arranged parallel to each other to form detector lines or detector arrays . in order to prevent a number of detector elements from responding to a single x - ray quantum , a radiation - tight separation of the individual detector elements is required . this can be achieved using highly absorbent separating elements between the individual detectors . for example , separating plates formed of heavy metal are well - suited for this purpose . the goal is to thereby optimize the ratio of actively useable detector area to non - active detector area because this ratio , in addition to the absolute grid size , determines the sensitivity of the detector element . an x - ray examination using the detector element of the invention can ensue , for example , in a continuous mode . the variation of the incident x - rays can be measured with the aforementioned measuring instrument , or under the recited measuring conditions . it is preferable , however , to implement the x - ray examination in a pulsed mode , which permits absolute values for the strength of the incident radiation to be determined by balancing , as is required for registering a digital x - ray image . in addition to operating using a d . c . voltage source ( for example , a charge accumulator ), a . c . sources can be employed as long as the measurement ensues phase - synchronously with the a . c . source , or the voltage charging of the photoconductor is maintained in phase with the a . c . source such as by triggering . although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art , it is the intention of the inventors to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution to the art .	6
the present invention relates to a method and system for quickly and easily identifying problems in the execution of programs in a computing environment . this process involves four basic activities which include : ( 1 ) characterizing the servers in the computing system and determining any relationships between theses servers , ( 2 ) creating a custom monitoring system for these servers for deployment in the computing environment ( 3 ) transmitting the information describing the relationships between the servers and the information about the deployment configuration for the monitors to a display location and ( 4 ) displaying a hierarchical view of applications to users by importing the server relationship information and deployment configuration information into the display system . the first activity ( characterizing the servers in the computing system and determining any relationships between theses servers ) was described in a previously filed united states patent application 20050278571 to these same inventors , the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference . fig1 is a block diagram of a server based computing system according the present invention . a server system configuration 310 comprises a plurality of connected servers . a server database 312 connects to the computing system and contains information about the servers and the relationships between servers in this system . a server manager program 314 connects to the computing system , monitors the activities on the system and conveys such information to a server configuration and operations display 316 . fig2 illustrates the software modules that comprise the server manager program of the present invention . the program has three basic module components . the first module 318 is the data - gathering module . as mentioned , this module queries devices on the computing system and retrieves information about the different system devices . the queries also produce information about the relationships between the system devices . the characteristic and relational information about a device is stored in the database 330 . some of this information is relational information . fig3 shows the relational information for the servers in fig1 . these database entries represent the different connections or relations between system servers . although not shown in fig3 , the specific connections of the servers can also produce additional capabilities that would be captured as part of the relation between server devices . referring again to fig2 , the second module 320 retrieves the information gathered by module 318 . module 320 then analyzes the information in order to generate a custom monitor configuration to monitor the server activities . the importation module 322 then converts the monitor deployment information and information about the inter - relationships between devices on the computing system to a acceptable for importation to the computer system display . in a computing system , there are management functions that control the operations on the system . part of the management function is a system that monitors computing activities and sends alerts when certain events occur or certain conditions exist . as mentioned , the current systems send these alerts through to the display , but with very little or no details about the nature of the events that triggered the alert . for example , if the information from the data - gathering module is that a certain server is a database server , the monitor deployment module analysis would conclude that the monitor for that server should be database monitor . a database monitoring function tracks activities and information related to activities of a database server . a current problem is that a monitor assigned to monitor the database server may not be a database server monitor . the monitor may be not programmed to monitor activities related to the operations of a database server . therefore , the current monitoring configuration may not match the proper monitor with the appropriate server device . the present invention corrects that problem . this analysis in the monitor deployment is performed for each server device in the system . the particular server configuration will dictate the number of monitors that may be deployed for a particular system . the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures . fig4 illustrates a distributed computer system generally designated 10 , a help desk workstation 12 and a documentation management server 20 according to the present invention . distributed computer system 10 comprises a customer workstation 30 coupled by a network 32 and an optional firewall 34 to a distributed server system 40 . the network 32 can be an intranet , the internet or an extranet , and can use a variety of network protocols such as tcp / ip or sna . the distributed server system 40 can take various forms and have various architectures with varying numbers , arrangements and layers of servers , such as those illustrated in fig4 . in fig4 , requests from client workstation 30 for an application are forwarded via the network 32 to a load balancer 50 for a cluster 53 of servers . load balancer 50 then selects server 52 or 54 within the cluster 53 to handle the request , based on their availability or other known load balancing criteria . by way of example , servers 52 and 54 are web servers , i . e . handle requests via the internet for applications represented by web pages . however , in another embodiment of the distributed server system 40 , the client requests are forwarded directly to a single web ( or other type of ) server such as server 52 ( and there is no load balancer 50 or server 54 ). in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 , the application requested by the client workstation 30 does not reside on server 52 ( or 54 ). so server 52 determines , based on an internal configuration file , the ip address of another server or server cluster that contains the requested application . server 52 also includes a program used to communicate with this other server or cluster . in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 , server 52 forwards the customer request to a load balancer 60 for a cluster 63 of application servers . load balancer 60 then selects one application server 62 or 64 in cluster 63 , such as server 62 , to handle the request , based on their availability or other known load balancing criteria . however , in another embodiment of the distributed server system 40 , the client requests are forwarded directly from server 52 to a single application server such as server 62 ( and there is no load balancer 60 or server 64 ). in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 , each of the application servers 62 and 64 comprises a middleware program in addition to the actual application requested by the client workstation 30 . the middleware program is responsible for managing differences in format and protocol , if any , between the client request and the requested application . the application on server 62 is responsible for obtaining the data pertaining to the customer request and performing any computations pertaining to the customer request . in the illustrated embodiment , the application on server 62 can obtain the data from backend database servers 72 , 74 or 76 . each backend database server 72 , 74 and 76 obtains the requested data from one or more data repositories , such as respective disk storages 172 , 174 and 176 . in high availability environments , there will ordinarily be a backup ( backend ) database server in case the primary ( backend ) database server fails . in the illustrated embodiment , backend database servers 72 and 74 can perform this backup role for each other , and a backend database server 78 backs - up database server 76 . in some cases , the application on server 62 generates a web page or other screen to send to the client workstation based on the data , which it obtains . the web page or other screen permits the customer to interactively use the application . in other cases , the middleware program on server 62 or 64 generates the web page or other screen for display on client workstation 30 , based on data supplied by the application . in both cases , the application generally needs to obtain data from one of the database servers 72 , 74 or 76 . in the case of a web server , the data may be a web page itself . in many cases such as illustrated in fig4 , a single application executing on server 62 ( or 64 ) is able to handle the customer request by directly querying backend database servers 72 , 74 or 76 , for the requisite data ( and then processing the data if needed ). however , in other cases also illustrated in fig4 , the single application on server 62 cannot alone handle the customer request , even with data from backend database server 72 , 74 or 76 . for example , if the customer request requires two different services such as one to list homes for sale and another to process a mortgage request , two different applications may be required , one to display the list of the homes for sale and manage the interface to the customer , and the other application to process the mortgage request . in such a case , the application in server 62 may supply one of the services ( and obtain the data for that service from backend database server 72 , 74 or 76 ), but may need to query another server or server cluster for the other application to process the mortgage request ( and obtain the data for that service from another backend database . in the illustrated embodiment , this other cluster 83 of servers comprises a load balancer 80 and application servers 82 and 84 . each of the application servers 82 and 84 comprises the second ( for example , mortgage ) application as noted above which accesses database server 92 or 94 for the requisite data . each of the application servers 82 and 84 also comprises middleware if necessary to interface to the format and protocol of the client request and format a web page or other screen for display at the client workstation . each backend database server 92 and 94 accesses one or more data repositories , such as respective disk storages 192 and 194 . in high availability environments , there will ordinarily be a backup ( backend ) database server in case the primary ( backend ) database server fails . in the illustrated embodiment , backend database servers 92 and 94 can perform this backup role for each other . the foregoing features of server system 40 were known in the industry . “ agent ” programs run on the web servers , application / middleware servers and database servers 52 , 54 , 62 , 64 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 82 , 84 , 92 and 94 , respectively within server system 40 to automatically gather configuration and other information about the respective servers and supply the information to server 20 . if the load balancers 50 , 60 and 80 are capable or running agent programs ( for example , have operating systems capable or running agent programs ), then respective agent programs run on the load balancers 50 , 60 and 80 as well . in the illustrated embodiment , agent programs can run on load balancers 50 , 60 and 80 . however , in an alternate embodiment , one or more of the load balancers 50 , 60 or 80 do not include agent programs . ( agent programs that can gather data in a server were known in the art , but have been customized according to the present invention to gather configuration and other information needed to implement the present invention .) a documentation generation program 110 runs on server 20 , receives the configuration and other information supplied by agent programs and automatically generates application support documentation to assist the help desk people troubleshoot and correct customer problems with server system 40 . fig5 is a flow diagram of the steps in the implementation of the method in accordance with the present invention . the initial step 400 is to gather information about the various server devices in the system . this data gathering process involves querying the relational database to retrieve information about the functions of the server devices and the connections of the server devices to other system devices . the queries are designed to gather certain information about a device . for example , the first query could to determine the type of device . if the response were that the device is a database server , the next query could be related to functions of a database server . if the machine were a different server , the next query would be related to that type of server . in step 400 , the agent programs within server system 40 can initiate data gathering . in some cases , a query program can periodically send requests to agent programs to gather the configuration and other data from their respective servers . in other cases , the agent programs initiate their own data gathering activity , either based on their own predetermined schedule or based on occurrence of events or significant changes , such as changes to configuration in their respective servers . in step 410 , agent programs begin the actual data gathering in their respective servers . by way of example , agent programs can comprise script programs that can execute on their respective servers to solicit or read configuration and other information from the operating systems and configuration files within their respective servers . then , agent programs report the information to program 110 in documentation management server 20 . for example , agent programs may gather configuration information from apache httpd . conf configuration file and ibm websphere adminlconfig configuration file . for each of the web servers 52 and 54 , these configuration files contain various types of information such as a list of the urls that lead to / reside on the web server , and for each of these urls ( i ) when the requested application resides on another , application / middleware server , an identification of this other application / middleware server ( by ip address and virtual host ), or ( ii ) when the requested application resides on the web server , a reference to static data files that contain requested information for the application , or ( iii ) when the requested function can be performed by a scripting file ( for example , “ cgi ” script files ) on the web server , and a pointer to the scripting file . for each of the application / middleware servers 62 , 64 , 82 and 84 , these configuration files contain the following types of information : ( a ) a list of the urls that lead to / reside on this web server , and for each of these urls ( i ) when the requested application resides on another , application / middleware server , an identification of the application / middleware server ( by ip address and virtual host ), or ( ii ) when the requested application resides on the web server , a reference to static data files that contain requested information for the application , or ( iii ) when the requested function can be performed by a scripting file ( for example , “ cgi ” or java script files ) on the web server , a pointer to the scripting file and ( b ) for each virtual host in the application / middleware server , ( i ) an identity ( by ip address and database instance or port ) of the connection to the backend database server ( s ) accessed by the virtual host , ( ii ) identities of other application servers that run the same application , ( iii ) identities of other application servers that access the same database , if known . referring again to fig5 , after the completion of the data gathering function , step 420 receives the gathered data at the server monitor configuration module . this retrieval of the information can be from the database or it can be received directly from the data - gathering module . the most common approach would be for the gathered data to be stored in the database prior to transmission to the server monitor configuration module . as mentioned , the retrieved information would comprise information gathered relating to the function of a device and information about the relationships of this device to other devices in the system . step 430 generates a server monitor configuration for positioning monitors in strategic locations in the system . these positioned monitors would track the activities of the server devices and transmit messages or alerts when certain events or conditions occur . step 430 analyzes the type of device and the relationships of the device and then identifies the proper monitor and monitor position to properly track the activities of that device . depending on the device , monitors are positioned at strategic places and are customized to track information related to the device in step 440 . as mentioned , if a device were a database server , the monitor tracking that database server would be designed to track activities of a database server as opposed to activities generally related to another type of device . other devices may have activities that are different from a database server . if a monitor tracking a database server is configured to track or detect activities related to another device and not the database server tracking errors would surely occur . after the deployment of the monitor devices , step 450 imports the relationship information and diagramming information of the system into the display system . this information includes the server relationships and system configuration information to the display system for display to the system users and operators . this data importation involves a conversion of the system configuration information to a format suitable for importation into the display system . in a preferred embodiment , the information is converted to an xml format for importation . in this importation step 450 , the information is also compartmentalized and displayed such that the user knows all relationships between devices and functions of that device . therefore , when an event is detected and reported , the user will first know the monitor that detected the problem . because the user knows the device is which the reporting monitor is assigned , the user can narrow the problem to the area of that device . next , because the user knows the relationships of that device to other devices , the user can also narrow the search for the problem . further , if this problem was detected as the result of the existence of a previously defined situation , the user may be able to immediately identify the type of problem that triggered the monitor detection . with this information , the user can easily and quickly locate and solve system problems as they occur . based on the foregoing , a system , method and program for generating and displaying application support documentation and related troubleshooting documentation have been disclosed . however , numerous modifications and substitutions can be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention . therefore , the present invention has been disclosed by way of illustration and not limitation , and reference should be made to the following claims to determine the scope of the present invention .	7
the following example makes use of tools and methods known per se in the art but previously used for different purposes . an example of these known tools and methods is shown in fig1 . the figure shows a borehole with a formation resistivity imaging logging tool . the tool body 11 carries four circumferentially arranged electrode pads 12 , which can be extended to contact the borehole wall 10 . a current flow is generated between upper electrodes 13 and the electrode pads 12 . insulating parts 14 are arranged in the middle section of the tool to prevent a short - circuiting of the current through the tool body 11 . the tool used in the example is the commercially available fmi ( tm of schlumberger ) tool . the fmi tool generates an electrical image of the borehole from 192 microresistivity measurements . special focusing circuitry ensures that the measuring currents are forced into the formation , where they are modulated in amplitude with the formation conductivities to produce both low - frequency signals representative of petrophysical and lithological information and a high - resolution component that provides the microresistivity data used for generating images and for dip interpretation . the depth of investigation is about 30 inches for the low frequency signal , similar to that of shallow lateral resistivity devices , while the depth of investigation is less than an inch for the high frequency component . the image is normalized through calibration with low - frequency , deeper resistivity measurements from another resistivity measurement tool . in accordance with this example of the invention , the fmi image resistivity is calibrated to other resistivity logs such as focused laterologs or induction logs which are well - known logging tools and measurements in the industry . this image calibration can be an important step where the current flowing through the fmi electrodes is not collimated , hence does not give an accurate measure of the formation &# 39 ; s resistivity . the example of a calibrated resistivity map or image is shown in fig1 b . the map shows a vertical and azimuthal resolution of 0 . 2 in . this means that the dimensions of any feature that is 0 . 2 in . or larger can be readily estimated from the image . the size of features smaller than 0 . 2 in . can be estimated by quantifying the current flow to the electrode . fine - scale details such as 50 - micron fractures filled with conductive fluids are visible on fmi logs . the resulting map is then further processed to derive a homogeneity value as will be described in more detail below . a second known method applied in the present invention is the resistivity measurement on cores . such measurements have been routinely performed in laboratories for many decades . a typical though simplified setup for such measurements is illustrated using fig2 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 924 , 187 to e . sprunt et al . in this setup , a core 20 is placed in a container 21 enclosed in a compliant material 211 to provide pressure tight sealing around the core 20 . the electrodes 221 , 222 of the resistivity meter 22 contact the surface of the core 20 at two or more points to determine the resistivity of a section of core in the presence of a dc or ac current . also shown is a current source 23 to generate a current along the core length . two ports 24 , 25 allow the core to be flooded with a fluid to change the saturation of it in a controlled manner the example as shown can be replaced by many alternatives . in modern measurements , the efforts made to establish a controlled environment are for example more developed as illustrated by the setups described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 493 , 226 to m . m . honarpour et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 879 , 154 to m . fleury , and many other published sources . with the knowledge of the other parameters , such as saturation s , the measurement of core resistivity can be used to determine the cementation factor m as defined by archie ( eq . [ 1 ]). after the fmi image is recorded at a given depth , it is processed to extract from it a measure of the heterogeneity of the resistivity of the sampled area or volume . this measure is referred hereinbelow as resistive heterogeneity . it is convenient to reduce the resistive heterogeneity of an image to a single value . this can be achieved by determining for example the ratio of high resistivity areas or volumes to the total areas or volumes scanned by the fmi images or by any other equivalent method . the threshold value for high resistivity areas can be set arbitrarily . it is however advantageous to set the threshold such that only clearly recognizable patches of higher resistivity contribute to the heterogeneity measure without being affected for example by the fluid type in the rocks . it is important to note that the resistive heterogeneity thus measured is effectively a value averaged along a circumference of the well . it can therefore be regarded as a good representative value for the section of a layer as intersected by the well at the given depth . by cross - plotting the cementation values m of core samples and the resistive heterogeneity measure a correlation between these values may be observed as evidenced by the plot of fig3 . the observed correlation can be converted into a mathematical relation which transforms the resistive heterogeneity measure derived from an fmi image directly into a value of m without requiring further core measurements . in the present example the data points of fig3 are fitted by linear function where rhm stands for the resistive heterogeneity measure . other types of linear or non - linear fits can be used to derive a general relation between m and the resistive heterogeneity . in a well or reservoir where such a relation as eq . [ 6 ] between cementation factor and resistive heterogeneity measure has been established , it is possible to determine a depth dependent log of cementation factors similar to other log measurement . by applying the relation and above described methods to logging measurements of the fmi or similar logging tool , a cementation factor log can be generated from data already measured or given such a relation the fmi tool or any similar tool can modified to generate a cementation factor log in real - time . an example of such a log is shown in fig4 . the figure shows about 40 depth meters of log . starting from the left , the first curve 40 indicates the values of the cementation factor as derived from the equation [ 6 ]. the three following curves 41 , 42 , and 43 are based on the empirical relationship between porosity measurement and cementation factor of equations [ 2 ], [ 4 ] and [ 5 ], respectively . the values as measured by core experiments are shown in all four plots as circles . the horizontal scale for all curves and cores read 1 . 0 on the left edge and 4 . 0 on the right edge of the tracks . thus the curves 41 , 42 , and 43 are close to the value of 2 in line with the manner in which they are calculated , whereas the measurement in accordance with the present invention has a higher degree of fluctuation as expected from a true depth - point by depth - point logging measurement . with the exponent m known , the saturation at any given depth in the logged well can be established using the above archie law .	6
hereinafter , embodiments of the present invention ( hereinafter referred to as “ embodiments ”) will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . note that , in each figure , the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals , and a duplicated description thereof will be omitted . first , a scroll compressor s according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the scroll compressor s according to the first embodiment . as shown in fig1 , the scroll compressor s includes a sealed container 1 , an orbiting scroll 3 , a compression mechanism 2 composed of a fixed scroll 4 and a frame 5 , a crankshaft 6 , an oldham ring 7 , an electric motor 8 , a lower bearing 9 and a release valve device 10 . the sealed container 1 is configured such that a lid chamber 1 b is welded to an upper side of a cylindrical case 1 a , and a bottom chamber 1 c is welded to a lower side of the cylindrical case 1 a . further , the lid chamber 1 b is provided with a suction pipe 1 d , and the case 1 a is provided with a discharge pipe 1 e . the compressor mechanism 2 is disposed at an upper portion in the sealed container 1 composed of the case 1 a , the lid chamber 1 b and the bottom chamber 1 c , and the electric motor 8 is disposed at a lower portion in the sealed container 1 . then , machine oil 11 ( lubricating oil ) is stored in a bottom portion of the sealed container 1 . the compression mechanism 2 is configured to include the orbiting scroll 3 , the fixed scroll 4 , and the frame 5 which is fastened to the fixed scroll 4 with a fastener 5 b such as a bolt and supports the orbiting scroll 3 . the orbiting scroll 3 is provided with a spiral orbiting scroll wrap erected from an upper surface side of a base plate thereof , and is provided with an orbiting bearing 3 a , into which an eccentric portion 6 b of the crankshaft 6 is fitted , on a lower surface side of the base plate . the fixed scroll 4 is provided with a fixed scroll wrap , which is erected from a lower surface side of a base plate thereof and intermeshes with the orbiting scroll wrap . the orbiting scroll 3 is orbitably disposed opposite to the fixed scroll 4 , and a suction chamber 12 and a compression chamber 13 are formed by the orbiting scroll 3 and the fixed scroll 4 . the frame 5 is secured to an inner wall surface of the sealed container 1 by welding at an outer peripheral side thereof , and includes a main bearing 5 a for rotatably supporting a main shaft 6 a of the crankshaft 6 . further , a back pressure chamber ( intermediate pressure chamber ) 15 is formed between the orbiting scroll 3 and the frame 5 . the oldham ring 7 is disposed between a lower surface of the orbiting scroll 3 and the frame 5 , and is fitted into a groove formed on the lower surface side of the orbiting scroll 3 and a groove formed in the frame 5 . the oldham ring 7 serves to revolve the orbiting scroll 3 in response to eccentric rotation of the eccentric portion 6 b of the crankshaft 6 , without rotating the orbiting scroll 3 . the electric motor 8 includes a stator 8 a and a rotor 8 b . the stator 8 a is press - fitted into the sealed container 1 , and is secured by welding or the like . the rotor 8 b is rotatably disposed in the stator 8 a . further , the crankshaft 6 is secured to the rotor 8 b . the crankshaft 6 is configured to include the main shaft 6 a and the eccentric portion 6 b . the main shaft 6 a of the crankshaft 6 is supported by the main bearing 5 a provided in the frame 5 at an upper side thereof , and is supported by the lower bearing 9 at a lower side thereof . the eccentric portion 6 b of the crankshaft 6 is formed with the main shaft 6 a eccentrically and integrally , and is fitted into the orbiting bearing 3 a provided on a back surface of the orbiting scroll 3 . when rotating the main shaft 6 a by driving the electric motor 8 , the eccentric portion 6 b rotates eccentrically with respect to the main shaft 6 a so as to revolve the orbiting scroll 3 . further , the crankshaft 6 is provided with an oil supply passage 6 c for guiding machine oil 11 to the main bearing 5 a , the lower bearing 9 and the orbiting bearing 3 a , and is attached with an oil supply pipe 6 d for sucking and guiding the machine oil 11 to the oil supply passage 6 c , at a lower shaft end thereof . when revolving the orbiting scroll 3 by driving the electric motor 8 , gas refrigerant passes through the suction chamber 12 from the suction pipe 1 d , and is guided into the compression chamber 13 formed by the orbiting scroll 3 and the fixed scroll 4 . then , the gas refrigerant in the compression chamber 13 is reduced in volume to be compressed as it moves toward the center between the orbiting scroll 3 and the fixed scroll 4 . the compressed gas refrigerant is discharged from a discharge port 4 a of the fixed scroll 4 to a discharge pressure chamber 14 which is a space in the sealed container 1 , and flows out to the outside through the discharge pipe 1 e . the fixed scroll 4 is provided with the release valve device 10 for discharging the gas refrigerant to the discharge pressure chamber 14 before the compression chamber 13 communicates with the discharge port 4 a , such as when a large amount of liquid refrigerant is sucked during start - up , or when a pressure ratio of discharge pressure to suction pressure , that is , “ discharge pressure / suction pressure ” is low . the pressure ratio when the release valve device 10 operates is quantitatively described as follows . whether or not the release valve device 10 operates , is determined by a relationship between the pressure ratio and a design volume ratio of the scroll wrap . here , the design volume ratio is a ratio of maximum volume to minimum volume ( volume when the compression chamber 13 communicates with the discharge port 4 a ) of the compression chamber 13 , that is , “ maximum volume / minimum volume ”. that is , whether or not the release valve device 10 operates , is determined by a shape of the scroll wrap and operation conditions , and the following relationship is satisfied between the pressure ratio and the design volume ratio . when equation ( 1 ) is satisfied , the release valve device 10 operates . when equation ( 2 ) is satisfied , the release valve device 10 does not operate . here , before describing the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 described later ) included in the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) according to the first embodiment , a release valve device 10 e included in a scroll compressor according to a conventional example will be described with reference to fig9 and 10 . fig9 is a cross - sectional view showing a valve open state of the release valve device 10 e according to the conventional example . fig1 is a cross - sectional view showing a valve closed state of the release valve device 10 e according to the conventional example . the scroll compressor according to the conventional example is different in configuration of the release valve device 10 e as compared with the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) according to the first embodiment . the other configurations are the same as the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . the release valve device 10 e according to the conventional example includes a valve seat surface 4 d formed integrally with the fixed scroll 4 , a spring 10 a , a valve plate 10 b , a stopper 10 f 5 and a retainer 10 h . on a side ( an opposite side of the wrap ) of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) of the fixed scroll 4 , a housing hole 4 b with a bottom is formed , and a release hole 4 c , which communicates to the side ( side of the wrap ) of the compression chamber 13 from the bottom of the housing hole 4 b , is formed . thus , a flow passage communicating to the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) is formed from the compression chamber 13 through the release hole 4 c and the housing hole 4 b . note that , the release hole 4 c is formed smaller in diameter than that of the housing hole 4 b . further , the valve seat surface ( valve seat , protrusion ) 4 d in contact with the valve plate 10 b is formed in a peripheral edge of the release hole 4 c on a side ( side of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 )) of the housing hole 4 b . that is , the seat valve surface 4 d of the release valve device 10 e according to the conventional example is formed integrally with the fixed scroll 4 . the spring 10 a , the valve plate 10 b and the stopper 10 f 5 are disposed inside the housing hole 4 b formed in the fixed scroll 4 . the spring 10 a is supported by the stopper 10 f 5 at one end thereof , and is in contact with the valve plate 10 b at the other end thereof , to bias the valve plate 10 b in a direction of the valve seat surface 4 d ( release hole 4 c ). the stopper 10 f 5 supports the one end of the spring 10 a and regulates maximum moving distance of the valve plate 10 b . the retainer 10 h is attached to the side of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) of the fixed scroll 4 , to secure the stopper 10 f 5 . when pressure in the compression chamber 13 is lower than the discharge pressure ( pressure in the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 )), the valve plate 10 b is pressed against the valve seat surface 4 d by a biasing force ( an elastic force ) of the spring 10 a and this pressure difference , and the release valve 4 c is in a blocked state . that is , the release valve device 10 e is in a closed state ( see fig1 ). on the other hand , under conditions of the equation ( 1 ), when the pressure in the compression chamber 13 is higher than the discharge pressure ( pressure in the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 )), the valve plate 10 b is pushed up from the valve seat surface 4 d by fluid force , and the release valve 4 c is opened . that is , the release valve device 10 e is in an open state ( see fig9 ). here , when the release valve device 10 e operates ( that is , when the equation ( 1 ) is satisfied ), the release valve device 10 e is opened and closed once per rotation of the crankshaft 6 . in other words , when the release valve device 10 e operates , the valve plate 10 b and the valve seat surface 4 d collide with each other once per rotation of the crankshaft 6 . for example , when the crankshaft 6 rotates at 3 , 000 revolutions per minute , the valve seat 4 d is a severe contact surface in which 180 , 000 collisions are repeated per hour , and it is an important issue to ensure reliability of the valve seat surface 4 d . next , the release valve device 10 included in the scroll compressor s according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to fig2 . fig2 is a cross - sectional view of the release valve device 10 according to the first embodiment . the release valve device 10 according to the first embodiment includes the spring 10 a , the valve plate 10 b , a valve seat member 10 c having a valve seat surface 10 d and a release hole 10 e , a stopper 10 f having a holding portion 10 g , and a retainer 10 h . on the side of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) of the fixed scroll 4 , the housing hole 4 b with a bottom is formed , and the release hole 4 c , which communicates to the side of the compression chamber 13 from the bottom of the housing hole 4 b , is formed . note that , the release hole 4 c is formed smaller in diameter than that of the housing hole 4 b . while the valve seat surface 4 d of the release valve device 10 e ( see fig9 ) according to the conventional example is formed integrally with the fixed scroll 4 , the valve seat surface 10 d ( see fig2 ) of the release valve device 10 according to the first embodiment is formed in the seat valve member 10 c separated from the fixed scroll 4 . that is , the release hole 10 e is formed in the valve seat member 10 c , and the valve seat surface ( valve seat , protrusion ) 10 d in contact with the valve plate 10 b is provided in a peripheral edge of the release hole 10 e on the side ( side of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 )) of the housing hole 4 b . then , by housing ( placing ) the valve seat member 10 c in a bottom portion of the housing hole 4 b , the release hole 10 e of the valve seat member 10 c and the release hole 4 c of the fixed scroll 4 communicate with each other . thus , the flow passage communicating to the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) from the compression chamber 13 through the release hole 4 c , the release hole 10 e and the housing hole 4 b , is formed . as shown in fig2 , the spring 10 a , the valve plate 10 b , the valve seat member 10 c and the stopper 10 f are arranged inside the housing hole 4 b formed in the fixed scroll 4 . the spring 10 a is supported by the stopper 10 f at one end thereof , and is in contact with the valve plate 10 b at the other end thereof , to bias the valve plate 10 b in a direction of the valve seat surface 10 d ( release hole 10 e ). the stopper 10 f supports the spring 10 a and regulates the maximum moving distance of the valve plate 10 b . the retainer 10 h is attached to the side of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) of the fixed scroll 4 , to secure the stopper 10 f . then , the stopper 10 f is provided with the annular ( cylindrical ) holding portion 10 g , and the valve seat member 10 c is fixed by being sandwiched between the holding portion 10 g and the fixed scroll 4 ( bottom portion of the housing hole 4 b ). basic opening and closing operation of the release valve device 10 according to the first embodiment is the same as the release valve device 10 e ( see fig9 ) according to the conventional example described above , and a description thereof will be omitted . operational effects of the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) including the release valve device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described in comparison with the scroll compressor including the release valve device 10 e ( see fig9 ) according to the conventional example . as described above , when using a next refrigerant ( for example , r32 , r290 , r1234ze ) as the refrigerant of the scroll compressor s , the orbiting scroll 3 is formed with a lightweight material such as an aluminum alloy or a magnesium alloy , in order to downsize and speed up the scroll compressor s . further , in order to prevent efficiency reduction due to expansion of a gap inside the compressor by a difference in linear expansion coefficient , the fixed scroll 4 is formed with the same material as the orbiting scroll 3 , that is , the lightweight material such as the aluminum alloy or the magnesium alloy . on the other hand , the valve plate 10 b of the release valve device 10 is formed with a material such as a rolled steel plate . here , the aluminum alloy or the magnesium alloy has a vickers hardness of about 150 , and when the valve seat surface 4 d is formed integrally with the fixed scroll 4 as the release valve device 10 e ( see fig9 ) according to the conventional example , impact resistance is weak . in contrast , the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment has the valve seat surface 10 d formed in the valve seat member 10 c separated from the fixed scroll 4 . therefore , the material of the valve seat member 10 c ( valve seat surface 10 d ) can be a material having higher impact resistance than that of the material ( for example , aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy ) of the fixed scroll 4 . that is , by forming the valve seat surface 10 d in the valve seat member 10 c separated from the fixed scroll 4 , and by using a material having high vickers hardness as the material of the valve seat member 10 c , it is possible to improve reliability of the valve seat surface 10 d . in particular , even when a lightweight material such as the aluminum alloy or the magnesium alloy having low vickers hardness is used as the orbiting scroll 3 or the fixed scroll 4 , it is possible to ensure reliability of the release valve device 10 . meanwhile , in the scroll compressor including the release valve device 10 e ( see fig9 ) according to the conventional example , cast iron is widely used as the material of the fixed scroll 4 . considering this use results , it is desirable to use a material having a vickers hardness of equal to or more than 250 as the material of the valve seat member 10 c of the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment . as the material used as the valve seat member 10 c having the valve seat surface 10 d , for example , a molding material can be used . in addition , a molding material subjected to nitriding treatment may be used . an iron - based material or a steel material may be used , and an iron - based material or a steel material subjected to nitriding treatment may be used , and further an iron - based material or a steel material subjected to carburizing quenching treatment may be used . a sintered material subjected to steam treatment may be used , and a sintered material subjected to steam treatment and nitriding treatment may be used . thus , in the scroll compressor s including the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , even when using the lightweight material such as the aluminum alloy and the magnesium alloy as the material of the orbiting scroll 3 and the fixed scroll 4 , it is possible to ensure the reliability of the release valve device 10 . further , by using the lightweight material as the orbiting scroll 3 , it is possible to provide the scroll compressor s capable of high - speed rotation as well as using the next refrigerant . next , the scroll compressor s according to a second embodiment will be described . the scroll compressor s according to the second embodiment is different in configuration of a release valve device 10 a as compared with the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) according to the first embodiment . the other configurations are the same as the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . the release valve device 10 a included in the scroll compressor s according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to fig3 . fig3 is a cross - sectional view of the release valve device 10 a according to the second embodiment . the release valve device 10 a according to the second embodiment included the spring ( a first spring ) 10 a , the valve plate 10 b , the valve seat member 10 c having the valve seat surface 10 d and the release hole 10 e , a stopper 10 f 1 having a holding portion 10 g 1 , a pressing spring ( second spring ) 10 i 1 , and the retainer 10 h . the retainer 10 h is attached to the side of the discharging chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) of the fixed scroll 4 , and secures the stopper 10 f 1 via the pressing spring 10 i 1 . then , the stopper 10 f 1 is provided with the annular ( cylindrical ) holding portion 10 g 1 , and the valve seat member 10 c is fixed by being sandwiched between the holding portion 10 g 1 and the fixed scroll 4 ( bottom portion of the housing hole 4 b ). the other configurations and basic opening and closing operation of the release valve device 10 a according to the second embodiment is the same as the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . operational effects of the scroll compressor s including the release valve device 10 a ( see fig3 ) according to the second embodiment will be described . the release valve device 10 a ( see fig3 ) according to the second embodiment has the pressing spring 10 i 1 inserted over the stopper 10 f 1 . by pressing down the pressing spring 1011 and the stopper 10 f 1 by the retainer 10 h , the pressing spring 10 i 1 is deflected , and even when machining accuracy of the housing hole 4 b is low , it is possible to absorb dimension error thereof . that is , even when a length of the housing hole 4 b is short , a tooth bottom ( base plate of the fixed scroll wrap ) of the fixed scroll 4 is prevented from being strongly pressed to be deformed , by contraction of the pressing spring 10 i 1 when the retainer is attached , and thus sliding loss with the orbiting scroll 3 is prevented from increasing . further , even when the length of the housing hole 4 b is long , the valve seat member 10 c is fixed and prevented from moving , by extension of the pressing spring 10 i 1 when the retainer is attached , and thus it is possible to prevent fretting wear or the like which is generated by wear with the housing hole 4 b due to movement of the valve seat member 10 c . further , as for depth machining accuracy of the housing hole 4 b of the fixed scroll 4 according to the second embodiment , high machining accuracy is not required as in the first embodiment , and thus productivity of the fixed scroll 4 , and consequently productivity of the scroll compressor s is improved . next , the scroll compressor s according to a third embodiment will be described . the scroll compressor s according to the third embodiment is different in configuration of a release valve device 10 b as compared with the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) according to the first embodiment . the other configurations are the same as the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . the release valve device 10 b included in the scroll compressor s according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to fig4 . fig4 is a cross - sectional view of the release valve device 10 b according to the third embodiment . the release valve device 10 b according to the third embodiment includes the spring ( first spring ) 10 a , the valve plate 10 b , the valve seat member 10 c having the valve seat surface 10 d and the release hole 10 e , a stopper 10 f 2 having a holding portion 10 g 2 , a pressing spring ( second spring ) 10 i 2 , and the retainer 10 h . the retainer 10 h is attached to the side of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) of the fixed scroll 4 , to secure the stopper 10 f 2 . then , the stopper 10 f 2 is provided with the annular ( cylindrical ) holding portion 10 g 2 , and the pressing spring 10 i 2 is disposed between the holding portion 10 g 2 and the valve seat member 10 c . thus , the valve seat member 10 c is fixed by being sandwiched between the pressing spring 10 i 2 and the fixed scroll 4 ( bottom portion of the housing hole 4 b ). the other configurations and basic opening and closing operation of the release valve device 10 b according to the third embodiment is the same as the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . operational effects of the scroll compressor s including the release valve device 10 b ( see fig4 ) according to the third embodiment will be described . the release valve device 10 b ( see fig4 ) according to the third embodiment has the pressing spring 10 i 2 inserted under the stopper 10 f 2 ( holding portion 10 g 2 ). by pressing down the pressing spring 10 i 2 and the stopper 10 f 2 by the retainer 10 h , the pressing spring 10 i 2 is deflected , and even when machining accuracy of the housing hole 4 b is low , it is possible to absorb dimension error thereof in the same manner as the release valve device 10 a ( see fig2 ) according to the second embodiment . this prevents the tooth bottom of the fixed scroll 4 from being deformed as well as preventing the valve seat member 4 c from moving . further , as for depth machining accuracy of the housing hole 4 b of the fixed scroll 4 according to the third embodiment , high machining accuracy is not required as in the first embodiment , and thus productivity of the fixed scroll 4 , and consequently productivity of the scroll compressor s is improved . next , the scroll compressor s according to a fourth embodiment will be described . the scroll compressor s according to the fourth embodiment is different in configuration of a release valve device 10 c as compared with the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) according to the first embodiment . the other configurations are the same as the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . the release valve device 10 c included in the scroll compressor s according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to fig5 and 6 . fig5 is a perspective view of a stopper 10 f 3 included in the release valve device 10 c according to the fourth embodiment . fig6 is a cross - sectional view of the release valve device 10 c according to the fourth embodiment . as shown in fig6 , the release valve device 10 c according to the fourth embodiment includes the spring 10 a , the valve plate 10 b , the valve seat member 10 c having the valve seat surface 10 d and the release hole 10 e , the stopper 10 f 3 having a holding portion 10 g 3 provided with cutout portions 10 j , and the retainer 10 h . that is , the stopper 10 f of the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment is provided with the annular ( cylindrical ) holding portion 10 g , whereas as shown in fig5 , the stopper 10 f 3 of the release valve device 10 c according to the fourth embodiment is provided with the cutout portions 10 j in the annular ( cylindrical ) holding portion 10 g 3 thereof . the other configurations and basic opening and closing operation of the release valve device 10 c according to the fourth embodiment is the same as the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . operational effects of the scroll compressor s including the release valve device 10 c ( see fig5 ) according to the fourth embodiment will be described in comparison with the scroll compressor s including the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment . in the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , when the release valve device 10 operates ( that is , when the equation ( 1 ) is satisfied ), a portion where the flow passage of refrigerant gas flowing to the discharge pressure chamber 14 ( see fig1 ) from the compression chamber 13 is most narrowed , is a gap portion between the valve plate 10 b and an inner peripheral surface of the stopper 10 f ( holding portion 10 g ). flow passage area of the gap portion can be ensured , such as by reducing a diameter of the valve plate 10 b , however , considering constraint that the valve plate 10 b does not depart from the contact surface with the valve seat surface 10 d , or that the valve plate 10 b is not inclined in the stopper 10 f so as not to come off from the spring 10 a , it is not possible to enlarge the gap portion too much . in contrast , in the release valve device 10 c ( see fig5 ) according to the fourth embodiment , the annular ( cylindrical ) holding portion 10 g 3 of the stopper 10 f 3 is provided with the cutout portions 10 j . as shown in fig6 , by providing the cutout portions 10 j , it is possible to increase the flow passage area of the gap portion between the valve plate 10 b and the stopper 10 f 3 , thereby reducing pressure loss of the release valve device 10 c . note that , the release valve device 10 c ( see fig5 ) according to the fourth embodiment has been described as providing the cutout portions 10 j in the holding portion 10 g 3 of the stopper 10 f 3 of the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , however , it is not limited thereto , and the cutout portions 10 j may be provided in the holding portion 10 g 1 of the stopper 10 f 1 of the release valve device 10 a ( see fig3 ) according to the second embodiment . next , the scroll compressor s according to a fifth embodiment will be described . the scroll compressor s according to the fifth embodiment is different in configuration of a release valve device 10 d as compared with the scroll compressor s ( see fig1 ) according to the first embodiment . the other configurations are the same as the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . the release valve device 10 d included in the scroll compressor s according to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to fig7 and 8 . fig7 is an exploded perspective view of the release valve device 10 d according to the fifth embodiment . fig8 is an assembly perspective view taken along a portion of the release valve device 10 d according to the fifth embodiment . as shown in fig7 and 8 , the release valve device 10 d according to the fifth embodiment includes the spring 10 a , the valve plate 10 b , a valve seat member 10 c 4 having the valve seat surface 10 d , the release hole 10 e and protrusions 10 k , a stopper 10 f 4 having a holding portion 10 g 4 provided with grooves 10 i , and the retainer ( not shown ). the valve seat member 10 c 4 is provided with the protrusions 10 k in an outer peripheral portion thereof , and the protrusions 10 k are configured to be fitted into the grooves 10 i formed in the stopper 10 f 4 such as by press - fitting . the other configurations and basic opening and closing operation of the release valve device 10 d according to the fifth embodiment is the same as the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , and descriptions thereof will be omitted . operational effects of the scroll compressor s including the release valve device 10 d ( see fig7 ) according to the fifth embodiment will be described . with such a structure , as shown in fig8 , it is possible to produce an assembly of the release valve device 10 , and this assembly only has to be inserted into the housing hole 4 b , and thus assembling property of the scroll compressor s is improved . note that , the release valve device 10 d ( see fig7 ) according to the fifth embodiment has been described such that the retainer ( not shown ) presses the stopper 10 f 4 in the same manner as the release valve device 10 ( see fig2 ) according to the first embodiment , however , it is not limited thereto , and the pressing spring 10 i 1 ( see fig3 ) may be placed between the retainer ( not shown ) and the stopper 10 f 4 in the same manner as the release valve device 10 a ( see fig3 ) according to the second embodiment . further , in the same manner as the release valve device 10 c ( see fig5 ) according to the fourth embodiment , the cutout portions 10 j ( see fig3 ) may be provided in positions different from positions where the grooves 10 i are provided in the holding portion 10 g 4 of the stopper 10 f 4 . furthermore , they may be combined . note that , the scroll compressor s according to the embodiments ( first to fifth embodiments ) is not limited to the configurations in the embodiments , and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . in the above embodiments ( first to fifth embodiments ), the release valve devices 10 , 10 a to 10 d are taken as examples , however , the present invention can be applied to valve devices that perform the same operations as the release valve devices 10 , 10 a to 10 d used in the scroll compressor s . as shown in fig1 , the scroll compressor s is provided with the back pressure chamber 15 of a pressure between the suction pressure and the discharge pressure on the back of the orbiting scroll 3 . pressure in the back pressure chamber 15 is regulated by a back pressure control valve 16 provided in a flow passage between the back pressure chamber 15 and the compression chamber 13 , and the back pressure control valve 16 has a check valve structure using a spring similarly to the release valve device 10 and includes a valve seat surface . the back pressure control valve 16 is also a valve device which performs opening and closing operation once per rotation of the crankshaft 6 , and impact resistance of the valve seat surface is required . the present invention can also be applied to the back pressure control valve 16 . further , although not shown , there is also the scroll compressor s provided with a back pressure release valve device ( not shown , for example , the back pressure release valve device of japanese patent publication no . 5022010 ) for communicating the back pressure chamber 15 and the discharge pressure chamber 14 by opening a valve thereof when the pressure in the back pressure 15 is higher than the discharge pressure ( pressure of the discharge pressure chamber 14 ). such a back pressure release valve device ( not shown ) is provided in the frame 5 . here , the frame 5 is fastened to the fixed scroll 4 by the fastener 5 b , and houses the orbiting scroll 3 therein while forming the back pressure chamber 15 . therefore , in order to prevent deformation or the like due to a difference in linear expansion coefficient , it is preferable to form the frame 5 with the same material as the orbiting scroll 3 and the fixed scroll 4 , that is , the lightweight material such as the aluminum alloy or the magnesium alloy . the back pressure release valve device ( not shown ) has the check valve structure using the spring similarly to the release valve device 10 , and includes the valve seat surface . the present invention can also be applied to the back pressure release valve device ( not shown ). however , since operation frequency of the back pressure release valve device ( not shown ) is smaller than that of the release valve device 10 or the back pressure control valve 16 , the back pressure release valve device may remain in the same structure as the conventional release valve device 10 e ( see fig9 ) without using the structure of the release valve devices 10 , 10 a to 10 d of the present invention . 10 g , 10 g 1 , 10 g 2 , 10 g 3 , 10 g 4 : holding portion ( cylindrical portion ) 10 i 1 , 10 i 2 : pressing spring ( second spring )	5
numerous modifications , variations and adaptations may be made to the particular embodiments of the invention described below without departing from the scope of the invention , which is defined in the claims . fig1 illustrates an example of a zoned mesh network . this network may also be configured as a non - zoned mesh network . the exemplary zoned network is divided into a backbone zone 100 , and four configured zones , zones 101 - 104 . the solid circles in each zone represent network nodes , including 111 - 117 , 121 - 128 , 131 - 135 , and 141 - 146 ; while the numbers within the circles represent node addresses . the dashed circles represent network zones , zones 101 - 104 . network nodes 113 , 122 , 132 , 145 , and 146 are defined herein as boundary nodes because they connect to more than one zone , and may act as proxy nodes . all other nodes are interior nodes , since they are not attached to other zones . this network may be configured in a different manner than illustrated in fig1 , such as a non - zoned network , where all nodes are combined into a single network with no boundary or proxy nodes . in operation , once the mesh network has been defined , for example the topology in fig1 , the user may configure end - to - end connections spanning multiple nodes and / or zones . this process is called provisioning . for each path to be provisioned , a physical path must be selected and configured . each set of physical connections that are provisioned creates an end - to - end connection between the two end nodes that supports a virtual point - to - point link , or in other words , a vp . vps may be assigned statically or dynamically , as required by the user . this vp has an associated capacity , operational state , other attributes , and by an embodiment of this invention , priority values . in one embodiment of the invention , four priorities are assigned to priority profiles , where each priority profile represents a priority schema as assigned by the network operator . at call setup time , the path will be associated with a priority profile as part of the call setup parameters . the connections of a call will obtain the priorities as per the assigned priority profile and will keep these priorities for the life of the call . however the priorities assigned at call setup , can be edited when required . if connections of a call need to be restored , then the restored connection will obtain the same priorities as per the original assigned priority profile . in one aspect of the invention , the new connection &# 39 ; s csp is compared to the chnp or chrp of connections already in place . as will be discussed later , a new connection setup normally does not bump another connection from its nominal path , i . e . the path the network operator chooses as being the most optimum path . in one aspect of the invention , the restored connection &# 39 ; s crp is compared to the chnp or chrp of connections already in place . in one embodiment of the invention , connections of each call will have priority profiles assigned during setup to the vp . these priorities include a connection setup priority ( csp ) used when the connection is being created , a connection restoration priority ( crp ) used when the connection is being restored , a connection hold nominal path priority ( chnp ) used when on the nominal path , and a connection hold restoration path priority ( chrp ) used when on the restoration path . in this version , astn signalling allows for eight ( 8 ) priority levels , with 0 being the highest priority and 7 being the lowest . when a call is setup , a priority profile is assigned to the call . this priority profile provides a mapping to pre - defined settings of the four priorities . although one skilled in the art can see that a very large number of profiles may be constructed , it is anticipated that for network management purposes , the number of profiles remains small . a large number of profiles increase the complexity of understanding the relationship between the priority profiles and the call behavior in the network including connection setup and connection restoration activities . the following table 0 is an example of five profiles of priority settings . an automatic protection setting ( aps ) cos connection is setup with priority profile 1 , an shared mesh ( sm ) cos connection with priority profile 2 , an unprotected cos with priority profile 3 and another unprotected connection with a lower priority level in profile 4 . an extra traffic connection with default priorities , a shared mesh tunnel , a forced restoration and a manual restoration has been added as well for comparison . note that equal priorities will not cause bumping . profile 0 is only to be used for emergency situations . a new call setup using this profile will bump any other connections with priority 1 - 7 and this new call will obtain the highest restoration priority . it can never be bumped . the priority levels above are chosen to create a hierarchical order in priority profiles : profile 0 connections will be restored before any other profile . profile before 1 before profile 2 , 3 , 4 , etc . the csp of profiles 1 to 3 have a lower priority than the crp of the same priority profiles . this gives the restoration of these connections in that priority profile the advantage over connection setup . in general a network operator wants to ensure that restoration attempts of existing connections in the same priority profile have priority over new call setup attempts of that same priority profile . connection setup of a higher order profile will be able to pre - empt restored connections of lower order priority profiles because its csp priority is higher than the chrp . for instance setup of a priority profile 1 connection can pre - empt a restored profile 2 connection . similarly , restoration of a connection of higher order profile will be able to pre - empt a restored connection of a lower order profile because its crp priority is higher then the chrp . for instance restoration of a profile 1 connection can pre - empt a restored profile 2 connection . profile 4 has a chnp of 7 . this allows new connection setup or connection restoration using priority profile 0 , 1 , 2 and 3 to bump connections of priority profile 4 , while they are on their nominal path . effectively , a connection with priorities as per priority profile 4 is similar to a pre - emptable cos . there is a significant difference though . normally pre - emptable cos can only be pre - empted by restoration attempts . in the embodiment of the invention discussed here , in a profile 4 connection can be bumped by new call setup as well as call restoration , when using the priority values as per the table above . except profile 0 and 4 , all profiles have a chnp defined as 1 . this means that a connection on its nominal path can not be bumped by any new connection or restoration attempt . it can only be bumped by a new connection with a csp of 0 or a restoration attempt with a crp of 0 , which in this embodiment is reserved for emergency use by the network operator . a restoration attempt with crp = 0 can also be achieved using the forced restoration . et can only be bumped by a restoration attempt of another cos . a connection with another cos than et will by design never use protection b / w for its connection setup ; only for restoration attempts . in the network case where a shared mesh tunnel is setup , a csp needs to be defined with the setup request to ensure proper routing and use of priorities . however , since a shared mesh tunnel by design cannot be pre - empted nor can it be restored , the chnp and chrp associated with a shared mesh tunnel will be set to 0 and the crp will be set to 7 or in some contemplated embodiments as opposed to the lowest have a n / a to expedite calculation . in a contemplated embodiment , there is a forced restoration command , where the default values of crp and chrp for the forced restoration command are at the highest level . the forced restoration command is only involved with a restoration of a connection ; hence the csp and chnp are not required . the use of the highest priority must of course be used very carefully . another alternative embodiment of this invention would be to have the forced restoration take on the same priority of the connection it is force restoring . this would then mean that a forced restored connection with a low priority can be bumped by a restoration attempt of a connection with a higher priority , which is not consistent use of the forced release command . some network operators may choose to have forced restoration take on the default or operator provided priorities . under a contemplated embodiment , there is a manual restoration is a new command with default values of crp and chrp equal to 7 . the manual restoration command is only involved with a restoration of a connection ; hence the csp and chnp are not required . this command gives the network operator the flexibility to restore a connection with a low priority to allow for bumping of the manual restored connection . under another embodiment , an option would be not to introduce the manual restoration command but expect the network operator to set the appropriate priority levels when the forced restoration command is executed . some network operators may prefer the manual restoration command , since the manual restoration command gives a clear indication that the restoration attempt is of a low priority . the network operator is already familiar with forced command being of higher priority then manual command . when a connection is restored as a result of a forced or manual command , then the restored path will temporarily use the crp and chrp provided by with the forced and manual commands and not the crp and chrp associated with the connection . when non - revertive switching is introduced , it must be determined at that time whether a manual or forced restoration command results in : a new nominal path , obtaining the priorities of the call where the user command shall not be active after it is executed ; or a restoration path , obtaining the priorities as per the user manual or forced command where the command becomes active and needs to be released through a user command . when a forced restoration or manual restoration results in the bumping of a connection , then the network operator should be warned before the bumping is executed . this means that the path needs to be reserved and the next bumping must be confirmed by the operator before the actual bumping is done . the operator shall also be able to find out which connection will be bumped to assess the impact of his / her action . this is merely an example of priority settings . one skilled in the art can understand that many combinations can be defined . in general the priority profile definition should ensure that connection bumping and prioritized restoration will not result in an unstable network , where a situation is created such that connections keep bumping each other in an endless loop . in general , one skilled in the art would wish to define priority values in order to have certain priority profiles representing vps with more important service requirements , and some vps with more cost effective service options . one skilled in the art would recognize there are many ways to determine these priority profile settings . in one embodiment of the invention , the crp priority is equal or lower priority then the chnp and chrp of its own priority profile . similarly , the csp priority is equal or lower priority then the chnp and chrp of its own priority profile . this should prevent uncontrolled bumping in the network . another aspect of the invention is to have the csp equal or lower then the chnp only and the crp equal or lower than the chrp only . in that case a new connection cannot bump a connection in the same protection group and on its nominal path , but can bump a restored connection in the same protection group . the same is true for a restoration attempt ; it can bump a connection on its nominal path , but not on its restoration path and in the same protection group . bandwidth is flooded in bundles per cos . hence , as in the embodiment depicted in fig2 , the bandwidth between node 301 , and node 302 is bundled in 10 g for aps protected bandwidth , and 20 g for unprotected bandwidth . table 1 demonstrates what is being flooded by nodes 301 and 302 for available bandwidth on the link 303 when there is no connection between the two . the numbers in the cells under stsxc indicate the number of connections available of that sts size . assume one sts12c aps connection with a csp priority of 2 is restored to the protected bandwidth on link 303 . the table will then look as follows in table 2 . after adding one connection , the number of available connections has decreased for priority levels 2 and lower . however , the available bandwidth for priority levels 0 and 1 are not decreased , because that bandwidth is available by bumping the lower priority connection . in traditional transmission systems a connection , once established , will be on its nominal path under non - failure scenarios . under failure scenarios the connection may be temporarily switched to a protection path or to a restoration path . switching to a protection path is not further discussed , since a connection on a protection path maintains its chnp or chrp . extra traffic will be dropped by a protection switch . it subsequently can be restored . this could mean that restoration of an extra traffic connection could bump another restored aps connection . at least two types of bumping may be used . these are “ bump when necessary ” and “ bump to obtain best route ” methods . the difference is that “ bump when necessary ” will exhaust all possible routes within the parameters of the connection set - up or restoration attempt before bumping a connection . by contrast , “ bump to obtain best route ” will bump connections to obtain the shortest path if the best route is not available . “ bump when necessary ” is the default used for connection setup and for all restoration purposes . this means that a connection may be routed over a less optimum path , since it will only bump a connection when it cannot find a path with unused bandwidth . using the above example illustrated in table 2 and fig2 , assume head node 301 , needs to calculate a new route x , for example a sts192c aps cos with a csp of 1 and “ bump when necessary ” option . using dijkstra &# 39 ; s algorithm , or another routing algorithm , the head node will first include the bandwidth associated with priority hold value of 7 , which in this case is the chrp . in this situation , there is no bandwidth available at priority level 7 on link 303 , and assuming there is no bandwidth available on the entire astn network at priority level 7 , the head - node 301 will continue to run the route calculating algorithm with decreasing priority values until it finds an available route . assuming there is no bandwidth available on the network for any priority value from 7 up to 2 , node 301 , will run the routing calculation with a priority level of 1 . now a path is available on link 303 . using this method , the connection with the lower priority value will be bumped first , preventing a domino effect where bumped connections subsequently bump other connections . this calculation will only be done up to the csp or crp value . the network operator will likely choose to use “ bump to obtain best route ” when a new connection is requested and it must be routed over the most optimum path . using the example illustrated in table 2 and fig2 , when a head - end node 301 needs to calculate a new route x , here a sts192c aps cos with a csp of 1 and a “ bump to obtain best route ” option , then the routing algorithm at the head end node will immediately include bandwidth with a priority level of 1 , the same as the csp or crp . if the shortest path is from node 301 to node 302 , then connections on link 303 will be bumped . both of the above bumping methods will result in bumping the sts12c aps connection , resulting in table 3 . under certain conditions , a problem may occur with race conditions when bumping , and therefore , the routing software should make use of an identifier called a “ bumping priority ”. using the example above , assume a connection y with priority level 0 has been put in place on link 303 before the other connection could send its reservation request to node 301 , or be set up . the following table would result , with connection y established and connection x attempting to be established : connection x will have a bumping priority equal to the last connection hold priority used in the route calculation . in the above example , the bumping priority will be 1 . once the reservation request arrives at node 301 , it will compare the bumping priority to the values in the table . since connection y has a connection hold priority of 0 , connection x cannot bump connection y . a failure indication will be sent to the head - end of connection x , and a new route must be calculated . a more elaborate example is illustrated in fig3 , which considers the problem of what occurs if a connection cannot bump an intermediate node . in this configuration , connection 411 has a connection hold priority of 4 , connection 412 has a connection hold priority of 3 , and connection 413 has a connection hold priority of 2 . assume another connection 414 with a csp of 2 is to be setup from nodes 401 to 404 , and no free bandwidth is available . if connection 414 is set - up starting at node 401 , then connection 411 may be bumped in order to obtain an end - to - end route from node 401 to node 404 . if the connection hold priority of connection 411 is equal to or greater than 2 , then connection 412 may be bumped because its priority is less than to connection 414 , but the connection 413 cannot , since it has an equal priority to connection 414 . therefore , no bumping shall occur until the complete path has been reserved . in the example above , if connection 411 is t be bumped , then the sub - network connections also need to be taken down before the sub - network connection of the new connection 414 may be created . sub - network connections at both ends of a link need to be completely bumped before the sub - network connections of the new connection are added . in the example in fig3 , the complete path through nodes 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 is identified and reserved , and sub - network connections are reserved for bumping . reserved for bumping sub - network connection cannot be bumped by another connection other than the one which did the reservation ; and reserved sub - network connections cannot be bumped . only complete sub - network connections may be bumped . when the complete path has been reserved , then the sub - network connections will be bumped if they require it . bumping will not be required if a link between the nodes with unused bandwidth exists . in our example in fig3 , node 404 will send a bumping request to node 403 . once that is complete , node 404 may set up its sub - network connection . node 403 may set up its connection when it receives notification from node 402 that bumping has completed . this method allows for parallelization of bumping and connection setup . once the connection is bumped , the head - end node needs to be informed of this . when a connection is bumped , the complete end - to - end connection is released and finding a new path will be attempted . in fig3 , this means that connection 411 is bumped at nodes 402 and 403 . the resource manager will instigate a connection delete toward the head - end 401 , and tail end 404 . a flow chart of an implementation of the virtual path setup scheme according to a possible embodiment is given in fig4 . initially , the head node will receive a connection setup request , or connection restoration request ( step 200 ). the head node will first determine if there is bandwidth available ( step 201 ). if there is bandwidth available , the connection is set up ( step 202 ). if no bandwidth is currently available , a path will be chosen which has lower priority connections on that path ( step 203 ). should this path not exist ( step 212 ), a failure indication ( step 213 ) will be reported to the head node . if this path exists , the path will be reserved ( step 204 ). in order to guard against a race condition where another connection claims the path before the reservation request arrives , a bumping priority is compared to the chnp or chrp of any connection to be bumped on the path ( step 205 ). if the bumping priority is less than or equal to any chnp or chrp of a connection on the path , a failure indication is reported to the head node ( step 206 ), and any intermediate reservations are released ( step 207 ). control then returns to step 203 to choose another path . if the bumping priority is greater than all chnp or chrp of the connections on the path , the reserved connections will be bumped in order to free bandwidth for the new connection ( step 208 ). the new connection will claim the connection for itself ( step 209 ), and report to the head node of any claimed connection that its connection has been appropriated ( step 210 ). the information regarding this new connection , i . e . the resources available on each node for connections , will be flooded across the network ( step 211 ). switching a connection to a restoration path is mostly done revertive . it is contemplated that restoration may become non - revertive . in case of revertive switching , a connection can be in a restored state and it has a chrp . in case of non - revertive switching , the restored path has become the new nominal path for this call and hence the connection is subject to the same bumping rules as for connections routed on its nominal path , i . e . it has a chnp . therefore , whether restoration is revertive or non - revertive does not affect bumping behavior . in one aspect of the invention , the node reporting failure may stagger the failure reporting to the head - end node in time , such that the highest priority connections may be restored first . the delay in time between reporting failures can be changed by the network operator . when a restored connection is bumped , it will take down its path and the freed up bandwidth will be available for other connection requests , as described above . however , when a connection has failed and is restored , then the nominal path needs to be reserved for when the failure has been corrected and the connection can be reverted back to the nominal path after the wtr has been expired . reuse of the nominal path may be desired so as to reduce the use of bandwidth for restoration purposes . in one aspect of the invention , an option would be to temporarily lower the priority of the failed nominal path . that path would then become available for restoration of connections , including the just failed connection . when the failure is repaired and the connection should be reverted back to its original path , then connections occupying the nominal path may be bumped . in another embodiment of the invention , fig5 a , 5 b , and 5 c depict an example of a virtual path 706 consisting of connections 707 , 708 and 705 between nodes 701 , 702 , 703 and 704 according to an embodiment of the invention . in the top drawing of the exemplary virtual path fig5 a , proposed connection 705 will bump sub - network connections of virtual path 706 at nodes 703 and 704 , due to the priority settings as indicated if no other bandwidth is available . in the middle drawing of fig5 b , connection 705 has bumped the sub - network connections of connection 706 at nodes 703 and 704 . bandwidth on links 707 and 708 may now be made available for other restoration attempts . this is done by temporarily reducing the bandwidth to the lowest priority level , in this embodiment of the invention , 7 . connections using this temporarily available bandwidth should be aware that they will be bumped if their holding priority is lower than the permanent holding priority . in one embodiment of the invention , the temporarily available bandwidth is added to the local pool of available bandwidth and will be distributed throughout the network as per flooding rules . the difference between chnp and chnp - tmp can be distinguished at the local node when the timeslot is assigned . if temporary bandwidth is not flooded separately from the regular available bandwidth , the head - end node may not be able to determine whether a path is routed over temporarily available bandwidth , while a slightly longer path may be available using non - temporarily available bandwidth . in an alternate embodiment of the invention , the above approach can also be used for bandwidth optimization when restoring a connection . for instance assume that is desirable that connection 706 be restored and re - use its nominal path as much as possible . it can do this , because the routing software will allow it to use the bandwidth , whose priority has been reduced to 7 ( as per the example above ). the 706 connection will then be restored as illustrated in the bottom drawing of fig5 c . this makes excellent use of the bandwidth . note that there is no bridge / switch done at nodes 703 or 704 . the connection has been rerouted from the head - end to the tail - end . the drawback of this approach is that the connection cannot be revertive back by bridging at the head - end 701 and tail - end nodes 704 . therefore , in this embodiment of the invention , a connection should not re - use its own path . if two connections would fail or be bumped , then they can use each other &# 39 ; s nominal path and at least one of them can do a ‘ hitless ’ reversion back to its nominal path . the other will be bumped of its restored path by the reversion action of the first one . in another alternate embodiment of the invention , an approach would be to implement bridge / switch functionality at the nodes where restored path begins and ends ( nodes 703 and 704 in the example above ). in that case revertive action is always ‘ hitless ’. to prevent misconnections , the reversion back shall always be coordinated to ensure the complete nominal path has been reclaimed . while a restored path is in the wtr state , it potentially does not need that path anymore . similarly as in protection switching , the wtr can be cancelled ( resulting in immediate reversion ) when the path in wtr state is required for another restoration attempt . this too can be achieved using priority settings . when a call enters wtr , it signals along its restored path to reduce the chrp to its lowest priority level . any other connection requiring this path can then take it . one approach would be to allow bumping of the restored connection , according to the embodiment of the invention . this would mean that traffic will be interrupted when the wtr is cancelled and traffic is bumped back the ( not failed ) nominal path . in an alternate embodiment of the invention , another method would be to first switch traffic back the nominal path before bumping occurs . unless this is implemented for all bumping , this would mean that a connection in wtr state requires special behavior . the above behavior for connections in the wtr state should be valid for when the wtr timer is not set to infinite ( 99 ). when the wtr timer is set to infinite , then the network operator wants to control the reversion back to the nominal path . the chrp of the restored connection with an infinite wtr timer should not be changed . the embodiment of this invention allows a form of path reservation . for instance a call needs to be setup , but the connections of this call need to be tested first . one method to do this is by setting up the connection with a low chnp . this allows this connection to be bumped if the path is required for higher priority connections . after the connection has been tested , its chnp shall be set to the appropriate value . while the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof , it is evident that many alternatives , modifications , and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description . accordingly , it is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications , and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims .	7
referring to fig1 ( a ), 1 ( b ), and 1 ( c ), a printing pin 1 is provided inside the guide hole 3 of a frame 2 and is slidable in the lateral direction in fig1 ( a ). the printing pin 1 is made of cemented carbon tungsten and the frame 2 is made of fine ceramics containing materials such as alumina ( al 2 o 3 ). the front end 1a of the printing pin 1 is further slidably held by an end guide 4 . the end guide 4 is made of a hard material such as alumina ( al 2 o 3 ), ruby , or the like so as not to be abraded by the sliding of the printing pin 1 . in the central portion of the frame 2 , hollow portions 5 and 6 are formed in the vertical direction of fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ). an elastic tube 7 is disposed inside the hollow portion 5 . the tube 7 is secured to the frame 2 by means of an adhesive material 11 . a pressure transmitting medium 8 and two electrodes 9a and 9b are hermetically sealed into the tube 7 . the pressure transmitting medium 8 is an inactive liquid or gas having electrical insulative properties , such as transformer oil , air , or the like . the electrodes 9a and 9b are covered with insulating materials 10a and 10b except for their ends positioned inside the tube . the ends of the electrodes 9a and 9b are spaced by a distance suitable for electrical discharge , for instance , the distance d 1 = 0 . 5 mm . the tube 7 is adhered to the inner wall of the hollow portion 5 except for a pressing portion 7a formed at its center portion . the printing pin 1 is urged in the rightward direction in fig1 ( a ) in the guide hole 3 by means of a spring 12 . accordingly , the spring 12 enables the rear end 1b of the printing pin 1 to come into contact with the pressing portion 7a of the tube 7 . incidentally , screw holes 19a and 19b for installing this mechanism are formed at the rear of the frame 2 . in the printing mechanism according to a first embodiment , the length f 1h of the frame 2 is 20 . 0 mm , and the width f 1w is 2 . 54 mm ( 0 . 1 inch ). the length p 1l of the printing pin 1 is 8 . 0 mm . additionally , the longitudinal length r 1v of the tube 7 is 11 . 0 mm , the diameter r 1h of the cylindrically - shaped upper and lower portions 7b is 2 . 0 mm . referring to fig2 with respect to the tube 7 , the upper and lower portions 7b to be secured to the inner wall of the hollow portion 5 of the frame 2 are cylindrical , while the pressing portion 7a is flat . furthermore , the thickness of the pressing portion 7a of the tube 7 is thinner than the thickness of the upper and lower portions 7b . that is , the thickness of the upper and lower portions 7b is about 0 . 2 mm , while the thickness of the pressing portion 7a is about 0 . 1 mm . accordingly , a change in the capacity of the pressure transmitting medium 8 is concentrated on the pressing portion 7a . incidentally , stainless spring steel , phosphor spring bronze , or urethane rubber can be selected as the preferable material for the tube 7 . fig3 shows a driving circuit 20 of the printing pin 1 . the electrodes 9a and 9b are connected to the secondary winding of a boosting transformer 13 . the primary winding of the boosting transformer 13 is connected to a capacitor 15 via a switching element 14 . the capacitor 15 accumulates the charge from a dc power supply 17 via a resistor 16 . the switching element 14 is connected to a transformer 18 , and effects the switching operation by means of a control pulse applied to terminals 18a and 18b . accordingly , the charge accumulated in the capacitor 15 flows to the primary winding of the boosting transformer 13 , in dependence upon the switching action of the switching element 14 . this current is boosted by the transformer 13 , and a high voltage is applied to the electrodes 9a and 9b . thus , discharge takes place between the electrodes 9a and 9b . in order to cause discharge between the electrodes 9a and 9b , the dc power supply 17 is set to 200 v , the resistor 16 is set to 200 to 300 ω , and the capacitor 15 is set to 2 - 3 μf . also , the winding ratio of the boosting transformer 13 is set from 10 : 1 to 20 : 1 . in this case , the potential difference between the electrodes 9a and 9b is 2 - 4 kv , and sufficient discharge takes place between the electrodes 9a and 9b . when the discharge takes place between the electrodes 9a and 9b inside the tube 7 , the pressure transmitting medium 8 quickly expands due to the discharge energy . the elastic tube 7 also expands outwardly due to the expansion of the pressure transmitting medium 8 . the greatest expanding deflection of the tube 7 is obtained at the thin pressing portion 7a . accordingly , the pressing portion 7a presses the rear end 1b of the printing pin 1 . thus , the printing pin 1 moves in the left direction in fig1 ( a ) against the biasing force of the spring 12 , and the end 1a protrudes leftwardly . a moving distance of 0 . 3 to 0 . 5 mm is obtained as the stroke of the printing pin 1 . since the discharge between the electrodes 9a and 9b disappears within a very short interval , the expansion of the pressure transmitting medium 8 is also completed in a very short period . therefore , the pressure of the transmitting medium 8 declines suddenly , and the tube 7 resumes its original configuration . additionally , the printing pin 1 also returns to its original position by means of the spring 12 . since the discharge between the electrodes 9a and 9b is synchronized with a control pulse applied to the terminals 18a and 18b , the printing timing of the printing pin 1 can be controlled by means of this control pulse . incidentally , about 10 μs is selected as the active period ( printing time ) of the control pulse . in general , the speed of increase of pressure within a hermetically sealed container is proportional to the energy released in the container in a given time , and is inversely proportional to the square root of the internal volume of the sealed container . accordingly , it is possible to adjust the impacting force of the printing pin 1 by means of the released energy determined by the capacity of the resistor 16 and capacitor 15 in the driving circuit 20 as well as the internal volume of the sealed container ( tube 7 ). in addition , the appropriate switching period of the printing pin 1 can be obtained by adjusting the time constants of the resistor 16 and the capacitor 15 . the printing mechanism described above has a high printing speed , consumes little energy , and is compact since the mechanism drives only the light - weight printing pin 1 . fig4 ( a ) and 4 ( b ) illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention . a printing pin 21 is slidably provided inside the guide hole 23 of a front frame 22a . the front end 21a of the printing pin 21 is further held by an end guide 24 . a sector - shaped bore is formed continuously to the guide hole 23 inside the front frame 22a . an elastic container 27 is adhered to the inner wall of the bore . a bellows 27a is formed at the front end of the elastic container 27 , which is inserted into the guide hole 23 . the pressure transmitting medium 8 is filled in the elastic container 27 , and sealed by a rear frame 22b . the rear frame 22b is inserted into the front frame 22a from the rightward direction . in other words , a hermetically sealed space is formed by the elastic container 27 and the recessed surface 22b &# 39 ; of the frame 22b . moreover , a pilot pressure is given to the pressure transmitting medium 8 . the two electrodes 29a and 29b are secured to the rear frame 22b . as the rear frame 22b is inserted into the front frame 22a , the front end portions of the electrodes 29a and 29b are disposed practically in the center of the pressure transmitting medium 8 . incidentally , the electrodes 29a and 29b and the rear frame 22b are electrically insulated . the printing pin 21 is urged rightwardly by a spring 32 . the spring 32 enables the rear end 21b of the printing pin 21 to come into contact with the bellows 27a . in the printing mechanism according to the second embodiment , the length f 2h of the combined frame including the front and rear frames 22a and 22b is 25 . 0 mm , and the width f 2w , 2 . 54 mm . the length p 2l of the printing pin 21 is 6 . 0 mm . the length r 2h of the hermetically sealed space formed by the container 27 and the recessed surface 22b &# 39 ; is 12 . 0 mm , and the maximum diameter r 2v of the hermetically sealed space is 10 . 0 mm . the length b 2h of the bellows 27a at the time of shrinkage is 5 . 0 mm , and the maximum diameter b 2v of the bellows is 3 . 0 mm . the capacity of the hermetically sealed space is about 0 . 13 cm 2 . furthermore , the distance d 2 between the end portions of the electrodes 29a and 29b is set to 0 . 5 mm . the electrodes 29a and 29b are connected to the driving circuit 20 shown in fig3 as the same as the first embodiment . when discharge is caused between the electrodes 29a and 29b , the pressure transmitting medium 8 expands . due to this expansion , the bellows 27a of the elastic container 27 expands leftwardly . accordingly , the bellows 27a presses the rear end 21b of the printing pin 21 , and the printing pin 21 projects leftwardly . the stroke of the printing pin 21 is about 0 . 3 to 0 . 5 mm . when the discharge between the electrodes 29a and 29b stops , the pressure of the container 27 instantly decreases . then , the bellows 27a shrinks to its initial configuration . therefore , the printing pin 21 returns leftwardly by means of the restoring force of spring 32 . similarly to the first embodiment , the printing timing of the printing pin 21 is controlled by a control pulse applied to the terminals 18a and 18b of the driving circuit 20 . in the second embodiment , since the printing mechanism drives only the printing pin 21 , the printing operation can repeatedly be carried out at a high speed using a compact and lightweight mechanism . fig5 ( a ), 5 ( b ), and 5 ( c ) show a third embodiment of the present invention . a printing pin 41 is slidably held in the lateral direction in fig5 ( b ) inside the inner cylinder 43 of a cylindrically - shaped front frame 42a . the front end 41a of the printing pin 41 is further held by a guide 44 . a movable electrode 46 is secured to the rear end 41b of the printing pin 41 via an insulator 45 . the printing pin 41 and the movable electrode 46 slide integrally inside the inner cylinder 43 . the insulator 45 is an epoxy adhesive , and the movable electrode 46 is made of platinum , chromium , or copper . a spring 52 urges the printing pin 41 and the movable electrode 46 leftwardly in fig5 ( b ), and presses the movable electrode 46 to a stopper 47 . an electrode terminal 49a is slidably disposed in a terminal frame 50 and urged downwardly so as to slidingly engage with the movable electrode 46 in the frame 42a . a rear frame 42b is attached to the inside of the rear cylinder of the front frame 42a by means of a screw . a stationary electrode 49b is provided on the central axis of the rear frame 42b . a circumferential groove is formed in the surface of the printing pin 41 , and an o - ring 51 is embedded in the groove as a packing . the o - ring 51 is made of silicone rubber . a hermetically sealed space is formed at a portion sandwiched by the o - ring 51 of the inner cylinder 43 of the front frame 42a and the recessed surface 42b &# 39 ; of the rear frame 42b . the pressure transmitting medium 8 is sealed in the hermetically sealed space . the two electrodes 46 and 49b are opposed to each other along the axis of the frame 42a at a distance d 3 of 0 . 5 mm in the pressure transmitting medium 8 . in the printing mechanism according to the third embodiment , the length f 3h of the combined frame including the frames 42a and 42b is 24 . 0 mm . the outer diameter f 3v of the cylinder is 10 . 0 mm , and the inner diameter r 3v is 8 . 0 mm . additionally , the length s 3h from the front end of the frame 42a to the stopper 47 is 9 . 0 mm . the sum length p 3l of the printing pin 41 and the movable electrode 46 is 15 . 0 mm . the length r 3h of the hermetically sealed space is 12 . 0 mm , and the length r 3h , of its major portion , i . e ., the length from the recessed surface 42b &# 39 ; to the stopper 47 , is 8 . 0 mm . furthermore , the distance d 3 between the ends of the electrodes 46 and 49b is set to 0 . 5 mm . the electrodes 49a and 49b are connected to the driving circuit 20 shown in fig3 the same as the first embodiment . when discharge is caused between the electrodes 46 and 49b , the pressure transmitting medium 8 expands . due to this expansion , the movable electrode 46 and the printing pin 41 accept the driving pressure in the left direction in fig5 ( b ). therefore , the end 41a projects leftwardly . the stroke of the printing pin 41 is about 0 . 3 to 0 . 5 mm . when discharge between the electrode 46 and 49b stops , the internal pressure of the pressure transmitting medium 8 instantly decreases . accordingly , the printing pin 41 and the movable electrode 46 return to their original positions at which the movable electrode 46 comes into contact with the stopper 47 , by means of the restoring force of the spring 52 . as in the first embodiment , the printing timing of the printing pin 41 is determined in correspondence with a control pulse applied to the terminals 18a and 18b of the driving circuit 20 . fig6 ( a ), 6 ( b ), and 6 ( c ) show a fourth embodiment of the present invention . a front frame 62a is cylindrically shaped , and a bearing or bushing portion 63 is formed integrally in the inner wall of the frame 62a . a medium container 67 is fitted into the inside of the rear portion of the frame 62a . the container 67 has a bellows 67a at its front portion . the holding portion 63 slidably supports the bellows 67a . the body portion 67b of the container 67 is fixedly secured to the inner wall of the frame 62a . the container 67 is made of spring steel , phosphor spring bronze , or urethane rubber . a movable electrode 66 is secured to the front end of the bellows 67a by means of an epoxy adhesive 70 , which is an electrically insulating material . the central axis of the movable electrode 66 corresponds to the central axis of the bellows 67a . the movable electrode 66 is formed of platinum , chromium , or copper . a printing pin 61 is secured to the front end of the movable electrode 66 by means of an epoxy adhesive 65 . the printing pin 61 is slidably held by a hard pin guide 64 in the lateral direction in fig6 ( b ). the movable electrode 66 slidably contacts with two terminals 69a at its side surface . moreover , the rear end of the movable electrode 66 extends to the inside of the bellows 67a . a rear frame 62b is inserted into the rear portion of the medium container 67 . the outer periphery of the frame 62b is hermetically secured to the inner wall of the container 67 . the inner side of the container 67 and the recessed surface 62b &# 39 ; of the frame 62b form a hermetically sealed space . the pressure transmitting medium 8 is filled in the hermetically sealed space . a fixed electrode 69b is secured on the central axis of the cylindrically shaped frame 62b . the front end of the stationary electrode 69b is opposed to the rear end of the movable electrode 66 at a distance d 4 of 0 . 5 mm . when the pressure transmitting medium 8 expands , the bellows 67a extends in the left direction in fig6 ( b ). the bellows 67a has such a restoring force as to maintain its internal capacity to a minimum . in the printing mechanism according to the fourth embodiment , the sum length f 4h of the frames 62a and 62b is 20 . 0 mm , and the outside diameter f 4v of the frame 62a is 10 . 0 mm . the axial length r 4h of the hermetically sealed container is 10 . 0 mm . the length b 4h of the bellows 67a is 4 . 0 mm , the outer diameter b 4v of the bellows 67a , 8 . 0 mm ; the maximum inner diameter b 4d of the bellows 67a , 5 . 0 mm , and the minimum inner diameter b 4d , of the bellows 67a , 3 . 0 mm . the axial length p 4l combining the printing pin 61 and the movable electrode 66 is 10 . 0 mm . the electrodes 69a and 69b are connected to the driving circuit 20 shown in fig3 the same as the first embodiment . when discharge is caused between the electrodes 66 and 69b , the pressure transmitting medium 8 expands . due to this expansion , the bellows 67a expands leftwardly in fig6 ( b ). accordingly , the movable electrode 66 and the printing pin 61 project leftwardly . the stroke of the printing pin 61 is 0 . 3 to 0 . 5 mm . when discharge between the electrode 66 and 69b stops , the internal pressure of the pressure transmitting medium 8 instantly decreases accordingly , the printing pin 61 and the movable electrode 66 are returned to their withdrawn positions by means of the restoring force of the bellows 67a . the printing timing of the printing pin 61 is controlled by a control pulse applied to the terminals 18a and 18b of the driving circuit 20 . the printing mechanisms of the present invention can be used as the printing head for a line printer . in this case , a plurality of the printing mechanism are arrayed horizontally . in addition , printing mechanisms employing printing wires can be used instead of the printing pins 1a , 21a , 41a and 61 , and the printing mechanisms can be used as a printing head for a serial printer . fig7 shows an example in which printing mechanisms of the first embodiment are combined to form a printing head for a serial printer . nine printing mechanisms 70 have printing wires 1a &# 39 ; instead of printing pins 1a . the driving mechanisms 70 are provided on the side plate 71 &# 39 ; of a frame 71 and arranged linearly . each driving mechanism 70 is installed such that the printing wire 1a &# 39 ; faces a front guide 72 provided at the front end of the frame 71 . the front guide 72 slidably holds the free ends of the printing wires 1a &# 39 ;. a plurality of the free ends of the printing wires 1a &# 39 ; are arranged in a vertical row with equal spacing on the front guide 72 . an intermediate guide 73 is provided between the driving mechanisms 70 and the front guide 72 , and guides the intermediate portion of the printing wires 1a &# 39 ; toward the front guide 72 . the frame 71 is mounted on a known head carrier and performs dot printing while moving in the line direction of the paper . during printing , a driving current is applied to electrodes 9a and 9b selectively at a predetermined timing . fig8 shows an example in which the printing mechanisms of the third or fourth embodiments shown in fig5 ( a ) or fig6 ( a ) are applied to the printing head of a serial printer . each of a plurality of driving mechanisms 80 has a printing wire 1a &# 34 ; instead of the printing pin 41a or 61 . each driving mechanism 80 is installed on the side plate 81 &# 39 ; of a frame 81 of a circular shape . a front guide 82 is provided at the front end of the frame 81 . the front guide 82 is disposed at a position substantially equally distant from each driving mechanism 80 . each driving mechanism 80 is installed such that the printing wire 1a &# 34 ; faces an intermediate guide 83 . a plurality of printing wires 1a &# 34 ; are arranged in a vertical row with equal spacing in the intermediate guide 83 , and their free ends are slidably held by the front guide 82 . the frame 81 is installed on a known head carrier , and performs dot printing while moving in the line direction of the paper . as described above , the printing mechanism of the present invention drives the printing pins by making use of the expansion of the pressure transmitting medium in the hermetically sealed container . accordingly , a compact and lightweight printing mechanism can be obtained , which can perform high - speed printing . furthermore , the driving energy for the printing mechanism can greatly reduced .	1
embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 shows an otp memory ( nonvolatile semiconductor memory device ) according to a first embodiment of the present invention , using an e - fuse element ( a semiconductor element having a mos structure ) as a storage element . the otp memory can be written with information only once . assume here that the otp memory includes a 1024 - bit ( 32 bits × 32 bits ) cell array . referring to fig1 , the otp memory includes a cell array 10 , a row decoder section 20 serving as a row selection control circuit , a sense / data line control section 30 , a buffer / data register section 40 , an internal potential generation circuit / logic circuit section 50 , a voltage control block 60 for controlling a voltage to be applied to a high voltage generation circuit and each of components of the otp memory , and a test control circuit section 70 serving as first and second activation circuits . in the first embodiment , the sense / data line control section 30 composes a test circuit including a write control circuit and a read control circuit ( read circuit ), both of which will be described later . fig2 shows the principal part of the otp memory shown in fig1 . more specifically , fig2 shows a basic arrangement of the cell array 10 , row decoder section 20 , test control circuit section 70 , write control circuit 80 and read control circuit 90 . these are configured to conduct a test on whether information can be written to / read from unprogrammed e - fuse elements by activating a protection transistor ( protection element ) in test mode . the cell array 10 includes a plurality of storage cells ( storage units ) 11 arranged in matrix ( 32 bits × 32 bits ) as shown in fig2 . each of the storage cells 11 has an e - fuse element 12 with two terminals , a protection transistor ( p - type mos transistor ) 13 for decreasing a voltage ( high electric field ) to be applied to the e - fuse element 12 in unprogrammed state , and an n - type mos transistor 14 serving as a selection transistor ( selection switch ) for controlling a connection between each of the e - fuse element 12 and the protection transistor 13 and a data line dl ( dl & lt ; 31 : 0 & gt ;). the protection transistor 13 is connected in parallel to the e - fuse element 12 and connected in series to the n - type mos transistor 14 . these transistors are driven complementarily to each other . in each of the storage cells 11 , the voltage control block 60 applies a potential vbpdd to one of the terminals ( substrate , source and drain ) of the e - fuse element 12 and one of source and drain terminals of the protection transistor 13 . the other terminal ( gate ) of the e - fuse element is connected to a node between the other terminal of the protection transistor 13 and one of source and drain terminals of the n - type mos transistor 14 . the gate terminal of the n - type mos transistor 14 is connected to its corresponding one of thirty - two word lines ( row selection lines ) wl ( wl & lt ; 31 : 0 & gt ;). the other of the source / drain terminals of the n - type mos transistor 14 is connected to its corresponding one of thirty - two data lines dl that intersect the word lines wl almost at right angles . of the storage cells 11 for 1024 bits arranged in matrix , the storage cells 11 for every 32 bits arranged in row direction are connected to a common word line wl . the word line wl is driven by its corresponding one of row decoder circuits ( selectors ) 21 that make up the row decoder section 20 . if one word line wl is driven by its corresponding row decoder circuit 21 , the storage cells 11 for 32 bits connected to the word line wl are selected at the same time . similarly , the storage cells 11 for every 32 bits arranged in column direction are connected to a common data line dl . the data line dl is controlled by its corresponding write control circuit 80 and read control circuit 90 . if one data line dl is controlled by its corresponding circuits 80 and 90 , a desired storage cell 11 can be selected from the storage cells 11 for 32 bits arranged in row direction . the gate terminal of the protection transistor 13 is connected to its corresponding one of thirty - two protection element driving lines pl ( pl & lt ; 31 : 0 & gt ;) that are arranged along the word lines wl , respectively . of the storage cells 11 for 1024 bits arranged in matrix , the storage cells 11 for every 32 bits arranged in row direction have protection transistors 13 connected to a common protection element driving line pl . the protection element driving line pl is driven by its corresponding one of selection driving circuits 71 . the circuits 71 make up the test control circuit section 70 and each have an and circuit . a normal operation signal line al for supplying a normal operation signal is connected to one of input terminals of each of the selection driving circuits 71 . one of word lines wl is connected to the other input terminal of each of the selection driving circuits 71 . in normal operation mode such as information write ( programming ) mode and information read ( reading ) mode , the above normal operation signal is activated and so is a protection element driving line pl corresponding to the selected ( activated ) word line wl by the corresponding selection driving circuit 71 . thus , the protection transistors 13 of the storage cells 11 for 32 bits connected to the same protection element driving line pl are all inactivated . in normal operation mode , the protection element driving lines pl corresponding to word lines wl not selected ( activated ) are inactivated by their respective selection driving circuits 71 . thus , the protection transistors 13 of the storage cells 11 for 32 bits connected to the same protection element driving line pl are all activated . in other words , the protection transistors 13 are activated in the storage cells 11 whose word line wl is inactive . as described above , the source and drain terminals of each of the protection transistors 13 are connected between one terminal ( substrate , source and drain ) of the e - fuse element 12 and the other terminal ( gate ). if , therefore , the protection transistor 13 is activated , both the terminals of the e - fuse element 12 in a non - selected storage cell are short - circuited and the voltage to be applied to the e - fuse element 12 is decreased . when a storage cell 11 is not selected ( e . g ., test mode ), or when no information is written or read , the above normal operation signal is inactivated upon receipt of a test signal test from an external tester , an internal controller ( not shown ) and the like . then , all the protection element driving lines pl are inactivated by their respective selection driving circuits 71 . accordingly , the protection transistors 13 are activated at the same time . when the normal operation signal is active , the protection element driving line pl and word line wl corresponding to each of the row decoder circuits 21 are driven . when a storage cell 11 is selected , its corresponding protection transistor 13 is always inactivated . on the other hand , when the storage cell 11 is not selected , the protection transistor 13 is always activated . this configuration can inhibit a high voltage from being applied to the nonselected ( unprogrammed ) e - fuse element 12 in write mode . it is thus possible to suppress a reduction in the amount of information of the e - fuse element 12 , which is caused by coupling due to parasitic capacitance . when the normal operation signal is inactive ( e . g ., a test signal test is input ), the protection transistor 13 is always activated . when the protection transistor 13 is active , both the terminals of the e - fuse element 12 are short - circuited , and a potential vbpdd is applied to the other terminal ( gate ) of the e - fuse element 12 . this can be considered to be a situation in which the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element 12 is broken ( the e - fuse element 12 is programmed ). for this reason , when the protection transistor 13 is active , a test on whether information can be read from the e - fuse element 12 can be conducted before the information is written thereto , if a power supply voltage vbt ( an intermediate potential of the word line wl in data read mode ) is applied to the gate terminal of the n - type mos transistor 14 in the selected storage cell 11 . similarly , when the protection transistor 13 is active , a test on whether information can be written to the e - fuse element 12 can be conducted before the information is written thereto , if a potential vbpdd is set at a high potential vbp ( a high voltage that exceeds the maximum rating of the e - fuse element 12 ) in the selected storage cell 11 . the row decoder section 20 includes a plurality of row decoder circuits 21 ( thirty - two row decoder circuits in the first embodiment ). the row decoder circuits 21 are provided for their respective word lines wl . a plurality of ( at least four ) row address lines ll are connected to each of the row decoder circuits 21 . each of the row decoder circuits 21 drives its corresponding word line wl in response to a row address signal add & lt ; 4 : 0 & gt ; that is supplied through the row address lines ll . the voltage control block 60 applies a potential vbpbt to the row decoder section 20 , as shown in fig1 . the sense and data line control section 30 is made up chiefly of the write control circuit 80 and the read control circuit 90 . these circuits 80 and 90 are provided for each of data lines dl , as shown in fig2 . the read control circuit 90 is a sense amplifier ( sa ) that senses information ( e . g ., voltage value ) read onto the data line dl from the storage cells 11 by comparing it with a reference value ref generated from a reference potential generation circuit 91 . the write control circuit 80 precharges the data line dl and programs a desired storage cell 1 with information ( applies a stress ). when write data of data input signal di is “ 1 ,” the write control circuit 80 controls its corresponding data line dl such that its voltage becomes low . of the data lines dl precharged with a high voltage , data lines connected to storage cells 11 that are to be written with data “ 1 ” are discharged at once . information can thus be written at once to the storage cells 11 for 32 bits arranged in row direction . the buffer and data register section 40 is used to transfer data between an external device and each of the sense / data line control section 30 and the internal potential generation circuit / logic circuit section 50 . as shown in fig1 , the section 40 controls data input signal di & lt ; 31 : 0 & gt ; and data output signal do & lt ; 31 : 0 & gt ;. as illustrated in fig1 , the internal potential generation circuit / logic circuit section 50 receives various control signals from a controller ( not shown ) to generate a new control signal and an internal potential used for controlling the read control circuit 90 . as illustrated in fig1 , the voltage control block 60 includes a power supply circuit that generates and supplies a potential vbpdd and a potential vbpbt . the voltage control block 60 controls the potential vbpdd such that it is set at a potential vbp ( a high voltage that exceeds the maximum rating of the e - fuse element 12 ) in programming mode , it is set at a power supply voltage vdd in data read mode , and it is set at 0v in standby mode . the voltage control block 60 also controls the potential vbpbt such that it is set at a potential vbp ( a high voltage that exceeds the maximum rating of the e - fuse element 12 ) in programming mode , it is set at a power supply voltage vbt in data read mode ( an intermediate potential of the word line wl in read mode ), and it is set at 0v in standby mode . in the first embodiment , the potential vbpdd is applied to all the storage cells 11 in programming mode and thus the high potential vbp is also applied to a non - selected storage cell 11 that is not to be programmed . however , the activation of the protection transistor 13 prevents the high potential vbp from being applied to both terminals of the e - fuse element 12 in the non - selected storage cell 11 . when the protection transistor 13 is active , a data read operation is performed to conduct a pseudo - test on the same condition of the unprogrammed e - fuse element 12 as that of the element 12 that has been programmed . if the protection transistor 13 is activated , information different from information actually stored in the e - fuse element 12 can be read out as if the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element 12 were broken . it is thus possible to conduct a test on whether information can be written to or read from the e - fuse element 12 without actually writing the information to the e - fuse element 12 . fig3 shows operation timing of the otp memory described above . the data write operation ( programming operation ) of the otp memory will be described briefly with reference to fig3 . in the otp memory , a power supply system ( not shown ) supplies at least three power supply voltages : a power supply voltage vdd of a logic circuit or the like , an intermediate potential vbt used for controlling the word line wl to transfer information of the e - fuse element 12 with efficiency in data read mode , and a high potential vbp for breaking the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element 12 . when the e - fuse element 12 is programmed , a normal operation signal to be supplied to the normal operation signal line al is activated as shown in fig3 . then , the word line wl and data line dl corresponding to a storage cell 11 to which information is written are activated . in other words , one word line wl corresponding to an externally input row address signal add & lt ; 4 : 0 & gt ; is driven by its corresponding row decoder circuit 21 . as the word line wl is activated , its corresponding protection element driving line pl is activated by the selection driving circuit 71 . all the protection transistors 13 connected to the same protection element driving line pl are therefore inactivated when the e - fuse element 12 is programmed . if , in this state , a high potential vbp is applied to the selected storage cell 11 to break the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element 12 , information is written thereto . since the protection transistors 13 of non - selected storage cells 11 are activated , the voltage to be applied to the non - selected e - fuse elements 12 can be decreased . similarly , an intermediate potential vbt is applied to a selected storage cell 11 in read mode to read information . fig4 shows the operation timing of the otp memory described above . a test on whether data can be read from / written to the unprogrammed e - fuse element will be described briefly with reference to fig4 . for example , when a test on whether data can correctly be read from the unprogrammed e - fuse element without actually writing information thereto is conducted , the normal operation signal of a normal operation signal line al is inactivated upon receipt of a test signal test . thus , all the protection element driving lines pl are inactivated irrespective of the state of the corresponding word line wl . accordingly , all the protection transistors 13 connected to the protection element driving lines pl are activated . if a normal read operation is performed in the above state , a selected storage cell 11 supplies a data line dl with information other than the actually stored information . in other words , an output signal ( e . g ., a high voltage or a large current corresponding to the intermediate potential vbt ) is supplied to the data line dl as if the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element 12 were broken . if , therefore , the output signal is captured through , e . g ., the read control circuit 90 , the controller can conduct a pseudo test on whether information can be read out of the unprogrammed e - fuse element 12 . similarly , when a test on whether information can be written correctly to the unprogrammed e - fuse element without actually writing the information thereto is conducted , a normal program is executed while all the protection transistors 13 are active . a selected storage cell 11 supplies a data line dl with information other than the actually stored information . in other words , an output signal ( e . g ., a high voltage or a large current corresponding to the high potential vbp ) is supplied to the data line dl as if the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element 12 were broken . if , therefore , the output signal is captured through , e . g ., the read control circuit 90 , the controller can conduct a pseudo test on whether data can be written to the unprogrammed e - fuse element 12 . when the protection transistor 13 is active , an output signal appearing on a data line dl is detected ( to discriminate between 0 and 1 ). in data read test mode , a pseudo test on whether information can be read out of the e - fuse element 12 can be conducted in accordance with whether a voltage vbt necessary for reading the information is applied to the unprogrammed e - fuse element 12 . similarly , in data write test mode , a pseudo test on whether information can be written the e - fuse element 12 can be conducted in accordance with whether a voltage vbp necessary for writing the information is applied to the unprogrammed e - fuse element 12 . as described above , a signal can be output from the unprogrammed e - fuse element as if the gate insulating film of the e - fuse element were broken . in other words , in test mode , a signal is output from a storage cell when a voltage corresponding to reading is applied to the e - fuse element or when a voltage corresponding to writing is applied to the e - fuse element . information other than information actually stored in the unprogrammed e - fuse element can be read out . a pseudo test on whether information can be written to and read from the e - fuse element without actually writing information to the e - fuse element can easily be conducted . fig5 shows the principal part of an otp memory ( nonvolatile semiconductor memory device ) according to a second embodiment of the present invention , which uses an e - fuse element as a storage element . in this otp memory , the operating point ( reference value ref serving as a threshold value ) of a sense amplifier in a read control circuit 90 can be changed . the same components as those of fig2 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their detailed descriptions are omitted . according to the second embodiment , three or more resistance elements are connected in series to form a reference potential generation circuit ( threshold value generation circuit ) 92 , as shown in fig5 . the reference potential generation circuit 92 has two or more different set values . one of the set values is selected by a selection switch 93 . the selection switch 93 is controlled in accordance with the status of a normal operation signal in a normal operation signal line al . when the normal operation signal is active , the selection switch 93 selects a first set value obtained by dividing a power supply voltage vdd . the selected first set value is supplied to the read control circuit 90 as a reference value ref . in normal read mode , therefore , a sense operation is performed using the first set value as the reference value ref ( to discriminate between 0 and 1 ). when the normal operation signal is inactive , the selection switch 93 selects a second set value other than the first set value . the second set value , which is obtained by dividing the power supply voltage vdd , is selected in response to a test signal test supplied to the normal operation signal line al . in test mode , therefore , a sense operation is performed using the second set value as the reference value ref ( to discriminate between 0 and 1 ). according to the second embodiment described above , in test mode , not only tests on whether data can be read from and written to the unprogrammed e - fuse element 12 are conducted , but also a threshold value serving as a reference value to discriminate between 0 and 1 can be changed . it is thus possible to conduct these tests at different request levels . if the second set value is larger than the first set value , a criterion for discrimination becomes strict and thus a test that satisfies a high - level request can be conducted . on the other hand , if the second set value is smaller than the first set value , the criterion is reduced and thus a test that satisfies a low - level request can be conducted . in both the first and second embodiments described above , an e - fuse element of a conductive film breakdown type as well as an insulating film breakdown type can be used as a storage element that is programmed with information by varying electrical properties irreversibly . additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents .	6
referring now to the drawing , wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate like parts , and more particularly to fig1 - 3 , the so - called closed or endless clamp generally designated by reference numeral 10 which is made from tubular stock realized by any known manufacturing method , includes two plastically deformed so - called “ oetiker ” ears generally designated by reference numeral 13 which are disposed mutually opposite in the ring 11 . each plastically deformable ear 13 includes two outwardly extending leg portions 14 and 15 interconnected by a bridging portion 16 , preferably provided with a reinforcement 17 of any known construction , for tightening the hose 3 onto a nipple 4 by plastic deformation of the ears with the assistance of a pincer - like tightening tool generally designated by reference numeral 20 and provided with jaw - like members adapted to engage in the area of the connection between the ring 11 and the outwardly extending leg portions 14 and 15 , as known in the art . to minimize improper application of the tightening tool 20 , the clamp 10 according to the present invention ( fig2 ) is provided with ridge - like , deep - drawn projections or embossments 30 of more or less conical shape forming male guide profiles and schematically shown in fig2 and 3 which can be realized by deep - drawing . the jaw - like members 21 , in turn , are provided with complementary notch - like cutouts 22 forming female guide profiles whereby the depth h 1 ( fig3 ) of the cutouts 22 is greater than the projecting height h 2 of the projecting male guide profiles 30 in order to avoid a wedging action that might occur when compressive forces are applied to the tip of the projection or embossment 30 during application of the jaw members 21 in the course of tightening of the ear . though the arrangement of the guide profiles of fig2 and 3 are quite feasible , they may entail certain disadvantages as a result of the strengthening of the clamp material by the pressed - out male guide projections 30 in the areas of the connections between the clamping ring and the leg portions 14 and 15 , possibly also affecting the force requirements to plastically deform the ear and the elastic breathing capabilities of the clamp . these disadvantages are avoided in the preferred embodiment of this invention illustrated in fig4 through 8 . fig4 thereby illustrates a typical open clamp made from band material as illustrated in fig1 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 299 , 012 to hans oetiker and as more fully described therein . the clamp of fig4 again includes a clamping band 11 as well as a so - called “ oetiker ” ear generally designated by reference numeral 13 that consists of outwardly extending leg portions 14 and 15 interconnected by a bridging portion 16 provided with a reinforcing groove or depression 17 . the mechanical connection may include in this type of clamp a so - called guide hook 31 and two cold - deformed deep - drawn support hooks 32 adapted to engage in openings 35 . to assure an inner clamping surface devoid of steps or gaps , the inner clamping band portion 11 b has a tongue - like extension 61 adapted to extend through an opening in the step - like portion 67 formed in the outer clamping band portion 11 a . when the mechanical connection 31 , 32 is engaged in apertures 35 and before the ear 13 is plastically deformed , the inner band portion 11 b extends with its full band width underneath the ear to bridge the gap . according to the present invention , the inner band portion 11 b is provided with a male guide profile 19 in the form of a deep - drawn ridge - like projection or embossment adapted to extend through slot - like openings 12 in outer band portion 11 a on both sides of the leg portions 14 and 15 . the inner ends of the leg portions 14 and 15 are also provided with small cutouts complementary to the male guide profile 19 , whereby the male guide profile 19 preferably extends in the inner band portion continuously from the left beginning thereof in fig4 to the right end . as the inner band portion 11 b is fixed relative to the outer band portion 11 a by the mechanical connection 31 , 32 , 35 , the male guide profile 19 and the slot - like opening 12 only need to extend a short distance to the left of the leg portion 14 of the ear . on the other hand , the slot - like opening 12 to the right of leg portion 15 has to be of sufficient length to permit the male guide profile 19 to slide therethrough until the deformation of the ear reaches its maximum , i . e ., the inner ends of the leg portions 14 and come into contact with one another . the jaw - like members of the tightening tool ( not shown in fig4 - 8 ) are again provided with female guide profiles formed by notch - like cutouts of complementary shape as disclosed in connection with fig3 bearing in mind what was said as regards the dimensions in the embodiment of fig2 and 3 . fig9 illustrates the application of the present invention to a clamp which utilizes a tightening tool with modified jaw - like members 121 having a substantially flat bottom portion as schematically shown in fig9 . the substantially flat bottom portions of the jaw - like members 121 are then provided with notch - like cutouts 130 at the underside thereof which are shaped to engage with the male guide profiles as disclosed in connection with the other embodiments illustrated herein . with a tightening tool of fig9 the male guide profiles may be somewhat extended in length , which in case of the embodiment of fig4 through 8 will also require a lengthening of the slot - like openings . the jaw - like members 12 of fig9 may be modified to suit the requirements of any particular application whereby , for example , the length of the more or less flat bottom portion may be adapted to particular clamp sizes , for instance , by the use of interchangeable jaw members adapted to be selectively installed in pneumatic or hydraulic tightening tools . while i have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention , it is understood that the same is not limited to the details shown and described herein but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications a known to those skilled in the art . for example , the particular shape and dimensions of the male and female guide parts may be modified to adapt to particular conditions of the band material and / or tightening tools . the slot - like openings 12 may also be straight in cross section ( fig1 ) instead of converging in the upward direction ( fig6 ) in which case the male guide profiles may have a rectilinear portion terminating in a suitably tapering profile with the notch - like cutouts of complementary shape . furthermore , the overlapping outer band portion 11 a alone may also be provided with male profiles 30 ′ ( fig1 ) in lieu of openings 12 and in lieu of the guide profile 19 in the inner clamping band portion . however , in that case , there will be no lateral guidance between the inner and outer band portions 11 b and 11 a which would preclude the inner band portion 11 b from sliding laterally relative to the outer band portion 11 a , especially in the area of overlap . to remedy this shortcoming , the inner band portion 11 b may then also be provided with a male profile 19 ′ of a shape complementary to the internal contours of the male profile 30 ′ so that mutual lateral guidance can then be achieved by engagement of the male guide profile 19 ′ of the inner clamping band portion 11 b from below into the pressed - out male guide profile of the outer clamping band portion 11 a . an additional advantage of the male guide profiles in accordance with this invention resides in the automation possibility with the use of these guide profiles in the clamps to adjust a robot arm carrying the tightening tool by an optical imaging device of conventional construction optically determining coincidence with or deviation of the male guide profile from a predetermined position with a matrix whereby the male profile can also be made more visible by any conventional means such as appropriate lighting and / or painting . the adjustment of the position of the robot arm can be realized by electromechanical , electropneumatic or electrohydraulic means of any conventional type so as to eliminate any non - coincidence of the line formed by the male guide profile with a predetermined line in the matrix , as is conventional with such types of automatic positioning devices . thus , the present invention is capable of numerous modifications as known to those skilled in the art , and i therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims .	8
referring again to the drawings , there is shown in fig1 the forward end of a motorcycle , generally designated as 10 , having a forward wheel 12 secured within a fork 14 , carrying a pair of springs 16 . an upper portion 18 of the fork is secured to the body 20 of the motorcycle so as to be rotatable for steering . secured to the upper end of the fork is an upper fork plate 22 , rotatable with the fork and serves as a handlebar supporting means so that rotation of a handlebar , as 26 , and the plate 22 causes turning of the wheel 12 . secured to the plate 22 is a handlebar mounting means , generally designated as 24 , and by which the handlebar 26 is joined to the plate 22 . forwardly of the plate 22 and independently secured to the motorcycle fork in an instrument mounting casing 28 which carries a speedometer 30 and a tachometer 32 . the handlebar mounting means 24 , as shown in exploded view in fig4 is comprised of two parallel laterally spaced generally upright side plates 34 and 36 having forward lower surfaces 38 and 40 , respectively , abutting the plate 22 , as shown in fig1 and 3 , being secured thereto by bolts 42 . the plates are relieved rearwardly from surfaces 38 and 40 to form tapering undersurfaces 44 and 46 , respectively . above the tapering surfaces , adjacent the rearward end of the plates , are semicylindrical cutaway portions 50 and 52 adapted to receive the lower half of the handlbar . removably securable to the upper rear portion of the plates are handlebar clamping members 54 and 56 , having semicylindrical portions 58 and 60 , respectively , complementary with the portions 50 and 52 for securing the handlebar to the plates 34 and 36 by means of allen screws 62 . forwardly of the members 54 and 56 and at a lower level on the plates 34 and 36 are upper forward flat surfaces 64 and 66 to which a substantially rectangular dashboard plate 68 is secured by cap screws 70 . the dashboard 68 has openings 72 , 74 and 76 which , as shown in fig2 are adapted to receive fuse holders 78 and a lighter 80 . the rearward end of the plate has a cutaway portion 82 which is adapted to accommodate a stem 84 of a dampener knob 86 . the dampener knob is secured to the fork and is used for steering adjustments . other fittings , such as switches and map lights , may be also fitted on the dashboard . for installation of the handlebar mounting device 24 it is necessary to remove the original handlebar mounting means which typically position the handlebar directly above the fork plate . after the handlebar has thus been removed , the plates 34 and 36 are secured to the fork plate 22 and the handlebar is secured in the semicylindrical portions 50 , 52 , 58 and 60 . the fuses , for example , are removed from their usual position and the wires are soldered and extended so that the fuse holders may be secured to the dashboard . in a similar manner , the wire to the lighter may be attached to the dashboard . from the foregoing it may be clearly seen that the handlebar is moved rearwardly and upwardly from its usual position just above the plate 22 and is secured in a rigid device which permits a full turning of the handlebar without the handlebar , mirrors attached thereto , or the handlebar mounting means 24 making contact with the motorcycle fairing or any other parts of the motorcycle body and so as to provide a comfortable gripping position for the rider . the invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form , construction and arrangements of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing its material advantages , the arrangements hereinbefore described being merely by way of example . i do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except as defined in the accompanying claims , wherein various portions have been separated for clarity of reading and not for emphasis .	1
detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein . it is to be understood , however , that the present invention may be embodied in various forms . therefore , specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system , structure or manner . a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in fig1 where the threaded push button 145 of a machine 100 also has a matching threaded ring 130 placed on this threaded push button 145 forming an adjustable stop 135 . the threaded ring 130 and the threaded push button 145 together comprise an adjustable apparatus . the threaded ring 130 can be rotated around the threaded push button 145 moving up and down the threaded push button 145 and thereby limiting the motion of the threaded push button 145 . as the threaded push button 145 is pushed downward using the top 110 it pushes down a moveable cutting die 140 with a cutting surface 142 designed to cut a particular pattern into a sheet of material held in the slot 181 . the cutting surface 142 is at an angle to the sheet of material to make a sharp and uniform cut through that sheet of material . the hole 185 at the lower portion 180 of the machine 100 matches the particular pattern of the moveable cutting die 140 which also assists in making a sharp and uniform cut . because of the angles formed on the cutting surface 142 of the moveable cutting die 140 and the ability to use the threaded ring 130 to limit the motion of the push button 145 , it is possible to have the machine 100 only cut out a portion of the particular pattern designed into the cutting surface 142 of the moveable cutting die 140 . this leaves the sheet of material pierced with a part of the particular pattern of the cutting surface 142 of the moveable cutting die 140 . for example , if the particular pattern was a flower , then the sheet of material might have only the petals of that flower design cut into that sheet of material . the threaded adjustable ring 130 and the threaded push button 145 are manufactured so that the threaded adjustable ring 130 can be placed in a position so that the complete particular pattern can be fully punched out of the sheet of material if so desired . in the view shown in fig1 can be seen more detail of the construction where a spring 141 is used to return the moveable threaded push button 145 to the original starting position following the piercing or punching of a sheet of material . once that sheet of material is processed as desired , then it can be removed from the slot 181 by rotating the base 180 of the machine 100 using the hinge 170 thereby freeing up the sheet of material for easy removal . the slot 181 is designed to accept a variety of thickness of sheets of material while the cutting surface 142 of moveable cutting die 140 is designed to cut a variety of materials . the upper portion 160 and the lower portion 180 hold and align the moveable cutting die 140 and the matching hole 185 and form a frame . a housing 150 completes the machine 100 and secures the threaded push button 145 against the action of the spring 141 . it can be noted in fig1 that the cutting surface 142 is manufactured with that cutting surface 142 at an angle to the sheet of material being processed . this feature is common to all such machines and is similar in operation to the angled cutting action seen in a pair of scissors as they are used to cut . the cutting surface 142 can be formed in a straight line at an angle to the sheet of material or as a curved surface at an angle to the sheet of material . the hole 185 in the lower portion 180 as illustrated in fig1 is also critical to a smooth and sharp cut . that hole 185 must duplicate the pattern in the moveable cutting die 140 so that the cutting die 140 fits precisely into the hole 185 thereby providing the necessary shearing action like a pair of scissors . in operation a sheet of material is placed in the machine 100 and the top 110 of the threaded push button 145 depressed with the threaded ring 130 at its highest point on the threaded push button 145 . the amount of the machine 100 pattern cut into that sheet of material is monitored by slowly pushing down on the threaded push button 145 until the desired cut in that sheet of material is achieved . then the threaded ring 130 is turned down along the threaded push button 145 until it stops any further downward motion of that push button 145 . it may take several iterations until the desired effect is achieved by the user . once that final adjustment is made with the threaded ring 130 , then other sheets of material can be processed by the machine 100 . at any time , the threaded ring 130 can be moved to another position and a different amount of the pattern of the machine 100 cut into a sheet of material . once a cut has been made , it is necessary to remove or move the sheet of material for another cut . since the sheet of material may be only partially cut , removal is difficult with the cut portions of the sheet of material caught up in the hole . one solution as shown in fig1 is a hinge 170 that can release the lower portion 180 of the machine 100 thereby making removal of the sheet of material easy . another embodiment would be to make the base capable of being snapped apart to ease the removal of that sheet of material . still another option would be no hinge 170 or no ability to snap apart the machine 100 . then the user would carefully push down on the cut portion of the sheet of material and then remove it from the machine 100 . [ 0037 ] fig2 shows an external view of the machine 100 where the key feature of the threaded push button 145 and the matching threaded ring 130 can be easily seen and compared with prior art paper punches which do not have such features . as prior art punches have been developed and gotten bigger , the craft industry has developed aids to make it easier to use such punches . these aids are important for large punches or for punching stronger sheets of material . such aids consist of an assembly where the punch is placed inside and the assembly has a long base and a long moveable arm which the user uses to push down on the push button of a prior art punch . the long arm increases leverage and makes the prior art punch easier to use . fig3 illustrates the concept of this invention applied to such an aid where an adjustable threaded element 310 is added to the aid 300 which has corresponding threads manufactured into that aid 300 thereby forming an adjustable apparatus . this machine 300 allows for conventional prior art punches to have an adjustable feature . in use the prior art punch is placed in the machine 300 and the moveable arm 320 pushed down on the prior art punch . the adjustable threaded element is then turned to form a stop to the motion of the moveable arm 310 thereby controlling the motion of the prior art punch and establishing the adjustable feature of his invention . [ 0039 ] fig4 shows another embodiment of the invention where a second slot 481 below the first slot 181 has been added to the machine 100 shown in fig1 along with a second lower portion 480 below the first lower portion 180 and a second hole 485 below the first hole 185 thereby forming a new machine 400 . with this configuration , the first slot 181 can be used to hold a sheet of material where the pattern of the machine 400 is completely punched out while the second slot 481 is used to hold a sheet of material where the pattern is only partially punched and the machine 400 is used as described above in the operation of machine 100 with all of the features and options previously described . as the field of paper punches has evolved , a new style of punch has been developed . this style is shown in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 749 , 278 . this punch uses a thumb actuated lever to create the action of the punch . the adjustable apparatus of the invention can be seen in fig4 where a threaded element 530 has been incorporated into a thumb actuated punch thereby forming machine 500 . a matching threaded portion 535 is incorporated into the housing 550 where the threads of that portion 535 match to those of threaded element 530 and thereby form the adjustable apparatus of the invention . in use a sheet of material is placed in the slot 581 and the lever 520 pushed down to actuate the punch . the threaded element 530 is then turned either up or down to form a stop to the action of the punch and cut the desired pattern into the sheet of material . as shown in fig5 a hinge 570 is incorporated into machine 600 to allow for the lower portion 580 to be moved away from the housing 550 . this then makes removal of the sheet of material easier . as an option the punch could be manufactured with a snap apart lower portion 580 or with that lower portion 580 fixed to the housing 550 . [ 0041 ] fig6 shows another view of the invention where a threaded part 560 is added as a retrofit to a previously manufactured thumb actuated punch . the operation of the machine 500 is otherwise identical to that described above . [ 0042 ] fig7 shows another embodiment of the invention where the adjustable element 730 is incorporated into a punch where a sheet of material is placed into slot 750 and the upper handle 720 and the lower handle 725 are squeezed together rotating around hinge 770 pushing the cutting die 785 through a matching hole in the center support 790 and on through the sheet of material and a corresponding hole in the lower portion 780 . the adjustable element 730 is turned up or down to form the desired pattern in the sheet of material . that adjustable element 730 moves through a hole in the center support 790 when the upper handle 720 and lower handle 725 are squeezed and stops when it contacts the lower portion 780 . the adjustable element 730 and the lower portion 780 form the adjustable apparatus of this invention . while the figures have shown threaded elements to form the adjustable stops of this invention , there are other possible ways to form such stops as would be obvious to anyone skilled in the art . this could include items such as shims of various thickness which would be particularly appropriate for the thumb actuated punches . while the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment , it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth , but on the contrary , it is intended to cover such alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of th invention as defined by the appended claims .	1
reference is first made to fig2 wherein a device for reading a sound waveform in a musical tone generator , generally indicated at 100 and constructed in accordance with the invention , is provided . deice 100 includes a programmable counter 101 for variably dividing an input clock signal having a predetermined frequency f 0 . a scale rom 104 contains a plurality of frequency dividing ratios which are selected in accordance with an input signal s causing scale rom 104 to output a frequency dividing ratio to programmable counter 101 . programmable counter 101 divides frequency f o and outputs a frequency f a based upon a frequency dividing ratio input from scale rom 104 . a duty generator 102 provides an output to waveform rom 105 and to a phase generator 103 . phase generator 103 also provides an output to scale rom 104 . a waveform is stored in digital form as n data points in a waveform rom 105 . the sound waveform is read from waveform rom 105 in accordance with read out signal input from duty generator 102 and phase generator 103 . the read out digital waveform is input to a d / a convertor 106 where an output analog signal is later converted into a sound . the frequency f a is n times as large as a frequency of musical note . sound waveform data as illustrated in fig3 is stored in both waveform rom 105 of fig2 and waveform rom 204 of fig1 . generally , waveform rom 105 is accessed at a predetermined frequency in response to the output of programmable counter 101 . however , in device 100 of fig2 the output of scale rom 104 may be changed at the kth count output during the waveform period , while the waveform is being accessed , thereby instantly changing the frequency dividing ratio . k is represented by the following relationship : wherein n is the last count value output by programmable counter 101 within one period of the sound waveform being read out . therefore , the frequency at which the sound waveform is stored in waveform rom 105 may be changed at any point within the reading out of the waveform . this arises because the pulses of f a are instantly converted into pulses having a different period . if waveform rom 105 is accessed with this new pulse , and that sound waveform is subjected to digital to analog conversion by d / a convertor 106 , it becomes possible for a listener to hear the intended sound as if it had a different frequency . the waveform shown in fig3 also corresponds to the waveform as produced by d / a converter 205 of musical tone generator 200 . this waveform occurs when the sound waveform stored in waveform rom 204 is read out in accordance with the division ratio output by scale rom 203 when scale rom 203 receives the input signal s . in this waveform , by way of example , it is assumed that f a /= 1 , 024hz and n = 32 . the period t for reading out one waveform equalling n / f a is itsequal to 0 . 976563ms . in comparison , the waveform of fig4 represents the output of the wound waveform of fig3 read out from waveform rom 105 of device 100 . fig4 also represents the output of d / a convertor 106 in accordance with the method described below . the seventh and fifteenth period segments are made shorter than the remaining period segments by 1f o ( f o equals 262 , 144hz . the frequency of the musical tone in the waveform of fig3 is 1 / 0 . 976563ms = 1 , 024hz . in comparison , the frequency of the musical tone of the waveform in fig4 that is f a / n , is 1 / 0 . 968933ms = 1 , 032hz . the difference between the frequency of the two waveforms is 8hz corresponding to approximately 0 . 8 % of 1 , 024hz . accordingly , in this example , the frequency is elongated by + 0 . 8 %. however , if the seventh and fifteenth period intervals are elongated by 1 / f o , the musical tone frequency becomes 1 , 016hz . if the 1 . 032hz frequency musical tone and the 1 , 016hz frequency musical tone are adjusted by a frequency of several hz to 10hz the output musical tone sounds as if vibratos have been applied to a 1 , 024hz musical tone . reference is now made to fig5 wherein a circuit diagram of programmable counter 101 is provided . not gate ( inverter ) 501 receives the predetermined frequency signal f o and provides an output to a first flip flop ff1 as the flip flop clock input . flip flop ff1 receives an s ( set ) input from a nand gate 506 and provides an output to a second flip flop ff2 as the c ( clock ) input . flip flop ff2 receives a set input from a nand gate 507 and provides a clock input to a third flip flop ff3 . flip flop ff3 receives a set input from a nand gate 508 and provides a q output to a nand gate 502 . nand gate 502 also receives q outputs from flip flops ff1 , ff2 and provides an inverted input to inverter 503 . inverter 503 provides an output ah which is received by a nor gate 504 . nor gate 504 provides an output axh which is input to a second nor gate 505 which in turn provides an input to nor gate 504 , nor gates 504 and 505 defining a latch . the second input to nor gate 505 is f o . the q outputs of flip flops ff1 and ff2 are connected respectively to the clock inputs of flip flops ff2 and ff3 . a fourth flip flop ff4 receives the axh signal as its d input and the predetermined frequency signal f o as a clock input and produces a q output which is applied to a fifth flip flop ff5 as the d input . flip flop ff5 also receives the frequency signal f o as a clock input and provides a q output which is the d input for a sixth flip flop ff6 . ff6 provides an m output to or gate 510 . or gate 510 also receives an inverted input from the m output of an inverted input of flip flop ff5 and provides an output to a nor gate 511 which outputs a signal rr . nor gate 511 receives a second input from or gate 509 which receives m and q outputs from flip flop ff4 and the m output of ff5 as inverted inputs . flip flops ff4 , ff5 and ff6 receive a reset input at their respective s ( set ) inputs . the signal rr is applied as an r ( reset ) input to flip flops ff1 , ff2 and ff3 . an or gate 512 receives the q output from flip flop ff6 and signal rr as inverted inputs and produces a signal ssm which is input to nand gates 506 , 507 and 509 . nand gate 506 also receives as an input the signal scm6 , nand gate 507 receives as an input the signal scm5 and nand gate 508 receives as an input the signal scm4 . the input frequency signal f o is set at 262 , 144hz . signals scm4 through scm6 to data output by scale rom 104 , as shown in fig1 , with inverted phases . the frequency dividing ratio of scale rom 104 is determined by the values of scm4 , scm5 , scm6 as shown in fig6 . for example , when each of the values is equal to 1 the frequency dividing ratio output by scale rom 104 is 10 and when the value of each of the outputs is 0 the frequency dividing ratio is 3 . accordingly , by changing these signals the frequency dividing ratio output by the by scale rom 104 may be changed at time intervals within the waveform period to effect frequency fine adjustment in accordance with the invention . reference is made to fig7 wherein a timing chart for programmable counter 101 is provided . by way of example , scm4 scm5 , scm6 have respective values ( 1 , 0 , 1 ), i . e . ( scm4 , scm5 , scm6 ) have values ( 0 , 1 , 0 ). flip flops ff1 - 3 form an up counter and their respective q terminal outputs change sequentially from ( 0 , 1 , 0 ), ( 1 , 1 , 0 ), ( 0 , 0 , 1 ), ( 1 , 0 , 1 ), ( 0 , 1 , 1 ) to ( 1 , 1 , 1 ). when all three respective q terminals become 1 nor gate 503 outputs a spike so that a latch circuit consisting of nor gates 504 , 505 form a pulse axh . the axh signal is delayed by flip flops ff4 - 6 , nand gates 509 , 510 and nor gate 511 to create a pulse rr corresponding to three clock pulses of f o . additionally , the ssm signal output by nor gate 512 maintains a high output ( h ) for a period corresponding to 3 . 5 clock pulses of f o . when the ssm signal is low ( l ) a mos transistor connected to a power source v ss of scale rom 104 ( fig1 ) is turned off . the mos transistor is intermittently turned off to reduce power consumption to a low level to maintain a continuous current flow to scale rom 104 . on the other hand , scale rom 104 may be constantly operated , which would allow for the elimination of flip flops ff4 - 6 . flip flops ff1 - 3 are reset when signal rr has a low level ( l ). counting resumes when rr becomes high ( h ). during an initial period as shown in fig7 the operating period to complete counting by flip flops ff1 - 3 corresponds to eight clock pulses of the input frequency fe o . one ssm signal is generated during this period . during this first period , the frequency is divided into eight equal time intervals within the period . because the period of rr corresponds to eight clock pulses of f o , the period of rr is 30 . 5μs and the period of ssm synchronized with rr is also 30 . 5μs . during the second operating period , the operating period has again been divided into eight equal parts . on the other hand , the third operating period is seven clock pulses long . the frequency has been divided into seven equal parts , not the eight equal parts of the prior two operating periods resulting in a shorter operating period equal to 26 . 7μs . the third operating period as shown in fig7 corresponds to the seventh or fifteenth time interval as shown along the abscissa of the waveform presented in fig4 . programmable counter 101 realizes a change in the frequency dividing ratio . when changing the frequency dividing ratio output by scale rom 104 input to programmable counter 101 , the output data scm4 through scm6 of scale rom 104 are varied to change the initial values of the up counter provided by flip flops ff1 - 3 and thereby changing the frequency dividing ratio . during the third operating period as shown in fig7 the input signals ( scm4 , scm5 , scm6 ) have respective values ( 0 , 0 , 1 ) resulting in flip flops ff1 - 3 having respective settings of 1 , 1 , 0 . this changes the frequency dividing ratio to seven ( fig6 ), in effect shortening the operating period to seven pulse counts of the input signal f o . accordingly , the counting of the clock signals is effected starting with this operating period thereby the frequency dividing ratio becomes changed . the timing for changing the frequency dividing ratio is controlled by outputs of duty generator 102 and phase generator 103 . reference is now made to fig8 . duty generator 102 generates a series of duty ratios in eight clock pulses of f o which are utilized for reading the data contained in waveform rom 105 . duty generator 102 includes flip flops ff7 - 9 and a plurality of logic gates 602 - 608 which form seven timing signals , duty 0 to duty 6 . the ssm signal is input through a not gate ( inverter ) 601 as a clock input to flip flop ff7 . flip flop ff7 provides a q output as a clock input for flip flop ff8 which in turn provides a q output as a clock input to flip flop ff9 . flip flop ff7 provides its q output as signal q o . flip flop ff8 provides its q output as signal q 1 . flip flop ff9 provides its q output as signal q 2 . and gate 602 receives signals q o , q 1 and q 2 flip flops ff7 , ff8 and ff9 as inverted inputs and produces an output signal duty 0 . and gate 603 receives signals q 1 , q 2 as inverted inputs and produces an output signal duty 1 . an or gate 609 receives signals q o , q 1 as inverted inputs and provides , as an output , one input to generator 102 and provides a q output q 3 and a q output , the q output being applied as a clock signal for flip flop ff11 . flip flop ff11 provides a q output q 4 . an and gate receives signals q 3 and q 4 as inverted inputs and produces a signal ph1 . an and gate 702 receives the q output from flip flop ff10 and signal q 4 as inverted inputs and produces a signal ph2 . an and gate 703 receives signal q 3 and the q output from flip flop ff10 and ff11 as inverted inputs to produce signal ph3 . an and gate 704 receives the q outputs of flip flop ff10 and q to produce signal ph4 . flip flops ff10 and ff11 divide a frequency by using signal q 2 output by duty generator 102 as a clock and generates pulses ph1 through ph4 . if one period is assumed to be p o , the signal ph1 through ph4 have the same frequency and duty and only differ in their phases as shown in fig1 . the signals ph1 through ph4 are the same as signals ph1 through ph4 as shown in fig3 . the duration during which the respective ph signals are at a high level correspond to one quarter of the period of a certain musical note . these signals are also used in the timing for reading of scale rom 104 . reference is now made to fig1 and 13 wherein a circuit diagram for scale rom 104 is provided . each circle of fig1 represents an n - channel mos transistor as shown in fig1 . additionally , only the output scm4 is shown by way of example . scale rom 104 includes a plurality of n - channel mos transistors arranged in strings of twelve . transistor strings 822 through 842 are connected to a voltage source v ss by respective switches 807 through 850 . each transistor pair and each transistor string 822 through 842 receives an input of respective duty signals . accordingly , the first transistor pair in transistor string 822 receives an input of signal duty o and the last resistor pair and string 822 receives an input of duty 6 . the duty signal is input through a gate pair formed of a not gate 827 and an inverter 829 . phase signals ph1 - ph4 are input through gate pairs 826 which consist of a not gate 831 and an amplifier 833 which receives the inverted output of not gate 831 . the output of each gate pair 826 is output to an individual n - channel mos transistor 801 - 804 . a viv signal is input through a gate pair 126 to an n - channel mos transistor 814 which provides an output to a second n - channel mos transistor 815 which receives the input signal s and produces an output signal scm4 . the duty signals duty 0 through duty 6 are input through gate pair 826 to memory cell transistors 811 , 812 . normally , data is programmed within scale rom 104 by wiring so that on / off control of only one mos transistor is possible with respect to only one row 813 , 816 . furthermore , signals in the direction of the respective rows are selected in accordance with phase signals ph1 through ph4 . selection is carried out between a high frequency and low frequency by the viv signal having a vibrato frequency . additionally , the output of scale rom 104 is selected by the musical scale data s , an output which is delivered to program counter 101 . by way of example , scale rom 104 will be explained in accordance with producing the musical note waveform represented in fig4 . assuming that no vibrato is given , signal viv is high and the right hand portion of the scm4 signal producing portion of scale rom 104 is not used . the wiring is set for the data contained in scale rom 104 as demonstrated by switches 805 through 810 . switches 807 and 808 are set in the on position while switches 809 and 810 are set in the off position . data is programmed by pre - short circuiting the sources and the drain of each transistor by using metal wires 805 and 806 placed across transistor strings 813 , 816 which have been switched to the on position . only transistors 811 and 812 are effective transistors with respect to producing scm4 and inverted signal duty 6 is input to a gate thereof . during the period when duty 6 is high , and while the ssm signal in the divided frequency shown in fig4 are between 0 and 6 , transistor 811 is set off . as a result a transistor string ( node ) 813 is being charged by a power source v do through a signal v g and the data output as signal scm4 is high ( h ). this state corresponds to signal scm4 having a value of 1 as shown fig6 and corresponds to a frequency dividing ratio of eight . subsequentially , to set the ssm signal and the frequency dividing ratio to seven , transistor 811 is set to on and transistor string ( node ) 813 is discharged so that the output level of scm4 becomes low ( l ). during the period ph1 , transistor 811 is set to the on state and transistors 814 , 815 are also in the on state and the output level scm4 becomes low . this corresponds to a 0 output for scm4 as shown in fig6 which results in a frequency dividing ratio of seven assuming the outputs for scm5 and scm6 remain unchanged . during the time period when signal ph2 is selected , when the ssm signal and divided frequency correspond to the time intervals eight through fifteen of fig4 the waveform reading operates in a manner similar to that during ph1 . where signals ph3 and ph4 are selected , corresponding to the time period intervals sixteen through thirty one , the frequency dividing ratio returns to eight and switches 809 and 810 are switched off so that the output level of scm4 does not become low . if switches 809 , 810 are off during ph3 and ph4 , the output level of scm4 becomes unconditionally high and the frequency continues to be divided by eight intervals . when vibratos are to be applied to the musical tone , a clock signal of a vibrato frequency , for example , 4 to 16hz , is obtained by dividing the original frequency and is input at viv . the average frequency dividing ratio for ph1 can be expressed as follows : ## equ2 ## in the first quarter represented by ph1 , there are seven time intervals extending for eight counts and one time interval extending for seven counts . accordingly , the average frequency dividing ratio for time period intervals zero through seven is 7 . 875 . similarly , the average frequency dividing ratio during the period corresponding to ph2 is equal to 7 . 875 while the average frequency dividing ratio in the time period corresponding to ph3 , ph4 is 8 . the overall average frequency dividing ratio for reading one waveform rom 105 may be expressed as follows : ## equ3 ## because two time intervals had an average dividing ratio of 7 . 875 and the remaining two time intervals had an average frequency dividing ratio of 8 , the overall average frequency dividing ratio is 7 . 9375 . if it is assumed the original frequency fe is 262 , 144hz , the average frequency for the waveform can be expressed as ## equ4 ## this is a frequency in which + 8hz is added to a central frequency , 1 , 024hz , to make it possible to have a resolution of approximately 0 . 8 %. accordingly , it becomes possible to apply the vibratos of ± 0 . 8 % with respect to one tone by outputing a frequency of 1 , 032hz while the input signal viv is high and the frequency of 1 , 016hz while the input signal viv is low . accordingly , if the frequency of one tone is 1 , 024hz , the frequency of the tone may be changed to 1 , 016hz and 1 , 032hz within very short time periods in a sound generating apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention so that a vibratory sound may be heard and so that the tone assumes a state in which vibratos may be applied . it should be noted that the scale rom 104 shown in fig8 depicts a configuration for generating vibratos of a single tone . if a plurality of tones , such as eight tones , are required as in the case of a musical tone generator , three bit signals s are required and eight configurations are required for producing each of ssm4 - ssm6 . additionally , flip flops ff7 - 11 of duty generator 102 and phase generator 103 correspond to counter 202 of the prior art . waveform rom 105 is address accessed by output signals q o - q 2 of duty generator 102 and output signals q 3 and q 4 of phase generator 103 . output signals q o through q 4 are decoded by a decoder and incorporated in waveform rom 105 to select an address and five bit data is output . the capacity of the rom is 25 by 5 , equalling 160 bits . by providing a scale rom which provides a variable frequency division ratio in response to a timing signal from a duty generator and a phase generator , it becomes possible to effect a frequency division having a resolution of one or less by changing the frequency dividing ratio of a programmable counter during the operation of a time series . although the period is instantly offset for a small time duration , the sound is not heard by human ears as being a disturbance of the tone . additionally , although the above described embodiment is used in a musical tone generator , the present invention may be implemented in speech production and various alarms . additionally , it becomes possible to operate the system with a low frequency clock of 262khz as compared to the prior art clock having a high frequency of 5 . 2mhz . by utilizing a 262khz oscillator , the system may use a cr oscillator , reducing the cost of the musical generator as well as reducing power consumption by a factor of twenty , making the device more applicable to battery powered devices . furthermore , a small programmable counter may now be used because a pseudo shifted frequency may be obtained by simply changing the frequency dividing ratio data for dividing a frequency into predetermined frequencies to an arbitrary division ratio without using a complex large programmable counter . additionally , because the output characteristics are improved and because the invention uses a low frequency , a programmable counter is better able to process a radio frequency . it will thus be seen that the objects set forth above , among those made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently obtained and , since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the constructions set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . it is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which , as a matter of language , might be said to fall therebetween .	8
referring to the drawings , wherein like or similar references indicate like or similar elements throughout the several views , there is shown in fig1 an offshore oil rig from which an apparatus 12 according the present invention is suspended by a hose and cable arrangement 14 . as seen in that figure , apparatus 12 is in the process of being deployed to control a gushing , uncontrolled undersea oil well , the head 16 of which is located at seafloor 18 and from which there is seen a rising plume of crude oil and gas 20 . fig2 illustrates on an enlarged scale apparatus 12 , hose and cable arrangement 14 and oil wellhead 16 . as seen in that figure , wellhead 16 is shown as having a severed top end 22 such as might occur following a catastrophic failure or blowout of the well . apparatus 12 includes a housing 24 and a combined plug and valve device 26 , which is schematically depicted in fig2 . housing 24 is operable to protect and transport device 26 from a point of deployment at or near the water surface , i . e ., from an oil rig , ship or other sea vessel , to the damaged well 16 on seafloor 18 , which distance may be as much as several hundred to several thousand feet . housing 24 is preferably formed from high - strength material such as steel , reinforced plastic or the like that can be fabricated into a three - dimensional shape . while the walls of housing 24 may be fully enclosed , it is preferred that they be constructed as a cage since a cage - like structure renders the housing lighter in weight and therefore more easily manipulated both above and beneath the water surface . in addition , the open spaces of the cage permit fluid flow therethrough . as a consequence , the apparatus passes easily through the seawater as it descends to the damaged wellhead 16 and is less susceptible to being displaced by the oil and gas plume 20 as it is placed over the wellhead . housing 24 carries at least one propulsion and steering means 28 . means 28 preferably comprise biaxially movable , electrically driven propellers or hydraulically operated jets 30 . propellers or jets 30 receive their power , whether electrical or hydraulic , from cables or hoses 32 , as the case may be , that form part of the cable and hose arrangement 14 , which cables or hoses provide input to conventional electrical or hydraulic motors and actuators 34 that drive the propellers or jets 30 as well as control their biaxial positioning . according to a preferred embodiment , means 28 include at least one set of propellers or jets 30 . more preferably , for optimum maneuverability and transport speed , a set of propellers or jets 30 is desirably provided at or near both the top and the bottom of the housing 24 . for clarity of illustration , cables or hoses 32 are shown exteriorly of housing 24 . however , it will be understood that such cables or hoses may be situated interiorly of housing 24 for their protection during transport and operation of apparatus 12 . it is preferable that housing 24 be formed with a first shoulder 36 against which the trailing end of combined plug and valve device 26 may rest during transport of apparatus to a damaged wellhead . such shoulder may be located anywhere along the length of housing 24 so long as it provides a stable seat for device 26 during transport . housing 24 may also be provided with additional unnumbered shoulders for accommodating the upper edges / regions of the of the exposed structure of damaged wellhead 16 . the bottom of housing 24 is open - bottomed and preferably outwardly flared or funnel - shaped as indicated at 38 to assist in placement of the housing over the wellhead 16 . additionally , although not illustrated , housing 24 also desirably carries a global positioning system transmitter and at least one video camera for coarse and fine positioning , respectively , of the housing 24 over the wellhead 16 . fig3 - 8 illustrate on an enlarged scale a presently preferred construction of a combined plug and valve device according to the invention . device 26 is preferably constructed with a hollow conical head portion 40 and a hollow tail portion 42 , both having rearwardly directed jets or nozzles 44 and 46 , respectively . the tail portion is preferably provided with a plurality of fins 47 for guiding the device 26 as it is propelled into a damaged well as described below . the head and tail portions may be securely connected to a hollow central tube 48 via mating threading , welding or other suitable attachment means . the hollow central tube 48 is provided with helical means 50 on and / or in its outer surface . prior to attaching the head and tail portions 40 , 42 to the central tube 48 , a plurality of flat or curved leading plates 52 , each having a central opening ( fig9 a ) with threading corresponding to that of the helical means 50 of tube 48 , are screwed onto the tube . except where otherwise specified , components 40 , 42 , 48 , 50 and 52 ( and subsequently described elements 64 , 68 and 72 ) of device 26 are desirably , although not necessarily , formed from metal such as , for example , steel , aluminum , copper , brass , or the like . as seen in fig5 , plates 52 are preferably slightly bowl - shaped in elevational cross - section so that the plates may flex slightly radially outwardly as they contact other plates in order to increase inter - plate friction and , therefore , reduce the likelihood of slippage between plates as they progress through the incremental flow channel closing process discussed below . each plate 52 includes at least one fluid passageway 54 through which seawater and well oil is initially intended to pass . the plates 52 are slightly smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of the well bore , pipe or tube to be plugged . in this connection , it will be understood that the entire system design , including the already - described components as well as those described below , is easily scalable to fit a well bore of any diameter to control natural gas and crude oil being discharged at any flow rate and pressure . leading plates 52 are separated by consumable spacer means 56 , preferably an annular or ring - like spacer . a preferred spacer material is thermite which burns at predictable rates and is combustible under water . a further advantage of thermite is that it can be ignited simply by electrical resistance heating via application of a sufficiently high electrical current . it does not require a dedicated igniter mechanism which could be problematic in underwater environments . in this regard , fig5 shows an electrical ignition cable 58 which may be carried by a pressurized fluid supply hose 60 ( fig1 and 2 ) that leads from a launching rig or vessel to the apparatus 12 . situated within the ignition cable 58 are several ignition lines 62 each of which leads to a consumable spacer 56 . as described in greater detail below , each ignition line 62 may be independently operated to selectively and progressively ignite the spacers 56 . situated rearwardly of the rearmost spacer 56 is the final leading plate 64 that likewise has at least one fluid passageway 54 . plate 64 is preferably convex on both its forward and rearward surfaces . following installation of plate 56 , a first yieldable member 66 is placed over the tube 48 . like plates 52 and 64 , anchor member 66 is provided with at least one fluid passageway 54 . according to a preferred embodiment , yieldable member 66 is preferably constructed as a resilient or elastomeric disk - like element that both anchors device 26 to a well bore , tube or pipe , but also effectively seals the perimeter of the device against upwardly flowing well fluid . following placement of anchor member 66 , a first threaded backing plate 68 is then installed . like plate 64 , plate 68 has at least one fluid passageway 54 and is preferably convex on both its forward and rearward surfaces . following installation of plate 68 , a second yieldable anchor member 70 having at least one fluid passageway 54 is placed over the tube 48 . following placement of anchor member 70 , at least one other threaded backing plate 72 is screwed onto helical means 50 and preferably secured to tube 48 such as by welding or other suitable affixation means . plate 72 has at least one fluid passageway 54 and may be generally similar in construction to any of plates 52 , 64 and 68 . however , it is preferred that the final backing plate be formed of especially high strength material and / or rigidified by gussets or the like in order to bear the full mass and momentum of the upwardly moving plates as well as the fluid pressure of the gushing well . in addition or in the alternative , additional backing plates may be added to tube 48 in order to bear the potentially tremendous upwardly directed forces exerted by the well fluid and the leading plates of the device itself . lastly , the head and tail portions 40 , 42 are secured to central tube 48 to complete the assembly of the combined plug and valve device 26 . prior to deployment of device 26 , however , the fluid passageways 54 of the several components are brought into alignment in the manner shown in fig3 , 5 and 6 so as to establish one or more substantially unobstructed flow channels through which seawater may freely pass as apparatus 12 is lowered through the water and through which gushing crude oil and natural gas may pass as the apparatus is positioned over an uncontrolled well . it will be appreciated that the combined plug and valve device 26 shown in fig3 - 8 is exemplary only and should not be construed as limiting . it is illustrative of but one version of myriad arrangements of plates and anchor members that may be suitable for plugging damaged undersea wellheads of any diameter and any fluid flow and / or pressure conditions . for instance , there may be as few as one or more than two anchor members depending on well size and conditions . similarly , there may be more or less leading plates 52 and spacers 56 than as depicted in the drawing figures . indeed , if well flow and pressure is modest , it is conceivable that as few as one anchor member , one backing plate , and as few as two leading plates 52 and a single spacer means 56 may be employed to effectively control well fluid flow and anchor the combined plug and valve device 26 to a bore , tube or pipe of a damaged well . following assembly of combined plug and valve device 26 , the tail portion 42 thereof is desirably detachably connected to hose 60 such as by a releasable clamp or the like , either before or after device 26 is placed in housing 24 . in this regard , housing 24 may be provided with an unillustrated access door or hatch on a side wall or top wall thereof in order to facilitate placement of the device 26 within the housing as well as to free tangled , kinked or snagged hoses and / or cables . referring again to fig2 , once housing 24 is stably positioned over wellhead 16 and the combined plug and valve device 26 is aligned with the well bore , pipe or tube to be plugged , water or other fluid is then pumped under pressure into hose 60 . the pressurized fluid enters the combined plug and valve device 26 and is discharged through jets or nozzles 44 , 46 whereby the device is propelled into the well against the pressure of upwardly flowing crude oil and natural gas . upon insertion of the device to a desired depth within the damaged well bore or tubing such as shown in dashed line in fig2 , an optional dense stopper such as a ball - like stop 74 ( fig4 , 5 , 11 and 12 ) may be inserted into the hose whereby it descends through the hose and into the plug and valve device whereupon it settles into a socket 76 at the head portion of device 26 . with the stop 74 seated in the socket 76 , fluid flow through the leading propulsion jets 44 is obstructed such that propulsion fluid flow is limited to the set of trailing jets 46 . and , with propulsion flow limited to the rear jets , such flow may be relatively easily sustained at a level sufficient to counteract the flow of gushing crude oil and gas in order to maintain the combined plug and valve device in an essentially static position with respect to the well bore so that device 26 may be anchored or affixed to the interior wall of the well bore , tube or pipe . upon achieving the desired depth of insertion of the combined plug and valve device 26 into the well , the well shutoff and anchorage procedure can begin . as schematically represented in fig9 a - 9 j , device 26 may be incrementally closed in order to affix the device to the damaged well and establish a desired degree of oil and gas flow through the device . that is , once the combined plug and valve device 26 is positioned in the well bore as described above , at least some of the plate passageways are brought into misalignment in order to restrict pressurized gas and oil flow through the passageways . to achieve that effect , the consumable material above the forwardmost leading plate 52 is ignited and the space between the first plate and second plates is vacated . as this is occurring , pressure from the rising oil and gas pushes upward on the first plate , causing it to rotate and partially obstruct the flow channel established by the previously aligned plate flow passageways . thereafter , the next consumable spacer is ignited and the first and second plates rotate upwardly as a unit until they contact the third plate . this procedure continues until the desired number of spacers have been consumed and the flow channels have been partially or completely blocked . furthermore , as shown in fig1 - 13 , as the mass of the stack of leading plates comes into contact with the forwardmost anchor member 66 , the anchor members 66 and 70 become compressed between plates 64 , 68 and 72 whereby they expand or bulge outwardly into contact with the inner wall of the surrounding well bore , tube or pipe . by way of example , the uncontrolled deepwater horizon well was believed to have produced a gushing well plume with a highly powerful fluid pressure of some 6000 psi . such high pressure would be more than sufficient to push several heavy steel plates upwardly along a helical path to achieve the objectives of the present invention . furthermore , gradual or incremental closing of the combined plug and valve device 26 against such potentially destructive fluid force serves to prevent damage to the device during the process of constricting the well fluid flow while also enabling effective flow control should it be desired to preserve the well as a viable petroleum production site . as to the latter , by virtue of the present invention a previously uncontrolled well may be effectively converted into one producing less flow than in its original state but still constituting a manageable and commercially viable producer of crude oil . turning to fig1 - 13 , the combined plug and valve device 26 is depicted as it would appear at the completion of step 9 j . that is to say , all plate passageways 54 are in misalignment and the anchor members 66 , 70 are in their expanded well - contacting state . so disposed , the device is fully closed wherein all well fluid flow is stopped and the well is effectively “ killed ”. at this point , hose 60 may be released from clamping engagement with the tail portion 42 of device by introducing a pulse of highly pressurized fluid through the hose , which pulse is not be readily dispersible through jets 46 . as such , the sudden pulse or slug of fluid creates a burst of back pressure within the hose which is sufficient to dislodge the hose from clamping engagement with the device 26 . fig1 - 16 reveal an anchorage arrangement in accordance with an alternative embodiment of a combined plug and valve device according to the invention . for brevity , only those features that depart materially in structure and / or function from their counterparts in fig3 - 13 or are otherwise necessary for a proper understanding of the invention will be described in detail in connection with fig1 - 16 . fig1 - 16 schematically illustrate how an alternative anchor member 166 may be deployed to anchor , and preferably seal , a combined plug and valve device to the interior wall of a well bore , tube or pipe 16 . as shown in those figures , a leading plate 152 and a backing plate 172 are positioned at opposite faces of an anchor member 166 . according to this embodiment , anchor member is formed from yieldable metal , is generally bowl - shaped in cross - section , and has a radius of curvature less than backing plate 172 . so constructed , as leading plate 152 moves upwardly against anchor member 166 in the direction of arrow 200 during a sequential passageway closure and anchorage procedure of the kind described above , anchor member 166 is compressed and flattened whereby its outer perimeter becomes radially enlarged . indeed , the material , unstressed diameter and cross - sectional curvature of metal anchor member 166 are desirably selected such that , when the anchor member is properly compressed between leading and backing plates 152 , 172 , it desirably comes into tight compressive contact with and , most preferably , slightly embedded in the interior wall of the well bore , tube , or pipe 16 from which crude oil and natural gas is flowing . once in contact with the well , plate 166 ( or plates 166 , if more than one such plate may be necessary to achieve desired anchoring and sealing ) effectively anchors the combined plug and valve device and permits either no flow or some limited flow through the device as may be desired and as described above in connection with fig3 - 13 . although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration , it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed herein .	4
the present invention relates to a process for selectively esterifying α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine by contacting α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine or n - protected - α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine with an alcohol in the presence of a proteolytic enzyme having specific esterase activity . the dipeptide is contacted with the enzyme in an aqueous - alcohol medium in which the alcohol concentration is sufficient to reverse the hydrolytic activity . according to the present invention there is provided a process for esterifying α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine which comprises contacting α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine or n - protected - α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine with an alcohol in the presence of an effective esterifying amount of a serine alkaline proteinase in an aqueous - alcohol medium in which the alcohol concentration is sufficient to reverse the hydrolytic activity of the serine alkaline proteinase . when n - protected α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine is esterified , the n - protecting group is removed following esterification to give the α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine alkyl ester . where r is lower alkyl having 1 - 7 carbon atoms . these lower alkyls are exemplified by methyl , ethyl , propyl , butyl , pentyl , hexyl , heptyl and the branched chain isomers thereof . the amino group of α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine may be protected by commonly used protecting groups . such groups include , but are not limited to aryl - lower alkyl groups , such as diphenylmethyl or triphenylmethyl groups which may be optionally substituted by halogen , nitro , lower alkyl or lower alkoxy , for example ; benzhydryl , trityl , and di - paramethyoxybenzhydryl ; acyl groups , such as formyl , trifluoroacetyl , phthaloyl , benzenesulphenyl and o - nitrophenylsulphenyl ; groups derived from carbonic acid or thiocarbonic acid , such as carbobenzoxy groups which are optionally substituted in the aromatic radical by halogen atoms , nitro groups or lower alkyl , lower alkoxy or lower carboalkoxy groups , for example , carbobenzoxy , p - bromocarbobenzoxy or p - chlorocarbobenzoxy , p - nitrocarbobenzoxy and p - methoxycarbobenzoxy ; coloured benzyloxycarbonyl groups such as p - phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl and p -( p - methoxyphenylazo ) benzyloxycarbonyl , tolyloxycarbonyl , 2 - phenyl - 2 - propoxycarbonyl , 2 - tolyl - 2 - propoxycarbonyl and 2 -( parabiphenylyl )- 2 - propoxycarbonyl ; and aliphatic oxycarbonyl groups , such as t - butoxycarbonyl , alkyloxycarbonyl , cyclopentyloxycarbonyl , t - amyloxycarbonyl . a particularly preferred n - protecting group for use in this invention is the carbobenzoxy group . the amino groups can also be protected by forming enamines , obtained by reaction of the amino group with 1 , 3 - diketones , for example benzoylacetone , or acetylacetone . protecting groups are conveniently removed by reactions such as hydrogenolysis ( for instance , in the presence of a palladium black catalyst ), treatment with a hydrohalo acid ( such as hydrobromic , hydrofluoric or hydrochloric acids ) in acetic acid , or treatment with trifluoroacetic acid . the reaction in which the ester bond is formed can be conducted in an aqueous buffer - alcohol solution having a ph which maintains enzyme activity . this is about ph 4 to 7 for serine alkaline proteinase . typical buffer solutions include sodium pyrophosphate buffer solution , citric acid buffer solution , acetic acid buffer solution , or tris - hcl buffer solution . the esterase used in the invention is a serine alkaline proteinase . these enzymes exhibit high esterase activity and selectively act on aromatic amino acids . typical serine alkaline proteinases include subtilisin and alkaline proteinases from various strains of bacillus aspergillis , streptomyces , penicillium , and arthorobacter . a preferred serine alkaline proteinase is subtilisin carlsberg which is commercially available . a catalytic amount of enzyme is employed in the reaction process preferably 10 - 500 mg per 1 mmole of α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine or n - protected - α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine . a calcium salt may also be added to aid enzyme activity . the enzyme may be present in the free state or may be immobilized by binding to a suitable support such as porous glass , polyacrylamide gel , carboxylmethyl cellulose , or aminoethyl cellulose . &# 34 ; immobilized enzymes &# 34 ;, vol . 44 , methods in enzymology , ed . klaus mosback , discusses various methods of enzyme immobilization . the reaction temperature employed is usually in a range of 10 °- 50 ° c ., which is sufficient to maintain enzyme activity . a preferred range is 20 °- 40 ° c . the reaction is conducted in a medium of water and alcohol in which the alcohol concentration is sufficient to reverse the esterase activity of the enzyme . the alcohol concentration may be 10 - 90 % by volume . a preferred alcohol concentration is 30 - 70 % by volume . a more preferred alcohol concentration is 50 - 60 % with 60 % alcohol by volume being optimal . in an especially preferred embodiment of the invention the serine alkaline proteinase is subtilisin carlsberg , a proteinase having specific esterse activity , and the alcohol is methanol which is present in a concentration of 60 % by volume . the aqueous - alcohol mixture contains 5 . 0 mm calcium chloride and has a ph of 5 . 0 , and the reaction is conducted at a temperature of 25 ° c . the reaction proceeds smoothly under these conditions until completed . a preferred reaction period time is 1 to 260 hours . a more preferred reaction period time is 1 - 90 hours . the reaction product is conveniently separated from the reaction system by standard chromatographic techniques and other methods recognized in the art . the invention will appear more fully from the examples which follow . these examples are given by way of illustration and are not to be construed as limiting the invention either in spirit or in scope , as many modifications both in materials and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art . in the examples temperatures are given in degrees centrigrade (° c .) and quantities of materials in parts by weight unless otherwise specified . the relationships between parts by weight and parts by volume is the same as that existing between grams and milliliters . subtilisin carlsberg ( protease type viii , sigma chemical co .) is dissolved in distilled water at a concentration of 40 mg / ml and is dialyzed against distilled water at 5 ° c . 0 . 1 parts by volume of the enzyme solution is mixed with 0 . 9 parts by volume of an aqueous - methanol solution containing 0 . 0056 parts by weight of α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine . the aqueous - methanol solution is prepared by mixing 0 . 6 parts by volume of methanol with 0 . 075 parts by volume of 0 . 33 m sodium acetate , 0 . 225 parts by volume of 0 . 33 m acetic acid and 0 . 002 parts by volume of 2 . 5 m calcium chloride . before adding the enzyme , the aqueous - methanol solution is sonicated for one minute in order to disperse the α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine . the overall ph is adjusted to ph 5 . 0 with dilute hydrochloric acid . the final reaction mixture containing 4 mg / ml of enzyme , 5 . 0 mm calcium chloride , 0 . 1 m acetic acid buffer , 60 % methanol , and 0 . 02 m α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine is allowed to react at about 25 ° c . with continuous agitation for a period of four days . the reaction mixture is run through a sephadex lh - 20 column to separate the enzyme from the dipeptide . the dipeptide fractions are pooled and treated with hydrohalide according to u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 798 , 207 and 4 , 173 , 562 in order to precipitate and purify α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine methyl ester of formula iii . the process of example 1 is repeated except that immobilized enzyme is used as the catalyst . the enzyme is covalently immobilized to cyanogen bromide - activated deae cellulose . the deae cellulose ( pre - swollen de52 , whatman ) is activated by washing 0 . 075 parts by weight with 0 . 1 m sodium bicarbonate and then reacting with 3 parts by volume of cyanogen bromide solution ( 25 mg / ml ). the ph is adjusted and maintained at 11 . 0 with 2 m sodium hydroxide and stirred gently for 6 minutes at 25 ° c . the gel is filtered and washed with 100 parts by volume of 0 . 1 m sodium bicarbonate . 0 . 025 parts by weight of subtilisin carlsberg , dissolved in 0 . 25 parts by volume of 0 . 1 m sodium bicarbonate and dialyzed 4 hrs . v . s . the same buffer at 5 ° c ., is mixed with a cyanogen bromide - activated gel in a closed polypropylene tube ( under argon ) at 5 ° c ., for 17 hr . the bound enzyme is then washed with distilled water and reacted with 5 parts by volume of 1 m ethanolamine ( ph 9 . 0 ) with gentle stirring for 2 hrs . at 25 ° c . the gel is washed twice with distilled water and resuspended in 0 . 3 parts by volume of distilled water . this immobilized enzyme suspension is mixed with 0 . 7 parts by volume of an aqueous / methanol mix such that the final reaction mix contains the same concentration of materials as in example 1 . the reaction is carried out as in example 1 except that the immobilized enzyme is removed by centrifugation prior to purification of the product . substitution of an equivalent quantity of ethanol for the methanol of example 1 and 2 and substantially following the procedures outlined therein affords α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine ethyl ester of formula iv . substitution of 0 . 0125 parts by weight of n - carbobenzoxy - α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine for the α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine of example 1 and 2 and substantial repetition of the procedures detailed therein provides n - carbobenzoxy - α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine methyl ester . reduction of this compound by the method of m . bergmann and l . zervas . ber . 65 : 1192 ( 1932 ) removes the n - protecting carbobenzoxy group to give α - l - aspartyl - l - phenylalanine methyl ester . ## str1 ##	2
u . s . pat . no . 8 , 455 , 298 by apodaca et al . describes a memory cell fabrication process in which a memory cell is formed in a high aspect ratio hole . this hole is formed in a dielectric material , the bottom of which exposes a bitline comprising silicon . fig1 , illustrates such a high aspect ratio hole . into this high aspect ratio hole , a current steering device , such as a diode ( but could be another current steering device , transistor , a four layer diode or scr , or the like ), is formed and then , in series with this current steering device is formed an information storage element ( such as a phase change element , a resistive ram element , a memresistor , or some other element capable of storing one or more bits of information ). these are well known and understood to those skilled in the art . into this high aspect ratio hole , semiconducting material ( such as silicon ) is deposited , or more to the point , is selectively grown in the hole . such selective growth is well known to those skilled in the art . ( many other material choices are available and include other group iv material than silicon such as germanium as well as group iii - v materials such as gaas containing gallium and arsenic ). generally speaking , silicon is grown at an elevated temperature using a silicon source gases such as dichlorosilane , silane , or some other silicon containing gas . to affect this selective growth , this silicon source gas is combined with an etchant ( in gaseous form ) such as hydrochloric acid ( hcl ). the etchant gas will simultaneously etch silicon as that silicon is deposited . where silicon is deposited on a non - silicon surface , the silicon deposited is amorphous in nature and easily removed by the etchant gas . however , where silicon is deposited on a crystalline silicon surface , the crystalline bonds of the lattice hold more strongly to the deposited silicon atoms and those silicon atoms are less easily removed ( etched ) from that surface . to be more specific , at a temperature above the dissociation temperature and a pressure between atmospheric and low pressure , a source gas is introduced along with an etchant gas . the elevated temperature cracks the source gas ( i . e ., separates the components of the source gas ) such as dichlorosilane ( sicl 2 h 2 ) into free si ( the cl 2 and h 2 typically stays intact ) or such as silane ( sih 4 ) into free si . in addition , the etchant gas such as hcl is separated into free h and cl atoms . the free h and the free cl atoms combined with deposited , loosely held silicon to form sih and sicl ( both sih and sicl are gaseous due to the elevated temperatures and / or low pressure ) and are evacuated from the chamber . with silicon epitaxy , for example , the silicon deposited on existing silicon is more strongly bonded than silicon deposited on non - silicon surfaces and does not easily react with the etchant elements ( e . g ., h and cl ). this is why the poly - silicon and amorphous silicon have higher etch rates than crystalline silicon and why this deposition technique is selective to growth on existing , exposed silicon surfaces . selective deposition is typically done with a gas ratio of about 9 : 1 si source to etchant ( hcl ) source . it is notable that as this gas ratio is reduced ( e . g ., as the etchant gas is reduced ) the quality of the resulting silicon crystalline structure will diminish resulting in an increasing number of crystalline imperfections and “ stacking faults ” and a further reduction in the gas ratio will result in non - selective deposition . with this technique , it is possible to grow crystalline silicon selectively in surface features such as holes , trenches or a combination of holes and trenches formed within a dielectric material ( such as sio 2 or sin x ) on top of silicon . silicon exposed in surface features will experience selective epi - silicon growth . when this selective silicon growth technique is employed to deposit silicon in high aspect ratio holes , as shown in fig2 , when the silicon reaches the top of the hole , a dome cap is formed at the surface ( since the silicon growth is not constrained at the surface , it continues to grow in all directions ). however , a key disadvantage of this selective growth process is that simultaneously removing silicon as it is being deposited greatly retards the deposition rate . this reduced deposition rate means that a wafer must remain in the deposition tool for a longer time thereby reducing the throughput rate . lower throughout has a n economic impact as the amortization of the tool is spread across fewer wafers resulting in greater amortized cost per wafer . a solution to this problem , according to the present invention , is to limit the selective deposition of high quality crystalline silicon using the above described selective silicon deposition process to the portion of the formed structure that requires the higher quality , crystalline silicon and then switch the deposition to a lower quality , more rapid deposition process after that point . in other words , when the silicon thickness reaches the thickness of the desired features , reduce to turn off the etch component for faster growth . in the case of the memory cells described in u . s . pat . no . 8 , 455 , 298 by apodaca et al . ( the &# 39 ; 298 invention ), the high aspect ratio hole is filled with a diode ( requiring higher quality , crystalline silicon ) in the bottom of the hole and an information storage element ( where the silicon is initially a volume placeholder but is subsequently removed ) in top of the hole . other devices can require quality silicon in one area with lower quality in another ( as would be the case of a diode formed in a hole where the p - n junction benefits from the higher quality but where a top ohmic contact beyond the active junction does not require high quality silicon or where a top region is subsequently removed to provide a self - aligned volume for a metal contact ). in the instance of the &# 39 ; 298 invention , the present invention can be ideally applied by utilizing the selective deposition for filling the bottom of the hole and then switching to a non - selective deposition process ( e . g ., turning off the etching component of the selective deposition process ) to fill the top of the hole . this dual deposition technique is depicted in fig3 . features having generally similar depths and characteristics will fill at generally the same rate . however , once the features have filled and reach the surface , a mushroom - shaped dome will form above the now filled holes . this can result in a very uneven surface . to prevent this unevenness , the features can be filled near to or approximately to the surface using a selective deposition process as described above , and the switching to a secondary deposition process ( this secondary , non - selective silicon deposition will deposit silicon on both surfaces of the selectively grown silicon as well as one any exposed dielectric material ). this approach will work well when fabricating cross - point diode memory arrays in particular . cross - point diode memory arrays require good quality diodes to provide high forward current to facilitate cell programming and erasing while also providing low reverse leakage current . high quality crystalline silicon is preferred for fabricating diodes having these characteristics . however , on top of these diodes will be a contact or an information storage element . during the fabrication process , the area above the diode will initially be filled with silicon during the silicon deposition process and then later be etched out to provide a cup or some form of recess into which material is then deposited to provide the functionality of an information storage element or contact . since the silicon for the element above the diode will subsequently be removed , that portion need not be made using the same high quality silicon as that used to form the diode . as a result , the same high quality selective silicon deposition process used to form the diode does not have to be used to form the upper portion ; a different deposition process that is faster , lower cost , less selective ( including non - selective ), poly - silicon or amorphous silicon deposition process can be used . ( it is even an option to deposit a material other than silicon , although it is preferable to deposit a material that etches similarly to silicon to simplify any subsequent etch step to remove material at the top of the now filled high aspect ratio hole or feature . also , to better facilitate this subsequent etch , it is desirable to have the surface be generally level such that the distance down that the etch will have to remove is the same everywhere , otherwise the depth of the etch will vary according to the surface topography . this level surface topography can be achieved through planarization ( such as cmp ), but it the surface is covered by silicon in some places and not in others , this planarization step may not achieve the desired level results ( if subsequent planarization is not desired , the finishing deposition to fill the last portion of the hole can be made with either a lower quality , faster growing selective deposition or with a non - selective deposition — it a high aspect ratio remains for the last portion of the hole , a lower quality , faster growing selective deposition is preferred to prevent the hole from closing over the top before the hole is completely filled ). covering the entire surface with the same material is in the high aspect ratio holes will result in a more consistent and level surface because the high points will planarize away more quickly resulting in a smoothing of the surface ; however , it the surface consists of different exposed material , this smoothing of the surface will be less effective .) the present invention will result in a deposition results that is somewhat self - leveling and that reduces certain surface imperfections in growth as well as the boldering or mushroom cap effects that an occur with a purely selective growth process . while it is an element of the present invention to provide better economics by increasing tool throughput , it is also an element of the present invention to provide more uniform coverage of the surface to improve subsequent planarization steps ( e . g ., by cmp or planar etch - back ) to improve yield . this faster growth process according to the present invention , growing silicon slowly for good crystalline silicon and then quickly for finishing silicon , will result in lower costs and improved yields . variations will come to mind . for example rather than simply reduce or eliminate the etchant gasses while keeping the silicon source gas , an entirely different silicon deposition process could be employed following the selective silicon growth process . this might be achieved by initially utilizing dichlorosilane combined with an hcl etchant to grow silicon selectively , but then switching to a non - selective silane or even a lower quality selective process to finish filling the features and provide a surface overcoat to improve subsequent planarization . other variations can involve the rate of change to the low ( or no ) etchant source and this rate of change can be done either slowly or quickly . the point of transition form high quality , crystalline silicon to lower quality poly - silicon or amorphous silicon can occur at a point where any subsequent silicon removal will remove all of the non crystalline silicon or can occur at a point where a portion of the non crystalline silicon might remain ( i . e ., some poly or amorphous silicon may remain at the top for , for example , a better ohmic or electrical contact ). memory device fabrication techniques according to the present invention may be applied to memory devices and systems for storing digital text , digital books , digital music ( such as mp 3 layers and cellular telephones ), digital audio , digital photographs ( wherein one or more digital still images may be stored including sequences of digital images ), digital video ( such as personal entertainment devices ), digital cartography ( wherein one or more digital maps can be stored , such as gps devices ), and any other digital or digitized information as well as any combinations thereof . devices incorporated embodiments of the present invention may be embedded or removable , and may be interchangeable among other devices that can access the data therein . embodiments of the invention may be packaged in any variety of industry - standard form factor , including compact flash , secure digital , multimedia cards , pcmcia cards , memory stick , any of a large variety of integrated circuit packages including ball grid arrays , dual in0line packages ( dips ), soics , plcc , tqfps and the like , as well as in proprietary form factors and custom design packages . these packages may contain just the memory chip , multiple memory chips , one or more memory chips along with other logic devices or other storage devices such as plds , plas , micro - controllers , microprocessors , controller chips or chip - sets or other custom or standard circuitry . the terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms and expressions of description and not of limitation , and there is no intention , in the use of such terms and expressions , of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof . in addition , having described certain embodiments of the invention , it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as only illustrative and not restrictive .	7
