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next , various embodiments of the luminescence measurement method and the luminescence measurement system according to the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to drawings . incidentally , these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention . especially , in the following embodiments , there may be explained cases where the present invention is applied to luminescent imaging . however , the present invention is not limited to such a luminescent imaging , but can be applied likewise to the measuring method using a luminometer , for instance . first of all , the construction of a luminescence observation system ( luminescence measuring system ) 100 to be employed in the luminescence measurement method ( specifically , a measuring step and an output step ) according to the present invention will be explained with reference to fig1 , fig2 and fig3 . fig1 shows a diagram illustrating one example of the overall construction of luminescence observation system 100 . as shown in fig1 , the luminescence observation system 100 is constituted by a vessel 103 ( specifically , it may be a petri dish , a slide glass , a microplate , a gel - supporting member , a fine particle carrier , etc .) housing a biological sample 102 , a stage 104 for mounting the vessel 103 , a luminescence image pick - up unit 106 , and an image analyzer 110 . herein , the luminescence observation system 100 may be constructed such that the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 for measuring a weak luminescence is disposed on the underside of the stage 104 so as to completely intercept the disturbing light from the direction above the sample on the occasion of opening or closing the cover , thereby making it possible to increase the s / n ratio of luminescent image . the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 may be formed of a laser scanning type optical system . the biological sample 102 is formed of a living cell containing luminescence - associated protein that can be obtained by introducing a luminescence - associated gene into the protein . this biological sample 102 contains more than a prescribed quantity of a substance which is capable of reacting with the luminescence - associated protein . as for the luminescence - associated protein , it is selected from those exhibiting more than a prescribed level of km value so as to make it possible to quantitatively determine the luminescence intensity in correspondence with the quantity of the substance . as for the object to be analyzed in this case , it may be a biological tissue including cells , or various kinds of internal organs or organ including such a biological tissue . alternatively , the object to be analyzed may be an embryo or a bion having such a biological tissue , internal organ or organ . the stage 104 for sustaining the object to be analyzed may be designed in such a manner that specific cell ( s ) ( one or more ) to be analyzed would not be moved out of the visual field ( preferably , the optical axis ) for observing the luminescence of the object during a desired time period of analysis ( for example , an object - fixing tool or a tracking mechanism for the stage ). the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 is , specifically , formed of an upright type luminescence microscope which is capable of picking up the luminescent image of the biological sample 102 . as shown in fig1 , the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 is constituted by an objective lens 106 a , a dichroic minor 106 b , a ccd camera 106 c and an imaging lens 106 f . the objective lens 106 a is , specifically , constructed to have a value of ( the number of apertures / magnification ) 2 which is confined to 0 . 01 or more . the dichroic mirror 106 b is employed for separating , color by color , the luminescence emitted from the biological sample 102 , thereby measuring , color by color , the quantity of luminescence and the luminescence intensity by making use of the luminescence of two colors . the ccd camera 106 c is used for taking the luminescent image and the brightfield image of the biological sample 102 that have been projected , through the objective lens 106 a , the dichroic minor 106 b and the imaging lens 106 f , on the chip surface of the ccd camera 106 c . further , the ccd camera 106 c is connected with an image analyzer 110 to thereby enable it to communicate , through a wire or wireless circuit , with the image analyzer 110 . in this case , if a plurality of biological samples 102 are existed within the range of picking up , the ccd camera 106 c may be designed so as to perform the image pick - up of luminescence images and brightfield images of the plurality of biological samples 102 . the imaging lens 106 f is employed for picking up the image ( specifically , an image including the biological sample 102 ) that has been entered , through the objective lens 106 a and the dichroic minor 106 b , into the imaging lens 106 f . incidentally , in fig1 , there is illustrated one example wherein luminescent images each corresponding to a couple of beams separated by the dichroic minor 106 b are individually taken up by a couple of ccd cameras 106 c . therefore , in a case where only one beam is employed , the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 may be constituted by the objective lens 106 a , a single ccd camera 106 c and the imaging lens 106 f . when it is desired to measure the quantity of luminescence and the intensity of luminescence color by color by making use of two color beams , the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 may be constituted by the objective lens 106 a , the ccd camera 106 c , the split image unit 106 d and the imaging lens 106 f as shown in fig2 . further , the ccd camera 106 c may be used for taking the luminescent image ( split image ) and the brightfield image of the biological sample 102 that have been projected , through the split image unit 106 d and the imaging lens 106 f , on the chip surface of the ccd camera 106 c . the split image unit 106 d is used for separating beam emitted from the sample 102 color by color and for measuring the quantity of luminescence and the intensity of luminescence color by color by making use of two color beams . further , when it is desired to measure the quantity of luminescence and the intensity of luminescence color by color by making use of a plurality of color beams ( namely , when a multi - color beam is employed ), the luminescence image pick - up unit 106 may be constituted by the objective lens 106 a , the ccd camera 106 c , a filter wheel 106 e and the imaging lens 106 f as shown in fig3 . in this case , the ccd camera 106 c may be used for taking the luminescent image and the brightfield image of the biological sample 102 that have been projected , through the filter wheel 106 e and the imaging lens 106 f , on the chip surface of the ccd camera 106 c . the filter wheel 106 e is used for separating beam emitted from the sample 102 color by color by way of filter exchange and for measuring the quantity of luminescence and the intensity of luminescence color by color by making use of a plurality of color beams . now turn back to fig1 , the image analyzer 110 is , specifically , formed of a personal computer . this image analyzer 110 is roughly constituted as shown in fig4 by a control section 112 , a clock - generating section 114 for measuring the time of the system , a memory section 116 , a communication interface section 118 , an input / output interface section 120 , an input apparatus 122 and an output apparatus 124 , wherein all of these sections are connected with each other through a bus . the details of these constructions shown in fig1 to 4 can be understood by referring to international patent publication wo2006 / 106882 ( the title thereof : a method of measuring a quantity of luminescence at a prescribed site , an apparatus of measuring a quantity of luminescence at a prescribed site , a method of measuring a quantity of manifestation , and a measuring apparatus ). since this international patent publication discloses a method of analyzing two kinds of medical information on the same cell by making use of both of the fluorescent image and luminescent image thereof , the method can be also applied , as another embodiment of the present invention , to the method of analysis wherein a plural kinds of fluorescent marker substance differing in dynamic range ( fluorescence - associated protein such as gfp , cfp , yfp , rfp , etc ., for example ) are employed . further , in the case of bret ( bioluminescence resonance energy transfer ), since it is an optical phenomenon wherein bioluminescence is combined with fluorescence , it is possible to obtain the advantage that a system for exciting fluorescence can be dispensed with . furthermore , it is also possible to utilize , as fluorescence - associated protein , oberlin , etc . other than luciferase . the memory section 116 is formed of storage means , so that it may be , as a specific example , a memory device such as ram , rom , etc ., a stationary disk device such as hard disk , a flexible disk , an optical disk , etc . this memory section 116 is designed to store data obtained by the processing of each of the sections of the control section 112 . the communication interface section 118 acts to mediate the communication between the image analyzer 110 and the ccd camera 106 a . namely , the communication interface section 118 is provided with a function to communicate with other terminals so as to receive or send data through a wire or wireless communicating circuit . the input / output interface section 120 is connected with an input apparatus 122 and with an output apparatus 124 . as for the output apparatus 124 in this case , it is possible to employ not only a monitor ( including a home television ) but also a speaker or a printer ( incidentally , in the following description , the output apparatus 124 may be referred to as a monitor ). further , as for the input apparatus 122 , it is possible to employ a key board , a mouse , a microphone as well as a monitor which is capable of functioning as a pointing device in cooperation with a mouse . in this case , based on a luminescent image displayed in a monitor employed as the output apparatus 124 , an interested region including one or more of specific cells ( or a cell group ) to be analyzed within a desired time period of analysis or an interested site in a cell as well as measuring item ( s ) are designated through the input apparatus 122 by a user , thereby enabling the positional information ( adress ) of the region ( or site ) designated in the observing visual field to be stored in the memory section 116 . due to the information thus stored in this manner , it is now possible to perform image analysis which makes it possible to check up a plurality of regions ( or sites ) or temporally check up the specific cells ( or a cell group ) on the basis of time series . further , the image analyzer 110 is constructed in such a manner that when the kind ( or the km value itself ) of luminescence - associated protein used as an object to be placed on the stage 104 is input through the input apparatus 122 by a user , the dynamic range of each of measuring item related to one of more of luminescence - associated protein to be used is specifically selected by a dynamic range adjusting section 108 from memory information that has been stored in advance such as a look - up table , thereby enabling a control mode corresponding to the collated dynamic range to be instructed to the control section 112 . in this case , once the kind of luminescence - associated protein is specified , the kind of ground substance which causes the luminescence - associated protein to radiate can be univocally determined , so that the km value to the ground substance may be also stored in advance in the look - up table . the control section 112 is designed such that each of processes ( an imaging process , an image - obtaining process , a picture image processing for analysis and a process of outputting analyzed results ) according to the instructed control mode can be executed at each of the sections ( a luminescent image pick - up instruction section 112 a , a luminescent image acquisition section 112 b , an image analysis section 112 c and an analysis result output section 112 d ) while coordinating with the address of each of the designated regions ( or sites ) that have been stored in the memory section 118 . furthermore , the information related to the luminescent image and / or the analyzed results thus obtained is displayed on the picture plane of the output apparatus 124 after the information has been converted , through the dynamic range adjusting section 108 , to an output format corresponding to the dynamic range . incidentally , when it is desired to combine the information with a measuring item wherein luminescence - associated protein is employed , it is preferable to input the kind ( or km value itself ) of the luminescence - associated protein . in this case however , since it is conceivable that , due to the modification of the luminescence - associated protein or fluorescence - associated protein , the km value thereof may be varied from the km value before the modification thereof , it is preferable to input the km value of the protein to be actually used . as for the instruction of picking up corresponding to the dynamic range and to be executed by the luminescent image pick - up instruction section 112 a , it includes picking up intervals ( for example , a video mode of not more than 5 seconds , a video mode consisting of intermediate intervals ranging from 6 seconds to 10 minutes , a time lapse mode consisting of long picking up intervals ranging from 11 minutes to 120 minutes , or a combination of these modes ). as for the instruction of acquisition corresponding to the dynamic range and to be executed by the luminescent image acquisition section 112 b , it includes for example the exposure time ( a short time exposure mode of not more than one second , an intermediate exposure time exposure mode ranging from 2 seconds to 10 minutes and a long time exposure mode ranging from 6 minutes to 120 minutes ) of an image pick - up device ( for example , a ccd camera , a cmos camera , etc .). at the image analysis section 112 c , the analysis of each of the regions ( or sites ) related to the obtained luminescent image is executed based on such a computing algorithm that makes it possible to analyze each kind of measuring items in correspondence with the dynamic range . at the analysis result output section 112 d also , the output of the output format ( an image format , a numerical format , a graphic format , etc .) corresponding to each kinds of measuring items is executed . finally , at the dynamic range adjusting section 108 , the result of each kind of analyzed results that has been transmitted from the analysis result output section 112 d is subjected to a conversion processing wherein the same or different output contents ( image , numeral , graph , etc .) are converted based on a parameter ( selected from the group consisting of color , color tone , gradation , brightness , dimension and video display speed ) corresponding to the dynamic range before the result is displayed at the output apparatus 124 . according to this system , a plural kinds of objects to be measured and varying in dynamic range or in km value with respect to a substance to be measured and corresponding to measuring item can be applied to the same or different object to be analyzed . for example , a measuring item having a wide dynamic range such as atp and a measuring item having a relatively narrow dynamic range such as a specific kind of gene expression may be applied to the same object to be analyzed , thereby realizing the advantage that each of the regions and / or site on the same picture image can be tracked concurrently and at real time . although it is made possible to identify cells one by one as a luminescent image by superimposing the luminescent image with a bright visual field image which has been also obtained in this example , the luminescent image may not be superimposed with the bright visual field image , provided that the image pick - up device or luminescent reagent ( luciferase , luciferin or other kinds of additives ) is high in sensitivity . further , as described hereinafter , depending on a purpose , even if various kinds of luminescent protein such as a glow type or flash type luminescent protein are prepared to thereby enable the same biological sample to be simultaneously labeled , it is possible to carry out the picking up and the analysis by means of the aforementioned system . therefore , it is possible to realize a combination of assays or a multi - assay . the control section 112 is provided with a control program such as os ( operating system ), a program regulating various kinds of procedures and an internal memory for storing data required , thereby making it possible to execute various kinds of processes based on these programs . this control section 112 is roughly constituted by the luminescent image pick - up instruction section 112 a , the luminescent image acquisition section 112 b , the image analysis section 112 c and the analysis result output section 112 d . the luminescent image pick - up instruction section 112 a is designed to instruct , through the communication interface section 118 , the ccd camera 106 c to execute the picking up of luminescent image and bright visual field image . the luminescent image acquisition section 112 b is designed to receive , through the communication interface section 118 , the luminescent image and the bright visual field image that have been taken by means of the ccd camera 106 c . the control section 112 is designed to control the luminescent image pick - up instruction section 112 a so as to execute repeated picking up of the luminescent image and the bright visual field image of biological sample 102 . in this case , on the occasion of performing the picking up of the luminescent image of biological sample 102 by means of the ccd camera 106 c , a luminescence - associated protein having an appropriate km value so as to prevent the generation of an extreme difference in luminescence intensity among the luminescence - associated proteins ( for example , in a case where one of them is luciferase for quantitatively measure atp and the other is luciferase for analyzing the gene expression ) is selected ( for example , luciferase having a higher km value ( km & gt ; 364 μm ) as compared with the luciferase for analyzing the gene expression is selected as the luciferase for quantitatively measure atp ), thereby making it possible to concurrently perform the picking up in the same exposure time . the image analysis section 112 c is designed to quantitatively measure the luminescence intensity of each of luminescent colors on the basis of the luminescent image that has been obtained at the luminescent image acquisition section 112 b . further , the image analysis section 112 c is designed to quantitatively measure fluctuation with time of the luminescence intensity of each of luminescent colors on the basis of a plurality of luminescent images that have been obtained at the luminescent image acquisition section 112 b . the analysis result output section 112 d is designed to feed the result of analysis obtained at the image analysis section 112 c to the output apparatus 124 . in this case , the analysis result output section 112 d may be designed such that the time series data related to the luminescence intensity of each of luminescent colors that have been obtained at the image analysis section 112 c are turned into a graph , which is then displayed at the output apparatus 124 . the above description illustrates one example of the construction of the luminescence observing system ( luminescence measuring system ) to be employed in the luminescence measuring method of the present invention . incidentally , the output apparatus 124 may be designed such that a plurality of luminescent images corresponding to at least a portion of the time series numerical data can be fed in the form of video or parallel display to a monitor . as described above , according to the present invention , not only the kinetic analysis as to how the dynamics of a bioactive substance which is wide in dynamic range has been changed but also the analysis of the expression / fluctuation of a specific gene as to how the transcription of the specific gene related to the dynamics of the bioactive substance has been controlled can be performed quickly or at real - time on the same cell ( or cell group ). therefore , it is possible to provide information accurately and quickly for use in the medical research or for clinical use ( for example , response tests of drugs for the purpose of treatment , diagnosis and preventive medicine ). incidentally , in the case where a fluorescence image - taking unit is co - used in the analysis system for executing the method of the present invention , the fluorescence image - taking unit and the luminescent image pick - up unit may be placed on the same stage in such a manner that they are respectively disposed on a different optical axis or these units may be respectively constituted by a different apparatus ( for example , a fluorescence microscope and a luminescence microscope ) which is disposed on a different stage . alternatively , these units may be designed to perform the picking up and the analysis while allowing a plurality of analyzing objects to successively move on the same or different stage . as for the analysis system , it can be applied also to a different kind of picking up system ( various kinds of fiber scope ( for example , an endoscope ) and an image analysis type spectrometer ( for example , a luminometer )) other than the aforementioned microscope - based system as long as the analysis system is equipped at least with the image analyzer as shown in fig4 . further , in the case where the object is formed of a biological sample which has been isolated from a living body and incubated or artificially processed ( cells , living tissue , internal organs ( or organs ), etc . ), the analysis system should preferably be constructed in combination with a suitable culture apparatus so as to maintain the biological activity of the object during a prescribed period of analysis . however , when the object is an individual , the picking up can be intermittently performed while appropriately supplying or feeding oxygen and nutrition to the individual in place of the culture apparatus , thereby making it possible to execute the analysis in the same manner as described above . ( enzymological properties of various kinds of luciferase and application of luciferase to luminescence measurement ) in this example 1 , with a view to find out appropriate luciferase having a suitable km value for the application of the present invention , the enzymological properties ( km value relative to d - luciferin and atp ) of luciferase available in the market ( cbg , cbr , eluc , genji , gl3 ) were determined . ( experiment method 1 : calculation of km value of various kind of luciferase relative to d - luciferin ) d - luciferin was added to a 0 . 1m atp solution ( tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 )) to obtain various kinds of solutions differing in ultimate concentration of d - luciferin from each other , i . e . 5 μm , 10 μm , 20 μm , 40 μm , 80 μm , 160 μm , 320 μm , 640 μm , respectively , thus preparing 8 kinds of solutions . then , a 100 μg / ml luciferase solution was prepared by making use of 0 . 1m tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 ). then , d - luciferin solutions having the aforementioned concentrations were respectively aliquoted to a vessel having 96 wells , thus creating wells each containing 50 μl of d - luciferin solution . then , the luciferase solution was connected with a standard pump of luminometer , after which a program was prepared so as to initiate the measurement concurrent with the addition of 50 μl of the luciferase solution to each of the wells . subsequently , the program was started to measure the photon - count value at each d - luciferin concentration . based on the results obtained , lineweaver - burk plot and hanes - woolf plot were prepared to determine the km value of each of luciferase relative to d - luciferin . in this case , the lineweaver - burk plot can be represented by the following formula ( 1 ) and the hanes - woolf plot can be represented by the following formula ( 2 ). ( experiment method 2 : calculation of km value of various kind of luciferase relative to atp ) atp was added to a 1 mm d - luciferin solution ( tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 )) to obtain various kinds of solutions differing in ultimate concentration of atp from each other , i . e . 10 μm , 20 μm , 40 μm , 80 μm , 160 μm , 320 μm , 640 μm , 1280 μm , respectively , thus preparing 8 kinds of solutions differing in atp concentration . then , a 100 μg / ml luciferase solution was prepared by making use of 0 . 1m tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 ). subsequently , the atp solutions each having the aforementioned concentration were respectively aliquoted to a vessel having 96 wells , thus creating wells each containing 50 μl of the atp solution . then , the luciferase solution was connected with a standard pump of luminometer , after which a program was prepared so as to initiate the measurement concurrent with the addition of 50 μl of the luciferase solution to each of the wells . subsequently , the program was started to measure the photon - count value at each atp concentration . based on the results obtained , lineweaver - burk plot and hanes - woolf plot were prepared to determine the km value of each kind of luciferase relative to atp . fig5 shows the km values that have been determined from the results of above experiments . fig5 is a table showing the km value of each kind of luciferase relative to d - luciferin and atp . incidentally , in fig5 , the number described inside the parenthesis represents the km value that was calculated by making use of the hanes - woolf plot and the number described outside the parenthesis represents the km value that was calculated by making use of the lineweaver - burk plot . since the km value of each kind of luciferase is treated in the same manner as kd in general , it is conceivable that as the km value becomes smaller , the affinity of luciferase to d - luciferin or atp becomes higher . as shown in fig5 , the ranking of the affinity of luciferase to d - luciferin was confirmed as being cbg & gt ; eluc & gt ; gl3 & gt ; cbr & gt ; genji . when the facts that cbg , cbr and eluc are respectively luciferase originating from hikari kometsuki and gl3 and genji are respectively luciferase originating from firefly are taken into consideration , there will be recognized the trend that the affinity to d - luciferin becomes higher in the luciferase originated from hikari kometsuki . further , with respect to the luminescence pattern obtained from the measurement using a luminometer also , the results obtained from the luciferase originated from hikari kometsuki were found different from the results obtained from the firefly - derived luciferase . specifically , while the luciferase originated from hikari kometsuki exhibited a peak luminescence intensity 5 to 6 seconds after the addition of luciferin , the firefly - derived luciferase was confirmed to exhibit a peak luminescence intensity 0 . 5 to 1 second after the addition of luciferin . as described above , since luciferase is likely to be classified into a flash type ( requiring a short time for luminescence ) and a glow type ( requiring a long time for luminescence ) depending on the species of organism representing the origin of luciferase , a desirable type of luciferase can be selected depending on the purpose of measurement or observation . further , there is a report describing that the difference of luminescence pattern as described above can be generated due to differences in amino acid residue of luciferase ( r218 , f250 , g315 , t343 , etc .) existing in the vicinity of d - luciferin - or atp - bonding site , these differences being caused by the point mutation of p . pyralis ( see bruce r . branchini et al ., biochemistry , 2003 , 42 , pp . 10429 - 10436 ). since the aforementioned amino acid residue is known as being capable of contributing to the decay rate , it has been found possible to prepare the luciferase that is capable of exhibiting a luminescence pattern which differs from the flash type or the glow type by making use of genetic engineering techniques while taking the amino acid residue in each kind of luciferase into consideration . meanwhile , the ranking of the affinity of luciferase to atp has been confirmed as being cbg & gt ; cbr , gl3 & gt ; eluc & gt ; genji . namely , the results thus obtained indicate that eluc and genji were relatively low in affinity to atp as compared with that of other kinds of luciferase . in this case , there is a possibility that since a small degree of variations in quantity of atp cannot be fully reflected to the quantity of luminescence in the case of gl3 which is high in susceptibility , the luminescence intensity will be retained constant until the quantity of atp is greatly attenuated . specifically , in the experiments conducted by the present inventor , pgl3 was transfected to hela cell and , by making use of fccp ( carbonyl cyanide p -( trifluoromethoxy ) phenylhydrazone ) acting as an uncoupler , the production of atp in mitochondria was suspended and then the luminescence intensity on this occasion was measured with time by making use of luminoview ( lv100 )( trade name ). however , the luminescence intensity was not attenuated even if the measurement was continued after the excitation thereof . the cytoplasmic atp of hela cell under the steady state is estimated as being 1 . 3 mm ( see m v zamaraeve et al ., cell death and differentiation , 2005 , 12 , pp . 1390 - 1397 ), so that if the luciferin - luciferase reaction is assumed as being abided by michaelis - menten equation , the reaction velocity of gl3 at this atp concentration would be increased to about 85 % of vmax . meanwhile , although it is reported that the concentration of cytoplasmic atp after it was left to stand for 30 minutes after the treatment thereof with fccp became about 50 % of that of steady state ( takeshi kubota et al ., biochimica et biophysica acta , 2005 , 1744 , pp . 19 - 28 ), the reaction velocity of gl3 in the reaction using 0 . 65 mm atp is expected to be about 80 % of vmax . namely , in the case of the measuring system using a cell wherein the quantity of manifestation of luciferase is caused to change , it is expected to be difficult to detect , by means of a ccd camera , the fluctuation of luminescence originating from a difference of 5 % in reaction velocity as being the fluctuation in quantity of atp . whereas , in the case of using the luciferase which is relatively low in affinity , the reaction velocity to be expected from michaelis - menten equation is slow , so that the same degree of difference in reaction velocity is caused to generate even when it is treated with drugs , thus making it possible to conclude that the aforementioned detection can be facilitated as compared with the case where gl3 is employed . namely , in the case of quantitatively measuring a substance existing at a ratio of more than a prescribed value in a biological sample such as atp , it has been found possible to obtain a relatively large difference in reaction velocity and hence to facilitate the observation of a difference in luminescence intensity by suitably selecting a luminescence - associated material which is high in a km value so as to prevent the concentration of the substance from approaching to the vicinity of vmax in the michaelis - menten equation . on the occasion of measuring the atp concentration inside a cell , it is preferable to estimate the quantity of atp inside the cell and , based on this estimation , luciferase having an appropriate km value may be selected . as described above , the low affinity ( a high km value ) to atp is an advantageous property on the occasion of measuring the atp concentration inside a cell by making use of the luciferin - luciferase reaction . the affinity to atp in this case can be varied by means of the point mutation in the vicinity of atp bonding site ( see bruce r . branchini et al ., biochemistry , 2003 , 42 , pp . 10429 - 10436 ). namely , an intracellular atp - measuring system corresponding to many kinds of cells may be constructed by preparing a series of luciferase exhibiting various degrees of atp affinity ranging from an intermediate affinity to a very low affinity ( having km values ranging from an intermediate km value to a very high km value ). incidentally , on the occasion of adjusting the atp affinity by the introduction of a mutation into luciferase , it may be performed carefully so as to prevent the decrease of luminescence intensity . the aforementioned method is directed , as an example , to an examination method wherein the luciferase which is low in affinity to a biological substance is used to measure or observe the substance for a long period of time when the substance is existed excessively in an organism . however , if the biological substance is existed only a very small quantity in an organism , the luciferase which is high in affinity to the substance may be selected . in this manner , the affinity to various kinds of biological substance existing in various degrees in an organism is respectively determined in advance and , based on the affinity thus determined , a suitable kind of luciferase is selected for any desired examination item , thereby making it possible to always perform the measurement or observation which is high in examination efficiency . as explained above , as a result of extensive studies performed by the present inventor , it has been found out that it is possible to perform excellent measurement by selecting the luciferase which is low in affinity to a substance to be examined as the substance is existed excessively in an organism , especially a cell , as in the case of atp . especially , it has been found out as a result of the studies made on the affinity to atp that it is possible to accurately measure quantitative fluctuation in an organism by selecting the luciferase having a km value of not less than 364 μm , preferably not less than 500 μm . further , when the km value is adjusted through the modification of gene , it is possible to utilize also the luciferase which inherently exhibits a km value falling out of the aforementioned range before the modification thereof . when the luciferase having such a km value is utilized for luminously labeling a biological sample including a plurality of cells , it becomes possible , through the picking up of the luminescent picture image based on the luminescence of organism , to measure the luminescence intensity of each of the cells . furthermore , it is possible to perform the analysis including the analysis of morphological fluctuation of each of cells on the basis of the luminescent image . therefore , the measuring method of the present invention can be also provided as being useful in an application for accurately specifying the morphological fluctuation of each of cells such as shrinking that has been caused by the induction of apoptosis , etc . in conformity with the stimulation using a drug for example . in this case , the stimulation to be applied to an object to be analyzed may include physical energy such as electricity , light , magnetism , ultrasonic wave , etc . other than the addition or dosing of a chemical material such as a drug . namely , in the measurement of biological substance by making use of luciferase , the affinity to an object to be measured can be suitably combined with the affinity to a luminescent substrate , thereby making it possible to perform accurate quantitative measurement ( especially , the measurement of fluctuation of concentration ) under appropriate measuring conditions even if the object is enabled to excessively existed in an organism . this indicates in turn that the measuring method of the present invention is applicable to any desired examination for detecting very weak fluctuation in an organism or to any desired examination based on fluctuation in luminescence intensity of a substance which is capable of emitting a weak light such as a cell . ( comparison of enzymological properties between yaeyama hime firefly originated luciferase and each of other kinds of luciferase ) followings are explanation with regard to the enzymological properties of yaeyama hime firefly ( scientific name : luciola filiformis yayeyamana ) originated luciferase which has been newly found and extracted by the present inventor and each of other kinds of luciferase described above and with regard to the application thereof . as a background of this example , there has been a problem that since the luciferase available in the market is already modified by a genetic engineering method , it is difficult to expect any further technical progress . with a view to get out of this difficulty , the screening of novel luciferase was conducted by the present inventor . as a result , it was succeeded to obtain the luciferase gene ( sequence no . 1 ) originated from yaeyama hime firefly . therefore , the determination of the enzymological properties of the luciferase of yaeyama hime firefly was performed . namely , in this example , the determination of the enzymological properties ( km values thereof to d - luciferin and atp ) of the newly obtained luciferase originated from yaeyama hime firefly was performed . further , for the purpose of comparison , the determination of the enzymological properties of various kinds of luciferase ( cbg , cbr , eluc , genji , gl3 ) available from the market was concurrently executed . from the sequence of gene , several kinds of firefly belonging to luciola have been known to live in japan . as a result of the following experiments conducted to genji firefly ( scientific name : luciola cruciata , the name of luciferase will be referred to as genji in the present specification ), the gene arrangement thereof being already known , differences in km value were found out . the present invention has taken notice of this differences in km value and hence one of important subject matters of the present invention is to utilize the luciferase as a luminescent marker in conformity with purposes . ( experiment method 1 : calculation of the concentration of the stock solutions of d - luciferin and of atp ) first of all , in order to calculate the concentration of d - luciferin , the ultraviolet / visible light absorption spectrum of d - luciferase was measured . in this measurement , the spectrum was measured using a diluted ( by 4000 times ) solution ( in 0 . 1m citrate / 0 . 2m na 2 hpo 4 buffer , ph = 5 . 0 ) of d - luciferin ( promega co ., ltd .) stock solution ( about 100 mm ). as for the blank , the buffer described above was employed . fig6 illustrates the ultraviolet / visible light absorption spectrum of d - luciferase . by making use of the absorbency ( 328 nm , 0 . 467 ± 0 . 006 , n = 10 ) obtained from the spectrum of fig6 , the concentration of the d - luciferin stock solution was calculated ( d - luciferin : λ max = 328 nm , ε = 18200 , ph = 5 . 