referring now to the drawings and particularly fig1 , there is illustrated a reading and restoration assembly for reusable storage films , generally indicated as 10 , comprised of lower housing or base portion , generally indicated as 12 , on which is mounted a scanning assembly , generally indicated as 14 . the lower housing portion 12 is comprised of a horizontally - mounted front door member 16 , also referring to fig3 and 4 including a vertically and angularly - disposed bottom wall member 18 having inwardly extending vertical side walls 20 and an end wall 22 defining a collection drawer like chamber 24 for receiving scanned storage films , as more fully hereinafter discussed . the width dimension of the door member 16 is greater than the largest width size of any storage film to be processed . the lower housing portion 12 is provided with downwardly depending inner wall members 26 disposed inwardly from the side walls 18 to guide scanned storage films into the collection chamber 24 . a light source , generally indicated as 28 , is positioned in opposing relationship to the collection chamber 24 , at least co - extensive to the height and width dimension of the door member 16 and provides a source of light energy necessary to discharge trapped electrons in scanned storage films to restore imaging capability . the upper scanning assembly 14 is comprised of a cylindrically - shaped support surface 30 for positioning an imaged storage film thereabout and encloses a photomultiplier assembly , generally indicated as 32 . disposed below the photomultiplier assembly 32 , there is provided a transportation assembly generally indicated as 34 including a plurality of roller and belt member assembly 34 for passing an imaged storage film downwardly passed a cylindrically - shaped slot ( not shown ) as described in the aforementioned u . s . pat . no . &# 39 ; 914 to thoms , herein incorporated by reference , for interrogation or scanning by a focusing beam of photons , i . e . light to digitally generate photo - stimulated luminescence to be measured and stored in an appropriate computer assembly , such as described in the aforementioned patent to goodman , et al . the assembly 10 is provided with a control panel , generally indicated as 40 , including a control member for initiating operation of the assembly 10 under the control of a cpu unit prior to positioning of an imaged storage film on the supporting surface . such cpu unit includes programs to process the projected imaged storage film during passage through the assembly 10 and includes indicator lights providing status information on the storage film being processed through completion of the restoration process . in operation , the assembly 10 is activated and an imaged storage film ( not shown ) is positioned about the cylindrically - shaped support surface which is sensed to cause activation of the transportation assembly 32 whereby the roller and belt assemblies 34 are caused to rotate in a manner to effect downwardly displacement of the imaged storage film about the support surface 30 and thence linearly advanced passed the slot wherein a light beam is caused to interrogate and digitally generate photo - stimulated luminescent light which is evaluated and stored , such as disclosed in the aforementioned patent to goodman , et al . during generation of the photo - stimulated luminescent light , the imaged storage film is being introduced into the lower housing portion 12 and guided by wall members towards the collection chamber 22 . a point is reached when the roller and belt assemblies 34 are no longer in contact with the imaged storage film whereupon the thus read storage film is caused to drop by gravity into the collection chamber 22 with a leading edge thereof causing to come to rest against the end wall of the door member of the lower housing portion 12 and sensed by an appropriate control member . upon sensing the positioning of the thus read imaged storage film in the collection chamber , the light source 26 is activated and caused to remain activated for a preselect time to ensure discharge of trapped electrons in the storage film thereby restoring image capabilities of the storage film . an appropriate control member generates a signal on the control panel 40 at completion of the restoration process . it will be appreciated that a plurality of imaged storage films may be sequentially processed before a need to remove process storage film from the collection chamber of the door member 16 by causing the door member 16 to be rotated outwardly thereby permitting physical access to the collection chamber 22 and restored storage film . it is understood that should the interrogating of the storage film generate inadequate or invalid information , that the imaged storage plate is returned to a starting position and an error signal generated to alert user . additionally , it will be understood that the assembly 10 may be used to process storage films which have been restored but not used for a time period and then subject to miscellaneous radiation . while the present invention has been described with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof , it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications or changes can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . therefore it is manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims and the equivalence thereof .	6
example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings . for the infection of the neuronal pc - 12 cell line , the cells are seeded in a depression of a 6 - well plate and incubated with the herpes simplex virus strain hf ( atcc , vr260 ) with a viral load of 1 pfu / cell for two hours at 37 ° c . subsequently all virions not absorbed are removed by washing multiple times with buffer ( pbs ). the cells are cultivated for another 24 hours with fresh medium . to develop a latent hsv 1 infection , the cells are subcultivated several times ( 2 to 4 passages ). before the integration into the in vitro test model , a check is carried out that no more virus activity is detectable . to this end , before each passage approx . 1 mm culture supernatant is held back and the degree of infection ( tcid50 ) is determined using a cell - based test assay with vero ( b ) cells . with this method of end dilution , the dilution stage of the material to be tested in which an infection takes place is determined . several dilution stages are hereby prepared in parallel and it is determined at which dilution 50 % of the inoculated cell cultures are infected . to detect the latent infection , alternatively the method of in situ hybridization is used . latency - associated transcripts ( lat ) are detected thereby . the buildup of the in vitro test tissue is carried out according to a protocol optimized for the embedding of the pc 12 cells : fundamentally , the buildup is carried out in two steps . in a first step , the dermal part of the test tissue is built up , wherein primary fibroblasts as well as pc - 12 cells latently infected with hsv1 are integrated into a collagen matrix with type 1 collagen . to this end , respectively 0 . 25 × 10 6 ml fibroblasts and 0 . 14 × 10 6 ml latently infected pc - 12 cells are resuspended free from bubbles in a freshly produced solution of collagen i and the suspension is transferred into an insert of a 24 - well plate . in a second step , the layering of the dermis with human keratinocytes ( 0 . 4 × 10 6 per ml ) takes place , which then form the epidermal layer . before the application of the keratinocytes , the dermal collagen matrix is layered with fibronectin , which then forms the basement membrane . as a negative control , a skin equivalent with non - infected pc 12 cells is built up as test tissue . in a further assay , an immunocomponent , in particular langerhals cells , is integrated into the test model . in a first assay , before seeding of the keratinocytes the immune cells are seeded on or in the biomatrix , in a further assay thereof , immune cells are seeded on or in the biomatrix during or following the seeding of the keratinocytes . the buildup of the in vitro test tissue covers a total of about 21 days . the test tissue goes through different cultivation phases during this time . in the first six days , the so - called submerse phase , the tissue is cultivated completely covered with medium . subsequently , a 14 - day to 15 - day airlift phase follows , wherein the test assays are carried out on the tissue . after the conclusion of the cultivation phase , the test tissue is fixed in a manner known per se optionally in bouin &# 39 ; s fixative solution or by means of histofix ® and subsequently preferably embedded in paraffin . in a manner known per se tissue sections are produced and a hematoxylin and eosin staining ( he ) and additionally or alternatively specific antibody staining are carried out in a manner known per se according to standard protocols . the results of the embedding of the pc - 12 cells are shown in fig4 and 5 . the embedded pc - 12 cells can be shown in the dermis tissue in particular by histological he staining as well as by specific antibody detection . the specific virus reactivation is carried out in a period of at least 7 hours up to a maximum of 25 hours before the end of the cultivation phase , that is , the fixing of the tissue . for specific virus reactivation , the tissue is exposed to uvb radiation . radiation is carried out at a wavelength of 312 nm and an energy equivalent of 1500 mj respectively for 8 minutes . the radiation is repeated at an interval of approx . 24 hours . in an alternative assay , the in vitro test tissue is produced with keratinocytes from the hacat cell line instead of primary keratinocytes . these hacat cells are genetically modified in the form of knock down cell lines : hacat / tlr2δ and hacat / tlr9δ . with the aid of these knock down cell lines , the role of the respective tlr in the scope of an hsv infection can be studied in more detail . to test antiviral active ingredients , a “ time and dose response ” analysis is carried out , with the aid of which the concentration - dependent cytotoxicity and the antiherpetic effect of the individual substance can be examined . the application of the substance to be tested is carried out optionally topically in powder form or dissolved in airlift medium from day 0 of the airlift phase . parallel thereto , a control batch is cultivated analogously with a control substance known to have an anti - viral action ( aciclovir ; 50 μmol / l ). the subsequent immunohistochemical staining with an antibody specific for hsv1 shows the viral load in the microscopic investigation . by comparison of the staining in the control batch , an evaluating statement on the effectiveness of the substance concretely studied can be made . the foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure . individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment , but , where applicable , are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment , even if not specifically shown or described . the same may also be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure , and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure . example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough , and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art . numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components , devices , and methods , to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed , that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure . in some example embodiments , well - known processes , well - known device structures , and well - known technologies are not described in detail . example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough , and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art . numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components , devices , and methods , to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed , that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure . in some example embodiments , well - known processes , well - known device structures , and well - known technologies are not described in detail . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ,” “ an ,” and “ the ” may be intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . the terms “ comprises ,” “ comprising ,” “ including ,” and “ having ,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , integers , steps , operations , elements , components , and / or groups thereof . the method steps , processes , and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated , unless specifically identified as an order of performance . it is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed . when an element or layer is referred to as being “ on ,” “ engaged to ,” “ connected to ,” or “ coupled to ” another element or layer , it may be directly on , engaged , connected or coupled to the other element or layer , or intervening elements or layers may be present . in contrast , when an element is referred to as being “ directly on ,” “ directly engaged to ,” “ directly connected to ,” or “ directly coupled to ” another element or layer , there may be no intervening elements or layers present . other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion ( e . g ., “ between ” versus “ directly between ,” “ adjacent ” versus “ directly adjacent ,” etc .). as used herein , the term “ and / or ” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items . although the terms first , second , third , etc . may be used herein to describe various elements , components , regions , layers and / or sections , these elements , components , regions , layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms . these terms may be only used to distinguish one element , component , region , layer or section from another region , layer or section . terms such as “ first ,” “ second ,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context . thus , a first element , component , region , layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element , component , region , layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments . spatially relative terms , such as “ inner ,” “ outer ,” “ beneath ,” “ below ,” “ lower ,” “ above ,” “ upper ,” and the like , may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature &# 39 ; s relationship to another element ( s ) or feature ( s ) as illustrated in the figures . spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures . for example , if the device in the figures is turned over , elements described as “ below ” or “ beneath ” other elements or features would then be oriented “ above ” the other elements or features . thus , the example term “ below ” can encompass both an orientation of above and below . the device may be otherwise oriented ( rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations ) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly .	6
fig1 is a block diagram showing a plurality of professionals 110 , 112 , their clients 120 - 126 , and the related recipients 130 , 132 that are interconnected through a computerized system 100 . the computerized system 100 provides an interactive interface to users 110 - 132 that allows users 110 - 132 to store , recall , and share data in the computerized system 100 . in the present description , professionals 110 - 112 are professional service providers such as estate planning attorneys , financial planners , accountants , insurance agents , or human resource providers that provide access to the computerized system 100 to their clients 120 - 126 . this access is provided as a complement to the traditional service offerings of these professionals 110 , 112 . the clients 120 - 126 in the present description are the clients of professionals 110 - 112 who are granted access to the computerized system by working with those professionals 110 - 112 . in fig1 , client a 1 120 and client a 2 122 are so labeled because they access the system 100 through their relationship with professional a 110 , while clients b 1 124 and client b 2 126 are so labeled because they access the system 100 through their relationship with professional b 112 . the recipients 130 , 132 are those individuals that have been designated by the clients 120 - 126 to receive access to the data stored in the computerized system 100 . in fig1 , both recipients 130 , 132 are designated recipients of client a 2 122 , as indicated by labeling the recipients 130 , 132 as a 2 - 1 and a 2 - 2 , respectively . the computerized system 100 includes a set of software instructions or interfaces stored on a non - volatile , non - transitory , computer readable medium 102 , which may take the form of a computer hard drive or flash memory device . a digital processor 104 , such as a general purpose cpu manufactured by intel corporation ( mountain view , calif .) or advanced micro devices , inc . ( sunnyvale , calif .) accesses and performs the software . to improve efficiency , processor 104 may load software stored in memory 102 into faster , but volatile , ram 106 . data operated upon by the software can also be stored in non - volatile memory 102 and retrieved into ram 106 for analysis , recording , and reporting . the computer system 100 further includes a network interface 108 to communicate with other computerized devices across a digital data network . in one embodiment , the network is the internet or an intranet , and the network interface 108 includes tcp / ip protocol stacks for communicating over the network . the network interface 108 may connect to the network wirelessly or through a physical wired connection . instead of being a single computer with a single processor 104 , the computerized system 100 could also implemented using a network of computers all operating according to the instructions of the software . the professionals 110 , 112 , initiate use of the system 100 by customizing the interface that will be seen by themselves , their clients 120 - 126 , and the related recipients 130 - 132 . in certain embodiments of the invention , the service will be offered to the professionals 110 , 112 as a white label service , allowing the professional 110 , 112 to brand the service with his or her own trade dress and thereby more readily integrate the service with their existing service offerings . thus when clients a 1 120 and a 2 122 access the system 100 , the interface will reflect the trade dress , logos , and identity of professional a 110 , while clients b 1 124 and b 2 126 will see the trade dress , logos , and identity of professional b 112 whenever they access the system 110 . after customizing the interface for their clients 120 - 126 , the professionals 110 , 112 instruct their clients 120 - 126 to access the computerized system in order to input personal information into the system . the professional 110 , 112 can then use this information to provide their traditional services ( e . g ., estate planning services for an estate planning attorney , or accounting services for an accountant ). the client &# 39 ; s personal data is preferably collected through a library of interactive forms . this library of forms is provided by the white label service of the entity that operates the computerized system 100 . for example , this allows a new estate planning attorney that wishes to use the system 100 to have immediate access to standard customer forms that have been designed for estate planning attorney clients , while a new accountant would be able to use standard forms designed for accounting clients . each professional 110 , 112 can select the forms that they desire for their business , and , in one embodiment , then customize those forms as he or she desires . when the client 120 - 126 accesses the system 100 , the clients 120 - 126 will see the customized forms selected by their professional 110 , 112 . when the client 120 - 126 has entered information into the selected forms , the professional 110 , 112 will be able to access that information . the information collected from the client is securely stored in the client &# 39 ; s personal digital profile stored on the non - volatile memory 102 of the computerized system 100 . the client 120 - 126 has the ability to augment the information in their digital profile beyond the scope of information needed by the service professional 110 - 112 . the computerized system 100 grants default access to the service provider 110 - 112 to only to those pieces of information needed for the provision of the professional services . in one embodiment , the client controls all access to their data in the digital profile , and even has the ability to change the default access provided to their service professional 110 - 112 . in fact , each time information or content is added , the client 120 - 126 may decide who gets access to that piece of information or content and when that person or persons get access . the client 120 - 126 also designates one or more recipients 130 - 132 that receive conditional access to their digital profile . these recipients are always associated with a particular client 120 - 126 , as recipients a 2 - 1 130 and a 2 - 2 are associated with client a 2 122 . the computerized system 100 grants the recipients 130 - 132 access to some or all of the digital profile of their associated client 122 upon the occurrence of a triggering event , such as the disability or death of the client 122 , or upon a specific date . in one embodiment , if the client 122 fails to specify any other trigger , the computerized system 100 will grant access to the entire digital profile to the recipients upon the death of the client 122 but not before . for each recipient 130 , 132 identified by the client 122 , an email is sent to that recipient 130 , 132 asking them to register with the computerized system 100 so that they can gain access to the digital profile when that information is made available . the system 100 generates regular emails to the client 122 to remind the client 122 to keep the information in their digital profile up to date . the system 100 also generates regular emails to the recipients 130 , 132 to remind the recipients 130 , 132 to keep the information in their digital profile up to date and to inform them that they should contact the service professional 110 upon the occurrence of a triggering event . recipients 130 , 132 are only granted access to their designated information after the service professional 110 has confirmed the triggering event and subsequently enabled access to the recipient 130 , 132 on behalf of the client 122 . the computerized system 100 of fig1 can be implemented as one or more web server computers 200 as shown in fig2 . the server computer 200 is capable of storing information about all of the parties that use the system 100 that were described above in connection with fig1 . in the preferred embodiment , a server computer 200 stores this information in a database 210 . this information can be maintained as separate tables in a relational database , or as database objects in an object - oriented database environment within the database 210 . fig2 shows the database 210 with tables or objects for professionals 220 , clients 230 , and recipients 240 . this allows the database 210 to maintain information about the professionals 110 - 112 , clients 120 - 126 , and recipients 130 - 132 that may access the server computer 200 . in addition , the database 210 stores data of relevance to the client 230 in a digital profile database entity 250 . of course , the table or object entities shown in fig2 should not be considered to show actual implementation details of the database 210 , since it is well within the scope of the invention to implement this type of data using a variety of entity architectures . the entities shown are exemplary , intended only to aid in the understanding of the data maintained by the database 210 in this embodiment . for example , it would be well within the scope of the present invention to divide information about professionals 220 into multiple tables or objects , instead of the single professional database entity 220 shown in fig2 . similarly , it would be possible to implement the database 210 such that information about professionals , clients , and recipients all use a single database table or object , where the role ( professional , client , or recipient ) for each instance is defined using a field within that table or object . finally , it is not even necessary to implement these entities as formal tables or objects , as other database paradigms could also effectively implement these types of data structures . relationships between these entities 220 - 250 are represented in fig2 using crow &# 39 ; s foot notation . for example , fig2 shows that each client 230 is associated through database links with a single professional 220 , while a professional 220 may be associated with multiple clients 230 . relationships in the database 210 can be established through any standard technique for associating , connecting , linking , or otherwise establishing relationships between database entities within a database . from fig2 , it can be seen that each client 230 may have multiple recipients 240 , but each recipient 240 is linked with only a single client 230 . furthermore , we know that each client 230 and each recipient are linked with only a single digital profile record 250 , while professionals 220 that work with many clients 230 will be associated with multiple profile records 250 . the database 210 is used by a web server 260 operating on one or more of the server computers 200 to generate the various interfaces used by the system 100 . in particular , web programming 262 exists that defines how to create a professional interface 264 , a client interface 266 , and a recipient interface 268 using the data in the database 210 . this programming 262 allows the web server 260 to transmit over the world wide web 270 ( or similar wide area network ) a professional interface 280 that can be seen by a browser operating on a computer 290 for the benefit of a professional 110 , 112 . similarly , the web server 260 can manage a client interface 282 on browser operating on a client computer 292 , and a recipient interface 284 operating on a recipient computer 294 . each computer 200 , 290 , 292 , 294 could be a standard personal computer operating a microsoft windows , linux , or apple mac os operating system . alternatively , some of these computers , such as 290 - 294 , could be mobile devices , such as smart phones or tablet computers , operating google android , apple ios , or microsoft windows phone operation system . in addition , these devices 290 - 296 could be a “ smart ” or internet enabled television sets . fig3 is a flow chart showing the process 300 by which the users 110 - 132 utilize the computerized system 10 . for the sake of simplicity , this description will focus on the use of the system 100 by a single professional a 110 and their client a 2 122 , who shares his digital profile with recipient a 2 - 1 130 . this description should not be considered limiting , as the intent of the present invention is to have the system 100 be utilized by numerous professionals 110 , 112 , with each professional 110 , 112 having a plurality of clients 120 - 126 , and with each client 120 - 126 designating a plurality of recipients 130 , 132 . in the first step 310 of process 300 , the professional services provider 110 registers herself with the computerized system 100 . this step must be taken before the professional 110 may offer the product &# 39 ; s services to her clients 120 , 122 . registration includes basic address and contact information as well as the creation of login credentials ( user name , password and security questions ). these login credentials are requested by the system 100 every time a user accesses the system in order to identify and authenticate individual users . at step 312 , the professional services provider 110 will use administrative tools available through the professional interface 280 to customize her experience with the system 100 as well as the experience of her client 122 . professional 110 integrates the system 100 either by using her own custom domain ( i . e ., internet domain name address ) or through use of the system domain controlled by the entity that operates system 100 . if a custom domain is used , the client 122 will be directed to a sub - domain of the professional &# 39 ; s existing domain . the professional 110 creates this sub - domain and then redirects the sub - domain to an address provided by the operator of system 100 . the professional 110 has the opportunity to customize the landing page first viewed by her client 122 with her firm &# 39 ; s logo and contact information . if the system domain is used , the client 122 is directed to the professional &# 39 ; s landing page on the system &# 39 ; s server 200 . the professional 110 also has the opportunity to customize this landing page with their firm logo and contact information . the customization of step 312 also includes the creation and modification of the intake questionnaires that the system 100 provides to client 122 . by so doing , the professional 110 is also defining the intake data that the system 100 will track in the client &# 39 ; s digital profile 250 . the intake forms will be provided to the client 122 through that client &# 39 ; s client interface 282 . these forms will use best - practice data collection techniques appropriate for the professional services provider 110 . however , the system 100 will also support a diversity of business practices and sensitivity . the system &# 39 ; s form engine will enable professional services providers 110 to add , edit , or exclude most form elements according to the needs of their practice . in step 312 , the professional 110 can also customize other elements of their implementation of the computerized system 100 , including the introduction language , fonts , colors , graphics ( including company logo ), messages , contact information , and the body and subject of email messages that are sent to the client 122 and the recipient 130 . in one embodiment , the professional services provider 110 is responsible for the creation of accounts on the computerized system 100 for each of her customers 120 , 122 . this occurs at step 314 . the professional 110 creates a new account for her client 122 using minimal information known about the client , such as their name , contact information and email address . in the case of couples , a tied pair of accounts is created . the professional services provider 110 also provides payment to the manager of the computerized system 100 during account creation . payment information can be remembered at the discretion of the professional services provider 110 to simplify subsequent account creation . with the creation of a new account , an email with a temporary password is sent to the client 122 inviting him to visit the system site ( through client interface 282 ) to begin the intake process . in an alternative embodiment , the computerized system 100 can allow client 122 to create his own account on the system 100 . because every new client account must be associated with a professional 110 , the account creation process requires any client that creates their own account to identify and associate themselves with a professional 110 that uses the system 100 . this alternative embodiment allows a professional 110 to explain to new clients that they must create an account on the system 100 before their first meeting . the professional 110 would provide instructions on how to create the account to new customers , ensuring that the appropriate intake data would be entered into the system before their first meeting . in one embodiment , the system 100 would allow new accounts to be created by client 120 before payment , but would require payment by the professional 110 before information in a client &# 39 ; s digital profile 250 is shared with the professional 110 . upon his first actual use of the system 100 , the client 122 is asked to create a permanent password ( i . e ., login credentials ) as well as security questions and answers that can be used to retrieve a lost or forgotten password . this registration process takes place in step 320 . once the user is logged into their account , the system 100 at step 322 provides the client 122 with a dashboard , which is the home page for the client within the system 100 and provides a summary of client &# 39 ; s account status . the dashboard includes a visual indication of overall percentage to which the client &# 39 ; s digital profile 250 is complete , warnings about recommended actions , and a messaging tool to display and create messages between the client 122 and their professional services provider 110 . the dashboard also includes other information including space for the professional services provider 110 to populate with selected articles , information , static image or message or system default information . one of the primary purposes of the client interface 282 is to allow the client 122 to input data into their digital profile . this intake of information takes place at step 324 , and utilizes several forms designed to collect the information needed to create the client &# 39 ; s profile . the intake information entered at this intake step 324 is stored in the digital profile 250 . the intake information is the type of information that would be useful for the professional 110 to perform her standard services for the client 122 and for recipients to have following the client &# 39 ; s death or disability . for example , with respect to estate planning professionals , intake information includes those items 400 indicated on fig4 . all forms used by the client interface 282 for data input into the digital profile 250 intelligently expand and contract according to the client &# 39 ; s answers thereby streamlining the data entry process . all forms provide appropriate validation and input helpers to help ensure accurate information . professional services providers 110 can customize all forms for receiving intake information 400 according to the diversity and sensitivities of their individual practice using a forms editor . by default , the professional services provider 110 is given read - only access to the client &# 39 ; s intake information 400 to assist in providing their professional services . in some embodiments , permission to access the intake information 400 can be changed by the client 122 as desired . in addition to intake information 400 , the client 122 at step 326 can add additional information and materials to the digital profile 250 , as is shown in fig5 . in particular , the digital profile may include the following categories of information and materials : notes 510 . the note form allows the client 122 create a simple unstructured message to his recipient 130 . the notes 510 are as flexible and open - ended as a standard email message . videos 520 . the video form allows the client 122 to upload and describe videos files 520 . files 530 . the file form allows the client 122 to upload and describe arbitrary digital files 530 . online accounts 540 . the online account form allows the client 122 to identify online accounts 540 and to record the security credentials ( user name , password , security questions , special instructions ) needed to access them . road map 550 . the road map form allows the client 122 to describe the location of tangible assets and important items that exist in the real world rather than in digital format . plan my funeral 560 . the plan my funeral form allows the client 122 to provide notes , suggestions , ideas , or even detailed plans about the client &# 39 ; s desires concerning their funeral service , their visitation or wake , the reception , desires regarding memorials and notifications , and their wishes with respect to burials or cremation . within each category 510 - 560 of information in the digital profile 250 , the client 122 is able to create a nearly unlimited number of records . unlike the information collected on the intake forms 400 , the information created , entered and stored in the rest of the digital profile 250 is not available to the professional services provider 110 unless explicitly granted by the client 122 . in addition , it should be noted that , in the preferred embodiment , the client 122 has ultimate control over whether and with whom to affiliate his digital profile 250 . in other words , the client 122 has the ability to transfer his professional services relationship to another professional 112 so long as that professional 112 is registered with the system 100 . in doing so , the information entered by the client 122 will transfer intact and the same abilities of the previous professional 110 to interact with the intake information 400 will transfer to the new professional services provider 112 . for each data entry 510 - 560 added to the digital profile 250 , the client has the opportunity to identify one or more recipients 130 , 132 of the information 510 - 560 that have access to that data , either immediately or upon the occurrence of some triggering event . as shown at step 328 , each recipient 130 , 132 identified by the client 122 will receive an email instructing her to register herself with the system 100 as a participant in the client &# 39 ; s digital profile 250 . interaction between the recipient 130 and the system 100 will take place through the recipient interface 284 , which may also include customizations specified by the professional 110 working with the client 122 . the client 122 will be notified when their recipient 130 registers with the system 100 through interface 284 . during registration ( step 330 ), the recipient 130 establishes her username and password ( her login credentials ) as well as secret questions and answers that can be used to retrieve a forgotten password . the client 122 will also be notified if there are their recipient 130 fails to register or if email to recipient 130 is rejected or bounces back . after the client 122 enters intake data 400 at step 324 , the professional services provider 110 is able to export the intake data 400 in a format appropriate for printing , or in an export format appropriate for syncing with computer programs utilized by the professional 110 . this occurs at step 332 in process 300 . frequently , the client 122 has hired the professional 110 to generate documents that may themselves be important additions to the client &# 39 ; s digital profile 250 . in one embodiment , the professional 110 is given the ability through their interface 280 ( at step 334 ) to submit digital versions of these documents to the digital profile 250 of her client 122 . the professional 110 has the ability to receive activity reports for her client 122 . these reports will inform the professional services provider of the last time the client 122 has accessed the system 100 . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the professional 110 will also receive activity reports informing the professional 110 of significant changes or shortcomings in client information , either in the intake form 400 or in the remainder of the digital profile 250 that may impact the provider &# 39 ; s service offerings . at step 340 , the system 100 prompts the professional 110 to maintain regular e - mail contact with each of her clients 122 . the e - mail communication between the professional 110 and her client 122 can take place outside the computerized system 100 . in the preferred embodiment , however , the e - mail communications are managed and tracked by the system 100 so that the professional 110 has a consistent and complete record of communications with client 122 concerning the system 100 . in fact , the communications can be fully generated and automated by the system 100 so that no additional steps are necessary for the professional 110 to send the communications . in other embodiments , the system 100 will suggest e - mail text based on standard language suggested by the system 100 . the professional 110 will have the opportunity to customize the suggested email communication language proposed by the system 100 . in some cases , the system 100 will not send any communication until authorized by the professional 110 . in this way , the system 100 ensures that the client 122 will receive regular email from his professional services provider 110 . in still other embodiments , the professional 110 can modify the level of communication desired with her customer 122 . this level of communication can vary from absolutely no ongoing email communication , to correspondence on a regularly scheduled time basis , to ad hoc email or email notice when the digital profile 250 needs attention for some reason . asking the client 122 to complete or update specific portions of his digital profile 250 ; reminding the client 122 to keep his information up - to - date ; providing the client 122 with relevant information related to the service offerings of the professional 110 ; and advising the client 122 if an information recipient 130 has failed to register or keep contact information current . every recipient 130 who registers himself through the recipient interface 284 at the request of the client 122 becomes a member of that client &# 39 ; s network . recipient 130 will also receive regular email from the professional service provider 110 currently working with that client 122 . these emails serve multiple purposes including : reminding the recipient 130 that he or she has been selected by the client 122 to receive important client information ; reminding the recipient 130 to keep his or her contact information up - to - date ; requesting the recipient 130 to inform the professional service provider 110 about the occurrence of a triggering event ; and indirectly informing the recipient 130 of the services offered by the professional service provider 110 . as was the case with e - mail communication with the client 122 , the professional services provider 110 will have the opportunity to customize the standard content and frequency of email communication with the recipients 130 , 132 . by maintaining ongoing communication with the client 122 and each of the client &# 39 ; s recipients 130 , the professional 110 will be able to improve her relationship with client 122 and develop a relationship with each recipient 130 . this strengthened relationship will allow the professional 110 to increase their ability to market services to those individuals 122 , 130 . more importantly , however , regular communication concerning this system 100 will increase the likelihood that the professional 110 will receive timely notification of a triggering event . in many cases , the triggering event will be the death of the client 122 , and the communication of that event will come from the recipient 130 . upon receiving notice of and confirming a triggering event such as the client &# 39 ; s disability or death ( step 342 ), the professional 110 verifies the occurrence of that event , and then inputs the event into the system 100 through the professional interface 280 at step 344 . upon verification of the triggering event by the professional 110 , the system 100 sends an email notice ( step 346 ) to each recipient 130 identified by the client 122 . this email serves only as an invitation to the recipients 130 to visit their recipient interface 284 of the system 100 in order to view client information designated for the recipient . the emails do not contain any client information stored in the digital profile 250 . the recipient 130 will then log into the system 100 at step 348 using the password she established when she confirmed their status as recipients in the client &# 39 ; s network at step 330 . in the event the recipient 130 has forgotten her password , she is able to retrieve the password by correctly answering the security questions that were established during registration . after logging into the system 100 , recipient 130 will receive read - only access to that portion of the client &# 39 ; s digital profile 250 designated for their viewing ( step 350 ). the level of access to the profile 250 that will be granted will be as specified by the client 122 . 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 .	6
fig1 shows a block diagram of an integrated circuit device 100 including a clock path 110 , according to an embodiment of the invention . ic device 100 can be a memory device or a processor . clock path 110 of ic device 100 receives clock signals ck and ck #. the “#” designation in ck # indicates that the ck # signal is inverted with respect to the ck signal . the ck and ck # signals together form a differential signal . thus , the ck and ck # signals can be considered as components of a differential signal . the ck and ck # signals may be external to ic device 100 . clock path 110 includes a clock distribution network ( cdn ) 112 to distribute the ck and ck # signals , or signals generated from the ck and ck # signals , to various locations within ic device 100 . ic device 100 also includes a data path 120 to transfer data within ic device 100 or to transfer data to and from ic device 100 . in fig1 , “ data ” presents the data transfer to and from ic device 100 . ic device 100 uses the ck and ck # signals as timing signals to transfer data on data path 120 . data path 120 may include components , such as data receivers , latches , and deserializers . the data receivers can be differential amplifier ( e . g ., sense - amp based ) data receivers . data on data path 120 includes data transferred to and from memory cells 130 . ic device 100 also includes a bias generator 180 to generate a bias voltage v bias based on a bandgap reference generator 170 . ic device 100 uses bias voltage v bias to control gates of transistors of at least some of the components of clock path 110 . some of the components of ic device 100 , such as clock path 110 and bias generator 180 , can be similar to or identical to the components described below with reference to fig2 through fig1 . fig2 shows a block diagram of an ic device 200 including a clock path 210 having a cdn 212 , according to an embodiment of the invention . clock path 210 includes a receiver 232 to receive a differential clock signal formed by clock signals ck and ck #, which can have a frequency corresponding to a frequency of a clock ( e . g ., system clock ) of a system that includes ic device 200 . clock path 210 uses the ck and ck # signals to generate other clock signals with different phases and different frequencies for internal data capture and transfer within ic device 200 . a buffer 234 receives the ck and ck # signals and generates a 2 - phase differential clock signal that includes clock signals ck 2 and ck 2 #. the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals can be generated to have the same frequency as the frequency of the ck and ck # signals . clock path 210 may include a duty cycle correction circuit ( not shown ) coupled to receiver 232 and buffer 234 to improve duty cycle of the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals . cdn 212 includes a receiver and divider circuit 236 to receive the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals to generate 4 - phase differential clock signals including a first differential clock signal formed by clock signals ck 4 a and ck 4 a #, and a second differential clock signal formed by clock signals ck 4 b and ck 4 b #. the ck 4 a , ck 4 a #, ck 4 b , and ck 4 b # signals can be generated to have a frequency that is one - half of the frequency of the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals . cdn 212 also includes a converter 238 , which is a current - mode logic ( cml ) to cmos signal ( cml - to - cmos ) converter and can include a differential to single - ended signal converter . converter 238 converts four components ( ck 4 a , ck 4 a #, ck 4 b , and ck 4 b #) of the two differential clock signals into four single - ended clock signals ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 on lines 239 for distribution to a clock tree system 240 . as shown in fig2 , clock path 210 includes a combination of both cml - based and cmos - based components . cml - based components include receiver 232 , buffer 234 , receiver and divider circuit 236 , and converter 238 . cmos - based components include inverter circuits 250 and local clock trees 260 . in this description , a cml - based component refers to a component having input nodes to receive input differential signals and output nodes to provide output differential signals . a cmos - based component refers to a component having an input node to receive an input cmos - level signaling and an output node to provide a cmos - level signaling . a differential signal and a cmos signal can make a transition from one signal level to another signal level . the transition can be considered a “ swing ” of the signal . the signal levels can include supply voltage and ground potential levels , which are usually provided through conductors that are sometimes called “ rails ”. the signal swing of cmos signals generated by cmos components are generally greater than the signal swing of differential signals received at or generated by cml - based components . for example , cmos signals can swing from supply voltage level ( e . g ., vcc ) to ground and vice versa ( or rail to rail ). differential signals associated with cml - based components generally have signal swings that are less than rail to rail . as shown in fig2 , inverter circuits 250 and local clock trees 260 are arranged in an h - tree arrangement . inverter circuits 250 can be considered part of a global clock tree of clock tree system 240 . the global clock tree can extend a relatively long distance within ic device 200 . local clock trees 260 can be located locally near data latches and deserializers of ic device 200 . the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals have signal levels corresponding to cmos signal level . clock tree system 240 distributes the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals to inverter circuits 250 and local clock trees 260 for data capture and transfer . each inverter circuit 250 includes four cmos inverters , and each of the four inverters receives one of the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals . each local clock tree 260 can include additional inverters ( not shown ) to further distribute the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals . the single lines between the individual inverter circuits 250 and local clock trees 260 include multiple lines to carry multiple clock signals . fig2 shows these multiple lines as single lines for simplicity . ic device 200 also includes a bandgap reference generator 270 to generate voltage and current that are substantially constant over variations in the fabricating process , operating voltage and temperature . a bias generator 280 generates a bias voltage v bias based on bandgap reference generator 270 , such as based on the voltage or current from bandgap reference generator 270 . ic device 200 uses bias voltage v bias to control the gate of transistors in other components of ic device 200 , including cml - based components . some conventional clock paths may include only cmos inverters or only cml - based components . cmos inverters are generally more susceptible to supply voltage variation than cml - based components . cml - based components generally consume more power than cmos - based components . thus , some conventional clock paths may be sensitive to supply voltage variation or may consume relatively more power . in clock path 210 , however , a combination of both cml - based components and cmos - based components can reduce power consumption , or improve sensitivity to supply voltage variation , or both . cml - based components are generally sensitive to temperature . in some cases , variation in operating temperature can increase the temperature dependency of cml - based components . however , an appropriate value of a bias voltage , such as bias voltage v bias of fig2 , can reduce the temperature dependency of cml - based components , such as the cml - based components in ic device 200 of fig2 . generation of bias voltage v bias is described in more detail below with reference to fig1 through fig1 . fig3 shows a block diagram of a portion of a clock path 310 including a combination of cml - based components and cmos inverters , according to an embodiment of the invention . components of clock path 310 can be used in clock path 210 of fig2 . clock path 310 of fig3 includes additional components similar to those of clock path 210 of fig1 . however , fig3 shows only a portion of clock path 310 to focus on specific components shown therein . as shown in fig3 , clock path 310 includes cml - based components , such as receiver 333 and divider 335 , and cmos - based components such as inverters 350 . receiver 333 receives a differential clock signal ( ck 2 / ck 2 #). divider 335 receives the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals to generate two different differential clock signals , one formed by the ck 4 a and ck 4 a # signals and the other one formed by the ck 4 b and ck 4 b # signals . converter 338 is a cml - to - cmos signal converter and can include a differential to single - ended signal converter . converter 338 converts the two differential clock signals ( ck 4 a / ck 4 a # and ck 4 b / ck 4 b #) into four single - ended clock signals ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 on lines 339 , which correspond to lines 239 of fig2 . a clock tree system 340 includes four inverters 350 , each receiving a corresponding clock signal ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , or ck 4 270 . inverters 350 provide the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals to one or more branch of clock tree system 340 for further distribution . the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals can be used as clock signals for data latches and other components , such as deserializers , to capture and transfer data . fig4 is a timing diagram showing clock signals having different phases and frequencies , according to an embodiment of the invention . the clock signals shown in fig4 correspond to the same signals shown in fig1 , fig2 , and fig3 . as shown in fig4 , the ck and ck # signals have a cycle ( period ) “ t ” or a frequency f 1 = 1 / t . the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals also have a cycle of t or a frequency f 2 = f 1 = 1 / t , which is equal to the frequency f 1 of the ck signal . the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals are 180 degrees ( or ½ of their cycle t ) relative to each other . the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals have a cycle of 2t or a frequency f 4 = 1 / 2t , which is one - half the frequency f 2 of the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals . the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals are 90 degrees ( or ¼ of their cycle 2t ) out of phase relative to each other . the data ( data ) can have a frequency f d equal to four times the frequency f 4 of the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals ( e . g ., f d = 4f 4 = 2 / t ), such that during each clock cycle t , two bits of data can be captured or transferred . data capture and transfer can occur at the edge ( e . g ., rising edge ) of the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals . for example , as shown in fig4 , four data bits b 0 , b 1 , b 2 , and b 3 of the data ( data ) can be captured or can be deserialized using four consecutive rising edges of the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals . fig5 shows a block diagram of a portion of a clock path 510 with a converter 538 located at local clock trees 560 , according to an embodiment of the invention . clock path 510 includes a combination of cml - based components , such as cml receiver 533 , cml divider 535 , cml buffers 550 , and cmos - based components , such as cmos inverter 555 . fig5 shows details of components within only one local clock tree 560 for clarity . local clock trees 560 , however , have similar components . clock path 510 can be considered a variation of clock path 210 of fig2 , with cml buffers 550 in fig5 replacing cmos inverter circuits 250 of fig2 and converter 538 of fig5 located at local clock trees 560 . in fig2 , converter 238 is located outside local clock trees 260 and converts differential signals ck 4 a / ck 4 a # and ck 4 b / ck 4 b # into 4 - phase cmos clock signals ( ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 ). then , clock path 210 distributes the 4 - phase cmos clock signals to local clock trees 260 . in fig5 , however , differential signals ck 4 a / ck 4 a # and ck 4 b / ck 4 b # are distributed to local clock trees 260 by cml buffers 550 . then , converter 538 locally converts differential signals ck 4 a / ck 4 a # and ck 4 b / ck 4 b # into the 4 - phase cmos clock signals ( e . g ., ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 ). fig6 shows a block diagram of a portion of a clock path 610 with clock trees 641 and 642 having different clock phases , according to an embodiment of the invention . clock path 610 includes receivers 633 to receive a differential signal , formed by clock signals ck 2 and ck 2 #, and sends it to clock trees 641 and 642 . the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals are 2 - phase clock signals that clock tree 641 uses as timing signal to capture data ( data ) at latches 621 . clock tree 642 includes a divider 634 and inverter circuit 636 to convert the 2 - phase clock signals ck 2 and ck 2 # into 4 - phase clock signals ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 on lines 639 . clock tree 642 uses the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 signals to deserialize data at deserializer 622 before the data is stored , for example , in memory cells . fig7 shows a block diagram of a portion of a clock path 710 with clock trees 741 and 742 having the same components , according to an embodiment of the invention . clock path 710 receives a differential clock signal , formed by clock signals ck 2 and ck 2 #, at receiver 733 and sends it to clock trees 741 and 742 via cml buffers 734 . each of clock trees 741 and 742 includes a divider 735 , a converter 738 , and a cmos inverter circuit 750 to receive the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals to generate 4 - phase cmos clock signals ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 to capture data ( data ) at data latches 721 or 722 . fig8 shows a schematic diagram of a cml - based component 800 , according to an embodiment of the invention . cml - based component 800 has a differential amplifier configuration with a load 802 and a constant current i . cml - based component 800 includes transistors 803 and 804 to receive a differential clock signal , formed by clock signals ck in and ck in #, and generate a differential clock signal , formed by clock signals ck out and ck out #. cml - based component 800 also includes a transistor 805 having a gate controlled by an enable signal en to activate or deactivate cml - based component 800 . cml - based component 800 further includes a transistor 806 having a gate controlled by a bias voltage v bias . a bias generator , similar to bias generator 280 of fig1 , provides bias voltage v bias . cml - based component 800 with the different amplifier configuration show in fig8 ( or with other different amplifier configurations ) can be used as receiver 232 of fig2 , receiver 333 of fig3 , cml buffers 550 of fig5 , receivers 633 of fig6 , cml buffer 637 of fig6 , and cml buffers 734 of fig7 . fig8 shows an example of a differential amplifier configuration of cml - based component 800 . cml - based component 800 , however , can include other differential amplifier configurations . fig9 shows a schematic diagram of a divider circuit 935 , according to an embodiment of the invention . divider circuit 935 can be used as the divider circuits described above , such as divider 335 of fig3 . in fig9 , divider circuit 935 is a cml latch - based divider circuit with cml latches 911 , 912 , 921 , and 922 . the circuit components , such as transistors n 1 through n 7 and resistors r 1 and r 2 of cml latches 911 , 912 , 921 , and 922 are similar and are arranged in similar ways as shown in fig9 . for clarity , fig9 omits details of cml latches 911 and 921 . cml latches 911 and 912 form two stages ( e . g ., master and slave stages ) of a first divider to receive a different clock signal that includes clock signals ck 2 and ck 2 # and generate a differential signal that includes clock signals ck 4 a and ck 4 a #. as shown in fig9 , the gates of two transistors n 1 and n 2 of cml latch 912 are controlled by clock signals ck 2 and ck 2 #, and the gate of a transistor n 3 is controlled by a bias voltage v bias . a bias generator , which can be similar to bias generator 280 of fig2 , provides bias voltage v bias . the ck 4 a and ck 4 a # signals generated by latches 911 and 912 have a frequency equal to one - half of the frequency of the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals . cml latches 921 and 922 form two stages ( e . g ., master and slave ) of a second divider to receive the same ck 2 and ck 2 # signals and generate a differential signal that includes clock signals ck 4 b and ck 4 b #. cml latches 921 and 922 operate in ways similar to those of cml latches 911 and 912 , except that the ck 2 and ck 2 # signals are swapped at gates of transistors n 1 and n 2 of cml latches 921 and 922 . transistor n 3 of cml latch 922 is controlled by the same bias voltage v bias . divider circuit 935 may provide the ck 4 a , ck 4 a #, ck 4 b , ck 4 b # signals to a converter , such as converter of 238 of fig2 or converter 338 of fig3 , to generate 4 - phase cmos clock signals , such as the ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 clock signals of fig2 and fig3 . fig1 shows a block diagram of an ic device 1000 including a bias generator 1080 , according to an embodiment of the invention . ic device 1000 may include components similar to or identical to those of ic device 100 of fig1 and ic device 200 of fig2 . fig1 shows only a portion of ic device 1000 to focus on bias generator 1080 and bandgap reference generator 1070 . bias generator 1080 generates a bias voltage v bias , which can be used as bias voltage v bias described above with reference to fig1 through fig9 . as shown in fig1 , bias generator 1080 includes generator portions 1010 and 1020 to generate voltages v init and v adj based on a current i ref from bandgap reference generator 1070 . current i ref is a bandgap reference current that is substantially constant over variations in operating voltage and temperature . bias generator 1080 includes a calibrating process to adjust the value of voltage v adj based on the relationship between voltages v init and v adj during the calibrating process . after the value of voltage v adj is adjusted to a selected value , bias generator 1080 stops the calibrating process to maintain the value of bias voltage v bias . as shown in fig1 , bias generator 1080 includes a unity gain amplifier 1050 to provide voltage bias v bias , which is equal to voltage v adj . unity gain amplifier 1050 can act as a filter to improve signal characteristic of bias voltage v bias . generator portion 1010 includes a current source 1012 and a load formed by transistors 1014 and 1016 that are coupled as a diode load and in series with current source 1012 on a circuit path between nodes 1098 and 1099 . node 1098 can include a supply node having a supply voltage vcc . node 1099 can include a ground potential . current source 1012 may include a current mirror to generate current i init based on current i ref , such that current i init can be equal to current i ref . as shown in fig1 , voltage v init is a function of current i init and a resistance across the diode load formed by transistors 1014 and 1016 . generator portion 1020 includes a current source 1022 and a load , formed by a resistor r , coupled in series with current source 1022 on a circuit path between nodes 1098 and 1099 . current source 1022 may include a current minor to generate current i adj based on current i ref . current i adj is an adjustable current . it can be adjusted using a code ( represented by “ code ” in fig1 ). the code can be a digital code having one or more bits . fig1 and fig1 ( described below ) show examples of an adjustable current source that can be used for current source 1022 of fig1 . as shown in fig1 , voltage v adj is a function of current i adj and the resistance of resistor r . thus , the value of voltage v adj can be adjusted by adjusting the value of current i adj . further , since bias voltage v bias is generated based on voltage v adj , bias voltage v bias is also a function of current i adj and the resistance of resistor r . as described above , bias generator 1080 includes calibrating process to adjust the value of bias voltage v bias based on the relationship between voltages v init and v adj . in fig1 , during a calibrating process , a comparator 1030 compares the value of voltage v adj with the value of voltage v init and adjusts the value of voltage v adj based on the results of the comparison . the value of current i init and voltage v init are not adjusted during the calibrating process . thus , the value of voltage v init can be used as a target value during the calibrating process . current source 1022 can be set such that the value of voltage v adj is set to a starting value within a voltage range ( described below ) and less than the value of voltage v init at the beginning of the calibrating process . then , based on the comparison during a calibrating process , a controller 1040 changes the value of the code to change the value of current i adj and increase the value of voltage v adj . the adjustment can repeat until the value of voltage v adj is at least equal to the value of voltage v init . controller 1040 may include a digital counter to set the value of the code corresponding to a count value of the counter . controller 1040 may use the counter to count up , increasing the value of the count value , which can correspond to an increase in the value of current i adj . current source 1022 can be alternatively set such that the value of voltage v adj is set to a starting value within a value range and greater than ( instead of less than , as described above ) the value of voltage v init at the beginning of the calibrating process . then , based on the comparison during a calibrating process , controller 1040 can change the value of the code to change the value of current i adj and decrease the value of voltage v adj . in the alternative way , controller 1040 may use a counter to count down , decreasing the value of the count value , which can correspond to a decrement in the value of current i adj . the adjustment can repeat until the value of voltage v adj is at most equal to the value of voltage v init . the voltage range of voltage v adj ( mentioned above ) can be determined by measuring its values ( e . g ., during design ) for different process variations . thus , the voltage range is known before the value of voltage v adj is set . the voltage range of voltage v init can also be determined by measuring its values for different process corners . based on the voltage ranges , the starting value of v adj at the beginning of the calibrating process can be set to a value within its voltage range ( e . g ., a lowest value in the voltage range ) and less than or greater than the value of voltage v init . bias generator 1080 may perform the calibrating process only one time , for example , only during a power - up sequence of ic device 1000 . after the calibrating process , for example , after the power - up sequence , ic device 1000 may switch one or more of generator portion 1010 , comparator 1030 , and controller 1040 to a lower power mode to save power . such lower power mode may include an idle mode or an off mode . ic device 1000 includes an operating temperature range with a first operating temperature limit lower than a second operating temperature limit . bias generator 1080 may perform the calibrating process to adjust voltage v adj at a temperature that is closer to the first operating temperature limit than the second operating temperature limit . for example , ic device 1000 may have an operating temperature range from 0 ° c . to 100 ° c . and bias generator 1080 may perform the calibrating process at 25 ° c . performing the calibrating process at a relatively lower temperature within operating temperature range may improve performance of device 100 . fig1 shows a block diagram of a bias generator 1180 with a current source 1122 having adjustable parallel current paths 1100 , 1101 , and 1102 , according to an embodiment of the invention . bias generator 1180 can correspond to bias generator 1080 of fig1 . fig1 shows only a portion of generator 1180 to focus on current source 1122 , which can correspond to current source 1022 of fig1 . in fig1 , bias generator 1180 generates a voltage v adj , which can be used to generate a bias voltage ( e . g ., v bias = v adj ) similar to or identical to bias voltage v bias in fig1 . in fig1 , voltage v adj has a value based on the value of a current i adj and the resistance of a resistor r . the value of current i adj can be generated based on bandgap reference generator 1170 . as shown in fig1 , bandgap reference generator 1170 includes a bandgap internal circuitry 1171 , transistors p 0 , and a resistor r ref to generate a bandgap current i ref . current source 1122 includes transistors p 1 through p 9 arranged in a current mirror configuration with transistors p 0 to generate a current i adj based on current i ref . the value of the current i adj is equal to a sum of the values of currents on current paths 1100 , 1101 , and 1102 . each of these current paths can be configured to have different current values . for example , transistors p 1 through p 9 can have different sizes so that currents on current paths 1100 , 1101 , and 1102 can have different values . bias generator 1180 receives a code having bits c 0 , c 1 , and c 2 to select a combination of current paths 1100 , 1101 , and 1102 . fig1 shows current source 1122 having only three current paths 1100 , 1101 , and 1102 as an example . the number of current paths can vary . the values of bits c 0 , c 1 , and c 2 can be controlled by a controller , such as controller 1040 of fig1 . depending on which combination of current paths 1100 , 1101 , and 1102 is selected , the value of current i adj is increased or decreased to adjust the value of voltage v adj . bias generator 1180 may adjust voltage v adj during a calibrating process similar to or identical to the calibrating process described above with reference to fig1 . for example , bias generator 1180 can adjust voltage v adj by changing the values of bits c 0 , c 1 , and c 2 during a calibrating process . fig1 shows a block diagram of a bias generator 1280 having multiple current sources 1220 , 1221 , and 1222 , according to an embodiment of the invention . bias generator 1280 can correspond to bias generator 1080 of fig1 . fig1 shows only a portion of generator 1280 to focus on current sources 1220 , 1221 , and 1222 . bias generator 1280 generates a voltage v adj , which can be used to generate a bias voltage ( e . g ., v bias = v adj ) similar to or identical to bias voltage v bias in fig1 . in fig1 , voltage v adj has a value based on the value of a current i adj and the resistance of a resistor r . the value of current i adj can be generated based on a bandgap current i ref from bandgap reference generator 1270 . each of current sources 1220 , 1221 , and 1222 can include multiple parallel current paths similar to the parallel current paths of current source 1122 of fig1 . bias generator 1280 receives a code ( represented by “ code ” in fig1 ) to control the current on each of current sources 1220 , 1221 , and 1222 . the value of current i adj is equal to the sum of current from current sources 1220 , 1221 , and 1222 . multiple current sources 1220 , 1221 , and 1222 provide bias generator 1280 with more combination of current paths to select , so that current i adj can be adjusted with a finer resolution and a wider range of current value . fig1 is a flow diagram of a method 1300 , according to an embodiment of the invention . method 1300 can be used to generate a bias voltage and clock signals in an ic device . method 1300 includes activity 1310 to enable a bandgap reference generator . after the bandgap reference generator is settled , activity 1320 performs a calibrating process to select a value of a voltage ( e . g ., v adj ) generated based on the bandgap reference generator . the calibrating process in activity 1320 may include activities and operations of a bias generator , such as bias generators 1080 , 1180 , and 1280 of fig1 , fig1 , and fig1 , respectively . after the calibrating process , method 1300 continues with activity 1330 to provide the bias voltage , which is based on the voltage generated during the calibrating process . the bias voltage can be similar to or identical to bias voltage v bias described above with reference to fig1 through fig1 . activity 1330 in fig1 may perform the calibrating process only one time , for example , only during a power - up sequence of the ic device . method 1300 also includes activity 1340 to generate clock signals for data capture and transfer . method 1300 may use the bias voltage provided by activity 1330 to control transistors of cml - based components that method 1300 uses to generate the clock signals . generation of the clock signals in activity 1330 may include activities and operations described above with reference to fig1 through fig9 to generate clock signals , such as ck 2 , ck 2 #, ck 4 a , ck 4 a #, ck 4 b , ck 4 b #, ck 4 0 , ck 4 90 , ck 4 180 , and ck 4 270 . one or more embodiments described herein include apparatus and methods having a clock path with a combination of current - mode logic ( cml ) based and cmos components . the apparatus and methods further include a bias generator to generate a bias voltage for use in some of the components of the clock path . other embodiments , including additional methods and devices , are described above with reference to fig1 through fig1 . the illustrations of apparatus such as ic devices 100 , 200 , and 1000 are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments and not a complete description of all the elements and features of the apparatus that might make use of the structures described herein . the apparatus of various embodiments includes or can be included in electronic circuitry used in high - speed computers , communication and signal processing circuitry , memory modules , portable memory storage devices ( e . g ., thumb drives ), single or multi - processor modules , single or multiple embedded processors , multi - core processors , data switches , and application - specific modules including multilayer , multi - chip modules . such apparatus may further be included as sub - components within a variety of electronic systems , such as televisions , memory cellular telephones , personal computers ( e . g ., laptop computers , desktop computers , handheld computers , tablet computers , etc . ), workstations , radios , video players , audio players ( e . g ., mp3 ( motion picture experts group , audio layer 3 ) players ), vehicles , medical devices ( e . g ., heart monitor , blood pressure monitor , etc . ), set top boxes , and others . the above description and the drawings illustrate some embodiments of the invention to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention . other embodiments may incorporate structural , logical , electrical , process , and other changes . in the drawings , like features or like numerals describe substantially similar features throughout the several views . portions and features of some embodiments may be included in , or substituted for , those of others . many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description . for example , the embodiments described above may also apply to a cml / cmos cdn that uses two - phase clock signals ( e . g ., ck and ck # or ck 2 and ck 2 #) to capture and transfer data . in the two - phase cml / cmos cdn , a divider ( e . g ., clm divider 535 of fig5 ) can be omitted . the abstract is provided to comply with 37 c . f . r . § 1 . 72 ( b ) requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure . the abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the claims .	7
any suitable liquid epoxy resin or liquid solution of an epoxy resin that can be emulsified can be used in the dilute aqueious sizing compositions of the invention , but it is preferred to use epoxy resins which are themselves liquid at ordinary workplace temperatures , and it is further preferred to use it in combination with a suitable solvent therefor . preferably the weight of solvent , if any , will be not greater than about the weight of epoxy resins . if the solvent is water soluble , at least a portion of it may partition into the aqueous phase of the emulsion . the solvent , if any , will be selected according to well known principles as to its solubility , stability and volatility characteristics . a particularly advantageous solvent is diacetone alcohol . while the structure of the epoxy resins is not narrowly critical , and both linear diepoxide - terminated resins and other types of epoxide resins of equal or higher functionality , such as novolac types , can advantageously be used , the substantially linear diepoxide - terminated reaction products of a bisphenol , such as bisphenol a or bisphenol f or brominated analogues thereof , and an epihalohydrin , such as epichlorohydrin , are preferred . it is further preferred that the epoxy resin be characterized by an epoxy equivalent weight greater than about 250 . any conventional glass fiber lubricant compatible with the emulsified epoxy resin or solution can be used . however , mineral oil is preferred as being a satisfactory lubricant which is readily co - emulsifiable with a broad selection of surfactant systems . as the surfactant for emulsifying the liquid epoxy resin or liquid solution of epoxy resin , ordinarily any of a broad range of surfactants or mixtures of surfactants generally suitable for such purpose can be used . however , predominantly non - ionic surfactant systems are preferred . surfactant systems comprising a major proportion by weight of alkylarylpoly ( alkoxy ) alkanols , and especially c . sub .≧ 6 - alkylarylpoly ( c 2 - 4 - alkoxy )- c 2 - 4 - alkanols , are particularly suitable . the dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the present invention employ , as the sole organosilane coupling agent , 3 - chloropropyltrimethoxysilane or , preferably , hydrolysate thereof . it is preferred that no other component primarily recognized as a coupling agent be included , but this is not meant to exclude components included primarily for some other functional purpose which may be shown to have also some incidental value as a coupling agent . inclusion of polyvinylpyrrolidone in the dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention is also advantageous . other conventional components such as anti - static agents , anti - foam agents , stabilizers , thixotropic agents , etc . can also be included if desired . although the proportions of the various components in the dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention are not narrowly critical , formulations within approximately the following ranges are generally preferred : ______________________________________ preferred proportion as wt . % of total as wt . % ofcomponent composition epoxy resin______________________________________epoxy resin 1 - 10solvent 0 - 20lubricant 2 - 153 - chloropropyltrimethoxysilane 2 - 15surfactant 15 - 25polyvinylpyrrolidone 2 - 15total non - volatiles 1 . 5 - 15______________________________________ the dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention can be prepared following conventional practices . thus a concentrated emulsion of the epoxy resin or epoxy resin solution can be prepared by slowly adding aqueous medium to a premixed blend of epoxy resin , surfactant and , optionally , solvent while subjecting the mixture to high shear agitation . ordinarily a water - in - oil emulsion will form first , but will invert to an oil - in - water emulsion as more of the aqueous medium is added . it is ordinarily advantageous to maintain the components of the concentrated emulsion at a moderately elevated temperature during the emulsification process , but of course care should be taken not to employ temperatures so high as to risk excessive thermal instability or volatilization of any component . the total content of non - volatile components in such a concentrated emulsion is not critical , and can advantageously range from about 35 to about 75 percent by weight . the concentrated emulsion of the epoxy resin or epoxy resin solution can then be mixed with the other components of the dilute aqueous sizing composition and additional water in any convenient order , only low shear agitation being required for mixing . it is , however , preferred that the silane be at least partially hydrolyzed , as by mixing it with a dilute aqueous acid such as acetic or citric acid , preferably before mixing it with the other components of the sizing composition . the dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention can be applied to glass fibers to form a light size coating thereon by any convenient method , such as by spraying , drawing the fibers to be sized across a rotating or stationary roll wet with the sizing composition , etc ., and then drying the composition so applied in situ , either before or after collecting the fibers into a package as by winding onto a rotating collet . ordinarily and preferably the sizing composition will be applied to the glass fibers during continuous manufacture thereof , which is typically by attenuating a plurality of streams of molten glass emerging from a reservoir through orifices in a so - called bushing plate and cooling the attenuated fibers to solidify them , immediately following solidification of the fibers . in order to avoid undesirably excessive heating of the dilute aqueous sizing composition as it is applied to the newly formed glass fibers , it may be found advantageous to cool the fibers substantially below their solidification temperature , as by wetting them with water , before the sizing composition is applied . the amount of sizing composition applied to the glass fibers is not narrowly critical , but ordinarily and advantageously a final in situ dried size coating constituting from about 0 . 5 to about 2 . 5 percent of the weight of the glass fibers can be deposited thereon . in adjusting the concentration and / or amount of the dilute aqueous sizing composition to be applied in order to achieve the desired final dried coating weight on the glass fibers , account must be taken out only of the proportion of non - volatile components therein but also of the usual loss of some of the wet coating initially applied to the fibers before it can be dried thereon . the invention can be further understood by considering the following specific examples representing preferred embodiments thereof . a concentrated emulsion of a liquid epoxy resin which was substantially a diglycidoxy - terminated reaction product of bisphenol a and epichlorohydride having epoxy equivalent weight of about 265 to about 355 and obtained from dow chemical co . as a 90 % solution in diacetone alcohol designated der 337 da 90 was first prepared as an intermediate for use in preparing dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention . the surfactants employed for emulsifying the epoxy resin were igepal co 897 ( tm / gaf corp . ), a 70 % solution in water of a nonylphenoxypoly ( ethoxy ) ethanol characterized by an hlb index of about 17 . 8 , igepal co 210 ( tm / gaf corp . ), a nonylphenoxypoly ( ethoxy ) ethanol characterized by an hlb index of about 4 . 6 , and methocel mc - 15 ( tm / dow chemical co . ), a methyl cellulose , all non - ionic surfactants . ______________________________________component wt . % ______________________________________epoxy resin 52 . 3diacetone alcohol 5 . 8igepal co 897 8 . 0igepal co 210 1 . 9methocel mc - 15 0 . 1d . i . water balancetotal non - volatiles 60______________________________________ the epoxy resin solution with diacetone alcohol and the principal surfactants were heated to about 150 ° f . and blended together in a tank equipped with cowles high shear disperser . the methocel was pre - mixed with about 1 / 4 of the water , heated to about 150 ° f ., and then slowly added to the other components while the mixture was subjected to high shear agitation and the temperature maintained approximately constant . during this addition the initially formed water - in - oil emulsion inverted to an oil - in - water emulsion . then the balance of the water was added slowly while high shear agitation was maintained . the product was a stable emulsion of about 60 percent by weight total non - volatiles and exhibited the characteristic bluish color of fine particle emulsions . a dilute aqueous sizing composition was prepared from the concentrated epoxy resin emulsion of example 1 using emerlube 7440 ( tm / emery industries ), which contains about 40 % mineral oil , about 20 % amide / ester anti - static agent and about 20 % surfactant in a ratio of about 3 : 1 non - ionic to anionic , pvp - k - 90 ( tm / gaf corp . ), a 22 . 5 % solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone in water , and a - 143 ( tm / union carbide corp . ), 3 - chloropropyltrimethoxysilane , according to the following formulation : ______________________________________component wt . % ______________________________________epoxy emulsion of ex . 1 12 . 1emerlube 7440 0 . 6pvp - k - 90 3 . 5a - 143 0 . 25glacial acetic acid 0 . 20d . i . water balancetotal non - volatiles 9 . 2 ± 0 . 7______________________________________ about half of the water was placed in a tank equipped with a stirrer and a premix of the epoxy emulsion of example 1 with about 150 % of its weight of water was slowly added thereto with stirring . the emerlube 7440 and the pvp - k - 90 were blended together and then about 4 times their combined weight of water was mixed therewith and this mixture was then added slowly to the main mixture with continuous stirring . the balance of the water was then added , followed slowly by the acetic acid and finally by the silane , and stirring continued for about 30 minutes more . this dilute aqueous sizing composition was applied to glass fibers during manufacture to give a dried coating weight thereon of about 1 . 25 ± 0 . 25 % of the weight of the glass fibers . additional dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention were prepared , using substantially the same procedure as in example 2 , according to the following formulations : ______________________________________component wt . % ______________________________________epoxy emulsion of ex . 1 11 . 6emerlube 7440 1 . 0pvp - k - 90 2 . 4a - 143 0 . 5glacial acetic acid 0 . 5d . i . water balancetotal non - volatiles 8 . 4 ± 0 . 2______________________________________ this composition was applied to glass fibers during manufacture thereof to give a dried coating weight of about 1 . 50 ± 0 . 15 % of the weight of the glass fibers . ______________________________________component wt . % ______________________________________epoxy emulsion of ex . 1 8 . 05emerlube 7440 1 . 125pvp - k - 90 0 . 84a - 143 0 . 30glacial acetic acid o . 20d . i . water balancetotal non - volatiles 6 . 3 ± 0 . 2______________________________________ this composition was applied to glass fibers during manufacture thereof to give a dried coating weight of about 0 . 83 % of the weight of the fibers . ______________________________________component wt . % ______________________________________epoxy emulsion of ex . 1 4 . 9emerlube 7440 0 . 4pvp - k - 90 1 . 0a - 143 0 . 2glacial acetic acid 0 . 2d . i . water balancetotal non - volatiles 3 . 3 ± 0 . 3______________________________________ this dilute aqueous sizing composition of the invention was applied to glass fibers during manufacture thereof to give a dried coating weight thereon of about 0 . 65 ± 0 . 15 % of the weight of the glass fibers . the dilute aqueous sizing compositions of the invention can be advantageously employed to deposit lightweight size coatings on either conventional e - glass type fibers or on high - strength s - glass ( tm / owens - corning fiberglas corp .) type fibers , and the sized glass fibers so produced can advantageously be incorporated as reinforcing elements in various matrix resins , particularly epoxy resins but also unsaturated polyester and other resins . glass fibers sized with the compositions of the invention exhibit excellent processing characteristics , particularly exhibiting fast and thorough wetting of the sized glass fibers by liquid epoxy and other matrix resins , and produce superior shear and tensile strength in epoxy and other matrix resins in which they are incorporated as reinforcing elements . numerous variations and modifications of the invention as specifically described will be apparent to those skilled in the art , and are contemplated as within the scope of the invention .	2
because the art of magnetic recording and playback through a television receiver is well known in general , and specifically in connection with magnetic disks , the present description will for the most part be directed to elements forming part of , or cooperating more directly with , apparatus embodying the present invention . elements not specifically shown or described , especially those pertaining to mechanical components and electrical circuits , may be selected from those known in the art . fig1 portrays a video disk player arranged according to the invention for use with a plurality of video disks organized into a video picture file . mechanical and electrical components of such a player . . . which are not directly pertinent to disclosure of the present invention . . . are further described in related patent application ( a ), serial no . 644 , 096 . in fig1 a video disk 10 has been automatically removed from a container 12 storing , say , thirty such disks . the disk may be optical or magnetic , rigid or floppy . the disk 10 has many concentric video tracks 1a , 1b , 1c . . . , each storing one picture . fifty such tracks , and fifty pictures , are typically placed on the disk . a playback head 14 is seen adjacent one of these tracks . ( ordinarily the disk 10 will be contained in a protective cartridge , which is not shown here .) a player circuit 16 , shown as a block diagram , reproduces each picture for display on a television receiver 18 according to a particular arrangement prescribed by the display attributes of the video picture file . data necessary for establishing the video picture file is contained in a remote memory 20 appended to the container 12 . the remote memory 20 may be a solid state device attached to the container 12 as a separate element as shown by fig1 . it may also be a magnetic stripe formed on the container 12 or a removable element , say one of the disks , taken from the container 12 when it is in the player . in related patent application ( a ), ser . no . 644 , 096 , the remote memory 20 is shown as a detachable memory module containing one or more electrically - erasable programmable read - only memories ( eeproms ). the remotely - stored data includes display attributes initially obtained by editing the pictures , that is , by assigning the pictures to one or more of , say , twenty albums or categories of like image content , by rearranging the viewing order ( from the order on the disks ), by skipping some pictures , by adding text to the assigned pictures , by setting individual viewing times , and so on . the viewer communicates with the player circuit 16 by observing editing &# 34 ; screens &# 34 ; produced on the television receiver 18 , which provide a guide to selections , and then entering a decision via an infra - red remote controller 24 . ( one such screen -- the &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ;-- is shown in an abbreviated form on the display tube 18 &# 39 ; of the television receiver 18 . this and other &# 34 ; screens &# 34 ; are disclosed in detail in related patent application ( b ), ser . no . 644 , 166 .) the video picture file data is stored in the remote memory 20 and remains there though the container 12 is removed from the player . to view an album , the container 12 is inserted into the player and the remote memory 20 is connected into the player circuit 16 . an album is selected by observing album selection &# 34 ; screens &# 34 ; generated from the picture file data and pressing appropriate buttons on the controller 24 . the pictures are then obtained in a rearranged order according to the particular album by accessing the disks , and the picture tracks on the disks , in a rearranged sequence -- that is , a sequence unlike the order of disks , and tracks on the disks , as stored in the container 12 . viewing then proceeds automatically through the album according to the preselected display attributes with the viewer essentially unaware of the particular disks and tracks being accessed . the player circuit 16 includes a digital processor 26 that operates by means of programs and data stored in a memory array 28 . the digital processor preferably is a microcomputer , such as the 8031 microcomputer manufactured by the intel corporation . the 8031 microcomputer has 32 input / output ( i / o ) lines configured as four 8 - bit parallel ports . one port connects to an 8 - bit data bus 30 and provides for multiplexing both a low - order address byte and data onto the bus . the low - order address byte is latched off the data bus 30 and put on a 16 - bit address bus 32 . a high - order address byte is provided by another eight - bit port to the address bus 32 . the memory array 28 includes a set of read - only memories ( roms ) 34 for storing the operating programs and a word library for text generation . read and write memories include the aforementioned remote memory 20 and input / output ( i / o ) space 36 for memory - mapped i / o , that is , an area of memory space dedicated to memory addresses that are actually used to address peripheral devices ( such as motors and sensors ) and circuits . ( though not shown by fig1 such peripheral devices and circuits are inter - connected with the data bus 30 .) each memory in the array 28 is connected to the address bus 32 and the data bus 30 . the processor 26 has a further port for interchanging data with a video circuit 38 , which processes video data read from the video disk 10 . the video circuit 38 is a conventional circuit for generating two color - difference signals r - y and b - y and a luminance signal y from its input signal . the processor 26 is also connected to a text generator 40 , which generates the aforementioned &# 34 ; screens &# 34 ;. the digital processor 26 operates the player by coordinating signals from a variety of input sensors , including the remote controller 24 and the head 14 , with commands to a variety of output devices , including the motors ( shown generally by a block 42 ) that move the container 12 in the player , remove the disk 10 , position the head 14 , and rotate the disk 10 . the remote controller 24 is shown with several control buttons , including a &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button and a pair of buttons for moving a cursor . pressing one of these buttons causes the controller 24 to generate and emit an infra - red signal that is modulated to indicate which button is being depressed . the infra - red signal is detected by an infra - red decoder 44 , which has a unique decoded output corresponding to each of the controller buttons . the decoded output drives a corresponding input line of a buffer 46 . the buffer 46 is addressed via memory - mapped i / o space 36 , thereby asserting its input states onto the data bus 30 and to the processor 26 . the display signal to the television receiver 18 is provided by operating a video line switch 48 so as to switch between a picture signal from the video circuit 38 and a text signal from the text generator 40 . according to instructions from the processor 26 , the text generator 40 assembles text messages for display on the television receiver 18 as the aforementioned &# 34 ; screens &# 34 ;. the text controller 40 generates color line scan signals for text and a text indicator signal t . the existence of text for all or part of a particular line of the display is indicated by the text signal t being &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;; the absence of text by being &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;. the color line scan signals are converted in a conventional matrix circuit ( not shown separately ) into two color - difference signals r - y and b - y and a luminance signal y . the color difference and luminance signals -- representative of text or background color surrounding text -- are introduced to the video switch 48 , which also receives picture signals from the video circuit 38 . the video switch 48 can take many conventional forms . for example , it can be a configuration of single - pole double - throw switches employing bipolar or field - effect transistors for switching . it may switch within the duration of each line , for example , line - by - line , but preferably switches in ten - line groups since a text character typically occupies ten lines of video . the video switch 48 may be conditioned to switch during portions of the line period so that the display from the video picture signals will &# 34 ; box in &# 34 ; a segment of text . that is , text may be inserted in only a portion of a line with the picture on either or both sides by operating the switch more than once within the duration of a line . the transmitted signals are applied to an ntsc generator 50 , which puts out a composite video signal in ntsc format suitable for application to , and viewing on , the television receiver 18 . sync timing for the ntsc generator 50 , the text generator 40 and the processor 26 comes from a sync generator 52 , which in turn is locked to the incoming video signal via connection to the video circuit 38 . the signal into the receiver 18 is typically processed therewithin by a conventional automatic gain control ( agc ) circuit 49 . a video detector 49a produces an agc voltage proportional to the average signal level . the agc voltage is fed back through a conventional agc amplifier 49b to control the gain of radio frequency and intermediate frequency amplifiers 49c . the agc circuit 49 is shown to emphasize that the average level of the signal to the display tube 18 &# 39 ; may be influenced by the character of the incoming signal , that is , whether its line level represents picture or text . though agc circuits in newer receivers may lock upon sync - tip levels ( keyed agc ), agc circuits in older or misadjusted receivers may be affected by an &# 34 ; abnormal &# 34 ; line level due to text or constant - color background between and around text characters . a switching signal sw put on an external control line of the switch 48 determines which set of video signals the switch 48 will transmit , i . e ., text video or picture video signals . the switching signal sw is obtained by combining the text indicator signal t from the text generator 40 and a viewing signal vw appearing on an output line of an output latch 54 . the processor 26 changes the state of the viewing signal vw when , under certain conditions that will be discussed , the person using the video player presses or releases the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button on the controller 24 . pressing the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button at such time signifies a desire to see the whole picture rather than a cropped picture combined with the text . the depressed &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button generates a corresponding infra - red signal which is decoded by the decoder 44 and input to the processor 26 through the buffer 46 . the processor 26 then puts a corresponding signal on the data bus 30 while enabling the latch 54 . the latch 54 accordingly brings the viewing signal vw on its output line &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;. the viewing signal vw is applied to an inverter 56 . the output signal vw &# 39 ; of the inverter 56 and the text indicator signal t are applied to the inputs of an and gate 58 , which produces at its output the switching signal sw for the video line switch 48 . the switching signal sw will then remain &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;-- causing the switch 48 to pass picture video only regardless of the state of the text indicator signal t . when the person using the video player releases the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button , this condition is again noted by the processor 26 . the latch 54 is again enabled and the viewing signal vw on its output line is brought &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;. after inversion , the signal vw &# 39 ; is &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;. the state of the switching signal sw will then follow the state of the text indictor signal t . the particular relationship of the switching signal sw ( and its constituent signals ) to the image on the display tube 18 &# 39 ;-- either all picture or part picture and other part text -- is shown by the timing diagram of fig2 . the video signal for each frame shows the vertical synchronization pulses and the intervening portions of text video and / or picture video ( when the two parts are combined , the text is assumed for sake of discussion to cover one - half of the picture ). the condition of the switching signal sw is shown over the period of each frame --&# 34 ; low &# 34 ; for picture and &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; for text . the viewing signal vw ( and its inverted counterpart vw &# 39 ;) and the text indicator signal t are juxtaposed time - wise with the switching signal sw to show the logical relationship of these signals , as processed by the and gate 58 . the format of an &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ; is shown in an abbreviated form on the face of the display tube 18 &# 39 ; in fig1 . each picture in the video picture file is produced on the display tube 18 &# 39 ; with such an &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ;. this &# 34 ; screen &# 34 ; shows a cropped portion of each picture and an album menu overlayed over the bottom of the picture . due to the number of albums , the album menu may occupy as much as half or more of the face of the display tube 18 &# 39 ;. such an &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ; for twenty albums and a skip attribute is shown by the following diagram : ______________________________________picturearea______________________________________ * album 1 album 9 album 17album 2 album 10 album 18album 3 album 11 album 19album 4 album 12 album 20album 5 album 13 skipalbum 6 album 14 viewalbum 7 album 15 exitalbum 8 album 16______________________________________ the album menu at the bottom of the picture includes a list of twenty possible albums to which the picture may be assigned , as well as certain other possible actions such as &# 34 ; skip &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; view &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; exit &# 34 ;. a cursor is shown as an asterisk (*) and moved by pressing the cursor buttons on the remote controller 24 . for a color receiver , the albums to which the picture is already assigned would be shown in a different color . a picture is filed in an album ( or deleted from an already assigned album ) by moving the cursor to the selected album name and pressing the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button on the controller 24 ; then the selection is stored in the remote memory 20 . additional albums are similarly selected ( if desired ) and the disk is stepped to the next picture by use of frame advance buttons ( not shown ) on the controller 24 . pressing the select button while the cursor points to &# 34 ; skip &# 34 ; enters the picture into a &# 34 ; skip frame &# 34 ; category . ( activating the &# 34 ; skip frame &# 34 ; option according to related patent application ( a ), ser . no . 644 , 096 , causes the video player to bypass any picture previously edited to &# 34 ; skip frame &# 34 ;.) the &# 34 ; skip frame &# 34 ; selection is also stored in the memory 20 . pressing the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button while the cursor points to &# 34 ; view &# 34 ; activates the video switch 48 as heretofore discussed in connection with fig1 and 2 , causing the album menu at the bottom part of the &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ; to be replaced with the remaining part of the picture ( as characterized by the &# 34 ; view &# 34 ; screen shown on the display tube 18 &# 39 ; in fig1 ). the user then can see the entire picture before deciding which album ( s ) to put it in . releasing the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button returns the album menu to the &# 34 ; screen &# 34 ;. pressing the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button while the cursor points to &# 34 ; exit &# 34 ; takes the user out of this part of the editing procedure . more detail on this and other &# 34 ; screens &# 34 ; and the editing procedure can be found in related patent applications ( a ) and ( b ), ser . nos . 644 , 096 and 644 , 166 . fig3 is a flowchart showing a procedure by which the player circuit 16 temporarily substitutes the missing part of the picture for the text in the course of using the &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ;. a disk ( denoted m ) is first removed from the container 12 . then a picture ( denoted n ) is reproduced . the viewing signal is set &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;, causing the video switch 48 to pass text and / or picture video according to the state of the text indicator signal t . the composite &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ; is displayed . the user then faces a decision . doing nothing keeps the display as is . making a selection loops the procedure back to the beginning , but first storing the selection in the remote memory 20 and then checking to see if the picture ( n ) was the last picture ( n max ) and , if so , if the disk ( m ) was the last disk ( m max ) then , either the process stops or a new picture is displayed . ( if the viewer is given the option of assigning a picture to more than one album , then the same picture is redisplayed after each selection until a frame advance button ( not shown ) is pressed . when the signal for frame advance appears , the above - mentioned picture checks are made and the process flow continues as shown ). if the user was unable to make a selection because too much of the picture was missing , the cursor is moved adjacent &# 34 ; view &# 34 ; on the &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ; and the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button on the controller 24 is pressed . . . then the viewing signal vw is set &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;. the video switch 48 , regardless of the condition of the text indicator signal t , passes the picture video signal only . as long as the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button is held down , the whole picture is displayed . when the user releases the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button , the viewing signal vw is set &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; and the &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ;, which was continuously produced but temporarily not passed by the video switch 48 , returns to the display tube 18 &# 39 ;. the description of the &# 34 ; edit screen &# 34 ; and of the control function represented by the &# 34 ; select &# 34 ; button , as well as the flowchart illustrated by fig3 forms the basis from which a computer program can be written to operate the player circuit 16 according to the invention . a computer programmer of ordinary skill can take this material and design the appropriate program to fulfill the requirements set out therein . the statements used in the program will depend upon the approach taken by the individual programmer but the process is straight - forward and conventional . it does not require experimentation in design . the invention has been described in detail with particular references to a presently preferred embodiment thereof , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention .	7