0 ). as a result of the calculation , the concentration of the d - luciferin stock solution was found as being 102 . 6 mm . then , in order to calculate the concentration of atp , the ultraviolet / visible light absorption spectrum of atp was measured . in this measurement , the spectrum was measured using a diluted ( by 2000 times ) solution ( in 0 . 1m citrate / 0 . 2m na 2 hpo 4 buffer , ph = 7 . 0 ) of atp stock solution ( about 100 mm ). as for the blank , the buffer described above was employed . fig7 illustrates the ultraviolet / visible light absorption spectrum of atp . by making use of the absorbency ( 259 nm , 0 . 359 ± 0 . 004 , n = 10 ) obtained from the spectrum of fig7 , the concentration of the atp stock solution was calculated ( atp : λ max = 259 nm , ε = 15400 , ph = 7 . 0 ). as a result of the calculation , the concentration of the atp stock solution was found as being 46 . 6 mm . the purification of luciferase was performed according to the following procedure after establishing a luciferase - purification system utilizing affinity chromatography . ( procedure of transfection of luciferase expression vector to coli bacillus ) first of all , 0 . 5 μl of luciferase expression vector was introduced into 50 μl of coli bacillus ( jm109 ( de3 )). then , the resultant liquid was subjected to a thermostatic treatment consisting of ice - cooling for 10 minutes , heating at 42 ° c . for one minute and ice - cooling for two minutes . then , 2 μl of the resultant coli bacillus solution was added to 1 ml of an soc culture medium . subsequently , the resultant solution of coli bacillus / soc culture medium mixture was subjected to shaking at 37 ° c . for 20 minutes and to incubation . then , 100 μl of the resultant solution was streaked onto an lb culture medium plate ( ampicillin 100 μg / ml +) and subjected to incubation overnight at 37 ° c . then , the coli bacillus was fractured to obtain a raw extract , from which luciferase was purified by means of affinity chromatography . namely , first of all , a suspension of coli bacillus was subjected to centrifugal separation at 15000 rpm for 5 minutes to recover the pellets of coli bacillus , which was then suspended in 10 ml of tbs cooled to 4 ° c . subsequently , by making use of french pressure cell , the fungus body was fractured . the resultant fungus body - fractured liquid was subjected to centrifugal separation ( 15000 rpm , 10 minutes ) to remove settled residues and to recover a supernatant liquid . subsequently , 2 ml of tbs was added to a column having 2 ml of bed volume and subjected to filtration . then , 500 μl of a ni - agar suspension and 2 ml of tbs were added to the column and the tbs was allowed to gravitationally drop ( column equilibration ). the supernatant liquid thus recovered was added to the column and allowed to gravitationally drop . incidentally , the operation until the drop of the supernatant liquid was completed was performed inside a refrigerator at a temperature of 4 ° c . then , by making use of 1 ml of a 50 mm imidazole / tbs solution , the column was washed . further , 2 ml of a 500 mm imidazole / tbs solution was added to the column to elute luciferase . the resultant elute was recovered in a 10 ml tube and immediately ice - cooled . subsequently , the concentration of elute was performed by means of ultrafiltration . subsequently , the elute was moved 400 μl by 400 μl to a centrifugal concentration tube ( suprec ™- 02 , available from takara co ., ltd . ( exclusion limit molecular weight : 30 , 000 )) and then subjected to centrifugal separation ( 5000 rpm , 30 minutes ) until the elute was concentrated to about 100 μl . thereafter , the absorbency of the concentrated elute was measured by means of a plate reader and the concentration of luciferase was calculated from the calibration curve which was prepared by making use of bsa . after finishing the calculation of concentration , the solution of luciferase was formulated as a 50 % glycerol solution and preserved at − 20 ° c . ( experiment method 3 : calculation of km value of various kind of luciferase relative to d - luciferin ) first of all , a solution of 4 mm atp and a solution of 8 mm mgso 4 ( in 0 . 1m tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 )) were prepared . then , d - luciferin was added to the atp solution to obtain various kinds of solutions differing in ultimate concentration of d - luciferin from each other , i . e . 5 μm , 10 μm , 20 μm , 40 μm , 80 μm , 160 μm , 320 μm , 640 μm , respectively , thus preparing 8 kinds of solutions differing in concentration of d - luciferin from each other . then , a 100 μg / ml luciferase solution was prepared by making use of 0 . 1m tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 ) and d - luciferin solutions having the aforementioned concentrations were respectively aliquoted to a vessel having 96 wells , thus creating wells each containing 50 μl of d - luciferin solution . then , the luciferase solution was connected with a standard pump of luminometer , after which a program was prepared so as to initiate the measurement concurrent with the addition of 50 μl of the luciferase solution to each of the wells . subsequently , the program was started to measure the photon - count value at each d - luciferin concentration . incidentally , the measurement was repeated five times at each concentration of d - luciferin . based on the results obtained , lineweaver - burk plot and hanes - woolf plot were prepared . in this case , the lineweaver - burk plot can be represented by the following formula ( 3 ) and the hanes - woolf plot can be represented by the following formula ( 4 ). incidentally , the photon - count value immediately after the addition of an enzyme solution was defined as the initial velocity in the preparation of each of these plots . ( v : reaction velocity ; v max : maximum velocity ; [ s ]: concentration of substrate ; and km : michaelis constant ) graphs illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity of each kind of luciferase due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin , the results of lineweaver - burk plot and the results of hanes - woolf plot are illustrated in fig8 to 25 . namely , fig8 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin in the case of cbg . fig9 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of cbg . fig1 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of cbg . as a result of these measurements , the km value of cbg relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 10 . 5 μm and the km value of cbg relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 10 . 5 μm . further , in the case of cbr , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig1 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin in the case of cbr . fig1 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of cbr . fig1 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of cbr . as a result of these measurements , the km value of cbr relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 36 . 4 μm and the km value of cbr relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 63 . 8 μm . further , in the case of eluc , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig1 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin in the case of eluc . fig1 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of eluc . fig1 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of eluc . as a result of these measurements , the km value of eluc relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 15 . 0 μm and the km value of eluc relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 15 . 0 μm . further , in the case of genji , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig1 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin in the case of genji . fig1 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of genji . fig1 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of genji . as a result of these measurements , the km value of genji relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 75 . 0 μm and the km value of genji relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 75 . 0 μm . further , in the case of gl3 , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig2 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin in the case of gl3 . fig2 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of gl3 . fig2 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of gl3 . as a result of these measurements , the km value of gl3 relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 33 . 3 μm and the km value of gl3 relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 25 . 0 μm . further , in the case of yaeyama ( luciferase originated from yaeyama hime firefly ), the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig2 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of d - luciferin in the case of yaeyama . fig2 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of yaeyama . fig2 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of d - luciferin , of yaeyama . as a result of these measurements , the km value of yaeyama relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 100 μm and the km value of yaeyama relative to d - luciferin as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 100 μm . ( experiment method 4 : calculation of km value of various kind of luciferase relative to atp ) in order to perform the calculation of km value of each kind of the luciferase to atp , an 8 mm mgso 4 ( in 0 . 1m tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 )) solution of 1 mm d - luciferin was prepared at first . then , atp was added to this d - luciferin to obtain various kinds of solutions differing in ultimate concentration of atp from each other , i . e . 10 μm , 20 μm , 40 μm , 80 μm , 160 μm , 320 μm , 640 μm , 1280 μm , respectively , thus preparing 8 kinds of solutions differing in concentration of atp from each other . then , a 0 . 1m tris - hcl ( ph = 8 . 0 ) solution of 100 μg / ml luciferase was prepared . the atp solutions having the aforementioned concentrations were respectively aliquoted to a vessel having 96 wells , thus creating wells each containing 50 μl of the atp solution . then , the luciferase solution was connected with a standard pump of luminometer , after which a program was prepared so as to initiate the measurement concurrent with the addition of 50 μl of the luciferase solution to each of the wells . subsequently , the program was started to measure the photon - count value at each atp concentration . incidentally , the measurement was repeated five times at each concentration of atp . based on the results obtained , lineweaver - burk plot and hanes - woolf plot were prepared . graphs illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity of each kind of luciferase due to an increase in concentration of atp , the results of lineweaver - burk plot and the results of hanes - woolf plot are illustrated in fig2 to 43 . namely , fig2 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of atp in the case of cbg . fig2 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of cbg . fig2 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of cbg . as a result of these measurements , the km value of cbg relative to atp as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 200 μm and the km value of cbg relative to atp as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 290 μm . further , in the case of cbr , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig2 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of atp in the case of cbr . fig3 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of cbr . fig3 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of cbr . as a result of these measurements , the km value of cbr relative to atp as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 110 μm and the km value of cbr relative to atp as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 130 μm . further , in the case of eluc , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig3 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of atp in the case of eluc . fig3 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of eluc . fig3 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of eluc . as a result of these measurements , the km value of eluc relative to atp as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 364 μm and the km value of eluc relative to atp as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 250 μm . further , in the case of genji , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig3 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of atp in the case of genji . fig3 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of genji . fig3 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of genji . as a result of these measurements , the km value of genji relative to atp as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 500 μm and the km value of genji relative to atp as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 500 μm . further , in the case of gl3 , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig3 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of atp in the case of gl3 . fig3 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of gl3 . fig4 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of gl3 . as a result of these measurements , the km value of gl3 relative to atp as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 200 μm and the km value of gl3 relative to atp as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 200 μm . further , in the case of yaeyama , the results were obtained as follows . namely , fig4 shows a graph illustrating the fluctuation of luminescence intensity due to an increase in concentration of atp in the case of yaeyama . fig4 shows the lineweaver - burk plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of yaeyama . fig4 shows the hanes - woolf plot , relative to the concentration of atp , of yaeyama . as a result of these measurements , the km value of yaeyama relative to atp as it was calculated from the lineweaver - burk plot was 400 μm and the km value of yaeyama relative to atp as it was calculated from the hanes - woolf plot was 400 μm . the lineweaver - burk plot and the hanes - woolf plot were prepared from the photon count values obtained by the luminometer and , based on these plots , the km values were calculated . fig4 shows a summary of these results of calculation of the km values . in fig4 , the number described inside the parenthesis represents the km value that was calculated by making use of the hanes - woolf plot . since the km value of each kind of luciferase is treated in the same manner as kd in general , it is conceivable that as the km value becomes smaller , the affinity of luciferase to d - luciferin or atp becomes higher . namely , the ranking of the affinity of luciferase to d - luciferin was confirmed as being cbg & gt ; eluc & gt ; gl3 & gt ; cbr & gt ; genji & gt ; yaeyama . when the facts that cbg , cbr and eluc are respectively luciferase originating from hikari kometsuki and gl3 , genji and yaeyama are respectively luciferase originating from firefly are taken into consideration , there will be recognized the trend that the affinity to d - luciferin becomes higher in the luciferase originated from hikari kometsuki . although data are not shown herein , the results obtained from the luciferase originated from hikari kometsuki were found different from the results obtained from the firefly - derived luciferase with respect also to the luminescence pattern obtained from the measurement using a luminometer . specifically , while the luciferase originated from hikari kometsuki exhibited a peak luminescence intensity 5 to 6 seconds after the addition of luciferin , i . e . so - called glow type luminescence , the firefly - derived luciferase was confirmed to exhibit a peak luminescence intensity 0 . 5 to 1 second after the addition of luciferin , i . e . so - called flash type luminescence . with respect to the luciferase originated from yaeyama which was obtained by the present inventor at this time , since it exhibited a peak luminescence intensity 0 . 5 to 1 second after the addition of luciferin , this luciferase was confirmed as being of flash type . further , there is a report describing that the difference of luminescence pattern as described above can be generated due to differences in amino acid residue of luciferase ( r218 , f250 , g315 , t343 , etc .) existing in the vicinity of d - luciferin - or atp - bonding site , these differences being caused by the point mutation of p . pyralis ( see bruce r . branchini et al ., biochemistry , 2003 , 42 , pp . 10429 - 10436 ). since the aforementioned amino acid residue is known as being capable of contributing to the decay rate , it has been found possible to prepare the luciferase that is capable of exhibiting a luminescence pattern which differs from the flash type or the glow type by making use of genetic engineering techniques while taking the amino acid residue in each kind of luciferase into consideration . meanwhile , the ranking of the affinity of luciferase to atp has been confirmed as being cbg & gt ; cbr , gl3 & gt ; eluc & gt ; yaeyama & gt ; genji . namely , the results thus obtained indicate that , although it is inferior as compared with genji , yaeyama was relatively low in affinity to atp as compared with that of other kinds of luciferase . this low affinity to atp is an advantageous property on the occasion of quantitatively determining the intercellular atp concentration by making use of the luciferin - luciferase reaction . in this case , there is a possibility that since a small degree of variations in quantity of atp cannot be fully reflected to the quantity of luminescence in the case of gl3 which is high in susceptibility , the luminescence intensity will be retained constant until the quantity of atp is greatly attenuated . specifically , in the experiments conducted by the present inventor , pgl3 was transfected to hela cell and , by making use of fccp acting as an uncoupler , the production of atp in mitochondria was suspended and then the luminescence intensity on this occasion was measured with time by making use of luminoview ( lv100 )( trade name ). however , the luminescence intensity was not attenuated even if the measurement was continued after the excitation thereof . the cytoplasmic atp of hela cell under the steady state is estimated as being 1 . 3 mm ( see m v zamaraeve et al ., cell death and differentiation , 2005 , 12 , pp . 1390 - 1397 ), so that if the luciferin - luciferase reaction is assumed as being abided by michaelis - menten equation , the reaction velocity of gl3 at this atp concentration would be increased to about 85 % of vmax . meanwhile , although it is reported that the concentration of cytoplasmic atp after it was left to stand for 30 minutes after the treatment thereof with fccp became about 50 % of that of steady state ( see takeshi kubota et al ., biochimica et biophysica acta , 2005 , 1744 , pp . 19 - 28 ), the reaction velocity of gl3 in the reaction using 0 . 65 mm atp is expected to be about 80 % of vmax . therefore , in the case of the measuring system using a cell wherein the quantity of manifestation of luciferase is caused to change , it is expected to be difficult to detect , by means of a ccd camera , the fluctuation of luminescence originating from a difference of 5 % in reaction velocity as being the fluctuation in quantity of atp . meanwhile , in the case of using yaeyama , a reaction velocity corresponding to about 80 % of vmax in the case of 1 . 35 mm atp and a reaction velocity corresponding to about 60 % of vmax in the case of 0 . 65 mm atp are expected to be realized in view of the michaelis - menten equation , so that a difference of 20 % in reaction velocity would be caused to generate as it is treated with drugs ( fccp treatment ), thus finding that the detection can be facilitated as compared with the case where gl3 is employed . namely , yaeyama is found capable of exhibiting the most advantageous km value in the luminescence imaging method of atp . further , when the above - described examples of gl3 and yaeyama are taken into account , it is preferable to select the luciferase after estimating the quantity of atp inside the cell on the occasion of measuring the intercellular atp concentration . the affinity to atp in this case can be varied by means of the point mutation in the vicinity of atp bonding site ( see bruce r . branchini et al ., biochemistry , 2003 , 42 , pp . 10429 - 10436 ). namely , by preparing a series of luciferase exhibiting various degrees of atp affinity ranging from an intermediate affinity to a very low affinity ( having km values ranging from an intermediate km value to a very high km value ), an intracellular atp - measuring system corresponding to many kinds of cells can be constructed . incidentally , since it is known that the luminescence intensity is caused to decrease in the case of the luciferase which has been modified through the introduction of mutation , the yaeyama may be modified so as to adjust the atp affinity while taking into consideration the retention of high luminescence intensity . in this example 3 , the object of experiment was directed to a plurality of hela cells having a luciferase gene introduced therein . by making use of luminometer ( chronos , atto co ., ltd . ), the luminescence of the hela cells to be induced by drug stimulation was tracked with time and the results obtained were compared with the quantity of fluctuation in luminescence that had been brought about by the luciferase gene . a drug staurosporine ( sts ) is known as being capable of obstructing pkc and of inducing apoptosis . further , it is reported that once apoptosis has been induced by the sts , the intercellular atp concentration is caused to increase at the initial stage of apoptosis ( see m v zamaraeva et al ., cell death and differentiation ( 2005 ), 12 , pp . 1390 - 1397 ). in this example , the increase of the intercellular atp concentration on the occasion of the induction of apoptosis into the hela cells by making use of the sts was detected by the increase of luminescence to be brought about by the eluc and gl3 , and the results obtained were compared with each other . ( 1 ) a sv40 promoter / emerald luc expressing vector ( tohyobou co ., ltd .) and a sv40 promotor / gl3 expressing vector were respectively introduced into hela cells which had been seeded in a glass bottom dish , thereby preparing the hela cells which were capable of constantly expressing luciferase . ( 2 ) d - luciferin was added to the above - described samples to obtain the samples containing d - luciferin at an ultimate concentration of 0 . 5 mm . the resultant samples were left to stand for one hour in an incubator . ( 3 ) the samples were set in a luminometer and then staurosporine ( sts ) was added to these samples so as to make the ultimate concentration into 4 μm . ( 4 ) after the addition of the drug , the measurement using the luminometer was initiated and fluctuation in luminescence after the stimulation using the drug were tracked with time . as a result , fluctuation in luminescence intensity after the stimulation with sts were obtained as shown in fig4 and fig4 . in this case , fig4 is a graph showing the fluctuation of luminescence of eluc obtained in the measurement of the quantity of intercellular atp measured using a luminometer ( chronos ) and fig4 is a graph showing the fluctuation of luminescence of gl3 obtained in the measurement of the quantity of intercellular atp measured using a luminometer ( chronos ). this experiment was performed under the conditions wherein opti - mem and 0 . 5 mm d - luciferin were used in the measurement using chronos ( atto co ., ltd .) ( 36 ° c ., 10 - second integration data ). after the stimulation using 4 μm staurosporine ( sts ), the measurement was started . as shown in fig4 and fig4 , it will be recognized through the comparison between the fluctuation of luminescence of eluc and gl3 that eluc was more preferable in increasing the magnitude of fluctuation , thereby facilitating the detection using a luminometer . these results indicate that the employment of luciferase exhibiting a lower affinity to atp is advantageous in the measurement of the fluctuation of atp . in this example 4 , the object of experiment was directed to a plurality of hela cells having a luciferase gene introduced therein . by making use of lv200 ( olympus co ., ltd .) representing a luminescence imaging system which was capable of executing the picking up / observation of three kinds of images , i . e . a fluorescent - transmitting image , a luminescent ( chemical luminescence and / or biological luminescence ) image and a transmitting bright visual field image , the luminescence of specific hela cells to be induced by drug stimulation was tracked with time and the luminescence intensity thereof was tracked . this luminescence imaging system was equipped with a component which was capable of cultivating a sample including cells , with a common pick up component ( an objective lens , an imaging lens and a ccd camera ), and an illumination system which was capable of executing the irradiation for exciting fluorescence and illumination of bright visual field . it is possible , with this system , to selectively obtaining an image from these three kinds of image and to individually display or analyze each of these images in accordance with the instruction of an operator . therefore , it is possible for an operator to optionally give instructions through an interface of the system or to output the results of the analysis of these images . ( 1 ) a sv40 promoter / emerald luc expressing vector ( tohyobou co ., ltd .) was introduced into hela cells which had been seeded in a glass bottom dish , thereby preparing the hela cells which were capable of constantly expressing luciferase . ( 2 ) d - luciferin was added to the above - described samples to obtain the samples containing d - luciferin at an ultimate concentration of 0 . 5 mm . the resultant samples were left to stand for one hour in an incubator . ( 3 ) the samples were set in a luminescence imaging apparatus and then staurosporine ( sts ) was added to these samples so as to make the ultimate concentration into 4 μm . ( 4 ) after the addition of the drug , the measurement using the luminometer was initiated and fluctuation in luminescence after the stimulation using the drug were tracked with time . as a result , it was possible to observe the luminescent image and the fluctuation in luminescence intensity as shown in fig4 and fig4 . in this case , fig4 is a graph showing a luminescent image in an eluc expressing hela cell which was obtained immediately after the drug stimulation . the conditions for this experiment were as follows . by making use of 0 . 5 mm d - luciferin / opti - mem , the measurement of eluc control vector - introduced hela cell ( seeded in a glass bottom dish ) was performed using lv200 ( olympus co ., ltd .). as for the ccd camera , an imagem was used . the picking up was performed under the conditions of : em - gain 200 , binning 1 × 1 , 10 sec exposure , 15 sec intervals , 40 × objective lens . the measurement was started after the stimulation using 4 μm staurosporine ( sts ). fig4 is a graph showing the fluctuation of luminescence intensity after the sts stimulation in each of cells ( eluc expressing hela cells : 1 to 7 ) that has been analyzed from the images ( 1 to 7 ) each rectangularly encircled in fig4 . as shown in fig4 , it has been found possible to track with time the luminescence of a specific hela cell by means of luminescent imaging and by making use of the luciferase which is low in affinity to atp . further , herein , fig4 shows one example illustrating a luminescence image which was photographed prior to the stimulation of cell ( prior to the induction of apoptosis by the stimulation of cell ) according to the experiment procedures and under the experimental conditions described above . further , fig5 shows images which are designated as three measuring regions ( roi : regions of interest ) in the luminescent image shown fig4 . as shown in fig4 , according to the experiment procedures and under the experimental conditions described above , it was possible to obtain a luminescent image ( magnification : 100 times ) related to a single cell . in this luminescent image , three cells are photographed . among these cells , the cell located at the center is photographed in such a manner that the upper portion thereof is the brightest , the lower portion thereof is the next in brightness to the upper portion , and the intermediate portion thereof is somewhat dark . then , as shown in fig5 , three measuring regions ( roi ) were designated from the luminescent image of fig4 and the brightness of luminescence of each pixel group ( 49 pixels ) in three regions was measured . herein , fig5 shows the values of luminescent brightness in three regions and the graph thereof . incidentally , the values of luminescent brightness are represented by an arbitrary unit , so that the numbers “ 1 ”, “ 2 ” and “ 3 ” in the lower table of fig5 represent designated three measuring regions and the number “ 4 ” represents the background ( an optional designated region containing no cell in the image ). further , “ total ” in the table represents a total of the values of luminescent brightness in 49 pixels . “ average ” in the table represents an average of the values of luminescent brightness of unit pixel . the graph of fig5 illustrates the results obtained by correcting the average of the values of luminescent brightness with an average (= 19 . 6939 ) of the values of luminescent brightness of the background . when the atp is consumed in a state where cells are still alive , the luminescence to be derived therefrom would become dark . therefore , in the region where biological metabolic activity is weak in the same cell , the atp can be hardly consumed , resulting in the generation of bright luminescence . as shown in fig5 , it has been found possible to quantitatively perform comparative analysis by executing only one picking up of the distribution of substance ( atp ) to be measured , the distribution extending from a high concentration to a low concentration . when a tracking experiment was performed after the stimulation of the same cell , the brightness was gradually increased in every designated regions , thus indicating the deterioration of biological metabolic activity . further , it was also confirmed that as the designated region became darker , the luminescence could be more quickly turned into higher brightness . as described above , according to this example 4 , the distribution of the substance to be measured can be quantified among a plurality of cells or in each of the regions within the same cell , thereby making it possible to track the luminescence with time . in view of these results , it is possible , according to the luminescence measuring method of the present invention , to realize the execution of luminescence analysis of each of emitting sites exhibiting a wide dynamic range in an object to be analyzed ( for example , a biological tissue or a cultivated cell group ( or a segment of various internal organs )) which is positioned within the visual field of observation . therefore , it is possible to execute , while minimizing the damage to an organism , the quantitative kinetic analysis of a plurality of sites in a single object to be analyzed and / or each of a plurality of objects to be analyzed with respect to biological active substances each exhibiting diverse dynamic range ( for example , atp , calcium ion , camp ). further , since the dynamic range can be altered in conformity with the km value , it is possible to execute quantitative measurement in conformity with the quantity of substance and to adjust the luminescence intensity so as to prevent the generation of an extreme difference in luminescence intensity . as a result , it is possible to concurrently perform the tests of various items by making use of the same weak - light detecting apparatus . as described above , the luminescence measuring method and the luminescence measuring system according to the present invention can be suitably applied to various fields such as a biological field , a pharmaceutical field , a medical field , etc .
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in general the present invention is directed to high - strength herbicidal formulations containing fluroxypyr esters , in particular fluroxypyr meptyl ester . the herbicidal formulation includes the fluroxypyr ester in an amount sufficient to provide the high - strength formulation with no crystallization at temperatures as low as 0 ° c . the high - strength herbicidal formulation includes at least about 300 gae / l to about 350 gae / l based upon the fluroxypyr acid equivalent of the fluroxypyr ester . this typically corresponds to about 430 g / l to about 505 g / l of the fluroxypyr meptyl ester . other esters of fluroxypyr may be suitable for this invention such as , but not limited to , 2 - butoxy - 1 - methylethyl , 2 - butoxyethyl , butyl , 2 - methylpropyl , 2 - ethylhexyl and 1 - decyl esters . the surfactants can be anionic , cationic or nonionic in character . surfactants conventionally used in the art of formulation and which may also be used in the present formulations are described , inter alia , in “ mccutcheon &# 39 ; s detergents and emulsifiers annual ”, mc publishing corp ., ridgewood , n . j ., 1998 and in “ encyclopedia of surfactants ”, vol . i - iii , chemical publishing co ., new york , 1980 - 81 . typical surfactants include salts of alkyl sulfates , such as diethanolammonium lauryl sulfate ; alkylarylsulfonate salts , such as calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate ; alkyl and / or arylalkylphenol - alkylene oxide addition products , such as nonylphenol - c 18 ethoxylate ; alcohol - alkylene oxide addition products , such as tridecyl alcohol - c 16 ethoxylate ; soaps , such as sodium stearate ; alkylnaphthalenesulfonate salts , such as sodium dibutylnaphthalenesulfonate ; dialkyl esters of sulfosuccinate salts , such as sodium di ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) sulfosuccinate ; sorbitol esters , such as sorbitol oleate ; quaternary amines , such as lauryl trimethylammonium chloride ; polyethylene glycol esters of fatty acids , such as polyethylene glycol stearate ; block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide ; salts of mono and dialkyl phosphate esters ; and mixtures thereof . the surfactant or mixture of surfactants is usually present at a concentration of from about 100 g / l to about 200 g / l . the solvent , which typically makes up the remainder of the high - strength herbicidal formulation , is an n , n - dimethyl ( c 6 - c 12 ) alkylamide . n , n - dimethyl ( c 6 - c 12 ) alkylamides are commercially available under various tradenames including , for example , agnique ke 3658 and 3308 ( cognis inc .) or genagen 4166 and 4296 ( clarian gmbh ), and are often supplied as mixtures such as n , n - dimethyloctanamide / decanamide . the solvent is usually present at a concentration from about 300 g / l to about 560 g / l , more preferably from about 350 g / l to about 450 g / l . the high - strength , herbicidal formulation does not exhibit separation or precipitation ( or crystallization ) of any of the components at low temperatures . for example , the high - strength formulation remains a clear solution at temperatures below about 10 ° c ., more preferably at temperatures about 0 ° c . in addition to the formulations set forth above , the present invention also embraces the compositions of these fluroxypyr ester formulations in combination with one or more additional compatible ingredients . other additional ingredients may include , for example , one or more other herbicides , dyes , and any other additional ingredients providing functional utility , such as , for example , stabilizers , fragrants , viscosity - lowering additives , and freeze - point depressants . additional herbicidal compounds employed as supplements or additives should not be antagonistic to the activity of the fluroxypyr ester composition as employed in the present invention . suitable herbicidal compounds include , but are not limited to 2 , 4 - d , 2 , 4 - mcpa , ametryn , aminopyralid , asulam , atrazine , butafenacil , carfentrazone - ethyl , chlorflurenol , chlormequat , chlorpropham , chlorsulfuron , chlortoluron , cinosulfuron , clethodim , clopyralid , cyclosulfamuron , pyroxsulam , dicamba , dichlobenil , dichlorprop - p , diclosulam , diflufenican , diflufenzopyr , diuron , glyphosate , hexazinone , imazamox , imazapic , imazapyr , imazaquin , imazethapyr , imazosulfuron , mcpa , metsulfuron - methyl , picloram , pyrithiobac - sodium , sethoxydim , sulfometuron , sulfosate , sulfosulfuron , tebuthiuron , terbacil , thiazopyr , thifensulfuron , triasulfuron , tribenuron and triclopyr . the herbicidal formulations of the present invention can be co - formulated with the other herbicide or herbicides , tank mixed with the other herbicide or herbicides , or applied sequentially with the other herbicide or herbicides . dyes may be used in the formulated composition as a marker . generally , a preferred dye can be any oil - soluble dye selected from epa &# 39 ; s approved list of inerts exempt from tolerance . such dyes may include , for example , d & amp ; c red # 17 , d & amp ; c violet # 2 , and d & amp ; c green # 6 . dyes are generally added to the composition by adding the desired amount of dye to the formulated composition with agitation . dyes are generally present in the final formulation composition in a concentration of about 0 . 1 - 1 . 0 % by weight . the compositions of the present invention are diluted with water prior to being applied . the diluted compositions usually applied to cereals and range and pastures generally contain about 0 . 0001 to about 5 . 0 weight percent the fluroxypyr ester . a high - strength formulation was prepared containing 333 gae / l of fluroxypyr meptyl ester by dissolving 480 g / l technical fluroxypyr meptyl ester with stirring into 404 g / l genagen 4166 ( clarian gmbh ; mixture of n , n - dimethyloctanamide / decanamide ), 13 g / l soprophor flk ( rhodia inc ; polyethylene tristyrylphenol phosphate , potassium salt ), 78 . 5 g / l tensiofix n9811 hf ( omnichem nv ; proprietary anionic - nonionic blend ) and 78 . 6 g / l ethoxylated tristyrylphenol at room temperature . unlike the commercial formulation based on aromatic hydrocarbon solvents , which required packaging material with high barrier properties , e . g ., fluorinated hdpe or metal or metal lined containers , to prevent migration through the packaging material , this formulation can be packaged in standard hdpe containers . in addition , seals and o - rings are much less sensitive to the new formulation compared to the commercial formulation based on aromatic hydrocarbon solvents . the formulation of example 1 was cooled and the crystallization point was determined to be less than − 1 ° c . a seeded sample of the formulation did not crystallize at − 5 ° c . after 2 - 3 weeks , but did form a small amount of crystals after 3 - 4 months at − 9 . 9 ° c . the crystals that did form went back into solution upon warming to room temperature with gentle agitation .