fig1 illustrates multipoint network 10 which embodies the principles of the present invention . multipoint network 10 includes a plurality of stations . by way of example , there are fifteen such stations which are denoted 101 - 1 through - 15 and which are structurally identical to one another . in particular , station 101 - 1 comprises a plurality of data devices 103 , 105 and 107 , cluster controller 111 , protocol adapter 113 and tributary modem 115 . the data devices in each of the stations are configured to communicate with host computer 127 which may be , for example , a mainframe computer . cluster controller 111 is of conventional design . illustratively , the cluster controller in fig1 is that designated as model 3274 and manufactured by international business machines , corp . ( ibm ). such a cluster controller has thirty - two interface ports , denoted as 102 - 1 through - 32 with each port supporting a data device . this being so , cluster controller 111 can service up to thirty - two data devices such as a data terminal , a printer and a personal computer . cluster controller 111 packetizes , in a standard way , individual sequences of data bits received from the data devices . each data packet , thus created , includes fields that indicate the addresses of the data originating device and the cluster controller connected thereto . the data packets are temporarily stored in buffers in cluster controller 111 . at the same time , cluster controller 111 issues to protocol adapter 113 a standard request - to - send signal indicating to the latter that the former has data packets to send . protocol adapter 113 runs a random access algorithm which is fully described hereinbelow . this algorithm determines the timing of data packet transmission . once determined , protocol adapter 113 sends a standard clear - to - send signal to cluster controller 111 , thereby acquiring a data packet from the latter . protocol adapter 113 thereupon processes the acquired data packet and generates a data message , which is described in further detail hereinbelow . this data message contains an identification header , one or more continuation bits as well as the data packet bits . in this illustrative embodiment , there are fifteen such identification headers , each of which is comprised of a plurality of identification bits in a particular pattern . each bit pattern identifies a particular one of the fifteen cluster controllers in multipoint network 10 . since in this case cluster controller 111 is the one that issues the data packet to protocol adapter 113 , the identification header of the data message generated by the latter accordingly has a bit pattern which identifies cluster controller 111 . the functionality of the aforementioned continuation bits is also further described hereinbelow . it suffices to know for now that these bits are indicative of the length of the associated data message . protocol adapter 113 stores the newly generated data message in a buffer and simultaneously releases a copy thereof to tributary modem 115 . accordingly , tributary modem 115 takes in copies of data messages at a rate of 9 . 6 kb / s . in a conventional manner , tributary modem 115 transmits a modulated signal representing the data messages over communications channel 119 - 1 which may be , for example , an analog voice channel . like station 101 - 1 , stations 101 - 2 through - 15 separately transmit similarly modulated signals via their respective communications channels 119 - 2 through - 15 . the modulated signals transmitted for host computer 117 converge at bridge 120 which is of conventional design . in the transmit direction , bridge 120 principally acts as an adder and , accordingly , generates on communications channel 121 a signal representing the arithmetic sum of the individual modulated signals on channels 119 - 1 through - 15 . channel 121 has a limited bandwidth and provides a common communications link for host computer 127 . control modem 123 performs an inverse function to a tributary modem . specifically , control modem 123 demodulates the signal received from communications channel 121 and recovers data messages therefrom . in addition , it provides a master clock signal of 9 . 6 khz to the components of multipoint network 10 . these components , such as the tributary modem and the protocol adapter of each station , derive their clocks from the master clock signal . protocol controller 125 takes in the recovered data messages from control modem 123 and compares each of the identification headers with the fifteen permissible identification headers associated with the fifteen cluster controllers . in a situation where an identification header of a data message is not recognizable as one of the permissible headers , protocol controller 125 discards the data message . this situation arises whenever in accessing channel 121 , two or more data messages transmitted from different stations overlap in time at bridge 120 . under this situation , these data messages are said to have &# 34 ; collided &# 34 ; at bridge 120 . since bridge 120 acts as an adder in this instance , individual signals representing the colliding data messages thereby interfere with one another , resulting in a corrupted data message which is received by controller 125 . this corrupted data message contains , in particular , an unrecognizable identification header . in response thereto , protocol controller 125 sends a control bit pair having a particular binary value , indicative of the collision , to the protocol adapter of each station . otherwise , it issues control bit pairs of different binary values to inform the same that no collision occurred . ( in this illustrative embodiment , the control bit pair value indicative of a collision is arbitrarily selected to be 11 , and its default value is 00 .) the way by which each protocol adapter utilizes the control bit pair information is fully described hereinbelow . for those data messages having recognizable identification headers , protocol controller 125 extracts the underlying data packets from the received data messages and temporarily stores those packets in buffers . in this illustrative embodiment , there are fifteen such buffers , each of which is associated with a particular one of the fifteen cluster controllers . this being so , each data packet is placed in a buffer which corresponds to the cluster controller which its associated identification header identifies . moreover , protocol controller 125 responds to the polling initiated by front end processor ( fep ) 126 . fep 126 polls , in a sequential manner , all the cluster controllers in the network for any data packet to be communicated to host computer 127 . typically , this polling is communicated to each of the individual cluster controllers . however , by having the polling responded to by protocol controller 125 , as in this particular embodiment , it advantageously saves the transit time of the polling signal and the response thereto . this time saving stems from the elimination of the actual trips of the polling and response signals to and from individual cluster controllers through the aforementioned communications channels and modems . this being so , the polling arrangement in this embodiment mitigates the undue access delay which would otherwise be imposed on the communications from each data device to host computer 127 . protocol controller 125 releases data packets , if any , from the buffer associated with the cluster controller which is polled by fep 126 . the latter is , illustratively , an fep manufactured by ibm and designated as model 3745 . fep 126 reformats , in a standard way , the data packets received from protocol controller 125 so as to properly present their content to host computer 127 . accordingly , the latter runs various application processes and communicates the results to the appropriate data devices . to this end , fep 126 packetizes , in a conventional manner , the responses from host computer 127 . protocol controller 125 takes in the data packet bits sequentially and periodically inserts the aforementioned control bit pairs . protocol controller 125 thereupon provides a bit sequence to control modem 123 . the latter transmits the bit sequence over channel 121 at a rate of 9 . 6 kb / s . in the receive direction , bridge 120 operates in a broadcast mode . that is , after it has received a signal from channel 121 , the same signal is communicated to each of stations 101 - 1 through - 15 via , respectively , communications channels 119 - 1 through - 15 . the tributary modem of each station demodulates the broadcast signal and recovers the bit sequence therefrom . each protocol adapter extracts from the recovered bit sequence the previously inserted control bit pairs which indicates thereto the traffic condition of channel 121 . the remaining bits in the sequence which are in the form of data packets are provided at the input of each cluster controller . the latter selects from the data packets those that are addressed thereto and sends the selected packets to the appropriate data devices . fig2 is a timing diagram of the communications traffic on multipoint network 10 in the transmit and receive directions . specifically , in the transmit direction , time is divided into time slots . data messages , each having a variable number of bits , are transmitted by a tributary modem at the beginning of a time slot . the duration of a time slot is fixed and is determined based upon the statistical distribution of different lengths of data messages communicated in a particular network . it can be shown that a time slot which is extremely long , with respect to a data message , wastes much of the bandwidth of communications channel 121 . on the other hand , an extremely short time slot requires more frequent transmission of the identification header or similar &# 34 ; overhead &# 34 ;, resulting in ineffective utilization of the bandwidth . as such , the actual time slot duration is selected so that the bandwidth of channel 121 is effectively utilized . in the present illustrative embodiment , the duration of the time slot is statistically determined to be 960 bits or 960 bits / 9 . 6 kb / s = 100 ms long . the time slots in fig2 are grouped into frames . each frame has fifteen time slots which are denoted 1 through 15 as shown in fig2 . as described hereinbelow , the aforementioned random access algorithm residing in a protocol adapter may instruct the associated station to transmit in an assigned time slot . if station 101 - 1 is so instructed , it would accordingly transmit in the upcoming time slot 1 which is assigned to station 101 - 1 for this purpose ; if station 101 - 2 is so instructed , it would transmit in the upcoming time slot 2 ; if station 101 - 3 , the upcoming time slot 3 and so on and so forth . the time slots are tracked by each protocol adapter based on its own internal clock ( not shown ) which is synchronized with the master clock signal provided by control modem 123 . as seen in fig2 in the receive direction , the control bit pairs are periodically inserted by protocol controller 125 into the data packet stream originating from fep 126 . this insertion of control bit pairs may involve breaking data packets apart . the insertion of control bit pair 201 into data packet 203 is such an example . in this illustrative embodiment , the control bit pairs are 100 ms apart and are received by each protocol adapter at a rate of 10 hz . each control bit pair is temporally positioned immediately before the end of each time slot . as such , a protocol adapter which causes a data message to be transmitted at the beginning of a time slot can be informed by the received control bit pair at the end of the time slot whether the data message has collided with another data message . the control bit pair can also communicate other ancillary information as will be discussed . if indeed there was a collision , the protocol adapter would be instructed by the random access algorithm therein to immediately cease sending any remaining part of the data message to the associated tributary modem . since the data messages are of variable lengths , there is a probability that some data messages are longer than one time slot , and the probability is a function of the selected duration of the time slot . in order for protocol controller 125 to properly assemble a data message in one or more time slots , the data message generated by each protocol adapter provides an indication of its length to controller 125 . as shown in fig3 a data message includes in addition to a data packet , an identification header and one or more continuation bits . these continuation bits may be inserted into the packet . each continuation bit assumes a binary value of 0 or 1 . a value of 0 indicates that the data message ends in the current time slot and a value of 1 indicates otherwise . therefore , when a data message lasts for more than one but no more than two time slots , the first continuation bit has a value of 1 and the second continuation bit has a value of 0 . that is , in general , except for the last continuation bit , all of the continuation bits in a data message have a 1 value . it should also be pointed out that the first continuation bit of a data message always immediately follows the identification header . each subsequent continuation bit for that data message assumes the first bit position at the beginning of the associated time slot . it should be noted at this point that in addition to the collision information that a protocol adapter needs from protocol controller 125 , other information may also be helpful . in this illustrative embodiment , each protocol adapter is also informed whether a particular data message which has successfully accessed channel 121 in a time slot ( i . e ., without any collision ) has any remaining portion occupying one or more succeeding time slots . but for this information , another data message could have been initiated by a second protocol adapter and could have collided with the message portion in the succeeding time slots . in fact , this information is easily provided by protocol controller 125 once it determines that there has been no collision in the current time slot . the provision of such information simply requires protocol controller 125 to further check the value of the currently received continuation bit . if the continuation bit value is 0 which indicates that the received data message is complete , protocol controller 125 accordingly sends a control bit pair of the binary value 10 , indicating the same , to individual protocol adapters . otherwise , if the continuation bit value is 1 , protocol controller 125 sends a control bit pair of the binary value 01 , indicating that the remaining portion of the data message is to be expected . turn now to fig4 which shows a flow chart of the aforementioned random access algorithm residing in each protocol adapter of multipoint network 10 . as mentioned before , the random access algorithm orchestrates the traffic controlling operation of a protocol adapter . for example , protocol adapter 113 starts to operate , as indicated at 401 , at the same time that multipoint network 10 is initially activated . immediately thereafter , as shown by step 403 , protocol adapter 113 monitors cluster controller 111 for any data packet to be sent by the latter . as soon as protocol adapter 113 receives the request - to - send signal from cluster controller 111 , the former is instructed by the algorithm to retrieve a data packet from the latter , as indicated at step 404 . the random access algorithm thence advances to step 405 wherein protocol adapter 113 generates a data message based upon the retrieved data packet and stores the message in a buffer . the algorithm thereupon proceeds to step 406 . at this step , the algorithm checks the value of the upcoming control bit pair received by protocol adapter 113 . assuming for now that this control bit pair value is 01 ( i . e ., the transmission was successful in the last time slot , but the data message has not yet been completely communicated ), the algorithm enters an idle state . in this idle state , protocol adapter 113 is inhibited from sending out any data message copy . such an idle state persists till the time slot preceding an assigned slot arrives , as indicated at step 407 . ( since protocol adapter 113 is in station 101 - 1 , the assigned time slot in this instance is the upcoming time slot 1 , i . e ., time slot 1 in the immediately following frame .) at such time , the algorithm returns to aforementioned step 406 to recheck the control bit pair value . let us assume now that the received control bit pair value at step 406 is not 01 , but 11 , 10 or 00 instead . in response thereto , the random access algorithm proceeds to step 409 . at this step , protocol adapter 113 is instructed to send a copy of the buffered data message to the tributary modem for transmission in the next time slot . after the data message copy has been promptly transmitted , the algorithm checks the control bit pair value as indicated at step 413 . if this control bit pair value is 11 ( i . e ., a collision occurred ), the algorithm returns to the aforementioned routine of step 407 , followed by step 406 . it should be pointed out at this juncture how random access algorithm reacts to the traffic volume on channel 121 when it , for example , becomes substantially heavy . an initial effect of such an increase in the traffic volume is , of course , that a significant number of collisions occur at bridge 120 . in fact , if any protocol adapter checks the control bit pair value during this transition period , the value would most likely be 11 . if the protocol adapter continues to send out data messages in such a traffic condition , it would end up performing a routine of steps in the order of 407 , 406 , 409 , 410 and 413 repeatedly , as instructed by its own random access algorithm . a closer look reveals that this routine leads a protocol adapter to initiate data messages only during the time slots assigned to its associated station . this being so , where the traffic is extremely congested , each station tends to initiate its data messages in its assigned time slots . since each data message could be more than one time slot long , it could occupy one or more succeeding time slots following the assigned slot . had the data message length been uniformly shorter than or equal to one time slot , this scheme would thus approach the well - known tdma scheme in an extremely congested traffic condition . returning to step 413 , let us now assume that the algorithm finds out that the control bit pair value is 01 , instead . that is , the data message copy which was sent out by protocol adapter 113 at previous step 409 is longer than one time slot and the first part of the data message copy is successfully received by the other end . accordingly , the algorithm instructs protocol adapter 113 to continue to send out the rest of the data message copy until its end , as indicated at step 410 . otherwise , if the received control bit pair value is 10 ( i . e ., the transmission in the last time slot was successful , and the data message was completely communicated ), the random access algorithm enters an idle state for a predetermined period of time in accordance with the present invention . such an idle period is advantageously at least one time slot . the algorithm thence proceeds to step 417 wherein protocol adapter 113 is instructed to check whether the buffer of cluster controller 111 has no more data packets to send . if so , the algorithm returns to aforementioned step 403 where protocol adapter 113 keeps monitoring the cluster controller for any data packet to be sent from the latter . otherwise , the algorithm performs step 411 and then step 412 , which are identical to , respectively , aforementioned step 404 and step 405 . as required by steps 411 and 412 , protocol adapter 113 retrieves a data packet from cluster controller 111 , generates a data message based thereon and stores the message in a buffer . thereafter , the algorithm returns to step 407 as described before . turn now to fig5 which shows an alternative means of implementing the aforementioned random access algorithm residing in each protocol adapter of multipoint network 10 . in this case , the protocol adapter 113 starts to operate as indicated at 501 , at the same time that multipoint network 10 is initially activated . steps 501 , 503 , 504 , 505 and 506 in the flow chart of fig5 are respectively identical to steps 401 , 403 , 404 , 405 and 406 in fig4 . at step 506 , if the control bit pair value received by the protocol adapter 113 is 01 , the protocol adapter proceeds to step 507 and thence back to step 506 , so as to recheck the control bit pair value . however , if the control bit pair value is not 01 , the protocol adapter proceeds to step 509 and thence to step 513 . at step 513 , the value of the control bit pair is checked and , depending on this value , the protocol adapter proceeds to step 515 , 507 or 510 . these steps are again identical to steps 415 , 407 and 410 of fig4 . in step 515 , however , the protocol adapter 113 inhibits any transmission for a predetermined time period , even if the protocol adapter has more data messages ready for transmission , when the immediately prior message was successfully transmitted . after this predetermined time period , which advantageously is at least one time slot but in any event is substantially greater than the time interval from the end of a data message to the next upcoming time slot , the protocol adapter proceeds back to step 503 , where the cluster controller is examined for the presence of data messages and the process starts anew . now , consider a scenario in which the protocol adapter 113 has a lot of messages to transmit , but others do not have any messages to transmit . in this case , the protocol adapter 113 will follow the routine of steps 503 , 504 , 505 , 506 , 509 , 513 , 510 , 513 and 515 repeatedly . consequently , successively transmitted messages will be separated by a one time slot interval . the foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the present invention . it will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous other arrangements which embody the principles of the invention and are thus within its spirit and scope . for example , although the access scheme disclosed herein requires a feedback in the form of control bit pairs from the protocol controller to all of the transmitting stations , such a feedback is not necessary in a communications network where a transmitting station can monitor the channel , for example , a radio channel , and determine the traffic condition . in addition , the access scheme disclosed herein utilizes time slots which are grouped in frames and where the time slots in every frame are assigned to the stations in a fixed manner . specifically in this instance , time slot 1 in each frame is assigned to station 101 - 1 , time slot 2 to station 101 - 2 and so on and so forth . however , this assignment is not necessarily so fixed . depending on the application , it may be desirable to vary the time slot assigned to each station from one frame to another or periodically . moreover , although the time slots are of a fixed duration , the disclosed access scheme can also be implemented with time slots of variable durations or without the time - slot requirement at all . finally , although the disclosed network is embodied in the form of various discrete electronic building blocks and components , the invention could equally as well be embodied in a system in which the functions of any one or more of those building blocks and components or indeed , all of the functions thereof , are realized , for example , by one or more appropriately programmed processors .	7
a description is given of one embodiment of the invention with reference to the following drawings . fig1 is a configuration view of a range measuring system 1 , fig2 a to 2c are schematic views of a configuration of an reid tag ( radio frequency identification tag ) 20 , and fig3 a and 3b are schematic views of a configuration of reader / writer 10 . the range measuring system 1 is composed of a reader / writer 10 and an rfid tag 20 . the reid tag 20 is provided with a sub carrier generation portion 22 , a modulation portion 23 , a communications controller 24 and a memory portion 25 in addition to an antenna 21 as shown in fig2 a . the antenna 21 communicates with the reader / writer 10 in a non - contacted state . the antenna may be composed of an appropriate antenna such as a uhf antenna or a loop antenna . the sub carrier generation portion 22 generates a sub carrier ( sub carrier wave ) whose frequency is different from the first frequency ( frequency fc ) used by the reader / writer 10 as a carrier wave . in the embodiment , phase shift keying ( psk ) or frequency shift keying ( fsk ) may be selectively used as the modulation system of the sub carrier . also , a lower frequency than the first frequency is adopted for the sub carrier . the memory portion 25 stores id being identification information of the rfid tag 20 and other data . the communications controller 24 carries out communications control by which it receives a command from the reader / writer 10 , modulates digital data in the memory portion 25 and responds to the reader / writer 10 . the communications controller 24 is composed of digital circuits ( logic ) to execute parallel processing such as sub carrier generation . the modulation portion 23 modulates the sub carrier based on digital data transmitted from the communications controller 24 . it is composed so that the modulation is selectively carried out based on two types of psk and fsk . first , a detailed description is given of the psk . as shown in fig2 b , the calculator 26 obtains an exclusive logic sum ( xor : exclusive or ) of the sub carrier 28 ( sub carrier wave shown at [ 1 ] in fig2 c ) and digital data ( data shown at [ 2 ] in fig2 c ) that is framed by adding a preamble and crc ( cyclic redundancy check ), etc ., in a framing portion 29 , and an after - calculated signal ( signal shown at [ 3 ] in fig2 c ) is generated . and , reflected signals of the first frequency fc , which are from the reader / writer 10 , by the antenna 21 are controlled by changing the impedance of the antenna 21 based on the signals . the reflected signals by the antenna 21 become a response to the reader / writer 10 . a detailed description is given of fsk . as shown in fig3 a , output signals ( signals shown at [ 4 ] in fig3 b ) are generated by changing a sub carrier 28 a and a sub carrier 28 b by a multiplexer 27 ( mux ) using the sub carrier 28 a ( sub carrier wave shown at [ 1 ] in fig3 b ), sub carrier 28 b ( sub carrier wave shown at [ 2 ] in fig3 b ) and digital data ( data shown at [ 3 ] in fig3 b ) framed by adding a preamble and a crc thereto at the framing portion 29 . and , the signals are sent back from the antenna 21 to the reader / writer 10 . also , the rfid tag 20 is provided with a demodulator and a decoder ( illustration of which is omitted ). the demodulator demodulates signals received by the antenna 21 and acquires command signals transmitted from the reader / writer 10 . the decoder decodes demodulated command signals , and takes out coded command data , wherein processes of reading ( transmitting a designated area of the memory portion 25 ) and writing ( writing data following the command in the designated area of the memory portion 25 ) are carried out . in addition , for the rfid tag 20 , there are two types , one of which is a passive type that does not have any power source and responds to actuation by an electric field or magnetic field and the other of which is a semi - passive type that internally includes a power source and responds when receiving a response request from the reader / writer 10 . therefore , the rfid tag 20 can synchronize with carrier waves transmitted from the reader / writer 10 . the reader / writer 10 is provided with the antenna 11 , and is also provided with a controller and a memory portion , illustration of which is omitted . the memory portion stores various types of data and also stores a range measuring program to measure the range . in addition , the reader / writer 10 includes a range calculating portion 13 , a frequency component separating portion 14 and a frequency converting portion 15 as shown in fig4 a . the frequency converting portion 15 carries out frequency conversion in regard to signals received from the antenna 11 , and sends the frequency component (± fs ) of a sub carrier to the frequency component separating portion 14 . the frequency component separating portion 14 separates the received frequency component (± fs ) into usb and lsb . herein , the lsb can be picked up by the configuration shown in fig4 b . that is , first , i components and q components are extracted from input frequencies by means of an orthogonal mixer 14 a , wherein the phase of the q components is changed by + 90 ° by a phase converter 14 b . and , the after - phase changed q component and i components for which the phase has not been changed are synthesized by a synthesizer 14 c , thereby extracting the lsb . in addition , usb can be picked up by the configuration shown in fig4 c . that is , first , i components and q components are extracted from input frequencies by an orthogonal mixer 14 a , wherein the phase of the q components is changed by − 90 ° by a phase converter 14 d . and , the after - phase changed q component and i components for which the phase has not been changed are synthesized by a synthesizer 14 c , thereby extracting the usb . the range calculating portion 13 shown in fig4 a calculates the range using the usb and lsb that are extracted by the frequency component separating portion 14 . the range calculation is carried out as follows . first , where it is assumed that the phase of the signal of the first frequency fc transmitted by the reader / writer 10 is the reference phase , the signals of the first frequency fc reach the rfid tag 20 located at a distance r from the reader / writer 10 and is reflected therefrom , and phase of carrier waves returned to the reader / writer 10 becomes φt . and , the phase φru of the usb signal , which is generated by modulation with respect to the signal of the first frequency fc at the rfid tag 20 and has reached the reader / writer 10 , for the reference phase and the phase φrl of the lsb signal for the reference phase may be expressed by the following expression . therefore , the range from the reader / writer 10 to the rfid tag 20 may be calculated by the following expression . fig5 a to 5c are schematic views describing a carrier wave , a response signal , usb and lsb where psk is used . as shown in fig5 a , an inquiry signal ( carrier wave ) transmitted by the reader / writer 10 is a signal of the first frequency fc . as shown in fig5 b , the response signal ( reflected wave ) responded by the rfid tag 20 is a signal obtained by synthesizing the first frequency fc and the second frequency fs . for the response signal , data are expressed in the psk system . as shown in fig5 c , the response signal can pick up usb and lsb by separation of frequency components . fig6 a and 6b are schematic views describing a carrier wave , a response signal , usb and lsb where fsk is used . as shown in fig6 a , a response signal ( reflected wave ) that the rfid tag 20 responds to is a signal obtained by synthesizing the first frequency fc and the second frequency fs and the third frequency fs 2 , which are sub carriers . for the response signal , data are expressed in the fsk system . as shown in fig6 b , the response signal may obtain a number of components separated into usb and lsb and separated into the second frequency fs 1 component and the third frequency fs 2 component by separation of frequency components . in this case , three or more frequency components may be used , wherein a high - resolution power algorithm based on the music ( multiple signal classification ) method disclosed by the international publication wo2006 / 095463 , etc ., may be used . accordingly , the accuracy under multi - pass environments can be improved with transmission frequency from the reader / writer 10 remaining as one frequency . fig7 is a flowchart showing actions when a range from the reader / writer 10 to the rfid tag 20 is obtained by the range measuring system 1 . first , the reader / writer 10 carries out command transmission and requests a response for id from the rfid tag 20 ( step s 1 ). at this time , the command is transmitted by the first frequency fc . also , the command includes a modulation system code to determine whether the modulation system is based on psk or fsk . the rfid tag 20 analyzes the command from the reader / writer 10 ( step s 2 ) and extracts the modulation system code . if the modulation system is based on the psk ( step s 4 : psk ), the rfid tag 20 changes the modulation portion 23 to the psk circuit ( step s 5 ). if the modulation system is based on the fsk ( step s 4 : fsk ), the rfid tag 20 changes the modulation portion 23 to the fsk circuit ( step s 6 ). the rfid tag 20 reads memory data stored in the memory 25 ( this example includes id ) ( step s 7 ), and frames by adding a preamble and crc thereto ( step s ). the rfid tag 20 modulates framed data by the system ( psk or fsk ) changed by steps s 4 through s 6 ( step s 9 ), and sends back a response signal ( response ) ( step s 10 ). the reader / writer 10 receives a response signal ( response ) ( step s 11 ), and detects whether or not there is any error , by a crc check ( redundancy cyclic inspection ) ( step s 12 ). if any error occurs ( step s 12 : ng ), the reader / writer 10 returns the process to step s 1 , and carries out the process again . if there is no error ( step s 12 : ok ), the reader / writer 10 carries out a process of fft ( fast fourier transform ) of the received signal by the frequency converting portion 15 ( step s 13 ). the reader / writer 10 further separates lsb and usb from each other by the frequency component separating portion 14 ( step s 14 ), calculates a phase by the range calculating portion 13 ( step s 15 ), and carries out estimation of the range based on the phase difference ( step s 16 ). the reader / writer 10 combines the calculated range with an id included in the signals received in step s 11 and outputs the same ( step s 17 ), and then terminates the process . also , the output may be carried out by an appropriate method such as storing the output in a memory unit of the reader / writer 10 , transmitting the same to another device connected to the reader / writer 10 or displaying the same in a display device secured at the reader / writer 10 . based on the above - described configuration and actions , only by an inquiry signal being transmitted one time at a single frequency from the reader / writer 10 , the reader / writer 10 receives a response signal including multiple frequency components from the rfid tag 20 , and can calculate the range from the reader / writer 10 to the rfid tag 20 . therefore , even if the reid tag 20 , which is the object for range measurement , is moving at a high speed , it is possible to carry out highly accurate range measurements . that is , where a plurality of frequencies are transmitted from the reader / writer 10 one after another , if the rfid tag 20 is moving , accurate range measurements become difficult if the positions of the reid tag 20 differ from each other when transmitting respective frequencies . however , in the above - described embodiment , since an inquiry signal is transmitted one time at a single frequency , no time lag occurs , wherein accurate range measurements are enabled . also , since calculation is carried out by obtaining a phase difference of a sub carrier ( the second frequency ), it is possible to accurately measure the range by canceling the reflected wave . in addition , since the frequency transmitted by the reader / writer 10 is regulated by the radio wave law , it was difficult to change the frequency of transmission waves as in the prior art . however , since the frequency of reflected waves from the rfid tag 20 is not regulated , range measurement can be carried out by frequency separation using frequencies for which differences are sufficiently widened based on the above reason . where the psk is used , a range can be simply measured . also , where the fsk is used , the rfid tag 20 returns reflected waves ( response signals ) with respect to a single frequency transmitted from the reader / writer 10 , using frequency components , wherein the measurement accuracy can be improved by using multiple frequencies . in addition , since the upper side band ( usb ) and the lower side band ( lsb ) are separated from each other , noise in the reflected waves can be separated , wherein highly accurate range measurement can be achieved . further , in the above - described embodiment , although psk and fsk are used , the frequency separation is not limited thereto , but various methods may be used to separate frequencies to enable range measurement . for example , the modulating portion 23 of the rfid tag 20 carries out modulation in the psk system . the reader / writer 10 extracts high frequency components ( odd - number order such as primary , tertiary , quinary , etc .) as shown in fig8 , and these high frequency components may be used . in this case , since three or more frequency components may be used , a high - resolution power algorithm based on the music method may be utilized . therefore , the accuracy under a multiple - pass environment can be improved with the transmission frequency from the reader / writer 10 remaining as one frequency . furthermore , where such high frequency components are used , it is preferable that the rfid tag 20 is of a semi - passive type having a power source . accordingly , power necessary to pick up high frequencies can be secured , and can be effectively utilized . also , as shown in fig9 , it may be composed that the frequency component separating portion 14 uses a complex fft operation . in this case , received signals are separated into i signals and q signals by the orthogonal mixer 14 a , and the respective signals may be separated into real parts and imaginary parts by complex fft operations 14 e and 14 f . and , usb components and lsb components for which addition and subtraction are further carried out are extracted , and phases of usb and lsb may be calculated from the respective i components and q components . in this case , the respective phases of usb and lsb may be obtained by the following mathematical expressions . φ ru = arctan ( fft ( i ) re + fft ( q ) im )/( fft ( i ) im − fft ( q ) re ) * fft ( i ) re : real part separated from 1 signals by complex fft operation fft ( i ) im : imaginary part separated from 1 signals by complex fft operation fft ( q ) re : real part separated from q signals by complex fft operation fet ( q ) im : imaginary part separated from q signals by complex fft operation φ rl = arctan ( fft ( i ) re − fft ( q ) im )/( fft ( i ) im + fft ( q ) re ) fft ( i ) re : real part separated from 1 signals by complex fft operation fft ( i ) im : imaginary part separated from 1 signals by complex fft operation fft ( q ) re : real part separated from q signals by complex fft operation fft ( q ) im : imaginary part separated from q signals by complex fft operation in this case , only by an inquiry signal being transmitted from the reader / writer 10 one time at a single frequency , the reader / writer 10 receives a response signal from the rfid tag 20 corresponding thereto , and can calculate the range from the reader / writer 10 to the rfid tag 20 . in addition , the rfid tag 20 may be composed so as to function as a sensing device . in this case , the rfid tag 20 may be equipped with an appropriate sensor such as a temperature sensor , a humidity sensor , etc ., instead of the memory portion 25 or connecting thereto . and , it may be composed that the rfid tag 20 frames a measurement value of the corresponding sensor as data , modulates the same and responds to the reader / writer . therefore , the reader / writer 10 can acquire sensing information in a non - contacted state , and is able to recognize by range calculation at which position ( range ) the sensing information has been obtained . the composition of the invention matches or corresponds to the above - described embodiment as shown below ; the range measuring system according to the invention matches or corresponds to a range measuring system 1 according to the embodiment . similarly , the reader unit and range measuring apparatus match or correspond to the reader / writer 10 , the communication unit matches or corresponds to the antenna 11 , the range measuring unit matches or corresponds to the range calculating portion 13 , the frequency component acquiring unit matches or corresponds to the frequency component separating portion 14 , the non - contacted ic medium matches or corresponds to the rfid tag 20 , the communications unit matches or corresponds to the antenna 21 , and the modulating unit matches or corresponds to the modulating portion 23 . however , the invention is not limited to only the composition of the above - described embodiment , but may be subjected to various embodiments . according to an aspect of the invention , it is possible to provide a range measuring method , a range measuring apparatus , a non - contacted ic medium and a range measuring system , which are capable of executing highly accurate range measurements even if the non - contacted ic medium is in motion .	6
for ease of description , the fluidics system set forth in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 826 , 364 ( fig1 ) will be used as a model system . all reference numbers used hereinafter will refer to that patent . it will be appreciated that the practice of this invention does not depend on the specific configuration of the fluidics system , its individual components , the direction of fluid flow or on how the flow cytometer is to be used . for example , in the absence of a sample reservoir , there may simply be a sample port , such as that used on a facscan ™ flow cytometer ( becton dickinson immunocytometry systems ), wherein the sample is contained in a disposable test tube which then is fitted onto the sample port for each sample to be run and then removed . the sample port then is connected to the sample feed line . in any case , how the system is configured is not as important as assuring that each component that comes in contact with the sample fluid is cleaned by the method of the invention . the fluidics system of the flow cytometer comprises the sample fluid reservoir 14 , the sample feed line 18 , sheath fluid reservoir 16 , sheath fluid feed line 20 , pressure regulators 24 and 26 and nozzle assembly 10 . the nozzle assembly 10 further comprises inner and outer coaxially located nozzles 28 and 30 which supply fluid from feeds 18 and 20 respectively . the coaxial flow stream 12 comprises an inner cell - containing portion 12a and an outer cell - free sheath fluid containing portion 12b . receptacles to collect the cells , in the case of a cell sorter ( or separator ) are shown generally as 68a - c . in the case of an analyzer , where sorting is not required , there may be a waste discharge line or collection receptacle ( not shown ). to clean the flow cytometer , a strong oxidizing solution is added to reservoirs 14 and 16 . strong oxidizing solutions useful in the practice of this invention should have an oxidizing potential of greater than 0 . 7 v . examples of such solutions include a mixture of naoh and naocl and a mixture of koh and kocl . the mixture of naoh and naocl is preferred . without applying any pressure through the regulators 24 and 26 , the solution is allowed to flood the entire fluidics system . it is left in the system for between 10 seconds to 10 minutes with 30 seconds being optimal . after this time period , the sample reservoir 14 is drained through the system and air is introduced through the sample reservoir 14 . as air is introduced , the oxidizing solution is run through the sheath reservoir 16 under pressure until empty . the reservoirs then are filled with a neutral ph fluid . this fluid must be particle free . preferredly , the fluid is deionized water . a preservative , such as sodium azide , may be added to the fluid . the purpose of the preservative is to prevent microorganism growth . the fluidics system then is run under pressure with the neutral ph fluid until empty . the reservoirs 14 and 16 then are filled with a weak acid having a p k value of approximately 3 . weak acids useful in the practice of this invention include 0 . 01m acetic acid and 0 . 1m n - tri - chloroacetic acid . acetic acid is preferred . again , the fluidics system is run under pressure until the reservoirs are empty . finally , sheath fluid is re - filled into the sheath fluid reservoir 16 and run under pressure for approximately 2 minutes to wash away and remaining acid . the fluidics system now will be essentially free of cells that could contaminate a sample . in another embodiment of this system , three reservoirs may be added to the fluidics system . see , e . g ., fig4 . one reservoir 80 will contain the strong oxidizing solution , one 81 will contain the neutral ph fluid and the other 82 will contain the weak acid . air to pressurize the reservoirs is provided by a pump 83 which is in line with a filter 84 . a rotary valve 85 is provided to direct the flow of air to each of the reservoirs . the reservoirs will be connected to the fluidics system at a point where cells first come in contact with the system ( e . g ., sample port 88 ) by means of a common feed metered through another rotary valve 86 . in the embodiment shown , the common feed connects in with the sheath fluid inlet 87 . this inlet has two points of entry : one into the flow cell 89 and the other 90 into the sample port 88 . the flow sheath fluid is controlled by pinch valves 91 , 92 and 93 . the sample injection tube from the sample port 88 to the flow cell ( not shown ) is shown generally as 94 . an additional metered air supply to pressurize the sample port is shown generally as 95 . in another embodiment , a sample preparation station , such as facsprep ™ ( bdis ), which provides for programmable staining of samples followed by introduction of the samples into the flow cytometer also can be modified to be cleaned in accordance with the invention . in this embodiment the reservoir system described above can incorporated into the preparation station alone or in combination with a system in the flow cytometer . to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method , a facscan ™ flow cytometer which had been used to run a variety of cell samples was cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer &# 39 ; s directions ( e . g ., by running a solution of household bleach through the fluidics system and then flushing with sheath fluid ). phosphate buffered saline ( free of any particles ) then was run through the flow cytometer as a &# 34 ; sample .&# 34 ; two measurements of scatter were recorded and three measures of fluorescence were recorded ( ungated ). the results are set forth in fig1 . as can be seen , significant background levels of scatter and fluorescence were detected using conventional cleaning methods . in accordance with the invention , a strong oxidizing solution consisting of a mixture of 0 . 5m naoh and 0 . 07m naocl , particle - free deionized water , and 0 . 01m acetic acid were run through the flow cytometer sequentially . pbs then was run through the flow cytometer as a &# 34 ; sample .&# 34 ; again , two measures of scatter and three measures of fluorescence were recorded . as can be seen from fig2 and 3 , after 9 hours of the pbs &# 34 ; sample &# 34 ; only six events were recorded by scatter and none by fluorescence within the gate . contamination of the fluidics system of the flow cytometer , therefore , was reduced essentially to zero . all publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the level of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains . all publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference . it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made in the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims .	8
turning now to the figures , fig1 depicts a front view of a component 10 for internal placement within a vehicle fuel tank 12 ( fig2 ). for purposes of illustrating the present invention , the component 10 has been shown as including a grade vent valve 14 which includes a first housing 16 . the details of the valve 14 will not be described here , but suffice it to say that a grade vent valve is a typical fuel tank component which closes off the flow of fuel from the tank based on the grade or angular position of the valve 14 and vehicle relative to the ground . nonetheless , it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that numerous other components that are desired to be located within the fuel tank 12 may be employed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . the component 10 further includes a second housing 18 and a third housing 20 . while the first and second housings 16 , 18 have been shown as separate elements connected by screws 22 , it will be recognized that the first and second housings 16 , 18 may be integrally formed as a single housing member . the second and third housings 18 , 20 are tubular in shape , and the second housing 18 telescopically receives the third housing 20 . it will be recognized that the third housing 20 could also telescopically receive the second housing 18 . in either case , the inner housing member could comprise a solid member , although the housing preferably has a tubular shape . it can be seen in fig2 that the first , second and third housings 16 , 18 , 20 , and more specifically the entire component 10 is located entirely within the fuel tank 12 . that is , the component 10 does not utilize an access opening into the tank 12 to secure the component 10 therein . stated another way , the receiving members 50 , 52 and their depressions 56 , 60 are horizontally spaced from the access opening . as best seen in the cross - sectional view of fig3 , the second housing 18 telescopically receives the third housing 20 , and a spring 24 is interposed between the housings 18 , 20 . more specifically , the spring 24 is positioned within the second housing 18 and engages a first end 26 of the first housing 16 and a first end 28 of the third housing 20 . the spring 24 biases the second and third housings 18 , 20 away from each other , i . e ., in opposing directions . a pin 19 extends through the second housing 18 and limits the distance which the third housing 20 may extend into the second housing 18 . the first housing 14 includes a first connection member 30 at its free end 32 , while the third housing 20 includes a second connection member 34 at its free end 36 . the first connection member 30 generally includes a projection 38 extending away from a flange 40 . similarly , the second connection member 34 includes a projection 42 extending away from a flange 44 . as best seen in fig2 and 3 , the connection members 30 , 34 are structured to correspond with receiving members 50 , 52 formed in the fuel tank 12 . more specifically , the fuel tank 12 is defined in part by a lower wall 46 and an opposing upper wall 48 . as best seen in fig3 , the receiving member 50 is integrally formed in the lower wall 46 and includes a raised portion or plateau 54 defining a depression 56 . similarly , the upper tank wall 48 includes the receiving member 52 integrally formed therein , defined by a raised plateau 58 having a depression 60 formed therein . the depressions 56 , 60 are sized and structured to correspond to the projections 38 , 42 defined by the first and third housings 16 , 20 . the flanges 40 , 44 are structured to rest against the exposed surface of the plateaus 54 , 58 . as shown in the figures , the projections 38 , 42 are tapered , as are the corresponding depressions 56 , 60 . this aids in the proper seating of the component 10 within the fuel tank 12 . as also shown , the projections 38 , 42 have a circular cross - sectional shape . however , it will be recognized that the projections 38 , 42 may have any desired shape . one preferred shape is a non - circular shape , such as a polygonal or oblong shape . such non - circular cross - sectional shapes aid in restricting the motion of the component 10 , and more specifically the first and second housings 16 , 20 . by virtue of the non - circular shape , the structural members ( i . e ., housings 16 , 18 , 20 ) will be prevented from rotating within the tank 12 . to the same end , the first and second projections 38 , 42 could also include a radially extending key member ( not shown ) which corresponds with a key hole or key slot formed into the depressions 56 , 60 . in operation , the fuel tank 12 is molded with the receiving members 50 , 52 integrally formed therein . the component 10 is then inserted through an access opening , and the third housing 20 is displaced relative to the second housing 18 to shorten the overall length of the component 10 . the projections 38 , 42 are then located within the depressions 56 , 60 , and the biasing force provided by spring 24 presses the first housing 16 and its projection 38 into engagement with the depression 60 formed in the upper wall 48 of the tank 12 . similarly , the third housing 20 is biased downwardly such that the projection 42 engages the depression 56 of the lower wall 46 of the fuel tank 12 . in this way , the relative positioning of the first and second connection members 30 , 34 ( biased apart from each other via spring 24 ) allows for selective engagement of the fuel tank 12 , and in turn such as the attachment of the component 10 . this provides easy servicing of the component 10 while being nondestructive of the fuel tank 12 . the foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed . numerous modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly , legally , and equitably entitled .	8
a printing apparatus 1 as shown in fig1 - 4 is used for the direct printing of containers . in the depicted embodiment , these containers are bottles , specifically pet bottles 2 . the printing apparatus 1 comprises a printing wheel or rotor 3 that can be rotated in the direction arrow a about a vertical machine axis z . a plurality of handling or printing positions 4 are disposed on the rotor 3 at evenly distributed angular distances about the machine axis z . an outer conveyor 6 feeds the bottles 2 to be printed upon to a container intake of the printing apparatus 1 . in one embodiment , the container intake is an infeed star 5 . as they are being fed , the bottles 2 stand upright , i . e . with their bottle axis vertically oriented , and succeed one another in the transport direction b of the conveyor 6 . each bottle 2 arrives at a printing position 4 via the infeed star 5 . at a container discharge , an outlet star 7 takes printed bottles 2 from the printing position 4 . an outer conveyor 8 then carries the bottles 2 away in a transport direction c . referring to fig2 , each printing position 4 comprises a container carrier . in the depicted embodiment , the container carrier includes a container plate 9 that can be controlled to rotate or swivel about a container plate axis y thereof . the container plate axis y runs parallel to the machine axis z ( arrow d ). each printing position 4 has a plunger 10 , best seen in fig3 . the plunger 10 secures the bottle 2 from tipping over after it is transferred to the printing position 4 . it does so by clamping the bottle 2 between itself and the container plate 9 . each plunger 10 can be controlled to move down and up on a rotary plate axis y to secure and to release a bottle 2 . each of the printing positions 4 also comprises a sleeve - like enclosure or protective sleeve 11 . in the illustrated printing apparatus 1 , the sleeve 11 has first , second , and third sleeve elements 11 . 1 , 11 . 2 , 11 . 3 . when closed , the sleeve 11 encloses and houses the bottle 2 provided at the printing position 4 . in doing so , the sleeve 11 encloses the entire height of the bottle 2 and leaves clearance between itself and the bottle 2 . the first sleeve element 11 . 1 is rotationally fixed on the rotor 3 . as a result , the first sleeve element 11 . 1 does not rotate with the container plate 9 . the first sleeve element 11 . 1 defines a portion of a cylinder having a cylinder axis . the cylinder axis is aligned with the container plate axis y of the associated container plate . in relation to the machine axis z , the first sleeve element 11 . 1 is offset radially inwards relative to the associated container plate axis y . at its upper edge , the first sleeve element 11 . 1 connects to the second sleeve element 11 . 2 . in the illustrated embodiment , the second sleeve element 11 . 2 is a circular disc - shaped enclosure element . the second sleeve element 11 . 2 is part of or connected to the plunger 10 and arranged along the container plate axis y . in the illustrated embodiment , the third sleeve element 11 . 3 comprises an enclosure element . in relation to the machine axis z , the third sleeve element 11 . 3 is offset radially outwards relative to container plate axis y and can be controlled to move up and down in an axial direction e , f parallel to the machine axis z . in doing so , the third sleeve element 11 . 3 opens and closes the protective sleeve 11 . referring to fig4 , a print head 12 and fixing device 13 are provided at each printing position in the first sleeve element 11 . 1 . the fixing device 13 follows the print head 12 in the direction of rotation d of the container plate 9 . the print head 12 creates a polychrome print image on a region of the exterior surface of the bottle 2 . rotating the container plate 9 then moves the region to the fixing device 13 , which then fixes the printing ink . the print head 12 consists of multiple individual print heads that can each be digitally or electronically triggered and that operate , for example , according to the tonejet principle or tonejet method . each individual print head has a plurality of nozzle orifices to dispense the printing ink . the nozzle orifices are disposed in at least one row that is parallel or essentially parallel to the container plate axis y . each nozzle orifice can be independently triggered to discharge ink . the print head 12 is disposed such that the print direction of the print head 12 , i . e . the direction in which the ink is dispensed from the print head 12 or from the individual nozzle orifices , is oriented radially or essentially radially to the machine axis z . as a result of this orientation , centrifugal force generated by the rotating rotor 3 assists in discharging printing ink onto the bottle 2 . the individual print heads contain printing inks of different colors , for example red , blue , yellow and black . these are used to generate the different color separations . the print image is generated by triggering the print head 12 or the individual print heads and controlling the rotation of the bottle 2 about the container plate axis y , and hence about the bottle &# 39 ; s axis . control over triggering and rotation is based on artwork stored electronically in a computer . printing on bottles 2 is carried out in such a way that each bottle 2 is transferred to a printing position 4 with the protective sleeve 11 of that printing position 4 open , i . e . with the third sleeve element 11 . 3 raised . at the same time as this transfer , while the bottle 2 is still held in the infeed star 5 , the plunger 10 lowers to secure the bottle 2 against tipping over . the bottle 2 is centered such that its bottle axis is coaxial with the container plate axis y of the container plate 9 . on a first angular range of the rotary motion of the rotor 3 , the protective sleeve 11 is closed by controlled lowering of the third sleeve element 11 . 3 . on a further angular range of the rotary motion of the rotor 3 , the printing of the respective bottle 2 is carried out with the protective sleeve 11 closed . in some embodiments , printing is carried out by having the bottle 2 undergo one complete revolution about its bottle axis for each color set of the print image . during each revolution , a printing head 12 assigned to that color set prints that color set on the bottle 2 and the fixing device 13 fixes it . the fixing device 13 carries out the fixing by , for example , drying the ink using an energy input , such as thermal energy , e . g . hot air or infrared radiation , uv radiation , microwave energy , etc . subsequently during a further revolution of the bottle 2 about its bottle axis , the next color set is applied with whatever print head 12 is assigned to that color . the ink is again fixed by the fixing device 13 . this procedure continues until all color sets have been printed . other methods of applying the individual color sets of the polychrome print image are also possible . for example , in some embodiments , the polychrome print image is generated in a single pass with one print head 12 or with multiple print heads oriented on the container periphery . this procedure is called “ wet on wet printing .” the inks are then fixed at the fixing device 13 . regardless of what printing method is used , some of the printing ink does not make it to the bottle 2 . instead , it forms an ink aerosol that surrounds the bottle 2 . this ink aerosol contains atomized printing ink that can contaminate the printing apparatus 1 . to avoid contamination by this ink aerosol , the printing of each bottle 2 is carried out with the protective sleeve 11 closed . an extraction system extracts the ink aerosol from the enclosure . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the extraction system comprises a plurality of extractor tubes 14 . these extractor tubes 14 open out into the interior of the protective sleeve 11 at the second sleeve element 11 . 2 . the extractor tubes 14 are each connected via collector tubes or pipes 15 to an extraction unit that is common to all print positions 4 . to facilitate the extraction of the atomized printing ink , each protective sleeve 11 is configured in such a way that , at the lower edge of the closed protective sleeve 11 , a slit - like opening remains for a flow of supply air into the interior of the protective sleeve 11 . extracting the ink aerosol from the interior of the protective sleeve 11 also prevents printing ink droplets from settling uncontrollably on the exterior surface of the bottle 2 , thus avoiding potential impairment of the bottle &# 39 ; s appearance and overall commercial impression . in order to reduce the amount of atomized printing ink and to enhance the quality and / or sharpness of the print image , there is provided , on the inside of each protective first sleeve element 11 . 1 , at least one rod - shaped electrode 16 upstream of the print head 12 in the direction of rotation d of the container plate 9 . the electrode 16 is connected to a high dc voltage , for example a dc voltage of up to 30 kv . the high voltage is applied at least before and during the printing process . this high voltage promotes static charge of the bottle 2 at the region to be printed upon . as a result , if the print head 12 has an opposite voltage , an electrostatic field accelerates the ink droplets towards the bottle , and specifically towards the print region of the bottle . moreover the voltage at the electrode 16 generates a cloud of ions . these ions capture the ink droplets and take them away . the act of enclosing the bottles 2 in the protective sleeves 11 during printing has advantages beyond merely preventing the printing apparatus 1 being contaminated by atomized printing ink . air turbulence around the bottles 2 impairs the quality of the print image . the enclosure avoids this problem . the problem of air turbulence is particularly important given that the rotor 3 rotates at high speed about the machine axis z , especially when the printing apparatus 1 is operated at high output so that a large number of bottles 2 are processed per unit of time . at each printing position 4 , this motion results in considerable air flow 17 , as shown in fig4 . the closed protective sleeve 11 protects the bottles 2 and / or the printed regions against this air flow 17 during printing . this in turn prevents discharged ink droplets from being deflected from their flight path by moving air . this enables achievement of the desired droplet placement , thus improving the quality of the required mage . the ratio of droplet velocity to printing speed as specified by the print head manufacturer is therefore not adversely affected by externally acting air flow 17 . in the embodiments described thus far , upon the transfer of a bottle 2 from the infeed star 5 to a printing position or upon the removal of the printed bottle 2 from a printing position 4 at the outlet star 7 , with the protective sleeve 11 being open in each case , the plunger 10 is lowered and raised . however , only relative motion is needed . thus , for non - movable plungers 10 , it is also possible for the bottles 2 to be raised and pressed up against the plunger 10 at the infeed star 5 , and lowered down from the plunger 10 at the outlet star 7 . in the embodiments described thus far , the third sleeve element 11 . 3 is lowered and raised under control to open and close the protective sleeve 11 . other embodiments lower the third sleeve element 11 . 3 to open the protective sleeve 11 and to raise it to close the protective sleeve 11 , and / or to provide it pivotably for opening and closing the protective sleeve 11 . yet other embodiments lower and raise the protective sleeve 11 altogether to enclose the bottle 2 for printing and to release the bottle 2 after printing . in a depiction that is similar to fig2 , fig5 shows a printing apparatus 1 a that differs from printing apparatus 1 by having a closed protective sleeve 11 a configured as a hollow cylinder with a hollow - cylinder - shaped interior and exterior surface being provided for each enclosure during printing . at the container intake or infeed star 5 , each bottle 2 transferred to a container plate 9 is introduced into the protective sleeve 11 a from below through the controlled raising of the container plate 9 . at the container discharge or outlet star 7 , each printed bottle 2 is lowered down out of the protective sleeve 11 a through the controlled lowering of the associated container plate 9 so that it can be accepted by the outlet star 7 and transferred on to the outer conveyor 8 . the protective sleeve 11 , and in particular its first and third sleeve elements 11 . 1 and 11 . 3 as well as the protective sleeve 11 a , are made , for example , from plastic or from cardboard or paperboard . as such , they are disposable elements that can be replaced by fresh sleeve elements 11 , 11 a when heavily contaminated by atomized or splashed printing ink . in the embodiments described thus far , a gap is formed at the lower edge of the protective sleeve 11 , 11 a through which supply air can flow into the protective sleeve interior when the atomized or splashed printing ink is extracted . other openings for the supply air can also be provided in addition to or instead of this gap . in particular , openings in the side wall or in the jacket of the protective sleeve 11 , 11 a can be provided . in another embodiment , the protective sleeves 11 , 11 a have double walls at least in partial regions . in yet other embodiments , they have a multiply perforated wall on the inside such that the supply air that is required for extraction no longer flows into the protective sleeve interior through a gap at the lower edge of the particular sleeve 11 , 11 a . instead , it flows through the space between the outer and the inner wall element and the openings provided in the inner wall element . the invention has been described by reference to selected embodiments . numerous variations as well as modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention .	1
the present invention will now be described in detail with respect to several preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings . alumina - silica short fibers having 3 microns average fiber diameter and 1 . 5 mm average fiber length ( manufactured by isolite kogyo kk ), aluminum alloy powder ( jis standard ac8a ) having 150 microns average particle diameter or aluminum alloy powder ( jis standard ac7a ) having 100 microns average particle diameter , pure titanium powder having 20 microns average particle diameter , and pure nickel powder having 20 microns average particle diameter were mixed in various proportions and subjected to compression forming to produce preforms such as shown in fig1 having 45 × 25 × 10 mm dimensions and including the alumina - silica short fibers 10 at 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 % or 20 % by volume , the aluminum alloy powder 12 at 40 %, 50 %, 60 %, 70 % or 80 % by volume , the pure titanium powder 14 at 0 %, 1 %, 5 %, 10 % or 15 % by volume , and the pure nickel powder 16 at 0 %, 1 %, 3 %, 5 %, 7 %, 10 % or 15 % by volume , respectively , except such cases that the total volume proportion would exceed 95 %. next , as shown in fig2 each preform 18 was immersed in a melt 22 of aluminum alloy ( jis standard ac8a ) maintained at 570 c .° by a heater 20 , was held there for 10 seconds , and then was removed from the melt , and then the molten metal infiltrated in the preform was solidified without further treatment . next , each composite material thus formed was sectioned , and by observation of the section , the penetration of the melt was investigated . the results are shown in table 1 and table 2 in which & lt ; double circle & gt ; indicates that there were no micropores at all , & lt ; circle & gt ; indicates that there were an extremely small quantity of micropores , and & lt ; triangle & gt ; indicates that there were a small quantity of micropores . table 1 shows the results when the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 % or 20 %, and the volume proportion of the pure nickel powder was 0 % or 15 %, and table 2 shows the results when the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 % or 20 %, and the volume proportion of the pure nickel powder was 1 %, 3 %, 5 %, 7 % or 10 %. from table 1 and table 2 it will be seen that irrespective of the composition of the aluminum alloy powder , it is desirable that the volume proportion of the aluminum alloy powder is between 60 % and 80 %, and the volume proportions of the pure nickel powder and the pure titanium powder are between 1 % and 10 %, respectively . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of those composite materials indicated by & lt ; double circle & gt ; in table 2 , it was confirmed that the pure nickel powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to produce fine intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and nial , that in the case where the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was 0 % the aluminum alloy matrix was compositely reinforced by these fine intermetallic compounds , and that in the case where the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was between 5 % and 20 % the aluminum alloy matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the alumina - silica short fibers but also by these fine intermetallic compounds . 5 % by volume silicon carbide whisker ( manufactured by tokai carbon kk , having 0 . 3 micron average fiber diameter and 100 microns average fiber length ) as a reinforcing material , 70 % by volume pure aluminum powder ( 50 microns average particle diameter ), 5 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ) and 5 % by volume pure titanium powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ) were mixed and subjected to compression forming to produce four preforms , and composite materials were manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 1 , except that the melts of matrix metal were aluminum alloy ( jis standard a2024 ) at 550 c .°, 600 c .°, 650 c .°, 700 c .° and 750 c .°, and by observation of sections of these materials , the penetration of the melt was investigated . as a result , it was confirmed that whatever the temperature of the melt of matrix metal was , satisfactory composite materials were formed with no the generation of micropores . 10 % by volume silicon carbide particles ( manufactured by showa denko kk , 30 microns average particle diameter ) as a reinforcing material , 60 % by volume aluminum alloy powder ( jis standard a2024 , 150 microns average particle diameter ), 8 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ), and 3 % by volume pure titanium powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ) were mixed and subjected to compression forming to produce preforms , and composite materials were manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 1 , except that the melt of matrix metal melt was a semi - molten aluminum alloy ( al - 30 % cu ) at a temperature of approximately 550 c .°, and the immersion time of the preform in the melt was 30 seconds , and then by observation of sections of this material , the penetration of the melt was investigated . as a result , it was confirmed that also in this embodiment , satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials formed in embodiments 2 and 3 , it was confirmed that the pure nickel powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to produce fine intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and nial , and that the aluminum alloy matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing material but also by these intermetallic compounds . 15 % by volume alumina short fibers (&# 34 ; safil rf &# 34 ; manufactured by ici , 3 microns average fiber diameter , 1 mm average fiber length ) as a reinforcing material , 65 % by volume aluminum alloy fibers ( manufactured by aisin seiki kk , al - 5 % mg , 60 microns average fiber diameter , 3 mm average fiber length ), 5 % by volume pure nickel fibers ( manufactured by tokyo seiko kk , 20 microns average fiber diameter , 1 mm average fiber length ), and 10 % by volume pure titanium fibers ( manufactured by tokyo seiko kk , 20 microns average fiber diameter , 1 mm average fiber length ) were mixed and subjected to compression forming to produce a preform . then , this preform was disposed within a die ( jis standard no . 10 ) at 400 c .°, molten magnesium alloy ( sae standard az91 ) at 650 c .° was poured into this die , and the preform infiltrated with the molten magnesium alloy was cooled to room temperature under supply of sulfur hexafluoride gas over the surface of the melt to prevent oxidation of the magnesium alloy . then , the composite material thus formed was sectioned , and by observation of sections of this material , the penetration of the melt was investigated . as a result , it was confirmed that also in this embodiment a satisfactory composite material including no micropores was formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite material formed in this embodiment , it was confirmed that the matrix at a central portion was an aluminum alloy while the matrix at peripheral portions was a magnesium alloy , that the nickel fibers had reacted with aluminum so as to produce intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and nial , that particularly at peripheral portions the pure nickel fibers had reacted also with magnesium so as to produce intermetallic compounds such as mg 2 ni and mgni 2 , such intermetallic compounds being higher in density toward outer peripheral portions , and the matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing material but also by these intermetallic compounds . further , when a composite material was produced in the same way except that the nickel fibers were replaced by the nickel powder used in embodiment 3 or the molten magnesium alloy was replaced by molten pure magnesium at 680 c .°, in both cases satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . 72 % by volume pure aluminum powder ( 50 microns average particle diameter ), 6 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ), and 5 % by volume pure titanium powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ) were mixed and subjected to compression forming to produce preforms , and composite materials were manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 1 , except that the melt of matrix metal was an aluminum alloy ( jis standard a2024 ) at 650 c .°. then , by observation of sections of the materials thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated , and as a result , it was confirmed that satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials , it was confirmed that the matrix at a central portion and peripheral portions were substantially pure aluminum and aluminum alloy , respectively , that the pure nickel powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to produce intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and nial , and that the matrix was compositely reinforced by these intermetallic compounds . when in this embodiment the melt of matrix metal was replaced by a pure magnesium melt at 680 c .°, the composite material formed in the same way had again a satisfactory composite structure including no micropores . composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 1 , except in that the pure nickel powder was replaced by pure copper powder having 30 microns average particle diameter , and by investigation of sections of the composite materials thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated . the results obtained were similar to those obtained in embodiment 1 . in other words , regardless of the composition of the aluminum alloy powder , it is desirable that the volume proportion of the aluminum alloy powder is between 60 and 80 %, and the volume proportion of each of the pure copper powder and the pure titanium powder is between 1 and 10 %, respectively . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials thus , it was confirmed that the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as cual 2 , that when the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was 0 %, the aluminum alloy matrix was compositely reinforced by these intermetallic compounds , and that when the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was from 5 % to 20 %, the aluminum alloy matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the alumina - silica short fibers but also by the intermetallic compounds . composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 2 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by pure copper powder having 30 microns average particle diameter . as a result , it was confirmed that at all temperatures of the melt of matrix metal satisfactory composite materials were obtained with no generation of micropores . composite materials were manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 3 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by pure copper powder having 30 microns average particle diameter . as a result , it was confirmed that in this embodiment also satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials formed in embodiment 7 and embodiment 8 , it was confirmed that the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as cual 2 , and that the aluminum alloy of the matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing material but also by these intermetallic compounds . a composite material was manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 4 , except that the pure nickel fibers were replaced by pure copper fibers ( manufactured by tokyo seiko kk , 20 microns average fiber diameter , and 1 mm average fiber length ), and by observation of sections of the composite material thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated . as a result , it was confirmed that also in this embodiment a satisfactory composite material including no micropores was formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite material thus formed , it was confirmed that a central portion of the matrix was aluminum alloy while peripheral portions of the matrix was magnesium , that the pure copper fibers had reacted with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as cual 2 , that particularly in the peripheral portions the pure copper fibers had also reacted with the magnesium so as to form fine intermetallic compounds such as mgcu 2 , and that the proportion of these intermetallic compounds was higher toward the peripheral portion . thus it was confirmed that the matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing material but also by these intermetallic compounds . when in this embodiment the composite material was formed in the same manner except that the pure copper fibers were replaced by the pure copper powder used in embodiment 8 or the melt of magnesium alloy was replaced by a melt of pure magnesium at 680 ° c ., in both cases satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were obtained . composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 5 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by pure copper powder having 30 microns average particle diameter . then , by examining sections of the composite materials thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated , and as a result it was confirmed that satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials , it was confirmed that the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as cual 2 , and that the matrix was compositely reinforced by these intermetallic compounds . when in this embodiment composite materials were formed in the same manner except that the melt of matrix metal was replaced by a melt of pure magnesium at 680 ° c ., satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were also obtained . alumina - silica short fibers having 3 microns average fiber diameter and 1 . 5 mm average fiber length ( manufactured by isolite kk ), aluminum alloy powder ( jis standard ac8a ) having 150 microns average particle diameter or aluminum alloy powder ( jis standard ac7a ) having 100 microns average particle diameter , pure titanium powder having 30 microns average particle diameter , pure nickel powder having 30 microns average particle diameter , and pure copper powder having 30 microns average particle diameter were mixed in various proportions and subjected to compression forming to produce preforms having 45 × 25 × 10 mm dimensions and including the alumina - silica short fibers at 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 % or 20 % by volume , the aluminum alloy powder at 40 %, 50 %, 60 %, 70 % or 80 % by volume , the pure titanium powder at 0 %, 1 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % by volume , the pure copper powder at 0 . 5 % by volume , and the pure nickel powder at 0 . 5 % to 15 % ( in steps of 0 . 5 %) by volume , respectively , except such cases that the total volume proportion would exceed 95 %. moreover , preforms were prepared in the same manner as above to have 45 × 25 × 10 mm dimensions except that the volume proportion of nickel powder was 0 . 5 % and the volume proportion of pure copper powder was 0 . 5 % to 15 % ( in steps of 0 . 5 %). then , composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 1 , except that the above preforms were used , and by examination of sections thereof the penetration of the melt was investigated . as a result , as in embodiment 1 , it was confirmed that regardless of the composition of the aluminum alloy powder , it was desirable for the volume proportion of the aluminum alloy powder to be between 60 and 80 %, for the volume proportion of the pure nickel powder plus the pure copper powder to be between 1 and 10 %, and for the volume proportion of the pure titanium powder to be between 1 and 10 %. further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials formed with the volume proportions of the aluminum alloy powder , the pure nickel powder plus the pure copper powder , and the pure titanium powder within the above described preferable ranges , it was confirmed that the pure nickel powder and the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and nial and cual 2 , respectively , and that in the case where the volume proportion of the alumina - silica short fibers was 0 %, the matrix of aluminum alloy was compositely reinforced by these intermetallic compounds , and in the case where the volume proportion of alumina - silica short fibers was between 5 and 20 %, the matrix of aluminum alloy was compositely reinforced not only by these alumina - silica short fibers but also by the intermetallic compounds . composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 2 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by 2 . 5 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 5 microns average particle diameter ) and 2 . 5 % by volume pure copper powder ( 30 microns average particle diameter ). as a result , it was confirmed that regardless of the temperature of the melt of matrix metal satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . composite materials were manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 3 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by 3 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 10 microns average particle diameter ) and 3 % by volume pure copper powder ( 20 microns average particle diameter ). as a result , it was confirmed that in this embodiment satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were also obtained . as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials formed in embodiment 12 and embodiment 13 , it was confirmed that the pure nickel powder and the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with the aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and cual 2 , respectively , and that the matrix of aluminum alloy was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing material but also by these intermetallic compounds . a composite material was manufactured in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 4 , except that the pure nickel fibers were replaced by 5 % by volume pure nickel fibers ( 30 microns average fiber diameter and 3 mm average fiber length ) and 5 % by volume pure copper fibers ( 20 microns average fiber diameter and 1 mm average fiber length ), and by examination of sections of the composite material thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated . as a result , it was confirmed that in this embodiment a satisfactory composite material including no micropores was also formed . as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite material , it was confirmed that a central portion of the matrix was aluminum alloy while peripheral portions of the matrix was magnesium , that the pure nickel fibers and the pure copper fibers had reacted with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and cual 2 , respectively , that particularly in the peripheral portions the pure nickel fibers and the pure copper fibers had reacted also with the magnesium so as to form intermetallic compounds such as nimg 2 and mgcu 2 , respectively , and that the matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing material but also by these intermetallic compounds . when in this embodiment a composite material formed in the same manner with the nickel fibers and the copper fibers being replaced respectively by the pure nickel powder and the pure copper powder used in embodiment 13 , or when the melt of magnesium alloy was also replaced by a melt of pure magnesium at 680 ° c ., in both cases satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 3 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by 4 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 15 microns average particle diameter ) and 4 % by volume pure copper powder ( 25 microns average particle diameter ). then , by observation of sections of the composite materials thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated , and as a result it was confirmed that satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials , it was confirmed that the pure nickel powder and the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to produce intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and cual 2 , respectively , and that the matrix was compositely reinforced not only by the reinforcing materials but also by these intermetallic compounds . composite materials were formed in the same manner and under the same conditions as in embodiment 5 , except that the pure nickel powder was replaced by 5 % by volume pure nickel powder ( 15 microns average particle diameter ) and 5 % pure copper powder ( 25 microns average particle diameter ). then , by observation of sections of the composite materials thus formed , the penetration of the melt was investigated , and as a result it was confirmed that satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were formed . further , as a result of x - ray analysis of sections of the composite materials , it was confirmed that a central portion and peripheral portions of the matrix were substantially pure aluminum and aluminum alloy , respectively , that the pure nickel powder and the pure copper powder had reacted almost completely with aluminum so as to form intermetallic compounds such as nial 3 and cual 2 , respectively , and that the matrix was compositely reinforced by these intermetallic compounds . when in this embodiment the melt of matrix metal was replaced by a melt of pure magnesium at 680 ° c . and composite materials were formed in the same manner , satisfactory composite materials including no micropores were also obtained . although the fine fragments of some particular compositions were used in the various embodiments described above , in the present invention the fine fragments may have other compositions . the composition of the aluminum alloy may be , for example , jis standard ac7a , jis standard adc12 , jis standard adt17 , or 8 % al - 3 . 5 % mg , and so forth , the composition of the nickel alloy may be , for example , ni - 50 % al , ni - 30 % cu , ni - 39 . 5 % cu - 22 . 1 % fe , 8 . 8 % b , and so forth , the composition of the copper alloy may be , for example , cu - 50 % al , cu - 29 . 6 % ni - 22 . 1 % fe - 8 . 8 % b , and so forth , and particularly when the nickel alloy or the copper alloy is a nickel - copper alloy , the nickel and copper contents may have any proportions , and further , the titanium alloy may be , for example , ti - 1 % b . as will be clear from the above descriptions , according to the present invention the molten matrix metal satisfactorily infiltrates into the preform , and by the reaction of titanium with oxygen and nitrogen in the preform , air is substantially removed from the preform , and as a result an even more satisfactory composite material including no micropores is manufactured . further , according to the present invention , since the temperature of the molten matrix metal may be relatively low , and since the time duration for the preform to be in contact with the molten metal is shortened as compared with the case where no fragments of nickel , copper , nickel alloy , copper alloy , titanium or titanium alloy is included in the preform , a composite material can be manufactured at lower cost and at higher efficiency as compared with the above - mentioned prior proposal . although the present invention has been described in detail in terms of several embodiments , it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments , and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention . for example , all or some of the fine fragments of nickel , nickel alloy , copper or copper alloy may be replaced by fine fragments of silver or silver alloy or fine fragments of gold or gold alloy . table 1______________________________________ volume proportion of ti powder (%) 0 1 5 10 15______________________________________volume 40 δ δ δ δ δproportion 50 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ of al 60 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ powder 70 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯(%) 80 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ______________________________________ table 2______________________________________ volume proportion of ti powder (%) 0 1 5 10 15______________________________________volume 40 δ δ δ δ δproportion 50 ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ of al 60 ◯ ⊚ ⊚ ⊚ ◯ powder 70 ◯ ⊚ ⊚ ⊚ ◯(%) 80 ◯ ⊚ ⊚ ⊚ ◯ ______________________________________	1
the present invention is intended primarily for use with cans and bottles of the types used to contain soft drinks , beer and the like . the blank 10 is formed from a foldable sheet material , such as paperboard . the blank has a top flap 12 which is connected by fold line 14 to side panel 16 , which in turn is connected by fold line 18 to bottom panel 20 . bottom panel 20 is connected by fold line 22 to side panel 24 , which in turn is connected by fold line 26 to top flap 28 . this carton is capable of containing cans or bottles in two rows of six containers each . this carton has the “ racetrack ” handle 30 and 32 formed in the top flaps , 12 and 28 , respectively . cushioning flaps 34 and 36 are provided for the comfort of a person &# 39 ; s hands , and are foldably joined to top flaps 12 and 28 . on the exiting - end of the carton , top end flap 38 is joined to top flap 12 by fold line 40 . side end flap 42 is joined to side panel 16 by fold line 44 . bottom end flap 46 is joined to bottom panel 20 by fold line 48 . side end flap 50 is joined by fold line 52 to side panel 24 . top end flap 54 is joined to top flap 28 by fold line 56 . on the closed end of the carton , top end flap 58 is connected to top flap 12 by fold line 60 , side end flap 62 is connected to side panel 16 by fold line 64 , bottom end flap 66 is attached to bottom panel 20 by fold line 68 , side end flap 70 is connected to side panel 24 by fold line 72 and top end flap 74 is connected to top flap 28 by fold line 76 . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the carton of the present invention is generally symmetrical about a horizontal line of bisection , as viewed when fig1 is rotated lengthwise . this symmetry aids in the efficient production of the present carton . in forming this blank 10 into a carton , top flap 12 is glued to top flap 28 forming a sleeve . the cans or bottles are then loaded into the carton on their sides and the various end flaps on both ends are closed . using one end as an example , top end flaps 38 and 54 are folded downwardly and bottom end flap 46 is folded upwardly and then side end flaps 42 and 50 are folded sideways . these various end flaps are held together by glue or other means . the other end of the carton is glued and closed in the same fashion . when the blank is folded and glued , the resulting carton has a closed end and an exiting end . however , a dispenser can be placed on both ends of the carton . the containers exit the carton through the exiting end of the carton . the exiting end of the carton has a tear line 78 that extends through the top flaps 12 and 28 , through the side panels 16 and 24 to form a triangular dispensing flap on the dispenser 79 into the side end flaps 42 and 50 . in order to facilitate the opening of this dispenser 79 , a finger flap 82 may be provided for the easy insertion of the fingers to start the tearing of the dispenser 79 . finger flap 82 is connected to top flaps 12 and 28 by tear line 80 . finger flap 82 may be provided with insertion flap 86 to facilitate entry of the fingers into the carton . for the opening of the dispenser 79 , insertion flap 86 is connected to finger flap 82 by fold line 84 . finger flap 82 and insertion flap 86 are connected to the dispenser 79 by fold line 88 which interrupts the tear line 78 . it will be noticed that tear line 78 extends into side end flaps 42 and 50 so as to form a substantial bottom portion 90 and 92 so that the end of the carton will have a bottom end when the dispenser 79 is opened . fig2 shows the carton full of cans with the dispenser 79 open except for the tear lines 78 through the side end flaps 42 , 50 . it will be noted that the dispenser is a unitary structure . the dispenser 79 is opened by a person inserting his or her fingers into finger flap 82 and pulling the dispenser 79 open . insertion flap 86 is provided to facilitate the entry of the fingers into the opening provided by finger flap 82 . finger flap 82 and insertion flap 86 are placed so that the fingers will enter the interior of the carton between the first and second cans . fig3 shows the dispenser 79 completely opened but still attached to the carton by tear line 78 not being torn open through side end flaps 42 and 50 . when the dispenser 79 is completely opened , the top can c will fall into the basket formed by the dispensing flap 79 and be retained . this dispenser 79 serves as a safety net to prevent the can from leaving the vicinity of the carton . the dispenser 79 forms a basket with triangular flaps forming side walls , side end flaps 42 and 50 forming a bottom wall and the torn off portions of the top flaps 12 and 28 forming an end wall . in order to maintain the structural integrity of this carton , the bottom portions 90 and 92 of the side end flaps 42 and 50 are not removed from the carton when the dispenser is removed . the structural integrity of the carton is improved by the fact that the bottom end flap 46 is not removed . the bottom end flap 46 has a height h approximately equal to the distance between a and b along fold lines 44 and 52 respectively . this means that the bottom end flap 46 has the same height as the bottom portions 90 and 92 of the side end flaps 42 and 50 , thus producing a strong bottom end structure . as shown in fig3 and 4 , the height of the bottom end structure formed by 46 , 90 , and 92 is less than the diameter of a can c . if desired , the dispenser 79 can be totally removed from carton or left attached along tear line 78 in side flaps 42 and 50 and reclosed . as illustrated in fig4 , a can c can be easily removed from the carton by using the fingers f and the thumb t of a hand . fig5 is a plan view of a blank from which a carton containing cans in three rows of four cans each according to the invention is formed . this carton has a single slot handle for carrying . the blank 110 has a bottom flap 112 which is connected by fold line 114 to side panel 116 , which in turn is connected by fold line 118 to top panel 120 . top panel 120 in turn is connected by fold line 122 to side panel 124 which in turn is connected by fold line 126 to bottom flap 128 . on the closed end of the carton , bottom end flap 130 is foldably connected by fold line 132 to bottom flap 112 . side end flap 134 is connected by fold line 136 to side panel 116 . top end flap 138 is connected by fold line 140 to top panel 120 . side end flap 142 is connected by fold line 144 to side panel 124 and bottom end flap 146 is connected by fold line 148 to bottom flap 128 . the exiting end of the carton has a bottom end flap 150 which is connected to bottom flap 112 by fold line 152 . side end flap 154 is connected by fold line 156 to side panel 116 . top end flap 158 is connected by fold line 160 to top panel 120 . side end flap 162 is connected by fold line 164 to side panel 124 . bottom end flap 166 is connected by fold line 168 to bottom flap 128 . this carton has a slot handle 170 formed by cut line 172 and fold lines 174 and 176 . it also has a score line 178 to assist in dissipating the forces involved in lifting a loaded carton . a dispenser 180 is formed by tearing tear line 182 which extends from the top panel 120 through side panels 116 , 124 and into side end flaps 154 and 162 . tear line 182 extends into side end flaps 154 and 162 , so as to leave bottom portions 184 , 186 that has a height when the carton is formed along lines 156 , 164 respectively that is approximately equal to the height of bottom end flaps 150 and 166 in order to provide structural strength to the carton . this carton may have a finger flap 188 connected to dispenser 180 by fold line 190 and insertion flap 192 connected to finger flap 188 by fold line 194 . finger flap 188 and insertion flap 192 are joined to top panel 120 by tear line 196 . a sleeve from this carton is prepared by gluing the bottom flaps 112 and 128 in an overlapping relationship . this carton is then loaded in the same manner as the carton shown in fig2 through the end of the carton . side end flaps 134 , 142 , 154 , and 162 are glued over the bottom end flaps 130 , 146 , 150 , 166 and top end flaps 138 and 158 to close the ends of the carton . the dispenser is opened in the same manner as the dispenser shown in fig1 and 2 . the dispenser of this invention can be used for both cans and other types of cylindrical containers . it is particularly useful for pet bottles having a stubby configuration . one of the unique features of the dispenser of this invention is that it provides easy access to the cans or bottles in the carton but yet does not greatly diminish the structural integrity of the carton . this is partly because the bottom end of the end panel in which the dispenser is located is retained . this accomplished by leaving a bottom portion on the side end panel that is equal in height to the bottom end flaps . the dispenser of this invention provides an easy opening feature in that it has a finger flap and insertion flap so that a person &# 39 ; s fingers can be inserted between the first and second cans to open the dispenser . this dispenser also provides a safety net or basket in that if the tear line for the dispenser is not torn along the side end flaps , it remains attached to the carton and can catch in its basket a can as it is removed from the carton . while the invention has been disclosed in its preferred forms , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications , additions , and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the following claims .	1
[ 0021 ] fig1 reveals a health monitor 11 that may be set up for monitoring the “ health ” of utility power transformer 13 . a micro gas detector apparatus 15 may have two tubes or pipes 17 and 19 connected to a head space 21 of transformer 13 . apparatus 15 may pump a fluid 23 through tube 17 into head space 21 . fluid 23 may displace a fluid 25 in head space 21 . fluid 25 may be “ pushed ” by displacing fluid 23 through tube 19 to entry port 34 of micro gas apparatus 15 . “ fluid ” is a generic term that includes liquids and gases as species . for instance , air , gas , water and oil are fluids . in the transformer health monitor , fluid 23 is typically air and fluid 25 may be gas including “ fault ” gases emanating from insulating oil 27 in transformer 13 . sample stream or gas 25 may be pumped through micro gas detector 15 as shown in fig2 . some excess gas 37 may be discharged via apparatus 15 through tube or pipe 39 from exhaust port 36 as shown in fig1 and 3 . there are certain fault gases that may indicate potential transformer 13 failure . an example is the breakdown of insulation . such gases may include acetylene , methane , ethane , carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide , hydrogen , oxygen and ethylene . detection and analysis by monitor 11 may detect , identify and quantify the fluid , i . e ., determine the amount of or parts - per - million of the fluid detected . monitor 11 may be used to detect fluids , monitor the environment around and determine the health of internal and external combustion equipment or mechanisms . an external combustion mechanism may be a space heater , furnace , boiler , or the like . also , monitor 11 is capable of detecting miniscule amounts of pollutants in ambient environment of a conditioned or tested space . monitor 11 may indicate the health and the level of toxins - to - people in ambient air . detectors 127 and 128 results may be sent to microcontroller / processor 29 for analysis , and immediate conclusions and results . this information may be sent on to observer stations 31 for review and further analysis , evaluation , and decisions about the health of transformer 13 . data and control information may be sent from stations 31 to microcontroller / processor 29 . data and information may be sent and received via the wireless medium by a transmitter / receiver 33 at monitor 11 and at stations 31 . or the data and information may be sent and received via wire or optical lines of communication by a modem 35 at monitor 11 and station 31 . the data and information may be sent to a scada ( supervisory control and data acquisition ) system . these systems are used in industry to monitor and control plant status and provide logging facilities . the monitor 11 may be used to detect hazards to people in the environment of or around equipment . in fig1 transformer 13 may replaced with another kind of equipment such as an electric motor , a generator , an internal combustion engine , air conditioner or other types of equipment . microcontroller / processor 29 may be programmed to provide a prognosis of the equipment whose health is being monitored in view of the expected fault gases that would be emanated by a certain piece of equipment having potential “ health problems .” [ 0024 ] fig2 reveals health monitor 11 with a hook - up that may be used in a space 41 such as an aircraft - cabin , machinery room , factory , or some place in another environment . the end of input tube or pipe 19 may be in space 41 and exhaust of exit tube 37 may be placed at a distance somewhat removed from space 41 . there is no return or air supply tube 17 as in health monitor 11 for equipment in fig1 . monitor 11 for space 41 may itself be within space 41 except that tube 39 may exit space 41 . [ 0025 ] fig3 reveals certain details of micro gas apparatus 15 . further details and variants of it are described below in conjunction with subsequent figures . sample stream 25 may enter input port 34 from pipe or tube 19 . there may be a particle filter 43 for removing dirt and other particles from the stream of fluid 25 that is to enter apparatus 15 . this removal is for the protection of the apparatus and the filtering should not reduce the apparatus &# 39 ; ability to accurately analyze the composition of fluid 25 . dirty fluid ( with suspended solid or liquid non - volatile particles ) could possibly impair proper sensor function . a portion 45 of fluid 25 flows through a thermal - conductivity detector 127 and a portion 47 of fluid 25 flows through tube 49 to a one - way valve 51 . pump 53 causes fluid 47 to flow from the output of particle filter 43 through tube 49 and valve 51 . modulating valve 51 controls the flow through the sensor via tube 45 by adjusting the suction pressure of pump 55 in tube 129 . pump 55 causes fluid 45 to flow from the output of filter 43 through detector 127 , concentrator 124 , flow sensor 125 , separator 126 , thermal - conductivity detector 128 and tube 129 . pump 55 pumps the fluid through tube 57 to tube 59 where it joins fluid 47 as a combined fluid 61 . fluid 61 is pumped to output port 36 by pump 53 . fluid 61 may split into two streams 23 and 37 which flow through tubes or pipes 17 and 39 , respectively . data from detectors 127 and 128 may be sent to control 130 , which in turn relays data to microcontroller and / or processor 29 for processing . resultant information may be sent to station 11 . [ 0026 ] fig4 is a schematic diagram of part of the sensor apparatus 10 or 15 . the sensor apparatus may include a substrate 12 and a controller 14 . controller 14 may or may not be incorporated into substrate 12 . substrate 12 may have a number of thin film heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 positioned thereon . while only four heater elements are shown , any number of heater e elements may be provided , for instance , between two and one thousand , but typically in the 20 - 100 range . heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 may be fabricated of any suitable electrical conductor , stable metal , or alloy film , such as a nickel - iron alloy sometimes referred to as permalloy , with a composition of eighty percent nickel and twenty percent iron ; platinum , platinum silicide , and polysilicon . heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 may be provided on a thin , low - thermal mass , low - in - plane thermal conduction , support member 30 , as shown in fig5 . substrate 12 also has a well - defined channel 32 for receiving the sample fluid stream 45 . channel 32 may be fabricated by selectively etching silicon substrate 12 beneath support member 30 . the channel includes an entry port 34 and an exhaust port 36 . the sensor apparatus may also include a number of interactive elements inside channel 32 so that they are exposed to the sample fluid stream 45 . each of the interactive elements may be positioned adjacent , i . e ., for closest possible contact , to a corresponding heater element . for example , and referring , to fig5 interactive elements 40 , 42 , 44 , and 46 may be provided on the lower surface of support member 30 , and adjacent to heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 , respectively . the interactive elements may be formed from any number of films commonly used in liquid or gas chromatography , such as silica gel or active carbon . interactive elements may be formed by passing , a stream of material carrying the desired sorbent material through channel 32 . this provides an interactive layer throughout the channel . if separate interactive elements are desired , the coating may be selectively “ developed ” by providing a temperature change to the coating , via the heater elements . after the coating is developed , a stream of solvents may be provided through channel 32 to remove the coating everywhere except where the coating has been developed , leaving only the sorbent material that is adjacent the heater elements . controller 14 or 130 may be electrically connected to each of the heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , and detector 50 as shown in fig4 . controller 14 or 103 may energize heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 in a time phased sequence ( see bottom of fig6 ) such that each of the corresponding interactive elements 40 , 42 , 44 , and 46 become heated and desorb selected constituents into a sample fluid stream 45 at precisely the time when an upstream concentration pulse , produced by one or more upstream interactive elements , reaches the interactive element . any number of interactive elements may be used to achieve the desired concentration of constituent gases in the concentration pulse . the resulting concentration pulse may be provided to detector 50 , 128 , 164 for detection and analysis . detector 50 , 127 , 128 or 164 may be a thermal conductivity detector , discharge ionization detector , or any other type of detector such as that typically used in gas or fluid chromatography . [ 0031 ] fig6 is a graph showing illustrative heater temperatures , along with corresponding concentration pulses produced at each heater element . as indicated above , controller 14 or 130 may energize heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 in a time phased sequence . illustrative time phased heater temperatures for heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 are shown by temperature profiles or lines 60 , 62 , 64 , and 66 , respectively . in the example shown , the controller 14 , 130 ( fig4 ) may first energize first heater element 20 to increase its temperature as shown at line 60 . since first heater element 20 is thermally coupled to first interactive element 40 , the first interactive element desorbs selected constituents into the sample fluid stream 45 to produce a first concentration pulse 70 at the detector 128 or 50 or 164 , if no other heater elements were to be pulsed . the sample fluid stream carries the first concentration pulse 70 downstream toward second heater element 22 , as shown by arrow 72 . controller 14 ( or 130 ) may next energize second heater element 22 to increase its temperature as shown at line 62 . since second heater element 22 is thermally coupled to second interactive element 42 , the second interactive element also desorbs selected constituents into sample fluid stream 45 to produce a second concentration pulse . controller 14 , 130 may energize second heater element 22 such that the second concentration pulse substantially overlaps first concentration pulse 70 to produce a higher concentration pulse 74 , as shown in fig6 . the sample fluid stream carries larger concentration pulse 74 downstream toward third heater element 24 , as shown by arrow 76 . controller 14 , 130 may then energize third heater element 24 to increase its temperature as shown at line 64 in fig6 . since third heater element 24 is thermally coupled to third interactive element 44 , third interactive element 44 may desorb selected constituents into the sample fluid stream to produce a third concentration pulse . controller 14 , 130 may energize third heater element 24 such that the third concentration pulse substantially overlaps larger concentration pulse 74 provided by first and second heater elements 20 and 22 to produce an even larger concentration pulse 78 . the sample fluid stream carries this larger concentration pulse 78 downstream toward an “ nth ” heater element 26 , as shown by arrow 80 . controller 14 , 130 may then energize “ nth ” heater element 26 to increase its temperature as shown at line 66 . since “ nth ” heater element 26 is thermally coupled to an “ n - th ” interactive element 46 , “ n - th ” interactive element 46 may desorb selected constituents into sample fluid stream 45 to produce an “ n - th ” concentration pulse . controller 14 , 130 may energize “ n - th ” heater element 26 such that the “ n - th ” concentration pulse substantially overlaps larger concentration pulse 78 provided by the previous n - 1 interactive elements . the sample fluid stream carries “ n - th ” concentration pulse 82 to either a separator 126 or a detector 50 , 128 or 164 , as described below . as indicated above , heater elements 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 may have a common length . as such , controller 14 , 130 can achieve equal temperatures of the heater elements by providing an equal voltage , current , or power pulse to each heater element . the voltage , current , or power pulse may have any desired shape including a triangular shape , a square shape , a bell shape , or any other shape . an approximately square shaped voltage , current , or power pulse is used to achieve temperature profiles 60 , 62 , 64 , and 66 shown in fig6 . [ 0037 ] fig7 is a graph showing a number of heater elements having lengths to match the expected increased length of the concentration pulses due to diffusion . it is recognized that each of the concentration pulses may tend to reduce in amplitude and increase in length when traveling down channel 32 due to diffusion . to accommodate this increased length , it is contemplated that the length of each successive heater element may be increased along the sample fluid stream . for example , a second heater element 102 may have a length w 2 that is larger than a length w 1 of a first heater element 100 . likewise , a third heater element 104 may have a length w 3 that is larger than length w 2 of second heater element 102 . thus , it is contemplated that the length of each heater element 100 , 102 , and 104 may be increased , relative to the adjacent upstream heater element , by an amount that corresponds to the expected increased length of the concentration pulse of the upstream heater elements due to diffusion . to simplify the control of the heater elements , the length of each successive heater element may be kept constant to produce the same overall heater resistance between heater elements , thereby allowing equal voltage , current , or power pulses to be used to produce similar temperature profiles . alternatively , the heater elements may have different lengths , and the controller may provide different voltage , current , or power pulse amplitudes to the heater element to produce a similar temperature profile . [ 0039 ] fig8 is a graph showing a concentration pulse 110 that achieves a 100 percent concentration level . it is recognized that even though concentration pulse 110 has achieved a predetermined concentration threshold , such as 100 percent , the concentration of the corresponding constituent can still be determined . to do so , detector 50 , 128 , 164 may detect the concentration pulse 110 , and controller 14 , 130 may integrate the output signal of the detector over time to determine the concentration of the corresponding constituent in the original sample of stream 45 . [ 0040 ] fig9 is a schematic view of another illustrative sensor assembly 15 similar to that of fig3 . the sensor assembly may include a solenoid pump 120 , a sample fluid stream 122 , a concentrator 124 , a separator 126 , a detector 128 , and a controller 14 or 130 . at the request of the controller 14 , 130 , solenoid pump 120 may draw a sample 45 from a flue gas stream 132 through a one - way valve 134 . controller 14 , 130 may then direct solenoid pump 120 to provide sample fluid stream 45 , at a desired pressure , to concentrator 124 . concentrator 124 may include two or more interactive elements that are in communication with sample fluid stream 45 . concentrator 124 also may include two or more heater elements that are in thermal communication with the interactive elements . when energized , each heater element heats a corresponding interactive element , causing the interactive element to desorb selected constituents into the sample fluid stream . as described above , controller 14 , 130 may energize the heater elements in a time phased sequence to provide an increased concentration pulse . sample fluid stream 45 may carry the concentration pulse to separator 126 . separator 126 may separate selected constituents of the concentration pulse and provide the separated constituents to detector 50 , 128 , 164 . this detector may provide a signal to controller 14 , 130 indicating the concentration level of each constituent . controller 14 , 130 may determine the actual concentration level of each constituent in the original gas sample by dividing the sensed concentration level by the concentration amplification provided by the sorbent material of each interactive element and the multiplier effect provided by the phased heater arrangement . [ 0043 ] fig1 is a schematic view of another illustrative sensor assembly 15 . fig1 is a timing chart showing the operation of sensor assembly 15 of fig1 . sensor assembly 15 may include a pump 152 , a gas preheater 154 , and a microbridge type integrated circuit chip 156 . the microbridge type integrated circuit includes a channel 158 , 32 , a number of heater elements 160 a , 160 b , 160 c , and 160 d , a separation heater 162 , and a detector 164 , 128 , 50 . each of heater elements 160 a , 160 b , 160 c , and 160 d , separation heater 162 , and detector 164 are provided on a support member 30 that extends over the channel 158 , 32 ( e . g ., fig5 ). interactive elements ( not explicitly shown ) are placed in channel 158 , 32 and in thermal communication with each of heater elements 160 a , 160 b , 160 c , and 160 d . microbridge type integrated circuit chip 156 also may include a heater control block 166 and a number of energizing transistors 168 a , 168 b , 168 c , 168 d , and 170 . heater control block 166 can individually energize each of heater elements 160 a , 160 b , 160 c , and 160 d , by activating a corresponding energizing transistor 168 a , 168 b , 168 c , 168 d , respectively . likewise , heater control block 166 can energize separation heater 162 by turning on transistor 170 . heating or cooling block 169 ( of fig1 ) complements preheater 154 in maintaining an average or overall temperature that is optimal for operation of sensor assembly 15 . a sensor assembly control block 180 directs the overall operation of sensor assembly 15 . sensor assembly control block 180 first asserts a flow control signal 190 to pump 152 . flow control signal 190 is shown in fig1 . in response , pump 152 draws a sample from flue 182 and provides the sample , at a desired pressure , to preheater 154 and eventually to channel 158 , 32 . preheater 154 preheats and the heater maintains the sample gas at optimal operating element temperature and thus helps to prevent loss of sample due to condensation and to increase the amount of constituents that can be accumulated in each of the interactive elements . the sample fluid stream passes down channel 158 , 32 for a predetermined time period 192 until the interactive elements reach a state of substantially saturation of adsorption of one or more constituents from the sample fluid stream and reach equilibrium . thereafter , sensor assembly control block 180 notifies heater control block 166 to begin heating the heater elements in a time phased sequence . heater control block 166 first provides a first heater enable signal 194 and a separation heater enable signal 196 , as shown in fig1 . first heater enable signal 194 turns on transistor 168 a , and separation heater enable signal 196 turns on transistor 170 . transistor 168 a provides current to first heater element 160 a , causing first heater element 160 a to increase in temperature . this heats the corresponding interactive element , which desorbs one or more constituents into the sample fluid stream in the form of a first concentration pulse . the first concentration pulse is carried downstream toward second heater element 160 b by the sample fluid stream . this process is repeated for the 3rd , 4th and n - th elements . heater control block 166 then provides a second heater enable signal 198 , which turns on transistor 168 b . transistor 168 b provides current to second heater element 160 b , causing second heater element 160 b to increase in temperature . this heats the corresponding interactive element , which desorbs one or more constituents into the sample fluid stream in the form of a second concentration pulse . heater control block 166 may time second heater enable signal 198 such that the second concentration pulse substantially overlaps the first concentration pulse . both the first and second concentration pulses are carried downstream toward third heater element 160 c . the timing of second heater enable signal 198 relative to first heater enable signal 194 may be established by prior calibration . however , the heater control block 166 may sense the resistance of second heater element 160 b . it is recognized that the resistance of second heater element 160 b will begin to change when the first concentration pulse arrives at second heater element 160 b because the first concentration pulse is typically hotter than the sample fluid stream . once a predetermined resistance change is sensed in second heater element 160 b , heater control block 166 may energize second heater element 160 b via transistor 168 b . the remaining heater enable signals may be likewise controlled . heater control block 166 may then provide a third heater enable signal 200 , which turns on transistor 168 c . transistor 168 c provides current to third heater element 160 c , causing third heater element 160 c to increase in temperature . this heats the corresponding interactive element , which desorbs one or more constituents into the sample fluid stream in the front of a third concentration pulse . heater control block 166 may time third heater enable signal 200 such that the third concentration pulse substantially overlaps the first and second concentration pulses . the first , second , and third substantially overlapping concentration pulses are carried downstream toward “ nth ” heater element 160 d . heater control block 166 may then provide an “ nth ” heater enable signal 202 , which turns on transistors 168 c . transistor 168 c provides current to “ nth ” heater element 160 d , causing “ nth ” heater element 160 d to increase in temperature . this heats the corresponding interactive element , which desorbs one or more constituents into the sample fluid stream in the form of an “ nth ” concentration pulse . the heater control block 166 may time “ nth ” heater enable signal 202 such that the “ nth ” concentration pulse substantially overlaps the previously generated concentration pulses . the resulting concentration pulse is carried downstream to separator heater 162 . separator heater 162 , in conjunction with the channel 158 , may separate selected constituents in the concentration pulse into individual constituent components . the separator &# 39 ; s temperature ramp should not start before the end of the nth pulse to the n - th concentrator element . thus , pulse 196 begins after pulse 202 ends , as shown in fig1 . the individual constituent components may include one or more compounds , depending on a number of factors including the sample gas provided . transistor 170 then energizes separation heater 162 at the beginning of pulse 196 in fig1 resulting in the heater 162 temperature having an increasing amplitude from room temperature up to about 200 degrees c . ( or other temperature of design ) versus time up to about one - half of the length of pulse 196 and then to remain at that temperature for the remaining time of pulse 196 . heater 162 separates the various constituents into individual components , as described above . the separated constituents are carried downstream to detector 164 by the sample fluid stream . detector 164 may be a thermal conductivity detector , discharge ionization detector , or any other type of detector such as those commonly used in gas chromatography . detector 164 may sense the concentration levels of each individual constituent component , and provides a corresponding signal to amplifier 210 . amplifier 210 may amplify the detector output signal and provide the detector output signal to a data processing unit for analysis . heater control block 166 may provide a detector enable signal 212 to enable the detector only when the individual constituent components are present . [ 0052 ] fig1 is a basic layout of an integrated circuit that includes a concentrator , a separator , and a detector of micro gas apparatus 15 . the integrated circuit may include a channel 250 that traverses back and forth across the chip as shown in fig1 . a first part of channel 250 has a number of heater elements 252 extending thereover on a support member , like support member 30 as described above . interactive elements ( not explicitly shown ) are positioned in channel 250 adjacent each of the heater elements . while only one column of heater elements 252 is shown , it is contemplated that each of the channel legs 254 a - h may have a column of heater elements 252 . there may be between one two hundred and one thousand heater elements spaced along channel 250 . a second downstream portion of channel 250 has a separation heater 260 extending thereover . the separation heater helps separate the various constituents in the concentration pulses provided by the heater elements 252 . finally , a detector 264 is provided over the channel 250 downstream of the separation heater 260 . the detector may sense the concentration of each of the separated constituent components provided by the separator . because the concentrator , separator , and detector are provided on an integrated circuit , other conventional electronic circuits can be easily integrated therewith . a phased heater control block 270 and amplifier 272 may be fabricated on the same substrate . chemical sensors , especially chemical microsensors as described , potentially afford many attractive features such as low cost , high sensitivity , ruggedness , and very small size . although the invention has been described with respect to at least one illustrative embodiment , many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present specification . it is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications .	6
the bolt 1 , whose free end 1a is shown in fig1 and 2 , is in particular a large screw bolt , as is used in great numbers in particular with flanges , covers , or similar closures of pressure containers , boilers , and reactor vessels . a screw bolt of this type formed in the manner of a stud bolt has , on its part not shown in the drawings , an outer thread by means of which it may be screwed into a corresponding threaded bore . onto a further thread 2 of a bolt of this type a securing nut 3 ( fig3 ) may be screwed , which is disposed on the upper side of a flange or cover . in order to pre - tension such bolts hydraulic tightening apparatus is used which for example engages on a further nut 5 , screwed onto an upper thread 4 of the bolt 1 . a construction of a tightening apparatus shown by way of example in fig3 comprises a bearing member 6 , which may be mounted onto the upper side of a cover flange , a drive 7 ( for example an electromotor ) with gears 8 connected downstream for rotating the securing nut 3 , provided on the outside with toothing , on the bolt 1 , further tightening cylinders 9 , disposed above one another , with stepped pistons 10 , the upper of which lies against the lower side of the tightening nut 5 screwed onto the thread 4 , and a rotary drive 11 ( e . g . also an electromotor ) with gears 12 connected downstream and a sleeve , which has toothing on the outside and surrounds the nut 5 , as the rotary drive for the tightening nut 5 and at the same time for an entrainment ring 13 which is disposed at a certain distance above this nut 5 and is carried by supports or the like . in the entrainment ring 13 there is an aperture 14 with an inner profile 15 , in particular in the form of two diametrically opposed and axially extending projections , strips , or the like , with which an outer profile 16 , in particular grooves for receiving the projections or strips on the entrainment ring 13 , on the body 31 of a coupling part 30 corresponds . the latter part is displaceable in the direction of its longitudinal axis l by means of a hydraulic piston - cylinder unit 17 , as a result of which the body 31 may be made to engage , with its outer profile 16 , in the inner profile 15 of the entrainment ring 13 . in this engagement position the coupling part 30 may therefore be rotated by the drive 11 in both directions of rotation . the piston - cylinder unit 17 is held pivotally by a fork - shaped holder 18 on a frame 19 , connected to the bearing member 6 , in pivots 20 , but cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis l . reference numeral 21 denotes a diagrammatically indicated connection and bearing arrangement in its entirety . in the latter , the upper end of the coupling part 30 is supported in such a way that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis l and furthermore is connected to the end of a piston rod 22 of the dual - acting piston - cylinder unit 17 in order to transmit axial forces in both directions . a cam strip 23 with one or more adjustable cams 24 is attached to the piston rod 22 in order to actuate switches 25 in dependence upon the path in which the piston rod 22 and therefore also the coupling part 30 travels . a gear 26 secured to the upper end of the body 31 engages with a pinion 27 of an electrical angle indicator 28 which is attached to the connection and bearing arrangement 21 such that it is moved axially with the latter and the coupling part 30 . therefore in each case the rotational movement of the coupling part 30 or its angular position and the axial movement or position of the coupling part 30 are recorded and indicated exactly by means of this angle indicator 28 and by means of the switches 25 , respectively the signals from which can be further processed and used to control a desired operating cycle . this may be a programmed automatic cycle . the means necessary for this are available and will be known to the person skilled in the art . a shaft 32 , which is for example cylindrical , is connected to the body 31 of the coupling part 30 towards the bottom and ends in a head 33 . the head is formed in the manner of a hammer head in the advantageous construction shown , so that there are two projections 33a transverse to the longitudinal axis l of the coupling part or the shaft 32 . the aperture 14 in the entrainment ring 13 is sufficiently large for the head 33 of the coupling part 30 to pass freely through when the latter is moved axially . as fig1 and 2 show particularly clearly , in the upper end 1a of the bolt 1 there is a chamber 34 which is accessible from the front end 1b . the chamber is delimited by a closing part 37 which has an aperture 38 which is somewhat larger than the head 33 with the shaft 32 , but has such a shape and arrangement that it is possible for the head 33 to pass through axially only at a specific angular position , as can be clearly seen in fig2 . the closing part 37 which in the shown construction consists of one part with the bolt 1 , but may also be produced separately and then be connected to the bolt , has on its upper side inclined regions 39 , i . e . formed by conical partial surfaces , which regions may be used to guide the head 33 before the introduction thereof into the aperture 38 . for the same purpose , the head 33 also has at its lower end , i . e at parts of its lower side , inclined regions 35 . advantageously moreover , at the upper side of the head 33 there are inclined parts 36 which may facilitate passage into the aperture 38 during the reverse movement . in the interior of the chamber 34 , tangential ( or circumferential ) abutments for the head 33 or its projections 33a are provided in such a way that the parts are able to engage in a locking manner in order to carry out a joint movement of the coupling part 30 and the bolt 1 . in the advantageous construction shown in fig1 and 2 , two of the tangential abutments are formed by pins 41 which extend over the entire height of the chamber 34 , are diametrically opposed to one another ( fig2 ), and are held by means of their upper ends in bores of the closing part 37 and by means of their lower ends in bores , in the material of the bolt 1 , originating in the base 34a of the chamber 34 . the pins may in particular be pressed into the bores . two further pins 42 , held in bores of the closing part 37 , extend over only part of the height of the chamber 34 , as fig1 shows . these pins 42 are also diametrically opposed to each other . they are in each case at a horizontal distance from the pins 41 which is somewhat greater than the width of the projections 33a of the head 33 . furthermore , two more diametrically opposed thinner pins 43 extending over the entire height of the chamber 34 are provided and are also held at their ends in like manner to the pins 41 . the pins 43 are in each case disposed directly on the edge of the aperture 38 and are additionally used as stops or to guide the head 33 when it moves . they are not absolutely necessary but may increase secureness or facilitate the operation . starting from one position of the parts according to fig3 the dual - acting piston - cylinder unit 17 is actuated in such a way that the piston rod 22 slides out and as a result of this the coupling part 30 is moved downwards . its head 33 thus passes through the aperture 14 in the entrainment ring 13 and then reaches the bolt 1 . the reaching of specific positions may be indicated by the compulsory actuation of the switches 25 . if the head 33 is at the correct angle over the aperture 38 in the bolt end , the axial movement is continued . otherwise firstly by slowly rotating the coupling part 30 by means of the drive 11 the correct angle is arrived at , the member 31 firstly engaging with the entrainment ring 13 . while rotating , the lower side of the head 33 may slide on the regions 39 of the closing part 37 . then the head 33 passes into the chamber 34 . the further downward movement ( when the rotary drive is switched off ) may be ended by the head 33 bearing on the base 34a of the chamber 34 or on a sleeve 34b , which is inserted therein and is used for another purpose not explained in detail here , and by a pressure increase , which is necessitated thereby , but in particular by actuating the lowest of the switches 25 by means of a control command . thus the state according to fig1 and 2 is produced . now the rotary drive 11 is switched on such that the coupling part 30 and therefore the head 33 rotates in an counter - clockwise direction , until the position shown in fig2 with the dash - dotted line 33 &# 39 ; is reached , which may be effected by switching off the rotary drive 11 in dependence on the signals of the angle indicator 28 . during this rotation , the projections 33a of the head 33 pass without obstruction under the ends of the shorter pins 42 . there now follows an upwards movement of the coupling part 30 , it being possible to displace the projections 33a of the head 33 in the region between the pins 41 and 42 , until the flat parts of the upper sides of the projections 33a come to rest against the axial abutment constituted by the flat lower side 37a of the closing part 37 . the reaching of this position may also be indicated by one of the switches 25 or by other sensors or the like , whereupon a command may be given to commence the screwing out procedure . for this , the rotary drive 11 is switched on and the piston - cylinder unit 17 is supplied with pressure medium such that an axial upwards force is produced and is transmitted by way of the head 33 of the coupling part 30 to the bolt 1 . owing to the fact that the lateral faces of the head 33 come to bear against the tangential abutments 41 the torque is transmitted to the bolt 1 . the bolt is therefore screwed out of its threaded bore with weight relief until it is free and hangs in the apparatus . it may then be transported away by the apparatus . accordingly , the bolt 1 is screwed into its receiving bore in the reverse manner . for this , the coupling part 30 is rotated by means of the drive 11 in the other direction . owing to the fact that the lateral faces of the projections 33a come to bear against the tangential abutments 42 the torque is transmitted to the bolt 1 . simultaneously weight relief occurs by supplying pressure medium to the piston - cylinder unit 17 in such a way that whilst lowering , during the screwing - in procedure , an upwardly directed axial force of a desired magnitude is maintained . after the end of the screwing - in procedure , the coupling part 30 is moved downwards when the drive 11 is switched off and then when the drive 11 is switched on again it is rotated until its head is in the position according to fig1 and 2 . then the head 33 is moved out of the chamber 34 , for example until the parts reach the position according to fig3 . the pins 43 may be used as stops and guides when rotating back the head 33 , as lastly mentioned , and when lifting the head . departing from the construction shown , the pins 41 and 42 may be offset with respect to each other about another center angle . furthermore the construction may be such that a part containing the chamber is produced separately . this may have inter alia advantages with respect to manufacturing techniques . such a part , forming to a certain extent a fixture or attachment for the bolt , can then be rigidly connected to the bolt , for example using a pinned fitting , by welding , or in any other suitable manner . in this way , for example the bolt may form the base of the attached chamber with its front end . in order to illustrate a construction of this type fig1 may be taken into consideration , according to which it would then be possible for the original dividing line between the bolt and a fixture or attachment part to be approximately at the height of the upper edge of the sleeve 34b . the abutments may already be present in the separately produced fixture or attachment part or may also be produced or mounted after the latter has been attached to the bolt . it is further possible to fasten a searately manufactured part , containing the chamber , on the bolt so as to be detachable , in particular in a construction forming an actual adapter , with corresponding possibilities for adaptation and connection to the bolt end . in all the above - mentioned constructions , which all fall within the scope of the invention , the fixture or attachment part or adapter may also have a greater diameter than a bolt . all the features mentioned in the above description or shown in the drawings are to be considered individually or in combination as coming within the scope of the invention , provided this is allowed by the known state of the art .	5
fig5 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment 1 of the present invention . fig6 is a view showing the principle of stereoscopic observation of the embodiment shown in fig5 . fig7 is a view showing an area allowing stereoscopic observation in the embodiment shown in fig5 . in fig5 there is shown a liquid crystal display ( lcd ) 1 for image display , provided therein with a pixel display unit 3 , glass substrates 2a , 2b respectively provided in front of and behind the pixel display unit 3 , polarizing plates ( not shown ) having mutually orthogonal polarizing directions and provided respective in front of the glass substrate 2a and behind the glass substrate 2b , electrodes ( not shown ), a rear light source ( light source means ) 21 etc . on the pixel display unit 3 for image display , there are displayed two parallax images ( r , l ) corresponding to two viewing points respectively for the right and left eyes , alternately in horizontal stripes extended in the h direction . a display drive circuit 22 displays the images synthesized in horizontal stripes , on the display 1 . an image processing circuit 23 extracts a plurality of parallax images l , r in horizontal stripes from a set of parallax images obtained by observing a three - dimensional object from two viewing points , and combines thus extracted images by arranging these images with a predetermined order and a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction v thereby obtaining a combined horizontal stripe image for supply to the display drive circuit 22 . a polarization control plate 4 is composed of a repeated array , with a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction , of two polarizing plates 4l , 4r of a horizontal stripe shape , respectively transmitting polarized lights of mutually orthogonal directions . such polarizing plates 4l , 4r of horizontal stripe shape respectively correspond to the horizontal striped parallax images l , r on the pixel display unit 3 . a barrier 5 is provided with apertures 6a of a horizontal stripe shape , with a width narrower than the pitch of the polarizing plate of the polarization control plate 4 , and with light shielding portions 6b . the barrier 5 is formed by forming a film of chromium or chromium oxide on a glass substrate and patterning such film , or by coating the glass substrate wit black resin and patterning such black resin layer . now , reference is made to fig6 for explaining the state of stereoscopic observation of the parallax images displayed on the pixel display unit 3 of the present embodiment . as shown in fig6 the polarizing plates 4l , 4r in horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate 4 are positioned on the line between the eyes 12 of the observer wearing the polarization spectacles 13 and the pixel apertures 11 where the parallax images l , r are displayed on the pixel display unit 3 of the liquid crystal display 1 . the barrier 6 is provided in front of the polarization control plate 4 , in such a manner that the apertures 6a of the barrier 5 respectively correspond to the polarizing plates 4l , 4r of the polarization control plate 4 and are on the lines between the eyes 12 of the observer and the centers of the pixel apertures 11 displaying the parallax images . when the eyes 12 of the observer lie in a vertical position b1 , the observer observes a part ( width w ) of the pixel apertures 11 of the pixel display unit 3 , through the apertures 6a of the barrier 5 and the corresponding polarizing plates 4l , 4r . the left - eye image l and the right - eye image r are completely separated by the polarization spectacles 13 whereby the normal stereoscopic observation can be attained . when the observer moves to a vertical position b4 , the line between the aperture 6a of the barrier 5 and the eyes of the observer is shifted from the center of the pixel aperture , but the observed width w does not still reach the black matrix 10 of the pixel display unit 3 but remains in a part of the same pixel aperture 11 , whereby the left - eye image l and the right - eye image r can be completely separated to enable normal stereoscopic observation as in the eye position b1 . as the observer moves further upwards in the vertical direction v , the observed width w of the pixel display unit 3 rides on the black matrix 10 whereby the amount of light gradually decreases , and the observed width moves to the adjacent pixel aperture 11 . the adjacent pixel aperture 11 displays the parallax image for the other eye , which is also observed through the same polarizing plate , whereby the crosstalk gradually increases . when the eyes of the observer moves to a position b2 , the parallax image for the other eye alone is observed through the same aperture 6a of the barrier 6 , whereby the left eye only receives the image for the right eye while the right eye only receives the image for the left eye . thus there is reached a state of inverse stereoscopic observation . a graph at the left - hand side of fig6 shows the change in the polarized component , wherein abscissa indicates the proportion of the polarized component of light entering either eye or the amount of crosstalk . when the eyes 12 of the observer is in a solid - lined range including the position b1 , the left and right images are completely separated and the normal polarized component alone is received without crosstalk , so that the above - mentioned proportion becomes 1 . in a broken - lined range , the light amount decreases while the crosstalk increases whereby the stereoscopic observation is significantly deteriorated . in the position b2 or b3 , the proportion of the polarized component becomes 0 , thereby providing a state of completely inverse stereoscopic observation . fig7 shows the actual stereoscopic observation areas of the present embodiment , indicating the stereoscopic observation area in the stereoscopic display 301 of the present embodiment , at the optimum observation distance . 302 indicates a normal stereoscopic observation area where proper stereoscopic image can be observed . 303 indicates inverse stereoscopic observation areas which appear periodically in the vertical direction . the stereoscopic observation area enabling stereoscopic observation without crosstalk in the vertical direction is expanded , from a mere linear area in the conventional stereoscopic display , to a certain width in the present embodiment , whereby the observer is assured of satisfactory stereoscopic observation without paying too much attention to the vertical position and is therefore relieved from fatigue . in the present embodiment , the barrier 5 is positioned in front of the polarization control plate 4 , but it may also be positioned behind the polarization control plate 4 , namely at the side of the display 1 thereof . also barrier portions may be provided between the polarizing plates constituting the polarization control plate 4 . it is also possible to obtain a stereoscopic observation area having a width in the horizontal direction , by displaying , on the pixel display unit 3 , two parallax images in vertical stripes of a predetermined pitch instead of the parallax images of horizontal stripes and arranging the polarizing plates of the polarization control plate 4 and the apertures of the barrier 5 in corresponding vertical stripe shapes . in the present embodiment , as explained in the foregoing , a polarization control plate composed of an array of polarizing plates of different polarizing states is provided in front of the display , and , for the observation with the polarization spectacles , there is employed a barrier with plural apertures is combined with the polarization control plate . this configuration is further featured by facts that the polarization control plate is composed of an alternate array of the polarizing plates of mutually orthogonal polarizing directions in horizontal stripes , and that the barrier is provided with apertures in horizontal stripe shapes corresponding to the pitch of the horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate , the width of such apertures being smaller than the pitch of the horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate . fig8 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment 2 of the present invention , while fig9 is a view showing the principle of stereoscopic observation of the embodiment shown in fig8 and fig1 is a view showing an area allowing stereoscopic observation in the embodiment shown in fig8 . this embodiment is only different from the embodiment 1 in that the barrier 5 is positioned between the polarization control plate 4 and the liquid crystal display 1 but is same in all other aspects . now , reference is made to fig9 for explaining the state of stereoscopic observation of the parallax images displayed on the pixel display unit 3 of the present embodiment . the polarizing plates 4l , 4r in horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate 4 are positioned on the line between the eyes 12 of the observer wearing the polarization spectacles 13 and the pixel apertures 11 where the parallax images l , r are displayed on the pixel display unit 3 of the liquid crystal display 1 . also the apertures 6a of the barrier 5 are positioned on the lines between the eyes 12 of the observer and the centers of the pixel apertures 11 displaying the parallax images , whereby the observer observes the corresponding pixel apertures 11 through the polarizing plates and the apertures 6a of the barrier 5 . when the eyes 12 of the observer lie in a vertical position c1 , the observer observes , in superposed manner , the polarizing plates and a part ( width w ) of the pixel apertures 11 of the pixel display unit 3 , through the apertures 6a of the barrier 5 . the left - eye image l and the right - eye image r are completely separated by the polarization spectacles 13 whereby the normal stereoscopic observation can be attained . when the observer moves in the vertical direction v , the line between the aperture 6a of the barrier 5 and the eyes of the observer is shifted from the center of the pixel aperture , but , as long as the observed width w does not still reach the black matrix 10 , a part of the same pixel aperture 11 is still observed . if the position of the barrier 5 is so selected that the line between the aperture 6a of the barrier 5 and the eyes of the observer moves within the same corresponding polarizing plate 4 , the left - eye image l and the right - eye image r can be completely separated to enable normal stereoscopic observation as in the eye position c1 . as the observer moves further upwards in the vertical direction v to a position c4 , the observed width w of the pixel display unit 3 rides on the black matrix 10 whereby the amount of light gradually decreases and the crosstalk is generated . with further movement , the observed width moves to the adjacent pixel aperture 11 and the corresponding polarizing plate is switched to the adjacent one , but , at a position c2 , the normal stereoscopic observation is made possible as the combination between the left and right images l , r and the polarizing directions of the polarizing plates remains same . a graph at the left - hand side of fig9 shows the change in the polarized component , wherein abscissa indicates the proportion of the polarized component of light entering either eye or the amount of crosstalk . when the eyes 12 of the observer is in a solid - lined range including the position c1 , the left and right images are completely separated and the normal polarized component alone is received without crosstalk , so that the above - mentioned proportion becomes 1 . in a broken - lined range , the light amount decreases while the crosstalk increases whereby the stereoscopic observation is significantly deteriorated . in the position c2 or c3 , the combination of the left and right images and the polarizing directions of the polarizing plates remains same , whereby normal stereoscopic observation can be obtained . fig1 shows the actual stereoscopic observation areas of the present embodiment , indicating the stereoscopic observation area in the stereoscopic display 401 of the present embodiment , at the optimum observation distance . 402 indicates normal stereoscopic observation areas which appear periodically in the vertical direction , and there is no inverse stereoscopic observation area . the stereoscopic observation area enabling stereoscopic observation without crosstalk in the vertical direction is further expanded , whereby the observer is assured of satisfactory stereoscopic observation without paying too much attention to the vertical position and is therefore relieved from fatigue . fig1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment 3 of the present invention , while fig1 is a view showing the principle of stereoscopic observation of the embodiment shown in fig1 , and fig1 is a view showing an area allowing stereoscopic observation in the embodiment shown in fig1 . this embodiment is only different from the embodiment 2 shown in fig8 in that the barrier 5 is replaced by a lenticular lens 7 which is composed of an array , with a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction v , of cylindrical lenses 7a of a horizontal stripe shape having a refractive power in the vertical direction v , but is same in all other aspects . in the present embodiment , the lenticular lens 7 is positioned between the polarization control plate 4 and the liquid crystal display 1 . the cylindrical lenses 7a constituting the lenticular lens 7 are arrayed horizontally , with a pitch corresponding to that of the polarizing plates 4l , 4r in horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate 4 . the lenticular lens 7 is prepared by molding a resinous material such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate , or by replica formation with photosensitive resin on a glass substrate . now , reference is made to fig1 for explaining the state of stereoscopic observation of the parallax images displayed on the pixel display unit 3 of the present embodiment . the polarizing plates 4l , 4r in horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate 4 are positioned on the line between the eyes 12 of the observer wearing the polarization spectacles 13 and the pixel apertures 11 where the parallax images l , r are displayed on the pixel display unit 3 of the liquid crystal display 1 . also the cylindrical lenses 7a of the lenticular lens 7 are positioned on the lines between the eyes 12 of the observer and the centers of the pixel apertures 11 , whereby the observer observes the corresponding pixel apertures 11 through the polarizing plates 4l , 4r and the cylindrical lenses 7a . the position of the lenticular lens 7 and the curvature of the cylindrical lenses 7a thereof are so designed as to focus the image of the pixel display unit 3 on the polarizing plates 4 with such a magnification that the pitch of the pixel display unit 3 coincides with that of the polarizing plates 4l , 4r . when the eyes 12 of the observer are in a vertical position d1 , the lights coming from the pixel apertures 11 of the pixel display unit 3 on the lines passing through the eyes 12 of the observer and the principal points 0 of the cylindrical lenses 7a of the lenticular lens 7 are focused on the polarizing plates 4l , 4r and the observer observes a part of the lights spreading therefrom . since , in this state , the images of the pixel apertures 11 are formed in complete one - to - one correspondence on the polarizing plates 4l , 4r , the left - eye image l and the right - eye image r are completely separated by the polarization spectacles 13 whereby the normal stereoscopic observation can be attained . when the eyes of the observer lies in a position d2 , the correspondence between the pixel apertures 11 and the polarizing plates 4l , 4r are simultaneously switched on the lines between the eyes 12 and the principal points of the cylindrical lenses of the lenticular lens 7 in comparison with the situation at the point d1 , so that the polarized states of the left - eye image and the right - eye image remain same to enable normal stereoscopic observation . if the eyes 12 of the observer moves in the vertical direction v to a position d4 , the lines passing through the eyes 12 and the principal points of the cylindrical lenses 7a lie on the black matrix 10 of the pixel display unit 3 , but the lights from the pixel apertures 11 are focused on the polarizing plates 4l , 4r and are spread after passing the polarizing plates , whereby the eyes 12 of the observer can receive the lights from the adjacent pixel apertures . thus the normal stereoscopic observation is made possible though image becomes somewhat darker . a graph at the left - hand side of fig1 shows the change in the polarized component , wherein abscissa indicates the proportion of the polarized component of light entering either eye or the amount of crosstalk . it is indicated that the proportion of the polarized components always remains as 1 regardless of the position of the eyes of the observer , whereby the left and right images are always completely separated to enable the normal stereoscopic observation . fig1 shows the actual stereoscopic observation areas of the present embodiment , indicating the stereoscopic observation area in the stereoscopic display 501 of the present embodiment , at the optimum observation distance . 502 indicate normal stereoscopic observation areas , and there is no inverse stereoscopic observation area . the normal stereoscopic observation area is represented by a rectangle for the purpose of simplicity , but in fact it is spread over the plane of the rectangle . thus the stereoscopic observation area enabling stereoscopic observation without crosstalk in the vertical direction is further expanded , whereby the observer is assured of satisfactory stereoscopic observation without paying attention to the vertical position and is therefore relieved from fatigue . in the present embodiment , the lenticular lens may be replaced by biconvex or plano - convex cylindrical microlenses . in the present embodiment , as explained in the foregoing , a polarization control plate composed of an array of polarizing plates of different polarizing states is provided in front of the display , and , for the observation with the polarization spectacles , there is employed a microlens array composed of cylindrical lenses between the polarization control plate and the image display area of the display . this configuration is further featured by facts that the polarization control plate is composed of an alternate array of the polarizing plates of mutually orthogonal polarizing directions in horizontal stripes , and that the microlens array is composed of lenticular lenses in horizontal stripe shapes corresponding to the pitch of the horizontal stripes of the polarization control plate . the foregoing embodiments 1 , 2 and 3 have employed the liquid crystal display as the image display means , but similar effects can also be obtained with other displays such as a plasma display , a fluorescent display tube , an el display , a crt or a rear projection display , by a configuration including a polarization control plate and a barrier or a microlens array in front of the display . as explained in the foregoing , a three - dimensional image is displayed utilizing a polarization control plate , and , at the observation of the image , a barrier with apertures extended in a suitably predetermined direction or a lenticular lens is employed to expand the stereoscopic observation area with limited crosstalk in the vertical direction . in this manner there is provided a stereoscopic image display apparatus which reduces the fatigue of the observer and is particularly suitable for observation by plural observers .	7
the fitting of this invention is made up of two sleeves 10 and 11 . the lefthand end of the sleeve 10 , as illustrated , is conventional , including a tapered end surface 12 and an exterior shoulder 13 for connection as an ordinary flared fitting . the exterior of the sleeve 10 includes a surface 15 that tapers at a shallow angle to one end 16 of the sleeve . at the inner end of the surface 15 is a relatively long cylindrical surface 17 . a curved transition surface 18 connects the surface 17 with a shorter cylindrical part 19 of smaller diameter . beyond the surface 19 is a second curved transition surface 20 to a still shorter cylindrical portion 21 of narrower diameter adjacent the shoulder 13 . interiorly , the sleeve 10 has a cylindrical portion 22 of constant relatively small diameter adjacent the tapered end surface 12 , which connects through a shoulder 23 to a central interior surface 24 of larger diameter . the surface 24 is shorter axially than the surface 22 . the sleeve 10 is proportioned so that the shoulder 23 is radially inwardly of the exterior surface 19 of the sleeve and the transition surface 18 on the exterior of the sleeve 10 is outwardly of the internal surface 24 . a rounded shoulder 26 connects the surface 24 to an additional interior cylindrical surface 27 of still greater diameter . the surface 27 connects to a surface 28 of slightly larger diameter , which forms the entrance to the fitting at the end 16 . there are , in addition , three equally spaced axially extending broached slots 29 in the surface 27 which carry the diameter of the entrance surface 28 to their inner ends , which are spaced from the shoulder 26 . these slots provide an anti - rotational affect when the fitting is swaged onto a tube , as discussed below . this construction provides the sleeve 10 with a thinner wall at the surfaces 27 and 28 then the wall on the opposite side of the shoulder 26 . the sleeve 10 has its greatest wall thickness beyond the shoulder 23 . the sleeve 11 is of smaller diameter than the sleeve 10 and of lesser wall thickness . it is made of a material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the sleeve 10 . the material of the sleeve 11 also is harder than that of the sleeve 10 , and has a higher yield strength . the sleeve 11 includes a first cylindrical interior surface 31 adjacent one end 32 , and a longer cylindrical surface 33 that connects to the surface 31 and is of slightly larger diameter . the surface 33 extends all the way to the opposite end 34 of the sleeve 11 . exteriorly , the sleeve 11 has a rounded exterior edge that leads to a cylindrical exterior surface 36 adjacent the end 34 . an annular groove 37 interrupts the surface 36 inwardly of the end 34 . a short distance from the annular groove 37 is a much wider annular groove 38 , which is of the same depth as the groove 37 . this leaves a land 39 between the grooves 37 and 38 . at the end 32 of the sleeve 11 is an exterior annular enlargement that includes a tapered outer end wall 40 and a tapered inner end wall 41 that connects to the inner end part of the surface 36 beyond the wide groove 38 . the enlargement is provided with a shallow arcuate annular groove 42 in its outer periphery . the intersections of the surfaces 40 and 41 with the surface of the groove 42 produce two closely spaced annular ridges . initially the sleeve 11 is positioned within the sleeve 10 , as shown in fig2 with the sleeve end 32 intermediate the ends of the sleeve 10 , abutting the interior shoulder 23 of the sleeve . the end 34 of the sleeve 11 is adjacent but recessed axially inwardly of the end 16 of the outer sleeve 10 . a compressive force then is applied to the sleeve 10 at the surface 91 , rolling this portion of the sleeve radially inwardly to attach the sleeves 10 and 11 together , as seen in fig3 . this deflects the exterior surface 19 inwardly to the level of the exterior surface 21 of the sleeve 10 , causing the material of the inner wall of the sleeve 10 at the surface 24 to be deflected inwardly into the annular groove 42 and around the annular ridges defined by the end enlargement of the sleeve 11 . thus , the material of the sleeve 10 is deflected inwardly around the tapered surface 40 and the end 32 of the sleeve 11 , as well as being deflected around the tapered surface 41 . this forms a secure attachment and a fluid seal between the two sleeves . the tube 43 , to be attached to the fitting , is introduced into the annular space 44 between sleeves 10 and 11 , as seen in fig5 . the end 45 of the tube 43 is advanced past the land 39 of the sleeve 11 , normally being positioned adjacent the shoulder 26 that connects the internal diameter portions 24 and 27 of the sleeve 10 . preferably the parts are proportioned so that the tube 43 can enter the space between the sleeves 10 and 11 freely , yet without much clearance . the materials of the components of the fitting are selected so that the inner sleeve 11 has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the tube 43 . the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sleeve 10 may be less than that of the tube 43 . next the fitting is swaged to complete the attachment to the tube 43 . this is accomplished by applying an external compressive force by a radial swaging tool on the surface 17 of the sleeve 10 . this forces the surface 17 radially inwardly until it is of substantially the same diameter as that of the surface 19 of the sleeve 10 . as this occurs , the inner wall of the sleeve 10 presses against the tube 43 , which is forced inwardly against the outer surface of the sleeve 11 . the latter experiences some deflection but resists the inward compression sufficiently to cause the inner surface of the tube 43 to be deflected inwardly around the land 39 and against the surface of the sleeve 11 at the grooves 37 and 38 . as a result , the corners 47 and 48 at either end of the land 39 are caused to dig into the inner surface of the tube 43 . similarly , the corner 49 at the outer end of the groove 37 of the sleeve 11 becomes embedded in the inner surface of the tube 43 . this creates metal - to - metal seals at the locations of these corners , effectively preventing the leakage of fluid along the inner surface of the end part of the tube 43 . at the same time , the deflection of the tube securely attaches it to the sleeve 11 . the exterior of the tube 43 is forced into the three spaced broached grooves 29 , which prevents rotation of a tube relative to the sleeves 10 and 11 . the inner sleeve 11 , being of relatively hard material with a high yield strength , can resist the compression force of the swaging so that the tube deflects as described above . the relatively thin wall of the sleeve 11 maximizes the internal diameter of this sleeve so that the fitting will not unduly restrict the flow of fluid . the outer sleeve 10 , being more malleable than the inner sleeve and of lesser yield strength , can compress the tube in the swaging operation and hold it inwardly against the sleeve 11 . the malleability of the sleeve 10 assists the fitting in withstanding bending forces on the tube to which it is attached . the fitting is well suited for use at elevated temperatures , such as in the environment of jet aircraft engines . as the components become elevated in temperature , the sleeve 11 becomes pressed even more tightly against the inner wall of the tube 43 . this comes about from the coefficients of thermal expansion of these elements . the sleeve 11 , by having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the tube 43 , will maintain an increasing outward pressure against the inner wall of the tube as temperatures rise . similarly , because the sleeve 11 has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the sleeve 10 , it will have a greater outward force against the sleeve 10 at the connection between the two as temperatures rise . the tube 43 can be made to increase its force against the outer sleeve 10 when the latter is made of a material having a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the tube . thus , the fitting does not lose its properties at elevated temperatures , always being mechanically held together securely with an effective metal - to - metal seal . performance under flexure is improved significantly by the application of a thin coating of dry film lubricant 50 on the bore entrance surface 28 of the sleeve 10 . the lubricant will impregnate the surface 28 , filling in low spots to provide a uniform and smooth surface . metal - to - metal contact between the sleeve 10 and the tube 43 is avoided at the zone where the dry lubricant is present . as a result , the fitting does not scuff the tube at the surface 28 under vibration and greatly extended tube life is obtained . without the lubricant , the roughness from normal machining of the surface 28 may produce stress risers on the tube 43 that can lead to tube failure under vibration . only a very thin film of lubricant is needed , most of it penetrating the surface 28 . a solid film extreme environment dry lubricant , such as a molybdenum disulfide base mixed with graphite , of a total thickness of 0 . 0005 inch , is effective up to 1100 ° f . in addition to flexing , the fitting also withstands severe tensile loads , impulse loads and other adverse conditions . although shown in the previously described embodiment as used in conjunction with a conventional flared fitting at one end , a fitting manufactured in accordance with this invention may have many other configurations . for example , as shown in fig7 the fitting 51 is a coupling , both ends of which are to receive tube ends just as did the right - hand end portion of the fitting as illustrated in fig1 - 6 . after swaging the tubes will be connected together . fig8 shows one of the other embodiments of the invention , this time as a tee 52 . the foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only , the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims .	8
the &# 34 ; vegetable matter &# 34 ; useful for incorporation into the cheese - based products via the process of the present invention includes a wide variety of products , and is not strictly limited to vegetables . fruits , nuts and other materials may be treated in accordance with the present invention and added in appropriate amounts to cheese base to provide a stable cheese dip type product . examples of useful &# 34 ; vegetable matter &# 34 ; include but are not limited to whole , chopped , sliced or otherwise comminuted tomatoes , tomatillos , peppers including chili , jalapeno , bell , serrano , habanero and anaheim peppers , onions , scallions , beans , peas , corn , broccoli , asparagus , cauliflower , carrots and potatoes . for the purposes of this invention &# 34 ; vegetable matter &# 34 ; also includes various nuts , such as peanuts , cashews , pistachios , pecans , walnuts and almonds , various fruits such as apples , blueberries , blackberries and raspberries , as well as pasta in all of its forms . the vegetable matter , if packed in liquid , first may be drained , rinsed with warm water and then drained again to remove as much of the low - ph packing liquid as possible . next , the vegetable matter is comminuted , if desired , to provide pieces of desired size and shape . the vegetable matter is buffered in accordance with the present invention by contacting it with a buffer solution . suitable buffer solutions must be edible and otherwise approved for use in foodstuffs . examples of useful buffer solutions are solutions based on ( 1 ) mono - and dibasic sodium phosphate ; ( 2 ) mono - and dibasic potassium phosphate ; ( 3 ) monobasic potassium phosphate and dibasic sodium phosphate ; ( 4 ) monobasic potassium or sodium phosphate and potassium or sodium hydroxide ; ( 5 ) acetic acid and sodium or potassium acetate ; and mixtures of the same . see , for example , crc handbook of chemistry and physics , 56th ed . ( 1975 ). the components of the buffer solution are selected to produce a final buffered ph of at least about 5 . 5 , and preferably in the range of ph 6 . 0 to 8 . 0 when measured at 250 ° c . the concentration of the buffer salts may be varied from 0 . 01 molar to 0 . 40 molar , preferably between about 0 . 02 to 0 . 2 molar . the specific buffer employed , as well as the most appropriate ph and concentration of the buffer salts , will be chosen in large part based on the particular vegetable matter sought to be used and ph - adjusted according to the present process . the dairy protein content of the cheese base also will influence the ph requirements for the buffered vegetable matter . those of ordinary skill in the art will readily make such choices based upon the teachings herein and their knowledge of the ph of the starting vegetable product and the protein content of the cheese base being employed . the ph of the vegetable matter is buffered in the desired range by contacting the vegetable matter with the buffer solution and allowing the vegetable particulates to equilibrate with the buffer system . the amount of buffer needed is determined by the starting ph of the vegetables , the concentration and quantity of the buffer solution used , and the buffering capacity of the particular buffer system chosen . again , this choice is well within the level of skill of the ordinary scientist in this field in view of the teachings herein . typically , the vegetable matter must remain in contact with the buffer solution for at least about 5 minutes in order for sufficient buffer to be absorbed . if desired , samples can be removed from the buffer solution every 10 minutes for ph measurement . if the desired equilibrated ph has not been attained , the vegetable matter can be strained from the buffer and contacted with fresh buffer solution for another period of time . this cycle of sampling and adding fresh buffer can be repeated as necessary . once the desired equilibrated ph has been achieved , the vegetable matter is drained and incorporated into the cheese base or other cheese - containing product . cheese base preparations preferred for use in this process have a low total solids content ( 40 % or less solids by weight ), typically contain only about 5 to 25 %, preferably 5 to 15 % natural cheese , have a low acid content and a low reducing sugar content . the cheese base preparations are based on one or more cheeses which are characterized by a low reducing sugar content ( for example in total less that 1 % by weight of the reducing sugars galactose , lactose , glucose , fructose and the like ). preferred cheeses having the desired low reducing sugar content include monterey jack , colby , mozzarella , and provolone . although aged cheddars have the desirable low reducing sugar content , they solubilize poorly in processed cheese emulsions and thus can be difficult to formulate into acceptable products using commercially desirable processing technology . the cheese base compositions also contain from about 4 . 0 to about 8 . 0 percent weight of at least one starch selected from modified ( heat resistent ) and unmodified ( or lightly modified ) waxy and dent corn starches , potato , rice , wheat , barley , sorghum and tapioca starches . a blend of modified and unmodified or lightly modified waxy corn starch , comprising a ratio of from 6 : 1 to 3 : 1 , most preferably 4 : 1 of modified : unmodified starch is preferred . the cheese base compositions further contain fats and / or oils in amounts sufficient to impart a smooth consistency , good flavor and acceptable &# 34 ; mouthfeel &# 34 ; characteristics . the compositions typically contain from about 3 . 0 to about 20 . 0 % by weight of at least one fat , of which the following are examples : partly hydrogenated soybean , corn , cottonseed , canola , sunflower , safflower , coconut , palm , palm kernel and other vegetable oils . anhydrous milk fat , butter fat and other dairy fats also are acceptable for use in the cheese base . other animal fats , such as lard or tallow , may be used once rendered and refined for food use . the cheese base compositions also contain from about 3 . 0 to about 11 . 0 % by weight of at least one maltodextrin having a dextrose equivalent ( de ) of 8 or lower . suitable maltodextrins are commercially available , being derived from for example corn , wheat , rice , tapioca or potato starch which has been partially hydrolyzed by acids or enzymes . additionally , the cheese base compositions typically contain about 1 . 0 to about 4 . 0 % by weight of at least one edible alkali or alkaline earth buffer or emulsifier salt selected from but not limited to mono - and dibasic sodium phosphate , mono - and dibasic potassium phosphate , sodium and potassium tripolyphosphate , sodium hexametaphosphate and mixtures of the same ; about 0 . 05 to about 0 . 20 % by weight of an emulsifier selected from for example , mono and diglycerides , lecithin and mixtures thereof ; about 60 . 0 to about 80 . 0 % by weight of water and , optionally , color , seasoning and flavorants . color additives commonly include fd & amp ; c # 5 , fd & amp ; c # 6 , canthantin and mixtures thereof . seasonings commonly employed include white pepper , monosodium glutamate and table salt . other useful seasonings will be chosen based upon the design of the product . other examples of flavorants which can be used include enzyme modified cheddar cheese , and weak acids such as phosphoric , citric , lactic , acetic , succinic and malic acids , as well as combinations thereof . as described above and discussed in the prior art , the major drawback found when adding high acid , heat - packed ( canned ) vegetables to cheese based compositions ( cheese sauces ) is the precipitation of one or more of the dairy proteins present in the emulsion . it was found that increasing the equilibrated ph of the vegetable matter to a point above the isoelectric points of the three major proteins present in the cheese has a major affect in preventing any precipitation or separation of the emulsion . without this buffering treatment of the vegetables additives , a phase separation , graininess and precipitation at the bottom of the container is seen . unlike pasteurized process cheese spreads , which are destroyed by prolonged heat treatment ( retort ), the vegetable - containing cheese products produced according to the present invention are stable to retort conditions . thus , the compositions are filled into suitable glass , metal or plastic containers while hot . the containers are sealed and then subjected to retort as known in the art . a phosphate buffer is prepared by adding 5 . 42 grams of disodium phosphate and 2 . 69 grams of monosodium phosphate per liter of warm water ( 120 °- 150 ° f ). the solution is mixed until a clear solution is obtained . the final ph of the solution should be 7 . 0 plus or minus 0 . 5 ph units . approximately one liter of the buffer solution are required to treat one kilogram of rinsed and drained chopped vegetables . the packing solution is drained from canned comminuted tomatoes , jalapeno peppers and chili peppers . the vegetables are rinsed with a soft warm ( 100 °- 120 ° f .) water spray while using gentle agitation . the vegetables are drained of the rinse water and added to an appropriate volume of buffer solution . the vegetables are contacted by and soaked in the buffer solution for at least 10 minutes . samples are periodically removed , and the ph of a blended sample is measured at room temperature . if the ph is between about 5 . 5 and 7 . 0 , the equilibration is complete . if the ph is still below this range , the vegetables are added to a fresh volume of buffer and the soaking process is repeated until the ph reaches the required range . once the required ph has been obtained , the vegetables again are rinsed with water and thoroughly drained . the vegetables treated in the above manner are gently stirred into hot cheese base which is held at a temperature of 130 °- 190 ° f . when even mixing has been obtained , the finished sauce is pumped into a filler which dispenses the sauce into glass jars which are then sealed and retorted . although the invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments and specific examples , it is not so limited . modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in this field .	0
for purposes of teaching and discussion , it is useful to provide some overview as to the way in which the invention disclosed herein operates . the following information may be viewed as a basis from which the present invention may by properly explained . such information is offered for purposes of explanation only and , accordingly , should not be construed to limit the broad scope of the present invention and its potential applications . turning to fig1 a , a side view of the tablet keyboard case 10 embodiment is shown in the closed tablet position . as described herein , the closed tablet position describes a position in which tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 are folded over on to each other so that the keyboard and tablet devices enclosed in tablet keyboard case 10 face each other with the external surfaces of tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 exposed to the outside environment . in this configuration , the external surfaces of the tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 protect the tablet and keyboard from damage or shock . as shown , tablet edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d ( as marked in fig2 - 5 ) are substantially aligned and concentrically oriented with keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d ( as marked in fig2 - 5 ) and tablet cover 12 acts to cover and protect the keyboard surface secured within keyboard cover 14 . spine 16 is integrated as part of the tablet cover 12 exterior surface in the closed tablet position as shown . as depicted in fig1 b , 1 c , 2 b , and 2 c , tablet keyboard case 10 includes tablet cover 12 with tablet cover edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d , a keyboard cover 14 with keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d , a tablet , smartphone , or other electronic device 20 secured by tablet cover 12 and a keyboard secured by keyboard cover 14 . a perspective view of tablet keyboard case 10 is shown in the closed tablet position in fig1 b . in this view , a portion of spine 16 forms a corresponding portion of tablet cover 12 when the tablet keyboard case 10 is in the closed tablet position . spine 16 includes at least one folding hinge 18 incorporated into spine 16 for adjustability of the tablet cover 12 relative to the keyboard cover 14 due to the folding nature of spine 16 via hinge 18 and as further described herein . in one embodiment , spine 16 is connected by hinge 18 on the exterior surface of tablet cover 12 ( as shown in fig2 a ). spine 16 may be manufactured from flexible , stretchable , shrinkable materials such as metal , wood , nylon , neoprene , spandex , and / or layered , flexible metal bistable bands contained within a fabric or plastic covers , which allow the spine 16 to stretch , shrink , bend and / or flex to function and fit the different tablet keyboard case configurations described herein . fig1 c shows a cross - section of the tablet keyboard cover 10 with a tablet or other electronic device 20 detachably secured with tablet cover 12 , a keyboard 22 detachably secured with keyboard cover 14 , and spine 16 which connects tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 . groove 14 e is shown which provides a friction or rest stop for an edge of tablet 20 or tablet cover edge 12 d to rest in while the tablet keyboard cover 10 is placed in the open keyboard position which is explained in greater detail below . groove 14 e is generally parallel with keyboard edges 14 a , 14 d and generally extends the length of the keyboard cover 14 bounded by keyboard edges 14 b , 14 c . keyboard 22 is secured within an area preformed into keyboard cover 14 as depicted . tablet cover 12 , keyboard cover 14 , and groove 14 e or multiple or a plurality of grooves 14 e may be dimensioned to accommodate various sizes of electronic devices as known in the art . with reference to fig2 a , a side view of tablet keyboard cover 10 in the open keyboard position is depicted . as described herein , the open keyboard configuration is the position in which the user desires to use a keyboard which is detachably secured in keyboard cover 14 to input information or otherwise operate a tablet detachably secured in tablet cover 12 . in this position , the user adjusts tablet cover 12 by folding spine 16 via hinges 18 while keyboard cover 14 remains in a substantially horizontal position when placed upon a stable surface such as a desk or worktable . additional hinges 18 may be incorporated into spine 16 to provide variable viewing angles resulting from the variable folded configurations of spine 16 provided by each section of spine 16 disposed between hinge ( s ) 18 for the tablet touchscreen while the user is utilizing the keyboard enclosed by keyboard cover 14 . in this position , the user may input data , interact or otherwise operate tablet 20 by depressing or otherwise actuating the keys of keyboard 22 . in the depicted embodiment , keyboard 22 communicates wirelessly with tablet 20 by a wireless protocol such as bluetooth wireless technology . the bluetooth wireless protocol is a short - range wireless communication system intended to replace cables connecting portable devices , such as a tablet and a keyboard , while maintaining data transfer security . bluetooth and other known wireless communication methodologies are well known in the art . in similar fashion , a wire or cable ( not shown ) could also be used to establish a communication pathway between tablet 20 and keyboard 22 if a wired connection is desired . fig2 b provides a rear perspective view of tablet keyboard cover 10 shown in the open keyboard position . in this position , tablet cover 12 is oriented at an angle relative to keyboard cover 14 and is maintained in this position by placing an edge , such as tablet cover edge 12 d , in contact with an edge of the keyboard 22 or in a formed groove 14 e which acts as a friction stop . in one embodiment , groove 14 e may consist of multiple rows of grooves extending in a substantially parallel fashion and parallel to keyboard edges 14 a , 14 d providing the user with multiple grooves in which to rest tablet cover edge 12 d in the open keyboard position . in one embodiment , one or more magnets or other fasteners may be incorporated into various locations along , within or on edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d of tablet cover 12 and edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d of keyboard cover 14 and groove 14 e which may act to secure tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 in various angular configurations to provide multiple , securely adjustable viewing positions at the desire of the user . in one embodiment , parallel notches may be formed into one or more edges 14 b , 14 c of keyboard cover 14 with corresponding extensions formed and protruding from one or more edges 12 b , 12 c in tablet cover 12 into which an edge of tablet cover 12 may be inserted to act as a friction stop and still provide multiple , securely adjustable viewing positions at the desire of the user . turning to fig2 c , a front perspective view of tablet keyboard cover 10 is shown in the open keyboard position . in this position , the user may utilize keyboard 22 that is secured in keyboard cover 14 for interacting with tablet 20 that is secured in tablet cover 12 . spine 16 acts to provide support for maintaining the viewing angle of tablet touchscreen 20 while the user utilizes keyboard 22 for inputting data and controlling the operation of tablet 20 . the user may also use a finger , stylus or other input device for inputting data or otherwise controlling tablet 20 by touching touchscreen surface 30 . in the depicted embodiment , keyboard 22 is detachably secured substantially within keyboard cover 14 with the top of the keyboard 22 substantially level and parallel with keyboard cover foreground 24 . in various embodiments , keyboard foreground 24 may consist of a series of parallel grooves 14 e which provide variable adjustability for positioning of the tablet viewing angle . in various embodiments , keyboard cover foreground 24 may consist of one or multiple component pieces that may be removed and sized to accommodate keyboard 22 of various dimensions and to provide variable viewing angles . for example , the selected viewing angle in the open keyboard position may range from about zero to ninety degrees , such as 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 and 80 degrees in various embodiments depending on the spacing and locations of grooves 14 e or in another embodiment comprising the width of keyboard cover foreground 24 . fig3 a depicts a side view of tablet keyboard case 10 that is shown in the open tablet position . in this position , the tablet cover 12 is rotated substantially 180 degrees at the point of hinged rotation where the spine 16 attaches to tablet cover 12 and tablet cover 12 is folded on to the keyboard cover 14 and acts to cover and protect the keyboard secured by keyboard cover 14 . in the open tablet position , the user may operate the tablet by accessing the tablet touchscreen with a finger , stylus or other input device while keeping the keys on keyboard from being inadvertently depressed as the manipulates the tablet or while walking and carrying the tablet . in the open tablet position , tablet cover edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d are substantially parallel and concentric with keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d all of which are detachably secured by fasteners such as magnets , hook and loop , studs , snaps , hooks or other fasteners as known in the art . spine 16 as folded may protrude ( as shown ) or may be constructed so as to fold or mold around keyboard cover edge 14 d in symmetrical fashion . fig3 b depicts a perspective view of tablet keyboard case 10 in the open tablet position . as shown , tablet edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d are substantially aligned and concentrically oriented with keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d and tablet cover 12 acts to cover and protect the keyboard surface secured within keyboard cover 14 . in this configuration , the user may easily interface with tablet touchscreen 30 of tablet 20 that is secured with tablet cover 12 . while interfacing with tablet touchscreen 30 on the surface of tablet 20 , tablet cover 12 which is now detachably secured to keyboard cover 14 by releasable fasteners such as magnets , hook and loop material or snaps or other fasteners as known in the art and which maybe position along or within the tablet cover edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and / or positioned along or within the keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d , to provide protection to the keyboard 22 secured by keyboard cover 14 and prevents the inadvertent depression of keys located on the keyboard 22 . in this configuration , the tablet 20 is easily utilized by the user and easily transported while being carried by the user in the tablet keyboard case 10 . fig4 a and 4b show one embodiment of the tablet keyboard case 10 which includes a tilt support 32 which acts to provide an adjustable viewing angle for the user while the tablet is in the tilted tablet position . in the depicted embodiment , tablet cover 12 is rotated in general fashion to the tilted tablet position . instead of aligning concentrically and fastening tablet cover edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d with keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d , the user folds out tilt support 32 which is stored and integrated as a portion of tablet cover 12 allowing an edge of tilt support 32 to rest on keyboard 22 and / or against keyboard cover edge 14 a as shown . in one embodiment , at least one groove ( not shown ) is integrated between keyboard 22 and keyboard cover edge 14 a to act as a friction stop when tilt support 32 is placed in such groove or in another embodiment against keyboard cover edge 14 a . alternatively , multiple grooves could be integrated parallel to keyboard cover edge 14 a to provide for a plurality of tilted viewing angles for the user . alternatively , fasteners such as magnets , hook and loop material , levees , or peg and notch fasteners or such as is known in the art could be utilized to keep the tilt support 32 in the desired position . in this configuration , keyboard 22 is still substantially protected from inadvertent depression of keys located on keyboard 22 while the user uses , views content or otherwise interacts with tablet touchscreen 30 while using tablet 20 . fig5 a and 5b show one embodiment of the tablet keyboard case 10 which includes at least two tilt support legs 34 which act to provide an adjustable viewing angle for the user while the tablet is in the tilted tablet position . in the depicted embodiment , tablet cover 12 is rotated in general fashion to the tilted tablet position . instead of aligning and fastening tablet cover edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d with keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d , the user folds out tilt support legs 34 which are stored and integrated as a portion of tablet cover 12 allowing the free ends of each tilt support leg 34 to rest on keyboard 22 and / or against keyboard cover edge 14 a as shown . in one embodiment , at least one groove or notch ( not shown ) is formed between keyboard 22 and keyboard cover edge 14 , or along edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d to act as a friction stop when tilt support legs 34 are placed in such groove or notch . alternatively , multiple grooves or notches could be integrated between keyboard 22 and keyboard cover edge 14 , or along edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d as discussed above to provide for a plurality of adjustable tilted viewing angles for the user . alternatively , fasteners such as magnets , hooks , studs , snaps , levees , posts , hook and loop material , or peg and notch could be utilized along or within edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d to keep the tilt support legs 34 in the desired position . in this configuration , keyboard 22 is still substantially protected from inadvertent depression of keys located on keyboard 22 while the user uses , views content or otherwise interacts with tablet touchscreen 30 while using tablet 20 . fig6 a - 6b depict one embodiment of the tablet keyboard case 10 that utilizes at least one reusable fastener for securing the tablet keyboard case 10 in a variety of positions , and in the instant figures , the tilted tablet position . it is noted that such fasteners could be integrated in a variety of locations around the periphery of tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 along or within tablet cover edges 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d and keyboard cover edges 14 a , 14 b , 14 c , 14 d in positions to facilitate fastening the tablet keyboard case 10 into the open tablet position , closed tablet position and open keyboard position in similar manner . by way of example , folding and fastening the tablet keyboard cover 10 into the tilted tablet position is depicted in fig6 a - 6b . fig6 a depicts fasteners 36 which have been integrated into tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 in the corner peripheral region along tablet cover edge 12 d and corresponding keyboard cover edge 14 a . fig6 b demonstrates the folding hinges 18 included in spine 16 providing the user with the ability to tilt the tablet cover 12 at various multiple acute angle relative to the keyboard cover 14 . as shown in fig6 a , the fasteners 36 are detachably mated to connect the tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 together to form the desired viewing angle so the user may interact or otherwise operate the tablet secured with tablet cover 12 while preventing actuation or depression of the keys on they keyboard secured with keyboard cover 14 . fig6 b is a rear perspective view of tablet keyboard case 10 shown in the tilted tablet position with fasteners 36 shown detachably mated to maintain tablet keyboard case 10 in the tilted tablet position . when the user desires to alter the position of the tablet for viewing purposes or move the tablet keyboard case 10 into the open tablet , closed tablet , or open keyboard positions , they may simply pull the mated portions of tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 apart , reposition them in the desired configuration and press tablet cover 12 and keyboard cover 14 in sufficient proximity so as to engage the particular fasteners 36 . fasteners 36 which may be utilized to perform the reusable fastener function may include magnets , hook and loop material and snap fasteners among others as known in the art and as described elsewhere herein . the invention disclosed herein may be manufactured from various plastics , woods , carbon fiber , leather and metals . for example , the tablet cover and keyboard cover may be manufactured from polycarbonate , plastics , metals , rubber or soft polymers such as silicone . other examples include thermoplastic , polyvinyl chloride , synthetic leather , leatherette , and carbon fiber . a touchscreen protector may also be incorporated to provide protection to the exposed touchscreen surface . the tablet cover case would also incorporate various openings and slots at various locations to allow the user to access the tablet control buttons , switches and connector ports . the tablet and keyboard covers would likewise be shaped to securely hold tablet and keyboard devices . for example , the tablet and keyboard covers may be contained within a pliable hard or soft shell designed to form a moldable , snug fit around the tablet and keyboard . alternatively , the tablet and keyboard covers may include a snap flap along one or more edges to allow a user to open the flap and insert the keyboard and / or tablet into their respective covers and then snap the flap shut to provide secure retention of the keyboard and tablet in their respective covers . the spine may include both rigid and pliable materials manufactured in sections so as to hinge as described herein . the spine may incorporate metal , wood , carbon fiber , thermoplastic or hard plastics that are stitched or incorporated into a flexible or semi - flexible covering such as cloth , microfiber , plastic , and leather among others , providing a rigid or semi - rigid spine as desired with one or more hinged sections . in certain implementations , the hinge or hinges show as crease lines where the material ( e . g . leather , plastic or fabric ) at the crease line can be flexed , allowing the flaps or panels of the spine to swing or rotate with respect to each other . other hinges and techniques may not result in crease lines in the material forming or covering the spine . these hinges may be referred to as hidden or invisible hinges . whether shown or invisible , hinges which may used in connection with the invention include swing hinges , living hinges , flush hinges , piano hinges , continuous hinges , concealed hinges , and spring hinges among others as known in the art . the hinge or hinges may be made from various materials including leather , microfiber , plastic , metal , rubber , silicone , carbon fiber and other materials as known in the art . it should also be noted that the tablet keyboard case described and shown herein could easily be sized and manufactured for electronic devices of various sizes and shapes including computers , laptop computers , tablet computers , tablets , smartphones , personal digital assistant ( pda ) devices , music storage and listening devices such as the ipod and ipod touch and other such devices produced by other manufacturers . as such , the description and claims herein are not to be construed as limited to certain types or dimensions of phones , computers , laptops , tablets , keyboards or other electronic devices . the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive . accordingly , the scope of the invention is established by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . while various alterations and permutations of the invention are possible , the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents .	6
referring now to the drawings , an embodiment of the present invention will be described . [ 0028 ] fig1 a to 1 f are cross - sectional views showing the steps of a method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to the present invention . as shown in fig1 a , a low trench interconnection layer 11 is formed in a substrate 1 using cu , and a protective film 12 serving as a first insulation film is then deposited in order to protect the interconnection . the protective film 12 is formed by forming a silicon nitride film using plasma cvd . the silicon nitride film is formed by plasma cvd under a film formation temperature of 360 ° c ., an rf power of 420 w , and 500 pa using monosilane ( sih 4 ), nitrogen ( n 2 ), and ammonia gas ( nh 3 ). an organic sog film is then applied over the protective film 12 and sintered . ions are implanted into the organic sog film , thereby forming a modified sog film 13 a . the modified sog film 13 a serves as a second insulation film . the composition of the organic sog film is [ ch 3 si ( oh ) 3 ]. in a method of forming the organic sog film , a solution obtained by dissolving a silicon compound in an organic solvent is dropped on the substrate 1 , and the substrate 1 is rotated , to form a film of the solution on the protective film 12 . by successively performing , in an atmosphere of nitrogen , heat treatment for one minute at 100 ° c ., for one minute at 200 ° c ., for one minute at 300 ° c ., for 30 minutes at 200 ° c ., and for 30 minutes at 300 ° c ., alcohols are vaporized , and polymerization reaction progresses , thereby forming an organic sog film having a flat surface . argon ions ( ar + ) are doped into the organic sog film under conditions of an acceleration energy of 140 kev , and a dosage of 1 × 10 15 atoms / cm 2 using ion - implantation . by the ion - implantation , an organic component in the organic sog film is decomposed , and the amount of moisture and a hydroxyl group contained in the film is decreased . accordingly , the organic sog film is modified into an sog film containing no organic component and containing a small amount of moisture and a hydroxyl group . in the present invention , the sog film is referred to as a modified sog film 13 a . the modified sog film 13 a is formed to a uniform thickness because there exists no step caused by the interconnection . a technique for implanting argon ions into an organic sog film , to decompose an organic component in the film , and decreasing the amount of moisture and a hydroxyl group contained in the film is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 071 , 807 , for example . an etch stopper film 14 serving as a third insulation film is then formed . the etch stopper film 14 is formed by forming a silicon nitride film using plasma cvd . the etch stopper film 14 is formed similarly to the protective film 12 . an organic sog film is then applied over the etch stopper film 14 and sintered , and ions are implanted , to form a modified organic sog film 15 a , similarly to the modified sog film 13 a . the modified sog film 15 a serves as a fourth insulation film . the modified sog film 15 a is formed to a uniform thickness because there exists no step caused by the interconnection . although in the above - mentioned example , description was made of a method of modifying the organic sog films 13 a and 15 a by implanting ions twice , the organic sog films may be modified by implanting ions once or a plurality of times . as shown in fig1 b , a resist pattern 16 is then formed by a normal exposure method , and a via hole 17 is provided by anisotropic etching . the anisotropic etching is performed by rie ( reactive ion beam etching ) under 10 pa using o 2 , c 4 f 6 , or ar gas , for example . since the etching selection ratio of the modified sog film 13 a to the protective film 12 is high , the protective film 12 remains with the modified sog film 13 a removed . thereafter , as shown in fig1 c , a resist pattern 18 is formed by a normal exposure method , and an opening 19 for a trench interconnection is then formed by anisotropic etching , similarly to the above - mentioned etching . since the etching selection ratio of the modified sog film 15 a to the protective film 12 and the etch stopper film 14 is high , the protective film 12 and the etch stopper film 14 remain with the modified sog film 15 a removed to form the opening 19 . as shown in fig1 d , the resist 18 is then removed . in the step , the organic sog film can be processed without being brought into a void state because it is modified . moreover , it is significantly effective not to degrade the lower interconnection layer 11 because the protective film 12 remains . as shown in fig1 e , the modified sog film 15 a to which ions have been implanted is then used as a mask , to etch the protective film 12 and the etch stopper film 14 which are exposed . the etching is performed by rie under 10 pa using cf 4 , chf 3 , o 2 , or ar gas , for example . although in a normal dual damascene structure , an etch stopper film just below a trench interconnection remains , the method according to the present embodiment has the effect of reducing capacitance between interconnections because the etch stopper film just below the trench interconnection is removed without remaining . thereafter , as shown in fig1 f , an embedded contact and an embedded interconnection are simultaneously formed by filling with the conductive material 10 . examples of the conductive material include copper , aluminum , and tungsten . when copper is used as a conductive material , the copper is easily diffused into a silicon oxide film , which is formed by plasma cvd , frequently used as an interlayer insulation film . in order to restrain the diffusion , therefore , a barrier metal such as ti , ta , tin , tan , tiw , or taw is generally formed before forming the copper . when such a barrier metal is formed , however , the resistance of the barrier metal is higher than that of the copper . therefore , the interconnection resistance of the entire trench interconnection is higher , as compared with that in a case where the trench interconnection is formed of only the copper . on the other hand , in the present embodiment , the modified sog film having a low copper diffusion rate , which is approximately the same as that of a silicon nitride film , is used as an interlayer insulation film . accordingly , the barrier metal can be thinned or omitted . as a result , it is possible to prevent the interconnection resistance from being increased . as described in the foregoing , according to the present embodiment , the ratio of a silicon nitride film can be made lower , and an interconnection having lower resistance and higher reliability can be formed , as compared with those in the conventional method . although the modified sog films 13 a and 15 a are formed by implanting impurities thereinto by ion - implantation , the same effect as that of the present invention is obtained even if the organic sog film is replaced with polyimide or a polysiloxane - denatured polyimide film , and a film modified by implanting impurities thereinto by ion - implantation is used as an interlayer insulation film . the above - mentioned films , including the organic sog film , are generically referred to as an organic polymer ( or an organic rotary coating film ). when the organic sog film is replaced with an inorganic sog film having no organic component contained in a silicon compound , and the film is modified by implanting impurities thereinto using ion - implantation , the amount of moisture and a hydroxyl group contained in the inorganic sog film can be decreased . even if the modified sog film is used , the same effect as that in the present invention can be expected . although in the above - mentioned embodiment , argon ions are used as ions to be implanted into the organic sog film , any ions may be used , provided that they modify the organic sog film . specifically , argon ions , boron ions , and nitrogen ions are most suitable . the effect can be sufficiently expected even by using the following ions in addition to the ions . there are inert gas ions other than argon ions , for example , helium ions , neon ions , krypton ions , and radon ions . the same effect can be expected even by using element unitary ions of the groups iiib , ivb , vb , vib , and viib other than boron ions and nitrogen ions and their compound ions , and particularly element unitary ions of oxygen , aluminum , sulfur , chlorine , gallium , germanium , arsenic , selenium , bromine , antimony , iodine , indium , tin , tellurium , lead , and bismuth , and their compound ions . with respect to the metal element ions out of the ions , the dielectric constant of the organic sog film after ion - implantation may be reduced . however , the amount of the ions to be implanted is very small . therefore , there is no problem in practical use in cases other than a case where an interlayer insulation film having a particularly high dielectric constant is required . the same effect can be expected even by using element unitary ions of the groups iva and va and their compound ions , and particularly element unitary ions of titanium , vanadium , niobium , hafnium , and tantalum , and their compound ions . an oxide of the element of each of the groups iva and va has a high dielectric constant , thereby making it possible to increase the dielectric constant of the organic sog film after ion - implantation . furthermore , the plurality of ions may be used in combination . in this case , it is possible to obtain a more superior effect by a synergistic effect of the ions . although in the above - mentioned embodiment , the ions are implanted into the organic sog film , the ions may be replaced with atoms , molecules , or particles having a kinetic energy ( they shall be generically referred to as impurities in the present invention ). as described in the foregoing , according to the present invention , an interlayer insulation film composed of an insulation film which has been modified by containing impurities in a coating film is applied to a dual damascene structure , thereby making it possible to form a semiconductor device having interconnections between which resistance is reduced and which have low resistance and high reliability . 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 .	7