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fig2 is a sectional view illustrative of a semiconductor device according to this invention . referring to the figure , numeral 9 designates an insulator made of sio 2 , which is disposed on a substrate 1 and on which a main insulator 2 is disposed . numeral 10 indicates a conductive layer which is disposed in a manner to be embedded in the main insulator 2 , and numeral 11 an insulator which covers the conductive layer 10 . the heights of the main insulator 2 and the covering insulator 11 are substantially equal . in order to manufacture this semiconductor device , first of all , the surface of a p - type single - crystalline silicon substrate 1 having the ( 100 ) face is thermally oxidized , thereby to deposit the insulator 9 which is approximately 1000 å thick . subsequently , polycrystalline silicon is deposited to a thickness of 3000 å by the low - pressure chemical vapor deposition and implanted with 31 p + ions by 5 × 10 15 cm - 2 , whereupon the resultant substrate is annealed . next , the substrate is spincoated with a negative type photoresist , which is exposed to light . then , the conductive layer ( polyerystalline si ) is etched , thereby to form the conductive layer 10 which is 3 μm wide . at the next step , sio 2 of 3500 å is deposited by the plasma cvd with the photoresist on the conductive layer 10 left intact , and the sio 2 and photoresist on the conductive layer 10 are removed by the lift - off method , to bring the insulator 2 into a desired pattern . that is , the photoresist used for the etching of the conductive layer 10 is left till the deposition of sio 2 , and after the sio 2 is deposited on the photoresist , it is simultaneously removed by removing the photoresist . thus , the sio 2 in only the area conforming in shape with the conductive layer 10 can be removed . the substrate is thereafter annealed in a dry oxygen atmosphere , whereby the conductive layer 10 is covered with the insulator 11 made of sio 2 having a thickness of 500 å . that is , the surface of the conductive layer 10 is formed with the thermal oxide layer by the anncaling . essentially , the conductive layer 10 and the main insulator 2 ought to form no gap . in the actual process , however , the conductive layer 10 is formed to be smaller than the photoresist . this is ascribable to overetching etc . even with the lift - off method , therefore , a gap is formed between the conductive layer 10 and the main insulator 2 . this gap can be filled up by the thermal oxidation because the oxide sio 2 has a volume about double that of the original si . in this way , the v - shaped gap formed at the boundary between the conductive layer 10 and the main insulator 2 is removed , and simultaneously the insulator 2 is densified . on this occasion , there is almost no step between the upper edge of the insulator 11 and that of the main insulator 2 , and the height of the protuberant part of the insulator 11 formed at the boundary between the insulator 2 and the conductive layer 10 is within 200 å . next , an opening 3 having a diameter of 30 μm is provided in the oxide 2 , 9 by a conventional photoresist process , whereupon a polycrystalline silicon layer having a thickness of 400 å is deposited by the low - pressure cvd . subsequently , using a cw laser of argon ( ar ) having a power output of 7 w , the polycrystalline si layer is irradiated with a beam having a spot diameter of about 50 μm while the latter is being scanned at a velocity of 20 cm / sec . thus , the polycrystalline si layer is recrystallized by employing as a seed the part of the substrate 1 corresponding to the opening 3 , and a single - crystalline silicon film 6 is formed . when diodes each of which included in its junction area the part of the si film 6 corresponding to the opening 3 in such semiconductor device , were formed , reverse currents of 10 - 8 - 10 - 7 a / cm 2 were exhibited with reverse biases of 1 v . in contrast , when diodes were formed the junction area of each of which existed in the si film 6 on the conductor layer 10 , an improvement of substantially one order was noted on the average . fig3 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention . in the figure , the same numerals as in fig2 indicate identical or equivalent portions . the present embodiment consists in that a plurality of conductive layers 10 are formed . when , in the prior - art semiconductor device as shown in fig1 a plurality of conductive layers 4 are formed in adjacency , the steps the number of which is double that of the conductive layers 4 appear in the si film 6 . therefore , when actual characteristics are considered , it is difficult to form the plurality of conductive layers 4 in adjacency . owing to the application of this invention , no step appears even when the plurality of conductive layers 10 are formed in adjacency as illustrated in fig3 . therefore , no hindrance is involved in providing a large number of conductive layers 10 in adjacency . fig4 is a sectional view illustrative of another semiconductor device according to the present invention , in the figure , numeral 12 indicates a conductive layer which is embedded and disposed in a substrate 1 , numeral 13 an insulator which covers the conductive layer 12 , numeral 14 a groove which is provided in the substrate 1 , numeral 2 an insulator , numeral 3 an opening , and numeral 6 a single - crystallized si film . in this case , the thickness of the insulator 2 can be rendered smaller than that of the conductive layer 12 . in manufacturing this semiconductor device , first of all , the groove 14 is provided in the substrate 1 by a conventional dry etching method . subsequently , an insulator is formed by the plasma cvd , whereupon a polycrystalline si layer is formed by the low pressure cvd . next , the polycrystalline si layer and the insulator except their parts corresponding to the groove 14 are removed by the sputter etching , to form the conductive layer 12 and the insulator 13 . on this occasion , almost no step develops between the upper edge of the conductive layer 12 and that of the substrate 1 . next , after the insulator 2 is formed , the opening 3 is provided . subsequently , a polycrystalline si layer is deposited and is recrystallized by a conventional laser annealing method , to form the si film 6 . fig5 is a sectional view illustrative of another semiconductor device according to this invention . in the figure , the same numerals as in fig2 indicate identical or equivalent portions . in addition , symbol 9a denotes an insulator which is disposed on the si film 6 , symbol 2a a main insulator which is disposed on the insulator 9a , symbol 3a an opening which is provided in the insulators 2a and 9a , symbol 10a a conductive layer which is embedded and disposed in the insulator 2a , symbol 11a an insulator which covers the conductive layer 10a , and symbol 6a a single - crystalline si film which is formed on the insulator 2a . the thickness of the insulator 2 or 2a is to such an extent that the crosstalk between the substrate 1 and the si film 6 or between the si films 6 and 6a can be prevented . device elements can be formed in the respective single - crystalline si films , and an integrated circuit of high packing density can be formed by the stacked structure . the conductive layers 10 and 10a are used for transmitting signals . besides , by way of example , the conductive layer 10 can function as the gate of a mos transistor formed on the substrate 1 and as the gate of a mos transistor formed on the semiconductor layer 6 . in this case , a gate insulator can be realized by adjusting the thickness of the insulator 9 or the insulator 11 . likewise , the conductive layer 10a can be used as the gate of a mos transistor formed on the semiconductor layer 6 or 6a . further , the semiconductor layer 6 or 6a can be turned into a conductor by , for example , heavily doping it with an impurity or changing it into a metal silicide . then , it can be used as an interconnection member . moreover , the respective semiconductor layers are connected through the openings 3 , 3a etc . and are easy of electrical connection . in this manner , a device design of high versatility is permitted by stacking the semiconductor layers . for fully exploiting the advantages of such structure , it is the requisite that each semiconductor layer has a good crystallinity . it will be readily understood that the flat structure of the present invention is effective for realizing the requisite . fig6 is a sectional view illustrative of another semiconductor device according to the present invention . in the figure , numerals 15 and 16 indicate conductive layers which are embedded and disposed in a si film 6 . the lengthwise direction of each of the conductive layers 15 and 16 is perpendicular to the sheet of the drawing , and the thickness thereof is not greater than half of the thickness of the si film 6 . numeral 17 indicates an insulator which covers the side parts of the conductive layers 15 and 16 . numerals 18 and 19 indicate heavily doped regions which are formed in the si film 6 , and which are connected with other elements ( not shown ) formed in the si film 6 . the connection with the other element may well be in a case where the diffused region 18 or 19 is used as the source , drain or gate of a mos transistor or where it is used as the base , emitter or collector of a bipolar transistor . numerals 20 and 21 designate conductive layers which are embedded and disposed in the si film 6 . the lengthwise direction of each of the conductive layers 20 and 21 is parallel to the sheet of the drawing , and the thickness thereof is not greater than half of the thickness of the si film 6 . further , the conductive layers 20 , 21 serve to connect the conductive layers 15 , 16 and the diffused regions 18 , 19 . numeral 22 indicates an insulator which covers the conductive layers 20 and 21 . the sum of the thicknesses of the conductive layer 15 or 16 , the conductive layer 20 or 21 and the insulator 22 is substantially equal to the thickness of the si film 6 . besides , a conductive layer 12 is connected with elements ( not shown ) formed on the surface of a substrate 1 , and the conductive layer 12 and a conductive layer 10 which is extended orthogonally thereto are connected . thus , many of interconnections for connecting the elements formed on the si film 6 can be formed with the thickness of the si film 6 . in forming the conductive layers 15 , 16 , etc . of this semiconductor device , the conductive layers 15 , 16 and the insulator 17 are first formed to thicknesses substantially equal to the thickness of the si film 6 , whereupon the parts of the si film 6 to form the diffused regions 18 , 19 therein and the conductive layers 15 , 16 and the insulator 17 are simultaneously etched . next , the diffused regions 18 , 19 are formed , whereuopon the conductive layers 20 , 21 and the insulator 22 are formed . the insulator films 17 may be the thermal oxide films of the side surfaces of the conductive layers 15 , 16 and the si film 6 . when a material which cannot be subjected to such an expedient as thermal oxidation is employed for the conductive layers 15 , 16 , the insulator may well be deposited by the cvd or the like . while the above embodiments have been explained as to the case where the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor thin film are made of si , naturally this invention is also applicable to a semiconductor device which employs a compound semiconductor such as gaas . in addition , while the above embodiments have been explained as to the case where the conductive layer 10 is made of the polycrystalline si heavily doped with an impurity , a refractory metal such as molybdenum ( mo ) or tungsten ( w ) or an alloy containing the metal may well be used as the material of the conductive layer . further , while in the foregoing the single - crystalline si film 6 has been formed by scanning the laser beam for the recrystallization , the recrystallizing operation may well be performed by scanning an energy beam such as electron beam or by employing a strip heater . besides , while the polycrystalline si has been recrystallized in the foregoing , amorphous si may well be crystallized . while , in the foregoing , the si film 6 has been formed using the substrate 1 as the seed , it may well be formed by single - crystallization employing no seed crystal . in this case , it is more advantageous to single - crystallize amorphous si . while , in the foregoing embodiment , the upper edge of the insulator 11 or 22 has been rendered even with that of the insulator 2 or si film 6 , the upper edge of the conductive layer 10 or the conductive layer 20 or 21 may well be rendered even with that of the insulator 2 or si film 6 . that is , the step between the upper edge of the insulator 2 or si film 6 and that of the conductive layer portion may well be rendered within the thickness of the insulator 11 or 22 , and it is effective to set the step at or below 1000 å . fig7 a and 7b are graphs each showing the relationships among the laser scanning velocity , the laser power and the crystallinity of a single - crystalline si film in the case where polycrystalline si was recrystallized in such a way that the polycrystalline si of 3500 å thick was deposited on a structure having an oxide step and then scanned by a cw laser of ar . fig7 a and 7b correspond to cases where the oxide steps were 9500 å and 3500 å , respectively . marks , ○, and ○ indicate that the single - crystalline si film was broken , that the regrowth of the single - crystalline si film was favorable , and that the polycrystalline si did not regrow , respectively . as understood from the graphical representation , in the case of the oxide step of 9500 å , a good crystal is sometimes obtained even at a laser scanning velocity of 25 cm / sec , but the reproducibility is almost null . in order to attain a favorable crystallinity , the recrystallization needs to be performed under the narrowly limited conditions that the laser scanning velocity is at least 50 cm / sec and that the laser power is near 6 w . moreover , it cannot be said that the reproducibility is high . in contrast , in the case of the oxide step of 3500 å , the regrowth of good crystals is possible under the comparatively wide conditions that the laser scanning velocity is at least 40 cm / sec and that the laser power is 6 - 8 w . the allowable width of the laser power at the laser scanning velocity of 25 cm / sec is about 1 w , and the reproducibility is high . the results will be based on the fact that , depending upon the thickness of the oxide film , the conduction of heat particularly in the direction of the substrate differs to give rise to the differences in the conditions of the recrystallization . as the oxide step becomes smaller , it becomes less influential . as set forth above , in a semiconductor device according to this invention , steps to appear in the conductive layer portion of a semiconductor thin film are small , and hence , the crystallinity of the semiconductor thin film becomes favorable . this produces the advantage that the electrical performance of the semiconductor thin film is improved . as other advantages , the risks of the breaking of interconnections , etc . at the steps decrease in case of forming the multilayer interconnections , so that the yield is enhanced and that the reliability is improved . in this manner , the effects of the invention are remarkable . having described specified embodiments of our bearing , it is believed obvious that modification and variation of our invention is possible in light of the above teachings .
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with reference to the drawings , the embodiments incorporating the principles , features and concepts of the present invention will be described . fig6 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of a high - density disk structured according to the present invention . the embodiment of a high - density disk , for example , a hd - dvd according to the present invention has same dimension as a conventional hd - dvd depicted in fig3 , namely , 1 . 2 mm in thickness and 120 mm in diameter , a center hole of maximum 15 mm diameter and a clamping zone ( or clamping area ) of 44 mm diameter encircling the center hole . in addition , when the present hd - dvd 20 of fig6 is normally placed into a disk device , its recording layer , which contains pit patterns , would be at least approximately 0 . 1 mm from the objective lens of an optical pickup as mentioned before . however , the present invention hd - dvd 20 in fig6 has a clamping zone structured such that its center hole is in asymmetric shape with respect to an imaginary horizontal center plane “ c .” the inner wall of the center hole is inclined at an angle “ θ ” with respect to a vertical line “ l .” for example , the inner diameter of the center hole decreases from bottom ( the side in which the recording layer is disposed ), where it is a maximum 15 mm , to top ( the side opposite to which the recording layer is disposed in ), where the minimum inner diameter is equal to [ 15 mm − 2 ( d 1 )]. the distance “ d 1 ” is equal to [ t ( tanθ )] and “ t ” is the thickness of the hd - dvd . the inclined angle θ preferably ranges from 30 to 60 degrees . the spindle 11 of the turntable in a disk device , which the hd - dvd 20 is placed onto , is structured such that its outer wall is also inclined at the same angle θ as shown in fig6 . if the disk 20 structured as above is placed normally onto the spindle 11 of a turntable in a disk device as shown in fig7 , the spindle 11 with an inclined outer wall of the turntable is in uniform contact with the center hole with an inclined inner wall . consequently , the disk 20 is normally clamped the same as a conventional disk . after successful clamping of the high - density disk 20 , a conventional servo - controlling operation , characterized by the operation of the turntable motor 12 , the motor driving unit 13 and the servo controller 15 , is conducted to rotate the right - clamped disk 20 at a constant and high speed . subsequently , a focusing - servo operation is conducted to focus a laser beam exactly onto a recording layer by moving the objective lens ol of the optical pickup 14 up and down within the operating distance od . once the laser beam is exactly focused , reproduction ( or recording ) of the high - density pit patterns begins . however , if the present disk 20 is placed upside down onto the spindle 11 of the turntable 11 as shown in fig8 , contact between the spindle 11 and the disk 20 only occurs where the center hole of the disk 20 is of the smallest diameter , [ 15 mm − 2 ( d 1 )]. the disk 20 is therefore supported by the spindle 11 at about middle height of the spindle 11 . in other words , there is no uniform contact between the spindle 11 and the disk 20 throughout the thickness t of the disk 20 since the spindle 11 is not fully inserted into the center hole of the present disk 20 . consequently , the surface of the disk 20 is raised by the gap g 1 over normal placement . therefore , although the objective lens ol of the optical pickup 14 moves up to the maximum distance to acquire the exact focus while the misplaced disk 20 is rotating at a high speed , the objective lens ol will not collide with the surface of the misplaced disk 20 , due to the marginal gap g 1 . furthermore , because the recording layer , and the high - density pit patterns contained within , is also further apart from the objective lens ol than in normal placement , the focusing operation will fail . as a result , the misplacement of the disk would be judged as “ no disk ”. because a judgment of “ no disk ” ceases the focusing operation , a collision between the objective lens ol and the disk 20 is avoided . fig9 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of a high - density disk structured according to the present invention . the second embodiment of a high - density disk 30 according to the present invention has a clamping zone structured such that its center hole is also in asymmetric shape with respect to an imaginary longitudinal center plane c . a portion of the inner wall of the center hole is inclined at an angle θ with respect to a vertical line l . in this case , the inner diameter of the center hole decreases from bottom ( the side in which the recording layer is disposed ), where the inner diameter is a maximum of 15 mm , to a distance ( t − d 2 ), where the minimum inner diameter is equal to [ 15 mm − 2 ( d 2 )], as shown in fig9 . the distance “ d 2 ” is a depth of the center hole where the inner diameter is constant . the horizontal distance “ d 2 ” is equal to [( t − d 2 )( tanθ )]. the center hole of the present disk 30 at the top ( opposite to the side in which the recording layer is disposed ) has better durability since the there is less likelihood that the top edge of the center hole will chip or erode than in the case of the first embodiment . this is due to the vertical surface provided by the depth d 2 . the inclined angle θ in this embodiment preferably ranges from 30 to 60 degrees . the spindle 11 of the turntable in a disk device , which the hd - dvd 30 is placed onto , is structured such that its outer wall is also inclined at the same angle θ as shown in fig9 . if the disk 30 structured as above is placed normally onto the spindle 11 of a turntable in a disk device as shown in fig1 , the spindle 11 with an inclined outer wall of the turntable is in uniform contact with the center hole throughout the distance ( t − d 2 ), where the inner wall of the center hole is inclined . consequently , the disk 30 is normally clamped the same as a conventional disk . after successful clamping of the high - density disk 30 , a conventional servo - controlling operation , characterized by the operation of the turntable motor 12 , the motor driving unit 13 and the servo controller 15 , is conducted to rotate the right - clamped disk 30 at a constant and high speed . subsequently , a focusing - servo operation is conducted to focus a laser beam exactly onto a recording layer by moving the objective lens ol of the optical pickup 14 up and down within the operating distance od . once the laser beam is exactly focused , reproduction ( or recording ) of the high - density pit patterns begins . however , if the present disk 30 is placed upside down on the spindle 11 as shown in fig1 , contact between the spindle 11 and the disk 30 only occurs where the center hole of the disk 30 is of the smallest diameter , [ 15 mm − 2 ( d 2 )]. the disk 30 is therefore supported by the spindle 11 at about middle height of the spindle 11 . in other words , there is no uniform contact between the spindle 11 and the disk 20 throughout the thickness ( t − d 2 ) of the disk 30 since the spindle 11 is not fully inserted into the center hole of the present disk 30 . consequently , the surface of the disk 30 is raised by the gap g 2 over normal placement . the gap g 2 is shorter than the gap g 1 created by the misplaced disk 20 of the first embodiment . therefore , although the objective lens ol of the optical pickup 14 moves up to the maximum distance to acquire the exact focus while the misplaced disk 30 is rotating at a high speed , the objective lens ol will not collide with the surface of the misplaced disk 30 due to the marginal gap g 2 . this is similar to the case shown in fig8 of the first embodiment . furthermore , because the recording layer , and the high - density pit patterns contained within , is also further apart from the objective lens ol than in normal placement , the focusing operation will fail . as a result , the misplacement of the disk would be judged as “ no disk ”. because a judgment of “ no disk ” ceases the focusing operation , a collision between the objective lens ol and the disk 30 is avoided . fig1 and 13 illustrate a method of manufacturing a high - density disk which has a center hole with an inclined inner wall . fig1 shows a disk manufacturing process in accordance with the present invention . according to the disk manufacturing process of fig1 , a metal master is obtained through a mastering process ( s 10 ). the metal master is developed from an electroplated glass master on which pit patterns of recorded signals are formed . several stampers are made from the metal master ( s 11 ). the pit patterns reflecting recorded signals formed on the metal master are copied inversely onto the surface of each stamper . referring to fig1 , a stamper 100 is fixed firmly to the bottom of a top plate 200 of an injection molding machine ( imm ). a bottom plate 300 of the imm is tightly combined upward with the top plate 200 . afterwards , substrate material such as melted polycarbonate resin is injected at high temperature into the imm through a port 400 . then , a disk substrate having right pit patterns is produced from the fixed stamper 100 situated in the imm ( s 12 ). the bottom center of the top plate 200 of the imm has a hollow cylinder 201 , which has an outer wall that is inclined at the angle θ , in order to produce a high - intensity disk with a center hole with a θ - inclined inner wall . the part on the produced disk substrate ( having the same circumference as the port 400 ) formed by the hollow cylinder 201 is cut out vertically to form the center hole of a high - density disk . next , pit pattern side of the disk substrate is coated with aluminum reflecting film by a sputtering process in which aluminum metal ions are sputtered and stuck onto the substrate ( s 13 ). a light transmitting layer ( also called “ protective layer ”) is then formed on the aluminum reflecting layer by means well known to one of ordinary skill in the art , such as through a spin - coating method or a film bonding method ( s 14 ). for example , in a spin - coating method , a uv bonding material such as uv resin is deposited onto the central part of the disk substrate rotating at a high speed . the high - speed rotation creates a centrifugal force , instantly and uniformly spreading the uv bonding material over the reflecting layer . additionally , the uv bonding material is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays thereon . an opposite disk plate is then bonded with the resulting disk substrate , which finally yields a high - density disk containing a center hole that has θ - inclined inner wall . finally , various quality control tests such as determining light reflecting rate etc . of a high - density disk manufactured as above are performed ( s 15 ) to ensure acceptability . fig1 is a sectional view of the third preferred embodiment of a high - density disk structured according to the present invention . fig1 a to 15 c show normal placement and misplacement of the present disk 40 of fig1 , and placement of a cd or a dvd placed onto a turntable with a spindle 21 that is structured to accept a high - density disk of the third embodiment , respectively . the third embodiment of a high - density disk 40 according to the present invention has a clamping zone structured such that its center hole is in asymmetric shape with respect to an imaginary longitudinal center plane c . in this case , the center hole encircled by the clamping zone is stepped inwards by a distance h 3 at a depth p 3 . the distance h 3 is equal to the difference between the maximum and minimum inner diameters and the distance p 3 is the depth from top ( opposite to the side in which the recording layer is disposed ). the spindle 21 of the turntable that is equipped in a disk device and which the hd - dvd 40 is placed onto is structured such that its outer wall is stepped in order to correspond to the center hole with the stepped inner wall . if the disk 40 structured as above is placed normally on a spindle or turntable 21 equipped in a disk device as shown in fig1 a , the spindle 21 with the stepped outer wall is exactly fitted to the center hole with the stepped inner wall to produce uniform contact between the spindle 21 and the disk 40 . consequently , the disk 40 is normally clamped the same as a conventional disk . however , if the disk 40 is misplaced upside down as shown in fig1 b , the minimum inner diameter of the disk 40 , which the spindle 21 encounters first upon the misplacement of the disk 40 , prevents complete and uniform contact between the spindle 21 and the inner wall of the center hole of the disk 40 . this prevention occurs because the disk 40 is now situated on the step located on the spindle 21 . consequently the surface of the disk 40 is raised by the height ( t − p 3 ) over normal placement where t is thickness of the disk 40 . in this case where the disk 40 is raised by a distance ( t − p 3 ) over the resting plate of the spindle 21 , the objective lens ol will not collide with the surface of the misplaced disk 40 , due to the marginal gap ( t − p 3 ) when the objective lens ol of the optical pickup 14 moves up to the maximum distance to acquire the exact focus while the misplaced disk 40 is rotating at a high speed . furthermore , because the recording layer , and the high - density pit patterns contained within , is also further apart from the objective lens ol than in normal placement , the focusing operation will fail . as a result , the misplacement of the disk - would be judged as “ no disk ”. because a judgment of “ no disk ” ceases the focusing operation , a collision between the objective lens ol and the disk 40 is avoided . a conventional cd or dvd can be placed and clamped at the turntable 21 with the rotating axis having the stepped outer wall , as shown in fig1 c , since the diameter of the center hole of a conventional cd or dvd is constant throughout its thickness . in addition , the disk structures of the above embodiments are applicable to a different sized disk including a mini disk with 80 mm in diameter , besides a high - density disk of 120 mm diameter . furthermore , the center hole of the high - density disk may be shaped variously other than the aforementioned embodiments . the invention may be applicable to a rewritable high - density disk as well as a read - only high - density disk without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . alternatively , the present invention may also be applied to any other rewritable or read - only type disk medium . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein .
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referring now to the drawings , fig1 a and 1b schematically illustrate an electrophotographic printer 10 embodying two drum assemblies da 1 , da 2 , of the type that are useful with the drum container of the invention . one drum assembly comprises an image - recording drum 12 having a photoconductive outer layer 13 on which toner images are formed in a conventional manner . drum 12 is rotatably driven by any suitable mechanism for rotation indicated by the arrow . the other drum assembly comprises an intermediate image - transfer drum 22 having an adhesive polymeric surface to which toner images formed on the image - recording drum are transferred prior to being re - transferred to a receiver sheet s . in brief , printer 10 comprises a corona charger 14 for uniformly charging the photoconductive surface of drum 12 , a print head 16 for imagewise exposing the charged photoconductor , line - by - line , to form a charge image , and a development station 18 for developing the charge image with toner particles . at a first transfer nip 20 , the toner image thus formed is transferred to the image - transfer drum 22 . residual toner is removed from drum 12 by a cleaning station comprising a pre - clean corona charger 23 and a cleaning brush 24 . the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer drum 22 is then re - transferred to receiver sheet s at a second transfer nip 26 formed at the region of contact between a pressure roller 28 and drum 22 . a fusing station 30 serves to fuse the toner image to the receiver sheet . each processing station ( except for the print head ) is mounted for slight movement ( e . g . about 5 mm .) towards and away from its respective operative position adjacent the drum surface to provide minimal clearance for installation and replacement of the drum assembly . during such installation , the drum assembly is moved substantially parallel to drum &# 39 ; s axis of rotation , in the direction of the arrows , through an opening in the machine frame f . as shown in fig1 b , the respective drums 12 and 22 of the drum assemblies da 1 and da 2 are supported for rotation by a pair of drum - support members , 32 , 32 ′ and 34 , 34 ′ respectively . each drum - support member comprises a centrally located bearing b adapted to support a drum axle a for rotation . extending outwardly from each drum - support member is a plurality of reference features adapted to cooperate with corresponding reference features on each of the image - processing stations for the purpose of precisely locating each processing station in an operative position relative to the drum surface . such a scheme for locating the processing stations relative to the drum surface is disclosed in the above - referenced u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 474 , 352 , and the disclosure of this application is hereby incorporated herein by reference . for example , referring to fig1 b , each of the drum - support members 32 and 32 ′ is provided with a pair of bullet - shaped reference features 40 , 40 ′ which cooperate v - shaped grooves 50 and 50 ′ respectively carried by opposing ends of the charging station 14 ( and better shown in fig1 c ) for precisely positioning the high voltage grid of the corona charger 14 parallel to the drum &# 39 ; s photoconductive surface . further , the drum - support members 32 and 32 ′ carry outwardly extending reference features 44 and 44 ′, respectively , for precisely positioning the intermediate transfer drum 22 relative to the surface of drum 12 . as shown in fig1 b , reference features 44 and 44 ′ cooperate with v - shaped 54 and 54 ′ provided on the drum supports 34 and 34 ′ of drum assembly da 2 . in fig2 a - 2d , preferred structural details of the above - noted drum - support members are shown . fig2 a and 2b are isometric front and rear views of the front drum - support member 32 , and fig2 c and 2d are isometric front and rear views of the rear drum - support member 32 ′. a pair of bullet - shaped reference features 40 and 41 on drum - support member 32 cooperate with features 40 ′ and 41 ′ on drum - support member 32 ′ to position the corona charging station 14 . similarly , features 43 and 43 ′ serve to position the development station 18 ; features 44 and 44 ′ serve to position the intermediate transfer drum 22 ; features 46 and 46 ′ serve to position the pre - clean corona charger 23 ; and features 48 and 48 ′ serve to position the cleaning brush 24 . now in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , each of the drum - support members 32 and 32 ′ of the above - described drum assemblies da 1 and da 2 is further provided with a pair of outwardly extending drum - support legs 55 , 56 and 55 ′ 56 ′, respectively . these drum - support legs , shown in fig2 a - 2d , are adapted to be slidably received by a pair of spaced , parallel guide rails 54 , 56 located within the frame of the printer or utilization device for the purpose of guiding a drum to its operative position within the printer . ( see fig4 ) in accordance with a further aspect of the invention , these same drum - support legs ( 55 , 56 and 55 ′, 56 ′) are also adapted to be slidably received by a similarly spaced and parallel pair of guide channels 64 , 66 located within a drum container c for the purpose of supporting the drum within the container so that its sensitive outer surface is spaced from all surfaces within the container . referring to the exploded view of fig3 a , a preferred drum - container c of the invention is shown to comprise a pair of mating members 60 , 60 ′ that , when moved together so that their respective mating surfaces 60 a and 60 b are in contact , they collectively define a rectangular box 70 having a cylindrical opening 72 extending therethrough . ( see fig3 b .) the diameter of cylindrical opening is slightly larger than the diameter of the drum to be contained . important to note is that a groove 73 is cut along the inside edge of each of the mating surfaces to define the above - mentioned guide channels 64 , 66 for receiving the drum - support legs 55 , 56 and 55 ′, 56 ′ of the drum support members 32 and 32 ′. it will be noted that , in fig3 a and 3b , the drum - support members 32 and 34 are illustrated schematically , showing only the essential elements ( i . e ., drum - support legs 55 , 56 and 55 ′, 56 ′) that interact with the container structure ( i . e ., guide channels 64 , 66 ) for the purpose of supporting the drum inside the container &# 39 ; s cylindrical opening 72 . in actuality , they are structured as shown in fig2 a - 2d . preferably , the mating halves 60 , 60 ′ of the container are held together by a pair of end caps 80 , 82 , each having a plurality of outwardly extending pegs p 1 - p 4 that are adapted to engage holes h 1 - h 4 formed in the end walls of the mating members 60 , 60 ′. alternatively , the central portion of the container could be a unitary structure , in which case members 60 and 60 ′ would be merged into one piece , with a spaced pair of elongated parallel groove , extending generally parallel to the drum &# 39 ; s central axis ( i . e ., the drum &# 39 ; s axis of rotation ), being formed in the container &# 39 ; s cylindrical wall for slidably receiving , supporting and guiding the drum - support legs 55 , 56 , and 55 ′ 56 ′. according to a preferred embodiment , the central portion of the drum container ( end caps removed ) is pivotally mounted on the printer frame to facilitate transfer of the drum from the container to the printer . referring to fig4 an edge of the drum container is provided with a pair of pivot pins 90 , 91 which is adapted to be received by a pair of trough - shaped couplers 92 , 93 fixed to the from wall of the printer frame . the couplers are positioned so that the container can be pivoted from a vertically hanging position to a position in which the respective axes a — a and b — b of the container guide channels are aligned with the respective axes a — a and b — b of the rectilinear guides of the drum - utilization device ( printer ). in this position , the drum assembly can be readily transferred from said container to the drum - utilization device by sliding the drum - support legs along the container guide channels and into the rectilinear channels of the utilization device until the drum assembly reaches its operative position within the utilization device . optionally , a clasp or the like can be used to temporarily retain the container in its drum - loading position . from the foregoing , it will be appreciated that a technically advantageous container has been provided that not only protects the drum surface during shipping and handling , but , optionally serves as a fixture for facilitating the transfer of the drum to a utilization device , such as an electrophotographic printer . because the drum is guided along a precise rectilinear path during transfer into a printer , those processing stations that operate on the drum surface to produce and transfer images need only be minimally spaced during drum installation or removal to guard against any damage to the drum surface . the drum installer need only align the container guides with the printer guides and push on the drum assembly at one end to effect drum transfer . while the invention has been disclosed with reference to the use of a pair of drum - support legs 50 , 52 being operatively associated with each drum - support member , it will be appreciated that more than two legs can be used to provide support for the drum within the container and utilization device . each additional drum - support leg will require an additional channel guide for slidably receiving , supporting and guiding it . on the other hand , as shown in fig5 a and 5b , only a single leg need be provided if the leg 100 has , for example , a t - shaped cross - section or the like , and a rectilinear guide 102 and container guide channel 104 of substantially identical cross - section are provided in both the utilization device and container . other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention . 40 , 41 , 40 ′, 41 ′— reference features on drum support members 32 , 32 ′ for positioning charging station 14 43 , 43 ′— reference features on drum supports 32 , 32 ′ for positioning development station 44 , 44 ′— reference features on drum support members 32 , 32 ′ for positioning image - transfer drum 22 46 , 46 ′— reference features on drum support members 32 , 32 ′ for positioning pre - clean corona charger 23 48 , 48 ′— reference feature on drum support members 32 . 32 ′ for positioning cleaning brush 24 55 , 55 ′; 56 , 56 ′— drum support legs carried by drum support members 32 , 32 ′ 92 , 93 — trough - shaped couplers for pivot pins mounted on printer frame
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fig1 illustrates a modern wind turbine 1 with a tower 2 and a wind turbine nacelle 3 positioned on top of the tower . the blades 5 of the wind turbine rotor are connected to the nacelle through the low speed shaft which extends out of the nacelle front . as illustrated in the figure , wind over a certain level will activate the rotor and allow it to rotate in a perpendicular direction to the wind . the rotation movement is converted to electric power which usually is supplied to the transmission grid as will be known by skilled persons within the area . fig2 illustrates the distribution of the wind forces which the large rotor 6 faces e . g . strong wind forces at the top of the rotor ( e . g . 10 meter per second ) and decreasing wind forces ( e . g . from 8 to 2 meter per second ) toward the bottom of the rotor . the rotor faced distribution of wind forces may result in a very strong moment on the wind turbine in which the wind forces literally try to break off the nacelle from the tower or the foundation . the wind turbine blades are controlled individually in order to level the distribution of wind forces i . e . pitched less into the wind at the top than at the bottom of the rotating movement performed by the rotor including the blades . this technique is called cyclic pitch of the wind turbine blades i . e . a cyclic change of the pitch angle during a full rotation of a blade . the asymmetric wind forces may arise or be increased by wind share or wind wake from other wind turbines in a wind park or from meteorological or geographical conditions . fig3 illustrates schematically the functionality of a pitch system in a pitch controlled wind turbine . the turbine is illustrated with just one wind turbine blade 5 . the blade is illustrated in two positions in relation to the wind direction ; a work position “ a ” and a no - acceleration or no - energy position “ b ”, respectively , and ( not illustrated ) a parking position . the blade is in the position b pitched or turned out of the wind around its longitudinal axis to such extend that an acceleration force f acc is zero i . e . a no - acceleration position for the wind turbine rotor . the position a illustrates the wind turbine blade 5 in any normal working position in which the blade has been pitched or turned into the wind whereby the wind establishes lifting forces on the blade making the wind turbine rotor and the shaft rotate . the angle φ is the angle from the positions a through b to the parking position and thus the angle from a given working position through the no - acceleration position to the parking position i . e . the angle which the wind turbine blade must be pitched during a stopping process such as an emergency stop of a wind turbine in order to protect it by removing forces from the blade ( and thus the rest of the wind turbine ). the wind affects the blade profile of the wind turbine blade with an orthogonally directed force f lift and a parallel directed force f drag on the blade profile . there is a force surplus and the wind turbine blade will accelerate if the sum of vector components points forward . and decelerate if the sum of vector components points backward . fig4 and 5 illustrate the functionality of a previous control system for controlling the wind turbine blades . fig4 illustrates schematically how a controller 7 controls the flex model 8 representing a pitch controlled wind turbine blade 5 of the rotor 6 in a wind turbine 1 during the stopping process . the continuously variable pitch may operate with an angle φ between 0 and 90 degrees in which the parking position represents the wind turbine blade being substantially out of the wind . from the normal operating position to the parking position is the angle φ which the wind turbine blade must be turned in order to stop the rotor from rotating . the angular velocity defines the pitch time from an operating position to a parking position of the wind turbine blade . the blade pitching of the wind turbine system is normally carried out by a hydraulic system with tank and pumps placed in the nacelle , whereas servo valve and cylinders are placed in the hub . the cylinders are provided with pressurized oil through the hollow low - speed shaft and a rotating oil inlet . the control of the hydraulic system is usually established by a system of electric relays . fig5 illustrates an example of a curve relation of applied force to achieve an angular pitch velocity over time in connection with the controller of fig4 i . e . a curve over the acceleration of the system . the curve comprises a first and second level of applied force to the wind turbine blade in which the first level is higher than the second in order to initiate the pitching of the blade and resulting in a substantially linear or constant angular pitch velocity from an operating position to a no - energy or parking position . the levels are chosen rather conservative with a significant margin to any level that may cause damage to the wind turbine blade or the other wind turbine components . the o / sec on the figure should be understood as °/ sec i . e . degrees per second . fig6 illustrates the pitch angle control strategy of a control system for controlling the wind turbine blades in a wind turbine rotor as illustrated in fig4 . each of the three curves illustrates the behavior of a wind turbine blade during a normal and a stopping period of the rotor in which the stopping process starts at circa 360 degrees i . e . one rotor rotation after curve start and circa one and a half rotor rotation before a pitch angle of 90 degrees is reached . the strategy comprises pitching in relation to the wind speed over the swept area whereby the pitch angle is changed cyclic in every rotation of the rotor i . e . the blades are swept in and out of the wind during a rotation . when the stopping process of the rotor is started the blades are pitched as illustrated in fig4 and 5 i . e . with a linear pitch velocity over time forcing the blades to follow the illustrated curves in fig6 . fig7 and 8 illustrate the functionality and pitch velocity of a control system for controlling the wind turbine blades according to the invention . fig7 illustrates schematically how a controller 7 controls the flex model 8 representing a pitch controlled wind turbine blade 5 of the rotor 6 in a wind turbine 1 during the stopping process . the controller 7 optimizes the pitch velocity of the wind turbine blades during the stopping process in response to one or more feedback values from feedback means 9 . the feedback values are established by sensors in the wind turbine system 1 and / or at the surroundings of the wind turbine system 1 . the sensors of the surroundings may detect or monitor the wind speed , wind direction , wind share and / or wind density as well as other relevant values of the surroundings . fig8 illustrates an example of a curve relation of applied force to achieve an angular pitch velocity over time of the present invention i . e . a curve over the acceleration of the system . the curve includes an initial high transient acceleration from 0 to circa 15 degrees / sec in the first few seconds e . g . in the first five seconds such as between the first and third second . the curve forms a steady - state after the initial transitory condition in which a no - acceleration position is reached . hereby , is assured that the angular pitch velocity has a high initial value and a lower succeeding value and thus forms a non - linear velocity curve . the wind turbine may in an emergency situation ( e . g . loss of utility load on the electric generator in which a fatal rotor runaway is imminent or high wind situations ) be stopped by quickly pitching the wind turbine blades to a “ dynamic stability position ” in which the force accelerating the blades f acc is zero ( the no - acceleration position ). the blades may hereafter be brought to a full stop in a slower pace . the necessary pitch angle for obtaining dynamic stability depends on different wind speeds but is typically circa 10 - 15 °. the wind turbine blades should be pitch individually in order to overcome any unbalance in the rotor e . g . one blade with a slower reacting pitch system than the other blade or blades . the correct approach in this situation may for example be to slow down the other blade pitch systems in order to avoid any structural damage to the wind turbine due to unbalance in the rotor . the stopping process of the wind turbine may hereafter continue as the necessary rotor balance is achieved . the o / sec on the figure should be understood as °/ sec i . e . degrees per second . fig9 illustrates a preferred pitch angle control strategy of a control system as illustrated in fig7 . each of the three curves illustrates the behavior of a wind turbine blade during a normal and a stopping period of the rotor in which the stopping process starts at circa 360 degrees i . e . one rotor rotation after curve start and circa one and a half rotor rotation before a pitch angle of 90 degrees is reached . the strategy comprises pitching in relation to the wind speed over the swept area whereby the pitch angle is changed cyclic in every rotation of the rotor i . e . the blades are swept in and out of the wind during a rotation . when the stopping process of the rotor is started the blades are pitched as illustrated in fig7 and 8 with a non - linear pitch velocity over time and feedback values allowing the pitch angle of the blades to follow the optimal curves as illustrated in fig9 e . g . with a cyclic pitch in the stopping process . fig1 illustrates schematically a preferred embodiment of a control system for controlling the wind turbine blades during a stopping process . data of the wind turbine 1 and / or the surroundings of the wind turbine are measured with sensor means 11 such as pitch position sensors , blade load sensors , tower load sensors , foundation sensors , azimuth sensors and / or teeter angle sensors . the measured sensor data are supplied to computing means 11 in order to convert the data to a feedback signal . the feedback signal is used in the controller 12 for controlling the pitch by establishing control values mf for controlling said at least one wind turbine blade 5 within control value limits + mf , − mf . the feedback signal and control values w are considered to be signals which control the blade pitch in such a way that no part of the wind turbine is affected by overloads during a stopping process e . g . in extreme situations such as loss of utility grid or high wind situations . the computing means 11 preferably includes a microprocessor and computer storage means for pre - established limit values of said control values to be compared with the present control values mf . by continuously comparing the present control values with the pre - established values in a closed feedback loop it is possible to optimize the control values to ( substantially ) to control the rotor at the design limits of the wind turbine and especially the design limits of the wind turbine blades . the invention has been exemplified above with reference to specific examples of a wind turbine with a control system for controlling the wind turbine blades during the stopping process . however , it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular examples described above but may be designed and altered in a multitude of varieties within the scope of the invention as specified in the claims e . g . in using other measuring data as a supplement or instead of the abovementioned such as temperature measurements in the relevant components of the wind turbines . 8 . flex model e . g . a pitch controlled wind turbine blade 9 . feedback means e . g . including a pitch angle , teeter angle , angular pitch or teeter velocity signal ( θ , dθ / dt ) a , b . working position and a no - acceleration , no - energy or parking position for the wind turbine rotor φ . angle between a given working position and a no - acceleration , no - energy or parking position for the wind turbine rotor
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fig1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a scale expander circuit ( sec ) 5 which may be suitably used for detecting the potential difference at the terminals of a battery for testing the operating condition of components in a vehicle charge storage system . advantageously , this circuit expands a selected segment at the top end of a voltage source so that the selected segment may be displayed over the entire scale of an analog meter or on a digital display . thus , expected values for the tested voltage may be more accurately measured and displayed . referring to fig1 the sec 5 may suitably include a voltage expander path 15 which comprises a series connection of a potentiometer 21 and two zener diodes 22 and 24 . the potentiometer 21 of the path 15 is an input to the sec 5 , and is suitably connected to the terminals of a battery in a vehicle as explained in detail below . the anode of the zener diode 24 is connected to an output a of the sec 5 . as more fully discussed below , the output a may be suitably connected to any type of electronic circuit block ( e . g ., analog meter , led &# 39 ; s or digital display ) which provides indications of the operating condition of components in a vehicle charge storage system based on measurements performed at the terminals of a battery using the sec 5 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the potentiometer 21 may be suitably connected across the terminals of a battery in a vehicle charge storage system via a remote connection . this remote connection to a battery provides for safe monitoring of charge storage system operating conditions using a simple , accurate and compact charge storage system monitoring device in accordance with the present invention . for example , the sec 5 may be suitably connected to any convenient location in a vehicle , such as an accessory fuse terminal in the fuse panel of the vehicle , which permits measurement of the potential difference at the battery terminals . in the preferred embodiment , the potentiometer 21 is connected to a battery 38 that is included in a vehicle charge storage system 40 of a vehicle 50 via a standard power outlet socket such as cigarette lighter socket 30 , which is also included in the vehicle 50 . the lighter socket 30 connects the input of the sec 5 across the terminals of the battery 38 through a cigarette lighter fuse 32 . the vehicle charge storage system 40 further includes an alternator block 39 which is coupled to the terminals of the battery 38 using standard techniques . for ease of reference , the potential difference across the terminals of the battery 38 is hereinafter referred to as v b . the sec 5 detects a range of voltages v b that may appear at the terminals of the battery 38 . in accordance with the present invention , the zener diodes 22 and 24 are operated above the reverse breakdown voltage ( 10 . 4 volts d . c .) to provide electrical levels at the output a which vary in linear relationship with the voltage levels v b above 11 volts d . c . which may appear at the battery 38 and be detected at the input to the sec 5 . operation where v b is below 11 volts d . c . will not produce the linear circuit response required for obtaining an accurate measurement of the range of v b values that may be detected between full charge and discharge . the zener diodes 22 and 24 and the potentiometer 21 in the path 15 operate in combination as a voltage switch that remains closed until v b is greater than 11 volts d . c . the switch opens at this point and the display is monitored for purposes of testing charge storage system operating conditions , for example , between 11 and 14 volts . the zener diodes 22 and 24 of the preferred embodiment are standard 5 . 2 volt motorola 1n4689 types that act as a series switch having a 10 . 4 volt drop across it . the potentiometer 21 is suitably adjusted to provide that a voltage will appear at the output a , or a current level may be produced from the output a , only if v b , measured as the octv or loaded terminal voltage at the battery 38 , exceeds a pre - determined level . further , the potentiometer 21 provides that a range of resistive loads may be inserted in the path 15 such that standard voltage or current detection devices may be connected to the output a of the sec 5 for purposes of accurately testing the operating conditions of components in the vehicle charge storage system 40 . the sec 5 , thus , is elegant in its simplicity for providing the unique and novel advantage of operating as a voltage divider type of switch that linearly reduces the range of changes in potential difference at the battery terminals for measurement using a suitable detector and prevents the development of an electrical level at the output until a specific voltage is measured at the battery terminals . for example , the sec 5 may be compensated by adjusting the value of the potentiometer 21 to accommodate the scale factor of a current detecting device , such as an ammeter , which is connected to the output a that will not begin to measure a current produced at the output a until a voltage equal to or greater than that of a fully charged battery is detected at the input to the sec 5 . in another aspect of the invention , described in greater detail below , the connection of a suitable voltage detecting means , such as an analog - to - digital converter or voltmeter , to the output a of the sec 5 permits determination of the electrolytic specific gravity of a battery with high accuracy . fig2 illustrates a test meter ( tm ) 100 which includes the sec 5 and may suitably provide indications of the following vehicle charge storage system operating conditions : ( 1 ) charging system health ; ( 2 ) battery percent charge level ( bpcl ); and , ( 3 ) battery health . in accordance with the present invention , the tm 100 comprises the sec 5 which is suitably connected to an analog display for performing remote measurement of the potential difference at a battery for purposes of accurately determining and displaying charge storage system operating conditions . for purposes of highlighting the advantages of the present invention , an explanation of the above - mentioned vehicle charge storage system operating conditions is initially provided . then , the structure and operation of the tm 100 , which provides for suitable connection of the sec 5 to the battery 38 , is explained in detail . the health of a vehicle charging system is a general representation of the operating condition of the alternator block 39 . the alternator block 39 may typically include devices such as an alternator belt , an output diode bridge and a voltage regulator which are connected to each other and ultimately the battery 38 in a well known manner . the alternator block 39 provides for charging of the battery 38 when the engine , not shown , of the vehicle 50 is running or idling . according to the present invention , the tm 100 may be utilized for indicating the health of the vehicle charging system based on measurements of v b which are performed using the sec 5 when the engine of the vehicle 50 is running or idling , in other words , when the alternator block 39 should be charging the battery 38 . it is well known that an alternator block that is operating properly , called a healthy charging system , will typically maintain the potential difference at the battery terminals between 13 . 6 and 14 . 8 volts d . c . as a function of ambient temperature . the battery percent charge level ( bpcl ) is a well known indicator of the open terminal charge level of a battery . bpcl may be determined by measuring the potential difference at the battery terminals with no load applied and when the battery is not being charged . according to well established mathematical relationships , it can be shown that bpcl is directly proportional and varies linearly with open circuit terminal voltage ( octv ) at a battery . for a battery in satisfactory operating condition , an octv level of 11 . 89 volts d . c . corresponds to a fully discharged battery having a bpcl equal to 0 %, and an octv level of 12 . 68 volts d . c . corresponds to a fully charged battery having a bpcl equal to 100 %. it should be noted that after charging has ceased , a topping voltage is retained in the electrolyte of a healthy battery for at least several hours or more , unless removed with an appropriate discharge current level . in moderate climates , for example , octv will remain at approximately 13 . 3 volts for at least ten hours after charging has ceased and , therefore , bpcl will remain near or slightly above 100 % for this interval . it may , therefore , be desirable to remove this topping voltage using the method described below before measuring bpcl . battery health is a term common to the battery testing industry , and refers to the determination of battery internal resistance by measuring the open circuit potential difference across the battery terminals before and after a predetermined load is applied . a good battery must hold its topping voltage when the load is applied . a bad battery will not . it is well known that the topping voltage of a battery which is in marginal operating condition will dissipate almost immediately after charging ceases . for example , bpcl may decrease to between 70 and 90 % after charging ceases , thereby suggesting that the battery may not be in satisfactory operating condition . in this case , battery operating condition may be determined by applying a selected accessory load to the battery in a vehicle before attempting to recharge the battery , i . e ., before starting the engine . for example , before the engine is started , a head lamp or defog switch in a vehicle may be turned on for approximately one to two minutes . the terminal voltage of a healthy battery will remain at a level higher than a pre - determined threshold level when such a load is applied . this pre - determined threshold level is related to the expected internal d . c . source resistance of a healthy battery . for a healthy battery , the source resistance is typically 0 . 03 ohms at full charge and 0 . 283 ohms at full discharge . however , for a malfunctioning or aged battery , the source resistance of the battery typically would exceed the above values , causing the terminal voltage at the battery to decrease below the pre - determined threshold level when a load is applied . a weak battery , for example , may have a source impedance equal to 0 . 06 ohms at full charge . thus , the tm 100 provides for measurement of the source resistance of a battery when a load is applied for purposes of indicating battery health based on measurement of the potential difference at the battery terminals . in accordance with the present invention , the tm 100 including the sec 5 may suitably measure the potential difference at a battery for providing an indication of vehicle charge storage system operating conditions . in the preferred embodiment , v b is measured using the sec 5 for accurately determining and displaying charge system health , battery percent charge level and battery health . referring to fig2 the tm 100 may suitably comprise a diode 125 and a needle display circuit 140 connected in series to the output a of the sec 5 . the needle display circuit 140 comprises an ammeter winding resistance r w , 130 connected to a deflecting needle 150 . the deflecting needle 150 moves transversely across a display 160 . the display 160 may suitably include scales having indicia for indicating vehicle charge storage system operating conditions ( e . g ., charge system health , battery percent charge level and / or battery health ) based upon measurements of v b that are performed using the sec 5 in accordance with the present invention . the needle display circuit 140 , including the ammeter winding resistance r w 130 and the needle 150 are standard components which are suitably connected for detecting current level through a circuit path , namely the path including the sec 5 and ammeter winding resistance r w 130 , and also for facilitating display of these measured levels on the display 160 . for example , a 0 to 1 ma ammeter manufactured by prime instruments provides a suitable needle display circuit 140 . the diode 125 , which connects the sec 5 to the needle display circuit 140 , provides temperature compensation for counteracting variations in zener break down voltage levels which may occur at the zener diodes 22 and 24 when v b measurements are performed at various temperatures . in the preferred embodiment , diode 125 is a standard signal diode 1n4001 or equivalent . it is to be understood that one or more diodes which are similar in structure and function to the diode 125 may be added in series with the diode 125 to provide for additional forward voltage drops , as may be required for coupling a highly sensitive current detection device to the sec 5 . likewise , one or more resistors may also be added in series with the diode 125 for the same purpose . referring to fig2 the display 160 may suitably include a charging system health scale 170 , a battery percent charge level ( bpcl ) scale 180 and a battery health scale 190 . in a preferred embodiment , the potentiometer 21 is suitably adjusted for calibrating the tm 100 based on the current levels which should be produced at the output a from octv measurements of a healthy battery . referring to fig2 the scale 180 may suitably include indicia indicating bpcl between 0 to 100 percent . the scale 180 is preferably subdivided into three colored regions which , from left to right on the display 160 , include a red region for 0 - 25 % bpcl , a yellow region for 25 - 75 % bpcl and a green region for 75 - 100 % bpcl . the potentiometer 21 of the sec 5 is suitably adjusted to produce current levels through the sec 5 and the ammeter winding resistance 130 which cause the needle 150 to deflect linearly across the range of the scale 180 and indicate bpcl &# 39 ; s between 0 and 100 % that vary linearly in relation to detected levels of v b , or octv values between 11 . 89 and 12 . 68 volts . as a result , the needle 150 would deflect through the red region of scale 180 for values of v b between 11 . 89 and 12 . 09 volts , through the yellow region for values between 12 . 09 and 11 . 48 volts and through the green region for values above 12 . 48 volts . for purposes of illustration , the potentiometer 21 may be selected as a 1 kohm device and the needle display circuit 140 may operate as a 0 to 1 ma full scale ammeter having an associated winding resistance r w preferably equal to 930 ohms . it has been experimentally shown that bpcl readings obtained using the tm 100 which contains these specific components are accurate to within 5 % of the expected value . the scale 170 is calibrated with reference to the scale 180 and in accordance with the well known principle that the terminal voltage of a battery undergoing alternator charge in moderate climates will vary between 13 . 6 and 14 . 8 volts . in the preferred embodiment shown in fig2 the scale 170 includes written indicia of poor in a red colored region which corresponds to deflection of the needle 150 for v b values measured between 12 . 28 and 12 . 5 volts , written indicia of fair in a yellow colored region corresponding to deflection of the needle 150 for v b values measured between 12 . 5 and 13 volts and written indicia of good in a green colored region corresponding to deflection of the needle 150 for v b values measured between 13 and 14 volts . the scale 190 is also calibrated with reference to the scale 180 and suitably includes indicia representative of battery health which are based on measurement of v b reduction when a load is applied to the battery 38 . scale 190 is based upon differences in needle movement after applying a predetermined accessory load . the test is only performed on a battery having a charge level above 75 % ( i . e ., v b = 12 . 48 volts ) on scale 180 . needle movement must be less than 10 % of scale 190 from its position prior to load application . larger movement indicates the need for a service station check . the scale 190 includes written indicia of poor in a red colored region below 11 . 7 volts , written indicia of fair in a yellow colored region between 11 . 7 and 12 . 3 volts and written indicia of good in a green colored region between 12 . 3 and 14 volts . it is noted that the scales 180 and 190 utilize different measurements for providing information concerning the operating condition of a battery . the scale 180 utilizes octv measurements to indicate bpcl , whereas the scale 190 utilizes terminal voltage levels obtained when a load is applied to the battery . for example , on the bpcl scale 180 , a v b measurement of 12 . 0 volts corresponds to an indication of a partially discharged battery , whereas , on the scale 190 , a v b measurement of 12 . 0 volts is representative of the internal source resistance of the battery , which is an indicator of battery health . in one embodiment of the tm 100 an announcer , not shown , may be included as part of the needle display circuit 140 for providing an audible indication , such as a beeping sound , when an octv measurement is made and the needle 150 , deflects into the yellow region or bpcl is between 25 - 75 %. this audible indication would inform a user that the battery operating condition is suspect . the tm 100 may be used in the following manner for testing battery operating condition using the scale 180 . for example , when an automobile is operated only on short distance trips , charging of the battery may not last for a sufficient time to allow for full charge of the battery . in this case , measurement of the battery using the tm 100 may typically result in the needle 150 deflecting to the yellow region of the scale 180 . this lower bpcl reading does not necessarily indicate the battery is not healthy , rather , the battery may merely need to be fully charged to ensure that sufficient charge is available at the battery for starting the engine at a later time . the scale 180 further may be utilized for providing bpcl readings after the topping voltage is removed from the battery terminals . after charging ceases , the topping voltage may either dissipate naturally or be removed manually or automatically using an automatic discharge circuit which applies at least a 10 ampere discharge current load to the battery 38 . in an alternative embodiment , the tm 100 may be modified to include a topping voltage removal circuit which includes either an actuating solid state switch or relay that automatically places and maintains a load ( e . g ., vehicle defogger or headlights ) on the battery terminals until the topping voltage is suitably removed , that is v b is reduced to 12 . 68 volts . at this point , bpcl can be accurately determined for providing an indication of battery condition . in addition , the scale 180 may be used for determining whether some cells of the battery are shorted and , therefore , cannot maintain a charge . when this condition exists , after charging ceases , the octv at the battery typically will not be maintained at a level above 12 . 46 volts . therefore , bpcl will always read 75 % or lower on the scale 180 immediately after charging ceases , as the octv will quickly drop to a lower than expected level . if this occurs , further testing using the scale 190 is necessary , as explained below . the scale 190 provides for measurement of battery health based on the well known fact that the source resistance of a healthy , fully charged battery is typically 0 . 03 ohms . as described above , battery health may be measured by manually or automatically applying a selected accessory load , such as a head lamp or defog current or depressing the brake pedal to operate the brake lights , to the battery for approximately one to two minutes after charging ceases . a healthy battery which is under load will maintain its terminal voltage at a level higher than a predetermined voltage level . the left - most portion of the yellow region of the scale 190 corresponds to the pre - determined threshold level . deflection of the needle 150 to the left of this level indicates a battery that is not healthy . for example , application of a load to an aging or partially charged battery would probably result in a lower v b reading than expected , thereby causing less current to be produced at the output a such that the needle 150 defects only into the red region of the scale 190 . this reading indicates that the battery may not be healthy . the user , therefore , should attempt to recharge the battery by , for example , driving the vehicle for a substantial amount of time , and then repeat the battery health test . in an alternative embodiment , the sec 5 may be used in conjunction with a standard digital display device , led driver and associated compensation resistor which are connected to the output a in place of the diode 125 , the ammeter load 130 , needle display circuit 140 and the display 160 for providing an indication of , for example , battery health and battery percent charge level using red and green colored led &# 39 ; s . for example , the potentiometer 21 may be adjusted with respect to the value of the compensation resistor for illuminating a green led corresponding to a 100 % bpcl reading , which is based on an octv measurement of 12 . 68 volts . in another aspect of the present invention , the sec 5 may be utilized for determining the specific gravity of a battery . it is well known that the octv of a battery may be measured for purposes of determining electrolytic specific gravity of a battery as octv and specific gravity levels vary linearly in relation to each other . this relationship , which is based on nernst &# 39 ; s equation , may be expressed as follows : ## equ1 ## where : octv = open circuit terminal voltage substituting the appropriate constant values , equation 1 may be reduced to : ## equ2 ## in turn , equation 2 may be rewritten as : where s . g . is the specific gravity of the battery and typically varies between 1 . 100 and 1 . 265 . this relationship has been verified empirically through many measurements by the industry . thus , according to most established standards , for a healthy battery , octv equal to 12 . 68 volts corresponds to a specific gravity of 1 . 268 at 80 ° f . fig3 shows an embodiment of a digital hydrometer ( dhm ) 200 including the sec 5 and driver circuit 208 for providing digital readings of the electrolytic specific gravity of a battery on a digital display 202 . the driver circuit 208 in combination with the sec 5 permits that a specific gravity reading may be performed on sealed batteries without the need for performing measurements directly at the cells of a battery , as the required measurements of the battery may be performed safely and accurately through remote measurement of the voltage at the battery terminals using the cigarette lighter socket 30 or like devices . a conventional hydrometer float , by contrast , is generally not calibrated to provide electrolytic specific gravity readings above 1 . 400 , which corresponds to an octv level of 13 . 2 volts . referring to fig3 the dhm 200 suitably comprises sec 5 connected in parallel to a driver circuit 208 and a load resistance 206 . driver circuit 208 , in turn is connected to a four digit display 202 . one specific embodiment of the dhm 200 , depicted in fig5 includes diode 210 and amplifier 212 connected in series to the input of sec 5 . amplifier 212 is connected as a voltage follower with its input tied to b + to act as a current source thereby widening the measurement range of the dhm 200 . amplifier 212 ( as well as amplifiers 240 , 242 and 252 ) is preferably an op9o and diode 210 is a 1n4002 type . sec 5 is identical to that described above in connection with tm 100 and load resistance 206 comprises 1n9148 diodes 214 , 216 , 218 and 220 connected in series . as described above , output a from sec 5 is input into driver circuit 208 , which in this embodiment is designed to drive a graylex industries model 30 four digit display ( not shown ). in addition , driver circuit 208 of fig5 includes circuitry 256 to calibrate the digital display to accurately display the correct specific gravity based upon the measured octv . switch 244 switches between the output of sec 5 ( i . e ., from point a ) and the output of calibrate circuit 256 , each signal being routed through buffer amplifiers 242 and 240 , respectively . the signal selected by switch 244 is routed through a voltage divider comprising a 2 . 2 kohm resistor 246 , a 250 ohm potentiometer 248 and a 8 . 2 kohm resistor 250 , to amplifier 252 . the output from amplifier 252 drives the digital display . in operation , the mc7805 voltage regulator 222 , provides + 5 volts d . c . to the graylex display and to an adm663 voltage regulator 224 of the calibrate circuit 256 . voltage regulator 224 , in turn , is configured with resistors 226 and 228 being 180 kohms and 100 kohms , respectively , to provide an output of 4 volts d . c . the 4 volt signal is then run through a voltage divider comprised of 10 kohm resistor 230 and 10 kohm potentiometer 238 to provide a voltage which corresponds to the voltage level that exists at point a when the octv of a battery under test is 12 . 68 volts . in order to calibrate the circuit , switch 244 is switched to the calibrate position to select the output of calibrate circuit 256 through buffer amplifier 240 . potentiometer 238 is then adjusted so that the display reading is 1 . 265 , which would be the approximate specific gravity of a fully charged battery ( i . e ., v b = 12 . 68 volts ) at 80 ° f . switch 244 may then be returned to the run position to select the output of sec 5 and specific gravity measurements of a battery may be taken . in one alternative of the present invention , the tm 100 and the dhm 200 may be manufactured as a stand alone , portable charge storage system testing devices . in another alternative embodiment , the dhm 200 and the tm 100 may be suitably included in a single portable device , where the respective voltage and current detection and display components may be independently connected to the output a of the sec 5 for providing either a specific gravity reading or charge system operating condition indications . fig4 shows a scale expander circuit ( sec ) 300 which may be used in place of the sec 5 in either the tm 100 or the dhm 200 for accurately measuring the potential difference at the terminals of a battery . the circuit 300 includes a potentiometer 321 which at a first end is suitably connected to a battery in the same manner as the potentiometer 21 of the sec 5 . the potentiometer 321 at a second end is connected to the collector of a pnp transistor 328 . further , the potentiometer 321 at the second end is connected in series with a resistor 326 , which is connected to the base of the transistor 328 , and in series with a resistor 320 which is connected to the base of a npn transistor 330 . a thermistor 322 and a resistor 324 connect the base of the transistor 330 to the ground return to the battery . the emitter of the transistor 330 is also connected to the ground return to the battery . the emitter of the transistor 328 is connected to an output b of the circuit 300 . in accordance with the present invention , the circuit 300 is operated over the breakdown region of the base - emitter diodes of the transistors 328 and 330 for obtaining a linear response at the output b for changes in v b which are measured at the input to the circuit 300 . the thermistor 322 compensates for reduced current gain at a transistor at lower temperatures and increased current gain at a transistor at higher temperatures , as well as the decreasing battery voltage and increasing battery internal resistance with decreasing temperature . in other words , well known transistor operating characteristics are exploited in accordance with the present invention to provide that the current produced at the output a varies linearly in relation to v b . the components in the circuit 300 are suitably selected for forward biasing the base of transistor 330 when v b is approximately 11 . 0 volts . forward biasing the base of the transistor 330 causes the base - emitter diode of the transistor 330 to conduct current . this current , in turn , causes the base voltage of the transistor 328 to reduce sufficiently to cause forward biasing of the base - collector diode of the transistor 328 . when this occurs , the emitter of the transistor 328 begins to conduct a current to the output b , which may be suitably connected to an ammeter in accordance with the present invention . in the preferred embodiment transistors 328 and 330 are type 2n2904 and 2n2222 , respectively , resistor 326 is 5 kohms , resistor 320 is 10 kohms , resistor 324 is 608 ohms and thermistor 322 is 2 . 7 kohms at 77 ° f . by adjusting potentiometer 321 to approximately 1 . 3 kohms , this circuit has been found to provide suitable output for an ammeter having a winding resistance of 930 ohms . in addition , sec 300 produces the desired output characteristics at a significantly reduced cost as compared to the circuit of sec 5 . the circuit 300 may be similarly connected in place of sec 5 in the tm 100 as described above for the sec 5 , except that the diode 125 would not be included . similarly , the circuit 300 may directly replace the sec 5 in the dhm 200 . for example , for the tm 100 including the circuit 300 , the deflection needle 150 may be calibrated on the display 160 by adjusting the potentiometer 321 and selecting values for the resistors 324 and 320 of the voltage divider which provide a very small current response at the base of the transistor 330 in response to large voltage changes at the battery 38 . fig6 illustrates another alternate scale expander circuit ( sec ) 400 , which may be used in a manner similar to the sec &# 39 ; s described above . sec 400 uses a single zener diode 450 with its cathode forming the input from the vehicle charge storage system . the anode of the zener diode 450 is connected to the voltage divider circuit formed by thermistors 422 and 424 . the base of an npn transistor 420 is connected to the junction between thermistors 422 and 424 , and its collector is connected to the junction between thermistor 422 and zener diode 450 . a capacitor 426 is also connected between the junction of thermistors 422 and 424 and ground . resistor 428 , which is connected to the emitter of transistor 420 , forms the output c of the sec 400 and is connected to a 5 ma full deflection meter 440 having coil resistance 430 . the meter 440 may include a display similar to display 160 shown in fig2 . in operation , zener diode 450 ( a type 1n4739 in the illustrated embodiment ) provides a voltage drop of approximately 9 volts d . c . this prevents the transistor 420 ( type 2n3904 ) from conducting until the battery voltage reaches approximately 9 volts d . c ., thereby provides the desired scale expansion so that the meter 440 displays an output only between 9 and 14 volts d . c . thermistors 422 and 424 ( 1 kohm and 5 kohm at 25 ° c ., respectively ), together with transistor 420 provide temperature compensation for the sec 400 . at low temperatures the resistance of thermistor 424 increases sufficiently to cause transistor 420 to conduct more current to the ammeter 440 and increase its reading at low ambient temperatures as required to compensate for decreases in circuit gain . conversely , at higher temperatures the resistance of thermistor 422 decreases , causing transistor 420 to conduct less current to meter 440 and decrease its reading to compensate for higher circuit gain at higher temperatures . this arrangement has been found to provide superior temperature compensation , particularly in the range of - 25 ° c . to + 125 ° c . capacitor 426 provides damping of the voltage at the base of transistor 420 , and thus damps the output of the sec 400 . this limits the large , rapid variations of the current sent to meter 440 , and consequently limits the large , rapid variations in the meter readout present , for example , when the engine starter of a vehicle is engaged . this allows the use of the engine starter as the load when testing the battery health ( or cranking power ) as described above . this has been found to provide more accurate results than using the headlights or other accessory load . in the illustrated embodiment , a 3 , 000 μf capacitor is used for capacitor 426 . optionally , any of the meters described herein may include a light to illuminate the display and facilitate easy reading at night . in fig6 illumination circuit 410 is provided and includes a 500 ohm resistor 412 connected in series with two led &# 39 ; s . the led &# 39 ; s may be appropriately mounted about the display of a connected meter to illuminate the face . it should be apparent , however , that other illumination circuits may be utilized , for example , an incandescent bulb . in addition to , or in place of , the illumination circuit described herein , a map light may also be provided as an integral part of the test meter . one exemplary configuration , shown in fig7 is to mount the sec circuitry in a housing 500 and mount the display 502 of an analog meter to the front of the housing 500 . a cigarette lighter plug 510 is mounted to the back of the housing 500 and the map light 520 is mounted to the bottom of the unit . it is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described above are illustrative of the principles of this invention only and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention .
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a built - in sink or sink unit 10 according to fig1 is inserted in the usual manner into a counter top 12 . below the built - in sink and the counter top there is a base cabinet 14 . the other configuration of the customary kitchen furnishings will not be discussed in detail here . the built - in sink 10 includes a wash basin 16 equipped with a drain 18 . wash basin 16 has an irregular shape and , in its rear region facing the kitchen wall ( not shown ), it is provided with an inwardly projecting pedestal 20 on which is mounted a faucet assembly 22 . in the niche formed on the right in fig1 next to pedestal 20 , a secondary basin 24 is removably disposed and has its own drain 26 which is associated with a separate drain ( not shown ) in the bottom of the wash basin . details of the wash basin are insignificant in the present context . on the left next to wash basin 16 , there are two garbage chutes 28 , 30 for two different types of garbage . wash basins 16 , garbage chutes 28 , 30 and pedestal 20 are enclosed by a continuous edge bead 32 which is shown only in part and serves as overflow protection and for stabilization . in base cabinet 14 two garbage containers 36 , 38 are disposed on a pull - out 34 in an arrangement one behind the other ; when pull - out 34 is pushed in , the garbage containers lie below garbage chutes 28 , 30 . in the longitudinal direction of the sink , here considered to be the longitudinal direction of counter top 12 , the sink is extended by two halves 40 , 42 of a cover plate which , in the illustrated example , is configured as a slightly inwardly sloping drip surface . in fig1 the halves 40 , 42 of the cover plate are in the outward end position in which they have been pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the built - in sink , while they are able , on the other hand , to take on the completely pushed - together position shown in fig2 in which they cover the entire built - in sink . in order to accommodate the faucet assembly 22 in the position shown in fig2 the two cover plate halves 40 , 42 are given corresponding , semi - circular recesses 44 , 46 at their facing edges . in fig1 and 2 , cover plate halves 40 , 42 are provided with guides ( shown in detail in fig5 - 7 ) which permit displacement between the two illustrated positions . these guides will be discussed in greater detail below . fig3 corresponds to fig1 but , in contrast to fig1 shows three separate smaller garbage chutes 48 , 50 , 52 for three different types of garbage . base cabinet 14 is again provided with a pull - out 54 which in this case is broader than the above described pull - out 34 and holds in its transverse direction garbage containers 36 , 38 as well as a further , identical garbage container 56 , all having a rectangular cross section , so that now three garbage containers can be accommodated . it is therefore possible , depending on the customer &# 39 ; s wishes , to provide two or three different garbage collection systems with the same garbage container and an interchangeable chute insert for the garbage chutes . fig4 is a top view of a built - in sink which essentially corresponds to that of fig1 . the embodiment shown here differs from that of fig1 only in that , next to wash basin 16 , in the mentioned niche next to pedestal 20 , a secondary basin 60 with a separate drain 62 is permanently installed with the aid of a partition 58 . number and configuration of the wash basins and garbage chutes should here be understood only as examples . the invention is primarily concerned with the coverage of the entire arrangement composed of wash basins and garbage chutes . hereafter , the guide for displacing the cover plate halves 40 , 42 will be described with reference to fig5 to 7 . fig5 is a partial cross - sectional view through the upper region of a wash basin , its edge bead and , moreover , a t - shaped rail 64 which is fastened in the longitudinal center line of the built - in sink outside of the region on counter top 12 taken up by the basins and the garbage chutes or to an edge strip of the sink which overlaps the counter top . at its outer edge shown on the left in fig5 cover plate half 40 is provided with a convexly curved section 66 which is adapted in its cross - sectional configuration to edge bead 32 and passes over it . in its longitudinal center region , cover plate half 40 is provided with a guide rail 68 at its underside . if the cover plate is composed , for example , of plastic , this guide rail may be shaped directly into it or may be applied as a separate part to the lower surface . guide rail 68 has a guide groove 70 which is undercut at both sides , has a t - shaped cross section and is adapted to the cross section of guide member 64 . in this way , the cover plate half is simultaneously guided and secured against inadvertent removal . fig6 is a partial top view of cover plate half 40 and shows in dashed lines the guide rail 68 and the guide member 64 . on the left in fig6 the convexly curved section 66 of the cover plate half can be seen while on the right side , the edge of the sink marked 72 is visible . the guide member 64 starts directly at this edge 72 and extends only over a short section in the longitudinal direction of the sink . in contrast thereto , guide rail 68 extends over the entire length of cover plate half 40 but is no longer undercut in its outer end section 74 shown on the left in fig6 . the result is that , if the cover plate half is pushed completely to the right into the position in which the sink is closed , it is possible to lift it upwardly away from guide member 64 . in this position , the cover plate half can also be attached again . the removal feature is not provided for normal use but may be needed from time to time for cleaning purposes or for other reasons . additionally , fig6 shows dashed lines extending vertically from the top to the bottom , whose meaning will be explained below in connection with fig7 and with respect to the right cover plate half 42 . an edge strip 76 which passes over counter top 12 starts at the edge 72 of the sink . the outer edge 78 of the edge strip is bent over and is provided with a downwardly oriented fastening flange 80 which engages in a cutout of the counter top that is not illustrated in detail here . guide member 64 is attached to edge strip 76 . guide member 64 simultaneously forms an abutment on both sides for the two end positions of the cover plate halves . fig7 shows that a downwardly oriented edge 82 of cover plate half 42 grips behind guide member 64 on the side of the sink , that is , on the left in fig7 . in the left end position of cover plate half 42 , a roller 84 which facilitates displacement and is mounted below the outer convexly curved section 66 abuts against the guide member . the dashed line 86 illustrates the pushed - together end position of the cove plate half . in the closed state , the built - in sink has a very short length of , for example , only 60 or 75 cm . once the cover plate halves are extended , it reaches a length of 110 and 125 cm , respectively , in this case . as is apparent from the drawings , the cover plates 40 , 42 , are longer than the sink in the longitudinal direction of the sink and , in the closed position , cover the sink and the guide members 64 . the selection between two garbage chutes 28 , 30 according to fig1 or three garbage chutes 48 , 50 , 52 according to fig3 may be left to the customer in that the chutes ar configured as interchangeable inserts . preferably , the garbage chutes have slightly downwardly outwardly sloped side walls which prevent or restrict the sticking of garbage . as evident from a comparison of fig1 and 3 , the same garbage cans can be employed independently of the number of garbage chutes , in that the rectangular cross section garbage cans are attached on pull - out 34 , 54 either in the longitudinal direction or in the transverse direction .
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reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . while the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments , it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments . on the contrary , the invention is intended to cover alternatives , modifications and equivalents , which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . furthermore , in the following detailed description of the present invention , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details . in other instances , well known methods , procedures , components , and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention . although the description of the present invention will focus on an exemplary personal digital assistant or handheld computer system , the present invention can be practiced with other electronic systems or electronic devices capable of being networked ( e . g ., cellular phones , pagers , etc .). some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of procedures , logic blocks , processing , and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory . these descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art . in the present application , a procedure , logic block , process , etc ., is conceived to be a self - consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result . the steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities . usually , though not necessarily , these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored , transferred , combined , compared , and otherwise manipulated in a computer system . it has proved convenient at times , principally for reasons of common usage , to refer to these signals as bits , values , elements , symbols , characters , terms , numbers , or the like . it should be borne in mind , however , that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities . unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions , it is appreciated that throughout the present invention , discussions utilizing terms such as “ generating ”, “ canceling ”, “ assigning ”, “ receiving ”, “ forwarding ”, “ dumping ”, “ updating ”, “ bypassing ”, “ transmitting ”, “ determining ”, “ retrieving ”, “ displaying ”, “ identifying ”, “ modifying ”, “ processing ”, “ preventing ”, “ using ”, “ sending ”, “ adjusting ” or the like , refer to the actions and processes of an electronic system or a computer system , or other electronic computing device / system such as a personal digital assistant ( pda ), a cellular phone , a pager , etc . the computer system or similar electronic computing device manipulates and transforms data represented as physical ,( electronic ) quantities within the computer system &# 39 ; s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage , transmission , or display devices . the present invention is also well suited to the use of other computer systems such as , for example , optical and mechanical computers . one of the common types of electronic systems which can be used in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is referred to as a personal digital assistant , or commonly called a pda . the personal digital assistant is a pocket sized electronic organizer with the capability to store telephone numbers , addresses , daily appointments , and software that keeps track of business or personal data such as expenses , etc . furthermore , the personal digital assistant also has the ability to connect to a personal computer , enabling the two devices to exchange updated information . additionally , the personal digital assistant can also be connected to a modem , enabling it to have electronic mail ( e - mail ) capabilities over the internet along with other internet capabilities . moreover , an advanced personal digital assistant can have internet capabilities over a wireless communication interface ( e . g ., radio interface ). in particular , the personal digital assistant can be used to browse web pages located on the internet . the personal digital assistant can be coupled to a networking environment . it should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention are well suited to operate within a wide variety of electronic systems ( e . g ., computer systems ) which can be communicatively coupled to a networking environment , including cellular phones , pagers , etc . fig1 illustrates a first network system 51 . the first network system 51 comprises a host computer system 56 which can either be a desktop computer system as shown , or , alternatively , can be a laptop computer system 58 . optionally , more than one host computer system 56 can be used within the first network system 51 . host computer systems 58 and 56 are shown connected to a communication bus 54 , which in one embodiment can be a serial communication bus , but could be of any of a number of well known designs ( e . g ., a parallel bus , ethernet local area network ( lan ), etc .). optionally , bus 54 can provide communication with the internet 52 using a number of well known protocols . importantly , bus 54 is also coupled to a cradle 60 for receiving and initiating communication with the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 . cradle 60 provides an electrical and mechanical communication interface between bus 54 ( and any device coupled to bus 54 ) and the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 for two - way communications . the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 also contains a wireless infrared communication mechanism 64 for sending and receiving information from other devices . the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 can include both a wireless infrared communication mechanism and a signal ( e . g ., radio frequency ) receiver / transmitter device . fig2 is a perspective illustration of the top face 100 a of one embodiment of the exemplary personal digital assistant or handheld computer system 100 . the top face 100 a has a display screen 105 surrounded by a bezel or cover . a removable stylus 80 is also shown . the display screen 105 is a touch screen able to register contact between the screen and the tip of the stylus 80 . the stylus 80 can be of any material to make contact with the display screen 105 . the top face 100 a also has one or more dedicated and / or programmable buttons 75 for selecting information and causing the computer system to implement functions . the on / off button 95 is also shown . moreover , a user is able to control specific functionality of the personal digital assistant 100 by using its plurality of buttons 75 ( e . g ., to invoke telephone / address data , calendar data , to - do - list data , memo pad data , etc .). furthermore , the user can utilize the stylus 80 in conjunction with the display screen 105 in order to cause the personal digital assistant 100 to perform a multitude of different functions . one such function is the selecting of different functional operations of the personal digital assistant 100 , which are accomplished by touching stylus 80 to specific areas of display screen 105 . another such function is the entering of data into the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 . fig2 also illustrates a handwriting recognition pad or “ digitizer ” containing two regions 106 a and 106 b . region 106 a is for the drawing of alphabetic characters therein ( and not for numeric characters ) for automatic recognition , and region 106 b is for the drawing of numeric characters therein ( and not for alphabetic characters ) for automatic recognition . the stylus 80 is used for stroking a character within one of the regions 106 a and 106 b . the stroke information is then fed to an internal processor for automatic character recognition . once characters are recognized , they are typically displayed on the screen 105 for verification and / or modification . fig3 illustrates the bottom side 100 b of one embodiment of the exemplary personal digital assistant or palmtop computer system 100 that can be used in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention . an extendible antenna 85 is shown , and also a battery storage compartment door 90 is shown . the antenna 85 enables the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 to be communicatively coupled to a network environment , thereby enabling a user to communicate information with other electronic systems and electronic devices coupled to the network . a communication interface 180 is also shown . in one embodiment of the present invention , the communication interface 180 is a serial communication port , but could also alternatively be of any of a number of well - known communication standards and protocols ( e . g ., parallel , scsi ( small computer system interface ), firewire ( ieee 1394 ), ethernet , etc .). fig4 is an exploded view of the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 . the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 contains a front cover 210 having an outline of region 106 and holes 75 a for receiving buttons 75 b . a flat panel display 105 ( both liquid crystal display and touch screen ) fits into front cover 210 . any of a number of display technologies can be used , e . g ., liquid crystal display ( lcd ), field emission display ( fed ), plasma , etc ., for the flat panel display 105 . a battery 215 provides electrical power . a contrast adjustment ( potentiometer ) 220 is also shown , as well as an on / off button 95 . a flex circuit 230 is shown along with a personal computer ( pc ) board 225 containing electronics and logic ( e . g ., memory , communication bus , processor , etc .) for implementing computer system functionality . the digitizer pad is also included in pc board 225 . a midframe 235 is shown along with stylus 80 . position - adjustable antenna 85 is shown . infrared communication mechanism 64 ( e . g ., an infrared emitter and detector device ) is for sending and receiving information from other similarly equipped devices ( see fig1 ). a signal ( e . g ., radio frequency ) receiver / transmitter device 108 is also shown . the receiver / transmitter device 108 is coupled to the antenna 85 and also coupled to communicate with the pc board 225 . in one implementation , the mobitex wireless communication system is used to provide two - way communication between the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 and other networked computers and / or the internet . referring now to fig5 , portions of the present electronic system are comprised of computer - readable and computer - executable instructions which reside , for example , in computer - readable media of an electronic system ( e . g ., personal digital assistant , computer system , and the like ). fig5 is a block diagram of exemplary interior components of an exemplary personal digital assistant 100 upon which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented . it is appreciated that the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 of fig5 is only exemplary and that the present invention can operate within a number of different electronic systems including general purpose networked computer systems , embedded computer systems , and stand alone electronic systems such as a cellular telephone or a pager . fig5 illustrates circuitry of an exemplary electronic system or computer system 100 ( such as the personal digital assistant ), some of which can be implemented on pc board 225 ( fig5 ). exemplary computer system 100 includes an address / data bus 110 for communicating information , a central processor 101 coupled to the bus 110 for processing information and instructions , a volatile memory 102 ( e . g ., random access memory , static ram , dynamic ram , etc .) coupled to the bus 110 for storing information and instructions for the central processor 101 and a non - volatile memory 103 ( e . g ., read only memory , programmable rom , flash memory , eprom , eeprom , etc .) coupled to the bus 110 for storing static information and instructions for the processor 101 . exemplary computer system 100 also includes an optional data storage device 104 ( e . g ., memory card , hard drive , etc .) coupled with the bus 110 for storing information and instructions . data storage device 104 can be removable . as described above , exemplary computer system 100 also includes an electronic display device 105 coupled to the bus 110 for displaying information to the computer user . in one embodiment , pc board 225 can include the processor 101 , the bus 110 , the rom 103 and the ram 102 . with reference still to fig5 , exemplary computer system 100 also includes a signal transmitter / receiver device 108 which is coupled to bus 110 for providing a communication link between computer system 100 and a network environment . as such , signal transmitter / receiver device 108 enables central processor unit 101 to communicate wirelessly with other electronic systems coupled to the network . it should be appreciated that within an embodiment of the present invention , signal transmitter / receiver device 108 is coupled to antenna 85 ( fig4 ) and provides the functionality to transmit and receive information over a wireless communication interface . it should be further appreciated that the present embodiment of signal transmitter / receiver device 108 is well - suited to be implemented in a wide variety of ways . for example , signal transmitter / receiver device 108 could be implemented as a modem . in one embodiment , exemplary computer system 100 includes a communication circuit 109 coupled to bus 110 . communication circuit 109 includes an optional digital signal processor ( dsp ) 120 for processing data to be transmitted or data that are received via signal transmitter / receiver device 108 . alternatively , some or all of the functions performed by dsp 120 can be performed by processor 101 . also included in exemplary computer system 100 of fig5 is an optional alphanumeric input device 106 which in one implementation is a handwriting recognition pad (“ digitizer ”) having regions 106 a and 106 b ( fig2 ), for instance . alphanumeric input device 106 can communicate information and command selections to processor 101 . exemplary computer system 100 also includes an optional cursor control or directing device ( on - screen cursor control 107 ) coupled to bus 110 for communicating user input information and command selections to processor 101 . in one implementation , on - screen cursor control device 107 is a touch screen device incorporated with display device 105 . on - screen cursor control device 107 is capable of registering a position on display device 105 where the stylus makes contact . the display device 105 utilized with exemplary computer system 100 may be a liquid crystal display device , a cathode ray tube ( crt ), a field emission display device ( also called a flat panel crt ) or other display device suitable for generating graphic images and alphanumeric characters recognizable to the user . in the preferred embodiment , display device 105 is a flat panel display . fig6 is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of the cradle 60 for receiving the exemplary personal digital assistant or handheld computer system 100 . cradle 60 includes a mechanical and electrical interface 260 for interfacing with communication interface 108 ( fig3 ) of the exemplary personal digital assistant 100 when the personal digital assistant 100 is slid into the cradle 60 in an upright position . once inserted , button 270 can be pressed to initiate two - way communication between the personal digital assistant 100 and other computer systems or electronic devices coupled to serial communication 265 . switching a network access configuration associated with a first electronic system to a second electronic system although the description of the present invention will focus on an exemplary personal digital assistant or handheld computer system , the present invention can be practiced with other electronic systems or electronic devices capable of being networked ( e . g ., cellular phones , pagers , etc .). fig7 illustrates a block diagram of a second exemplary network environment 700 in which an embodiment of the present invention can be practiced . in an embodiment of the present invention , the network environment 700 includes a first network 750 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the first network 750 comprises a mobitex network 750 . it should be recognized that the first network 750 can be implemented in any other manner . the mobitex network 750 is a wireless network . the mobitex network is a secure , reliable , two - way digital wireless packet switching network . the mobitex network 750 includes a plurality of base stations 731 - 733 for enabling an electronic system ( e . g ., the personal digital assistant 100 ) to access the mobitex network 750 . a base station 1 731 is coupled to the mobitex network 750 via communication connection 741 . a base station 2 732 is coupled to the mobitex network 750 via communication connection 742 . a base stationx 733 is coupled to the mobitex network 750 via communication connection 743 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the base stations 731 - 733 are configured to transmit and to receive data and information . the communication connections 741 - 743 can be implemented as a wireless connection , a wired connection ( e . g ., a telephone connection ), or in any other appropriate manner . the personal digital assistant 100 includes a radio frequency ( rf ) communication port ( or radio interface ) having an antenna 85 . moreover , the personal digital assistant 100 has the ability to transmit and receive data and information via the rf communication port . the personal digital assistant 100 utilizes the antenna 85 to couple to the base station 1 731 via the connection 720 . in an embodiment , the connection 720 is a wireless connection 720 . moreover , the wireless connection 720 is a rf wireless connection 720 . in an embodiment , a proxy server 760 is coupled to the mobitex network 750 via communication connection 761 . the proxy server 760 is coupled to the internet 765 . the proxy server 760 enables the personal digital assistant 100 to communicate with the internet 765 . it should be appreciated that within the present embodiment , one of the functions of proxy server 760 is to perform operations over the internet 765 on behalf of the personal digital assistant 100 . for example , proxy server 760 has a particular internet address and acts as a proxy device for the personal digital assistant 100 over the internet 765 . it should be further appreciated that other embodiments for the network environment 700 may be utilized in accordance with the present invention . in an embodiment , a network service provider 790 is coupled to the internet 765 . the network service provider 790 includes one or more databases for storing data for authorizing and tracking usage of the mobitex network 750 . moreover , the network service provider 790 is coupled to a network infrastructure provider 790 via connection 785 . in an embodiment , an activation gateway 770 is coupled to the mobitex network 750 via connection 771 . the activation gateway 770 is coupled to the network infrastructure provider 780 via connection 772 . the activation gateway 770 enables the personal digital assistant 100 to access the network infrastructure provider 780 . the network infrastructure provider 780 is coupled to the network service provider 790 via connection 785 . the network infrastructure provider 780 is coupled to the activation gateway 770 via connection 772 . in an embodiment , the network infrastructure provider 780 includes one or more databases for storing data for controlling and managing access to the mobitex network 750 . to access the mobitex network 750 , the personal digital assistant 100 , the activation gateway 770 , and the proxy server 760 need a network identifier . in an embodiment , the network identifier comprises a mobitex access number ( man ). the man is analogous to a phone number on a telephone network . according to an embodiment of the present invention , when a first personal digital assistant becomes inoperable , a second personal digital assistant 100 is swapped for the first personal digital assistant . the first personal digital assistant is made inoperable due to any reason . for example , the first personal digital assistant may become lost or stolen . moreover , the first personal digital assistant may malfunction . rather than activating the second personal digital assistant 100 with a new network access configuration so that a user can access the mobitex network 750 with the second personal digital assistant 100 , a network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant is re - associated with the second personal digital assistant 100 . the network access configuration includes the network identifier ( e . g ., the mobitex access number ). in an embodiment , the network access configuration further includes , for example , network user account data , network user privileges data , or network user profile data . thus , the user experiences a seamless transition from the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 when accessing the mobitex network 750 . in an embodiment of the present invention , an application is loaded to the second personal digital assistant 100 . upon invoking the application , the application automatically switches the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 via the rf communication port of the second personal digital assistant 100 . during a first phase , the network infrastructure provider 780 updates its one or more databases such that the second personal digital assistant 100 is able to access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ). during a second phase , the network service provider 790 updates its one or more databases such that the second personal digital assistant 100 is able to access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ). at the conclusion of the second phase , the second personal digital assistant 100 can access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ). however , the first personal digital assistant is denied access to the mobitex network 750 if the first personal digital assistant 100 attempts to access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ). fig8 illustrates a flow chart diagram of steps performed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for switching a network access configuration . reference will be made to fig7 . in particular , fig8 illustrates the first phase of the method of switching the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . at step 805 , an application is loaded to the second personal digital assistant 100 . the application is configured to automatically switch the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . in an embodiment , a repair facility configures the second personal digital assistant 100 before sending the second personal digital assistant 100 to the user ( that previously utilized the first personal digital assistant ) at step 810 , the application is invoked using the second personal digital assistant 100 . the application prompts the repair facility to input data . in one embodiment , the repair facility inputs the user name and the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant , whereas the hardware serial number ( hsn ) uniquely identifies each personal digital assistant . in one embodiment , the user provides the user name and the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant to the repair facility . in another embodiment , the user provides his / her name . the repair facility utilizes one or more databases of the network service provider 790 to obtain the user name and the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant . the hardware serial number comprises a mobitex serial number and a mobitex serial number extension . in still another embodiment , the repair facility inputs the user name and the mobitex serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant ( rather than the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant ). at step 815 , data is transmitted to the network infrastructure provider 780 via the antenna 85 . in one embodiment , the user name , the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant , and the hardware serial number associated with the second personal digital assistant 100 are transmitted to the network infrastructure provider 780 . in addition , a request for re - associating the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 is transmitted to the network infrastructure provider 780 . in one embodiment , the second personal digital assistant 100 utilizes the mobitex access number associated with the activation gateway 770 to transmit the data to the activation gateway 770 via base station 1 731 . the activation gateway 770 transmits the data to the network infrastructure provider 780 via connection 772 . at step 816 , the network infrastructure provider 780 determines whether the data includes a request for re - associating the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . at step 817 , the present method ends if there is no request for re - associating the network access configuration . otherwise , at step 820 , the network infrastructure provider 780 transmits data to the network service provider 790 via connection 785 . in an embodiment , the user name , the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant , and the hardware serial number associated with the second personal digital assistant 100 are transmitted to the network service provider 790 . the network infrastructure provider 780 stores and manages the mobitex access numbers . in addition , the mobitex access number associated with the first personal digital number is transmitted to the network service provider 790 . moreover , the network infrastructure provider 780 transmits a request for approving the re - association of the network access configuration . at step 825 of fig8 , the network service provider 790 determines whether to approve the request for re - associating the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . the network service provider 790 examines its one or more databases to determine whether the user is authorized to access the mobitex network . at step 827 , the present method ends if the network service provider 790 does not approve the request for re - associating the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . otherwise , at step 830 , the network service provider 790 sets a flag to indicate that the re - association of the network access configuration has been approved . at step 835 , the network service provider 790 transmits data to the network infrastructure provider 780 . in an embodiment , a response approving the re - association of the network access configuration is transmitted . at step 840 , the network infrastructure provider 780 updates its one or more databases such that the second personal digital assistant 100 is able to access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant . in an embodiment , the network infrastructure provider 780 invalidates the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant . moreover , the network infrastructure provider 780 associates the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ) with the second personal digital assistant 100 . in particular , the mobitex access number of the first personal digital assistant is associated with the hardware serial number of the second personal digital assistant 100 . at step 845 of fig8 , the network infrastructure provider 780 transmits the mobitex access number of the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 via activation gateway 770 and base station 1 731 . in an embodiment , the mobitex access number of the first personal digital assistant is stored in a memory device of the second personal digital assistant 100 . in an embodiment , the memory device comprises a flash memory device . the first phase concludes at the end of step 845 . the first personal digital assistant can no longer access the mobitex network 750 . in an embodiment , the second phase ( of the method of switching the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 ) begins after a particular time interval has expired . in one embodiment , the particular time interval is one hour . fig9 illustrates a flow chart diagram of steps performed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for switching a network access configuration . reference will be made to fig7 . in particular , fig9 illustrates the second phase of the method of switching the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . at step 905 , the second personal digital assistant 100 transmits data to the network service provider 790 via the antenna 85 . in an embodiment of the present invention , a request to complete the re - association of the network access configuration is transmitted . in an embodiment , the second personal digital assistant 100 utilizes the mobitex access number associated with the proxy server 760 to transmit the data to the proxy server 760 via base station 1 731 . the proxy server 760 transmits the data to the network service provider 790 via the internet 765 . in an embodiment , the data is implemented as a hypertext transmission protocol secure ( https ) message . at step 910 , the network service provider 790 updates its one or more databases such that the second personal digital assistant 100 is able to access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant . in an embodiment , the network service provider 790 invalidates the hardware serial number associated with the first personal digital assistant . moreover , the network service provider 790 associates the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ) with the second personal digital assistant 100 . in particular , the mobitex access number of the first personal digital assistant is associated with the hardware serial number of the second personal digital assistant 100 . moreover , the user name of the first personal digital assistant is associated with the second personal digital assistant 100 . at step 915 , the network service provider 790 transmits an acknowledgment ( ack ) message to the second personal digital assistant 100 via the proxy server 760 and the base station 1 731 , whereas the acknowledgment message indicates that the re - association of the network access configuration has been successful . in an embodiment of the present invention , the acknowledgment message includes the user name associated with the first personal digital assistant . in an embodiment , the acknowledgment message is implemented as a hypertext transmission protocol secure ( https ) message . in an embodiment , the user name is stored in a memory device of the second personal digital assistant 100 . according to an embodiment of the present invention , the memory device comprises a flash memory device . at step 925 , the second personal digital assistant 100 determines whether it has stored the user name and the mobitex access number of the first personal digital assistant in the memory device of the second personal digital assistant 100 . at step 927 , the method of the present invention has failed since the user name or mobitex access number is not stored in the second personal digital assistant . otherwise , at step 930 , the method of the present invention ends . at the conclusion of the second phase , the second personal digital assistant 100 can access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ). however , the first personal digital assistant is denied access to the mobitex network 750 if the first personal digital assistant 100 attempts to access the mobitex network 750 using the network access configuration ( previously associated with the first personal digital assistant ). in one embodiment , the repair facility deletes the application for switching the network access configuration before sending the second personal digital assistant 100 to the user . fig1 illustrates a plurality of exemplary windows displaying information on a personal digital assistant in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in an embodiment , the repair facility interfaces with the exemplary windows . the first window 1100 appears on the second personal digital assistant 100 upon invoking the application for switching the network access configuration associated with the first personal digital assistant to the second personal digital assistant 100 . by selecting no 1120 , the application ends without configuring the second personal digital assistant 100 . by selecting yes 1110 , the second window 1200 appears on the second personal digital assistant 100 . the repair facility can input the user name and the hardware serial number ( hsn ) associated with the first personal digital assistant . in one embodiment , the repair facility enters an authorized password to prevent unauthorized use of the application . by selecting previous 1210 , the first window 1100 appears on the second personal digital assistant 100 . by selecting cancel 1230 , the application ends without configuring the second personal digital assistant 100 . by selecting submit 1220 , the application configures the second personal digital assistant 100 as described above . the third window 1300 appears at the end of the first phase . the third window 1300 alerts the repair facility to proceed with the second phase after the particular time interval has expired . it should be recognized that the windows 1100 , 1200 , and 1300 are merely exemplary and that other configurations can be implemented in accordance with the present invention . in one embodiment , a selection is made by positioning a stylus on the selection on the window . alternatively , the selection can be made in any other appropriate manner . those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be incorporated as computer instructions stored as computer program code on a computer - readable medium such as a magnetic disk , cd - rom , and other media common in the art or that may yet be developed . finally , one of the embodiments of the present invention is an application , namely , a set of instructions ( e . g ., program code ) which may , for example , be resident in the random access memory of an electronic system ( e . g ., computer system , personal digital assistant or handheld computer system , etc .). until required by the computer system , the set of instructions may be stored in another computer memory , for example , in a hard drive , or in a removable memory such as an optical disk ( for eventual use in a cd - rom ) or floppy disk ( for eventual use in a floppy disk drive ), or downloaded via the internet or other computer network . thus , the present invention may be implemented as a computer program product for use in a computer system ( e . g ., personal digital assistant ). in addition , although the various methods of the present invention described above are conveniently implemented in a computer system selectively activated or reconfigured by software , one of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that such methods of the present invention may be carried out in hardware , firmware , or in a more specialized apparatus constructed to perform the required methods of the present invention . the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed , and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application , to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents .
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preferably as used herein , the term “ dissolver ” includes a solid chemical feed unit dissolving apparatus and an associated operatively mounted solid chemical feed unit magazine or guide for holding and introducing successive solid chemical feed units sequentially to a dissolving location or station in the dissolver . as illustrated in the drawings , preferred solid chemical feed units useful in the invention are in the form of a cylinder or disc 10 having a forward face 12 defined by a circular edge 14 . disc 10 has predetermined height and is preferably , but not necessarily , from six to nine inches in diameter , about one to six inches in height and preferably three inches high . preferably , the forward face 12 is about 20 inches to 110 square inches in surface area . preferably , a single solid chemical feed unit weighs in the range of eight to ten pounds . these parameters are illustrative only ; other sizes , areas and weights could be used . one embodiment of the invention comprises a unique solid chemical feed unit magazine 16 in operable cooperation as part of a dissolver apparatus 18 wherein the magazine 16 has a slight inwardly tapered surface or constriction 20 at a lower magazine end 22 , just upstream or above a first screen 24 . as noted , a solid chemical feed unit 10 is preferably , but not exclusively , cylindrical in shape , with a lower circular face surface 12 defined by an edge 14 engaging the tapered surface 20 of the magazine 16 and sealing off upper chamber areas 26 of the magazine above the seal 28 produced by the engagement of the lower feed unit edge 14 with the tapered surface 20 . alternately , the tapered surface 20 may be operatively disposed in the dissolver 18 at a seal location downstream of the magazine 16 , while providing a seal against moisture intrusion into the magazine 16 and above the face surface 12 of a feed unit 10 being dissolved . the upper first screen 24 is disposed in the magazine 16 proximate the so - formed seal 28 and just below the lower face 12 of the forward or lowermost solid chemical feed unit 10 . the first screen 24 is of any suitable construction and preferably of stainless steel wire in no . 2 mesh , i . e . one - half inch mesh . an upwardly directed nozzle 30 is disposed below the screen 24 . the nozzle 30 sprays a consistent and preferably uniform water pattern up through the screen onto the lower circular face 12 of the solid chemical feed unit 10 , which is thus dissolved . as the solid chemical feed unit 10 is so dissolved , dissolved chemical drops toward and through the first screen 24 onto a collection funnel 32 or tapered collecting surface thereof , yet all the while its advancing lower face 12 at its circular edge 14 seals against the tapered surface 20 , preventing wetting and caking of the solid chemical feed unit or units 10 above the dissolving face 12 . the solid chemical feed unit 10 and successive solid chemical feed units descend in the magazine 16 toward the tapered surface 20 and seal as the nozzle 30 continues to spray , maintaining both the seal 28 and the presentation of a feed unit surface for dissolving by the nozzle 30 spray . the seal 28 is maintained whether the nozzle spray 30 produces continuously or intermittently . as the face 12 of the solid chemical feed unit 10 is sprayed and dissolved by the water , diluted chemical solution falls past the nozzle onto a secondary , lower screen 34 at the bottom of funnel 32 for catching any lumps or pieces of undissolved chemicals falling through the first screen 24 and which are collected and optionally presented to waste . the lower screen 34 is preferably an integral part or floor of the collection funnel 32 with a plurality of one - quarter inch holes therein , whereby pieces of undissolved chemical are captured in the floor and can be further dissolved . thus , it will be appreciated that the magazine 16 defines an upper feed unit chamber 26 for accepting a plurality of solid chemical feed units 10 in tandem and for feeding each unit 10 serially toward the tapering surface 20 , forming a seal 28 with the edge 14 of the lowermost feed unit . in another aspect of the invention , the magazine 16 defines two elongated slots 36 , 38 ( fig3 ) on opposite sides thereof . cylindrically - shaped solid chemical feed units 10 are manually lowered within the magazine 16 and from the top by physical support facilitated by the slots 36 , 38 , until the feed units 10 are settled on the seal 28 or on the proceeding feed unit 10 . a guide cover 40 is placed on the last or uppermost feed unit 10 and follows the units 10 downwardly as they are successively dissolved . if the last unit in the magazine is fully dissolved , the guide cover 40 deflects any spray from the nozzle 30 from entering the magazine chamber 26 through the screen ; it too sealing or contacting the tapering seal surface 20 . a magazine cover 42 may be disposed over the magazine 16 . this cover 42 is preferably provided with an elongated sight window 44 with measuring scale aligned with one of said slots 36 , 38 and through which the feed units 10 therein can be viewed and measured as an indication of solid chemical feed unit status and any need to load more solid chemical feed units 10 . it is thus easy for an operator to assure continued operation of a treatment process by visual observation . just below the tapered surface 20 of the magazine , 16 a circular groove 46 in a surface of either the magazine 16 or other dissolver parts accommodates , supports or positions the periphery of the circular screen 24 noted above . the further tapered surface below the screen in the form of a collection funnel 32 funnels chemical solution downwardly to a collection area or reservoir 48 within the dissolver 18 wherein one or more floats 50 , 52 are disposed to control water flow through line 55 to the nozzle 30 based on the fill condition of a solution reservoir 48 . primary chemical solution is directed to a solution reservoir 48 in which a float 52 activates a first valve 54 when the reservoir 48 is filled , shutting off water to the nozzle 30 . if that reservoir 48 has overflowed into an overflow tank 56 despite the condition of the first valve 54 and its float 52 , a second float 50 in the overflow tank 56 shuts a second valve 58 , serially connected to the first valve 54 ( through conduit 57 ) from upstream thereof , as a failsafe to shut off water from water inlet 59 , pressure regulator 59 a and conduit 61 , to the first valve 54 , line 55 and nozzle 30 and to stop nozzle 30 spray onto a feed unit 10 . the supply of water to the serially - connected valves 54 , 58 and nozzle 30 is pressure regulated to produce a consistent spray from the nozzle 30 . a pick - up tube 60 transfers chemical solution to an outlet pump 62 from the solution reservoir 58 for transport to a water system or other process stream . also , it will be appreciated that the invention is useful in multiple applications where available water pressures might vary significantly from one application to the other and in the approximate range of 25 to 100 psi and more likely 25 - 40 psi . according to the invention , the water supply nozzle 30 is regulated to about 25 psi ( regulator 59 a ) and at this pressure , the nozzle 30 delivers water diluent in a spray pattern to the face of the solid chemical feed unit at a rate of about 0 . 5 gallons per minute to produce a chemical solution at about 0 . 5 % to about 1 . 0 % concentration . preferably , and to provide consistent chemical solution by presenting a continually uniform solid chemical feed unit face 12 and surface area defined at the forward face , each solid chemical feed unit 10 has a shape such that surface area of the solid chemical feed unit is positioned at a constant distance from the nozzle 30 at the first screen 24 . provision of a uniform water pattern , emanating from a nozzle 30 at a uniform distance from the face of the operative solid chemical feed unit , and at a uniform low pressure facilitates a consistent , accurate and constant solution and treatment process . it will also be appreciated that the dissolver 18 provides a very high capacity solid chemical feed unit dissolving process but in a relatively small footprint . essentially , the dissolver unit 18 at its lower end is about 24 inches wide by 28 inches long and about one foot tall , or alternately , it could be other sizes , such as 18 inches wide and about 22 inches long . the housing 66 forms preferably integral both reservoir 48 and overflow tanks 56 of about one quart capacity each , and an additional containment tank 68 beyond these two tanks to accommodate an unexpected spill or malfunction . the magazine has an upper loading end 70 , about five feet from the bottom of the dissolver housing 66 , and is about thirteen inches in diameter , with cover 42 . the lower end of the magazine is secured to the dissolver housing 66 so it does not separate if the entire apparatus is tipped . since the lower end of the magazine 16 is disposed within the housing 66 , the center of gravity of the unity is relatively low and the dissolver is stable . for example , magazine 16 may be supported by an integral seat 72 of housing 66 , and other portions of the housing 66 and may be otherwise suitably fastened to the housing . it will thus be appreciated that the dissolver 18 is partially defined by a housing 66 or body which usefully comprises a molded housing 66 of any suitable material defining a solution reservoir 48 , an overflow tank 56 , a containment tank 68 , a seat 72 for a magazine and such conduits , valves 54 , 58 nozzle 30 and the like to perform the dissolving function . the reservoir 48 and overflow tank 56 may be an integrally formed portion of the dissolver body 66 . as will be appreciated , the magazine 16 is removably but securely seated on the dissolver 18 as shown in the drawings . the tapered sealing surface 20 and screen 24 could be formed in the dissolver 18 , below a magazine 16 , if desired , as opposed to the preferred disposition as part of the magazine 16 . in an alternate embodiment , the solid chemical feed units 10 may be provided in other shapes than cylinders or discs . for example , a disc shape with a sector removed , a unit in the form of a multiple - sided shape of curved or straight lines , or a variety of other feed unit shapes could be used . consequently , the tapering seal surface 20 may also be provided in similar and cooperating configurations to produce the seal 28 with the solid chemical feed unit 10 discussed herein and to prevent moisture transport or migration beyond a spray - receiving dissolving face 12 of such a feed unit . the parameters of a uniform pattern consistent with the shape of the solid chemical feed unit face 12 , uniform distance from spray nozzle 30 to that face , and uniform water pressure are all preferably provided and retained . these embodiments facilitate treatment of a variety of process streams from solid chemical feed units . from the foregoing , it will be appreciated that the invention provides a solid form chemical dissolver having a unique high capacity magazine and solid chemical feed units and which prevents dissolving process obstruction from wetting or caking of subsequent solid chemical feed units as well as provides consistent chemical dissolving , either continuously or intermittently , and resulting accurate solutions for system treatments . these benefits are attained in addition to such improved apparatus and methods as a result from a dissolver of small footprint , providing high capacity in a yet stable unit with accurate solution production and decreased operator time and attention . a variety of solid chemicals provided in solid chemical feed units can be used with this invention . these include , by way of example only , and without limitation : phosphonate ; tolytriazole ; molybdate ; polymers ; caustics ; sulfite and nitrate . these and other advantages and modifications will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and without departing from the scope of this invention and applicant intends to be bound only by the claims appended hereto .
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embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a method and system for prioritized rerouting of logical circuit data in a data network . when a logical circuit failure is detected , the data in the logical circuit may be rerouted to a logical failover circuit at the same quality of service provisioned for the failed logical circuit . in the following detailed description , references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof , and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments or examples . referring now to the drawings , in which like numerals represent like elements through the several figures , aspects of the present disclosure and the exemplary operating environment will be described . embodiments of the present disclosure may be generally employed in a data network 2 as shown in fig1 . the data network 2 includes local access and transport areas (“ latas ”) 5 and 15 which are connected by an inter - exchange carrier (“ iec ”) 10 . it should be understood that the latas 5 and 15 may be data networks operated by a commonly owned local exchange carrier (“ lec ”). it should be further understood that the iec 10 may include one or more data networks which may be operated by a commonly owned iec . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the data network 2 may be a frame relay network , asynchronous transfer mode (“ atm ”) network , or any other network capable of communicating data conforming to layers 2 - 4 of the open systems interconnection (“ osi ”) model developed by the international standards organization , incorporated herein by reference . it will be appreciated that these networks may include , but are not limited to , communications protocols conforming to the multiprotocol label switching standard (“ mpls ”) networks and the transmission control protocol / internet protocol (“ tcp / ip ”), which are known to those skilled in the art . the data network 2 includes a network circuit which channels data between a host device 112 and a remote device 114 through the lata 5 , the iec 10 , and the lata 15 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the host and remote devices 112 and 114 may be local area network (“ lan ”) routers , lan bridges , hosts , front end processors , frame relay access devices (“ frads ”), or any other device with a frame relay , atm , or network interface . it will be further appreciated that in the data network 2 , the latas 5 and 15 and the iec 10 may include network elements ( not shown ) which support interworking to enable communications between host and remote devices supporting dissimilar protocols . network elements in a data network supporting interworking may translate frame relay data packets or frames sent from a host frad to atm data packets or cells so that a host device may communicate with a remote device having an atm interface . the latas 5 and 15 and the iec 10 may further include one or more interconnected network elements , such as switches ( not shown ), for transmitting data . an illustrative lec data network will be discussed in greater detail in the description of fig2 below . the network circuit between the host device 112 and the remote device 114 in the data network 2 includes a physical circuit and a logical circuit . as used in the foregoing description and the appended claims , a physical circuit is defined as the physical path that connects the end point of a network circuit to a network device . for example , the physical circuit of the network circuit between the host device 112 and the remote device 114 includes the physical connection 121 between the host device 112 and the lata 5 , the physical connection 106 between the lata 5 and the iec 10 , the physical connection 108 between the iec 10 and the lata 15 , and the physical connection 123 between the lata 15 and the remote device 114 . routers and switches within the latas 5 and 15 and the iec 10 carry the physical signal between the host and remote end devices 112 and 114 through the physical circuit . it should be understood that the host and remote devices may be connected to the physical circuit described above using user - to - network interfaces (“ unis ”). as is known to those skilled in the art , an uni is the physical demarcation point between a user device ( e . g , a host device ) and a public data network . it will further be understood by those skilled in the art that the physical connections 106 and 108 may include trunk circuits for carrying the data between the latas 5 and 15 and the iec 10 . it will be further understood by those skilled in the art that the connections 121 and 123 may be any of various physical communications media for communicating data such as a 56 kbps line or a t1 line carried over a four - wire shielded cable or over a fiber optic cable . as used in the foregoing description and the appended claims , a logical circuit is defined as a portion of the network circuit wherein data is sent over variable communication data paths or logical connections established between the first and last network devices within a lata or iec network and over fixed communication data paths or logical connections between latas ( or between iecs ). thus , no matter what path the data takes within each lata or iec , the beginning and end of each logical connection between networks will not change . for example , the logical circuit of the network circuit in the data network 2 may include a variable communication path within the lata 5 and a fixed communication path ( i . e ., the logical connection 102 ) between the lata 5 and the iec 10 . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the logical connections 102 and 104 in the data network 2 may include network - to - network interfaces (“ nnis ”) between the last sending switch in a lata and the first receiving switch in an iec . it should be understood that in data networks supporting interworking ( i . e ., utilizing both frame relay and atm devices ), data may be communicated over frame relay circuits over the uni connections between the host or remote device and the lata ( or iec ) data network , and over atm circuits over the nni connections within the lata ( or iec ) data network . as is known to those skilled in the art , each logical circuit in a data network may be identified by a unique logical identifier . in frame relay networks , the logical identifier is called a data link connection identifier (“ dlci ”) while in atm networks the logical identifier is called a virtual path identifier / virtual circuit identifier (“ vpi / vci ”). in frame relay networks , the dlci is a 10 - bit address field contained in the header of each data frame and contains identifying information for the logical circuit as well as information relating to the destination of the data in the frame , quality of service (“ qos ”) parameters , and other service parameters for handling network congestion . for example , in the data network 2 implemented as a frame relay network , the designation dlci 100 may be used to identify the logical circuit between the host device 112 and the remote device 114 . it will be appreciated that in data networks in which logical circuit data is communicated through more than one carrier ( e . g ., an lec and an iec ) the dlci designation for the logical circuit may change in a specific carrier &# 39 ; s network . for example , in the data network 2 , the designation dlci 100 may identify the logical circuit in the lata 5 and lata 15 but the designation dlci 800 may identify the logical circuit in the iec 10 . illustrative qos parameters which may be included in the dlci include a variable frame rate (“ vfr ”) real time parameter and a vfr non - real time parameter . as is known to those skilled in the art , vfr real time is a variable data rate for frame relay data frames communicated over a logical circuit . typically , vfr real - time circuits are able to tolerate small variations in the transmission rate of data ( i . e ., delay ) and small losses of frames . typical applications for vfr real time circuits may include , but are not limited to , voice and some types of interactive video . vfr non - real time circuits also communicate data frames at a variable data rate but are able to tolerate higher variations in the transmission rate and thus more delay as these circuits are typically “ bursty ” ( i . e ., data is transmitted in short , uneven spurts ) in nature . typical applications for vfr non - real time circuits include , but are limited to , inter - lan communications and internet traffic . illustrative service parameters which may be included in the dlci include a committed information rate (“ cir ”) parameter and a committed burst size (“ be ”) parameter . as is known to those skilled in the art , the cir represents the average capacity of the logical circuit and the be represents the maximum amount of data that may be transmitted . it will be appreciated that the logical circuit may be provisioned such that when the cir or the be is exceeded , the receiving switch in the data network will discard the frame . it should be understood that the logical circuit parameters are not limited to cr and be and that other parameters known to those skilled in the art may also be provisioned , including , but not limited to , burst excess size (“ be ”) and committed rate measurement interval (“ tc ”). in atm networks , the vpi / vci is an address field contained in the header of each atm data cell and contains identifying information for the logical circuit as well as information specifying a data cell &# 39 ; s destination , qos parameters , and specific bits which may indicate , for example , the existence of congestion in the network and a threshold for discarding cells . illustrative qos parameters which may be included in the vpi / vci include a committed bit rate (“ cbr ”) parameter , a variable bit rate (“ vbr ”) parameter , and an unspecified bit rate (“ ubr ”) parameter . as is known to those skilled in the art , cbr defines a constant data rate for atm cells communicated over a logical circuit . typically , cbr circuits are given the highest priority in a data network and are very intolerant to delay . typical applications for cbr circuits may include , but are not limited to , video conferencing , voice , television and video - on demand . vbr circuits communicate atm cells at a variable data rate and are able to tolerate varying degrees of delay . similar to frame relay variable service parameters , vbr circuits may be further subdivided into vbr real time and vbr non - real time . vbr non - real time circuits are able to tolerate more delay . typical applications for atm vbr circuits may include the same applications as frame relay vfr circuits . ubr circuits communicate atm cells at an unspecified bit rate and are extremely tolerant to delay . ubr circuits are typically reserved for non - time sensitive applications such as file transfer , email , and message and image retrieval . it should be understood that the logical circuit in the data network 2 may be a permanent virtual circuit (“ pvc ”) available to the network at all times or a temporary or a switched virtual circuit (“ svc ”) available to the network only as long as data is being transmitted . it should be understood that the data network 2 may further include additional switches or other interconnected network elements ( not shown ) creating multiple paths within each lata and iec for defining each pvc or svc in the data network . it will be appreciated that the data communicated over the logical connections 102 and 104 may be physically carried by the physical connections 106 and 108 . the data network 2 may also include a failover network 17 for rerouting logical circuit data , according to an embodiment of the disclosure . the failover network 17 may include a network failover circuit including physical connections 134 and 144 and logical connections 122 and 132 for rerouting logical circuit data in the event of a failure in the network circuit between the host device 112 and the remote device 114 . the failover network 17 will be described in greater detail in the description of fig4 below . the data network 2 may also include a network management system 175 in communication with the lata 5 , the lata 15 , and the failover network 17 . the network management system 175 may be utilized to obtain status information for the logical and physical circuit between the host device , 112 and the remote device 114 . the network management system 175 may also be utilized for rerouting logical data in the data network 2 between the host device 112 and the remote device 114 . the network management system 175 will be discussed in greater detail in the description of fig3 below . fig2 illustrates the lata 5 in the data network 2 described in fig1 above , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . as shown in fig2 , the lata 5 includes interconnected network devices such as switches 186 , 187 , and 188 . it will be appreciated that the data network 2 may also contain other interconnected network devices and elements ( not shown ) such as digital access and cross connect switches (“ dacs ”), channel service units (“ csus ”), and data service units (“ dsus ”). as discussed above in the description of fig1 , the connection data paths of a logical circuit within a data network may vary between the first and last network devices in a data network . for example , as shown in fig2 , the logical circuit in the lata 5 may include the communication path 185 between the switches 186 and 188 or the communication path 184 between the switches 186 , 187 , and 188 . as discussed above , it should be understood that the actual path taken by data through the lata 5 is not fixed and may vary from time to time , such as when automatic rerouting takes place . it will be appreciated that the switches 186 , 187 , and 188 may include a signaling mechanism for monitoring and signaling the status of the logical circuit in the data network 2 . each time a change in the status of the logical circuit is detected ( e . g ., a receiving switch begins dropping frames ), the switch generates an alarm or “ trap ” which may then be communicated to a management station , such as a logical element module ( described in detail in the description of fig3 below ), in the network management system 175 . the trap may include , for example , status information indicating network congestion . in one embodiment , the signaling mechanism may be in accord with a local management interface (“ lmi ”) specification , which provides for the sending and receiving of “ status inquiries ” between a data network and a host or remote device . the lmi specification includes obtaining status information through the use of special management frames ( in frame relay networks ) or cells ( in atm networks ). in frame relay networks , for example , the special management frames monitor the status of logical connections and provide information regarding the health of the network . in the data network 2 , the host and remote devices 112 and 114 receive status information from the switches in the individual latas they are connected to in response to a status request sent in a special management frame or cell . the lmi status information may include , for example , whether or not the logical circuit is congested or whether or not the logical circuit has failed . it should be understood that the parameters and the signaling mechanism discussed above are optional and that other parameters and mechanisms may also be utilized to obtain connection status information for a logical circuit . fig3 illustrates the network management system 175 which may be utilized for prioritized rerouting of logical circuit data in the data network of fig1 , according to an embodiment of the disclosure . the network management system 175 includes a service order system 160 , a network database 170 , a logical element module 153 , a physical element module 155 , a network management module 176 , and a test module 180 . the service order system 160 is utilized in the data network 2 for receiving service orders for provisioning network circuits . the service order includes information defining the transmission characteristics or qos parameters for the logical circuit portion of the network circuit . the service order also contains the access speed , cir , burst rates , and excess burst rates . the service order system 160 communicates the service order information to a network database 170 over management trunk 172 . the network database 170 assigns and stores the parameters for the physical circuit portion of the network circuit such as a port number on the switch 186 for transmitting data over the physical connection 121 to and from the host device 112 . the network database 170 may also be in communication with an operations support system ( not shown ) for assigning physical equipment to the network circuit and for maintaining an inventory of the physical assignments for the network circuit . an illustrative operations support system is “ tirks ”® ( trunks integrated records keeping system ) marketed by telecordia ™ technologies , inc . of morristown , n . j . the network database 170 may also be in communication with a work force administration and control system (“ wfa / c ”) ( not shown ) used to assign resources ( i . e ., technicians ) to work on installing the physical circuit . the network management system 175 also includes the logical element module 153 which is in communication with the switches in the data network 2 through management trunks 183 . the logical element module 153 runs a network management application program to monitor the operation of logical circuits which includes receiving trap data generated by the switches which indicate the status of logical connections . the trap data may be stored in the logical element module 153 for later analysis and review . the logical element module 153 is also in communication with the network database 170 via management trunks 172 for accessing information regarding logical circuits such as the logical identifier data . the logical identifier data may include , for example , the dlci or vpi / vci header information for each data frame or cell in the logical circuit including the circuit &# 39 ; s destination and qos parameters . the logical element module 153 may consist of terminals ( not shown ) that display a map - based graphical user interface (“ gui ”) of the logical connections in the data network . an illustrative logical element module is the naviscore ™ system marketed by lucent technologies , inc . of murray hill , n . j . the network management system 175 further includes the physical element module 155 in communication with the physical connections of the network circuit via management trunks ( not shown ). the physical element module 155 runs a network management application program to monitor the operation and retrieve data regarding the operation of the physical circuit . the physical element module 155 is also in communication with the network database 170 via management trunks 172 for accessing information regarding physical circuits , such as line speed . similar to the logical element module 153 , the physical logical element module 155 may also consist of terminals ( not shown ) that display a map - based gui of the physical connections in the lata 5 . an illustrative physical element module is the integrated testing and analysis system (“ intas ”), marketed by telecordia ™ technologies , inc . of morristown , n . j ., which provides flow - through testing and analysis of telephony , services . the physical element module 155 troubleshoots the physical connections for a physical circuit by communicating with test module 180 , which interfaces with the physical connections via test access point 156 . the test module 180 obtains the status of the physical circuit by transmitting “ clean ” test signals to test access point 156 ( shown in fig2 ) which “ loops back ” the signals for detection by the test module 180 . it should be understood that there may be multiple test access points on each of the physical connections for the physical circuit . the network management system 175 further includes the network management module 176 which is in communication with the service order system 160 , the network database 170 , the logical element module 153 , and the physical element module 155 through communications channels 172 . it should be understood that in one embodiment , the network management system 175 may also be in communication with the lata 15 , the iec 10 , and the fail over network 17 . the communications channels 172 may be on a lan . the network management module 176 may consist of terminals ( not shown ), which may be part of a general - purpose computer system that displays a map - based gui of the logical connections in data networks . the network management module 176 may communicate with the logical element module 153 and the physical element module 155 using a common object request broker architecture (“ corba ”). as is known to those skilled in the art , corba is an open , vendor - independent architecture and infrastructure which allows different computer applications to work together over one or more networks using a basic set of commands and responses . the network management module 176 may also serve as an interface for implementing logical operations to provision and maintain network circuits . the logical operations may be implemented as machine instructions stored locally or as instructions retrieved from the logical and physical element modules 153 and 155 . an illustrative method detailing the provisioning and maintenance of network circuits in a data network is presented in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 348 , 592 , entitled “ method and system for provisioning and maintaining a circuit in a data network ,” filed on jan . 23 , 2003 , and assigned to the same assignee as this application , which is expressly incorporated herein by reference . an illustrative network management module is the broadband network management system ® (“ bbnms ”) marketed by telecordia ™ technologies , inc . of morristown , n . j . fig4 illustrates an illustrative failover data network for rerouting logical circuit data , according to one embodiment of the present disclosure . as shown in fig4 , the failover network 17 includes an iec 20 , a lata 25 , and an iec 30 . the failover network further includes a network failover circuit which includes a physical failover circuit and a logical failover circuit . the physical failover circuit includes the physical connection 134 between the lata 5 ( shown in fig1 ) and the iec 20 , the physical connection 136 between the iec 20 and the lata 25 , the physical connection 138 between the lata 25 and the iec 30 , and the physical connection 144 between the iec 30 and the lata 15 ( shown in fig1 ). similarly , the logical failover circuit may include the logical connection 122 between the lata 5 ( shown in fig1 ) and the iec 20 , the logical connection 124 between the iec 20 and the lata 25 , the logical connection 126 between the lata 25 and the iec 30 , and the logical connection 132 between the iec 30 and the lata 15 ( shown in fig1 ). it should be understood that in one embodiment , the network failover circuit illustrated in the failover network 17 may include a dedicated physical circuit and a dedicated logical circuit provisioned by a network service provider serving the latas 5 , 15 , and 25 and the iecs 20 and 30 , for rerouting logical data from a failed logical circuit . fig5 illustrates a flowchart describing logical operations 500 for prioritized rerouting of logical circuit data in the data network 2 of fig1 , according to an embodiment of the disclosure . it will be appreciated that the logical operations 500 may be initiated when a customer report of a network circuit failure is received in the data network 2 . for example , a customer at the remote device 114 may determine that the remote device 114 is dropping frames or cells sent from the host device 112 ( e . g ., by reviewing lmi status information in the host device ). after receiving the customer report , the network service provider providing the network circuit may open a trouble ticket in the service order system 160 to troubleshoot the logical circuit . the logical operations 500 begin at operation 505 where the network management module 176 identifies a failed logical circuit in the data network 2 . it will be appreciated that a logical circuit failure may be based on status information received in communications with the logical element module 153 to request trap data generated by one or more switches in the data network 2 . the trap data indicates the status of one or more logical connections making up the logical circuit . for example , in the data network 2 shown in fig1 , the “ x ” marking the logical connections 102 and 104 indicates that both connections are “ down beyond ” the logical connections in the lata data networks 5 and 15 . it will be appreciated that in this example , the logical circuit failure lies in the iec data network 10 . an illustrative method detailing the identification of logical circuit failures in a data network is presented in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 745 , 170 , entitled “ method and system for automatically identifying a logical circuit failure in a data network ,” filed on dec . 23 , 2003 , and assigned to the same assignee as this application , which is expressly incorporated herein by reference . after identifying a failed logical circuit at operation 505 , the logical operations 500 continue at operation 510 where the network management module 176 determines the qos parameter for the communication of data in the failed logical circuit . as discussed above in the description of fig1 , the qos parameters for a logical circuit are contained within the dlci ( for frame relay circuits ) or the vpi / vci ( for atm circuits ). the qos parameters for logical circuits may also be stored in the network database 170 after the circuits are provisioned in the data network . thus , in one embodiment of the present disclosure , the network management module 176 may determine the logical identifier for the failed logical circuit from the trap data received from the logical element module 153 and then access the database 170 to determine the qos parameter for the circuit . the logical operations then continue from operation 510 to operation 515 . at operation 515 , the network management module 176 identifies a logical failover circuit for communicating failed logical circuit data over an alternate communication in the data network 2 . for example , if as shown in fig1 , it is determined that the failure in the logical circuit in the data network 2 has been isolated to the iec data network 10 , a logical failover circuit in the failover network 17 may be automatically selected to reroute the logical data such that it bypasses the iec data network 10 . for example , the logical failover circuit may be selected including the logical connections 122 , 124 , 126 , and 132 ( as shown in fig4 ) to reroute the logical data from the host device 112 , through the lata 5 , the iec 20 , the lata 25 , the iec 30 , the lata 15 , and finally to the remote device 114 . it should be understood that the network management module 176 may select the logical failover circuit by identifying a logical connection or nni in the overbalanced logical circuit . information related to each logical connection in a logical circuit may be stored in the database 170 including the first and second ends of the logical circuit to which the logical connection belongs . once the ends of a logical circuit are determined by accessing the database 170 , the network management module 176 may select a logical failover circuit having a communication path including the first and second ends of the overbalanced logical circuit for rerouting data . it will be appreciated that in one embodiment , the logical failover circuit selected may be a dedicated circuit which is only utilized for rerouting logical data from the failed logical circuit ( i . e ., the failover circuit does not normally communicate data traffic ). in this embodiment , the logical failover circuit may be provisioned with the same qos parameter as the logical circuit to which it is assigned . in another embodiment , the logical failover circuit may be an existing logical circuit which is normally utilized for communicating data traffic in the data network 2 . in this embodiment , the selection of the logical failover circuit may also include determining whether one or more logical connections in the logical circuit are currently communicating data traffic or are currently unused . if currently unused , the logical connections may be selected for rerouting logical data . for example , a technician at the logical element module 153 or the network management module 176 may utilize a map - based gui displaying the logical connections in the lata data networks 5 and 15 and their status . a dedicated logical failover circuit ( or a currently unused logical circuit with available logical connections ) may then be selected as a logical failover circuit for communicating logical data from a failed logical circuit . the logical operations 500 then continue from operation 515 to operation 520 . at operation 520 , the network management module determines the qos parameter for the previously identified logical failover circuit . it will be appreciated that the identification of the qos parameter for the logical failover circuit may be made by identifying the logical circuit id for the logical failover circuit and then accessing the network database 170 to retrieve the qos parameter for the circuit . the logical operations 500 then continue from operation 520 to operation 525 . at operation 525 the network management module 176 compares the qos parameters for the failed logical circuit and the logical failover circuit to determine if they are the same . if the qos parameters are the same , the logical operations continue to operation 535 where the failed logical circuit data is rerouted over the logical failover circuit . an illustrative method detailing the rerouting of failed logical circuits in a data network is presented in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 744 , 921 , entitled “ method and system for automatically rerouting logical circuit data in a data network ,” filed on dec . 23 , 2003 , and assigned to the same assignee as this application , which is expressly incorporated herein by reference . for example , if the network management module 176 determines that the qos for the failed logical circuit and the logical failover circuit is cbr , then the failed logical circuit data is rerouted over the logical failover circuit while maintaining the same quality of service . it will be appreciated that in data networks supporting interworking ( i . e ., both frame relay and atm devices ), the network management module 176 may be configured to reroute logical circuit data based on similar qos parameters from each protocol . for example , if the failed logical circuit has a frame relay qos parameter of vfr real time , the network management module 176 may reroute the data to an atm logical failover circuit having a qos parameter of vbr real time , since these quality of service parameters are defined to tolerate only small variations in transmission rates . similarly , a failed logical circuit having an atm qos parameter of ubr may be rerouted over a frame relay logical failover circuit having a qos of vfr non - real time since both of these parameters are tolerant of delay and variable transmission rates . if , however , at operation 525 , the network management module 176 determines that the qos parameters for the failed logical circuit and the logical failover circuit are not the same , then the logical operations continue from operation 525 to operation 530 where the network management module 176 obtains authorization to reroute the logical circuit data . once authorization is received , the logical operations 530 then continue to operation 535 where the failed logical circuit data is rerouted over the logical failover circuit . it will be appreciated that authorization may be obtained if the logical failover circuit is provisioned for a lower quality of service than the failed logical circuit . for example , authorization may be obtained from an atm circuit customer with a qos parameter of cbr to reroute logical circuit data to a failover logical circuit with a qos parameter of vbr real time . it will be appreciated that in some instances , a customer unwilling to accept delay and variable transmission rates for high priority data ( such as voice ) may not wish data to be rerouted over a lower priority circuit . the logical operations 500 then end . it will be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure , the network management module 176 may be configured to provision an appropriate logical failover in real time upon identifying a failure in a logical circuit . in this embodiment , the network management module 176 , after identifying the qos parameter for the failed logical circuit , may build a failover circuit with logical connections having the same qos parameter for rerouting the failed logical circuit data . it should be understood that for portions of the logical failover circuit passing through a data network operated by a different carrier ( such as an iec data network ), the rerouting carrier may negotiate a comparable quality of service so that quality may be maintained between a host device and a remote device . it will be appreciated that in one embodiment of the present disclosure , the prioritization applied to the rerouting of logical circuit data logical circuit failover procedure may be initiated as a service offering by a local exchange carrier ( lec ) or an inter - exchange carrier ( iec ) to priority customers for rerouting logical circuit data . if a priority customer is not a subscriber , the service may still be initiated and the priority customer may be billed based on the length of time the prioritized logical failover circuit was in use . it will be appreciated that the embodiments of the disclosure described above provide for a method and system for prioritized rerouting of logical circuit data in a data network . when a logical circuit failure is detected , the data in the logical circuit may be rerouted to a logical failover circuit at the same quality of service provisioned for the failed logical circuit . the various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention . those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the present invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein , and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure , which is set forth in the following claims .