the present principles employ game theory to predict attacker targets . using a probabilistic model of attacker behavior , the interactions between a network defender and attacker are modeled , allowing the defender to anticipate future steps of the attack and identify the most likely attack targets based on the observed network events . the present principles use attack scenario trees which represent the possible sequences of high - level attack steps that can be executed at different nodes of the network . this approach differs from the attack - response trees used previously , which represent attack steps within a single network host . attack scenario trees can be constructed based on past incident reports . the interaction between the defender and the attacker is modeled as a two - player stackelberg game . the defender can use the model to further decrease uncertainty about attack target predictions by blocking specific network paths ( and indirectly any attack steps that traverse those paths ) and influencing the attacker to reveal their intentions while conducting the attack . this allows defenders the benefit of proactively blocking future attack steps . referring now to fig1 , an exemplary network graph and associated attack scenario tree are shown . a given network 100 may be represented by a graph of interconnected nodes , with each node being a device or point of vulnerability on the network , and each edge representing a communication link between two nodes . each node also has one or more associated vulnerabilities , which an attacker may exploit to compromise the security of the node . combining the vulnerabilities with the edges of the graph provide structure for the attack scenario tree . the nodes of the attack scenario tree represent high - level steps of a potential attack on a defended network . in the present example , an attacker 102 may approach network 100 from one of three externally available systems : web server 104 , file server 106 , and an email or web client 108 . each of these points of attack has an associated vulnerability . for example , web server 104 may be vulnerable to an sql injection attack 116 , and file server 106 may be vulnerable to a respective file server attack 114 . compromising either of these nodes may give access to active directory ( ad ) server 110 , allowing the attacker 102 to gain access to ad credentials 120 . the attacker 102 can then use the ad credentials to install a remote access tool 122 on a target device 112 . as an alternative approach , the attacker could stage a phishing attack 118 at a web or email client 108 , allowing the attacker 102 to steal a user &# 39 ; s credentials 124 . either approach will allow the attacker to obtain access 126 to data or services . it should be noted that any given node may be an and node , where all of the nodes leading up to it must be reached before accessing the and node , an or node where any one input node may be reached , or the nodes may implement any other condition or combination of conditions . the present principles allow a defender to monitor the attack in - progress and provide probabilistic information regarding likely attack paths and targets . by blocking the attacker &# 39 ; s access to particular connections , the attack scenario tree can be trimmed and certainty regarding the attacker &# 39 ; s goals can be increased . to formalize the model , the network 100 may be represented as a graph g = v , e , where the nodes v correspond to the services and machines in the network ( for example , a web server 104 , an sql server 109 , user machines 112 ), and the edges e correspond to the connections between them . each node νεv belongs to a certain type θ ( ν ), where θ : v → θ . the node types incorporate the information about node vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the attacker 102 . the attack scenario trees are thus constructed of elements of the type set θ . the set of all attack scenario trees known to the defender is denoted by s ={ s }. cyber attacks can be assessed from either the point of view of the defender or from the point of view of the attacker . to the defender , the attacks are paths in the network graph g from the attacker &# 39 ; s starting point ν a εv to a target tεv . from the point of view of the attacker , an attack is a path from one of the leaves to the root of an attack scenario tree sεs . since s is composed of node types θ ( ν ) and not of specific nodes , each path in an attack scenario tree s can correspond to multiple paths in g as long as the sequence of node types in g matches the types in scenario s . suppose i ( s ) is the set of all paths in g corresponding to a scenario s = θ q 1 , . . . θ q k . then , for each path iεi ( s ), i = ν r 1 , . . . , ν r k , one has θ ( ν r i )= θ q i , i = 1 , . . . , k . i ( s ) is the set of instantiations of the attack scenario s . referring now to fig2 , an abstract representation of the mapping between the network 100 and the associated attack tree is shown . each node is identified by a name and a type . in this case , an attacker starting at node 202 can proceed to one of three nodes 204 . the attacker may then take different paths to reach one of the three target nodes 206 . it can be assumed that the attacker always has control over the starting node 202 ν a εv . as the attacker advances towards one of the target nodes 206 t , the set of active nodes a ⊂ v which are controlled by the attacker expands until tεa . this process of attacker &# 39 ; s expansion over the nodes in v corresponds to a simultaneous expansion of the set ⊂ θ of active node types in the attack scenario tree until includes the root of the tree . inferring a probability distribution over the possible sets a and helps in predicting the attack targets . as noted above , the interaction between the defender and the attacker is modeled as a two - player stackelberg game . a stackelberg two - player game models strategic interaction between two intelligent agents , designated the leader and the follower . each player has a finite set of actions to choose from . the leader &# 39 ; s set of actions is marked as a l , and the follower &# 39 ; s set of actions is marked as a ƒ . a pair of actions ( a l , a ƒ ) chosen by the players is called the outcome of the game . the players &# 39 ; utilities are functions of the outcome . the leader &# 39 ; s utility function is denoted by u ƒ ( a l , a ƒ ) and the follower &# 39 ; s utility function by u l ( a l , a ƒ ). the game proceeds as follows . first , the leader chooses ( or commits to ) a mixed strategy having a probability distribution over the actions in a l . then , the follower observes the distribution and chooses a best - response which , generally , can be a probability distribution over a ƒ . there is always a pure - strategy best response for the follower . in other words , one of the optimal best - responses is a degenerate distribution . moreover , an optimal mixed strategy for the leader can be computed in polynomial time using linear programming techniques . for the purpose of computing an optimal leader &# 39 ; s strategy to commit to , the follower &# 39 ; s preferences can be represented by choosing an action for each distribution over the leader &# 39 ; s actions , instead of using the follower &# 39 ; s utility function u ƒ . the follower &# 39 ; s preferences are written as a mapping ƒ : σ ( a l )→ a ƒ , where the operator σ (·) denotes a set of distributions over a given finite set . the present principles provide an extension to the described stackelberg model in which the follower &# 39 ; s preferences are described by a mapping ƒ : θ ( a l )→( a ƒ ). in other words , if the leader commits to a mixed strategy s l εσ ( a l ) then the follower plays a mixed strategy ƒ ( s l ). this extension is called herein a probabilistic stackelberg model . a probabilistic stackelberg model can be used to describe irrational behavior of the follower . the present principles provide a probabilistic stackelberg model in which the function ƒ is a linear mapping from the vector of probabilities describing the leader &# 39 ; s mixed strategy to the vector of probabilities describing the follower &# 39 ; s mixed strategy . table 1 shows the potential increase in utility that the leader can achieve by considering a probabilistic follower model rather than assuming that the follower is perfectly rational and optimizing a known utility function is shown . in the following two - player normal - form game , the leader is the row player and the follower is the column player . the leader has two strategies u , d , and the follower has two strategies l , r . each cell in the table shows the leader &# 39 ; s and the follower &# 39 ; s utility for the corresponding choice of actions . if the follower is perfectly rational and always chooses the action that maximizes its utility , the optimal strategy to commit to for the leader is ( 1 2 - ɛ ) ⁢ u + ( 1 2 + ɛ ) ⁢ d . as a result , the follower best - responds with r , and the leader gets a utility of approximately 3 . 5 . note that the follower best - responds with l if the follower plays u with probability 0 . 5 or higher , and the follower plays d otherwise . however , if the follower is not perfectly rational , the leader &# 39 ; s optimal strategy may be different . for example , consider the case in which the follower is actually playing accordingly to a quantal response model . in a quantal response model , each strategy is played with a positive probability proportional to e λuf . setting λ = 5 and assuming that the leader is playing the stackelberg strategy the leader can get an even higher utility by deviating to play d more frequently , because the follower will still play r with a relatively high probability after such deviation . this example demonstrates the potential benefits of using a probabilistic follower model , whether derived from the follower &# 39 ; s utility function or defined directly as a probability function on the set of the defender &# 39 ; s actions . referring now to fig3 , a method for determining probable targets of an attack is shown . it is assumed that the defender has the ability to monitor some or all of the nodes in a network 100 to recognize possible intrusion . block 302 monitors such network events . the defender &# 39 ; s history of observations = o 1 , . . . , o k indicate possible nodes that became active for the attacker at block 304 , so that o 1 εv . block 306 estimates a probability distribution over the sets of active nodes a and active node types . toward this end , block 306 computes heuristical likelihood scores l for each instantiation path π in i ( s ) as follows ) here , p ( o q q \| π r 1 ) is the probability of making an observation o q i when the node π r i is attacked , and p ( π j ) is the probability of the node π j being attacked without triggering any observations . this likelihood score function can be efficiently computed using the following dynamic programming algorithm : l ( π 1 : i \| 1 : j )= max ( l ( π 1 : i − 1 \| 1 : j − 1 ) p ( φ j \| p i ), using l , block 308 computes a probability distribution over the targets t ε v under the assumption that the attacker will follow one of the attack scenario trees in s according to the estimated distribution over the active node types and the active network nodes a . the distribution over the attack targets is estimated using monte carlo simulation : here , p [ t \| a ] is estimated by simulating the attack steps according to the corresponding attack scenario tree starting with active node types . the method of fig3 is repeated each time an attacker advances the attack to a new node . on each step of the simulation , the attacker chooses a network node ν adjacent to the set of active nodes a such that the type φ ( ν ) matches one of the possible next steps in the current state of the attack scenario tree . such attack actions are simulated until the set a expands to include one of the targets t , at which point t is assumed to be the intended target of the attack in the current run of the simulation . the frequency with which target t is attacked in the simulations is the estimate of p [ t \| a ]. as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art , aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system , method or computer program product . accordingly , aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment ( including firmware , resident software , micro - code , etc .) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “ circuit ,” “ module ” or “ system .” furthermore , aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium ( s ) having computer readable program code embodied thereon . any combination of one or more computer readable medium ( s ) may be utilized . the computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium . a computer readable storage medium may be , for example , but not limited to , an electronic , magnetic , optical , electromagnetic , infrared , or semiconductor system , apparatus , or device , or any suitable combination of the foregoing . more specific examples ( a non - exhaustive list ) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following : an electrical connection having one or more wires , a portable computer diskette , a hard disk , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), an erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ), an optical fiber , a portable compact disc read - only memory ( cd - rom ), an optical storage device , a magnetic storage device , or any suitable combination of the foregoing . in the context of this document , a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain , or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system , apparatus , or device . a computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein , for example , in baseband or as part of a carrier wave . such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms , including , but not limited to , electro - magnetic , optical , or any suitable combination thereof . a computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate , propagate , or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system , apparatus , or device . program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium , including but not limited to wireless , wireline , optical fiber cable , rf , etc ., or any suitable combination of the foregoing . computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages , including an object oriented programming language such as java , smalltalk , c ++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages , such as the “ c ” programming language or similar programming languages . the program code may execute entirely on the user &# 39 ; s computer , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer , as a stand - alone software package , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server . in the latter scenario , the remote computer may be connected to the user &# 39 ; s computer through any type of network , including a local area network ( lan ) or a wide area network ( wan ), or the connection may be made to an external computer ( for example , through the internet using an internet service provider ). aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods , apparatus ( systems ) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention . it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , can be implemented by computer program instructions . these computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine , such that the instructions , which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus , create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . these computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer , other programmable data processing apparatus , or other devices to function in a particular manner , such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function / act specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer , other programmable data processing apparatus , or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer , other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture , functionality , and operation of possible implementations of systems , methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention . in this regard , each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module , segment , or portion of code , which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function ( s ). it should also be noted that , in some alternative implementations , the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures . for example , two blocks shown in succession may , in fact , be executed substantially concurrently , or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order , depending upon the functionality involved . it will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , can be implemented by special purpose hardware - based systems that perform the specified functions or acts , or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions . as the defender observes network events and collects information about the progress and location of attacker 102 , the defender can modify the network 100 in order to force the attacker 102 to reveal the intended target 112 of the attack . in real - world applications , one way for the defender to react to an ongoing cyberattack is to block network connections over a certain port . translated into the present model , the defender has the ability to block a network edge in response to the observed network events . since there are likely multiple ways from the attacker &# 39 ; s starting node 202 to the any target 206 in a realistic computer network 100 , blocking one edge will not prevent the attack . however , the defender may improve the future predictions about the attacker &# 39 ; s intended target by carefully choosing a single graph edge to block . referring now to fig4 , a method for computing an optimal defender response is shown . given the observed network events , collected at block 402 , block 404 computes a posterior probability distribution over the attacker &# 39 ; s state ( a , ). the optimal edge eεe to block is the one that minimizes the defender &# 39 ; s expected future uncertainty over the attack targets given the history of the observed network events . in other words , block 406 calculates an edge e = arg min , e [ h \| ]. block 408 implements that action by , e . g ., disabling the network connection represented by edge e . in one scenario , the attacker has only reached node s 202 , and all attack paths going from the bottom of the graph to the top are possible . additionally , the attacker chooses the next possible node to attack uniformly at random . at first , the probability distribution over the targets is ( 1 / 3 , 1 / 3 , 1 / 3 ). note that the distribution will remain the same if the attacker chooses node b as the next node to attack . however , if the attacker chooses node a , then it is certain that t 1 is the target of the attack . if the attacker chooses node c , targets t 2 and t 3 are two equally likely targets . given a probability distribution p over the targets ( e . g ., as calculated in fig3 ), the defender &# 39 ; s uncertainty is measured as shannon &# 39 ; s entropy h as follows : h = - ∑ t ⁢ ⁢ p ⁡ ( t ) ⁢ log ⁢ p ⁡ ( t ) in the above example , the entropy which represents the uncertainty over the attack target , given the history of attacked nodes , is computed as follows : h ⁡ ( s ) = 3 ⁢ ( - 1 3 ⁢ log ⁢ ⁢ 1 3 ) = 0 . 477 ⁢ h ⁡ ( sb ) = h ⁡ ( s ) = 0 . 477 h ⁡ ( sa ) = 0 ⁢ ⁢ h ⁡ ( sc ) = 2 ⁢ ( - 1 2 ⁢ log ⁢ 1 2 ) = 0 . 301 referring now to fig5 , a graph showing expected entropy for two scenarios is shown . the vertical axis shows the calculated entropy , while the horizontal axis shows which step of the attack is being considered . the expected entropy is plotted with a solid line . the entropy can be reduced , however , if the possibility of the attacker choosing node b is removed . removing the edge between s and b results in a reduction of the expected entropy after the next attack step . this reduced entropy with a dashed line on the same plot . by step 2 , entropy is zero for both plots because the attacker has reached the target t . using the present principles provides a significant improvement in terms of the defender &# 39 ; s uncertainty as to the attacker &# 39 ; s potential targets . moreover , by blocking paths in concordance with the probabilistic stackelberg model of the present principles , the defender is able to further reduce the uncertainty by influencing the attacker &# 39 ; s next move . furthermore , the present principles are scalable , with good performance in attack paths of length 3 , 4 , and 5 — it should be noted that practical attack paths rarely exceed four steps in length . simulations run with over 1000 nodes and with attack path lengths of five were able to complete in a matter of seconds , making the present principles practical for real - world application . referring now to fig6 , a system for network defense is shown . a defender employs a defender administration terminal 602 to observe and respond to an attacker &# 39 ; s actions . the defender administration terminal 602 may be a stand - alone device , or may be part of a more general purpose administration terminal . the defender terminal 602 communicates with sensors 604 distributed throughout a network 100 to collect information regarding potential intrusions . the sensors may be incorporated in any node in a network 100 and may monitor any process or component to detect irregular activities . multiple sensors 604 may be incorporated in a single node . sensors 604 may provide detailed information regarding the attacker and its activities , may report on any irregular activity , or may simply represent logs for all activities in the system , said logs to be analyzed by the defender terminal 602 . the sensors 604 may include software installed on nodes to monitor system calls and user activities , or alternatively be standalone devices such as traffic sniffers configured to detect particular suspicious forms of network traffic to or from monitored nodes . the defender administration terminal 602 processes the data provided by sensors 604 and determines likely targets for the attacker . the defender terminal 602 also calculates an optimal defender response to reduce the uncertainty in the attacker &# 39 ; s targets . defender terminal 602 includes a processor 608 and memory 610 to collect and utilize the sensor data using network monitor 614 . the network monitor 614 collects data from sensors 604 and processes that data from potentially heterogeneous sources into a usable form . the network monitor may , for example , parse logs provided by sensors 604 to find suspicious or abnormal entries . the processor 608 uses the sensor data provided by network monitor 614 and stored in memory 610 to produce the most probable targets and response . once the processor 608 calculates an optimal response , the network control module 612 executes the response using a network management interface 606 . the network management 606 interface may represent any appropriate form of network management , including for example a simple network management protocol ( snmp ) device . in this manner , the defender administration terminal 602 can disconnect links in a network 100 , or take similar network - level measures that prevent the attacker to proceed along the chosen network links ( e . g ., the defender could choose to enable a firewall system on that link , instead of disconnecting the link ). the changed network topology forces the attacker along different paths , and the attacker &# 39 ; s response to the defender &# 39 ; s action substantially reduces the uncertainty regarding the attacker &# 39 ; s intentions . having described preferred embodiments of a system and method ( which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting ), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments disclosed which are within the scope of the invention as outlined by the appended claims . having thus described aspects of the invention , with the details and particularity required by the patent laws , what is claimed and desired protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims .	6
the mud flap mounting device of this invention is generally designated by the numeral 10 ( fig2 ) and is shown mounted to a conventional trailer truck 12 in fig1 . in fig1 a mounting device 10 &# 39 ; is attached to frame rail 14 adjacent wheels 16 and a corresponding mounting device 10 is attached to frame rail 18 adjacent wheels 20 . mounting device 10 is shown in the &# 34 ; operating &# 34 ; position , while mounting device 10 &# 39 ; is shown in the &# 34 ; transport &# 34 ; position . in accordance with highway requirements , a trailer truck without an attached trailer is required to use mud flaps on the dual rear wheels to protect following vehicles from spray or debris from the tires as exemplified by the position of mounting device 10 . when a trailer is connected to truck 12 , mud flaps are not required and are therefore rotated to the transport position as exemplified by the position of mounting device 10 &# 39 ; as will be explained in greater detail subsequently . mounting device 10 is the &# 34 ; mirror image &# 34 ; of mounting device 10 &# 39 ; with device 10 being adapted for mounting on the passenger &# 39 ; s side and device 10 &# 39 ; being adapted for mounting on the driver &# 39 ; s side . therefore , description and explanation will be limited to device 10 . mounting device 10 comprises frame member 22 , support rod 24 , and a spring or biasing means 26 . frame member 22 is preferably of cast metal construction and has an upper surface 28 and lower surface 30 with a recess or trough 32 contained in upper surface 28 ( fig4 ). a bore 34 extends between upper surface 28 and lower surface 30 . securement brace 36 is an integral part of frame member 22 and extends transversely with respect to bore 34 . base 36 contains bolt - receiving apertures 38 to facilitate attachment to the frame rails as shown in fig4 with recess 32 disposed rearward of rail 18 . support rod 24 is generally an l - shaped rod preferably of solid construction and having a downwardly extending leg 40 , a transverse leg 42 and an arcuate portion 44 connecting leg 40 and leg 42 ( fig2 and 5 ) with leg 42 being of sufficient length to support a mud flap behind the dual tires ( fig1 ). leg 40 is slidably received within bore 34 so as to be rotatably mounted therein . trough 32 is positioned orthogonally with respect to bore 34 and extends transversely to upper surface 28 as shown in fig3 . arcuate portion 44 and a portion of leg 42 are contained in trough 32 to provide support , stability , and protection to support rod 24 . since the bend of the rod , i . e ., arcuate portion 44 , is considered the weakest part of the rod , substantially encompassing the bend in trough 32 supports and protects this weak point from undue strain and shock . annular flange 46 is securely attached by welding or the like to downwardly extending leg 40 . spring 26 is an expansion - type spring mounted concentrically about leg 40 between flange 46 and frame member 22 . lower surface 30 of frame 22 contains a recess 48 to receive and seat one end of spring 26 . therefore , spring 26 pushes against flange 46 and frame member 22 to pull and thereby bias leg 42 into trough 32 . spring 26 is preferably of sufficient expansive force to maintain leg 42 in trough 32 during the extreme vibration incurred in tractor trailer movement , yet allow manual rotation from the operable position to the transport position . for purposes of explanation , trough 32 is considered to be divided into an end portion 50 and an end portion 52 ( fig3 ). leg 42 is received in end portion 50 when mounting device 10 is in the operating position . conversely , leg 42 is received in end portion 52 when support rod 24 is rotated clockwise into the transport position as illustrated in phantom in fig3 . it is preferred that end portion 50 and end portion 52 be in linear alignment , although other respective orientations may be utilized . as shown in fig4 trough 32 adjoins upper surface 28 at edges 54 and 56 . when mounted to the frame rail 18 , edge 54 is the leading edge and edge 56 is the following edge . edge 54 is cambered or beveled to allow leg 42 to more easily ride over edge 54 in the event of unexpected forward force on mounting device 10 . as shown in fig2 , and 5 , recess 32 is of a depth to encompass more than one - half of the transverse dimension of rod 24 . mounting device 10 is securely attached to frame rail 18 by bolts 58 and nuts 60 as shown in fig3 . mud flap 62 is attached to leg 42 by means of mounting clips 64 . mounting clips 64 securely attach mud flap 62 to arm 42 , yet allow mud flap 62 to freely pivot about the longitudinal axis of arm 42 . when trailer truck 12 is to be used without a hitched trailer , leg 42 is positioned such that mud flap 62 is located directly behind dual wheels 20 . spring 26 will maintain arcuate portion 44 and leg 42 securely in end portion 50 of trough 32 . the biasing force of spring 26 together with the support leg 40 receives from bore 34 provides a sturdy , stable mud flap support assembly that is resistant to sway and vibration during travel . in the event that leg 42 should strike an obstacle while the truck is going in a reverse direction or the mud flap should become entangled , arm 42 will &# 34 ; break away &# 34 ; or yield its position in trough 32 and slide over cambered edge 54 to prevent damage to the mounting assembly . a predetermined amount of force upon arm 42 is necessary to overcome the biasing force of spring 26 and the frictional force of arm 42 relative to trough 32 and cambered edge 54 . the position of arcuate portion 44 in trough 32 provides additional support and strength to the weakest part of the rod , i . e ., the bent portion . thus , the possibility of damage to the mounting device is further reduced . when truck 12 is to be utilized in hauling a trailer , mud flaps are not required and leg 42 is manually rotated clockwise 180 ° to assume the transport position shown by mounting device 10 &# 39 ; in fig1 . in this position , mud flap 62 and mounting device 10 &# 39 ; will not come in contact with the support legs or landing gear of the trailer and thus cannot be damaged during manuevering of the trailer . again , spring 26 securely maintains leg 42 in end portion 52 of trough 32 . the rotation of arm 42 from the operational position to the transport position does not involve the removal or withdrawal of any elements of the mounting device and thus , accidental loss is prevented . in the event the operator fails to rotate the mud flaps from the operating position to the transport position , cambered edge 54 will aid in reducing damage to the mounting device because of contact with the support legs . since mounting device 10 &# 39 ; is the &# 34 ; mirror image &# 34 ; of mounting device 10 , economy in manufacturing is obtained by casting frame member 22 with a trough 33 in lower surface 30 approximately parallel to trough 32 in upper surface 28 . likewise , a spring recess 49 is cast in upper surface 28 . this allows the same casting of frame member 22 to be utilized on either the driver &# 39 ; s or passenger &# 39 ; s side of the vehicle by just reversing the orientation of support rod 24 and spring 26 during assembly . an alternate embodiment is shown in fig6 and generally designated by the numeral 66 . like elements are identified by prior numeral designations . frame member 68 of mounting device 66 comprises an elongated lower body portion 70 . bore 72 through frame member 68 is thus elongated compared to mounting device 10 . the elongated bore 72 provides additional stability to leg 40 and leg 42 to further reduce sway or vibration . the lower surface 74 of frame member 68 does not have a trough therein and accordingly separate castings must be made for the driver &# 39 ; s and passenger &# 39 ; s side of the truck . thus , it can be seen that a durable , damage resistant mud flap assembly is disclosed that is easy to operate , economical to manufacture , and accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives .	1
the first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a circuit block diagram of an optical disc player according to the present invention . an optical disc 1 is loaded onto a disc motor 2 . description will now be given about the case where the optical disc 1 is the conventional cd and a write - once disc compatible with the cd . in accordance with a control signal 115 provided from a system controller 11 , a motor drive circuit 12 outputs a motor drive signal 118 to rotate the disc motor 2 . next , in accordance with a control signal 113 provided from the system controller 11 , a laser drive circuit 13 outputs a laser drive signal 109 to light a semiconductor laser ( not shown ) disposed in an optical pickup 3 of cd . a detecting signal 101 provided from a photodiode ( not shown ) in the optical pickup 3 for cd is fed to a preamplifier 5 , which in turn outputs a servo signal 103 and an rf signal 105 . on the basis of a control signal 116 provided from the system controller 11 and the servo signal 103 a servo circuit 7 outputs an actuator drive signal 107 to drive a lens actuator ( not shown ) in the optical pickup 3 for cd , whereby focusing control and tracking control are performed . a decoder 9 decodes the rf signal 105 into a data signal 111 . the data signal 111 is fed to the system controller 11 , which in turn , in accordance with a clock signal contained in the data signal 111 , controls the motor drive circuit 12 to rotate the optical disc 1 at a predetermined speed . on the other hand , the data signal 111 is converted to , for example , an audio signal or a video signal . reference will now be made to the case where the optical disc 1 is a high - density optical disc . the optical disc 1 is loaded onto the disc motor 2 . in accordance with the control signal 115 provided from the system controller 11 the motor drive circuit 12 outputs the motor drive signal 118 to rotate the disc motor 2 . next , in accordance with a control signal 114 provided from the system controller 11 , a laser drive circuit 14 outputs a laser drive signal 110 to light a semiconductor laser ( not shown ) disposed in an optical pickup 4 which is for high - density optical disc . a detecting signal 102 provided from a photodiode ( not shown ) in the optical pickup 4 is fed to a preamplifier 6 , which in turn outputs a servo signal 104 and an rf signal 106 . on the basis of a control signal 117 provided from the system controller 11 and the servo signal 104 a servo circuit 8 outputs an actuator drive signal 108 to drive a lens actuator ( not shown ) in the pickup 4 for high - density optical disc , whereby there are performed focusing control and tracking control . a decoder 10 decodes the rf signal 106 into a data signal 112 . the data signal 112 is fed to the system controller 11 , which in turn , in accordance with a clock signal contained in the data signal 112 , controls a motor drive circuit 12 to rotate the optical disc 1 at a predetermined speed . on the other hand , the data signal 112 is converted to , for example , an audio signal or a video signal . fig2 is a flow chart explaining a series of operations of the optical disc player shown in fig1 . upon loading of the optical disc 1 onto the optical disc player , the disc motor 2 rotates and the semiconductor laser for cd lights . subsequently , there are performed focusing control , tracking control and revolutional speed control for the disc motor 2 , and the data signal 111 is outputted from the decoder 9 . in the case where the optical disc for reproduction is a cd , the system controller 11 , in accordance with the data signal , identifies the optical disc being reproduced as a cd and continues reproduction . however , if the optical disc is a high - density optical disc , it is very likely that the servo control , especially tracking control , will become infeasible . this is because the track pitch of the high - density optical disc is about one half of that of cd . further , even if the tracking control is feasible , it will be impossible to obtain a correct data signal because the minimum pit length of the high - density optical disc is about one half of that of cd . thus , in both cases there is not obtained a correct data signal . therefore , the system controller 11 identifies the optical disc being reproduced as a high - density optical disc and not a cd . as a result , the system controller 11 stops focusing control and tracking control , turns off the semiconductor laser for cd and turns on the semiconductor laser for high - density optical disc . then , in the same manner as in the case of cd described above the system controller performs focusing control , tracking control and revolutional speed control to reproduce the high - density optical disc . a concrete construction of the optical pickup has not been described above because it has no bearing on the essence of the present invention , but it may be such a construction as disclosed in japanese patent laid open no . 61 - 61240 ( 1986 ) for example . description is now directed to the second embodiment of the present invention . fig3 is a circuit block diagram of an optical disc player according to the second embodiment of the invention , in which the same components , circuits and signals as in fig1 are indicated by the same reference numerals as in fig1 . the second embodiment is different in the construction of optical pickup from the first embodiment illustrated in fig1 . the optical pickup used in the second embodiment , which is indicated at 17 , is provided with two semiconductor lasers , two photodiodes and an objective lens . for example , the optical pickup 17 may be of such a construction as disclosed in japanese patent laid open no . 6 - 259804 ( 1994 ) which corresponds to the foregoing prior art . upon loading of an optical disc 1 onto a disc motor 2 , a motor drive circuit 12 outputs a motor drive signal 118 in accordance with a control signal 115 provided from a system controller 11 to rotate a disc motor 2 . next , in accordance with a control signal 113 provided from the system controller 11 a laser drive circuit 13 outputs a laser drive signal 109 to light a semiconductor laser 18 for cd disposed in the optical pickup 17 . a detecting signal 101 provided from a photodiode 20 for cd in the optical pickup 17 is fed to the preamplifier 5 , which in turn outputs a servo signal 103 and an rf signal 105 . on the basis of a control signal 119 provided from the system controller 11 and a servo signal 103 a servo circuit 15 outputs an actuator drive signal 120 to drive an lens actuator ( not shown ) in the optical pickup , whereby there are performed focusing control and tracking control . a decoder 16 common to both cd and high - density optical disc decodes the rf signal 105 into a data signal 111 . the data signal 111 is fed to the system controller 11 , which in turn , in accordance with a clock signal contained in the data signal 111 , controls the motor drive circuit 12 to rotate the optical disc 1 at a predetermined speed . on the other hand , the data signal 111 is converted to , for example , an audio signal or a video signal . now , a description will be given of the case where the optical disc 1 is a high - density optical disc . in accordance with the control signal 115 provided from the system controller 11 the motor drive circuit 12 outputs the motor drive signal 118 to rotate the disc motor 2 . next , in accordance with a control signal 114 provided from the system controller 11 a laser drive circuit 14 outputs a laser drive signal 110 to light a semiconductor laser 19 for high - density optical disc . a detecting signal 102 provided from a photodiode 21 for high - density optical disc is applied to a preamplifier 6 , which in turn outputs a servo signal 104 and an rf signal 106 . on the basis of the control signal 119 provided from the system controller 11 and the servo signal 104 the servo circuit 15 outputs the actuator drive signal 120 to drive the lens actuator ( not shown ) disposed in the optical pickup 17 to make focusing control and tracking control . the common decoder 16 decodes the rf signal 106 into a data signal 112 . the data signal 112 is applied to the system controller 11 , which in turn , in accordance with a clock signal contained in the data signal 112 , controls the motor drive circuit 12 to rotate the optical disc 1 at a predetermined speed . on the other hand , the data signal 112 is converted to , for example , an audio signal or a video signal . although in the embodiment illustrated in fig3 there is used a common decoder , there may be used separate decoders as in fig1 . a series of operations of the optical disc player illustrated in fig3 may be carried out in the same manner as in the flow chart of fig2 . in the optical disc player provided with a semiconductor laser for cd and a semiconductor laser for high - density optical disc according to the present invention , reproduction is tried first using the semiconductor laser for cd which is of 770 - 800 nm to identify the type of the optical disc being reproduced and therefore a write - once disc compatible with cd is sure to be reproduced by the semiconductor laser for cd of 770 - 800 nm , with no fear of breakdown of its recording layer .	6
a problem with recess in the substrate is overcome by waiting until later in the process to remove the nitride anti - reflective coating ( arc ) so that the recess that occurs has much less impact with regard to the source and drain moving in to close proximity to the gate dielectric and overlapping with the gate . one way this is achieved is by waiting until the sidewall spacer stack that is utilized for masking the heavy source / drain implant is in place before removing the nitride arc . in an alternative , the nitride arc is removed after formation of the sidewall spacer that is used for the source / drain extension implant and in such case the nitride arc is removed with a wet etch . shown in fig1 is a device 60 after formation of a sidewall spacer 70 as an alternative to the structure shown in fig2 . the structure of fig1 follows the device structure shown in fig1 . device 60 comprises a substrate 62 , a gate 64 , which may be made of polysilicon and is a type of patterned conductive layer , a gate oxide 66 , an arc 16 , which may be nitride , and a sidewall spacer 70 . preferable material for substrate 62 is silicon and for sidewall spacer 70 is oxide . arc 16 could be of some other effective anti - reflective material than nitride as well . gate 64 could be materials other than polysilicon also . sidewall spacer 70 results from an oxide layer that is relatively conformal being anisotropically etched . as a consequence of this anisotropic etch will be a recess 71 of substrate 62 . this is a consequence of the necessary over - etch to ensure that all of the layer that is being used to form the sidewall spacer is removed except where the sidewall spacer is to be formed . since the only exposure of the substrate is during an over - etch time , the recess is relatively small . shown in fig1 is device 60 after a source / drain extension implant forming source / drain region 72 and source / drain region 74 adjacent to sidewall spacer 70 which surrounds gate 64 . shown in shown in fig1 is device 60 after formation of liner 76 , a layer 78 , and a layer 80 . layer 76 , 78 and 80 are all typically dielectric materials . layer 76 is preferably oxide , layer 78 is preferably nitride , and layer 80 is preferably oxide , but instead of a typical dielectric may be amorphous silicon . shown in fig1 is sidewall spacer 82 formed from layer 80 using an anisotropic etch . this exposes layer 78 of nitride in areas adjacent to sidewall spacer 82 including an area over gate 64 and arc 68 as well as a portion of layer 76 which functions as a liner . shown in fig1 is device 60 after a nitride etch has been performed so that uncovered portions of layer 78 are removed to leave nitride portions 84 around gate 64 . this also has the effect of removing the portion of layer 76 above arc 68 to leave a portion 86 of layer 76 . during this processing regions 72 and 74 diffuse toward each other and toward being under gate 64 . with the relatively small amount of recess of substrate 62 , the diffusion process is effective in overcoming that small amount of recess . the removal of nitride continues until arc 68 has been removed which also causes a reduction in the height of sidewall spacer 84 to leave sidewall spacer 88 . sidewall spacer 88 is slightly lower than polysilicon 64 due to over - etching which is necessary to be certain that all of arc 68 has been removed . a relatively large recess in substrate 62 aligned with sidewall spacer 82 occurs primarily during the etch of arc 68 . this etch is preferably a dry etch because of its superior defectivity characteristics over that of a wet etch . the dry etch will result in a greater recess in substrate 62 than if a wet etch had been used . in this case , however , the relative difference is not material because the recess is significantly removed from the area where it would have a negative impact on the ability of source / drain regions 72 and 74 to become overlapped with gate 64 . shown in fig1 is device 60 after a heavy source / drain implant resulting in heavily doped source / drain regions 90 and 92 aligned to sidewall spacer 82 which acts as an implant mask . if sidewall spacer 82 is chosen to be amorphous silicon , it should be removed after this implant . shown in fig1 is device structure 60 after a silicide step forms silicide regions 94 and 96 that is also aligned to sidewall spacer 82 . if sidewall spacer 82 was chosen to be amorphous silicon , it should be removed before this step of forming silicide . in the depicted example , sidewall spacer 82 is oxide . shown in fig1 are portions 100 and 102 of source / drain regions 72 and 74 , respectively , that have diffused sufficiently to overlap gate 64 . the relatively small recess caused during the over - etch in the formation of sidewall spacer 70 is all that needs to be overcome so that source / drain regions 100 and 102 overlap gate 64 . the recess caused by the etching away of arc 16 is not visible in the final device structure shown in fig1 . the formation of silicide in the area of the recession removes the evidence that there was even a recess present . thus it is seen that by moving the location of the relatively large recessed area caused as a result of the removal of the arc layer by a dry etch further away from the gate area , this relatively large recessed area does not impact the distance that the source / drain must diffuse to obtain the desired overlap . shown in fig1 is a device structure 110 is shown as a beginning point for another embodiment comprised of a non - volatile memory ( nvm ) transistor 111 and a regular transistor 113 both of which are formed in a substrate 112 . transistor 111 , as shown in fig1 , comprises a gate oxide 130 , a floating gate 114 , an interlayer dielectric 120 , and a control gate 118 . regular transistor 113 comprises a gate oxide 132 and a gate 116 . over control gate 118 is an arc layer 126 and over gate 116 is an arc layer 128 . these are two transistors are formed simultaneously and are shown as transistors that would occur as a result of formation of sidewall spacers 122 and 124 and analogous to fig1 . thus there is a recess in the surface of substrate 112 shown as 134 and 136 in fig1 . this recess is caused by the over - etch in the formation of sidewall spacer 122 . shown in fig2 is device structure 110 after arc layers 126 and 128 have been removed using a wet etch . by using a wet etch the recess shown in 134 and 136 in fig1 is significantly less than it would be if a dry etch were used . a typical wet etch chemistry is phosphoric acid . a typical dry etch for nitride is cf4 + hbo . the wet etch is effective in this situation because sidewall spacer 122 protects interlayer dielectric 120 . a wet etch without sidewall spacer 122 protecting interlayer dielectric 120 would degrade dielectric layer 120 and cause a problem between the storage element 114 and the control gate 118 . it is important that there not be leakage between storage element 114 , which in this depicted case is a floating gate , and control gate 118 . with the protection of sidewall spacer 122 , the wet etch will not harm interlayer dielectric 120 . this also shows the resulting transistor 113 with arc 128 removed . shown in fig2 is device structure 110 after an extension implant using sidewall spacer 122 as a mask and sidewall spacer 124 as a mask . the resulting source / drain extension regions 138 , 140 , 142 , and 144 are formed . shown in fig2 is device structure 110 after deposition of a liner 146 and a nitride layer 148 . nitride layer 148 is then anisotropically etched to form sidewall spacer 150 and sidewall spacer 152 . liner 146 is substantially , if not completely , removed in those areas where it is exposed as a consequence of the removal of nitride layer 148 in the forming of sidewall spacers 150 and 152 . shown in fig2 is device structure 110 after a heavy implant to form heavily doped source / drain regions 154 , 156 , 158 , and 160 using sidewall spacers 150 and 152 as a mask . shown in fig2 is device structure 110 after silicide formation to form silicide regions 170 , 172 , 174 , and 176 . thus the source / drain regions 142 and 144 have , to a large extent , been consumed by silicide regions 170 , 172 , 174 , and 176 . similarly , gate regions 114 and 116 have been somewhat consumed by silicide regions 164 and 168 respectively . this leaves a polysilicon portion 167 for transistor 111 and a polysilicon portion 166 for transistor 113 . source / drain portions 178 , 180 , 182 , and 184 expand and diffuse sufficiently to overlap gate regions 167 and 166 although there is a recess to overcome caused by removal of the arc . such arc removal is by wet etch so that the amount of the recess is significantly less then that of a dry etch . although the dry etch is preferred , in the case of a non - volatile memory the significance of having sufficient overlap is greater than for a regular transistor . thus it is more important that the overlap between the floating gate , the area that has charge storage in it , to have good overlap in the source / drain area . also , by having the arc removed after formation of sidewall spacer 122 , the location of the recess does not have as severe of an impact as for the case depicted in fig1 - 9 in which the arc removal occurs prior to formation of such sidewall spacer . in the case of fig1 - 9 , the sidewall spacer 24 is formed after removal of the arc layer .	7
fig1 is a plan view and fig2 is an isometric view of a representative or example expansion card 20 having an edge connector 22 on a forward or connector - side of the expansion card 20 and defined by a plurality of spaced parallel conductive traces ( unnumbered ) and a rear edge 24 on the side opposite the front or connector side . the expansion card 20 shown is representative of a contemporary pci architecture ; however , the invention is suitable for use with any type of known interface board including the isa , at , eisa , agp , and current and proposed pci variants as well as any other board configurations that may or may not correspond to an industry - accepted standard . as shown , the board is populated with electronic components as symbolically represented at 26 , and , while not shown , can include one or more subsidiary boards , currently known a “ mezzanine ” boards . for those components that require augmented heat removal , a heat sink and / or fan can be mounted upon or associated with the component , as is known . in a typical configuration and as explained below , the edge connector 22 of the various expansion boards / cards is designed to be received by respective socket , socket - like receptacle , or similar connectors on a motherboard , baseboard , backplane , mainboard , systemboard , etc . fig3 and 4 show the expansion card 20 of fig1 and 2 mounted in a protective enclosure , generally designed by the reference character 30 . the enclosure 30 is defined by first sub - housing 32 and a second sub - housing 34 ( described in more detail below ) that cooperate with end plates 36 ( fig3 only ) to define a protected volume for the expansion card 20 ; in the preferred embodiment , the end plates 36 are fabricated from flat sheet stock . the protective containment defined by first sub - housing 32 and the second sub - housing 34 provides a measure of physical protection and emi shielding for the so - enclosed expansion card 20 as well as plural heat transfer paths for transferring heat therefrom . fig5 and 6 show the opposite ends of the enclosure 30 with the end plates 36 removed for reasons of clarity . as shown , the first sub - housing 32 and the second sub - housing 34 are designed to interengage around the expansion card 20 to provide support therefor along the rear edge 24 and an area 38 spaced from the edge connector end at the forward or connector end of the expansion card 20 . both the first sub - housing 32 and the second sub - housing 34 are preferably fabricated as an extrusion from a heat - conducting metal ( i . e ., aluminum or aluminum alloy or equivalent metal or metal alloy ) or a non - metallic material have sufficient thermal conductivity ; the sub - housings are at least as long as the end - to - end dimension of the expansion card to fully contain the expansion card therein . the first sub - housing 32 and the second sub - housing 34 include respective fins , 40 and 42 ; while fins are preferred , other heat - radiating structures , such as slotted fins or spines , or some combination thereof , are also suitable . additionally , the first and second sub - housings , 32 and 34 , are provided with screw - accepting formations , generally indicated at 44 , for accepting self - tapping screws to secure the end plates 36 to the opposite ends of the enclosure 30 . while the use of self - tapping screws is preferred , conventionally threaded bores for accepting machine screws are also suitable . as shown in the lower part of fig5 and 6 , the second sub - housing 34 includes a flange 64 that is spaced by one flange thickness from the back surface 66 of the sub - housing 32 . additionally , the sub - housings 32 and 34 include a fin or fins 68 that extend rearwardly of the sub - housings 32 and 34 . fig7 illustrates the formations on the first sub - housing 32 that interengage with complementary formations on the second housing 34 to embrace the rear edge or rear margin of the expansion card 20 . as shown , the first sub - housing 32 includes a forwardly facing cleat 46 that , along with a raised ridge 48 a formed on a fin 48 , defines a slot 50 . in a similar manner , the second sub - housing 34 includes a rearward facing cleat 52 that also defines a slot 54 . as shown in fig8 , the cleats 46 and 52 interengage with one another with the cleat 46 received in the slot 54 and the cleat 52 received in the slot 50 while the ridge 48 a defines a backstop for the rear edge 24 of the expansion card 24 . as shown , the spacing between the cleat 52 and the fin 48 is sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the expansion card 20 and hold the rears portion 24 in a channel , groove , or slot ( unnumbered ) defined between the cleat 52 , the fin 48 , and the ridge 48 a . while not shown in the figures , a heat transfer gel or an elastomeric heat - transfer material ( not shown ) can be interposed between the two sides of the expansion card 20 and the corresponding surfaces of the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 to enhance conductive thermal transfer from the expansion card 20 to the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 . fig9 illustrates the expansion card 20 mounted between the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 with forward end of the expansion card 20 constrained between surfaces of the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 as shown at 38 . since most expansion cards 20 have conductive traces at or adjacent the area 38 , various types of electrically insulating materials , layers , tapes , sheets , gaskets , etc , are interposed between the surface of the expansion card 20 the sub - housings to preserve electrical integrity . if desired , a heat transfer gel or an elastomeric heat - transfer material ( not shown ) can be interposed between the two sides of the expansion card 20 and the corresponding surfaces of the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 to enhance conductive thermal transfer from the expansion card 20 to the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 . the assembly of fig9 is completed by installation of an end plate 36 ( fig3 ) on opposite ends of the assembly of fig9 to connect the first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 together to define the protected enclosure 20 . in the preferred embodiment , the end plates 36 are held in place by threaded fasteners ; however , other attachment arrangements , including spring clips are suitable . the protected volume defined by the enclosure shown in fig9 provides a measure of physical protection and emi shielding for the so - enclosed expansion card 20 and both conductive and convective heat transfer paths for transferring heat therefrom . in general and as shown in fig1 , expansion cards 20 of the type described are designed to “ plug - in ” to socket - type strip connectors on a motherboard ( also known as the system board , mainboard , and / or baseboard ). fig1 shows a representative motherboard system 100 in which a single enclosure 30 ( without its end plate 36 ) is installed immediately adjacent a thicker enclosure 30 ′ ( also without its end plate 36 ). enclosures of different thicknesses are contemplated and , in the case of the enclosure 30 ′, the additional interior volume can accommodate an additional sub - board ( i . e ., a “ mezzanine ” board ) connected to the board 20 as well as a heat sink and / or cooling fan ( s ) ( not shown ) that are often mounted on expansion cards . the structure of fig1 includes a motherboard 102 having spaced socket - like connectors 104 designed to receive the edge connector 22 extending from each enclosures 30 . while not shown in the figures , cable trays or conduits are provided for any cabling that enters / exits the motherboard system 100 . as shown in the enlarged detail of fig1 a , each of first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 include interengaging flanges 64 and 66 at the back ends of the respective sub - housing with one of the flanges offset from the other by approximately the thickness of one flange so that the two flanges overlap with the overlapping flanges secured together by removable screws or similar fasteners ( not shown ). the overlapping flanges 64 and 66 thus allow the adjacent enclosures 30 to be secured to one another to define a connected set of enclosures 30 that increases the overall structural sturdiness of the system . fig1 illustrates the motherboard system 100 of fig1 fully “ populated ” by enclosures 30 with their end plates 36 and increased thickness enclosure 30 ′ and its endplate 36 ′ in place and secured to one another as described in relationship to fig1 a . the system shown in fig1 thus provides a physical and emi protected volume for each expansion card 20 with enhanced thermal paths from the expansion card 20 to address heat transfer concerns and with the various enclosures 30 mechanically connected or “ ganged ” together to provide an additional level of structural and emi protection . as shown in fig1 and 11 , the cooling fins 40 of the sub - housing 32 and the cooling fins 42 of the sub - housing 34 are located on their respective sub - housings so that they occupy different ‘ staggered ’ or interdigitated planes “ a ” and “ b ” as best shown in fig1 ; this staggered relationship allows for increased convective heat flow . in the preferred embodiment described above , the enclosure 30 is defined by first and second sub - housings 32 and 34 to thus define a two - piece arrangement for the enclosure 30 . as can be appreciated and as shown in fig1 , a one piece housing is contemplated in which the housing is extruded as a one piece component . in the arrangement of fig1 , the expansion card 20 is slid into the housing from one end or the other with the end plates 36 thereafter assembled to the one - piece housing to thereby create the enclosure 30 . as will be apparent to those skilled in the art , various changes and modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as determined in the appended claims and their legal equivalent .	7
embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings as follow . fig1 shows a pcb 50 comprising : an insulator 40 is made of fr - 4 , bt , epoxy or the like , said insulator 40 having an upper surface 41 , a lower surface 42 and a recess 48 ; a trace 70 is made of copper , copper alloy , nickel , aluminum or the like , said trace 70 having an upper surface 71 , a lower surface 72 and a side edge 73 , wherein said lower surface 72 of trace 70 consists of a first lower surface 721 and a second lower surface 722 , both said first lower surface 721 and said second lower surface 722 are co - planar , said trace 70 embedded in said insulator 40 , in this manner , said trace 70 is encapsulated by said insulator 40 , wherein both said side edge 73 and said first lower surface 721 of trace 70 are encapsulated by said insulator 40 , wherein said upper surface 71 of trace 70 exposed to atmosphere ( i . e . said upper surface 71 of trace 70 exposed out of said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 ) for connecting external substance ( s ), and wherein said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 placed within said recess 48 of insulator 40 , and wherein said second lower surface 722 is the bottom of said recess 48 of insulator 40 , said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 exposed to atmosphere ( i . e . said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 exposed out of said lower surface 42 of insulator 40 ) for connecting external substance ( s ), meanwhile , said first lower surface 721 corresponding to the portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 enables to be employed as a path for transmitting electrical current , and furthermore , said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 is employed as a ball pad too ( refer to the detailed descriptions of fig8 ), accordingly , not only said trace 70 enables to be employed as a path for transmitting electrical current , but said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 enables to be employed as a ball pad ; a solder mask 80 covering said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 and a portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 for protection , wherein another portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 exposed to atmosphere for connecting external substance , wherein said solder mask 80 is optional , and wherein said external substance ( s ) employed as : solder ball , conductive wire , conductive layer , resistor , capacitor , another trace ( refer to the detailed descriptions of fig3 ) and / or a slot of electrical device ( e . g . camera , cell phone ); and a plurality of conductive layers 90 , said conductive layers 90 coupled with said upper surface 71 and said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 respectively , wherein the conductive layer 90 coupled with said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 is placed within said recess 48 of insulator 40 , and wherein each upper surface of conductive layer 90 exposed to the atmosphere for connecting to conductive wire , conductive bump , solder ball , resistor and / or capacitor , said conductive layer 90 can be made of either a multi - layered metal or a single metal layer . for example : please , refer to the conductive layer 90 coupled with said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 , in case that ( 1 ). said conductive layer 90 is made of a multi - layered metal such as two - layered metal which is comprised of a layer of nickel and a layer of gold ( or silver ), both said layer of nickel and said layer of gold are stack , wherein the lower surface ( not shown ) of said layer of nickel is employed as said lower surface of conductive layer 90 , the upper surface ( not shown ) of said layer of gold is employed as said upper surface of conductive layer 90 , the lower surface of said conductive layer 90 coupled with said second lower surface 722 , in this manner , the upper surface of conductive layer 90 is exposed to atmosphere ; and moreover . in case that said conductive layer 90 is made of a three - layered metal which is comprised of a layer of nickel , a layer of palladium and a layer of gold , wherein said layer of nickel , said layer of palladium and said layer of gold are stack , and wherein said layer of palladium is between said layer of nickel and said layer of gold , in this manner , the lower surface ( not shown ) of said layer of nickel is employed as said lower surface of conductive layer 90 , the upper surface ( not shown ) of said layer of gold is employed as said upper surface of conductive layer 90 , the lower surface of said conductive layer 90 coupled with said second lower surface 722 , in this manner , the upper surface of conductive layer 90 is exposed to the atmosphere . in addition , due to gold , palladium , and silver are valuable ( expensive ), as this reason , the smaller area of conductive layer 90 is , the saved the cost is ; and ( 2 ). in case that said conductive layer 90 is made of a single metal such as a tin ( solder ), wherein the lower surface ( not shown ) of said layer of tin is employed as said lower surface of conductive layer 90 , the upper surface ( not shown ) of said layer of tin is employed as said upper surface of conductive layer 90 , the lower surface of conductive layer 90 coupled with said second lower surface 722 , in this manner , the upper surface of conductive layer 90 is exposed to the atmosphere ; consequently , the advantages of said pcb 50 in accordance with the present invention are : ( a ). the path of transmitting electrical current of said pcb 50 from the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 to the lower surface 42 of insulator 40 of said pcb 50 is from the upper surface 71 of trace 70 to said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 exclusively , in this manner , the blind via ( shown in fig9 , numeral of “ 44 ”) is omitted ; meanwhile , said path of transmitting electrical current of said pcb 50 enables to become shorter , furthermore , the ball pad 7 b ( shown in fig9 ) is substituted by the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 , wherein due to the blind via ( 44 ) is omitted , in this manner , the thickness t 50 of pcb 50 enables to be thinner than the thickness t 52 of conventional pcb 52 ( shown in fig9 ); moreover , due to the trace 70 embedded in the insulator 40 , then it is not necessary for said side edge 73 of trace 70 to be covered with either solder mask 80 or conductive layer 90 , in this manner , not only the thickness t 8 of solder mask 80 enables to become thinner than the thickness ta of solder mask 80 of conventional pcb 52 but the cost of said pcb 50 enables to be saved ; and ( b ). it is easy to respond the demand of height of solder ball , due to the width “ w ” of second lower surface 722 of trace 70 enables to be changed easily , then it is easy for said pcb 50 to reach the height qualification of electrical device , and then it is convenient for said pcb 50 to be used in electronic industry ; for example : in case that the volume of solder ball is unchanged , and the height of solder ball is needed to be decreased ( i . e . it is necessary for the width of second lower surface 722 of trace 70 to be getting wider than the width “ w ” ( shown in fig1 ) for reaching the demand mentioned above ), wherein due to said “ w ” of second lower surface 722 can be changed to become wider , then the height of solder ball can be reached to the qualification of electrical device ( i . e . when said trace 70 embedded in said insulator 40 , wherein while a wider recess of insulator 40 is formed , and then a wider width of second lower surface 722 is formed too , as this result , said pcb 50 enables to have a wider width of second lower surface 722 of trace 70 to respond the demand mentioned above ), in this manner , said pcb 50 enables to be invited to said electrical devices , as this result , the application of said pcb 50 is convenient ; in addition , the advantages of said first lower surface 721 of trace 70 is described in fig8 later . fig2 shows a pcb 55 in accordance with the present invention , said structure of pcb 55 is similar to the structure of pcb 50 shown in fig1 , the differences between said pcb 55 and said pcb 50 are : ( 1 ). the upper surface 71 of trace 70 of pcb 55 is below the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 , in this manner , said upper surface 71 of trace 70 is not co - planar to said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 ; wherein the upper surface 71 of trace 70 enables to be protruding the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 ( refer to fig5 or fig6 ), said upper surface 71 of trace 70 is not co - planar to said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 either while the upper surface 71 of trace 70 protruding the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 , accordingly , it is optional that the upper surface 71 of trace 70 is below the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 ; and ( 2 ). the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 is below the first lower surface 721 of trace 70 , in this manner , said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 is not co - planar to said first lower surface 721 of trace 50 , in this manner , said trace 70 further having a second side edge 732 which is between said first lower surface 721 and said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 , said second side edge 732 of trace 70 placed in said recess 48 of insulator 40 too , consequently , due to said second side edge 732 of trace 70 , the area that said trace 70 contacted to the conductive layer 90 which is coupled with the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 enables to be increased , then it allows said conductive layer 90 to be not only coupled with the second lower surface 722 but also coupled with said second side edge 732 of trace 70 , in this manner , said conductive layer 90 enables to be coupled with said trace 70 more securely , then it can prevent said conductive layer 90 from peeling off said trace 70 , and then the reliability of said pcb 50 can be enhanced , accordingly , due to said second side edge 732 of trace 70 , in case that either a conductive material such as an another trace ( refer to fig3 ) or an isolative material such as a solder mask ( refer to fig4 ) coupled with said second side edge 732 , the reliability of said pcb 50 can be enhanced ; wherein the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 enables to be protruding the first lower surface 721 of trace 70 ( not shown ), as this result , said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 is not co - planar to said first lower surface 721 of trace 70 either , accordingly , it is optional that the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 is below the first lower surface 721 of trace 70 ; furthermore , either the conductive layer 90 coupled with the upper surface 71 of trace 70 or the conductive layer 90 coupled with the second lower surface 722 ( associated with the second side edge 732 ) of trace 70 can be protruding ( or below ) the upper surface 41 or the lower surface 42 of insulator 40 as required . fig3 shows a pcb 50 in accordance with the present invention , said structure of pcb 50 is similar to the structure of pcb 55 shown in fig2 , the difference between said pcb 50 and said pcb 55 is : said pcb 50 further comprising an another trace 75 which is coupled with the lower surface 42 of insulator 40 , in this manner , said another trace 75 enables to be lay out on said lower surface 42 of insulator 40 freely , and wherein a portion of said another trace 75 is placed within said recess 48 of insulator 40 and is coupled with both the second lower surface 722 and the second side edge 732 of trace 70 , by means of said second side edge 732 of trace 70 , the area that said another trace 75 contacted to the trace 70 enables to be increased , ( i . e . it allows said another trace 75 to be not only coupled with the second lower surface 722 but also coupled with said second side edge 732 of trace 70 ), in this manner , said another trace 75 enables to be coupled with said trace 70 more securely , then it can prevent said another trace 75 from peeling off said trace 70 , and then the reliability of said pcb 50 can be enhanced ; in additional , a further another trace ( s ) ( not shown ) or an another insulator ( s ) ( not shown ) can be coupled with the lower surface 42 of insulator 40 , in this manner , said pcb 55 is employed as a multi - layer pcb . fig4 shows a pcb 50 in accordance with the present invention , said structure of pcb 50 is similar to the structure of pcb 55 ( shown in fig2 ), the differences between said pcb 50 and said pcb 55 are : ( 1 ). said pcb 50 further comprising a solder mask 80 which is coupled with the lower surface 42 of insulator 40 , wherein a portion of said solder mask 80 is placed in said recess 48 of insulator 40 and is coupled with both the second lower surface 722 and the second side edge 732 of trace 70 , by means of said second side edge 732 of trace 70 , the area that said solder mask 80 contacted to the trace 70 enables to be increased , ( i . e . it allows said solder mask 80 to be not only coupled with a portion of the second lower surface 722 but also coupled with said second side edge 732 of trace 70 ), in this manner , said solder mask 80 enables to be coupled with said trace 70 more securely , then it can prevent said solder mask 80 from peeling off said trace 70 , and then the reliability of said pcb 50 can be enhanced ; and ( 2 ). due to a portion of said solder mask 80 is placed within said recess 48 of insulator 40 and is coupled with said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 , then the width “ w ” of second lower surface 722 enables to become shorter , and then the materials of said conductive layer 90 coupled with the second lower surface 722 can be saved , in this manner , the cost for manufacturing said pcb 50 can be saved , and it is good to electronic industry . fig5 shows a pcb 55 comprising : an insulator 40 having an upper surface 41 and a lower surface 42 ; a trace 70 having an upper surface 71 , a lower surface 72 and a side edge 73 , wherein said side edge 73 consists of a first side edge 731 and a third side edge 733 , said first side edge 731 and said third side edge 733 are co - planar , said trace 70 embedded in said insulator 40 , in this manner , said trace 70 is encapsulated by said insulator 40 , wherein said first side edge 731 of side edge 73 and said lower surface 72 of trace 70 are encapsulated by said insulator 40 , and wherein said upper surface 71 of trace 70 is protruding said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 is protruding said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 too , in this manner , both said upper surface 71 of trace 70 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 exposed to atmosphere ( i . e . both said upper surface 71 of trace 70 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 exposed out of said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 ) for connecting external substance ( s ), moreover , said trace 70 can be employed as either a ball pad or a path of transmitting electrical current ; a solder mask 80 covering said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 and a portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 for protection , wherein another portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 exposed to the atmosphere for connecting external substance , wherein said solder mask 80 is optional ; accordingly , by means of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 which is protruding the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 , it allows the thickness of said trace 70 to become thicker , in this manner , said pcb 55 enables to respond the demand of high current and high speed transmission , then it is more convenient for said pcb 55 to be used in electronic industries ; in addition , said insulator 40 can further have a recess ( refer to fig6 ; numeral “ 48 ”) on the lower surface 42 of insulator 40 as required , in case that said insulator 40 further having a recess ( 48 ), then a portion of said lower surface 72 of trace 70 can be placed therein and exposed to atmosphere ( i . e . said a portion of lower surface 72 of trace 70 exposed out of said lower surface 42 of insulator 40 ) for connecting external substance ( s ); moreover , said first side edge 731 and said third side edge 733 enable to be not co - planar ( refer to fig7 ; numerals “ 731 ” and “ 733 ”) as required . fig6 shows a pcb 55 in accordance with the present invention , said structure of pcb 55 is similar to the structure of pcb 50 ( shown in fig1 ), the differences between said pcb 55 and said pcb 50 are ( 1 ). said side edge 73 consists of a first side edge 731 and a third side edge 733 , said first side edge 731 and said third side edge 733 are co - planar , wherein said first side edge 731 of side edge 73 and said first lower surface 721 of trace 70 are encapsulated by said insulator 40 , wherein said upper surface 71 of trace 70 is protruding said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 is protruding said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 too , in this manner , both said upper surface 71 of trace 70 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 exposed to atmosphere , in this manner , it allows that said trace 70 further having an extending portion ( refer to the detailed descriptions of fig7 ) which is extending on the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 and the thickness of said trace 70 enables to become thicker ; and ( 2 ). said trace 70 further having a dimple 724 which is on the second lower surface 722 and is exposed to the atmosphere , in this manner , the second lower surface 722 is uneven ( i . e . not flat ), meanwhile , by means of said dimple 724 of trace 70 , the area that said second lower surface 722 of trace 70 contacted to external substance ( s ) ( such as solder ball , conductive wire , conductive layer , resistor , capacitor , and / or another trace ) enables to be increased , in this manner , said trace 70 enables to be coupled with said external substance more securely , then it can prevent said external substance from peeling off said trace 70 , and then the reliability of said pcb 55 can be enhanced , wherein the depth ( not shown ) of said dimple 724 can be 1 μm , 2 μm or more than 2 μm . in additional , said trace 70 also can further have a second side edge ( refer to fig2 ; numeral “ 732 ”) fig7 shows a pcb 50 in accordance with the present invention , said structure of pcb 50 is similar to the structure of pcb 55 ( shown in fig6 ), the differences between said pcb 50 and said pcb 55 are ( 1 ). said trace 70 of pcb 50 further having an extending portion 74 which is a portion of said trace 70 , said extending portion 74 having an upper surface 741 and a lower surface 742 , said lower surface 742 of extending portion 74 coupled with said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 , in this manner , said extending portion 74 enables to be extended on said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 freely , as this result , it is more convenient for said pcb 50 to be used in the electronic industry ; and wherein said side edge 73 consists of a first side edge 731 and a third side edge 733 , said first side edge 731 and said third side edge 733 are not co - planar , wherein said first side edge 731 of side edge 73 and said first lower surface 721 of trace 70 are encapsulated by said insulator 40 , and wherein said upper surface 71 of trace 70 is protruding said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 is protruding said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 too , in this manner , both said upper surface 71 of trace 70 and said third side edge 733 of side edge 73 exposed to atmosphere , meanwhile , said upper surface 71 of trace 70 comprised of a first upper surface 711 and a second upper surface 712 , and wherein both said first upper surface 711 and said second upper surface 712 are not co - planar , said first upper surface 711 is protruding the upper surface 41 of insulator , meanwhile , a portion of said first upper surface 711 , said second upper surface 712 of trace 70 and said upper surface 41 of insulator 40 are covered with the solder mask 80 , wherein said upper surface 741 of extending portion 74 is employed as a portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 , in this manner , said upper surface 71 of trace 70 further includes said upper surface 741 of extending portion 74 , and wherein said upper surface 741 of extending portion 74 ( i . e . a portion of said upper surface 71 of trace 70 ) exposed to the atmosphere for connecting external substance ; furthermore , the second upper surface 712 of trace 70 enables to be co - planar to the first upper surface 721 of trace 70 as required , accordingly , it is optional that the first upper surface 711 of trace 70 is not co - planar to the second upper surface 712 of trace 70 ; and ( 2 ). the second lower surface 722 is uneven such as conical and / or curvy or the like , in this manner , the area that said second lower surface 722 contacted to external substance ( s ) enables to be increased , then it can prevent said external substance from peeling off said trace 70 , and then the reliability of said pcb 50 is enhanced , in addition , said extending portion 74 and said trace 70 can be unitary or said extending portion 74 and said trace 70 can be made of different metals . fig8 shows a package 30 which is involved in a pcb 55 in accordance with the present invention , said structure of pcb 55 ( shown in fig8 ) is similar to the structure of pcb 55 ( shown in fig2 ), wherein the difference between said pcb 55 ( fig8 ) and said pcb 55 ( fig2 ) is : there is not any conductive layer ( 90 ) coupled with the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 ( shown in fig8 ), compared with the second lower surface 722 of trace 70 ( shown in fig2 ); said package 30 further comprised of : a chip 20 which is coupled with said solder mask 80 on the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 ; a conductive wire 95 which is electrically connected said chip 20 to said pcb 55 ; an encapsulant 60 which is made of sumitomo g1250 or the like , said encapsulant 60 seals said pcb 55 , said chip 20 and said conductive wire 95 ; and a solder ball 96 , wherein said solder ball 96 coupled with said second lower surface 722 and said second side edge 732 , accordingly , said pcb 55 enables to be coupled with said chip 20 and said encapsulant 60 , wherein said chip 20 can be employed as a flip chip , in case of flip chip , then said chip 20 coupled with said pcb 55 through a plurality of conductive bumps and sealed by an adhesive means such as encapsulant ; moreover , in case that said package 30 coupled with a mother board ( not shown ) by said solder ball 96 , once said package 30 is attacked by an impact , due to the area that said second lower surface 722 ( associated with said second side edge 732 ) of trace 70 contacted to said solder ball 96 is increased , then it allows said solder ball 96 enables to be coupled with said trace 70 more securely , then it can prevent said conductive layer 90 from peeling off said trace 70 , and then the reliability of said pcb 50 can be enhanced . furthermore , due to the first lower surface 721 of trace 70 encapsulated by said insulator 40 , accordingly , said trace 70 can be held by said insulator 40 firmly too , in this manner , it can prevent said trace 70 from peeling off said insulator 40 while impacting , and then the reliability of said pcb 55 can be enhanced , consequently , by means of the second side edge 732 or the first lower surface 721 of trace 70 which is encapsulated by said insulator 40 , the reliability of said pcb 55 enables to be enhanced . in accordance with the foregoing descriptions accompanying drawings , this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments , various alternations and modifications can be made to become apparent to those skilled in the art ; for examples : as shown in fig1 , wherein the second lower surface 722 enables to be not co - planar to the first lower surface 721 of trace 70 as required , then said trace 70 also having a second side edge ( 732 ), moreover , the upper surface 71 of trace enables to be protruding the upper surface 41 of insulator 40 , furthermore , an another trace 75 can be instead of said conductive layer 90 as required too ; accordingly , since many such various alterations and / or modifications can be made to the foregoing descriptions , it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is defined by the appended claims .	7
the present invention generally provides systems and methods for improved range sensing in a construction environment . more specifically , the present invention provides more accurate distance determination . this may be achieved using multiple sensors of multiple sizes in a single sensing unit , infrared temperature sensing , and / or a foldable temperature bar . in an embodiment of the invention , multiple sensors of varying sizes ( e . g ., diameters ) on a sensing unit are used to determine an approximate distance from the sensing unit to a reference point ( e . g ., from a range sensor to a surface ). the present invention employs sensors of different sizes and diameters in order to more accurately determine the distance between the sensing mechanism and the intended point or surface of measurement . in such an embodiment , these sensors are used to determine most accurately this distance through the means of ultrasonic emission and reception whereby each sensor has a unique weighting or influence on a determined distance . that is , a mathematical calculation may be performed which more heavily regards ( e . g ., weights , assigns a multiplier to , etc .) distances measured by one set of sensors . these sensors are configured in a single housing or component piece , so as to enable more accurate determination of the distance to be measured . in the same and / or alternative embodiments of the invention , various temperature sensing apparatus ( e . g ., temperature sensors ) are included at ( e . g ., integrated into and / or coupled to ) the sensing unit . these temperature sensors establish a reference for use in determining ( e . g ., calculating ) a distance to the road surface . ideally , air temperature between the temperature sensor and the surface should be known because uncompensated variations in air temperature may compromise the accuracy of the range measurements . the temperature sensor may help compensate ( e . g ., aid in accounting , calculating , and / or adjusting ) for variations in air temperature . while an appropriate compensation factor may be more easily determined when the air temperature is relatively constant between the sensor and surface and is only disturbed by temporary air turbulence , the inventive system may account for more significant fluctuations in temperature and conditions . additionally and / or alternatively , one or more temperature sensors are used to determine the temperature of the work surface to determine if appropriate working conditions exist . fig1 a and 1b depict an exemplary sensing unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig1 a shows a bottom - side perspective view of the sensing unit 100 and fig1 b shows a bottom perspective view of the sensing unit 100 . the sensing unit 100 comprises a housing 102 , which encloses a controller 400 ( not shown in fig1 a and 1b , but discussed below with respect to fig4 ) for controlling the various components and functions of the sensing unit 100 . sensing unit 100 includes one or more outer sensors 104 a and 104 b . in the exemplary embodiment of fig1 a and 1b , the sensing unit 100 has two outer sensors 104 a and 104 b located on a bottom surface 106 of the sensing unit 100 . it may be understood that , in some embodiments , other numbers of outer sensors 104 may be used . also located on the bottom surface 106 are one or more inner sensors 108 a and 108 b . similar to outer sensors 104 a and 104 b , any number of inner sensors 108 may be used . of course , subsequent sensors , rows of sensors , or arrangements of sensors may be used such as a set of inner - inner sensors ( e . g ., sensors arranged inboard of the inner sensors 108 a and 108 b ) or arranging the sensors in a substantially circular pattern or sets of concentric circles , for example . generally , outer sensors 104 a and 104 b are located outboard ( e . g ., closer to an end or edge of sensing unit 100 ) of inner sensors 108 a and 108 b . in alternative embodiments , inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may be located outboard of outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and / or adjacent outer sensors 104 a and 104 b . as will be discussed further below with respect to fig3 , outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may be spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other and / or from a point on or section of sensing unit 100 and may be of varying diameters and / or sizes which may be correlated to each other . though depicted as residing on / within bottom surface 106 , outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may be located in any other appropriate location on the sensing unit 100 ( e . g ., on an end , on top , projecting from a surface , etc .). sensing unit 100 may also include one or more temperature sensing devices . in the embodiment depicted in fig1 a and 1b , the temperature sensing device may be a temperature bar 110 protruding from the bottom surface 106 . the temperature bar 110 may be coupled ( e . g ., attached ) to the sensing unit 100 via a flexible or otherwise moveable , rotatable , and / or detachable connection 112 at its proximal end and may include a temperature detector 114 at its distal end . as shown in fig1 b , a portion on or near the distal end of temperature bar 110 may be securable to the housing 102 at one or more catches 116 when the temperature bar 110 and / or the temperature detector 114 is not in use , when the sensing unit 100 is being transported , etc . temperature bar 110 may additionally or alternatively be secured to the housing 102 at other locations along its length using other catches or any other appropriate securing means . other temperature sensing means such as temperature sensor 118 may also be included . sensing unit 100 may be a stand - alone unit and / or may be included as part of a construction system ( e . g ., attached to a paving vehicle 602 of fig6 ). in some embodiments , the sensing unit 100 may be coupled to the paving vehicle 602 ( fig6 ) such that it is capable of feeding back information such as temperature and / or range information . such information may be recorded ( e . g ., with control circuitry of controller 400 ), displayed to one or more users , or otherwise catalogued so as to provide information in real - time and / or in a memory to one or more users . that is , the sensing unit 100 may record and / or send temperature and / or range information to a paving vehicle operator for use during construction operations . similarly , one or more parts ( e . g ., components ) of the sensing unit 100 may provide distance and / or temperature information to an automated system ( e . g ., in conjunction with a system such as paving system 600 of fig6 ). additionally , sensing unit 100 may be removable , angleable , and / or otherwise positionable to provide the most accurate temperature and range information possible . outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may be ultrasonic sensors as are known . other types of sensors may be used as appropriate such as highly collimated light beam ( e . g ., laser ) sensors , optical sensors , interferometers , etc . outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may be controlled via control circuitry of the sensing unit 100 ( e . g ., controller 400 ), by an external source , or by any other appropriate method . outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may be configured to measure a respective distance from the sensor to a surface and / or object . that is , outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b are used to measure a distance from the sensing unit 100 to a surface . temperature bar 110 may be a rod , shaped wire , substantially u - shaped bar , support means , etc . of any appropriate length secured to the sensing unit 100 via a flexible connection 112 or secured directly to the sensing unit 100 . flexible connection 112 may be a spring , hinge , pivot , or other flexible apparatus to secure temperature bar 110 to the housing 102 , but also to allow temperature bar 110 to be moved . in some cases , temperature bar 110 may be moved manually ( e . g ., secured by a user to catch 116 ). in other cases , temperature bar 110 may be moved in response to an obstacle . that is , in the course of operation , the temperature bar 110 and / or temperature detector 114 may contact an obstacle ( e . g ., a road surface , rock , debris , etc .) and the flexible connection 112 may allow the temperature bar 110 to move ( e . g ., swing and / or bend ) out of the way of the obstacle without breaking off as in prior rigid extended temperature sensors . in some embodiments , temperature bar 110 may itself be flexible such that it is capable of bending , flexing , and / or moving as when encountering an obstacle or acted upon ( e . g ., pushed ) by an outside force . temperature - detector 114 may be a temperature sensor . similarly , temperature bar 110 may be a temperature sensor and / or may be adapted to transmit temperature information from the temperature detector 114 to a controller 400 of fig4 or other appropriate location as discussed above . in operation , the temperature detector 114 ( or the temperature bar 110 if no temperature detector 114 is used ) may measure a temperature near a surface and / or may measure one or more temperatures of air between the sensing unit 100 and a surface . temperature sensor 118 may be an infrared sensor capable of measuring a temperature at and / or near to a surface and transmitting the temperature information to the sensing unit 100 and / or another appropriate location . similar to temperature detector 114 and temperature bar 110 , temperature sensor 118 may also be capable of measuring one or more temperatures of air between the sensing unit 100 and a surface . in some embodiments , the temperature sensor 118 may be capable of triggering an alarm condition when a detected temperature is outside of a predetermined temperature range . that is , temperature sensor 118 ( or similarly temperature bar 110 and / or temperature detector 114 ) may be configured to transmit temperature information to controller 400 . the temperature information may be used to indicate ( e . g ., by controller 400 ) an alert condition ( e . g ., surface too hot , a temperature difference between the sensing unit 100 and the work surface , etc .). temperature sensor 118 may also be any other appropriate type of sensor . in some embodiments , temperatures determined using temperature bar 110 and / or temperature detector 114 ( e . g ., a temperature of air between sensing unit 100 and a surface ) and temperatures determined using temperature sensor 118 ( e . g ., a temperature at or near to the surface ) may be used in combination to estimate a curve of air temperatures between the sensing unit 100 and the surface . for example , sensing unit 100 and / or controller 400 of fig4 may utilize one or more temperatures determined using temperature bar 110 , temperature detector 114 , and / or temperature sensor 118 to approximate a distribution of the actual air temperatures between the sensing unit 100 and the surface . fig2 a and 2b depict an alternative exemplary sensing unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig2 a shows a bottom perspective view of the sensing unit 200 with an extended temperature bar 210 and fig2 b shows a bottom perspective view of the sensing unit 200 with a folded temperature bar 210 . the sensing unit 200 may be similar to sensing unit 100 of fig1 a and 1b and accordingly comprises similar components . for simplicity of presentation , only those components of sensing unit 200 that differ from sensing unit 100 are discussed in further detail . substantially similar components of sensing unit 200 are referred to hereinafter and in fig2 a and 2b by the same reference numerals . in the embodiment depicted in fig2 a and 2b , sensing unit 200 includes a temperature bar 210 protruding from the bottom surface 106 . the temperature bar 210 may be coupled ( e . g ., attached ) to the sensing unit 200 via a flexible or otherwise moveable , rotatable , and / or detachable connection 212 and may include a temperature detector 214 . as shown in fig2 b , a portion of temperature bar 210 may be securable to the housing 102 at one or more catches 216 when the temperature bar 210 and / or the temperature detector 214 is not in use , when the sensing unit 200 is being transported , etc . temperature bar 210 may additionally or alternatively be secured to the housing 102 at other locations along its length using other catches or any other appropriate securing means . in the exemplary embodiment of fig2 a and 2b , temperature bar 210 may be a rod , shaped wire , or substantially u - shaped bar of any appropriate length secured to the sensing unit 200 via flexible connection 212 . in some embodiments , temperature bar 210 may be a 3 mm steel wire shaped into an approximately u - shaped configuration and including a crossbar 218 near the “ open ” end of the u - shaped wire . temperature bar 210 may be secured to the housing 102 at the crossbar 218 such that a portion of the length of temperature bar 210 is free to pivot away from the housing 102 as shown in fig2 b . of course , other configurations and materials may be used . for example , a temperature detector 214 may be secured between multiple temperature bars 210 moveably secured to sensing unit 200 . fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a , and 2 b depict exemplary configurations of temperature bars , but any appropriate temperature sensing mechanism and / or means may be used in their stead . flexible connection 212 may be a spring , hinge , pivot , or other flexible and / or moveable apparatus to secure temperature bar 210 to the housing 102 , but also to allow temperature bar 210 to be moved . in at least one embodiment , flexible connection 212 may include multiple components to secure the temperature bar 210 . for example , a clasp , pin , bar , or other means for securing may be used to hold the crossbar 218 of fig2 a and 2b to the bottom surface 106 , but allow rotational movement of the crossbar 218 ; this allows the temperature bar 210 and temperature detector 214 to be capable of pivoting , but holding the temperature bar fast to sensing unit 200 . in some cases , temperature bar 210 may be moved manually ( e . g ., secured by a user to catch 216 ). in other cases , temperature bar 210 may be moved in response to an obstacle . that is , in the course of operation , the temperature bar 210 and / or temperature detector 214 may contact an obstacle ( e . g ., a road surface , rock , debris , etc .) and the flexible connection 212 may allow the temperature bar 210 to move ( e . g ., swing and / or bend ) out of the way of the obstacle without breaking off as in prior rigid extended temperature sensors . in some embodiments , temperature bar 210 may itself be flexible such that it is capable of bending , flexing , and / or moving as when encountering an obstacle or acted upon ( e . g ., pushed ) by an outside force . temperature detector 214 may be a temperature sensor . similarly , temperature bar 210 may be a temperature sensor and / or may be adapted to transmit temperature information from the temperature detector 214 to a controller 400 of fig4 or other appropriate location as discussed above . in operation , the temperature detector 214 ( or the temperature bar 210 if no temperature detector 214 is used ) may measure a temperature near a surface and / or may measure one or more temperatures of air between the sensing unit 200 and a surface . fig3 depicts a side schematic layout of the sensing unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention . various diameters and frequencies of sensors may be used in operation of the sensing unit 100 . fig3 is presented as an illustrative embodiment to show the interaction of multiple sensors and is not meant to limit the invention to a single set of outer sensors 104 a and 104 b of a specific diameter or a single set of inner sensors 108 a and 108 b of a specific diameter . in the exemplary embodiment of fig3 , outer sensors 104 a and 104 b may have a diameter a and a frequency f a . in one embodiment , the diameter a may be substantially 25 mm and the frequency f a may be approximately 120 khz . similarly , inner sensors 108 a and 108 b may have a diameter b and a frequency f b . in one embodiment , the diameter b may be substantially 16 mm and the frequency f b may be approximately 200 khz . each of sensors 104 a and 104 b and 108 a and 108 b may be separated by a center - to - center distance ( e . g ., approximately c ). in practice , larger diameter sensors generate a wider radiation cone while smaller diameter sensors generate a narrower radiation cone . the distance c between sensors is preferably such that at the minimum advantageous reading distance l ( discussed below ) all radiation cones very slightly overlap . though depicted here as pairs of sensors having equal diameters and frequencies , it may be understood that each sensor may have its own unique diameter and / or frequency . as discussed generally above , temperature bar 110 may be a length l , extending from the bottom surface 106 . in some embodiments , a controller 400 may be included and may be or may include any components or devices which are typically used by , or used in connection with , a computer or computer system . such a controller may be control circuitry as described with respect to fig1 a and 1b , reside at another location in the sensing unit 100 , and / or be associated with ( e . g ., be in communication with and / or coupled to ) the paving vehicle 602 discussed below with respect to fig6 . fig4 is a schematic drawing of a controller 400 according to an embodiment of the invention . controller 400 contains a processor 402 which controls the overall operation of the controller 400 by executing computer program instructions which define such operation . the computer program instructions may be stored in a storage device 404 ( e . g ., magnetic disk , database , etc .) and loaded into memory 406 when execution of the computer program instructions is desired . thus , applications for performing the herein - described method steps , such as weighting measured distances ( step 508 of method 500 ) and determining calculated distance ( step 510 of method 500 ), are defined by the computer program instructions stored in the memory 406 and / or storage 404 and controlled by the processor 402 executing the computer program instructions . the controller 400 may also include one or more network interfaces 408 for communicating with other devices via a network ( e . g ., a controller area network ( can )). these devices may be other sensing units 100 , 200 , other controllers 400 , or any other relevant device . the controller 400 also includes input / output devices 410 ( e . g ., display , keyboard , mouse , speakers , buttons , etc .) that enable user interaction with the controller 400 . controller 400 and / or processor 402 may include one or more central processing units , read only memory ( rom ) devices and / or random access memory ( ram ) devices . one skilled in the art will recognize that an implementation of an actual controller could contain other components as well , and that the controller of fig4 is a high level representation of some of the components of such a controller for illustrative purposes . according to some embodiments of the present invention , instructions of a program ( e . g ., controller software ) may be read into memory 406 , such as from a rom device to a ram device or from a lan adapter to a ram device . execution of sequences of the instructions in the program may cause the controller 400 to perform one or more of the method steps described herein , such as those described below with respect to methods 500 and 700 . in alternative embodiments , hard - wired circuitry or integrated circuits may be used in place of , or in combination with , software instructions for implementation of the processes of the present invention . thus , embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware , firmware , and / or software . the memory 406 may store the software for the controller 400 , which may be adapted to execute the software program and thereby operate in accordance with the present invention and particularly in accordance with the methods described in detail below . however , it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention as described herein could be implemented in many different ways using a wide range of programming techniques as well as general purpose hardware sub - systems or dedicated controllers . such programs may be stored in a compressed , uncompiled and / or encrypted format . the programs furthermore may include program elements that may be generally useful , such as an operating system , a database management system and device drivers for allowing the controller to interface with computer peripheral devices , and other equipment / components . appropriate general purpose program elements are known to those skilled in the art , and need not be described in detail herein . in operation , sensing units 100 , 200 may be used to determine a distance from the sensing unit 100 , 200 to a surface s . fig5 illustrates the method steps of a method 500 of ultrasonic sensing using the sensing unit 100 , 200 and will be described in conjunction with fig3 . the method begins at step 502 . in step 504 , distances to a surface are measured using sensors . for example , outer sensors 104 a and 104 b and inner sensors 108 a and 108 b each measure a respective distance d 1 , d 2 , d 3 , and d 4 to a surface s as shown in fig3 . specifically , sensor 104 a measures distance d 1 , sensor 108 a measures distance d 2 , sensor 108 b measures distance d 3 , and sensor 104 b measures distance d 4 . in step 506 , temperatures are measured . in some embodiments , a temperature may be measured by , for example , temperature bar 110 , temperature detector 114 , and / or temperature sensor 118 . in such embodiments , the temperature may be a temperature in the vicinity of a work surface . additionally and / or alternatively , temperatures may be measured in more than one location ( e . g ., at the work surface , midway between the work surface and sensing unit 100 , and at sensing unit 100 , etc .). in this way , temperature variations may be measured . in step 508 , the measured distances ( e . g ., d 1 - d 4 ) are weighted . as is known , measurement devices ( e . g ., sensors ) may be more or less accurate under certain conditions . in the context of the present invention , range sensors of a smaller diameter may be more accurate when close to a surface than range sensors of a larger diameter . similarly , the larger diameter range sensors may be more accurate than the smaller diameter range sensors at a greater distance to the surface . accordingly , it may be preferable to give more account to the sensors that are more likely to be more accurate at a certain distance . in this way , the input of multiple sensors may be used in determining the distance from the sensors to the surface while taking into account the likelihood that the inputs ( e . g ., measured distances ) are accurate . in some embodiments , the distances are weighted based on the distance from the sensors ( e . g ., sensors 104 a , 104 b , 108 a , and 108 b ) to the surface s . this may be an approximate predetermined distance that may be input by a user , may be known at controller 300 , and / or may be approximated based on the measured distances . that is , sensors 104 a , 104 b , 108 a , and 108 b may each measure a distance to the surface s and the approximate predetermined distance may be determined using these initial measurements . in the same or alternative embodiments , when the surface s is greater than a distance l ( e . g ., the closest the sensing unit 100 can be to the surface s without impacting temperature bar 110 and / or temperature detector 114 ) and less than a maximum advantageous sensing distance of the inner sensors 108 a and 108 b , the distances measured by the inner sensors 108 a and 108 b ( e . g ., distances d 3 and d 4 ) are weighted by a factor of x ( e . g ., x ( d 3 ) and x ( d 4 ), x ( d 3 + d 4 ), etc .). in an alternative embodiment , each measured distance has its own weighting factor ( e . g ., x 1 ( d 3 ), x 2 ( d 4 ), etc .). in practical application , the minimum sensing distance may be limited by the function of the chosen sensor and not the length l of the temperature bar 110 . that is , the minimum sensing distance may be limited by the abilities of the sensors and the related electronics . in the example described herein , inner sensors 108 a and 108 b have a diameter b of 16 mm and a frequency f b of 200 khz and a minimum sensing distance ( e . g ., the minimum distance at which an acceptably stable reading may be achieved ) of approximately 20 cm and a maximum advantageous sensing distance of approximately 40 cm . when the surface s is further away than the maximum advantageous sensing distance of the inner sensors 108 a and 108 b ( e . g ., approximately 40 cm ), the distances measured by the outer sensors 104 a and 104 b ( e . g ., distances d 1 and d 2 ) are weighted by a factor of y ( e . g . y ( d 1 ) and y ( d 2 ), y ( d 1 + d 2 ), etc .). in an alternative embodiment , each measured distance has its own weighting factor ( e . g ., y 1 ( d 1 ), y 2 ( d 2 ), etc .). of course , other inner sensors , 108 a and 108 b and / or outer sensors 104 a and 104 b with different respective diameters a and b and / or frequencies f a and f b may be used . in such cases , different minimum sensing distances and maximum advantageous sensing distance may be used . in an exemplary embodiment , when sensing unit 100 is relatively far from the surface ( e . g ., greater than approximately 50 cm ), the distances measured by the outer sensors 104 a and 104 b ( e . g ., distances d 1 and d 2 ) are each weighted by a factor of 50 % and the distances measured by the inner sensors 108 a and 108 b ( e . g ., distances d 3 and d 4 ) are each weighted by a factor of 0 %. similarly , when the sensing unit 100 is relatively close to the surface ( e . g ., less than approximately 25 cm ), the distances measured by the inner sensors 108 a and 108 b ( e . g ., distances d 3 and d 4 ) are each weighted by a factor of 50 % and the distances measured by the outer sensors 104 a and 104 b ( e . g ., distances d 1 and d 2 ) are each weighted by a factor of 0 %. when the sensing unit 100 is positioned at intermediate distances ( e . g ., between approximately 25 cm and approximately 50 cm ), the relative weights for each sensor varies linearly with the distance from the surface . of course , other variation gradients and / or weights may be used for various distances from the surface . measured distances d 1 - d 4 may be weighted based at least in part on a measured temperature . that is , an additional weighting factor may applied to one or more of the measured distances to account for variations in temperature between the sensing unit 100 in the region of the sensors 104 a , 104 b , 108 a , and 108 b and the surface s . since each sensor may be affected differently by variations in temperature , each sensor may have its own weighting factor . similarly , equal weighting factors may applied to similar sensors ( e . g ., the same weighting factor for sensors 104 a and 104 b and a different weighting factor for sensors 108 a and 108 b , etc .). in step 510 , a calculated distance is determined . in some embodiments , a weighted average distance is calculated . the weighted measured distances may be averaged to determine an approximate calculated distance ( acd ). thus , in the above example : it is understood that the weighting factors x and y may be the same , may be of any value ( e . g ., 0 , 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , etc . ), and / or may be predetermined and / or continually re - determined . if more or less sensors are used , different and / or additional weighting factors may be used . similarly , a weighting factor based on the one or more measured temperatures may also be used in the calculation of the distance to the surface . following step 510 , the method 500 may return control to step 504 . that is , a new distance may be measured by one or more sensors to be used in calculation of a weighted average distance ( e . g ., acd ). this method may be repeated continually in real - time to provide a constant updated of the distance to the surface for use in construction operations . fig6 depicts a top schematic view of a paving system 600 for distance and / or temperature sensing according to an embodiment of the present invention . the system 600 comprises a paving vehicle 602 . paving vehicle 602 may be a construction vehicle for use in road paving and / or construction or may be any other type of movable and / or stationary platform . coupled to paving vehicle 602 may be one or more sensing units 100 as described above . fig6 also shows a first lane of road 604 , a second lane of road 606 , and the joint 608 between them . in operation , the paving vehicle 602 may be used in ultrasonic distance sensing , temperature measurement , and / or related construction tasks such as road paving . for illustrative purposes , fig7 illustrates the method steps of a method 700 of paving . the method begins at step 702 . in step 704 , the paving vehicle 602 paves a first section of road ( e . g ., first lane 604 ). in some embodiments , the paving vehicle 602 paves a lane of road at a time . when laying asphalt ( e . g ., paving ) on a first lane 604 , the joint 608 of asphalt exposed to a future second lane 606 ( e . g ., the section to be asphalted ) may cool . this may prevent the second lane 606 from properly bonding with the first lane 604 . in step 706 , a temperature of a road surface is measured . in some embodiments , the temperature bar 110 , temperature detector 114 , and / or temperature sensor 118 will measure the temperature of the asphalt on the first lane 604 . any of these or other sensors may be used to measure such a temperature as appropriate . in step 708 , the suitability of the measured temperature for paving operation is determined . if the road surface is an unsuitable temperature , an alarm condition is triggered in step 710 . in step 712 corrective action is taken . in at least one embodiment , the alarm condition may comprise an indication to heat the joint 608 ( e . g ., the corrective action of step 712 ) using an appropriate method or may be transmitted to a user by controller 400 ( e . g . via input / output device 410 ). after corrective action is taken , the method passes to step 706 to re - measure the surface temperature and / or to step 714 . if the road surface temperature is measured as a suitable temperature , the method passes control to step 714 . in step 714 , a second section of road ( e . g ., second lane 606 ) is paved by the paving vehicle 602 . the method ends at step 716 . the foregoing description discloses only particular embodiments of the invention ; modifications of the above disclosed methods and apparatus which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . for instance , it will be understood that , though discussed primarily as a stand - alone unit with one set of inside sensors and one set of outside sensors , any number and / or type of sensors in any suitable arrangement may be used with a corresponding weighting and / or calculating algorithm . similarly , other components may perform the functions of methods 500 and 700 even when not explicitly discussed . the foregoing detailed description is to be understood as being in every respect illustrative and exemplary , but not restrictive , and the scope of the invention disclosed herein is not to be determined from the detailed description , but rather from the claims as interpreted according to the full breadth permitted by the patent laws . it is to be understood that the embodiments shown and described herein are only illustrative of the principles of the present invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . those skilled in the art could implement various other feature combinations without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention .	6
this invention will now be described more in detail referring to the drawing . fig1 shows an example of the configuration of the invented electronic voice desk calculator . in the configuration shown in the drawing , kb is the keyboard section for inputting data necessary for calculation such as numerical data and arithmetic data on which are arranged , beside the group of ordinary keys such as 0 ˜ 9 , + , - , × , ÷ and = , the voice quality selector switches sw1 , sw2 , sw3 and sw4 to select the voice quality of male voice , boy &# 39 ; s voice , female voice , etc ., item count switch sw ic to designate whether or not to count the number of items , etc . cc is the control circuit which supplies key scan signal to the keyboard section kb , and performs sequential control by deciding the kinds of operated keys by the key scan signal or detecting the state of each key and switch . a is a read only memory ( rom ) which stores micro instruction datas for performing sequential control and which generates different micro instruction datas corresponding to the control signal coming from the control circuit cc . in other words , processing data needed in calculation such as data about registered number and arithmetic operation or control data for invented voice quality control are stored . c is the rom decoder used to decode the code signal representing the data from the read only memory a . cpu is the arithmetic section which performs arithmetic operation according to the decoded data from the rom decoder c , which is provided with a group of random access memories ( ram ) which memorize and hold numerical data once , adders for executing arithmetic operation , decoders for displaying registration data and the data about the results of arithmetic operations , memory group for storing time measuring data such as year , month , day , hour , minute , counters which count these time measuring data every moment , and control circuits which perform other controls . d is the displayer used to display registration data and data about results of arithmetic operation . r1 , r2 , r3 and r4 are voice read only memories ( rom ) which store voice digital data respectively . rom r1 stores male voice data expressing coded word group consisting of zero , one , two , three , four , --, plus , minus , multiply , divide , overflow , item count , etc ., rom r2 stores coded boy &# 39 ; s voice data expressing the same word group as r1 , rom r3 stores coded female voice data expressing the same word group as r1 , and rom r4 stores coded girl &# 39 ; s voice data expressing the same word group as r1 . cr is the voice control section consisting of address counters etc . for making access to voice rom &# 39 ; s r1 , r2 , r3 and r4 , and to pick up of the voice data expressing each word such zero , one , two , three , --, etc . mentioned above , cr decodes , corresponding to the decode data from rom decoder c , the voice data expressing which word should be generated and , according to the result of the decision , accesses the voice rom &# 39 ; s r1 through r4 respectively , to have these rom &# 39 ; s output the same voice digital data respectively . for example in the case where the word &# 34 ; one &# 34 ; is to be generated , cr has the voice rom r1 output male voice digital data , has the voice rom r2 output boy &# 39 ; s voice digital data , has the voice rom r3 output female voice digital data , and has the voice rom r4 output girl &# 39 ; s voice digital data , then has the gates g1 through g4 select which voice digital data of each digital data output at the same time should be passed through and through which voice should external communication be made . f1 , f2 , f3 and f4 are flip flops which are set and reset respectively by the decoded data from rom decoder c , and the output of each of these flip flops f1 through f4 is connected to the gates g1 through g4 to control these gates respectively . in other words , the gates g1 through g4 are all closed when the flip flops f1 through f4 are all reset and the voice digital data from the voice rom &# 39 ; s r1 through r4 are all cut off . and , when only the flip flop f1 is set , only the gate g1 is opened , and only the male voice digital data from the voice rom r1 is passed through the gate group and supplied to the or gate g5 . similarly when only the flip flop f2 is set , only the gate g2 is opened and only the boy &# 39 ; s voice digital data from the voice rom r2 is supplied to the or gate g5 , when only the flip flop f3 is set , only the gate 3 is opened and only female voice digital data from the voice rom r3 is supplied to the gate g5 , and when only the flip flop f4 is set , only the gate g4 is opened and the girl &# 39 ; s voice digital data from the voice rom r4 is supplied to the or gate g5 . the voice digital data that have passed through the or gate g5 are all supplied to the digital - analog converter da to be converted into voice analog data and , by way of the low - pass filter lp f and amplifier amp supplied to the loudspeader to generate the voice of each voice quality and at the same time , as the end signal e , applied from the or gate g5 to the voice control section cr to notify cr that the voice digital data of each word has been ended and to have cr stop reading from voice rom . in the electronic voice desk calculator according to this invention , it is possible , because of said configuration , to perform external announcement by using , properly a plural number of kinds of voices , each having a plural number of kind of voice qualities . next , for the operator of the electronic desk calculator to select an arbitrarily desired voice and have the invented electronic voice desk calculator perform external announcement , he should first turn on the switch sw1 on the keyboard kb . the control circuit cc detects the on state of the switch sw1 and informs rom a of this fact . rom a issues an instruction to set the flip flop f1 , the rom decoder decodes the instruction and sets the flip flop f . when the flip flop f1 is set , the gate g1 is opened and only the male voice digital data from the voice rom r1 is passed through the gate g1 and male voice is spoken from the loudspeaker sp . similarly , when the switch sw2 on the keyboard kb is turned on , the flip flop f2 is set , the boy &# 39 ; s voice digital data is selected from the voice rom r2 , and , when the switch sw3 is turned on , the female voice digital data is selected from the voice rom r3 , and further , when the switch sw4 is turned on , the girl &# 39 ; s voice digital data is selected from the voice rom r4 . in this way , the operator of the electronic desk calculator is enabled to select desired voice at will by , for example , turning on the switch sw3 if the desires female voice . next , in order to announce positive numerical data by male voice and negative numerical data by female voice , first various kinds of arithmetic processings are performed in the arithmetic section cpu and when the result obtained is a positive numerical value , the cpu informs the control circuit cc that the result of the arithmetic operation is &# 34 ; positive &# 34 ;. the control cc directs rom a to output instruction to set the flip flop f1 , an instruction to set the flip flop f1 is output from rom a , the flip flop f1 is set , and the positive numerical data is announced by the male voice from the voice rom r1 . on the other hand , when the result of the arithmetic operation is a negative numerical data , an instruction to set the flip flop f3 is output and female voice is generated . the decision whether the result of the arithmetic operation is positive or negative , is made by normal arithmetic processing of electronic computer and can be realized by well known technique . moreover , the discrimination between the registration data and the data about the result of arithmetic operation is also a well known technique . the arithmetic section cpu discriminates between registration data and the data about the result of arithmetic operation , sets the flip flop f1 when speaking out the registration data , sets the flip flop f3 when speaking out the result of arithmetic operation . as a result the registration data is communicated by male voice and the result of arithmetic operation is communicated by female voice and each can be spoken out clearly differently . next , the discrimination between the number of item counts and other numerical data can be made easily , and speaking out distinctively normal data about arithmetic operation and the result of arithmetic operation which has overflown , or overflow state can be realized by well known technique similar to the ones described above . further , it is also possible to distinguish normal numerical data , time data , and large numerical data by the digit positions , and to distinguish between numerical data and the function key data such as + ( plus ) and - ( minus ). as is clear from the description given so far , according to this invention the operator of the electronic desk calculator is enabled to select by himself a voice having the most understandable voice quality arbitrarily and establish announcement by voice , and to have the electronic desk calculator cast by using distinctively different kind of voices for example , the male voice and female voice and by distinguishing between an important data and less important data and to increase drastically the functions of electronic voice desk calculator compared with the conventional ones .	6
the invention is related to and describes the methods relating to discoveries surrounding increased tissue copper and mechanisms leading to tissue damage , including nerve and vascular damage , for example , diabetic nerve and / or vascular damage . it is believed , without wishing to be bound by any particular mechanism or theory of operation or effectiveness , that tissue accumulation of trace metals plays a role in the mechanisms of tissue damage in diabetes as well as in other disorders , diseases , and conditions as set forth or referenced or suggested herein . histological evidence from experiments showed that six months of treatment with trientine appears to protect the hearts of diabetic wistar rats from development of diabetic damage ( cardiomyopathy ) as judged by histology . the doses of trientine required for copper and iron to be excreted in the urine have also been investigated , for example , as well as possible differences between the excretion of these metals in diabetic and nondiabetic animals . for example , the excretion profiles of copper and iron in the urine of normal and diabetic rats were compared after acute intravenous administration of increasing doses of trientine . additionally , it was ascertained whether acute intravenous administration of trientine has acute adverse cardiovascular side effects . methods used in the experimentals were as follows . male wistar rats ( n = 28 , 303 ± 2 . 9 g ) were divided randomly into diabetic and nondiabetic groups . following induction of anesthesia ( 5 % halothane and 2 l · min − 1 o 2 ), animals in the diabetic group received a single intravenous dose of streptozotocin ( stz , 55 mg · kg − 1 body weight , sigma ; st . louis , mo .) in 0 . 5 ml saline administered via the tail vein . nondiabetic animals received an equivalent volume of saline . following injection , both diabetic and nondiabetic rats were housed in like - pairs and provided with access to normal rat chow ( diet 86 pellets ; new zealand stock feeds , auckland , nz ) and deionized water ad libitum . blood glucose and body weight were measure at day 3 following stz / saline injection and then weekly throughout the study . diabetes was identified by polydipsia , polyuria and hyperglycemia (& gt ; 11 mmol · l − 1 , advantage ii , roche diagnostics , nz ltd ). six to seven weeks ( mean = 44 ± 1 days ) after administration of stz , animals underwent either a control or drug experimental protocol . all animals were fasted overnight prior to surgery but continued to have ad libitum access to deionized water . induction and maintenance of surgical anesthesia was by 3 - 5 % halothane and 2 l · min − 1 o 2 . the femoral artery and vein were cannulated with a solid - state blood pressure transducer ( mikrotip ™ 1 . 4f , millar instruments , texas , usa ) and a saline filled pe 50 catheter respectively . the ureters were exposed via a midline abdominal incision , cannulated using polyethylene catheters ( external diameter 0 . 9 mm , internal diameter 0 . 5 mm ) and the wound sutured closed . the trachea was cannulated and the animal ventilated at 70 - 80 breaths · min − 1 with air supplemented with o 2 ( pressure controlled ventilator , kent scientific , connecticut , usa ). the respiratory rate and end - tidal pressure ( 10 - 15 cm h 2 o ) were adjusted to maintain end - tidal co 2 at 35 - 40 mm hg ( sc - 300 co 2 monitor , pryon corporation , wisconsin , usa ). body temperature was maintained at 37 ° c . throughout surgery and the experiment by a heating pad . estimated fluid loss was replaced with intravenous administration of 154 mmol · l − 1 nacl solution at a rate of 5 ml · kg − 1 · h − 1 . following surgery and a 20 min stabilization period , the experimental protocol was started . trientine was administered intravenously over 60 s in hourly doses of increasing concentration ( 0 . 1 , 1 . 0 , 10 and 100 mg · kg − 1 in 75 μl saline followed by 125 μl saline flush ). control animals received an equivalent volume of saline . urine was collected in 15 min aliquots throughout the experiment in pre - weighed polyethylene epindorph tubes . at the end of the experiment a terminal blood sample was taken by cardiac puncture and the separated serum stored at − 80 ° c . until future analysis . hearts were removed through a rapid mid - sternal thoracotomy and processed as described below . mean arterial pressure ( map ), heart rate ( hr , derived from the map waveform ) oxygen saturation ( nonin 8600v pulse oximeter , nonin medical inc ., minnesota , usa ) and core body temperature , were all continuously monitored throughout the experiment using a powerlab / 16s data acquisition module ( ad instruments , australia ). calibrated signals were displayed on screen and saved to disc as 2 s averages of each variable . instrumentation : a perkin elmer ( pe ) model 3100 atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a pe hga - 600 graphite furnace and pe as - 60 furnace autosampler was used for cu and fe determinations in urine . deuterium background correction was employed . a cu or fe hollow - cathode lamp ( perkin elmer corporation ) was used and operated at either 10 w ( cu ) or 15 w ( fe ). the 324 . 8 nm atomic line was used for cu and the 248 . 3 nm atomic line for fe . the slit width for both cu and fe was 0 . 7 nm . pyrolytically coated graphite tubes were used for all analyses . the injection volume was 20 μl . a typical graphite furnace temperature program is shown below . * a pre - treatment temperature of 1050 ° c . was used for tissue digest analyses cu , fe and zn in tissue digests were also determined at hill laboratories ( hamilton , new zealand ) using either a pe sciex elan - 6000 or pe sciex elan - 6100 drc icp - ms . the operating parameters are summarized in the table below . reagents : all reagents used were of the highest purity available and at least of analytical grade . gf - aas standard working solutions of cu and fe were prepared by stepwise dilution of 1000 mg · l − 1 ( spectrosol standard solutions ; bdh ). water was purified by a millipore milli - q ultra - pure water system to a resistivity of 18 mω . standard reference material 1577b bovine liver was obtained from the national institute of standards and technology and used to evaluate the efficiency of tissue digestion . the results obtained are reported below . urine : urine was collected in pre - weighed 1 . 5 ml micro test tubes ( eppendorf ). after reweighing , the urine specimens were centrifuged and the supernatant diluted 25 : 1 with 0 . 02 m 69 % aristar grade hno 3 . the sample was stored at 4 ° c . prior to gf - aas analysis . if it was necessary to store a sample for a period in excess of 2 weeks , it was frozen and kept at − 20 ° c . heart : following removal from the animal , the heart was cleaned of excess tissue , rinsed in buffer to remove excess blood , blotted dry and a wet ventricular weight recorded . using titanium instruments a segment of left ventricular muscle was dissected and placed in a pre - weighed 5 . 0 ml polystyrene tube . the sample was freeze - dried overnight to constant weight before 0 . 45 ml of 69 % aristar grade hno 3 was added . the sample tube was heated in a water bath at 65 ° c . for 60 minutes . the sample was brought to 4 . 5 ml with milli - q h 2 o . the resulting solution was diluted 2 : 1 in order to reduce the hno 3 concentration below the maximum permitted for icp - ms analysis . serum : terminal blood samples were centrifuged and serum treated and stored as per urine until analysis . from the trace metal content of serum from the terminal blood sample and urine collected over the final hour of the experiment , renal clearance was calculated using the following equation : renal clearance of trace metal =( a ) the concentration of metal in urine ( μg · μl − 1 ) times ( b ) the rate of urine flow ( μl · min − 1 ), divided by ( c ) the concentration of metal in serum ( μg · μl − 1 ) statistical analyses were as follows : all values are expressed as mean ± sem and p values & lt ; 0 . 05 were considered statistically significant . student &# 39 ; s unpaired t - test was initially used to test for weight and glucose differences between the diabetic and control groups . for comparison of responses during drug exposure , statistical analyses were performed using analysis of variance ( statistica for windows v . 6 . 1 , sas institute inc ., calfornia , usa ). subsequent statistical analysis was performed using a mixed model repeated measures anova design . statistical analysis using a mixed linear model : data for each dose level were analyzed using a mixed linear model ( proc mixed ; sas , version 8 ). the model included diabetes , drug and their interaction as fixed effects , time as a repeated measure , and rats as the subjects in the dataset . complete independence is assumed across subjects . the full model was fitted to each dataset using a maximum likelihood estimation method ( reml ) fits mixed linear models ( i . e ., fixed and random effects models ). a mixed model is a generalization of the standard linear model , the generalization being that you can analyse data generated from several sources of variation instead of just one . a level of significance of 0 . 05 was used for all tests . the results were as follows . effects of stz on blood glucose and body weight ( table 1 ): blood glucose increased to 25 ± 2 mmol · l − 1 ′ three days following stz injection . despite a greater daily food intake , diabetic animals lost weight whilst nondiabetic animals continued to gain weight during the 44 days following stz / saline injection . on the day of the experiment blood glucose levels were 24 ± 1 and 5 ± 0 mmol · l − 1 and body weight 264 ± 7 g and 434 ± 9 g for diabetic and nondiabetic animals respectively . cardiovascular variables during infusion : baseline levels of map during the control period prior to infusion were not significantly different between nondiabetic and diabetic animals ( 99 ± 4 mm hg ). hr was significantly lower in diabetic than nondiabetic animals ( 287 ± 11 and 364 ± 9 bpm respectively , p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). infusion of trientine or saline had no effect on these variables except at the highest dose where map decreased by a maximum of 19 ± 4 mm hg for the 2 min following administration and returned to pre - dose levels within 10 min . body temperature and oxygen saturation remained stable in all animals throughout the experiment . urine excretion : diabetic animals consistently excreted significantly more urine than nondiabetic animals except in response to the highest dose of drug ( 100 mg · kg − 1 ) or equivalent volume of saline ( fig1 ). administration of the 100 mg · kg − 1 dose of trientine also increased urine excretion in nondiabetic animals to greater than that of nondiabetic animals receiving the equivalent volume of saline ( fig1 ). this effect was not seen in diabetic animals . urinary excretion of cu and fe : analysis of the dose response curves shows that , at all doses , diabetic and nondiabetic animals receiving drug excreted more cu than animals receiving an equivalent volume of saline ( fig1 ). to provide some correction for the effects of lesser total body growth of the diabetic animals , and thus to allow more appropriate comparison between diabetic and nondiabetic animals , excretion rates of trace elements were also calculated per gram of body weight . fig1 shows that diabetic animals had significantly greater copper excretion per gram of body weight in response to each dose of drug than did nondiabetic animals . the same pattern was seen in response to saline , however the effect was not always significant . total copper excreted over the entire duration of the experiment was significantly increased in both nondiabetic and diabetic animals administered trientine compared with their respective saline controls ( fig2 ). diabetic animals receiving drug also excreted more total copper per gram of body weight than nondiabetic animals receiving drug . the same significant trend was seen in response to saline administration ( fig2 ). in comparison , iron excretion in both diabetic and nondiabetic animals receiving trientine was not greater than animals receiving an equivalent volume of saline ( fig2 ). analysis per gram of body weight shows diabetic animals receiving saline excrete significantly more iron than nondiabetic animals , however this trend was not evident between diabetic and nondiabetic animals receiving trientine ( fig2 ). total iron excretion in both diabetic and nondiabetic animals receiving drug was not different from animals receiving saline ( fig2 ). in agreement with analysis of dose response curves , total iron excretion per gram of body weight was significantly greater in diabetic animals receiving saline than nondiabetic animals but this difference was not seen in response to trientine ( fig2 ). serum content and renal clearance of cu and fe ( table 2 ): while there was no significant difference in serum copper content , there was a significant increase in renal clearance of copper in diabetic animals receiving drug compared with diabetic animals receiving saline . the same pattern was seen in nondiabetic animals , although the trend was not statistically significant ( p = 0 . 056 ). there was no effect of drug or state ( diabetic versus nondiabetic ) on serum content or renal clearance of iron . metal content of cardiac tissue ( table 3 ): wet heart weights in diabetic animals were significantly less than those in nondiabetic animals while heart / body weight ratios were increased . in some animals cardiac tissue was also analyzed for cu and fe content . there was no significant difference in content of copper between diabetic and nondiabetic animals receiving saline or trientine . iron content of the non - diabetic animals administered saline was significantly greater than that of the diabetic animals administered saline . copper : diabetic rats excreted significantly higher levels of copper across all dose levels . baseline copper excretion was also significantly higher in diabetic rats compared to and prior to drug administration . the drug resulted in a significantly higher excretion of copper compared to saline at all dose levels . there was no difference at baseline levels between the drug and saline groups . the interaction effect for the model was significant at dose levels of 1 . 0 mg · kg − 1 and above . the presence of a significant interaction term means that the influence of one effect varies with the level of the other effect . therefore , the outcome of a significant interaction between the diabetes and drug factors is increased copper excretion above the predicted additive effects of these two factors . iron : diabetic rats in the saline only group excreted significantly higher levels of iron at all dose levels . this resulted in all factors in the model being significant across all dose levels . in sum , the acute effect of intravenous trientine administration on the cardiovascular system and urinary excretion of copper and iron was studied in anesthetized , diabetic ( 6 weeks of diabetes , streptozotocin induced ) and nondiabetic rats . animals were assigned to one of four groups : diabetic + trientine , diabetic + saline , nondiabetic + trientine , nondiabetic + saline . drug , or an equivalent volume of saline , was administered hourly in doses of increasing strength ( 0 . 1 , 1 . 0 , 10 , 100 mg · kg − 1 ) and urine was collected throughout the experiment in 15 min aliquots . a terminal blood sample was taken and cardiac tissue harvested . analysis of urine samples showed the following main points : at all drug doses , diabetic and nondiabetic animals receiving drug excreted more cu ( μg ) than animals receiving an equivalent volume of saline . when analyzed per gram of bodyweight , diabetic animals excreted significantly more copper ( μg · gbw − 1 ) at each dose of trientine than did nondiabetic animals . the same pattern was seen in response to saline but the effect was not significant at every dose . at most doses , in diabetic animals iron excretion ( μg ) was greater in animals administered saline than in those administered drug . in nondiabetic animals there was no difference between iron excretion in response to saline or trientine administration . analysis per gram of body weight shows no difference between iron excretion in nondiabetic and diabetic animals receiving trientine . diabetic animals receiving saline excrete more iron per gram of bodyweight than nondiabetic animals receiving saline . analysis of heart tissue showed no significant difference in total copper content between diabetic and nondiabetic animals , nor any effect of drug on cardiac content of iron and copper . renal clearance calculations showed a significant increase in clearance of copper in diabetic animals receiving trientine compared with diabetic animals receiving saline . the same trend was seen in nondiabetic animals but the affect was not significant . there was no affect of trientine on renal clearance of iron . thus , there were no adverse cardiovascular effects were observed after acute administration of trientine . trientine treatment effectively increases copper excretion in both diabetic and nondiabetic animals . the excretion of copper in urine following trientine administration is greater per gram of bodyweight in diabetic than in nondiabetic animals . iron excretion was not increased by trientine treatment in either diabetic or nondiabetic animals . experiments relating to the efficacy of trientine to restore cardiac function in stz diabetic rats were also carried out . as noted above , histological evidence from earlier studies showed that treatment with trientine appears to protect the hearts of diabetic wistar rats from development of cardiac damage ( diabetic cardiomyopathy ), as judged by histology . however , it was unknown whether this histological improvement translates into an improvement in cardiac function . one aim of this study was to use an isolated - working - rodent heart model to compare cardiac function in trientine - treated and non - treated , stz diabetic and normal rats . male albino wistar rats weighing 330 - 430 g were assigned to four experimental groups as follows : d7 = trientine treatment for 7 consecutive weeks commencing 6 weeks after the start of the experiment . diabetes was induced by intravenous streptozotocin ( stz ; sigma ; st . louis , mo .). all rats were given a short inhalational anaesthetic ( induction : 5 % halothane and 2 l / min oxygen , maintained on 2 % halothane and 2 l / min oxygen ). those in the two diabetic groups then received a single intravenous bolus dose of stz ( 57 mg / kg body weight ) in 0 . 5 ml of 0 . 9 % saline administered via a tail vein . non - diabetic sham - treated animals received an equivalent volume of 0 . 9 % saline . diabetic and non - diabetic rats were housed in like - pairs and provided with free access to normal rat chow ( diet 86 pellets ; new zealand stock feeds , auckland , nz ) and deionized water ad libitum . each cage had two water bottles on it to ensure equal access to water or drug for each animal . animals were housed at 21 degrees and 60 % humidity in standard rat cages with a sawdust floor that was changed daily . blood glucose was measured in tail - tip capillary blood samples ( advantage ii , roche diagnostics , nz ltd ). sampling was performed on all groups at the same time of the day . blood glucose and body weight were measured on day 3 following stz / saline injection and then weekly throughout the study . diabetes was confirmed by presence of polydipsia , polyuria and hyperglycemia (& gt ; 11 mmol · l − 1 ). in the drug treated diabetic group , trientine was prepared in the drinking water for each cage at a concentration of 50 mg / l . each animal consumed about 260 ml water per day once diabetes was established , to yield a total drug dose per animal per day of ˜ 13 mg / kg . the trientine - containing drinking water was administered continuously from the start of week 7 until the animal was sacrificed at the end of week 13 . in the case of the sham / d7 non - diabetic group that drank less water per day than diabetic animals , the drug concentration in their drinking water was adjusted each week so that they consumed approximately the same dose as the corresponding stz / d7 group . at the time the drug started in the diabetic group the diabetic animals were expected to have to have established cardiomyopathy , as shown by preliminary studies ( data not shown ) and confirmed in the literature . see rodrigues b , et al ., diabetes 37 ( 10 ): 1358 - 64 ( 1988 ). on the last day of the experiment , animals were anesthetized ( 5 % halothane and 2 l · min − 1 o 2 ), and heparin ( 500 iu · kg − 1 ) ( weddel pharmaceutical ltd ., london ) administered intravenously via tail vein . a 2 ml blood sample was then taken from the inferior vena cava and the heart was then rapidly excised and immersed in ice - cold krebs - henseleit bicarbonate buffer to arrest contractile activity . hearts were then placed in the isolated perfused working heart apparatus . the aortic root of the heart was immediately ligated to the aortic cannula of the perfusion apparatus . retrograde ( langendorff ) perfusion at a hydrostatic pressure of 100 cm h 2 o and at 37 ° c . was established and continued for 5 min while cannulation of the left atrium via the pulmonary vein was completed . the non - working ( langendorff ) preparation was then converted to the working heart model by switching the supply of perfusate buffer from the aorta to the left atrium at a filling pressure of 10 cm h 2 o . the left ventricle spontaneously ejected into the aortic cannula against a hydrostatic pressure ( after - load ) of 76 cm h 2 o ( 55 . 9 mm hg ). the perfusion solution was krebs - henseleit bicarbonate buffer ( mm : kcl 4 . 7 , cacl 2 2 . 3 , kh 2 po 4 1 . 2 , mgso 4 1 . 2 , nacl 118 , and nahco 3 25 ), ph 7 . 4 containing 11 mm glucose and it was continuously gassed with 95 % o 2 : 5 % co 2 . the buffer was also continuously filtered in - line ( initial 8 μm , following 0 . 4 μm cellulose acetate filters ; sartorius , germany ). the temperature of the entire perfusion apparatus was maintained by water jackets and buffer temperature was continuously monitored and adjusted to maintain hearts at 37 ° c . throughout perfusion . a modified 24 g plastic intravenous cannula ( becton dickson , utah , usa ) was inserted into the left ventricle via the apex of the heart using the normal introducer - needle . this cannula was subsequently attached to a sp844 piezo - electric pressure transducer ( ad instruments ) to continuously monitor left ventricular pressure . aortic pressure was continuously monitored through a side arm of the aortic cannula with a pressure transducer ( statham model p23xl , gould inc ., ca , usa ). the heart was paced ( digitimer ltd , heredfordshire , england ) at a rate of 300 bpm by means of electrodes attached to the aortic and pulmonary vein cannulae using supra - threshold voltages with pulses of 5 - ms duration from the square wave generator . aortic flow was recorded by an in - line flow meter ( transonic t206 , ithaca , n . y ., usa ) and coronary flow was measured by timed 30 sec collection of the coronary vein effluent at each time point step of the protocol . the working heart apparatus used was a variant of that originally described by neely , j r , et al ., am j physiol 212 : 804 - 14 ( 1967 ). the modified apparatus allowed measurements of cardiac function at different pre - load pressures ( fig1 and fig1 ). this was achieved by constructing the apparatus so that the inflow height of the buffer coming to the heart could be altered through a series of graduated steps in a reproducible manner . as in the case of the pre - load , the outflow tubing from the aorta could also be increased in height to provide a series of defined after - load pressures . the after - load heights have been converted to mm hg for presentation in the results which is in keeping with published convention . all data from the pressure transducers and flow probe were collected ( powerlab 16s data acquisition machine ; ad instruments , australia ). the data processing functions of this device were used to calculate the first derivative of the two pressure waves ( ventricular and aortic ). the final cardiac function data available comprised : cardiac output ; aortic flow ; coronary flow ; peak left ventricular / aortic pressure developed ; maximum rate of ventricular pressure development (+ dp / dt ); maximum rate of ventricular pressure relaxation (− dp / dt ); maximum rate of aortic pressure development ( aortic + dp / dt ); maximum rate of aortic relaxation ( aortic − dp / dt ). [ cardiac output ( co ) is the amount of buffer pumped per unit time by the heart and is comprised of buffer that is pumped out the aorta as well as the buffer pumped into the coronary vessels . this is an overall indicator of cardiac function . *+ dp / dt is the rate of change of ventricular ( or aortic pressure ) and correlates well with the strength of the contraction of the ventricle ( contractility ). it can be used to compare contractility abilities of different hearts when at the same pre - load ( textbook of medical physiology , ed . a . guyton . saunders company 1986 ). − dp / dt is an accepted measurement of the rate of relaxation of the ventricle ]. the experiment was divided into two parts , the first with fixed after - load and variable pre - load the second , which immediately followed on from the first , with fixed pre - load and variable after - load . fixed after - load and changing pre - load : after the initial cannulation was completed , the heart was initially allowed to equilibrate for 6 min at 10 cm h 2 o atrial filling pressure and 76 cm h 2 o after - load . during this period the left ventricular pressure transducer cannula was inserted and the pacing unit started . once the heart was stable , the atrial filling pressure was then reduced to 5 cm h 2 o of water and then progressively increased in steps of 2 . 5 cm h 2 o over a series of 7 steps to a maximum of 20 cm h 2 o . the pre - load was kept at each filling pressure for 2 min , during which time the pressure trace could be observed to stabilize and the coronary flow was measured . on completion of the variable pre - load experiment , the variable after - load portion of the experiment was immediately commenced . fixed pre - load and changing after - load : during this part of the experiment the filling pressure ( pre - load ) was set at 10 cm h 2 o and the after - load was then increased from 76 cm h 2 o ( 55 . 9 mm hg ) in steps of 8 cm h 2 o ( 5 . 88 mm hg ); again each step was of 2 min duration . the maximum height ( after - load ) to which each individual heart was ultimately exposed , was determined either by attainment of the maximal available after - load height of 145 cm h 2 o ( 106 . 66 mm hg ), or the height at which measured aortic flow became 0 ml / min . in the later situation , the heart was considered to have “ functionally failed .” to ensure that this failure was indeed functional and not due to other causes ( e . g ., permanent ischaemic or valvular damage ) all hearts were then returned to the initial perfusion conditions ( pre - load 10 cm h 2 o ; after - load 75 cm h 2 o ) for 4 minutes to confirm that pump function could be restored . at the end of this period the hearts were arrested with a retrograde infusion of 0 . 4 ml of cold kcl ( 24 mm ). the atria and vascular remnants were then excised , the heart blotted dry and weighed . the ventricles were incised midway between the apex and atrioventricular sulcus . measurements of the ventricular wall thickness were then made using a micro - caliper ( absolute digimatic , mitutoyo corp , japan ). data from the powerlab was extracted by averaging 1 min intervals from the stable part of the electronic trace generated from each step in the protocol . the results from each group were then combined and analyzed for differences between the groups for the various cardiac function parameters ( aortic flow , cardiac flow , mlvdp , lv or aortic +/− dp / dt ). differences between repeated observations at different pre - load conditions were explored and contrasted between study group using a mixed models approach to repeated measures ( sas v8 . 1 , sas institute inc , cary n . c .). missing random data were imputed using a maximum likelihood approach . significant mean and interaction effects were further examined using the method of tukey to maintain a pairwise 5 % error rate for post hoc tests . all tests were two - tailed . survival analysis was done using proc liftest ( sas v8 . 2 ). a one - way analysis of variance was used to test for difference between groups in various weight parameters . tukey &# 39 ; s tests were used to compare each group with each other . in each graph unless otherwise stated . indicates p & lt ; 0 . 05 = stz v stz / d7 , #. p & lt ; 0 . 05 = stz / d7 v sham / d7 . results showing that the weights of the animals at the end of the experimental period are found in table 4 . diabetic animals were about 50 % smaller than their corresponding age matched normals . a graph of the percentage change in weight for each experimental group is found in fig5 , wherein the arrow indicates the start of trientine treatment . blood glucose values for the three groups of rats are presented in fig6 . generally , the presence of diabetes was established and confirmed within 3 - 5 days following the stz injection . the sham and sham / d7 control group remained normoglycemic throughout the experiment . treatment with the drug made no difference to the blood glucose profile ( p = ns ) in either treated group compared to their respective appropriate untreated comparison group . final heart weight and ventricular wall thickness measurements are presented in table 5 . there was a small but significant improvement in the “ heart : body weight ” ratio with treatment in the diabetic animals . there was a trend toward improved “ ventricular wall thickness : bodyweight ” ratio in treated diabetics compared to non - treated but this did not reach significance . part i results : the following graphs of fig7 to 12 represent cardiac performance parameters of the animals ( stz diabetic ; stz diabetic + drug ; and sham - treated controls ) while undergoing increasing atrial filling pressure ( 5 - 20 cm h 2 o , pre - load ) with a constant after - load of 75 cm h 2 o . all results are mean ± sem . in each graph for clarity unless otherwise stated , only significant differences related to the stz / d7 the other groups are shown : * indicates p & lt ; 0 . 05 for stz v stz / d7 , # p & lt ; 0 . 05 for stz / d7 v sham / d7 . unless stated , stz / d7 v sham or sham / d7 was not significant . cardiac output ( fig7 ) is the sum to the aortic flow ( fig1 ) and the coronary flow as displayed in fig8 . since the control hearts and experimental groups have significantly different final weights , the coronary flow is also presented ( fig9 ) as the flow normalized to heart weight ( note that coronary flow is generally proportional to cardiac muscle mass , and therefore to cardiac weight ) the first derivative of the pressure curve gives the rate of change in pressure development in the ventricle with each cardiac cycle and the maximum positive rate of change (+ dp / dt ) value is plotted in fig1 . the corresponding maximum rate of relaxation (− dp / dt ) is in fig1 . similar results showing improvement in cardiac function were found from the data derived from the aortic pressure cannula ( results not shown ). under conditions for constant pre - load and increasing after - load the ability of the hearts to cope with additional after - load work was assessed . the plot of functional survival , that is the remaining number of hearts at each after - load that still had an aortic output of greater than 0 ml / min is found in fig1 and table 6 . treatment with trientine had no obvious effect on blood glucose concentrations in the two diabetic groups ( as expected ). there was a small but significant improvement in the ( heart weight )/( body weight ) ratio in the trientine - treated diabetic group compared to that of the untreated diabetic group . when the pre - load was increased with the after - load held constant , cardiac output was restored to sham values . both the aortic and absolute coronary flows improved in the drug treated group . indicators for ventricular contraction and relaxation were both significantly improved in the drug treated group compared to equivalent values in the untreated diabetic group . the improvement restored function to such an extent that there was no significant difference between the drug treated and the sham - treated control groups . the aortic transducer measures of pressure change also showed improved function in the drug treated diabetic group compared to the untreated diabetics ( data not shown ). when after - load was increased in the presence of constant pre - load , it was observed that the heart &# 39 ; s ability to function at higher after - loads was greatly improved in the drug treated diabetic group compared to the untreated diabetic group . when 50 % of the untreated diabetic hearts had failed , about 90 % of the trientine treated diabetic hearts were still functioning . compared to the untreated diabetic hearts , the response of the drug treated diabetic hearts showed significant improvements in several variables : cardiac output , aortic flow , coronary flow , as well as improved ventricular contraction and relaxation indices . drug treatment of normal animals had no adverse effects on cardiac performance . it is concluded that treatment of stz diabetic rats with trientine dramatically improves several measures of cardiac function . it is also concluded that administration of oral trientine for 7 weeks in wistar rats with previously established diabetes of 6 weeks duration resulted in a global improvement in cardiac function . this improvement was demonstrated by improved contractile function (; + dp / dt ) and a reduction in ventricular stiffness (− dp / dt ). the overall ability of the trientine treated diabetic heart to tolerate increasing after - load was also substantially improved . therapeutic formulations for use in the methods and preparation of the compositions of the present invention can be prepared by any methods well known in the art of pharmacy . see , for example , gilman et al . ( eds .) g oodman and g ilman &# 39 ; s : t he p harmacological b ases of t herapeutics ( 8th ed .) pergamon press ( 1990 ); and remington , t he s cience of p ractice and p harmacy , 20th edition . ( 2001 ) mack publishing co ., easton , pa . ; avis et al . ( eds .) ( 1993 ) p harmaceutical d osage f orms : p arenteral m edications dekker , n . y . ; lieberman et al . ( eds .) ( 1990 ) p harmaceutical d osage f orms : t ablets dekker , n . y . ; and lieberman et al . ( eds .) ( 1990 ) p harmaceutical d osage f orms : d isperse s ystems dekker , n . y . dosage forms useful herein include any appropriate dosage form well known in the art to be suitable for pharmaceutical formulation of compounds suitable for administration to mammals particularly humans , particularly ( although not solely ) those suitable for stabilization in solution of therapeutic compounds for administration to mammals preferably humans . the dosage forms of the invention thus include any appropriate dosage form now known or later discovered in the art to be suitable for pharmaceutical formulation of compounds suitable for administration to mammals particularly humans , particularly ( although not solely ) those suitable for stabilization in solution of compounds for administration to mammals preferably humans . one example is oral delivery forms of tablet , capsule , lozenge , or the like form , or any liquid form such as syrups , aqueous solutions , emulsion and the like , capable of protecting the compound from degradation prior to eliciting an effect , for example , in the alimentary canal if an oral dosage form . examples of dosage forms for transdermal delivery include transdermal patches , transdermal bandages , and the like . included within the topical dosage forms are any lotion , stick , spray , ointment , paste , cream , gel , etc ., whether applied directly to the skin or via an intermediary such as a pad , patch or the like . examples of dosage forms for suppository delivery include any solid or other dosage form to be inserted into a bodily orifice ( particularly those inserted rectally , vaginally and urethrally ). examples of dosage units for transmucosal delivery include depositories , solutions for enemas , pessaries , tampons , creams , gels , pastes , foams , nebulised solutions , powders and similar formulations containing in addition to the active ingredients such carriers as are known in the art to be appropriate . examples of dosage units for depot administration include pellets or small cylinders of active agent or solid forms wherein the active agent is entrapped in a matrix of biodegradable polymers , microemulsions , liposomes or is microencapsulated . examples of implantable infusion devices include any solid form in which the active agent is encapsulated within or dispersed throughout a biodegradable polymer or synthetic , polymer such as silicone , silicone rubber , silastic or similar polymer . alternatively dosage forms for infusion devices may employ liposome delivery systems . depending on the disease to be treated and the subject &# 39 ; s condition , the compounds of the present invention may be administered by oral , parenteral ( for example , intramuscular , intraperitoneal , intravenous , icv , intracisternal injection or infusion , subcutaneous injection , or implant ), by inhalation spray , nasal , vaginal , rectal , sublingual , or topical routes of administration and may be formulated , alone or together , in suitable dosage unit formulations containing conventional non - toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers , adjuvants and vehicles appropriate for each route of administration . the pharmaceutical composition and method of the present invention may further comprise other therapeutically active compounds as noted herein which are usually applied in the treatment of the above mentioned conditions . in the treatment or prevention of conditions which require copper modulation an appropriate dosage level will generally be about 0 . 001 to 100 mg per kg patient body weight per day which can be administered in single or multiple doses . preferably , the dosage level will be about 0 . 01 to about 25 mg / kg per day ; more preferably about 0 . 05 to about 10 mg / kg per day . a suitable dosage level may be about 0 . 01 to 25 mg / kg per day , about 0 . 05 to 10 mg / kg per day , or about 0 . 1 to 5 mg / kg per day . within this range the dosage may be about 0 . 005 to about 0 . 05 , 0 . 05 to 0 . 5 or 0 . 5 to 5 mg / kg per day . for oral administration , the compositions are preferably provided in the form of tablets containing about 1 to 1000 milligrams of the active ingredient , particularly about 1 , 5 , 10 , 15 , 20 , 25 , 50 , 75 , 100 , 150 , 200 , 250 , 300 , 400 , 500 , 600 , 750 , 800 , 900 , and 1000 milligrams of the active ingredient for the symptomatic adjustment of the dosage to the patient to be treated . the compounds may be administered on a regimen of 1 to 4 times per day , preferably once or twice per day . it will be understood , however , that the specific dose level and frequency of dosage for any particular patient may be varied and will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed , the metabolic stability and length of action of that compound , the age , body weight , general health , sex , diet , mode and time of administration , rate of excretion , drug combination , the severity of the particular condition , and the host undergoing therapy . the compounds of the present invention can be combined with other compounds having related utilities to prevent and treat tissue damage or excess tissue copper . all patents , publications , scientific articles , web sites , and other documents and materials referenced or mentioned herein are indicative of the levels of skill of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains , and each such referenced document and material is hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if it had been incorporated by reference in its entirety individually or set forth herein in its entirety . applicants reserve the right to physically incorporate into this specification any and all materials and information from any such patents , publications , scientific articles , web sites , electronically available information , and other referenced materials or documents . the specific methods and compositions described herein are representative of preferred embodiments and are exemplary and not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention . other objects , aspects , and embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of this specification , and are encompassed within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the claims . it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . the invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements , or limitation or limitations , which is not specifically disclosed herein as essential . thus , for example , in each instance herein , in embodiments or examples of the present invention , any of the terms “ comprising ”, “ consisting essentially of ”, and “ consisting of ” may be replaced with either of the other two terms in the specification . as used herein the term “ and / or ” means both “ and ” and “ or ”. as used herein the addition of “( s )” as part of a word embraced both the singular and plural of that word . also , the terms “ comprising ”, “ including ”, containing ”, etc . are to be read expansively and without limitation . the methods and processes illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in differing orders of steps , and that they are not necessarily restricted to the orders of steps indicated herein or in the claims . it is also that as used herein and in the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ,” “ an ,” and “ the ” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . under no circumstances may the patent be interpreted to be limited to the specific examples or embodiments or methods specifically disclosed herein . under no circumstances may the patent be interpreted to be limited by any statement made by any examiner or any other official or employee of the patent and trademark office unless such statement is specifically and without qualification or reservation expressly adopted in a responsive writing by applicants . the terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation , and there is no intent in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalent of the features shown and described or portions thereof , but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as claimed . thus , it will be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features , modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art , and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims . the invention has been described broadly and generically herein . each of the narrower species and subgeneric groupings falling within the generic disclosure also form part of the invention . this includes the generic description of the invention with a proviso or negative limitation removing any subject matter from the genus , regardless of whether or not the excised material is specifically recited herein . other embodiments are within the following claims . in addition , where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of markush groups , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the markush group .	0
with reference to the drawings , embodiments of a system 10 , 110 incorporate a new way of thinking about how arbitrary devices or clients are incorporated into computer systems . this has led to the implementation of a system that allows , for example , an application on a distant or remote computer 13 , 113 to create a graphical user interface ( gui ) on a ( remote ) display 16 , 116 device and to handle the interactions with a person using the device 11 , 111 on which the display is located . one of the most basic problems in the construction of large systems concerns communication networks . systems that involve only a single computer are much easier to design and understand than systems that involve interactions between autonomous execution environments . an understanding of single computer design does not scale simply into an understanding of distributed system design . when thinking about any computer system , there are some questions whose answers are often enlightening : a system that has clear answers to these questions has a chance of working in a production environment . unfortunately , few of the large systems built so far satisfy this condition . instead : data is stored in databases , separate from the “ application ” and in a form that must be transformed when it crosses the boundary between the database and the rest of the system . pieces of application logic are scattered around the system , from database tables to application servers to clients . it is perceived as desirable to be able to create a mechanism that will allow interaction with arbitrary devices connected to a remote computer via a network using as little bandwidth as possible . in particular , it is desirable to be able to allow interaction between control applications on the remote computer and a client such as : desirably the interactions should work over low bandwidth connections . in particular , it is desirable to use the system over a 9600 baud modem line ( the communication rate of current mobile phone networks ). desirably , the mechanism should be “ natural ” for application programmers to use . they should not have to learn about the details of how the devices communicate with the system . they should be able to make use of the capabilities of external devices without losing the idea that they are building a direct model of an application . details should not influence design . various embodiments of the present invention achieve one or more of these desired attributes , broadly speaking , by the adoption of an approach whereby both the remote computer ( server ) and client application agree to adopt a “ capability set definition library ”. the adoption of this library permits the communication between the computers of short codes which can trigger much higher level data manipulation and utilisation with reference to a specified member or members of the capability set definition library . the members of the capability set definition library can be chosen or formulated with a view to the volume of communication traffic comprising the codes which can be tolerated for any given application and the likely communications environment in which it is expected to operate . so , for example , a local intranet or network having a high band width and reliable communications system in place could be expected to tolerate a much higher volume of data comprising or relating to the codes than a system which may have to operate over low band width dial up modems or the like . the concept of a capability set definition library is defined more fully immediately below and by way of example provided by the various embodiments to be described in detail below . adoption of the concept of a common , agreed capability set definition library permits the remote computer or server application to influence the operation of the client application if not , in some circumstances , entirely control it . the server application is able to do this by , effectively , building a local model of the operation of the client application . local operation on the model leads to equivalent operations taking effect on the client application . in order to create a capability set definition library it is first necessary to determine the desired or actual functionality of a device and then define operations which can be invoked on the device or by the device to give effect to that desired functionality . each operation is , effectively , a “ capability ” of that device and can form a member of the capability set definition library for that device . in particular instances the operations will be very basic or primitive capabilities and will be a subset of the total functionality of the device . so , for example , for a display device , one whose primary function is to display , the primitives will be display primitives which , for example , can be defined at the level of a character , the level of a geometrical shape or , alternatively , can be defined mathematically as vectors . these primitives , when invoked and caused to display according to their particular capability will drive the total appearance of the display device . in alternative embodiments the operations can comprise combinations of primitives which build to form a higher level or more sophisticated or more complex capability . these operations thus identified to give effect to the desired functionality are placed into a library so as to form the capability set definition library . the preferred criteria for selecting members of a capability set definition library are as follows : 2 . what the client wants to do or is expected to do with that capability ; and 3 . the bandwidth of the communications channel and / or other characteristics of the communications channel such as , for example , latency . taking into account the criteria the members of a capability set definition library can then be formulated so as to ensure acceptable performance by the client application . with reference to fig1 there is illustrated in block diagram form a flexible , distributed system for computer interaction 10 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention . in this case the system 10 comprises a device 11 which can communicate via communication channel 12 with a remote computer 13 . it is to be understood that both device 11 and remote computer 13 include computing means and memory within them ( not shown ) which permit the execution of software code . such code is most usually executed in the environment of an operating system operating on a computing hardware platform . example current operating systems include windows ™ 95 / 98 / ce / nt , unix , linux . example current hardware platforms include the intel series of microprocessors ( e . g . pentium ) and the motorola series of microprocessors . the system of this embodiment is not limited to operation on any particular hardware platform nor under any particular operating system . indeed it is expected that , most usually , the hardware platform of the remote computer 13 will differ from the hardware platform of the device 11 . similarly it is expected that , most usually , the operating system of remote computer 13 will differ from the operating system of device 11 . all that is required for operation of the system is a compatible communications protocol ( an example of which will be given in greater detail below ) to permit the transmission of data between remote computer 13 and device 11 . device 11 is adapted to run or execute via its computing means a client application 14 , the client application being able to reference a capability set definition library 15 also loaded or stored on device 11 . whilst device 11 can be almost any kind of device having a computing capability such as , currently but by no means exclusively , a personal computer , a personal digital assistant ( pda ), a “ palmtop ” or hand held ( e . g . windows ce ) computer or a controller device operating or assisting the operation of devices such as mobile phones , lifts , industrial controllers ( e . g . plc &# 39 ; s ) and the like the device 11 will be exemplified with reference to fig2 as a personal digital assistant ( pda ) having a display screen 16 which can communicate with a user via a graphical user interface ( gui ). in the specific example of fig2 and 3 the pda device 11 is loaded with a gui client application 14 which is capable of drawing specific objects on screen 16 so as to provide a graphical user interface with a user of pda device 11 . the objects which can form part or all of the graphical user interface are defined in the capability set definition library 15 , in this instance being “ flow panel ”, “ text field ” and “ button ”. the remote computer 13 is adapted to run a control application 17 , in this case a “ gui control application ”, the source code for which is listed in fig3 . the source code includes commands which rely on definitions of objects to be found in capability set definition library 18 which , in this example , correspond directly with the object definitions to be found in capability set definition library 15 on pda device 11 . that is , definitions are to be found in the library for “ flow panel ”, “ text field ” and “ button ” and giving rise to the same graphical constructs as displayed in fig2 on screen 16 . lines 16 , 17 and 38 , 39 define the objects which form the model 20 used by the control application 17 . in this instance , and with reference to earlier discussions in this specification as to the definition of the meaning of “ capability set ” and “ capability set definition library ” used in this specification , it is the case in this example that these three library members , flow panel , text field and button are each built from a combination of primitives . these library members are built from selected primitive functions of pda device 11 , specifically flow panel determines screen layout and relies on ( a ). text field relies on ( a ) to present an appearance recognisable to a user as a text field . it relies on ( b ) for selection of text . it relies on ( c ) for text character input . button relies on ( a ) to present an appearance which the user recognises as a button . it relies on ( b ) to recognise when the button has been clicked . with reference to fig4 initiation and maintenance of a communication session between device 11 and remote computer 13 over communication channel 12 is illustrated diagrammatically and indicates that a user ( not shown ) invokes client application 14 which , in turn , creates a remote control protocol ( rcp ) client 19 which then establishes an rcp connection 20 with an rcp server program 21 running on remote computer 13 which , in turn , communicates with , in this instance , gui control application 17 . it will be observed that a negotiation phase 22 initiates communication and establish an agreed capability set definition library which both the client application and the control application will reference . having established this agreement the communication moves to an activity phase 23 whereby predetermined aspects of operation of device 11 are determined by control application 17 with reference to the capability set definition library , which is to say the corresponding capability set definition library 18 for the control application 17 and the capability set definition library 15 for the client application 14 . as will be described in more detail below with reference to fig5 this arrangement permits a user to invoke the flow panel , text field and button appearing on screen 16 of the user &# 39 ; s pda device 11 and to have a text message which the user subsequently enters in the text field and a click of the button to be recognised by control application 17 . in practice far more complex interactions will occur . with reference to fig5 a through to fig5 k a more detailed description of the interaction between pda device 11 and remote computer 13 will be given and , in particular , describing in detail the character strings under a particular preferred remote control protocol ( rcp ) on the communication channel 12 : a pda device 11 , with a set of “ simple gui ” capabilities ( buttons , text fields , menus ) and a simple application called “ input ” that wants to display a text field and a button to get input from a user ( not shown ) of the pda device 11 . note that this example is slightly contrived for simplicity . in particular , issues about screen layout are avoided here . in this instance , the communication channel 12 comprises a tcp / ip network . the components of this scenario are outlined in fig5 a . communication over the network follows the following sequential steps : step 1 : the client application 14 running on the pda 11 establishes a connection to the remote computer 13 running the control application 17 called “ input ”. step 2 : the server software 24 accepts the incoming connection . step 3 : the server sends “ rcp / 1 . 0 ” to identify that it is using the rcp protocol , version 1 . 0 step 4 : the client receives the protocol version and verifies that it is as expected step 5 : the client sends the application name and capability set version . in this case , that is encoded : “ 5 ! input500 !” the capability set library , in this instance , comprises three members namely flow panel , text field , and button . step 6 : the server receives the message from the client step 7 : the server checks the capability set version ( 500 ) in this case to make sure the requested application can make use of that capability set . in this case , the check succeeds and the server sends “!” ( representing zero ) to indicate that the negotiation has succeeded . if initial negotiation indicates a partial overlap in capabilities of the proposed capability sets then a new capability set definition library would be defined comprising either a super set or a sub set of the first proposed libraries so as to ensure that an exact match of capabilities is achieved for both the server and the client . step 8 : the client receives the confirmation message from the server step 9 : in this case , there are no application parameters , so the client sends “!” ( representing zero ) to inform the server of the number of parameters , and the client becomes “ active ”. step 10 : the server receives the message and also becomes “ active ”. step 11 : the application now takes control of the connection . the first thing this application does is create a model 20 of the user interface which the application is programmed to present on pda 11 consisting of a text field object and a button object from the simple gui library of classes . this causes the following two commands to be sent from the server : “ n1 ! tf !”— creates a text field on the pda 11 corresponding to the text field object in the model 20 from the capability set with object identity “ 1 ”. “ n2 ! bu2 ! ok ”— creates a button on the pda 11 corresponding to the text field object in the model 20 with identity “ 2 ” containing the string “ ok ” step 12 : the client receives these two commands and creates the text field and button objects on the client as instructed . step 13 : the user can see the objects on the screen and interact with them . when the user enters something into the text field , the client generates the following event : “ e1 ! 2 ! tc ” step 14 : the server receives this event and the text field object created by the application is notified that its text has changed ( i . e . that the client has a new value ) step 15 . the user finishes entering the text “ hello ” into the text field and then clicks the button . this generates the following event sent from the client to the server : “ e2 ! 2 ! cl ” informing the server that the client &# 39 ; s button object has been clicked . step 16 : the server receives this event and the button object created by the application is notified that it was clicked . step 17 : the application responds to this notification by asking the text field what value it holds . step 18 : the text field knows that the contents held on the server are not up to date because of the earlier “ tc ” event , ( steps 13 and 14 ) so it requests the text from the client with the following “ get text ” command : step 19 : the client receives this command , and the text field on the client generates the following event : step 20 : the server receives and decodes this event , and the application is informed of the result . note that at this point , the user has entered data into a remote application 17 running on remote computer 13 . there has been a total of 30 bytes sent from the server remote computer 13 to the client device 11 and 40 bytes sent from the client device 11 to the server remote computer 13 . step 21 : the remote application 17 changes the model 20 by creating a new window object . this change is communicated to the client application by sending the event “ n3 ! din5 ! hello ” “ m3 ! 3 ! svy ” with the end result that a new window with the title “ hello ” is displayed on the gui interface of the pda client . it will be observed that this last step illustrates the active ability of the server application to influence the client application and to do so in a manner which requires only relatively short codes to trigger what can be high level data manipulation or other “ high level ” activity on or by the client . in light of the above more detailed account , the example application source code of fig3 will also be described in greater detail corresponding to the usage scenario described above with reference to fig5 a - 5 j . the source code of gui control application 17 contains everything that an application programmer would need to know to make use of the system 10 . all of the details about the establishment of the communication session and the messages that are passed back and forth between the device and the computer are hidden from applications . with reference to fig3 : the application is started by calling the method named “ start ” ( line 22 ). this method registers the application with the name “ input ” so that a client can later interact with it . this must be done on the computer before step 1 in the usage scenario . when a client establishes a connection , it is accepted by the server / library code , and after negotiation the application is activated . this results in the server / library code invoking the “ newconnection ” method ( line 35 ). this corresponds to step 11 in the usage scenario . this application creates four objects , a frame , a flow panel , a text field and a button ( lines 41 - 44 ). the application also registers itself with the button so it can be notified when the button is clicked ( line 48 ). these are then displayed on the newly established connection ( line 51 ). this results in four “ new ” commands being sent to the client . when the user clicks the button ( step 15 ), the client sends an event to the server , which then passes it to the button . so far , this is invisible to the application . the button then notifies the application ( step 16 ) by calling the “ buttonclick ” method ( line 55 ). this application then prints out a message on the computer to show that it has been informed that the button was clicked . having now described a simplified example of interaction the reader is referred to annexure a which is a specification for the remote control protocol ( rcp ) and to annexure b which is a specification for a capability set suitable for the gui example previously given . both of annexures a and b form part of this specification . implementation can be in any suitable programming language such as , for example , c ++. with reference to fig6 there is shown an implementation of a flexible , distributed system for computer interaction according to a second embodiment of the invention and , in particular , showing more detail of an implementation on a remote computer . in this embodiment like components are numbered as for the first embodiment , except that they are prefixed with the numeral 1 to provide a “ 100 ” series of numbers . so , for example , remote computer 13 of the first embodiment becomes remote computer 113 of the second embodiment . with reference to fig6 there is illustrated in block diagram form a remote computer 113 connected via communications channel 112 to a client device 111 . within remote computer 113 a capability set definition library 118 is in communication with a plurality of applications including a particular control application 117 . the applications run under and with reference to kernel 130 of an operation system . the relevant parts of a high level architecture of the environment in which applications for system 110 are written is as follows : the capability set definition library 118 , which is a set of classes that allows control applications 117 to display graphical user interfaces , and includes a server , which sends commands to the client device 111 describing layout of gui elements in windows and receives and processes events from the client device 111 . the client application 114 , which is a program that runs on device 111 with a display 116 and presents a user interface . it performs commands as instructed by the server and responds to the user &# 39 ; s interactions by sending events to the server . the client application should be can be installed as a web browser plug - in for easy access to kernel services ; and available across a range of platforms , with implementations for windows , unix , macos , palm os , phones , etc . has built in , transparent , standards - compliant security ( based on ssl / tls , x . 509 certificates ); supports coordination of services to provide a distributed business transaction ( e . g ., amazon writes code to choose books then links in fedex for shipping and visa for payment ); is an extensible model can take advantage of higher bandwidth if available ( plug - ins for streaming audio / video , canvas support , etc . ); and the system 110 is designed by concentrating on device capabilities as a central idea . each device that an application may want to interact with has certain capabilities . it might be able to display a particular set of gui elements such as buttons and text fields , or it may have a very limited display such as that found on a mobile phone . to integrate diverse capabilities into a single programming model , the idea is to represent the capabilities of a device in an abstract model on the server . this involves creating a “ class ” for each of the capabilities a client might have . in the case of a desktop client , the capabilities include : the ability to place gui elements ( buttons , text fields , etc .) inside windows ; and the preferred capabilities set , comprising a gui library thus includes classes corresponding to windows , buttons , text fields , and web viewers . some devices may also have additional capabilities such as handlers for specific types of data , unusual input devices like cameras and microphones , and so on . each of these can be modeled on the server by a class . to make use of a device in this model , its primitive operations must be abstracted into a capability set . the same device may be abstracted in different ways . for example , a device with a bitmapped display can be abstracted either as a primitive such as a simple frame buffer that allows applications to set the color of each pixel , or it can be abstracted in terms of higher level gui constructs composed of multiple primitives such as buttons , text fields and tree controls . the level of abstraction will determine the bandwidth requirements and the application interface . a capability set is implemented by a set of classes ( called the capability set model ), and a set of client classes ( called the client capability set ). a device may implement more than one capability set , and an application may be written to make use of more than one capability set . to establish an active connection , the client and server must agree on which capability set to use for the remainder of the connection . reaching this agreement is the purpose of negotiation . the client and server negotiate about the capabilities to be used for this session the client and server agree on a versioned set of classes , including a basic capability set ( e . g . desktop pc , palm device , robot ) once client and server agree on the classes representing the basic capability set , the operations are simple : check whether a particular extension supported ( e . g ., can the client handle a particular kind of data , or is a particular input device available , etc .) the “ objects ” constructed on the client are very different from the objects being manipulated by server applications . on the client side the objects have direct control of the corresponding capability of the underlying client device . on the server side , they are only lightweight models . all messages are class - specific ( i . e ., not specified by the basic protocol ), so the implementation of each server class and the client class must match for the system to work . this can be achieved for example by requiring that all interfaces including extended capability classes are versioned , so that the set of classes that the client and server agree on match . a device 111 with the client application 114 has an extra capability , the ability to make further connections to other servers . that is , a recursive capability which can be supported in exactly the same way as “ ordinary ” capabilities described thus far . this particular capability is interesting , however , because it provides further new ways to use the client program : one application can cause the client to make a sub - connection to another application e . g . of use : bookshop implements book choosing , then delegates to fedex for shipping and visa for payment with reference to fig7 possibilities resulting from invoking of multiple connections , for example over the internet , are illustrated diagrammatically including the recursive scenario referred to above . the end result is a powerful system which , when tuned appropriately , can provide rapid response times as perceived by a user operating the devices , 11 , 111 , 211 notwithstanding that a significant level of overhead is initiated in the process on remote computers 13 , 113 , 213 . with reference to fig8 an example is given where the client device is a mobile telephone 21 and the capabilities ( or individual functions ) which work together to define the total functionality of the mobile phone can include : these defined capabilities can be thought of as primitives , each of which defines only a small portion of the total functionality of the mobile phone device but which , when collected together , provide , in totality , useful capabilities grouped into the device commonly known as a mobile telephone . in this instance it is desirable to select the capabilities with a view to minimising the amount of update information that will need to be passed between the client device and remote computer having the control application on it . typically the aim will be not to define the capabilities at a very high level which would require the passing of many parameters between the client and the remote computer in order to update the status of that capability or to implement that capability . equally it will typically not be desirable to define the capabilities at too low a level where the number of capabilities needed to be invoked and / or kept track of in order to provide meaningful functionality on the client device will be too large which , in turn , will also contribute to an unnecessarily large amount of traffic passing between the client device and the remote computer . with reference to fig9 an example is illustrated wherein the client device is a lift controller 22 and its capabilities are broken down into the following members : with reference to fig1 there is illustrated a particular implementation of the arrangement of fig6 and wherein the client is a laptop computer 23 which is loaded with the capability set definitions by means of a cd - rom 24 having thereon the necessary definitions . in an alternative form the definitions can be downloaded via the internet from a host site . the system according to various embodiments of the invention can be applied on almost any device which has a computing capability and the ability to communicate with other computing devices , whether on a one to one basis or as part of a much wider network of computing devices . the system can be utilised to enhance the capabilities of personal computing devices such as pda &# 39 ; s , pc &# 39 ; s , hand held computers and the like . it can also be used to enhance the capability of computer enabled industrial devices including controllers of various kinds such as lift controllers , programmable logic controllers and the like . the above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications , obvious to those skilled in the art , can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention .	7
in the description that follows , the terms “ upper ,” “ lower ,” “ left ,” and “ right ” refer to the particular figure . identical or identically functioning parts are labeled with the same reference characters whenever possible , and are described only once . fig1 is a longitudinal section through an exemplifying embodiment of an arrangement 20 according to the present invention . the latter has externally an approximately cylindrical fan housing 22 . this is connected , via obliquely extending struts or spokes 32 , to cylindrical part 36 of a pump housing that , in the completed state , is closed off by a cover 38 on which is located an inlet tube 40 . cover 38 can be connected to part 36 in liquid - tight fashion , for example by way of an adhesive join , by plastic welding , by means of an o - ring seal , etc . part 36 transitions on its left side ( in fig1 ) into a portion 44 that proceeds perpendicular to a rotation axis 42 and transitions on its radially inner side into a cylindrical partitioning tube 46 . at its left end ( in fig1 ) partitioning tube 46 is closed off by a portion 48 , on which is mounted in suitable fashion a shaft 50 that is made of a ceramic material and projects to the right , in the direction defined by rotation axis 42 . partitioning tube 46 and portion 48 together form a so - called partitioning can 52 . the latter can also have a geometrical shape other than the one depicted in fig1 . a partitioning tube or partitioning can is understood in electrical engineering as a component , made of a nonmagnetic material such as plastic or stainless steel , that extends at least in part through the air gap of a magnetic circuit and forms there a fluid barrier that does not , or does not substantially , impede the magnetic flux in the air gap . the term “ canned motor ” is often used . adjoining portion 48 on the left is a non - rotating shaft 54 . the latter has an outer corrosion - inhibiting layer 49 that is formed by a plastic , normally the plastic of partitioning can 52 with which said layer 49 is usually integrally configured . located inside layer 49 is ceramic shaft 50 , which therefore in this case has the function , together with plastic layer 49 , of forming and stiffening second shaft 54 . journaled on it by means of a left rolling bearing 55 and a right rolling bearing 56 is a sleeve 57 ( fig2 ), made of soft ferromagnetic material , that is part of a rotor 60 whose rotor magnet is labeled 64 . the outer corrosion - inhibiting layer 49 also produces hermetic sealing of the region through which a liquid flows , which region is depicted on the right in fig1 . the risk of leaks thereby becomes particularly low . layer 49 , applied by injection molding , also ensures that the straightness and running tolerance of shaft 54 , relative to shaft 50 and relative to an opening 72 described below , are further improved , resulting in an even lower level of solid - borne sound for the entire unit . sleeve 57 made of ferromagnetic material has a dual function : it forms a magnetic yoke for rotor magnet 64 , which latter is depicted particularly clearly in fig2 and is implemented as a cylindrical ring made of magnetic material that , as depicted , is preferably magnetized radially , e . g . with four poles that are indicated partly in fig2 . sleeve 57 is connected for this purpose , at a lower ( in fig2 ) region 58 , to the inner side of rotor magnet 64 , for example by adhesive bonding or by being pressed on . it forms the hub of a fan wheel 80 of any design , which wheel will be described below with reference to an example and rotates during operation about non - rotating shaft 54 , being driven by rotor 60 . as fig1 shows , ring magnet 64 is separated by an air gap 66 from stator 68 of an electronically commutated internal - rotor motor ( ecm ) 70 . as fig1 shows , stator 68 is mounted in the cylindrical opening 72 of a carrier part 74 that preferably is implemented integrally with portion 44 . during operation , ring magnet 64 rotates around partitioning can 52 . fan wheel 80 , which can be implemented e . g . as an axial , diagonal , or radial fan wheel , is mounted on sleeve 57 . said fan wheel has an approximately cylindrical outer part 81 whose outside diameter corresponds to that of the carrier part , and fan blades 82 are arranged , in the manner depicted in fig1 , on said part 81 . during operation , blades 82 rotate within fan housing 22 and deliver air through it . fan wheel 80 is preferably injection - mounted onto sleeve 57 by plastic injection molding . for that purpose , sleeve 57 is placed into the injection mold before the injection operation . alternatively , fan wheel 80 can also be manufactured as an individual part , and then pressed or adhesively bonded onto sleeve 57 . pump wheel 90 of a centrifugal pump or other fluid kinetic machine 91 is rotatably journaled on shaft 50 by means of a plain bearing 89 , said pump wheel preferably being implemented integrally with a plastic - matrix first permanent magnet 92 . the latter preferably has the same number of magnet poles as ring magnet 76 ( which hereinafter will also be referred to as the second permanent magnet ), and forms therewith a magnetic coupling 93 that transfers to pump wheel 90 , through partitioning can 92 , the torque generated by motor 70 , and thereby drives said wheel at the rotation speed of rotor 60 . the result is that during operation , liquid is drawn in through connecting pipe 40 in the direction of an arrow 94 , and delivered outward through an outlet connecting pipe ( not depicted ). rotor 60 therefore drives not only fan wheel 80 by way of a direct mechanical coupling , but also pump wheel 90 via magnetic coupling 93 . it is space - saving and therefore very advantageous that motor 70 and magnetic coupling 93 are nested into one another , magnet 92 of pump wheel 90 being the innermost rotating element . this enables the diameter of magnet 92 to be made as small as is tolerable , given the torque to be transferred . because magnet 92 rotates directly in the pumped fluid , the fluid immediately adjacent to it adheres directly to it , and moves at the same circumferential speed . this fluid also adheres at the interface to the stationary partitioning can 52 , with the result that it is at a standstill there . a monotonic velocity gradient exists between these two extreme values . the fluid in the gap between first magnet 90 and housing 52 is thus exposed to shear stresses , and frictional losses occur because of the viscosity of the fluid . a critical factor for these losses is the diameter of the rotating surfaces , the square of which diameter enters into the equation for the frictional torque . the frictional power dissipation thus increases as the cube of the diameter ( d 3 ) of the rotating surfaces , and can consequently be minimized in the context of the present invention . the design that has been depicted and described allows very high efficiency for a pump of this kind that is driven via a magnetic coupling 93 , since the rotating surfaces on first magnet 92 can be implemented to be small . as already stated , the smallest possible diameter is determined by the torque that must be transferred by magnetic coupling 93 . if the diameter were made even smaller , this would result in a decrease in pump output , i . e . with the arrangement described , the magnetic coupling can be designed so that good efficiency is obtained at the working point . further optimization is possible by using particularly high - grade magnetic materials for permanent magnets 64 and 92 . this allows a further reduction in the diameters of the rotating surfaces , which yields particularly high efficiency , but it increases cost . as fig1 and fig2 show , in this embodiment the sleeve 57 has a radially inwardly protruding projection 100 that , in fig2 , separates a short lower cylindrical portion 102 from a long upper cylindrical portion 104 of the same diameter . outer ring 105 of rolling bearing 56 is placed into portion 102 , and the lower ( in fig2 ) shoulder 106 forms a stop for the upper shoulder of outer ring 105 . inner ring 108 of rolling bearing 56 is slid onto shaft 54 . projection 100 has an upper ( in fig2 ) shoulder 110 that serves as an abutment for the lower end of a compression spring 112 whose upper end bears against the lower shoulder of outer ring 114 of upper abutment 55 . the latter has an inner ring 116 whose upper shoulder abuts against a retaining member 120 such as a snap ring or a claw washer . an example of a claw washer 120 is depicted in fig4 and 5 . as depicted , a snap ring is mounted in an annular groove of shaft 54 , and claw washer 120 can be directly pressed , to the correct dimension , onto shaft 54 into the desired position . a claw washer 120 can be particularly advantageous for leak - prevention reasons . fig4 and 5 show a typical claw washer 120 at enlarged scale . it has claws 121 that protrude radially inward from an outer ring 123 and , upon assembly , dig into plastic layer 49 of shaft 54 and thereby retain the inner ring of rolling bearing 56 in its position . fig5 shows claw washer 120 at approximately actual size , i . e . at 1 : 1 scale . under load , compression spring 112 presses outer ring 114 of rolling bearing 55 upward , and thereby biases outer ring 114 with respect to inner ring 116 ; this produces quiet running . stator 74 , on which are arranged left - hand ( in fig1 ) shaft 54 and right - hand shaft 50 , is installed first . rolling bearing 56 is then slid , pressed , or adhesively bonded onto shaft 54 . rotor 60 is then inserted so that shoulder 106 of projection 100 abuts against outer ring 105 of rolling bearing 56 . alternatively , rolling bearing 56 can also be first slid , pressed , or adhesively bonded into sleeve 57 and into portion 102 , and rotor 60 together with rolling bearing 56 is then slid or pressed onto shaft 54 . compression spring 112 is then inserted so that its lower end abuts against shoulder 110 , and rolling bearing 55 is then brought into the position shown in fig1 and 2 , spring 112 being loaded and rolling bearing 55 being retained in this position by snap ring 120 . a cover is then inserted into an opening 124 provided therefor , in order to protect rolling bearings 55 and 56 from contamination . one such cover 230 is depicted and described in fig3 . rolling bearings 55 and 56 journal sleeve 57 and , with it , fan wheel 80 and ring magnet 64 , which in turn is driven by internal - rotor motor 70 during operation . pump 91 is driven via magnetic coupling 93 , ring magnet 64 of internal - rotor motor 70 interacting with ring magnet 92 of pump wheel 90 as magnetic coupling 93 . fig3 shows a variant of the first exemplifying embodiment according to fig1 and 2 . this variant is identical to fig1 and 2 with regard to pump 91 , internal - rotor motor 70 , and shafts 50 and 54 , and differs in terms of the manner of journaling ; for that reason , only the differing parts are depicted in order to avoid unnecessary length . in fig3 as well , a sleeve 157 made of soft ferromagnetic material is used ; onto its outer side , at 58 , rotor magnet 64 is adhesively bonded or pressed on so that sleeve 157 serves as a soft ferromagnetic yoke for ring magnet 64 , which is implemented identically to rotor magnet 64 according to fig1 and 2 . sleeve 157 also serves as a carrier for fan wheel 80 . the sleeve has at its right end ( in fig3 ) an inwardly projecting shoulder 160 that serves as a stop for a right rolling bearing 156 that is introduced with its outer ring 205 into sleeve 157 and is applied with its inner ring 208 onto shaft 54 ; both operations are possible by sliding on , pressing on , or adhesive bonding . a left rolling bearing 155 is also slid with its outer ring 214 into sleeve 157 and is supported there by means of a snap ring 220 that is inserted into an annular groove 222 on inner side 224 of sleeve 157 . alternatively , retaining member 220 can also be embodied as a claw washer that is pressed to the correct dimension , i . e . as far as the desired position , into sleeve 157 . inner ring 216 of rolling bearing 155 is arranged on shaft 54 with a slight clearance , in order to enable bracing by a compression spring 212 that is arranged on shaft 54 between the two inner rings 208 , 216 . the two rolling bearings 155 , 156 are reciprocally biased with respect to one another by it , resulting in particularly quiet running of arrangement 20 . the advantage that results , as compared with fig2 , is that spring 112 can be smaller and thus more economical , and that it is easier to manufacture a permanent annular groove 222 in metal part 157 . assembly is similar to what was described with reference to fig1 and 2 . firstly , stator 68 is installed , usually together with pump 91 . the latter can , of course , also be installed later . the rotor with ring magnet 64 , and sleeve 157 with rolling bearing 156 arranged therein , are then installed on shaft 54 . these are followed by bracing spring 212 , left rolling bearing 155 , and lastly retaining member 220 , e . g . a snap ring or a claw washer . lastly , a cover 230 , that protects bearings 155 , 156 from contamination , is installed . numerous variants and modifications are of course possible within the scope of the present invention .	5
reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of phosphor / frit glass materials and their use in led articles , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . whenever possible , the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . one embodiment is an article comprising a glass layer , wherein the layer comprises a glass comprising bi 2 o 3 and at least 30 mol % b 2 o 3 ; and at least one phosphor , wherein the layer is a fired mixture of a frit comprising the bi 2 o 3 and b 2 o 3 and the at least one phosphor , and wherein the layer is pb free . another embodiment is a method for making a glass article , the method comprising : providing a glass composition comprising bi 2 o 3 and at least 30 mol % b 2 o 3 ; grinding the glass into particles to form a frit glass having the composition ; blending the frit glass with one or a more phosphors to form a phosphor - frit glass mixture ; converting the phosphor - frit glass mixture into a paste by adding at least one organic liquid to the mixture ; firing the applied paste to burn out organic material to form a phosphor - frit glass . providing a glass composition comprising bi 2 o 3 and at least 30 mol % b 2 o 3 ; grinding the glass into particles to form a frit glass having the composition ; blending the frit glass with one or more phosphors to form a phosphor - frit glass mixture ; converting the milled and sieved phosphor - frit glass mixture into a paste by adding at least one organic liquid to the mixture ; 10 - 30 % bi 2 o 3 ; greater than 0 % na 2 o ; 15 - 50 % zno , znf 2 , or a combination thereof ; 30 - 55 % b 2 o 3 ; 0 - 3 % sio 2 ; 0 - 1 % wo 3 ; 0 - 12 % bao , cao , sro , or combinations thereof . the glass composition , according to some embodiments , comprises at least 1 % na 2 o . 12 - 20 % bi 2 o 3 ; 5 - 12 % na 2 o ; 20 - 30 % zno ; 38 - 52 % b 2 o 3 ; 0 - 3 % sio 2 ; 0 - 1 % wo 3 ; 1 - 12 % bao , cao , sro , or combinations thereof . 14 - 16 % bi 2 o 3 ; 5 - 11 % na 2 o ; 22 - 27 % zno ; 40 - 51 % b 2 o 3 ; 0 - 3 % sio 2 ; 0 - 1 % wo 3 ; 1 - 11 % bao , cao , sro , or combinations thereof . the glass composition , according to some embodiments , has a refractive index of 1 . 81 - 1 . 83 at 473 nm and a glass transition temperature of 460 ° c . or less . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass comprising in mole percent : 10 - 30 % bi 2 o 3 ; 0 - 20 % m 2 o , wherein m is li , na , k , cs , or combinations thereof ; 0 - 20 % ro , wherein r is mg , ca , sr , ba , or combinations thereof ; 15 - 50 % zno , znf 2 , or a combination thereof ; 0 - 5 % al 2 o 3 ; 0 - 5 % p 2 o 5 ; and 30 - 55 % b 2 o 3 . 0 - 6 li 2 o ; 0 - 20 na 2 o ; 0 - 10 k 2 o ; and 0 - 3 cs 2 o . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass further comprising 0 - 5 % tio 2 , zro 2 , ta 2 o 5 , moo 3 , wo 3 , or combinations thereof . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass further comprising 0 - 15 % sio 2 . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass further comprising 0 - 5 % of one or more rare - earth dopants . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass comprising 0 - 5 % of eu 2 o 3 . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass comprising in mole percent : 10 - 30 % bi 2 o 3 ; greater than 0 % na 2 o ; 15 - 50 % zno , znf 2 , or a combination thereof ; 30 - 55 % b 2 o 3 ; 0 - 3 % sio 2 ; 0 - 1 % wo 3 ; 0 - 12 % bao , cao , sro , or combinations thereof . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass comprising at least 1 % na 2 o . the article , according to some embodiments , comprises a glass comprising 15 - 50 % zno . 12 - 20 % bi 2 o 3 ; 5 - 12 % na 2 o ; 20 - 30 % zno ; 38 - 52 % b 2 o 3 ; 0 - 3 % sio 2 ; 0 - 1 % wo 3 ; 1 - 12 % bao , cao , sro , or combinations thereof . 14 - 16 % bi 2 o 3 ; 5 - 11 % na 2 o ; 22 - 27 % zno ; 40 - 51 % b 2 o 3 ; 0 - 3 % sio 2 ; 0 - 1 % wo 3 ; 1 - 11 % bao , cao , sro , or combinations thereof . the glass can further comprise 0 - 5 % tio 2 , zro 2 , ta 2 o 5 , moo 3 , wo 3 , or combinations thereof . the glass can further comprise 0 - 5 % of one or more alkaline earth metals . the glass can also further comprise 0 - 25 % sio 2 . in some embodiments , the glass has a refractive index in the range of from 1 . 8 to 1 . 9 . the glass can have a glass transition temperature of 460 ° c . or less . the difference in refractive index between the frit and the at least one phosphor can be ≦ 0 . 20 ( e . g ., less than 0 . 2 or less than 0 . 1 ) in some embodiments . in one embodiment , the surface can be either a surface of a substrate or surface of a carrier substrate , for example , a glass or tape , respectively . the article can further comprise a substrate having the glass layer disposed thereon . the cte of the glass layer and the substrate can be within ± 2 × 10 − 6 of each other . in one embodiment , the substrate can be a glass substrate . the glass substrate can have a thickness of 5 mm or less , for example , 4 mm or less , for example , 3 mm or less , for example , 2 mm or less , for example , 1 mm or less , for example , 0 . 5 mm or less . the glass substrate can be a thin flexible glass substrate . in one embodiment , the carrier substrate can be a tape or substrate in which the glass layer can be removed from after it is made . the glass layer can be removed from the carrier and then attached to another surface after fabrication and also fired on its own . the glass layer can have a thickness of 5 mm or less , for example , 4 mm or less , for example , 3 mm or less , for example , 2 mm or less , for example , 1 mm or less , for example , 0 . 5 mm or less , for example , 0 . 4 mm or less , for example , 0 . 3 mm or less , for example , 0 . 2 mm or less , for example , 0 . 1 mm or less , for example , 0 . 09 mm or less , for example , 0 . 08 mm or less , for example , 0 . 07 mm or less , for example , 0 . 06 mm or less , for example , 0 . 05 mm or less . in some embodiments , the glass layer has a thickness of from 0 . 01 to 1 mm , for example , from 0 . 01 mm to 0 . 2 mm . the glass layer , on the substrate or alone , can be used to fabricate led lights in for example , fabrication processes such as wafer sized processes , for example , 6 inches by 6 inches or even larger . multiple leds can be fabricated on the glass layer and separated into single leds after fabrication . in an embodiment one or more phosphors are mixed with a glass frit material ( the encapsulating material ) to form a phosphor - frit glass mixture , and then applied to an led , for example , a gan or ingan led , within a vessel . in fig2 , which is similar to fig1 , a phosphor 114 ( illustrated as circular dots ) has been mixed with a glass frit material 116 to form a phosphor - frit glass mixture which is fired to create a glass sheet having a phosphor embedded into it . in addition , package 120 shown in fig2 illustrates the led 110 , wire bonds 112 and package substrate 118 and the vessel or cup 122 . the phosphor - containing frit glass mixture ( 114 , 116 ) can also be applied to a substrate using standard paste processes , by a screen printing , or by spraying , followed by firing to produce a dense glass layer , the phosphor / frit layer , overlying the foregoing substrate . since the fired phosphor - containing frit mixture is a glass , a cover lens may not be required . this disclosure is directed to the preparation , application , and thermal processing of the mixed frit / phosphor materials in the form shown in fig2 . the disclosure further includes a choice of frit glass compositions that can be used to provide the correct thermal characteristics while being consistent with the addition of the phosphor and its application to an appropriate glass substrate . in various embodiments , the bi - containing borate glasses are envisaged to be used as encapsulating frits in either of two methodologies . in one case , a mixture of powdered glass and phosphor , blended with a suitable organic binder , dispersant and solvent , is screen printed onto a thin , high thermal expansion coefficient glass substrate . examples of the substrate include any of the high na content aluminosilicate glasses that corning manufactures via the fusion process . screen printing typically involves the deposition of multiple layers in order to build up a phosphor - frit layer of sufficient thickness . the substrate / frit assembly is then fired at ˜ 350 ° c . in order to burn off the organic constituents of the paste , and then subsequently heated to 500 - 550 ° c . to sinter the frit to a sufficiently transparent state . in embodiments , the binder can be fully removed or substantially removed from the glass composition prior to sintering . as such , the temperature at which binder burnout occurs can be less than the sintering temperature . in further embodiments , the loading of phosphor in the sintered glass can range from about 1 to 30 vol . %, e . g ., 1 , 2 , 5 , 10 , 15 , 20 or 30 percent by volume . in order to avoid reduction of bi , the sintering may be carried out in an o 2 - enriched atmosphere rather than air . exemplary glasses 15 , 10 , 29 , 31 , 71 , 84 and 97 from the tables have been processed in this fashion to yield an encapsulated phosphor layer of sufficient transparency ( e . g ., at least 60 % or at least 70 %). in another embodiment , a free - standing frit / phosphor film is made by a tape casting procedure . exemplary glass sample 29 and ce : yag phosphor powders were jet milled to d50 of & lt ; 5 um . a tape casting slip was prepared by mixing the powders in a proportion of 85 volume % exemplary glass 29 and 68 ( from the tables below ) and 15 volume % ce : yag in ethyl acetate solvent with emphos ps - 236 dispersant and polypropylene carbonate binder . slip was cast using a 22 - mil draw - down blade on telfon carrier film . the tape was dried , released and sintered at 550 ° c . in air . the sample remains substantially glassy after such treatment . polypropylene carbonate was chosen as binder as we found it critical to employ a binder which burns out at & lt ; 300 ° c . in order to prevent trapping of organics in the sintered glass matrix . the tape was sintered on a fibrous alumina setterboard with alumina felt as a cover . the fibrous board limits bonding of the glass to the setter during firing . precise dimensioned parts were cut from the sintered tape using an ablative laser cutting system with an nd : yvo4 laser at 355 nm . the final thickness of the ce : yag in glass sample was 100 um , though thicknesses in the range of 50 to 250 microns are contemplated . casting uniformity was improved with polypropylene carbonate ( ppc ) binder using a solvent system comprising dimethylcarbonate ( dmc ) and propylene glycol diacetate ( pgd ). of the relatively limited set of solvents known to solubilize ppc , dmc and pgd are advantageous in that they are relatively non - toxic , readily dissolve ppc and the solvent evaporation rate can be tuned by adjusting the proportion of pgd ( low volatility ) to dmc ( high volatility ). a smooth setter board is advantageous to improve the surface finish of the fired composite . the glass compositions described herein fire at a relatively low temperature of about 600 ° c . or less . at this temperature , stainless steel setter boards with a smooth surface may be used . lower firing temperature can eliminate or substantially minimize the issue of glass reaction with the phosphor particle . the particle size distribution of the glass frit may be instrumental in achieving good optical performance , especially high quantum efficiency . much improved performance is found if the glass powder average particle size is above about 10 um . it is believed larger glass particle size mitigates reduction of bi 2 o 3 contained in the glass during sintering of the glass / phosphor composite . composites made with a glass having a particle size distribution d50 under 1 um are less transparent than composites made with the same glass at a d50 of over 1 um , for example , over 10 um . it is also anticipated that , in the case of a yag - based phosphor , which has similar density to the glass compositions described herein , that the particle size be similar to reduce segregation of the glass and phosphor particles during drying of the green tape . fig3 is a graph comparing the total transmission spectra of tape cast glass - phosphor films made from the same glass composition , but different particle size . the glass composition is summarized in example 76 ( from the tables below ) with ce : yag phosphor particles . the films were fired under the same conditions , and produced dense , self - supporting films which were ˜ 100 um thick . particle size is indicated by the conventional “ d50 ” measurement which indicates the size where 50 % by volume of the particles are below the indicated size . the data clearly show membranes made with submicron glass powder show browning of the glass which reduces transmission , especially in the region near 400 nm , which interferes with the ce : yag phosphor absorption peak centered near 450 nm . lines 26 , 28 , and 30 show d50 - 0 . 81 um , d50 - 3 . 55 um , and d50 - 15 . 85 um , respectively . the film fabricated from glass at d50 - 15 . 85 um measured a quantum efficiency of 97 %. it is desirable to achieve a quantum efficiency of over 90 %, more preferably 95 % or more . high performance membranes can be obtained with a volume fraction of phosphor in the range of 1 % to 30 %, for example , in the 5 % to 30 % range . higher phosphor content allows for a higher sintering temperature , but requires a thinner film for optimal color point . film thickness can be in the range of 30 to 1000 um , for example , 50 to 300 um , for example , 75 to 200 um . in the case of ce : yag phosphor of conversion of blue led light to white light , in order to achieve a desirable color point for converting blue led to white light , the volume fraction of phosphor required varies inversely with film thickness , and can be described by the following : vf = a / t , wherein vf is expressed in % and t is in um , the constant a , with units um -%. vf can be in the range of 1000 to 2000 . for example for a film thickness of 100 um , the phosphor volume fraction can be in the range of 1000 / 100 % to 2000 / 100 % or 10 % to 20 %. in various embodiments , one or both of the film thickness and the amount of the phosphor loading can be controlled in order to affect the color point of the glass layer . a free - standing glass - phosphor composite was produced as follows : drigaged exemplary glass 76 ( from the tables below ) was dry ball - milled and sieved at − 400 mesh to achieve a particle size distribution with d50 - 15 . 85 um . commercially available ce : yag phosphor powder with d50 - 14 um was added to the glass powder in a 85 vol % glass / 15 vol % phosphor ratio . ppc binder and a 50 / 50 solvent mix of dmc and pgd were added in the weight fractions shown in the below table . a commercial dispersant made by byk company , dispersbyk - 142 , was used . the ingredients were mixed in a planetary mixer to achieve a uniform tape casting slip . slip was cast using a conventional 18 - mil gap doctor blade on a teflon - coated mylar carrier film . after drying the cast green tape was released , cut to size and sintered on a stainless - steel setter board at 510 ° c . for 2 hours . at this temperature acceptable density and optical quality is achieved while minimizing the possibility of either excessive sticking of the part to setter board , or loss of dimensional tolerance through excessive glass flow which can occur at sintering temperature as little as 10 ° c . higher . since the glass viscosity decreases exponentially with increasing temperature , furnace uniformity is critical . it is desirable to fire the part in a furnace with thermal gradient across the part less than 20 ° c ., more preferably less than 10 ° c ., most preferably less than 5 ° c . after firing , a part with precise dimensions was laser cut out of the fired casting to produce a 10 cm × 10 cm part with a uniform thickness of 100 +/− 2 um . quantum efficiency was measured at 97 %. table 1 shows the exemplary components and weight fractions . fig4 is a graph showing absorbance normalized to thickness ( a / t ) of composite glass / phosphor films as a function of wavelength . the quantum efficiency ( qe ) of composite glass / phosphor films is related to measured transmission spectra . in particular it is desirable to produce a glass - phosphor composite , where the phosphor is for example , ce - doped yag , wherein the transmission of the glass component is as high as possible in the blue range , namely 400 to 500 nm range . in this way , the maximum quantum efficiency can be achieved as the phosphor absorbs substantially all the available photons capable of exciting fluorescence in the phosphor . in particular , the correlation of quantum efficiency and the thickness - normalized absorbance peak height 32 ( in fig4 ) is shown in fig5 and the correlation of quantum efficiency and the wavelength of the local minima in a / t 34 ( in fig4 ) is shown in fig6 , both figures demonstrating the good correlation of absorbance data to qe . in embodiments , the wavelength of the a / t minimum can be below about 416 nm to achieve a quantum efficiency of over 90 %. similarly , the a / t peak height as shown generally exceeds 1 to achieve quantum efficiency over 90 %. exemplary glasses are shown in tables 2 - 14 , where compositions are given in terms of mol %. tg , tx , α300 refer to the glass transition temperature ( over the range of 25 ° c . to 300 ° c . ), temperature of the onset of crystallization , thermal expansion coefficient at 300 ° c ., respectively . softening point refers to the temperature at which the glass viscosity is log 10 7 . 6 . n473 , n532 , n633 refer to the refractive index measured at 473 nm , 532 nm , and 633 nm , respectively . the disclosure is directed to glass containing at least one phosphor ; and to a process whereby a phosphor powder , or plurality of different phosphor powders , is combined with a suitable fritted glass material , the “ frit glass ”, and a liquid organic vehicle ( for example without limitation , terpineol , ethylcellulose with dispersants and surfactants ) to form a frit paste . the paste is then deposited on a compatible substrate ( a substrate whose cte is matched to within 2 × 10 − 6 /° c . of the frit glass ), for example without limitation , by screen printing or spraying , ( screen print , or spray ) and then heated to a suitable first temperature to drive of the organic vehicle and then heated to a higher second temperature to consolidate the phosphor / frit glass mixture into a dense phosphor - containing glass . the phosphor may comprise quantum dots , for example , quantum dots having a particle size ranging from 1 to 10 nm . the first temperature is for driving off the organic vehicle and it is determined by , for example , the boiling point of the organic vehicle or the use of vapor pressure data and can be carried out at atmospheric pressure or under vacuum . the second higher temperature that is used to consolidate or fire the phosphor / frit glass mixture into a dense glass is determined by the frit material , with the provision that the softening temperature of the substrate to which the phosphor / frit glass mixture is applied has to be at least 100 ° c . higher than the consolidation or firing temperature of the phosphor / frit glass mixture . this phosphor / frit glass mixture can be applied as a layer on or adjacent to the active plane of a led device . the amount of phosphor powder in the phosphor / frit glass mixture can be varied to the desired amount . the ultimate thickness of the consolidated phosphor - contain frit layer can be increased by a plurality of depositions of the phosphor / frit glass mixture . in various embodiments , the phosphor powder can be homogeneously distributed throughout the glass . in further embodiments , the distribution of phosphor powder can be localized within the glass , i . e ., at one or both of the free surfaces of the glass layer . the phosphor - containing frit glass mixture materials are different from the same frit material without the phosphor . specifically , the addition of a specific phosphor phase to the frit material alters the rheological properties of the resulting phosphor - frit glass paste and the subsequent consolidation thermal treatment . the consolidation thermal treatment must be such that it does not degrade the fluorescent property of the phosphor . this is an important factor in the choice of the frit glass and the subsequent processing . it is the appropriate finding of this combination of the properties , namely the frit glass composition , the particular phosphor material and the glass substrate , that constitute various embodiments of the instant disclosure . because of the temperature limitation of the phosphor - frit glass material and the potential for degradation of certain phosphor materials , for example , ce / yag , or for reaction between frit glass and the phosphor materials , embodiments relate to the use of frit materials whose sintering temperature or flowing temperature is sufficient low such that the phosphors present in a phosphor - frit mixture are not degraded . the result of this restriction is that higher cte frit materials are typically used , which can , in turn , impact the choice of the substrate glass so that the cte of the phosphor - containing frit glass formed by firing a phosphor - frit glass mixture will match the substrate cte . phosphor materials are commercially available from beijing yugi science & amp ; technology co . ltd . ( beijing , china ), shanghai keyan phosphor technology co . ltd ( shanghai , china ) and litec - lll gmbh ( greifswald , germany ); and have also been described in patents and technical literature , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 572 , 785 and 7 , 442 , 326 , and w . j . park et al ., “ enhanced luminescence efficiency for bi , eu doped y 2 o 3 red phosphors for white leds ,” solid state phenomena , vols . 124 - 126 ( 2007 ), pages 379 - 382 , and rong - jun xie et al ., “ silicon - based oxynitride and nitride phosphors for white leds — a review ,” science and technology of advanced materials 8 ( 2007 ), pages 588 - 600 . as indicated above , fig1 is a drawing of a white light led in a typical surface mount package , fig1 illustrates the led 10 , wire bonds 12 , phosphor particles 14 ( illustrated as circular dots ) in a silicone material 16 surrounding phosphor particles 14 , a substrate 18 and a package 20 for a led , for example , an marubeni smtw47 ingan led ( http :// tech - led . com / data / l850 - 66 - 60 - 130 . pdf ). the package 20 comprises a substrate 18 , an epoxy resin lens 24 , and a vessel or cup 22 made from white plastic or ceramic to contain the silicone - phosphor mixture , protect the led , and to reflect the light from the package . in fig2 , a phosphor 114 ( illustrated as circular dots ) has been mixed with a glass frit 116 to form a phosphor / frit glass mixture and fired to create a glass sheet . in addition , fig2 illustrates the package 120 , which comprises the led 110 , wire bonds 112 and package substrate 118 and the vessel or cup 122 . the phosphor / frit glass mixture material ( 114 , 116 ) can also be applied to a substrate using standard paste processes , by a screen printing , or by spraying , followed by firing to produce a dense phosphor / frit glass layer overlying the substrate . as a result of incorporating the phosphor into a glass layer numerous advantages are obtained over the practice of mixing the phosphor into a silicone or epoxy material . in particular , the phosphor / frit glass layer and the resulting device overall are thermally more robust than when a silicone is used as the encapsulation material , and the phosphor / frit glass layer has better chemical and environmental stability . for example , one can incorporate red and yellow phosphors into a single frit glass blend . since the phosphor / frit glass blend can be formed into a “ paste ” of varying fluidity , the blends are suitable for thick film application to the active plane . example liquids used to form the blend include various solvent mixtures , including a mixture of propylene glycol diacetate and dimethyl carbonate . other advantages include ( 1 ) reduced backscatter because the frit glass material can be chosen so that there is phosphor / frit glass materials achieve a better refractive index match between the phosphor and the frit glass and the layer containing the pn - junction ( the led ); and ( 2 ) the ability to make geometric patterns of the phosphor on the substrate . finally , the use of the phosphor / frit glass blend imparts the ability to control the packaged led color or white point . since the phosphor - containing plate is made as a separate piece , the optical thickness and emission color can be measured before assembly , thus reducing the number of reject leds . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter . thus it is intended that the specification cover the modifications and variations of the various embodiments described herein provided such modification and variations come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents .	2
in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention , a computer system and motherboard assembly are described for interconnecting and distributing signals and power between co - planar boards that function as a single motherboard . fig3 illustrates a top view perspective of motherboard assembly 300 , which may be used in a computing system , comprising two co - planar pcbs 302 and 308 electrically interconnected using double stacked lgas 306 . in one embodiment , pcb 302 , which in this embodiment is the “ bottom ” board , has multiple lgas on its “ top ” surface to facilitate electrical communication with high power modules 304 ( such as central processing units (“ cpus ”) 1 through 8 ) and associated memory modules 320 , and also in region 318 to facilitate communication with pcb 308 . in a second embodiment , pcb 302 is alternatively divided into four separate co - planar pcbs 310 , 312 , 314 , and 316 . cpus 1 - 2 , a portion of associated memory modules 320 , and two lgas 306 position on the top surface of pcb 310 , cpus 3 - 4 , a portion of associated memory modules 320 , and two lgas 306 position on the top surface of pcb 312 , and so on . one skilled in the art will recognize that other combinations of pcbs could be used as well . pcb 308 , which in this embodiment is the “ top ” board , positions various other modules thereon , such as hubs 1 - 8 , and includes functionality such as pci express interconnects 1 - 18 and other links 324 . other or different modules and functionality — collectively referred to as “ components ”— may be positioned / incorporated on pcb 308 as well . pcb 308 is referred to as the “ top ” board because it overlaps pcb 302 ( or alternatively pcbs 310 - 316 ) at region 318 , which is the location of a plurality of double stacked lgas 306 . double stacked lgas 306 electrically interconnect signals and power between pcbs 302 and 308 , such that they function as a single motherboard . in region 318 , pcb 308 has lgas disposed on its “ top ” surface to electrically interconnect with concentrator modules 322 ( e . g ., hubs 1 - 8 ), and lgas disposed on its “ bottom ” surface ( which is parallel to the “ top ” surface ) to electrically interconnect with pcb 302 . as such , the board - to - module interconnect area overlaps the board - to - board interconnect area in region 318 . for large smp computing systems , the density of placed components can be maximized without requiring the development of a printed circuit motherboard beyond the tooled capabilities of printed circuit board vendors . fig4 illustrates a cross sectional view of motherboard assembly 300 in a portion of region 318 , which contains double stacked lgas 306 . for ease in explanation , only one concentrator module 322 is shown . motherboard assembly 300 includes heat sink 402 ( not shown in fig3 ) for providing heat transfer functions , pressure plate 404 ( not shown in fig3 ) for applying compression to the stacked components , concentrator module 322 ( which illustratively may be one of hubs 1 - 8 shown in fig3 ), lga interposers 408 and 412 , pcbs 302 and 308 , and stiffener 416 . concentrator module 322 has electrically conductive lga pads ( not shown ) disposed on its bottom surface , at 406 , for electrically connecting to pcb 308 via lga interposer 408 . to do so , lga interposer 408 also has : i ) electrically conductive pads disposed on its top surface , at 406 , for coupling ( mating ) to the conductive pads of module 322 , and ii ) a bottom surface , parallel to its top surface , having conductive pads , at 410 , for coupling to an lga 306 disposed on the top surface of pcb 308 . the electrically conductive pads disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of lga interposer 408 connect via copper contacts ( not shown ) disposed within lga interposer 408 . typically , an lga interposer , such as lga interposers 408 and 412 , is a molded insulator or thin polymer insulator . a plurality of lga contacts are press - fit into holes drilled in the molded or thin polymer insulator . these lga contacts may be , for example , of a press - fit design , surface mount design , and / or friction fit design ( e . g ., waded wire buttons or molded metal filled elastomer contacts ). as previously described , pcb 308 is the “ top ” board , and has gold plated conductive lga pads disposed on both its top surface at 410 and parallel opposing bottom surface at 414 ( described in more detail in fig6 ) for coupling ( mating ) with lga pads on lga interposers 408 and 412 , respectively . pcb 302 is the “ bottom ” board and also has gold plated conductive lga pads on its top surface , at 418 , to electrically couple with lga pads on the bottom surface of lga interposer 412 . accordingly , lga interposer 412 is sandwiched between pcb 308 and pcb 302 to electrically interconnect them . further , pcb 308 is sandwiched between module 322 and pcb 302 , with lga interposers 408 and 412 providing the respective connectivity . the average static forces through lga interposers 408 and 412 are substantially the same and are set by conventional load screw and springs ( not shown ). the flatness of each pcb 308 and 302 divides between lga interposers 408 and 412 such that the contact load distribution is no worse than expected with a conventional single lga . stiffener 416 positions to the bottom surface of pcb 302 to provide rigidity support , and is preferably a metal or steel plate . the wiring layers in pcbs 302 and 308 required to interconnect the various component impact the thickness of pcbs 302 and 308 . fig5 illustrates the wiring layers required to interconnect components of motherboard assembly 300 . referring to fig3 and 5 , the wiring layers for transmitting signals between concentrator modules 322 are denoted by ‘ y ’ layers , and between concentrator modules 322 and other concentrator modules and functionality ( collectively referred to as components ) 324 are denoted by ‘ z ’ layers , both of which reside only in the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ). accordingly , because layers y and z are not included in the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ), signals on those layers are not routed through double stacked lgas 306 . similarly , the wiring layers required to connect high power modules 304 to other components ( e . g ., memory modules 320 ) positioned on the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ) are denoted as ‘ v ’ layers , which also need not be routed through double stacked lgas 306 because v layers are not included in the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ). the wiring layers required to transmit signals between high power modules 304 on the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ) and : i ) the concentrator modules ( e . g ., hubs 1 - 8 ) on the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ) are denoted by ‘ x ’ layers ; and ii ) other concentrator modules and functionality 324 on the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ) are denoted by ‘ w ’ layers . signals on layers x and w are transmitted between pcbs 302 and 308 using the double stacked lgas 306 . the wiring layers in pcbs 302 and 308 required to interconnect the various component impact the thickness of pcbs 302 and 308 . fig5 illustrates the wiring layers required to interconnect components of motherboard assembly 300 . referring to fig3 and 5 , the wiring layers for transmitting signals between concentrator modules 322 are denoted by ‘ y ’ layers , and between concentrator modules 322 and other concentrator modules and functionality ( collectively referred to as components ) 324 are denoted by ‘ z ’ layers , both of which reside only in the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ). accordingly , because layers y and z are not included in the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ), signals on those layers are not routed through double stacked lgas 306 . similarly , the wiring layers required to connect high power modules 304 to other components ( e . g ., memory modules 320 ) positioned on the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ) are denoted as ‘ v ’ layers , which also need not be routed through double stacked lgas 306 because v layers are not included in the top board ( i . e ., pbc 308 ). the wiring layers required to transmit signals between high power modules 304 on the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ) and : i ) the concentrator modules ( e . g ., hubs 1 - 8 ) on the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ) are denoted by ‘ x ’ layers ; and ii ) other concentrator modules and functionality 324 on the top board ( i . e ., pcb 308 ) are denoted by ‘ w ’ layers . signals on layers x and w are transmitted between pbcs 302 and 308 using the double stacked lgas 306 . as can be seen , the number of layers in the bottom board ( i . e ., pcb 302 ) and top board ( pcb 308 ) may be reduced , while a conventional single motherboard used in this manner would require more layers . the yield of those smaller boards will be improved due to the significant reduction in risk sites compared with a single printed circuit board . fig6 illustrates a top view perspective of the top surface of pcb 308 at region 318 in fig3 , which shows a representative lga 306 disposed on pcb 308 . this view also illustrates the opposing lga 306 on the bottom surface of pcb 308 at region 318 , which is parallel and opposed to the top surface . lga 306 includes a plurality of electrically conductive pads 602 having , with the exception of pads 608 , holes or vias 604 drilled into pcb 308 to electrically connect top and bottom opposed pads 602 together at each x , y location . this allows module 322 , for example , to electrically connect to pcb 302 through pairs of pads 602 disposed on both surfaces of pcb 308 . on the other hand , at each pad 608 on the top surface of pcb 308 , a “ dogbone ” trace may be made from such top pad to via 606 . similarly , at each pad 608 on the corresponding opposed bottom surface of pcb 308 , another “ dogbone ” trace may be made from such bottom pad to via 610 . vias 606 and 610 do not overlap and may terminate at different layers within pcb 308 , such that opposed top and bottom pad pairs 606 do not electrically connect through pcb 308 . this enables module 322 , for example , to electrically interconnect to a particular layer within pcb 308 at a particular upper pad 606 , while at the opposed bottom pad 606 , pcb 302 may electrically interconnect to a different layer within pcb 308 . in summary , the present embodiment interconnects components via two coplanar pcbs , functioning as a single motherboard , using double stacked lga interposers . one skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations are possible within the scope of the present embodiment . thus , while the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention .	7
our conductive paste includes silver - coated particles in which a conductive core is coated with silver ; and a photosensitive organic compound , wherein the ratio of silver to the silver - coated particles is 10 to 45 % by mass . a conductive pattern formed by a method of producing a conductive pattern is a composite of an organic component and an inorganic component , where , when the conductive pattern is heated at 100 to 300 ° c . or exposed to light from a xenon flash tube , a photosensitive organic compound as the organic component is cured and shrunk to cause silver - coated particles as the inorganic component to come into contact with one another , and thus conductivity is exhibited . the conductive paste includes silver - coated particles in which a conductive core is coated with silver . by using particles having a configuration in which a conductive core is coated with silver , occurrence of an ion migration phenomenon in a conductive pattern formed can be suppressed as compared to when particles formed of only silver are used . the ion migration phenomenon refers to a phenomenon in which a metal component affected by an electric field moves over the surface or through the inside of a non - metal substance under a low temperature of lower than 100 ° c . silver is known to most frequently cause an ion migration phenomenon among metals that are often used electrically . when silver or the like contained in the conductive pattern moves over the surface or through the inside of an insulating material in the ion migration phenomenon , the conductive pattern may be short - circuited due to a reduction in insulation resistance value . the conductive core refers to a particle of a substance having an electrical conductivity . the conductive core is preferably a metal core having a satisfactory electrical conductivity . examples of the metal that forms the conductive core include copper , lead , tin , nickel , zinc , aluminum , tungsten , molybdenum , ruthenium oxide , chromium , titanium , indium , particles of alloys of these metals , and composites of these metals . from the viewpoint of conductivity and costs , copper , zinc , nickel , aluminum and alloys thereof are preferable , and copper , zinc , nickel and alloys thereof are more preferable . particularly , it is preferable that the conductive core contains copper . in an alloy of copper and zinc or an alloy of copper and nickel , the ratio of zinc or nickel to the conductive core is preferably 1 to 50 % by mass for preventing oxidation of the copper component . the volume average particle size of silver - coated particles is preferably 0 . 1 to 10 μm , more preferably 0 . 5 to 6 μm . when the volume average particle size is 0 . 1 μm or more , the contact probability of silver - coated particles in heating at 100 to 300 ° c . or exposure to light from a xenon flash tube increases so that the resistivity and breakage probability of a conductive pattern formed decrease . further , in exposure of a coating film of a conductive paste applied onto a substrate , light for exposure can smoothly pass through the coating film so that fine patterning is facilitated . on the other hand , when the volume average particle size is 10 μm or less , the surface smoothness , pattern accuracy and dimensional accuracy of a conductive pattern formed are improved . the volume average particle size can be measured by a coulter counter method . the ratio of silver to silver - coated particles should be 10 to 45 % by mass . when the ratio of silver to silver - coated particles is 10 % by mass or more , a conductive pattern having a low resistivity and high stability can be formed . further , it is preferable that the ratio of silver to silver - coated particles is 20 % by mass or more because a pattern having a lower resistivity can be formed . on the other hand , when the ratio of silver to silver - coated particles is more than 45 % by mass , the cost of silver - coated particles increases , and the effect of suppressing an ion migration phenomenon is reduced . when the ratio of silver to silver - coated particles is 10 to 45 % by mass , the viscosity of the conductive paste can be properly controlled . the ratio of silver to silver - coated particles and the composition of the conductive core can be determined by making a measurement by a x - ray fluorescence analyzer ( zsx priumus manufactured by rigaku corporation ) under a vacuum atmosphere using a sample prepared by applying a load to silver - coated particles to form the particles into a pellet shape . as a coating form of silver - coated particles , it is preferable that the surface of the conductive core is fully coated to suppress a chemical reaction of the conductive core with a photosensitive organic compound or the like contained in the conductive paste . the surface of the conductive core may be partially coated , or the silver coating film may be provided with a hole . when the conductive paste contains a photosensitive organic compound having a carboxyl group , and the conductive core contains an easily cationically ionizable metal such as copper , zinc or nickel , the conductive core and the carboxyl group may be bonded to each other leading to a considerable increase in viscosity of the conductive paste or gelation of the conductive paste . accordingly , it is preferable that the surface of the conductive core is sufficiently coated with silver that is chemically stable . examples of the method of coating the conductive core with silver include a chemical reduction method using a substitution reaction between the conductive core and silver , another chemical reduction method in which silver or a silver precursor is precipitated on the surface of the conductive core using a reducing agent together , and a physical method in which silver particles are electrically adsorbed to the conductive core , and firmly bonded to the conductive core with a pressure . these chemical reduction methods are preferable because the circumference of the conductive core is uniformly coated with silver , and even particles having a small particle size are easily coated . in the chemical reduction method using a substitution reaction , when the conductive core contains an easily ionizable metal , a substitution reaction between the easily ionizable metal and silver easily takes place , leading to further improvement of coating efficiency . for example , when copper in the conductive core further contains zinc or nickel that is easily ionizable , the conductive core is easily uniformly coated with silver . accordingly , it is practical to use silver - coated particles prepared by a chemical reduction method using a substitution reaction . examples of the silver compound to be used to coat the conductive core include silver salts such as silver nitrate , silver acetate and silver chloride . preferably , the silver salt is dissolved in water or an organic solvent , and used . a reducing agent , a chelating agent and a ph adjuster may be added as additives . the ratio of silver - coated particles to the solid content in the conductive paste is preferably 40 to 80 % by mass . when the ratio of silver - coated particles to the solid content is 40 % by mass or more , the contact probability of silver - coated particles in heating at 100 to 300 ° c . or exposure to light from a xenon flash tube increases so that the resistivity and breakage probability of a conductive pattern formed decrease . on the other hand , when the ratio of silver - coated particles to the solid content is 80 % by mass or less , light for exposure can smoothly pass through the coating film so that fine patterning is facilitated . the total solid content refers to all constituents of the conductive paste excluding the solvent . the photosensitive organic compound ( hereinafter , referred to as a “ compound ( a )”) contained in the conductive paste refers to a monomer , an oligomer or a polymer which contains one or more unsaturated double bond . examples of the compound ( a ) include acryl - based copolymers . the acryl - based copolymer refers to a copolymer containing as a copolymer component an acryl - based monomer having a carbon - carbon double bond . examples of the acryl - based monomer having a carbon - carbon double bond include acryl - based monomers such as methyl acrylate , acrylic acid , 2 - ethylhexyl acrylate , ethyl methacrylate , n - butyl acrylate , iso - butyl acrylate , iso - propane acrylate , glycidyl acrylate , n - methoxymethylacrylamide , n - ethoxymethylacrylamide , n - n - butoxymethylacrylamide , n - isobutoxymethylacrylamide , isobutoxymethylacrylamide , butoxy triethylene glycol acrylate , dicyclopentanyl acrylate , dicyclopentenyl acrylate , 2 - hydroxyethyl acrylate , isobornyl acrylate , 2 - hydroxypropyl acrylate , isodexyl acrylate , isooctyl acrylate , lauryl acrylate , 2 - methoxyethyl acrylate , methoxyethylene glycol acrylate , methoxydiethylene glycol acrylate , octafluoropentyl acrylate , phenoxyethyl acrylate , stearyl acrylate , trifluoroethyl acrylate , acrylamide , aminoethyl acrylate , phenyl acrylate , phenoxyethyl acrylate , 1 - naphthyl acrylate , 2 - naphthyl acrylate , thiophenol acrylate and benzylmercaptan acrylate ; styrenes such as styrene , p - methylstyrene , o - methylstyrene , m - methylstyrene , α - methyl styrene , chloromethyl styrene and hydroxymethyl styrene ; γ - methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane ; 1 - vinyl - 2 - pyrrolidone ; allylated cyclohexyl diacrylate ; 1 , 4 - butanediol diacrylate ; 1 , 3 - butylene glycol diacrylate ; ethylene glycol diacrylate ; diethylene glycol diacrylate ; triethylene glycol diacrylate ; polyethylene glycol diacrylate ; dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate ; dipentaerythritol monohydroxypentaacrylate ; ditrimethylolpropane tetraacrylate ; glycerol diacrylate ; methoxylated cyclohexyl diacrylate ; neopentylglycol diacrylate ; propylene glycol diacrylate ; polypropylene glycol diacrylate ; triglycerol diacrylate ; trimethylolpropane triacrylate ; epoxy acrylate monomers such as acrylic acid adducts of ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether , acrylic acid adducts of diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether , acrylic acid adducts of neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether , acrylic acid adducts of glycerin diglycidyl ether , acrylic acid adducts of bisphenol a diglycidyl ether , acrylic acid adducts of bisphenol f and acrylic acid adducts of cresol novolac each having a hydroxyl group formed by ring - opening an epoxy group with an unsaturated acid ; and compounds in which the acrylic group of the acryl - based monomer is replaced by a methacrylic group . among them , acryl - based monomers having a back bone selected from the group consisting of a bisphenol a backbone , a bisphenol f backbone , a bisphenyl backbone and a hydrogenated bisphenol a backbone are preferable for ensuring that a conductive pattern formed has a moderate hardness . an alkali - soluble acryl - based copolymer soluble in an alkaline developer and the like is obtained by using as a monomer an unsaturated acid such as an unsaturated carboxylic acid . examples of the unsaturated acid include acrylic acid , methacrylic acid , itaconic acid , crotonic acid , maleic acid , fumaric acid , vinyl acetate , and acid anhydrides of these acids . the acid value of the resulting acryl - based copolymer can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of an unsaturated acid to be used . by reacting carboxyl groups of the acryl - based copolymer with a compound containing an unsaturated double bond such as glycidyl ( meth ) acrylate , an alkali - soluble acryl - based copolymer containing a reactive unsaturated double bond on the side chain is obtained . the acid value of the compound is preferably 40 to 250 mg koh / g to ensure that the compound has optimum alkali - solubility . when the acid value is less than 40 mg koh / g , the solubility of the soluble moiety decreases . on the other hand , when the acid value is more than 250 mg koh / g , the development allowance range is narrowed . the acid value of the compound can be measured in accordance with jis k 0070 ( 1992 ). preferably , the conductive paste contains a nitrogen - containing compound . the nitrogen - containing compound ( hereinafter , referred to as a “ compound ( b )”) refers to a compound selected from the group consisting of imidazole , triazole , ethyleneimine and an oxime compound . when the conductive paste contains the compound ( b ), a conductive pattern having a low resistivity at a low temperature can be formed . specifically , the compound ( b ) is more dominantly bonded to the surfaces of silver - coated particles in comparison with other organic components , or unevenly distributed over the surfaces of the particles so that the dispersibility of the silver - coated particles can be improved to form a pattern which is fine and excellent in conductivity . when as another organic component , one containing a carboxyl group is used , the above - mentioned effect can be more remarkably achieved when the compound ( b ) coexists than when the compound ( b ) is not contained . a time - dependent increase in viscosity of the conductive paste and a time - dependent change such as gelation can be suppressed . the compound ( b ) is also effective when coating is insufficient due to existence of a hole in the silver coating film on the surface of the conductive core . examples of the compound ( b ) include 2 - hydroxy - 4 -( 2 - hydroxy - 3 - methacryloxy ) propoxybenzophenone , benzotriazole - based compounds such as 2 -( 2 ′- hydroxy - 5 ′- methyl - phenyl ) benzotriazole , 2 -( 2 ′- hydroxy - 3 ′, 5 ′- di - t - butylphenyl ) benzotriazole , 2 -( 2 ′- hydroxy - 3 ′- t - butyl - 5 ′- methylphenyl )- 5 - chlorobenzotriazole , 2 -( 2 ′- hydroxy - 3 ′- 5 ′- di - t - butylphenyl )- 5 - chloro - benzotriazole and 2 -( 2 ′- hydroxy - 4 ′- n - octoxyphenyl ) benzotriazole , n -( 2 - aminoethyl ) piperazine ; 1 -( 2 - aminoethyl )- 4 - methylpiperazine hydrochloride ; 6 - amino - 1 - methyluracil , polyethylene - imine ; octadecyl isocyanate - modified polyethyleneimine ; propylene oxide - modified polyethyleneimine ; and oxime ester compounds such as 1 , 2 - octanedione - 1 -[ 4 -( phenylthio )- 2 -] o - benzoyloxime )], ethanone - 1 -[ 9 - ethyl - 6 -( 2 - methylbenzoyl )- 9 - h - carbazole - 3 - yl ]- 1 -( acetyloxime ) and 2 -( acetyloximinomethyl ) thioxanthene - 9 - one . the added amount of the compound ( b ) based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is preferably 0 . 01 to 20 parts by mass . when added amount of the compound ( b ) based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is 0 . 01 part by mass or more , the conductivity of the pattern can be exhibited in heating at a lower temperature , and a time - dependent increase in viscosity of the conductive paste and a time - dependent change such as gelation can be suppressed . on the other hand , when the added amount of the compound ( b ) is 20 parts by mass or less , fine patterning is facilitated . preferably , the conductive paste contains a thermosetting compound ( hereinafter , referred to as a “ compound ( c )”). examples of the compound ( c ) include epoxy resins , novolac resins , phenol resins , polyimide precursors and ring - closed polyimides . epoxy resins are preferable to improve adhesion to the substrate and forming a conductive pattern having high stability . by appropriately selecting a backbone of the epoxy resin , the rigidity , stiffness and flexibility of the pattern can be controlled . examples of the epoxy resin include ethylene glycol - modified epoxy resins , bisphenol a - type epoxy resins , brominated epoxy resins , bisphenol f - type epoxy resins , hydrogenated bisphenol a - type epoxy resins , hydrogenated bisphenol f - type epoxy resins , novolac - type epoxy resins , cycloaliphatic epoxy resins , glycidylamine - type epoxy resins , glycidyl ether - type epoxy resins and heterocyclic epoxy resins . the added amount of the compound ( c ) based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is preferably 1 to 100 parts by mass , more preferably 10 to 80 parts by mass , further preferably 30 to 80 parts by mass . when the added amount of the compound ( c ) based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is 1 part by mass or more , adhesion to the substrate is improved . on the other hand , when the added amount of the compound ( c ) is 100 parts by mass or less , a conductive pattern having stability can be formed . preferably , the conductive paste contains a photopolymerization initiator . the photopolymerization initiator refers to a compound which generates radicals by absorbing short - wavelength light such as an ultraviolet ray to be decomposed or by undergoing a hydrogen - withdrawing reaction . examples of the photopolymerization initiator include 1 , 2 - octanedione , 1 -[ 4 -( phenylthio )- 2 -( o - benzoyloxime )], 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylbenzoyl - diphenyl - phosphine oxide , bis ( 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylbenzoyl )- phenyl - phosphine oxide , ethanone , 1 -[ 9 - ethyl - 6 - 2 ( 2 - methylbenzoyl )- 9h - carbazole - 3 - yl ]- 1 -( o - acetyloxime ), benzophenone , methyl o - benzoylbenzoate , 4 , 4 ′- bis ( dimethylamino ) benzophenone , 4 , 4 ′- bis ( diethylamino ) benzophenone , 4 , 4 ′- dichlorobenzophenone , 4 - benzoyl - 4 ′- methyldiphenylketone , dibenzylketone , fluorenone , 2 , 2 ′- diethoxyacetophenone , 2 , 2 - dimethoxy - 2 - phenylacetophenone , 2 - hydroxy - 2 - methylpropiophenone , p - t - butyldichloroacetophenone , thioxanthone , 2 - methylthioxanthone , 2 - chlorothioxanthone , 2 - isopropylthioxanthone , diethylthioxanthone , benzyl , benzyl dimethyl ketal , benzyl - β - methoxyethyl acetal , benzoin , benzoin methyl ether , benzoin butyl ether , anthraquinone , 2 - t - butylanthraquinone , 2 - amylanthraquinone , β - chloroanthraquinone , anthrone , benzanthrone , dibenzosuberone , methylene anthrone , 4 - azidebenzalacetophenone , 2 , 6 - bis ( p - azidebenzylidene ) cyclohexanone , 6 - bis ( p - azidebenzylidene )- 4 - methylcyclohexanone , 1 - phenyl - 1 , 2 - butanedione - 2 -( o - methoxycarbonyl ) oxime , 1 - phenyl - propanedione - 2 -( o - ethoxycarbonyl ) oxime , 1 - phenyl - propanedione - 2 -( o - benzoyl ) oxime , 1 , 3 - diphenyl - propanetrione - 2 -( o - ethoxycarbonyl ) oxime , 1 - phenyl - 3 - ethoxy - propanetrione - 2 -( o - benzoyl ) oxime , michler &# 39 ; s ketone , 2 - methyl -[ 4 -( methylthio ) phenyl ]- 2 - morpholino - 1 - propanone , naphthalenesulfonyl chloride , quinolinesulfonyl chloride , n - phenylthioacridone , 4 , 4 ′- azobisisobutyronitrile , diphenyl disulfide , benzothiazole disulfide , triphenylphosphine , camphor quinone , 2 , 4 - diethylthioxanthone , isopropylthioxanthone , carbon tetrabromide , tribromophenylsulfone , benzoyl peroxide , and combinations of a photo - reductive pigment such as eosin and methylene blue , and a reducing agent such as ascorbic acid and triethanolamine . the added amount of the photopolymerization initiator based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is preferably 0 . 05 to 30 parts by mass , more preferably 5 to 20 parts by mass . when the added amount of the photopolymerization initiator based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is 0 . 05 parts by mass or more , the curing density of an exposed part of coating film of the conductive paste increases so that the residual film ratio after developing increases . on the other hand , when the added amount of the photopolymerization initiator is 30 parts by mass or less , excessive absorption of light at the upper part of the coating film of the conductive paste is suppressed . as a result , the formed conductive pattern is inhibited from being reversely tapered to suppress reduction in adhesion to the substrate . the conductive paste may contain a sensitizer along with the photopolymerization initiator . examples of the sensitizer include 2 , 4 - diethylthioxanthone , isopropylthioxanthone , 2 , 3 - bis ( 4 - diethylaminobenzal ) cyclopentanone , 2 , 6 - bis ( 4 - dimethylaminobenzal ) cyclohexanone , 2 , 6 - bis ( 4 - dimethylaminobenzal )- 4 - methylcyclohexanone , michler &# 39 ; s ketone , 4 , 4 - bis ( diethylamino ) benzophenone , 4 , 4 - bis ( dimethylamino ) chalcone , 4 , 4 - bis ( diethyl amino ) chalcone , p - dimethyl - aminocinnamylideneindanone , p - dimethylaminobenzylideneindanone , 2 -( p - dimethyl amino - phenylvinylene ) isonaphthothiazole , 1 , 3 - bis ( 4 - dimethylaminophenylvinylene ) isonaphthothiazole , 1 , 3 - bis ( 4 - dimethylaminobenzal ) acetone , 1 , 3 - carbonylbis ( 4 - diethylaminobenzal ) acetone , 3 , 3 - carbonylbis ( 7 - diethylaminocoumarin ), n - phenyl - n - ethyl ethanolamine , n - phenylethanolamine , n - tolyldiethanolamine , isoamyl dimethylaminobenzoate , isoamyl diethylaminobenzoate , 3 - phenyl - 5 - benzoylthiotetrazole and 1 - phenyl - 5 - ethoxycarbonylthiotetrazole . the added amount of the sensitizer based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is preferably 0 . 05 to 10 parts by mass , more preferably 0 . 1 to 10 parts by mass . when the added amount of the sensitizer based on 100 parts by mass of the compound ( a ) is 0 . 05 parts by mass , the light sensitivity is sufficiently improved . on the other hand , when the added amount of the sensitizer is 10 parts by mass or less , excessive absorption of light at the upper part of the coating film of the conductive paste is suppressed . as a result , the formed conductive pattern is inhibited from being reversely tapered to suppress reduction in adhesion to the substrate . the conductive paste may contain a solvent . by mixing a solvent , the viscosity of the conductive paste can be appropriately adjusted . the solvent may be added at the end in the process of preparing the paste . by increasing the amount of the solvent , the thickness of the conductive film after drying can be reduced . examples of the solvent include n , n - dimethylacetamide , n , n - dimethylformamide , n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone , dimethyl imidazolidinone , dimethyl sulfoxide , diethylene glycol monoethyl ether , diethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate ( hereinafter , referred to as “ dmea ”), diethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate , γ - butyrolactone , ethyl lactate , ethylene glycol mono - n - propyl ether and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate . for improving the stability of the conductive paste , an organic solvent having a hydroxyl group is preferable . examples of the organic solvent having a hydroxyl group include terpineol , dihydroterpineol , hexylene glycol , 3 - methoxy - 3 - methyl - 1 - butanol ( hereinafter , referred to as “ solfit ”), 2 , 2 , 4 - trimethyl - 1 , 3 - pentanediol monoisobutyrate , triethylene glycol monobutyl ether , diethylene glycol mono - 2 - ethylhexyl ether , diethylene glycol monobutyl ether , ethylene glycol mono - 2 - ethylhexyl ether , ethylene glycol butyl ether , diethylene glycol ethyl ether , tripropylene glycol methyl ether , tripropylene glycol n - butyl ether , propylene glycol phenyl ether , propylene glycol methyl ether , propylene glycol ethyl ether , propylene glycol n - propyl ether , propylene glycol n - butyl ether , dipropylene glycol n - propyl ether , dipropylene glycol methyl ether , dipropylene glycol n - butyl ether , 2 - ethyl - 1 , 3 - hexane diol , 1 - methoxy - 2 - propanol , 1 - ethoxy - 2 - propanol , diacetone alcohol , tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol , isopropyl alcohol , n - propyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol . the viscosity of the conductive paste may be in a range which allows that the conductive paste can be applied , and when the conductive paste is applied by screen printing , the viscosity thereof is preferably 4 , 000 to 150 , 000 mpa · s , more preferably 4 , 000 to 50 , 000 mpa · s as a value measured at 3 rpm using a brookfield viscometer . when the viscosity is less than 4 , 000 mpa · s , it may be unable to form a coating film on the substrate . in this case , it is preferred to use a method such as spin coating by a spinner , spray coating , roll coating , offset printing , gravure printing or die coating . on the other hand , when the viscosity is more than 150 , 000 mpa · s , irregularities are generated on the surface of the coating film so that exposure unevenness easily occurs . the conductive paste may contain additives such as a plasticizer , a leveling agent , a surfactant , a silane coupling agent , an antifoaming agent and a pigment as long as desired properties of the conductive paste are not impaired . examples of the plasticizer include dibutyl phthalate , dioctyl phthalate , polyethylene glycol , and glycerin . examples of the leveling agent include special vinyl - based polymers and special acryl - based polymers . examples of the silane coupling agent include methyltrimethoxysilane , dimethyldiethoxysilane , phenyltriethoxysilane , hexamethyldisilazane , 3 - methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane , 3 - glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane , and vinyltrimethoxysilane . the conductive paste is produced using , for example , a disperser or a kneader such as a three - roll mill , a ball mill , and a planetary ball mill . a method of producing a conductive pattern using the conductive paste will now be described . first , a method of producing a pattern will be described . the method of producing a pattern includes applying the conductive paste onto a substrate , and exposing and developing the conductive paste to obtain a pattern with a line width of 2 to 50 μm . similarly , the method of producing a conductive pattern includes applying the conductive paste onto a substrate , exposing and developing the conductive paste to obtain a pattern with a line width of 2 to 50 μm , and further heating the resulting pattern at 100 to 300 ° c . to obtain a conductive pattern . a conductive pattern is also obtained by exposing the pattern to light from a xenon flash tube instead of heating the pattern at 100 to 300 ° c . examples of the substrate include polyethylene terephthalate films ( hereinafter , referred to as “ pet films ”), polyimide films , polyester films , aramid films , epoxy resin substrates , polyether imide resin substrates , polyether ketone resin substrates , polysulfone - based resin substrates , glass substrates , silicon wafers , alumina substrates , aluminum nitride substrates , silicon carbide substrates , decorative layer - formed substrates and insulating layer - formed substrates . examples of the method of applying the conductive paste to the substrate include spin coating by a spinner , spray coating , roll coating and screen printing , and coating by a blade coater , a die coater , a calender coater , a meniscus coater or a bar coater . the thickness of the resulting coating film may be appropriately determined according to , for example , a coating method , or a total solid concentration or a viscosity of the conductive paste . the thickness after drying is preferably 0 . 1 to 50 m . preferably , the conductive paste is applied by screen printing to obtain a thickness in the above - mentioned range . the thickness can be measured using a probe type step profiler such as surfcom ( registered trademark ) 1400 ( manufactured by tokyo seimitsu co ., ltd .). more specifically , the film thickness is measured at randomly selected three positions using a probe type step profiler ( measurement length : 1 mm ; scanning speed : 0 . 3 mm / sec ), and an average value thereof is defined as a thickness . when the conductive paste contains a solvent , it is preferable to volatilize the solvent by drying the resulting coating film . examples of the method of volatilizing and removing a solvent by drying the resulting coating film include heating / drying by an oven , a hot plate , an infrared ray or the like , and vacuum drying . the heating temperature is preferably 50 to 180 ° c ., and the heating time is preferably 1 minute to several hours . the resulting coating film is exposed via a pattern forming mask by photolithography . the light source for exposure is preferably an i ray ( 365 nm ), a h ray ( 405 nm ) or g ray ( 436 nm ) from a mercury lamp . the exposed coating film is developed using a developer , and an unexposed part is dissolved and removed to form on a substrate a desired pattern with a line width of 2 to 50 μm . examples of the development method include alkali development and organic development . examples of the developer to be used for alkali development include aqueous solutions of tetramethylammonium hydroxide , diethanolamine , diethylaminoethanol , sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , sodium carbonate , potassium carbonate , triethylamine , diethylamine , methylamine , dimethylamine , dimethylaminoethyl acetate , dimethylaminoethanol , dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate , cyclohexylamine , ethylenediamine , and hexamethylenediamine . to these aqueous solutions may be added a polar solvent such as n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone , n , n - dimethylformamide , n , n - dimethylacetamide , dimethyl sulfoxide or γ - butyrolactone , an alcohol such as methanol , ethanol or isopropanol , an ester such as ethyl lactate or propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate , a ketone such as cyclopentanone , cyclohexanone , isobutyl ketone or methyl isobutyl ketone , or a surfactant . examples of the developer to be used for organic development include polar solvents such as n - methyl - 2 - pyrrolidone , n - acetyl - 2 - pyrrolidone , n , n - dimethylacetamide , n , n - dimethylformamide , dimethyl sulfoxide , and hexamethylphosphortriamide , and mixed solutions of these polar solvents and methanol , ethanol , isopropyl alcohol , xylene , water , methyl carbitol or ethyl carbitol . examples of the development method include a method in which a developer is sprayed to the surface of a coating film while a substrate is left at rest or rotated , a method in which a substrate is immersed in a developer , and a method in which a substrate is immersed in a developer while an ultrasonic wave is applied thereto . the pattern obtained by development may be subjected to a rinsing treatment with a rinsing liquid . examples of the rinsing liquid include water , and aqueous solutions obtained by adding to water an alcohol such as ethanol and isopropyl alcohol , or an ester such as ethyl lactate and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate . by heating the resulting pattern at 100 to 300 ° c ., conductivity is exhibited to obtain a conductive pattern . the heating temperature for curing is preferably 100 to 180 ° c . when the heating temperature is lower than 100 ° c ., curing / shrinkage of the photosensitive organic compound or the like as an organic component is insufficient so that the resistivity cannot be reduced . on the other hand , when the heating temperature is higher than 300 ° c ., a substrate having low heat resistance cannot be used . the heating temperature is preferably 180 ° c . or lower for suppressing damage to the substrate by heating . the heating time is preferably 1 minute to several hours . examples of the method of heating the resulting pattern include heating / drying by an oven , an inert oven , a hot plate , an infrared ray or the like and vacuum drying . by exposing the resulting pattern to light from a xenon flash tube , conductivity is also exhibited to obtain a conductive pattern . the exposure time in this case may be appropriately determined according to an irradiation energy amount while damage to the substrate and the pattern is taken into consideration . the exposure time is preferably 0 . 01 to 10000 msec . to suppress damage to the substrate and the pattern , it is preferable that irradiation of light from a xenon flash tube is pulse irradiation , and it is more preferable that the irradiation energy per pulse is 2 . 0 j / cm 2 or less . as a process of ensuring that the resulting pattern exhibits conductivity , heating at 100 to 300 ° c . may be performed in combination with exposure to light from a xenon flash tube . the conductive pattern produced using the conductive paste and the conductive pattern produced by the method of producing a conductive pattern are each suitably used as a sensor , particularly as a detection sensor in peripheral wiring for a touch panel or a touch panel display section . examples of the type of a touch panel include a resistive film type , an optical type , an electromagnetic induction type , and an electrostatic capacitance type . particularly in an electrostatic capacitance type touch panel , fine wiring is required , and therefore the conductive paste which can be processed into a fine pattern of 50 μm or less is more suitably used . in a touch panel including the conductive pattern as peripheral wiring with a pitch ( wiring width + width between wiring lines ) of 100 μm or less , the frame width can be narrowed and the display section can be widened . in a display section of a touch panel including the conductive pattern as a detection sensor with a width of 10 μm or less , satisfactory visibility can be achieved with a low cost . our pastes , patterns , methods and sensors will be described below more in detail by way of examples and comparative examples . this disclosure is not limited to these examples . a conductive paste was applied onto a substrate such that the dried film had a thickness of 5 μm , and the thus obtained conductive paste coating film was dried in a drying oven at 100 ° c . for 5 minutes . one unit was defined as linear transparent patterns arranged with a fixed line - and - space ( hereinafter , referred to as “ l / s ”), and the dried coating film was exposed via photomasks having nine units having different l / s values , respectively and was developed to obtain nine patterns having different l / s values . the l / s values of the units of the photomasks were set to 500 / 500 , 250 / 250 , 100 / 100 , 50 / 50 , 40 / 40 , 30 / 30 , 25 / 25 , 20 / 20 , 15 / 15 , 10 / 10 , 8 / 8 and 5 / 5 ( each showing a line width ( m )/ interval ( m )). the obtained patterns were observed with an optical microscope to identify a pattern which was free from residues between patterns and free from pattern peeling and had the smallest l / s value , and the l / s value was defined as a development - enabling l / s value . exposure was performed over the entire line at an exposure amount of 150 mj / cm 2 ( in terms of a wavelength of 365 nm ) using exposure equipment ( pem - 6m manufactured by union optical co ., ltd . ), and development was performed by immersing a substrate in a 0 . 2 % by mass na 2 co 3 solution for 30 seconds , and then subjecting the substrate to a rinsing treatment with ultrapure water . a conductive paste was applied onto a substrate such that the dried film had a thickness of 5 μm , and the thus obtained conductive paste coating film was dried in a drying oven at 100 ° c . for 5 minutes . the dried coating film was exposed via a photomask , and developed to obtain a pattern . the obtained pattern was heated at 140 ° c . for 30 minutes ( the pattern was irradiated with light from a xenon flash tube for 0 . 3 msec with 1 . 0 j / cm 2 when a pet substrate was used ) to exhibit conductivity , thereby obtaining a conductive pattern for measurement of a resistivity . the obtained conductive pattern had a line width of 0 . 400 mm and a line length of 80 mm . conditions for exposure and development were the same as those in the method of evaluating patterning performance . to the ends of the obtained conductive pattern for measurement of a resistivity , an ohmmeter was connected to measure a resistance value , and a resistivity was calculated based on the following formula ( 1 ): the line width is an average value obtained by observing line widths at three random positions with an optical microscope , and analyzing image data . a conductive paste was applied onto a substrate such that the dried film had a thickness of 5 μm , and the thus obtained conductive paste coating film was dried in a drying oven at 100 ° c . for 5 minutes . the dried coating film was exposed via a photomask having a comb - like pattern , and developed to obtain a comb - like pattern . the obtained pattern was heated at 140 ° c . for 30 minutes ( the pattern was irradiated with light from a xenon flash tube for 0 . 3 msec with 1 . 0 j / cm 2 when a pet substrate was used ) to exhibit conductivity , thereby obtaining a conductive pattern for evaluation of migration resistance . the obtained conductive pattern had a line width of 50 μm , an interline space width of 50 μm and a line length of 40 mm . conditions for exposure and development were the same as those in the method of evaluating patterning performance . an ultra - high ohmmeter ( r8340 manufactured by advantest corporation ) was connected to the ends of the obtained conductive pattern for measurement of migration resistance , a current was made to pass with an applied voltage dc of 20 v , the conductive pattern was exposed for 60 minutes under a constant temperature and humidity of 85 ° c . and 85 rh %, and a change of the conductive pattern was then observed . a sample in which a dendrite or a short - circuit occurred was rated b , and a sample which was not changed was rated a . a sample in which there was almost no change in the state of the conductive paste after kneading and after storage for 2 weeks , and the conductive paste was viscous , and able to be applied was rated s , a sample in which slight separation of the solid occurred to form a lump on the bottom of a conductive paste storage container , but the conductive paste was able to be applied when mixed was rated a , and a sample in which the whole conductive paste was considerably hard , and was difficult to mix , or gelated so that the conductive paste was unable to be applied was rated b . a sample in which the conductive paste started solidifying within an hour after kneading , and was changed to the extent that the conductive paste was unable to be applied was also rated b . copolymerization ratio ( mass basis ): ethyl acrylate ( hereinafter , referred to as “ ea ”)/ 2 - ethylhexyl methacrylate ( hereinafter , referred to as “ 2 - ehma ”)/ styrene ( hereinafter , referred to as “ st ”)/ glycidyl methacrylate ( hereinafter , referred to as “ gma ”)/ acrylic acid ( hereinafter , referred to as “ aa ”)= 20 / 40 / 20 / 5 / 15 in a reaction vessel in a nitrogen atmosphere , 150 g of dmea was added and the temperature was elevated to 80 ° c . using an oil bath . to this was added dropwise for 1 hour a mixture including 20 g of ea , 40 g of 2 - ehma , 20 g of st , 15 g of aa , 0 . 8 g of 2 , 2 ′- azobisisobutyronitrile and 10 g of dmea . after completion of the dropwise addition , a polymerization reaction was further carried out for 6 hours . thereafter , 1 g of hydroquinone monomethyl ether was added to stop the polymerization reaction . subsequently , a mixture including 5 g of gma , 1 g of triethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and 10 g of dmea was added dropwise for 0 . 5 hours . after completion of the dropwise addition , an addition reaction was further carried out for 2 hours . the obtained reaction solution was refined with methanol to remove unreacted impurities , and dried under vacuum for 24 hours to obtain a compound ( a - 1 ) having a carboxyl group and an unsaturated double bond . the acid value of the obtained compound ( a - 1 ) was 103 mg koh / g . copolymerization ratio ( mass basis ): tricyclodecane dimethanol diacrylate ( irr214 - k ; manufactured by daicel - cytec co ., ltd . )/ modified bisphenol a diacrylate ( ebecryl150 ; daicel - cytec co ., ltd . )/ st / aa )= 25 / 40 / 20 / 15 in a reaction vessel in a nitrogen atmosphere , 150 g of dmea was added and the temperature was elevated to 80 ° c . using an oil bath . to this was added dropwise for 1 hour a mixture including 25 g of irr214 - k , 40 g of ebecryl150 , 20 g of st , 15 g of aa , 0 . 8 g of 2 , 2 ′- azobisisobutyronitrile and 10 g of dmea . after completion of the dropwise addition , a polymerization reaction was further carried out for 6 hours . thereafter , 1 g of hydroquinone monomethyl ether was added to stop the polymerization reaction . the obtained reaction solution was refined with methanol to remove unreacted impurities , and dried under vacuum for 24 hours to obtain a compound ( a - 2 ) having a carboxyl group and an unsaturated double bond . the acid value of the obtained compound ( a - 2 ) was 89 mg koh / g . copolymerization ratio ( mass basis ): ethylene oxide - modified bisphenol a diacrylate ( fa - 324a manufactured by hitachi chemical company , ltd . )/ ea / gma / aa = 50 / 10 / 5 / 15 in a reaction vessel in a nitrogen atmosphere , 150 g of dmea was added and the temperature was elevated to 80 ° c . using an oil bath . to this was added dropwise for 1 hour a mixture including 50 g of ethylene oxide - modified bisphenol a diacrylate , 20 g of ea , 15 g of aa , 0 . 8 g of 2 , 2 ′- azobisisobutyronitrile and 10 g of dmea . after completion of the dropwise addition , a polymerization reaction was further carried out for 6 hours . thereafter , 1 g of hydroquinone monomethyl ether was added to stop the polymerization reaction . subsequently , a mixture including 5 g of gma , 1 g of triethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and 10 g of dmea was added dropwise for 0 . 5 hours . after completion of the dropwise addition , an addition reaction was further carried out for 2 hours . the obtained reaction solution was refined with methanol to remove unreacted impurities , and dried under vacuum for 24 hours to obtain a compound ( a - 3 ) having a carboxyl group and an unsaturated double bond . the acid value of the obtained compound ( a - 3 ) was 96 mg koh / g . copolymerization ratio ( mass basis ): difunctional epoxy acrylate monomer ( epoxy ester 3002a manufactured by kyoeisha chemical co ., ltd . )/ difunctional epoxy acrylate monomer ( epoxy ester 70pa manufactured by kyoeisha chemical co ., ltd . )/ gma / st / aa = 20 / 40 / 5 / 20 / 15 in a reaction vessel in a nitrogen atmosphere , 150 g of dmea was added and the temperature was elevated to 80 ° c . using an oil bath . to this was added dropwise for 1 hour a mixture including 20 g of epoxy ester 3002a , 40 g of epoxy ester 70pa , 20 g of st , 15 g of aa , 0 . 8 g of 2 , 2 ′- azobisisobutyronitrile and 10 g of dmea . after completion of the dropwise addition , a polymerization reaction was further carried out for 6 hours . thereafter , 1 g of hydroquinone monomethyl ether was added to stop the polymerization reaction . subsequently , a mixture including 5 g of gma , 1 g of triethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and 10 g of dmea was added dropwise for 0 . 5 hours . after completion of the dropwise addition , an addition reaction was further carried out for 2 hours . the obtained reaction solution was refined with methanol to remove unreacted impurities , and dried under vacuum for 24 hours to obtain a compound ( a - 4 ) having a carboxyl group and an unsaturated double bond . the acid value of the obtained compound ( a - 4 ) was 101 mg koh / g . ( b - 3 ) epomin ( registered trademark ) sp - 200 ( manufactured by nippon shokubai co ., ltd .) ( c - 1 ) epoxy resin ( jer828 ( epoxy equivalent : 188 ); manufactured by mitsubishi chemical corporation ) ( c - 2 ) epoxy resin ( adeka resin epr - 21 ( epoxy equivalent : 210 ); manufactured by adeka corporation ) irgacure ( registered trademark ) 369 ( hereinafter , referred to as “ ic369 ”) ( manufactured by basf japan ltd .) in a 100 ml clean bottle , 10 . 0 g of the compound ( a - 1 ), 0 . 50 g of ic369 and 23 . 5 g of dmea were added and mixed by “ awatori rentaro ” ( registered trademark ) ( are - 310 ; manufactured by thinky corporation ) to obtain 34 g of a resin solution ( solid content : 50 % by mass ). the composition is shown in table 1 . 34 g of the obtained resin solution and 24 . 5 g of silver - coated particles ( copper - nickel alloy ) were mixed together , and kneaded using a three - roll mill ( exakt m - 50 ; manufactured by exakt ) to obtain 58 . 5 g of a conductive paste . the viscosity after kneading was 25 , 000 mpa · s . patterning performance , resistivity and adhesion to ito for the conductive pattern were evaluated using the obtained conductive paste . the development - enabling l / s value serving as an evaluation index for patterning performance was 15 / 15 μm , and it was thus confirmed that proper pattern processing was performed . the resistivity of the conductive pattern was 7 . 2 × 10 − 5 ωcm . the results of performing evaluations are shown in table 3 . conductive pastes having compositions as shown in table 1 were produced in the same manner as in example 1 , and were evaluated in the same manner as in example 1 . the results thereof are shown in table 3 . conductive pastes having compositions as shown in table 1 were produced in the same manner as in example 1 , and evaluated in the same manner as in example 1 except that the conductive paste was irradiated with light from a xenon flash tube instead of being heated . the results thereof are shown in table 3 . conductive pastes having compositions as shown in table 2 were produced in the same manner as in example 1 , and were evaluated in the same manner as in example 1 . the results thereof are shown in table 3 . from the conductive paste of each of examples 1 to 15 , a conductive pattern excellent in patterning performance , resistivity and migration resistance was formed . the conductive patterns formed from the conductive pastes of comparative examples 1 to 3 , 5 to 7 and 9 were poor in migration resistance . in comparative example 4 , there was no problem as to migration resistance , but the resistivity was considerably high . in comparative example 8 , a gel - like paste was obtained , and therefore it was unable to apply the paste so that it was unable to evaluate patterning performance . the conductive paste can be suitably used to produce a conductive pattern for a detection sensor in a touch panel display section , peripheral wiring for a touch panel or the like .	6
turning now to the drawings , the block diagram of fig1 relates to the temperature control apparatus 10 of this invention wherein stabilization at set point temperatures are rapidly attained over a wide temperature range . in apparatus 10 , peltier units 12 and 14 are disposed within a cascade arrangement to control thermal transfer between a specimen 16 and an ambient heat sink 18 . peltier units are electrical heat pumps across which thermal transfer in either direction is possible depending on the polarity of the control signal thereto . thermal transfer across peltier unit 12 is regulated by a means 20 for controlling the power thereto according to the temperature differential between the specimen and a set point , while thermal transfer across peltier unit 14 is regulated by a means 22 for controlling the power thereto proportionally to the temperature differential across peltier unit 12 . peltier unit 12 approaches shut - off as the specimen temperature approaches the set point , whereas peltier unit 14 approaches shut - off as the temperature differential across peltier 12 approaches zero . when the set point is reached any overshoot occurring due to the thermal lag between peltier 12 and specimen 16 will cause reversal of peltier unit 12 by the control means 20 . furthermore , this reversal will quickly cause reversal of peltier unit 4 through means 22 so that the overshoot which does occur is considerably reduced in comparison to prior art cascade peltier arrangements . because the apparatus 10 of this invention reduces both the overshoot at set point and the thermal oscillations thereabout to settle the overshoot , stabilized specimen temperature at set points are reached in low response times over a wide temperature range . of course , those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of peltier units greater than one could be cascaded in the temperature control apparatus 10 of this invention or that any number of peltier units could be utilized in each cascade segment thereof . artisans will also appreciate that the power rating of the peltier units in each cascade segment will depend on the particular application to which the invention is applied . although many applications exist in analytical instruments for the temperature control apparatus 10 of this invention , for brevity only embodiments thereof which apply to temperature control of specimen cells in spectrophotometers will be disclosed hereinafter . the first such embodiment is illustrated in fig2 where the block elements of fig1 are identified by the same reference numerals . in this embodiment , the specimen 16 is a flow cell into which the sample for spectrophotometer analysis is aspirated and the ambient heat sink 18 is the frame of the spectrophotometer or some other heat sink of substantially constant temperature . of course , the temperature control apparatus 10 of this invention is incorporated in this embodiment to regulate thermal transfer between the sample in the flow cell 16 and the ambient heat sink 18 . the flow cell 16 is a block 24 of high thermal conductivity material , with a passage 26 therethrough and with windows 28 aligned on an axis transverse to passage 26 to pass the radiation beam through the sample for analytical purposes . in this embodiment , a transfer heat sink 30 is disposed to interface between one thermal junction on each of the peltier units 12 and 14 , while the other thermal junction of the peltier unit 12 is interfaced directly with the block 24 and the other thermal junction of the peltier unit 14 is interfaced directly with the ambient heat sink 18 . the power control means 20 for peltier unit 12 includes a temperature sensor 32 which is thermally disposed in the block 24 and electrically disposed in a suitable bridge circuit 34 from which the output is connected to one input of a comparator 36 . a means 38 for establishing a variable set point is connected to the other input of the comparator 36 and the output therefrom is connected to control the thermal transfer across peltier unit 12 . the power control means 22 for peltier unit 14 includes temperature sensors 40 and 42 which are thermally disposed separately in the block 24 and the transfer heat sink 30 respectively , and electrically disposed respectively in suitable bridge circuits 44 and 46 from which the outputs thereof are separately connected to the inputs of a comparator 48 . output from the comparator 48 is connected to control the thermal transfer across peltier unit 14 . temperature sensor 32 is disposed adjacent to the sample flow passage 26 , while temperature sensors 40 and 42 are disposed adjacent to the thermal junctions of the peltier unit 12 , so that thermal lags are avoided where possible . thermal transfer to raise or lower the sample in the flow cell 16 to a desired temperature is accomplished through the block 24 for which such design parameters as specific heat , thermal conductivity and configuration must be given due consideration so that the merits of this invention will not be frustrated . as a result , the sample is maintained substantially at the temperature set point of the power control means 20 which regulates the thermal transfer between the peltier unit 12 and the block 24 . the thermal response time required for the sample in the flow cell 16 to stabilize at any set point over a wide temperature range is low by comparison to prior art cascaded peltier arrangements for the same reasons discussed previously in regard to fig1 . even when insulation is utilized for inhibiting thermal losses to ambient , such losses are always present to some degree as long as a temperature differential exists relative to ambient . the temperature control apparatus 10 of fig2 will maintain the sample in the flow cell 16 at the temperature set point while thermal losses to ambient of moderate magnitudes occur . however , where the temperature differential relative to ambient is very large and / or no insulation can be used , a portion of the output fro comparator 48 may be applied to offset the temperature set point at the input of comparator 36 to compensate for thermal losses to ambient . to give the proper correction the output from comparator 48 must be substantially proportional to the temperature differential across peltier unit 12 and independent of the average temperature of said unit . this compensation is only applied to the degree that the thermal losses to ambient are sufficient to affect that temperature differential . the output from comparator 48 is grounded through a potentiometer 50 on which the wiper is connected to offset the temperature set point at the input of comparator 36 and therefore , the degree of compensation is variable . in practice any type of temperature sensors having suitable sensitivity may be utilized in the temperature control apparatus 10 of this invention and the bridge circuits thereof must be suitable to provide voltage signals that are proportional to the temperatures monitored by these sensors . where thermistors are utilized to monitor the differential temperature across peltier unit 12 , bridge circuits 44 and 46 can be combined into a single bridge circuit as shown in fig3 . because the response of thermistors to temperature is characteristically nonlinear , this bridge circuit is linearized , i . e ., made to have a substantially constant sensitivity , by including an operational amplifier 52 which is connected differentially with the output therefrom fed back to drive the bridge at circuit point 60 . resistor 54 and thermistor 40 establish a voltage at point 62 in one leg of the bridge connected to one input of amplifier 52 ; the other input thereof is connected to the tap point on a voltage divider 56 . another resistor 58 is connected to resistor 54 at the output of operational amplifier 52 at bridge circuit point 60 . thermistor 42 is connected to the other side of resistor 58 to thereby establish bridge circuit point 64 and the thermistors 40 and 42 are interconnected through ground to complete the bridge circuit . because of the closed loop around operational amplifier 52 , the inputs thereof are at substantially at the same voltage levels with no current flowing into either of these inputs . therefore , the voltage at bridge circuit point 62 remains substantially constant as the resistance of thermistor 40 changes with temperature so that the current flowing through this thermistor is low when the resistance of the thermistor is high . since the current flowing through thermistor 40 must also flow through resistor 54 , the voltage at bridge circuit point 60 must vary in direct proportion to the resistance of thermistor 40 and hence changes as a function of the temperature . consequently , the current flowing through thermistor 42 is also low when the resistance of thermistor 40 is high and the bridge circuitry provides substantially constant sensitivity in that the voltage per degree temperature differential between the thermistors 40 and 42 is the difference of two ir drops , both of which are controlled to stay within the same narrow range of magnitude . comparator 48 , then , may have one input connected to circuit point 64 , while the other input may be connected to circuit point 62 or an equivalent constant voltage , so that the output of comparator 48 is a substantially constant linear function of the temperature difference between thermistors 40 and 42 at any temperature of thermistor 40 over a design range . another embodiment of this invention as applied to the art of spectrophotometers is shown in fig4 where , because of the similarities that exist with the apparatus of fig2 similar components are designated with the same reference numerals as those used in fig2 except that a prime (&# 39 ;) is added thereto . in this embodiment , the specimen 16 &# 39 ; is a cuvette having glass or silica walls and containing samples for spectrophotometer analysis . the ambient heat sink 18 &# 39 ; is again the frame of the spectrophotometer or some other heat sink of substantially constant temperature . thermal transfer to the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; is made through a thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; which is analogous to the block 24 in fig2 . peltier 12 &# 39 ; interfaces between the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; and a cuvette basket 30 &# 39 ; which is analogous to the transfer heat sink 30 in fig2 . a spring 66 of low thermal conductivity is affixed on the cuvette basket 30 &# 39 ; to hold the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; against the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; and peltier 14 &# 39 ; interfaces between the cuvette basket 30 &# 39 ; and the ambient heat sink 18 &# 39 ;. an agitator 68 may be disposed within the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; to stir the sample continuously and temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; is disposed within a sheath which is immersed into the sample . temperature sensors 40 &# 39 ; and 42 &# 39 ; are disposed across the peltier 12 &# 39 ; in the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; and the cuvette basket 30 &# 39 ; respectively . peltiers 12 &# 39 ; and 14 &# 39 ; are controlled as described and explained previously for the temperature control apparatus 10 of fig2 and thermistors 40 &# 39 ; and 42 &# 39 ; may be disposed in the constant sensitivity bridge circuitry of fig3 . it should be recognized without further explanation by those skilled in the art that cuvette basket 30 &# 39 ; and the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; could be extended along an axis perpendicular to the plane of fig4 in providing for a plurality of cuvettes 16 &# 39 ;. of course , the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; would interface with each such cuvette 16 &# 39 ; and the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; would be disposed in the thermally centered cuvette 16 &# 39 ;. because thermal lag in the contact bar will limit the speed and accuracy of equilibration attainable with the apparatus of this invention , high thermal conductivity and low thermal storage capacity is exceptionally important in this member . at any location where thermal transfer occurs by conduction through a material , the thermal storage capacity is determined by the material &# 39 ; s specific heat . therefore a possible improvement over a metal bar is afforded by a heat pipe wherein thermal transfer occurs through vapor convection . heat pipes in the art to be of low thermal storage capacity . conventionally within heat pipes , thermal transfer is made between two walls by the vapor of a liquid without changing the temperature of the liquid . the vapor condenses on the wall being heated and a wicking system returns the condensate to the other wall where vaporization takes place . for spectrophotometer applications , a 0 °- 100 ° c working temperature range is usual for the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; in the fig4 embodiment and methanol would be a suitable liquid for a heat pipe used in such an application . as compared to the use of solid copper for the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; in that application , a reduction in thermal storage capacity of over 80 % can be realized from the use of a heat pipe . when it becomes necessary to change the sample in the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; of the fig4 embodiment , the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; must be removed therefrom for some period of time . because during this period of time the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; is exposed to ambient conditions rather than to the sample temperature it is probable that control of the peltier units 12 &# 39 ; and 14 &# 39 ; will be lost to cause a condition of thermal runaway . to prevent failure of either peltier unit 12 &# 39 ; or 14 &# 39 ; which could result from thermal runaway , a single direction safety shut - off feature for peltier 12 &# 39 ; is included in the circuitry of fig3 . the gate of an fet switch 70 is connected to the output from a comparator 72 , with the fet switch 70 being connected to ground the output from comparator 48 . the inputs to the comparator 72 are connected to the bridge circuit point 60 and a d . c . voltage reference respectively . as discussed previously , the voltage at bridge circuit point 60 varies as a function of the temperature of thermistor 40 and therefore , this voltage can be used to measure the temperature of peltier 12 &# 39 ;. the voltage reference at the input to comparator 72 can be set so that before a destructive temperature is reached , output from comparator 72 renders fet switch 70 conductive to ground out the control signal of peltier 12 &# 39 ;. when peltier 12 &# 39 ; is shut off , input to peltier 14 &# 39 ; will also be shut down since peltier 14 &# 39 ; is controlled by the heat pumping rate of peltier 12 &# 39 ;. because the wall of the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; in fig4 presents an undesirable thermal lag , another embodiment of this invention is shown in fig5 . as many similarities exist between the apparatus of fig4 and that of fig5 similar components are designated in fig5 with the same reference numerals as those used in fig4 but with a double prime (&# 34 ;) added thereto . in this embodiment , and extending portion is disposed on the thermal contact bar 24 &# 34 ; and is immersed into the sample within the cuvette 16 &# 34 ; from above the cuvette basket 30 &# 34 ;. the temperature sensor 32 &# 34 ; is adjacently disposed to the sample within the extending portion of the thermal contact bar 24 &# 34 ; and the agitator 68 &# 34 ; is again disposed within the cuvette 16 &# 34 ; to stir the sample continuously . as before , peltier unit 12 &# 34 ; interfaces between the thermal contact bar 24 &# 34 ; and the cuvette basket 30 &# 34 ;, while peltier unit 14 &# 34 ; interfaces between the cuvette basket 30 &# 34 ; and the ambient heat sink 18 &# 34 ;. temperature sensors 40 &# 34 ; and 42 &# 34 ; are again disposed across the peltier unit 12 &# 34 ; in the thermal contact bar 24 &# 34 ; and the cuvette basket 30 &# 34 ; respectively . otherwise , peltier units 12 &# 34 ; and 14 &# 34 ; are controlled as described and explained previously for the temperature control apparatus 10 of fig2 and thermistors 40 &# 34 ; and 42 &# 34 ; may be disposed in the constant sensitivity bridge circuit of fig3 . with some loss in temperature accuracy the inconvenience of an immersed sensor can be avoided . instead of a well for the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; ( fig4 ) can be provided in the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; ( as shown in fig6 ) to prevent the thermal runaway of the peltier units 12 &# 39 ; and 14 &# 39 ;. of course , if an immersed sensor is desireable , by placing the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; in this well when the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; is removed , the temperature control apparatus of fig4 would maintain the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; at the set temperature and thermal runaway would be thereby avoided . furthermore , a liner 74 presenting the same thermal lag as the wall of the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; may be provided within this well so that the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; can be permanently disposed therein to track the temperature of the sample , as shown in fig6 . the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; may be extended to completely surround the cuvette 16 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; where the reponse time to stabilization at the temperature set point may be compromised . this embodiment is shown in fig7 . as shown is this form the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; could be permanently located without a liner being required externally on the wall of the extended thermal contact member 24 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; at a point best representing cuvette temperature , usually near the top . the extent of overshoot which results from slewing to the temperature set point in either thermal direction depends on the thermal gradient which exists between the thermal contact bar 24 &# 39 ; ( fig4 ) and the cuvette 16 &# 39 ; at the time when the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; detects that the temperature set point has been reached . in the configuration of fig7 the greater mass of the contact member 24 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; augments overshoot . to reduce this overshoot without increasing the thermal response time , a set point antcipation feature can be accomplished by thermally disposing another thermistor 76 in the thermal contact member 24 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; of fig7 to track the temperature of the sample and series connecting this thermistor with another resistor 78 in the bridge circuitry of fig3 . a comparator 80 is included as part of this anticipation feature in the circuitry of fig3 with the inputs thereof connected respectively to the bridge circuit point 62 or an equivalent voltage and the bridge circuit point between resistor 78 and thermistor 76 . although not shown in fig3 the output from comparator 80 is connected in the additive sense to the input of comparator 36 &# 39 ; to which output from the bridge circuit 34 &# 39 ; with the temperature sensor 32 &# 39 ; therein is connected . because the output from comparator 80 is proportional to the thermal gradient across cuvette 16 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; as represented by the temperature difference between thermistors 40 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; and 76 , the output from comparator 36 &# 39 ; that controls peltier unit 12 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; includes components that are proportional to the gradient across the cuvette 16 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; and to the deviation from the set point of the sample temperature respectively . as these components are additive peltier 12 &# 39 ;&# 34 ; shuts - off before the set point is reached to reduce the thermal overshoot encountered . as the gradient then decays as the temperature of the thermal contact member approaches the set temperature the set point anticipation feature functions to bring the sample temperature to set point with little or no overshoot . we have found this anticipation circuit to be so effective that the stirrer can be omitted without overshoot resulting from the increased thermal lag . those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination or arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and the scope of this invention . therefore , the present disclosure should be construed as illustrative rather than limiting .	5
embodiments of the present invention are described below with respect to fig2 - 4 . referring initially to fig2 , a gas turbine engine 200 is provided comprising a compressor 201 , a combustion system 202 , and a turbine 203 in fluid communication . the compressor 201 takes in ambient air and compresses it , through a multi - stage compression process , to a higher temperature and pressure and passes the compressed air to the combustion system 202 . a portion of the compressed air 210 is directed from the compressor discharge for purposes of cooling components in the turbine 203 . the compressed air 210 is passed to an electric backup compression system 220 that is also in fluid communication with the turbine 203 . the electric backup compression system 220 comprises a motor 222 powered by an electrical supply 224 . the motor 222 provides shaft power to turn the backup compressor 226 . this electric backup compression system 220 takes compressed air 210 from the engine compressor 201 , or an engine compressor discharge at the exit of compressor 201 , and further compresses the air to a higher operating pressure . depending on the temperature and pressure requirements for the cooling air 231 being supplied to the turbine 203 , the compressed air may pass through a cooler 228 , to cool the air to a lower temperature . however , care must be used when cooling the air temperature of air from the backup compressor in order to ensure the temperature is not lowered to the point of causing cracking in turbine parts due to thermal shock . compressed air 230 , also referred to as a second supply of pressurized air , then passes through a valve 232 , which controls flow to the turbine 203 . the electric backup compression system 220 can be used alone as a way to further compress cooling air , as shown in fig3 , or can be used in the event of trouble or availability issues with an auxiliary air compression system 250 , as shown in fig2 . referring back to fig2 , the electric backup compression system 220 operates in conjunction with or as a separate unit to the auxiliary air compression system 250 . the auxiliary air compression system 250 comprises a reciprocating engine 252 , which takes in fuel 254 and ambient air 256 and generates power in the form of torque on a shaft , and provides shaft power to turn a multistage intercooled compressor 258 . the compressor 258 draws in ambient air 260 and compresses the air to form warm compressed air 262 . the auxiliary air compression system 250 also comprises a recuperator 264 , which receives exhaust 266 from the reciprocating engine 252 and the warm compressed air 262 from the compressor 258 . as the compressed air 262 passes through the recuperator 264 , the compressed air 262 is heated by the exhaust 266 from the reciprocating engine 252 . as a result , a supply of hot compressed air 268 , also referred herein as a first supply of pressurized air , exits from the recuperator 264 . the remaining exhaust 270 , which is now cooler due to it being used as a heating source , is routed to the atmosphere or to the gas turbine exhaust . the electric backup compression system 220 can be sized to continuously supply a portion of the cooling air where the portion of the cooling air represents a fraction of the capacity of the electric driven system . by doing this , the electric backup compression system 220 can operate continuously to minimize any lag time in the event all of , or a portion of , the auxiliary compression system 250 goes offline . referring back to fig3 , the electric backup compression system 220 is capable of supplying all of the cooling requirements to the turbine 203 . although only a single electric backup compression system 220 is depicted , it may be advantageous to utilize multiple electric backup compression systems in order to provide redundancy to the cooling system . referring back to fig2 , the valve 232 regulates the flow of compressed air for cooling in the turbine 203 . that is , the valve 232 is adjustable and can restrict the compressed air to that of the first supply of pressurized air 268 from the auxiliary air compression system 250 or a second supply of pressurized air 230 from the electric backup compression system 220 , or a combination of the first supply of pressurized air 268 and the second supply of pressurized air 230 to form the cooling air 231 for cooling components in the turbine 203 , such as turbine vanes or turbine blades . as one skilled in the art can appreciate , it is beneficial to be able to control the temperature of the hot compressed air 268 . this control is accomplished by a compressed air bypass or an exhaust bypass around the recuperator 264 , both of which are not depicted for clarity purposes . depending on the pressure ratio of the backup compressor 226 , it may be advantageous to pull the compressed air for the electric backup compression system 220 from a location other than a compressor discharge plenum , such as an upstream stage in the compressor 201 . if air is withdrawn from an earlier stage of the compressor 201 , then the cooler 228 may be eliminated from the electric backup compression system 220 because the air entering the system will be cooler than air taken from the compressor discharge plenum . furthermore , utilizing a backup compressor 226 having more than one stage of compression , such as an intercooled compressor , is another way of reducing the compressor exit temperature by intercooling one or more stages . one of the main aspects of cooling turbine components through an auxiliary supply system , as disclosed herein , is that the present invention provides cooling air at a pressure higher than the compressor discharge pressure of the engine 200 , allowing for more efficient cooling and advanced cooling schemes to be used , resulting in a reduced amount of cooling air required . using less air for cooling increases the amount of air going through the combustion process , which translates into improved engine efficiency . furthermore , by lowering the operating temperatures of hot gas path turbine parts , operating life of the turbine parts can be extended . referring now to fig4 , a system 400 for providing compressed air to cool gas turbine engine components is depicted . the system 400 comprises a gas turbine engine having a compressor 401 , a combustor 402 , and turbine 403 fluidly connected where a portion of the air 405 from the compressor 401 is used to cool components in the turbine 403 . shaft power from the gas turbine engine drives a generator 404 . a plurality of auxiliary compression systems 420 are in selective fluid communication with the gas turbine engine at least one of the auxiliary compression system 420 comprises a fueled engine 422 , an intercooled compressor 424 , and a recuperator 426 . the auxiliary compression systems 420 depicted in fig4 are in accordance with the auxiliary air compression system discussed above , and as shown in fig2 . while the cooling air 405 for the components of turbine 403 is taken from the compressor 401 , the compressed air 430 produced by auxiliary compression systems 420 provides a backup supply of cooling air to the components in turbine 403 . the flow of compressed air 430 from the auxiliary compression systems 420 to turbine 403 is regulated by a valve 440 . as used herein , the term “ fueled engine ” means a heat engine , such as a piston driven or rotary ( e . g . wankel ) internal combustion engine ( e . g . gasoline engine , diesel engine , natural gas fired engine , or similar fuels , or a combination of such fuels ) or a gas turbine , that produces work by combusting a fuel with air to heat a working fluid which then drives blades or the like . the shaft of the engine turns a multi - stage auxiliary compressor which compresses the air , thereby heating the air . depending on the configuration of the separate compressed air source , the compressor of the backup compression system may be an intercooled compressor , where the air is cooled between each stage of the compressor , thereby allowing for further compression of the air over more typical compression systems . according to one embodiment , the auxiliary compressor is a multistage compressor having at least one upstream compression stage and at least one downstream compression stage fluidly downstream of the upstream compression stage , and the step of operating the fueled engine to drive the auxiliary compressor to produce compressed air from the auxiliary compressor includes the step of cooling the compressed air exiting the upstream compression stage before delivering it to the downstream compression stage . preferably , the apparatus further comprises an intercooler heat exchanger fluidly connected to at least one of the stage inlets and at least one of the stage outlets to cool the compressed air exiting the at least one of the stage outlets prior to delivering the compressed air to the at least one of the stage inlets downstream thereof . as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate , each of the embodiments of the present invention may also include flow control valves , backflow prevention valves , and shut - off valves as required to insure that the flow of air , auxiliary compressed air , and compressor discharge air flow only in the directions described herein . while the particular systems , components , methods , and devices described herein and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the above - described objects and advantages of the invention , it is to be understood that these are but embodiments of the invention and are thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention . the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art , and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims . it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the invention are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention .	5

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