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the inventor provides a multiple processor flash - based storage device and a system for managing data relative to use of the device for data storage . the invention is enabled in detail according to the following embodiments . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating a single - processor flash storage device as known to the inventor . in this system known to the inventor and briefly described above in the background section of this specification , a single processor is used to perform all of the functions relative to reading and writing data to one or more flash - based storage devices . in the system of fig1 data storage system 100 includes a data storage device 101 and a host computing device 102 . host computing device 102 may be a personal computer ( pc ) or a hand - held device such as a personal digital assistant ( pda ), a laptop computer , or some other computing device that can be coupled to data storage device 101 for the purpose of reading data from and writing data to the device . data storage device 101 is a solid state storage device that can be hardwired to or can be plugged into the host for use as a disk drive in place of a mechanical disk drive . data storage device 101 has a host interface controller 103 for adapting to the host system though a computer bus . data storage device 101 further includes a microprocessor 104 for processing commands from the host . microprocessor 104 is connected by internal bust 107 to a random access memory ( ram ) 105 used as a cache memory for the device . internal bus 107 connects processor 104 to host interface controller 103 and to a plurality of flash - based data storage devices 109 ( 1 - n ). flash - based storage devices 109 ( 1 - n ) may be flash chips bused in series or parallel . ram 105 is used for all ram - based functions including caching writes to flash for the purpose of lessening the number of actual writes that the host system makes to flash to preserve the lifespan of the flash storage devices . data management tables for both flash space and ram space are provided in ram for mitigating write addressing and lookups for reading from the flash devices . in this example writes to flash are kept to a minimum and writing to flash actually occurs in flash dumps from ram such as when there is a power interruption , a purposeful power - down event , and when ram space is approaching capacity . using ram as a fast caching system makes the application of flash - based storage more practical . however , there are limitations with this exemplary architecture that prevent this system from economical application to more robust systems like server - based storage on an enterprise scale , or mass data storage applications like redundant array of independent disk ( raid ) systems and other like mass data storage systems . the fact that only one processor is active on data storage device 101 coupled with a shared data bus produces certain performance delays in data management relative to processor speed . ram space 105 is a precious resource on device 101 . many processes other than data write and read operations compete for available ram space . some of the aforementioned processes that contend for available ram space include data encryption , error correction coding ( ecc ), and address lookups . successful utilization of ram 105 by microprocessor 104 for all ram - based data operations suffers some degradation as ram cache fills with pending flash writes and as the shared data bus becomes increasingly busy with more data traffic . providing more ram memory is not a viable option in this example as the shared data bus is only so wide presenting a bottleneck to higher performance required for more robust systems . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating a multi - processor flash storage device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention . flash storage device 200 is a solid - state data storage system using a distributed architecture and dedicated bus structures . device 200 includes a host interface controller 204 in this example that provides an interface to a system host such as a powerful workstation or an enterprise server application . in one embodiment storage device 200 may be a shared device accessible from more than one computing station or server . also in one embodiment device 200 may be part of an aggregation of multiple similar devices to form a server data storage rack or array of disks as in a raid array or in a storage area network ( san ). flash storage device 200 may be adapted for use with a small computer system interface ( scsi ) bus , parallel advanced technology attachment ( pata ) or serial advanced technology attachment ( sata ) protocols , integrated drive electronics / advanced technology attachment ( ide / ata ) interface , an enhanced small device interface ( esdi ), a serial advanced technology attachment , ( sata ), or a parallel advanced technology attachment ( pata ) interface or a peripheral component interface ( pci ). disk 200 may also be adapted to work with enterprise fibre channel data storage networks and serial attached scsi ( sas ) networks . in this particular embodiment , disk 200 may be thought of as a solid - state mass storage device using the appropriate form factors and interfaces . flash storage device 200 includes a distributed processor architecture comprising multiple microprocessor units 202 ( 1 - n ). each microprocessor unit 202 ( 1 - n ) includes a microprocessor and an onboard or bused access to a dedicated amount of ram . the dedicated ram is used by the microprocessor in each unit for caching and other data management functions . microprocessor units 202 ( 1 - n ) are intended to be low cost dedicated processors that function independently of one another . each microprocessor has a dedicated bus to one of a plurality of flash configurations 201 ( 1 - n ). the illustration of separate ram / fmd in each processor unit 202 ( 1 - n ) is not meant to indicate that there are completely separate and autonomous ram units , but simply that each microprocessor unit has a dedicated portion of ram . as described above , the dedicated portions might be all a part of a single ram array . moreover , ram portions may be provided on flash configurations where the configuration is a removable module containing one or more flash devices and the dedicated ram . in that case , access to ram would be over a dedicated bus . a flash configuration is defined as one or more flash memory devices configured to be accessible through a dedicated bus . a flash channel is defined for the purpose of discussion as a bus connection from a processor , for example , to one or more flash chips or devices illustrated logically herein , defined as a flash device configuration or simply flash device . therefore , a plurality of dedicated internal bus structures 205 ( 1 - n ) is provided to complete the architecture . flash configurations 201 ( 1 - n ) may also be referred to as flash channels throughout this specification . microprocessor unit 202 ( 1 ) is coupled to flash configuration 1 ( flash device ) by dedicated bus 1 . microprocessor unit 202 ( 2 ) is coupled to flash configuration 2 by dedicated bus 2 , and so on for the number of processor units ( n ) on device 200 . the ratio of flash configuration to processor is one - to - one over a single bus in this example . however , this is not a strict requirement for practice of the present invention as will be detailed further below . each microprocessor unit 202 ( 1 - n ) has a dedicated bus connection to a unique dataflow controller 203 . dataflow controller 203 manages the data traffic over all of the flash channels through each of the microprocessor units . each microprocessor unit 202 ( 1 - n ) has a base address and is responsible for a single flash channel of multiple channels 201 ( 1 - n ). the microprocessor units are completely independent and do not communicate with one another in the architecture in this particular embodiment . in other embodiments , the microprocessors distributed over the architecture may be bused for communication with each other and may share data and tasks . dataflow controller 203 communicates with host interface controller 204 by way of a bus illustrated herein as a bus 206 . the host system may view flash storage device 200 as a single drive or disk or according to any particular partitioning that may be implemented such as primary storage space and backup storage space . dataflow controller 203 determines which flash channel to use , that is , which microprocessor unit to use , according to information received in a request and according to a flash management system implemented in ram in each of the microprocessor units 202 ( 1 - n ). ram at each processor unit 202 ( 1 - n ) includes flash management data tables ( fmd ) tracking the local block addresses ( lbas ) and state for the flash memory connected to the channel to which the processor unit controls access . the actual flash memory devices may be phase change memory or nand flash or any other variant of flash memory or persistent memory . such devices may be flash chips connected in parallel or daisy chained , and that are accessible as a configuration through a single dedicated bus . the invention may leverage existing flash memory types and newer flash memory types being developed . the type of ram used at each processor may also vary . available ram types include sdram , mram , fram , and nram . in one embodiment flash memory may instead be a non - volatile ram that is suitable for use as a persistent storage space . dataflow controller 203 may be a state machine implemented in software or firmware . also , dataflow controller 203 may be implemented as processor - controlled hardware . integration between host interface controller 204 and dataflow controller 203 is also plausible and may be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . application as a data storage device for a larger enterprise - scale system like a server - based system is among the many adaptation possibilities for data storage device 200 . the simple one - to - one correlation between microprocessors and flash channels in this example is exemplary only as other ratios between processor and flash memory may be observed in the architecture . some of these variations are explained more fully later in this specification . there are several optimization techniques that may implemented relative to flash memory management in terms of reads , writes , erasures , and wear leveling . one case for using ram has a cache memory for parking flash data for eventual write to flash , and uses both ram address and flash address tables in fmd , as is the case for the co - pending application referenced in the cross - reference section of this application . in one embodiment dataflow controller 203 selects a processor unit 202 ( 1 - n ) in sequential order for performing data access . in this scheme a first request will be filled by processor 202 ( 1 ), a next request by processor 202 ( 2 ) and so on . by the time the selection process loops back to the first processor , it is most likely free again ( free of ongoing data access tasks ). a goal is to have maximum throughput of data while not over utilizing or under utilizing any processing resource . in one embodiment a random selection approach for processors is used . in this approach dataflow controller 203 may select a processor for completing a write from the host based on a random assignment of addresses . in one embodiment wear leveling is practiced in conjunction with all of the flash channels by ensuring that data is evenly distributed over the collective flash memory space . dataflow controller 203 is asynchronous and may simultaneously communicate with all microprocessor units 202 ( 1 - n ). address and state tables ( not illustrated ) are provided to the dataflow controller by each of processor units 202 ( 1 - n ). in this way the dataflow controller may manage where writes occur transparently from the host . the host may view the compilation of flash devices as a single disk according to a file system - based view used by the operating system of the host . a more primitive view or block view of the flash memory space may also be ordered . it is noted herein that storage device 200 may be one of multiple devices comprising a mass storage system accessible from one or more machines . fig3 is a block diagram illustrating a distributed multi - processor flash storage device according to another embodiment of the present invention . flash storage device 300 is illustrated in this embodiment and is implemented using a distributed architecture including multiple processor units illustrated herein as microprocessor units 304 ( 1 - n ). microprocessor units 304 ( 1 - n ) each have onboard or dedicated ram for processing data management functions and for caching data before writing to flash operations . a flash channel is defined as one or more flash devices ( in configuration ) connected by a dedicated bus to a processor unit as described above . each of flash devices 306 ( 1 - n ) represent one or more flash memory devices bused to a processor unit by a dedicated bus , in this example . flash device 1 and flash device 2 of devices 306 ( 1 - n ) in this embodiment share microprocessor unit 304 ( 1 ). microprocessor unit 304 ( 1 ) is bused by a dedicated bus 305 ( 1 ) to flash device ( s ) 306 ( 1 ) to form one complete flash channel . the same microprocessor unit is bused by a dedicated bus 305 ( 2 ) to flash device ( s ) 306 ( 2 ). the same configuration is repeated on the device where one microprocessor unit is responsible for two flash channels , for example , microprocessor unit 304 ( n ) is bused by dedicated bus 305 ( m ) to flash device ( s ) 306 ( m ) and by dedicated bus 305 ( n ) to flash device ( s ) 306 ( n ). in another embodiment one microprocessor unit may handle four or eight flash channels , or other numbers of flash channels . there are many possibilities . in this case ram is shared for caching writes to both flash device configurations ( flash 1 , flash 2 ). in this embodiment ram is not dedicated to a single flash channel but is dedicated to a single microprocessor unit and is shared by two flash channels . while this may introduce some contention for ram between the flash channels , the fact that the channel pair earmarked by sharing one microprocessor unit is duplicated over entire device 300 makes any performance degradation negligible when compared to the performance of a single processor unit managing multiple flash channels over a common bus . each microprocessor unit 304 ( 1 - n ) has a single bus connection to a data flow controller 303 integrated with a host interface controller 302 . in this example dataflow controller 303 is onboard the host interface controller . dedicated data buses 305 ( 1 - n ) may be 32 - bit , 64 - bit , or 128 - bit wide buses , or some other bus configuration . the same can be said for all dedicated internal ( onboard ) buses described in the various architectures present . single bus connection bus ( 1 ) from microprocessor unit 304 ( 1 ) to dataflow controller 303 may be a 32 - bit , 64 - bit , or 128 - bit wide bus , or some other . it is possible that bus ( 1 ) may be configured to be twice as fast as buses 305 ( 1 - n ) to allow for possible bottle - necking of data traffic on the host - side of the device 300 . other optimizations may be practiced such as ram caching before write where the actual writes to flash over the dedicated buses 305 ( 1 - n ) are kept to a minimum number as much as is practical . bus ( 1 ) that connects microprocessor 304 ( 1 ) to dataflow controller 303 for communication may be a duel independent bus ( dib ) or some other bus architecture that is optimized for speed . microprocessor unit 304 ( n ) is bused to dataflow controller 303 by a dedicated bus n . dataflow controller 303 includes an onboard processor 307 with a dedicated ram with dataflow controller tables for use in microprocessor communication . dataflow controller 303 is hosted on or integrated with host interface controller 302 . it is not specifically required that dataflow controller 303 be controlled by an onboard processor to practice the present invention . the dataflow controller may be a state machine running in firmware on the host controller interface . the dataflow controller may also be controlled by a processor residing in a host system or in a system adapter without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in this example , each multiprocessor unit manages data access to two independent flash memory configurations . the flash configuration pairs in this example do not have to be sequential such as flash 1 and flash 2 . microprocessor unit 304 ( n ) controls access to flash m and flash n , which may not be co - located on the flash storage device . fig4 is a block diagram illustrating a multi - processor flash storage device according to a further embodiment of the present invention . a flash storage device 400 is illustrated in this example and comprises a distributed microprocessor architecture in which two microprocessor units are provided to share a single flash configuration . each of multiple microprocessor units 404 ( 1 - 4 ) in this embodiment have dedicated ram for managing flash access . in this example there are two flash configurations 406 ( 1 - 2 ). flash configuration or device 406 ( 1 ) has a dedicated bus to a bridge controller logically illustrated herein . on the processor side of the bridge , two dedicated bus lines 407 ( 1 - 2 ) connect to microprocessor units 404 ( 1 ) and 404 ( 2 ) respectively . in this example , there are possibilities for managing flash memory somewhat differently than has so far been described . microprocessor units 404 ( 3 ) and 404 ( 4 ) are provided to jointly manage flash configuration 406 ( 2 ). bus lines 407 ( 3 ) and 407 ( 4 ) complete the connection to a bridge that supports the single dedicated bus to flash configuration 406 ( 2 ). moreover , each processor unit pair [ microprocessor units 404 ( 1 and 2 ); microprocessor unit pair 404 ( 3 and 4 )] is bused to a bridge on the side of a dataflow controller 403 . a single bus from each bridge connects the processor units as selectable pairs to the dataflow controller . the dataflow controller recognizes each microprocessor unit pair as an entity that controls access to the total flash space of a single flash device configuration like device 406 ( 1 ). in one embodiment the microprocessor unit pair of identical components is assigned a specific partition of the total flash space for each component . for example , microprocessor unit 404 ( 1 ) may be assigned to a flash partition in flash configuration 406 ( 1 ) reserved for routine data storage and access . microprocessor unit 404 ( 2 ) may be assigned to the rest of the flash space reserved for data backup and recovery . in another embodiment flash configuration 406 ( 1 ) may not be partitioned . microprocessor unit 404 ( 1 ) might be provided to read and write data only , and microprocessor unit 404 ( 2 ) might be provided to perform other ram - based functions like ecc , on device data encryption , updates to tables , wear leveling , and other functions . in one embodiment each microprocessor unit in a pair that controls one flash device configuration is shadowed with the event activity of the other processor unit so each processor unit knows what the other processor unit is doing . in this way , work may be divided logically between the two processor units , although they may not directly communicate with one another . in this example dataflow controller 403 includes an onboard microprocessor 401 with dedicated ram and data flow controller tables as needed for selecting processor unit pairs . the data flow controller is built into or integrated with a host controller interface 402 as described further above with reference to fig3 . in this case a single internal bus 1 connects the controller to processor unit pair 404 ( 1 - 2 ), and a single internal bus 2 connects the controller to processor unit pair 404 ( 3 - 4 ). one with skill in the art of device engineering will appreciate that there may be many more microprocessor units and flash configuration channels included on flash storage device 400 than are illustrated . there may be more than two microprocessor units dedicated to a single bused flash configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in one embodiment microprocessors are hardwired to provide certain processing capabilities relative to flash management and each microprocessor unit in a pair or grouping assumes a specific processing role in the management of the flash device configuration . in another embodiment the microprocessor units in a pair may be programmed from a remote interface and set up to perform specific processing roles . regardless of the underlying assignments , the host system may view the total space of all of the flash configurations as one storage device . likewise multiple storage devices grouped together as a rack or array of storage disks may be viewed by the host as one mass storage device . flash management data ( fmd ) may be loaded into ram at each microprocessor unit at boot and may include flash local block addresses ( lbas ) and other state data relevant to flash use . ram address tables may also be loaded into ram from flash at each microprocessor in an embodiment where ram caching is used to minimize writes to flash during operation of the storage device . dataflow controller 402 may include a microprocessor with its own ram for managing data operations at the level of the controller such as selecting flash channels for read and write based on requests from the host . all of the appropriate address and state tables may be uploaded to the dataflow controller from each active microprocessor at boot . fig5 is a process flow chart illustrating steps for storing data in a multi - processor flash device according to an embodiment of the present invention . at step 501 an incoming write request from a host system arrives at the host interface controller to write data to a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention . at step 502 the host interface controller formats the request for the dataflow controller responsible for selecting which flash channel to queue the request for and hands off the request to the dataflow controller . at step 503 , the dataflow controller performs an internal address lookup to determine where the write will occur . at step 504 the dataflow controller accesses the correct microprocessor unit or units and flash channel for writing the data . at step 505 the system determines if ram caching for flash writes is turned on . this may be provided as a programmable mode on the flash storage device that may be switched on or off . if the system determines that ram caching is activated at step 505 , then the microprocessor unit charged with performing the write writes the data into ram on the processor at step 507 . the ram on the microprocessor unit is reserved at least in part for the purpose of ram caching if the mode is active . at step 509 the microprocessor unit updates ram and flash tables to record the write and reserve the flash lba to receive the write , although no data was actually written to flash . steps 501 - 505 , 507 , and 509 are repeated for each write request received from the host controller . the write cycles may continue uninterrupted in this fashion relative to each flash channel involving some or all of the onboard microprocessor units . if there is an interruption of power to the flash storage device at step 510 , then all writes to flash that are valid are written to the appropriate flash device configurations by the assigned microprocessor units across the board at step 506 . a power interrupt might be an intentional event like system shutdown or re - boot . a power interruption may also be an unplanned event such as an inadvertent loss of power . a time period may be provided or configured for the system to “ stay alive ” while it is moving data from ram and writing it to flash . some ram types retain data without power for a period of time before losing the data . battery backup may be provided to ensure enough time for the cycle to complete . in one aspect where ram caching mode is active , one or more of the microprocessor units on the flash storage device may inadvertently lose power or fail due to some onboard error or problem . all of the writes cached in ram at the failing microprocessor unit are , in such an event , automatically written to flash at step 506 for that flash channel . one exception to this rule may be where one flash channel is a designated backup or mirror channel to the failing flash channel . if at step 510 there is no power interrupt , then the system may make a determination at step 511 if there are any full ram caches on any of the microprocessor units on the flash storage device . this determination is ongoing as dedicated ram on one microprocessor unit may enter a full state at any time relative to other microprocessor unit ram caches for other flash channels . therefore , this decision may be local to each microprocessor unit and flash writes may occur at step 506 if the ram cache is full for that processor unit . as data is overwritten or aged out of validity ram cache may be purged and periodic writes to flash may occur on a microprocessor unit to free up the cache . with ram caching mode active and the system determination that no power interrupt is evident at step 510 and no full cache for a particular microprocessor unit selected for write at step 504 is eminent then at step 512 the system may determine by rule that a particular write is optimally written to flash and not cached in ram at step 512 . in this event certain data or data types may be marked or flagged by rule for optimal flash write overriding ram caching for that particular write operation . in the event of a write to flash at step 506 , the flash table is updated at step 508 along with the appropriate ram table if applicable . at step 512 the process ends for that write request . if none of the conditions of steps 510 - 512 are true in ram caching mode then the process ends for that write at step 512 and the data stays in ram until it is purged from ram or eventually written to flash when one or more of the conditional states change . if at step 505 ram caching mode is not active , or no ram caching mode is provided , then at step 506 the microprocessor unit writes the data to flash . the flash table for that flash configuration device is updated at step 508 and the process ends for that writes at step 512 . in one aspect of the present invention ram caching , if provided , can be selectively turned on or off for each flash channel configured on the flash storage device . optimal writes may be reserved for one or more flash channels and ram caching may be reserved for one or more other flash channels . there are many possibilities . fig6 is a process flow chart illustrating steps 600 for reading from a multi - processor flash device according to an embodiment of the present invention . at step 601 a read request arrives at the host interface controller from the system host . at step 602 , the request is formatted for the dataflow controller and handed off to the controller for further processing . at step 603 the system performs an address lookup to determine the correct microprocessor and flash channel . at step 604 , the dataflow controller accesses the correct microprocessor and flash channel based on the lookup at step 603 . at step 605 , the system determines if a ram caching mode is active on the flash channel . if at step 605 ram caching is active then at step 607 the microprocessor performs an address lookup in ram by default . at step 608 it is determined if the read address is currently valid in ram . if at step 608 it is determined that the data subject to the read request is stored in ram cache , then the microprocessor accesses ram and reads from ram at step 610 . the microprocessor returns the read data to the data flow controller at step 611 . in turn , the dataflow controller returns the read data to the host at step 612 . the data flow controller may perform one or more operations on the data before handing the data to the host . in one embodiment , the data flow controller may combine the read data with read data from other channels before sending data to the host depending upon any read optimization scheme that might be implemented on the data flow controller . at step 612 the process ends for reading from ram . with ram caching active at step 608 , if the valid data address is not found in ram then the system assumes the data is in flash . at step 609 , the appropriate microprocessor unit accesses the flash channel and the data is read from flash . steps 611 , 612 , and 613 follow in the same fashion as a read from ram . referring now back to step 605 , if ram caching is turned off or not provided , then steps 607 , 608 , and 610 are not performed . in this case at step 606 the correct microprocessor performs an address lookup for flash . the process then proceeds to step 609 where the appropriate microprocessor unit reads from flash . at step 611 the system returns the read data to the data flow controller . at step 612 the data flow controller sends the read data to the host . the process ends for that cycle at step 613 . although reading from flash does not wear down the flash memory and can be performed at speeds approaching ram access speeds , reading from ram with ram caching turned on may help diminish traffic on the dedicated buses between the microprocessors and the flash configuration devices . each flash channel reports its own state in tables to the dataflow controller . each update performed by a microprocessor unit is copied to the dataflow controller . address lookups can , in one embodiment , be performed at the level of the dataflow controller using internal updated tables freeing up the microprocessor units for read / write operations and other data management operations . one with skill in the art of data storage devices , particularly those for more robust systems , will appreciate the flexibility that the distributed microprocessor and flash channel architecture according to embodiments of the present invention provides for a flash storage device . one with skill in the art will also appreciate that multiple lower cost microprocessor units running asynchronously over flash channels on a flash storage device such as those described herein can perform the tasks of a single , more complex processor with more reliability and comparable or superior performance speed due to ram caching optimization and dedicated busing to the separate flash memories of the device . it will further be apparent to one with skill in the art that the flash storage and data management system according to various embodiments of the present invention may be provided using some or all of the described features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in one embodiment , for example , a system according to the invention could be implemented using the host cpus for some or all of the dataflow controller functions and / or flash management . it will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a broader invention which may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught . there may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention .
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fig1 shows a current mirror circuit that utilizes the translinear principle . in this circuit , the input current i in flows through transistor q 1 and develops a base - emitter voltage ( v be1 ) given by v b e1 = v t ln ( i i n i s1 ) where v t is the thermal voltage and i s1 is the saturation current of transistor q 1 . the base - emitter voltage of transistor q 1 is impressed upon or “ mirrored ” to the base - emitter junction of transistor q 2 , producing an output current i out equal to : i o u t = i s2 exp ( v b e2 v t ) where the current densities ( j ) of the transistors are j q1 = i i n a e ( q1 ) a n d j q2 = i o u t a e ( q2 ) , with the emitter area ( a e ) of each transistor proportional to the saturation current ( i s ). fig2 shows a current gain cell that also utilizes the translinear principle . in this circuit , the input currents i in + and i in − develop the following diode voltages : v d1 = v t ln ( i i n + i s ) v d2 = v t ln ( i i n - i s ) in one embodiment , diodes d 1 and d 2 are formed using “ matched ” transistors — devices having identical dimensions and thus equal saturation currents — with their bases and collectors connected . the associated difference voltage δv d is expressed as : δ v d = v d1 - v d2 = v t ln ( i i n + i i n - ) the circuit structure of the current gain cell mirrors this difference voltage to the inside differential pair consisting of matched transistors q 3 and q 4 , thereby generating output currents that are related as follows : i q3 i q4 = exp ( δ v b e v t ) where δv be is equal to δv d . substituting the expression for δv d into the above equation gives a current gain relationship expressed as : i q3 i q4 = i i n + i i n - which can be expressed in translinear form as j d1 j q3 = j d2 j q4 . diode currents i d1 and i d2 sum into bias current i d . from this it follows that : i d1 = i d 1 + exp ( - δ v d v t ) i d2 = i d 1 + exp ( δ v d v t ) similarly , transistor currents i q3 and i q4 sum into bias current i g , so that : i q3 = i g 1 + exp ( - δ v b e v t ) i q4 = i g 1 + exp ( δ v b e v t ) noting that δv be is equal to δv d , the following important input - output relationship results : i q3 = i i n + ( i g i d ) i q4 = i i n - ( i g i d ) that clearly show that the bias current i g controls the gain of the current amplifier . fig3 shows a detailed schematic diagram of one embodiment of a translinear variable gain amplifier ( vga ) in accordance with the present invention . the current gain cell requires linear input currents , i in + and i in − , to operate properly . these currents are formed in the vga of fig3 . transistors q 5 and q 6 form emitter - follower amplifiers that buffer and transfer the input voltages , v in + and v in − , to resistors r 1 and r 2 . the resistors convert the input voltages to linear currents that feed the current gain cell . thus , the transistors q 5 , q 6 and resistors r 1 and r 2 form a buffer circuit that receives differential input voltages and produces differential input currents for input to the gain cell . the differential input voltage δv in develops the following voltage drops : δv in = v in + − v in − =( v be5 − v be6 )+ r ( i d1 − i d2 )+( v d1 − v d2 ) where the value of resistors r 1 and r 2 is r . the terms ( v be5 − v be6 ) and ( v d1 − v d2 ) are designed to be comparatively small , thus the above the expression can be rewritten as : i d1 - i d2 ≈ δ v i n r furthermore ; δ i o u t = i q3 - i q4 ≈ i g i d ( δ v i n r ) where transistor currents i q3 and i q4 are i out + and i out − respectively . this is a fundamental expression for the translinear variable gain amplifier . fig4 shows transfer function curves that illustrate how the gain of the translinear vga is set by the adjustable bias current i g . the linear input range of the translinear variable gain amplifier ( vga ) is set by the adjustable bias current i d along with resistors r 1 and r 2 . the linear input range is effectively limited to a maximum value of v in ( max ) = i d r as illustrated in the transfer function curves of fig5 . fig6 a - b illustrate the effective linearity of the translinear vga . the gain of the translinear vga is defined in terms of the transconductance parameter g m , defined as g m = ∂ i o u t ∂ v i n . it &# 39 ; s fairly constant near v in = 0 , but falls off as v in approaches v in ( max ) . this illustrates the actual linearity of the translinear vga , since gm is ideally constant and flat . fig7 shows a detailed schematic of another embodiment of the translinear variable gain amplifier in accordance with the present invention . in many applications , a wide range of gain control is needed — wider than the range available from a single vga stage . for these applications , multiple vga stages like the one shown in fig7 can be used . the circuit of fig7 is an extension of the translinear vga of fig3 and easily interfaces to additional similar stages . the amplifier structure converts the output currents to a differential voltage ( v out + , v out − ) that can be directly connected to the next stage , enabling broadband operation from dc to ghz frequencies . thus , the translinear vga provides gain and linearity control , allowing optimum performance at minimum power consumption . the vga is ideally suited for rf transmitters . its power consumption tracks the rf output power level , which is set by a control signal . in one embodiment , a vga constructed in accordance with the present invention is included in an rf transmitter circuit of a radio communication device . because of its low power consumption , the vga is ideally suited for use in portable radio communication devices , such as cell phones , pdas , portable computers , and other handheld communication devices . the embodiments described herein are illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular embodiments described . accordingly , while one or more embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it will be appreciated that various changes can be made to the embodiments without departing from their spirit or essential characteristics . therefore , the disclosures and descriptions herein are intended to be illustrative , but not limiting , of the scope of the invention , which is set forth in the following claims .
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all the figures are schematic illustrations from above the head of a user or observer of each device . the left side of the observer is the left side in each figure . in all the figures , identical references designate parts or elements of parts having identical or similar functions . the figures refer to a device cooperating with the left eye of an observer . a device may be symmetrically provided to cooperate with the right eye of an observer . a device according to the invention may also comprise both a device cooperating with the left eye and a device cooperating with the right eye of the observer . fig1 illustrates an optical device 101 of the prior art , based on a method using the stigmatism of two foci of a substantially elliptical dioptric surface . the device , in the order of the optical pathway , chiefly consists of : a light display 1 ; lenses 2 ; and an ocular dioptric surface 3 of substantially elliptical shape represented by a portion of ellipse defined by its major axis δ , its small axis δ ′, its centre o and its two foci f and f ′ located on the major axis δ , either side of the centre o , as a function of the eccentricity e of the ellipse . in the figures , the axes δ , δ ′ of the dioptric surface 3 are shown as dot - dashed lines and the central optical path δ ″ is shown as a dotted line . in the example illustrated in fig1 , the device 101 is designed to cooperate with the observer &# 39 ; s left eye 6 . it is arranged on the left side of the observer &# 39 ; s head 7 . in addition , the major axis δ passes symmetrically through the two eyes of the observer and it is therefore perpendicular to a median plane p of the head 7 . the light display 1 diffuses an image whose pathway is represented by a central optical path δ ″. the lenses 2 are aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″. the central optical path δ ″ passes through one f of the foci of the dioptric surface then , after being reflected on said dioptric surface 3 , through the other focus f ′. the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 is approximately aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″ in the vicinity of the focus f ′. the spatial arrangements of the parts of device 101 in relation to the central optical path δ ″, on which they are aligned and centred , are inherent in the arrangement of the central optical path δ ″, which necessarily passes through the foci f and f ′. it is also ascertained that to observe this arrangement logic , the ocular dioptric surface 3 does not follow the periphery of the observer &# 39 ; s head at the height of the eye as does a conventional pair of spectacles . therefore the centre o of the dioptric surface is located largely outside , on the left of the left eye 6 . in addition the part 1 , 2 of the device upstream of the focus f moves significantly away from the left side of the observer &# 39 ; s head 7 over the distance between the focus f and the display 1 . this positioning of the device 101 in relation to the observer &# 39 ; s head 7 makes the device laterally bulky and of scarcely pleasing design . the device 102 illustrated in fig2 has more reduced lateral bulk than the device in fig1 . to reduce this bulkiness a side fold mirror 4 is arranged on the central optical path δ ″ in the vicinity of the focus f so that it is possible upstream of the mirror 4 to fold or direct the central optical path δ ″ substantially parallel to the median plane p and perpendicular to the major axis δ . therefore the device 102 in the order of the optical pathway is formed of : a light display 1 ; two groups of lenses 2 ; a side fold mirror 4 of planar , concave or convex shape ; and an ocular dioptric surface 3 of substantially elliptical shape represented by a portion of ellipse e defined by its major axis δ , its small axis δ ′, its centre o and its two foci f and f ′ located on the major axis δ either side of the centre o , as a function of the eccentricity e of the ellipse . the light display 1 diffuses an image whose pathway is represented by a central optical path δ ″. the lenses 2 are aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″. the side fold mirror 4 is arranged in the vicinity of the focus f so that it reflects the central optical path δ ″ at a chosen angle in the direction of the ocular dioptric surface 3 , so that the central optical path is then reflected in the direction of the observer &# 39 ; s eye , substantially perpendicular to the major axis δ . the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 is approximately aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″ in the vicinity of the focus f ′. in this configuration the bulkiness is significantly reduced since the central optical path δ ″ is folded back along the side of the observer &# 39 ; s head 7 . it is to be noted that the side fold mirror 4 in the example in fig2 is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the focus f on which it can be directed . the positioning thereof , so close to the focus f , is made necessary by the fact that it can offer a surface of minimum reflection . however the side fold mirror 4 can be arranged elsewhere on the central optical central path δ ″ downstream or upstream of the focus f according to the needs of the optical design . a description will now be given with reference to fig3 and 4 of two embodiments of a device according to the invention , in how they differ from the previously illustrated prior art . fig3 is an illustration of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention . the device 103 in fig3 , in the order of the optical pathway , is formed of : a light display 1 ; two groups of lenses 2 ; a side fold mirror 4 ; a back - inverting mirror 5 ; and an ocular dioptric surface 3 of substantially elliptical shape . the light display 1 diffuses an image whose pathway is represented by a central optical path δ ″. the lenses 2 are aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″. the side fold mirror 4 is arranged laterally in the vicinity of the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 , in front of the observer &# 39 ; s temple , and it reflects the central optical path δ ″ at a chosen angle in the direction of the back - inverting mirror 5 . the back - inverting mirror 5 is arranged in the region of the upper part of the observer &# 39 ; s nose 10 on the right of and at the height of the left eye 6 and again reflects the central optical path δ ″ towards the ocular dioptric surface 3 . the mirrors are arranged such that the central optical path is then reflected by the dioptric surface in the direction of the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 substantially perpendicular to the major axis δ . the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 i . e . the centre of the pupil of the eye is approximately aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″ in the vicinity of the focus f ′. according to the new optical scheme of the invention , the foci f and f ′ are inverted relative to the observer &# 39 ; s head . the back - inverting mirror 5 located in the vicinity of the focus f allows the virtual placing of that part of the central optical path δ ″ that is incident on the dioptric surface , and the focus f , in the observer &# 39 ; s head . that is to say that the display 1 is virtually placed inside the head 7 . yet in reality the central optical path δ ″ originates from the side of the observer &# 39 ; s head where the central optical path δ ″ was first folded or re - directed by the side fold mirror 4 . the side fold mirror 4 may now be located more distant from the focus f . the focus f is now directly related to the back - inverting mirror 5 . this gives the side fold mirror a much wider range of positioning , and hence of adjustment , the ocular dioptric surface 3 is now better adjusted to the morphological profile , curve , of the observer &# 39 ; s head in the vicinity of the eye , since the outer profile of the said ocular dioptric surface 3 tends to draw close to the side of the observer &# 39 ; s head 7 . the back - inverting mirror 5 is arranged in the vicinity of the upper part of the observer &# 39 ; s nose 10 on the pathway of the central optic path δ ″ between the side fold mirror and the ocular dioptric surface 3 . therefore the back - inverting mirror 5 can be arranged in an area hidden from the view of the observer , called a “ blind spot ”. the side fold mirror 4 is oriented angularly so that the central optic path δ ″ of the image is returned or reflected back towards the back - inverting mirror 5 and so that the back - inverting mirror 5 is oriented such that the central optic path δ ″ of the image is then returned or reflected towards the ocular dioptric surface 3 , the dioptric surface 3 being oriented so that the central optic path δ ″ of the image is then returned or reflected towards the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 . in the embodiment in fig4 , the device 104 according to the invention is formed of : a light display 1 ; lenses 2 ; a side fold mirror 4 ; two decentring mirrors 8 and 9 arranged upstream of the fold mirror 4 , so that the they successively reflect the central optic path δ ″; a back - inverting mirror 5 of planar , convex or concave or aspherical shape ; an ocular dioptric surface 3 of substantially elliptical shape . the light display 1 diffuses an image whose pathway is illustrated by a central optic path δ ″. the lenses 2 are aligned and centred on the central optic path δ ″. the central optic path is then reflected towards the right by the first decentring mirror 8 in the direction of the second decentring mirror 9 which is arranged in the vicinity of the observer &# 39 ; s temple . the second decentring mirror 9 then reflects the central path substantially forwardly in the direction of the side fold mirror 4 , which then reflects the same towards the right in the direction of the back - inverting mirror 5 . the back - inverting mirror 5 is arranged substantially against the upper left part of the observer &# 39 ; s nose 10 substantially at the height of the eye 6 . the central optic path δ ″ is then reflected thereat in the direction of the dioptric surface 3 which reflects it back towards the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 . the observer &# 39 ; s eye 6 is approximately aligned and centred on the central optical path δ ″ in the region of the focus f ′. the device 104 in fig4 differs from the device 103 described with reference to fig3 in that it comprises a set of decentring mirrors 8 and 9 . the use of the set of decentring mirrors 8 , 9 has the following advantages : it allows correction of the adjustment of the angle reflection of the optical path δ ″ on the side mirror 4 , to offset positioning of the said side fold mirror 4 when it is brought as close as possible to the observer &# 39 ; s temple or eye , or as close as possible to the ocular dioptric surface 3 , so that it can optionally be integrated therein , for this purpose , it allows a device to be produced that is better adapted to the observer &# 39 ; s morphology since the pathway of the path δ ″ is close to the curve of the observer &# 39 ; s head . in addition , to make the device 103 in fig3 or the device 104 in fig4 more compact , the side fold mirror 4 can be made in a single piece with the ocular dioptric surface 3 . therefore the side fold mirror 4 can be an integral part of the outer end i . e . in the illustrated example of the left end of the ocular dioptric surface 3 . for example , each of the side fold , reflective , back - inverting and / or decentring mirrors may be planar , concave or convex or substantially aspherical in a manner making it possible to improve the overall quality of the optical system . preferably a device of the invention comprises adjustment means , in particular sets of mirror and an ocular dioptric surface capable of adapting the configuration of the device , in particular the optic path , to the observer &# 39 ; s morphology .
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the present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline from d , l - diastereomer salt mixture with (+) tartaric acid , i . e ., d - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt and l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline (+) tartaric acid salt , selectively crystallizing out the l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt , racemizing the d - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt remaining in the mother liquor by heat treatment selectively crystallizing out the additional l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt thus formed and then decomposing the diastereomer to yield the desired l - proline . the product of the process , l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline , is a patent collagenase inhibitor . it is also useful as a means of efficiently introducing deuterium or tritium labels into peptides by substituting for proline in such peptides and serving as substrate for catalytic deuteration or tritiation . see u . s . patent application ser . no . 676 , 969 , filed apr . 14 , 1976 now u . s . pat . no . 4 , 041 , 023 for further details in this regard . the first step of the present process involves the reaction of d , l - dehydroproline with an equimolar amount of (+) tartaric acid in water as sole solvent . it is preferable to utilize a concentrated solution of the reactants i . e ., above 2 moles / liter and preferably about 5 moles / liter . at such concentrations it is necessary to heat the reaction medium to about 80 ° c . to effect solubilization . upon cooling of the resulting solution l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt crystallizes out and is collected . the mother liquors from the above step is then heated at a temperature of 50 ° to 150 ° c . for 0 . 5 to 48 hours under an inert atmosphere to effectuate racemization of the d - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt contained in said mother liquor . after decolorization of the reaction medium , additional l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt crystallizes out of the medium on cooling . a suitable inert atmosphere is selected from nitrogen , argon , helium , krypton or the like . the combined crops of l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . (+) tartaric acid salt can be recrystallized and then the salt decomposed by means well known in the art . a preferred procedure is to utilize a cation exchange resin column with pyridine acetate elution . monitoring of the elution fractions is accomplished by spotting a sample of each fraction on silica gel , spraying with ninhydrin and then developing at elevated temperature . the l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline containing fractions produce a brown - orange spot on the gel . the fractions providing a positive ninhydrin test are combined , the solvent removed and the product l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline worked up in a conventional manner . a high overall yield of l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline is obtained with excellent optical purity from d , l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline . the present invention is further illustrated by the following examples . in such examples the notation &# 34 ; e . e .&# 34 ; means the enantiomeric excess as determined by chromatographic separation of l - ala - l - δ 3 - pro and l - ala - d - δ 3 - pro on an amino acid analyzer . a 400ml beaker was charged with 56 . 6g ( 0 . 50 mol ) of d , l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline , 75 . 0g ( 0 . 50 mol ) of (+) tartaric acid ( baker ) and 110ml of water ( distilled water is used throughout these examples ). the mixture was stirred and heated at 80 ° c until all starting material was dissolved . the solution was stirred and allowed to cool to room temperature ; at 48 ° the product began to crystallize . after the mixture had been stirred for three hours at room temperature and two hours in an ice bath , it was refrigerated overnight . the precipitate was collected on a glass sinter funnel ( pre - cooled in the refrigerator ), washed well with 2 × 50 ml = 100 ml of ice cold ethanol - water 1 : 1 , 75ml of ice cold ethanol - water 2 : 1 , and 75ml of ice cold ethanol and dried at room temperature ( const . weight ) to afford 52 . 3g ( 40 %) of product as off - white crystals , mp 173 ° ( dec ); [ α ] d 25 = - 114 . 7 ° ( c = 1 , 5n hcl ); e . e . 99 . 5 % + . the washings of the above described filtration were collected in a separate suction flask and concentrated on a rotavap ( water bath 40 °; aspirator vacuum ). the residual gum ( 24g ) was taken up in 150ml of warm water and combined with the mother liquor . the brown solution was heated at reflux ( oil bath 120 °) under nitrogen for 9 hours . 20 g of charcoal ( norite sg - sv ) was added , and the mixture was heated at reflux for 20 minutes and filtered through a bed of celite which was washed with 50 ml of water . the deep yellow filtrate was concentrated on a rotavap ( water bath 45 °; aspirator vacuum ). the residual orange - brown paste ( 92g ) was dissolved in 50 ml of water at 70 ° and transferred into a beaker using an additional 12 ml of water to wash the flask . the warm solution was stirred for two hours at room temperature ( when the temperature reached 40 ° the solution was seeded ) and for two hours in an ice bath . the mixture was then refrigerated overnight . the precipitate was collected on a glass sinter funnel , washed with 2 × 25ml = 50 ml of ice cold ethanol - water 1 : 1 , 40 ml of ice cold ethanol - water 2 : 1 , and 40ml of ice cold ethanol and dried at room temperature ( const . weight ) to afford 25 . 5g ( 19 %) of product as light orange crystals , mp 173 ° ( dec ); [ α ] d 25 = - 114 . 0 ° ( c = 1 , 5n hcl ); e . e . = 99 . 5 % + . the two crops were dissolved in 100ml of water at 67 °. then 200ml of ethanol was added with stirring ( soon thereafter crystallization of the product began ). the mixture was stirred in a 20 ° water bath for one hour and was then refrigerated overnight . the precipitate was collected by filtration , washed with 120ml of ice cold ethanol and dried at room temperature ( const . weight ) to afford 71 . 5g ( 54 %) of product as off - white crystals , mp 173 ° ( dec ); [ α ] d 25 = - 115 . 0 ° ( c = 1 , 5n hcl ); e . e . = 99 . 8 % + . a second crop was obtained by concentration of the mother liquor and recrystallization from water - ethanol ( 1 : 2 ) as described above : 3 . 8g ( 3 %) of product as white crystals , mp 172 ° ( dec ); [ α ] d 25 = - 114 . 5 ° ( c = 1 , 5n hcl ). 70 . 0g ( 0 . 266 mol ) of l - 3 , 4 - dehydroproline (+) tartaric acid salt ( first crop material ) was dissolved in 320ml of water at 25 ° and poured onto a 6 . 4cm ( diameter ) × 17 . 5cm ( length ) column of dowex 50w - x4 cation exchange resin , 50 - 100 mesh ( biorad ). the column was washed with a total of 1550ml of water . the product was then eluted with 2 . 4 l of 0 . 5m pyridine acetate which was collected in eight 300 - ml fractions . each fraction was spotted on silica gel , sprayed with ninhydrin and developed at elevated temperature . the fractions , 5 , 6 and 7 which contained the product showed a brown - orange spot . these three fractions were concentrated on a rotavap ( water bath 25 °, p = 1mm ) and the residue was dissolved twice in 100ml of water and concentrated under the same conditions . the crystalline , wet residue ( 41 . 7g ) was dissolved in 30ml of water . to the clear colorless solution was added with stirring over 30 minutes 240ml of ethanol ( the solution was seeded after addition of the first 60ml ). the mixture was refrigerated overnight . the precipitate was collected by filtration , washed with 50ml of ice cold ethanol and 100ml of ether and dried at room temperature / 0 . 1mm to afford 25 . 3g ( 84 %) of product as colorless needles , mp 244 ° ( dec ); [ α ] d 25 = 278 . 7 ° ( c = 1 , 5n hcl ); [ α ] d 25 = - 403 . 1 ° ( c = 1 , h 2 o ); e . e . 99 . 8 % + . the mother liquor was concentrated on a rotavap ( water bath 25 °, aspirator vacuum ) and the residue evaporated from 50ml of ethanol . the crystalline residue ( 4 . 6g ) was dissolved in 9 ml of water and 40ml of ethanol was slowly added . the mixture was seeded , stirred at room temperature for one hour and refrigerated overnight . the precipitate was collected by filtration , washed with 10ml of ice cold ethanol , and 10ml of ether and dried at room temperature / 0 . 1mm to afford an additional 2 . 7g ( 9 %) of product as colorless crystals , mp 244 ° ( dec ); [ α ] d 25 = - 278 . 8 ° ( c = 1 , 5n hcl ); [ α ] d 25 = - 404 . 3 ° ( c = 1 , h 2 o ); e . e . 99 . 8 % + .
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the present invention provides a bracket for retaining of a generally cylindrical tank 12 having an upper tank neck portion 14 . it is important that the bracket of the present invention accommodates tanks having various lengths and having various different sizes in the tank neck section 14 thereof . it is also important that the tank be capable of being firmly secured with respect to the bracket in an easy , quick and efficient manner . it is also important that the tank be easily and quickly removable from securement within the bracket for the purposes of sudden emergency uses thereof . the construction of the bracket includes a backing plate 10 which extends generally in a vertical direction and includes various apertures or brackets therealong for facilitating securing thereof with respect to surrounding environmental structure . as shown in this embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention the backing plate 10 can include side retaining panels extending vertically thereon . in particular , a first side retaining panel 20 is shown extending vertically along one lateral edge of the backing plate 10 and a second side retaining panel 22 oppositely positioned from the first side retaining panel 20 will extend vertically along the other side lateral outermost edge of the backing plate 10 to facilitate secure mounting to environmental structure . in the configuration shown in this embodiment of the present invention the retaining panels 20 and 22 include various apertures or slots therein which facilitate mounting thereof with respect to environmental structure or adjacently positioned similar brackets . a lower surrounding member 16 is attached with respect to the lower surface of the backing plate 10 and defines a lower retaining cavity 18 therein with a lower surrounding member floor surface 19 defined within the cavity . the lower surrounding member 16 is adapted to receive a tank 12 by allowing the bottom of the tank to be rested upon the lower floor surface 19 to facilitate engagement of the tank relative to the bracket . the lower surrounding member 16 will surround the portion of the tank extending vertically immediately adjacent the lower surface thereof to facilitate engagement of the tank within the tank releasing zone 80 which extends vertically parallel to and outwardly displaced slightly from the backing plate 10 . an upper surrounding member 24 is positioned attached to the backing plate 10 preferably in the upper area thereof and is spatially disposed from the lower surrounding member 16 to define the tank retaining zone 80 extending therebetween . a retaining apparatus is mounted with respect to the upper surrounding member to selectively retain the tank with respect to the bracket and the backing plate 10 . the upper surrounding member 24 will preferably define an upper retaining channel 26 which is preferably u - shaped and is adapted to receive the neck 14 of the tank 12 positioned therewith to facilitate retaining thereof . an upper retaining channel opening 108 is defined in the open end of u - shaped channel 26 most distant from backing plate 10 to facilitate moving of the neck 14 of a cylindrical tank 12 therethrough into channel 26 . damage to the tank is preferably minimized by the inclusion of an upper channel edge guard 28 made of vinyl or some other soft material . commonly the construction of the upper surrounding member 24 is metal and the construction of tank neck 14 is metal , or possibly ceramic , and therefore the inclusion of an upper channel edge guard 28 of vinyl or other soft material prevents damaging to both of these parts particularly preventing damaging to the tank neck . a first bracket cam 33 and a second bracket cam 34 are included preferably pivotally moveably mounted with respect to the upper surrounding member 24 and are positioned on opposite sides of the upper retaining channel 26 . these two bracket cams are each separately and independently pivotally movable between a closed or retaining position for holding of the tank neck 14 within the upper retaining slot 26 and a releasing position for allowing movement of the tank neck 14 into and out of the channel 26 for facilitating placement and removal , respectively , of the tank neck 14 relative to the retaining channel 26 . the pivotal movement of each of the bracket cams is facilitated by the inclusion of upper pivot pins 29 and 31 . in particular , a first upper pivot pin 29 is positionable extending through the first upper surround aperture 86 defined in the upper surrounding member 24 adjacent to one side of the upper retaining channel 26 and spatially disposed from the backing plate 10 . first upper pivot pin 29 is positioned extending through first upper surround aperture 86 and therebelow in order to provide an axis for facilitating pivotal movement of the first bracket cam 33 relative to the upper surrounding member 24 between the closed position and the opened position . first bracket cam 33 will define a first cam aperture 44 adapted to receive the first upper pivot pin 29 extending therethrough and to provide the pivotal axis for movement of the first bracket cam 33 between the closed position and the opened position . control of movement of the first bracket cam 33 with respect to the upper surrounding member 24 is enhanced by the inclusion of a first upper pivot pin enlarged washer 30 or first washer 30 . first washer 30 will receive the first upper pivot pin 29 extending therethrough and will be positioned thereon between the underside of the upper surrounding member 24 and the first bracket cam 33 . such positioning of the first washer 30 will assure that the proper spacing is maintained between the first bracket cam 33 and the upper surrounding member 24 in order to position a first cam resilient biasing means 52 therebetween . the larger or standard diameter portion of the washer will provide a first spacing member 114 to achieve this desired spacing . first cam resilient biasing means 52 is preferably a coil spring positioned surrounding the washer 30 which is connected to the upper surrounding member 24 and to the first bracket cam 33 to exert a resilient bias therebetween which urges the first bracket cam 33 to move toward the closed position . thus , the steady state position of first bracket cam 33 will be in the closed position . first bracket cam 33 will include a first cam stop 48 thereon which will come into direct abutment with the upper surrounding member 24 responsive to movement to the closed position thereof . the first cam resilient biasing means 52 will urge rotational movement of the first bracket cam 33 in the clockwise direction as viewed from above until the first cam stop 48 comes into abutting contact with the upper surrounding member 24 which thusly defines the closed position thereof . at this closed position the first bracket cam 33 will extend at least partially across the upper retaining channel 26 to a position to prevent movement of a tank neck 14 through the upper retaining channel 26 of the upper surrounding member for movement thereof into or out of the tank retaining zone 80 . pivotal movement of the first bracket cam 33 in the counter - clockwise direction will cause movement thereof to the opened position . this counter - clockwise movement is performed by overpowering of the force exerted by the first cam resilient biasing means 52 and will cause movement of the first bracket cam 33 to the opened position such that movement of the tank neck 14 through the upper retaining channel 26 of the upper surrounding member for movement thereof into or out of the tank retaining zone 80 is made possible . similarly on the opposite side of the upper retaining channel 26 , a second upper pivot pin 31 is positioned extending through a second upper surround aperture 88 defined in the upper surrounding member 24 adjacent to side of the upper retaining channel 26 opposite from the location of said first upper surround aperture 86 and spatially disposed from the backing plate 10 . second upper pivot pin 31 is positioned extending through the second upper surround aperture 88 and therebelow in order to provide an axis for facilitating pivotal movement of the second bracket cam 34 relative to the upper surrounding member 24 between the closed position and the opened position . second bracket cam 34 will define a second cam aperture 44 adapted to receive the second upper pivot pin 31 extending therethrough and to provide the pivotal axis for movement of the second bracket cam 34 between the closed position and the opened position . control of movement of the second bracket cam 34 with respect to the upper surrounding member 24 is enhanced by the inclusion of a second upper pivot pin enlarged washer 32 or first washer 32 . first washer 32 will receive the second upper pivot pin 31 extending therethrough and will be positioned thereon between the underside of the upper surrounding member 24 and the second bracket cam 34 . such positioning of the washer 32 will assure that the proper spacing is maintained between the second bracket cam 34 and the upper surrounding member 24 in order to position a second cam resilient biasing means 54 therebetween . the larger diameter portion of the washer 32 will provide the second spacing member 116 as desired between the second cam bracket and the upper surrounding member 24 . second cam resilient biasing means 54 is preferably a coil spring positioned surrounding the washer 32 which is connected to the upper surrounding member 24 and to the second bracket cam 34 to exert a resilient bias therebetween which urges the second bracket cam 34 to move toward the closed position . thus , the steady state position of second bracket cam 34 will be in the closed position . second bracket cam 34 will include a second cam stop 50 thereon which will come into direct abutment with the upper surrounding member 24 responsive to movement to the closed position thereof . the second cam resilient biasing means 54 will urge rotational movement of the second bracket cam 34 in the counter - clockwise direction as viewed from above until the second cam stop 50 comes into abutting contact with the upper surrounding member 24 which thusly defines the closed position thereof . at this closed position the second bracket cam 34 will extend at least partially across the upper retaining channel 26 to a position to prevent movement of a tank neck 14 through the upper retaining channel 26 of the upper surrounding member for movement thereof into or out of the tank retaining zone 80 . pivotal movement of the second bracket cam 34 in the clockwise direction will cause movement thereof toward the opened position . this clockwise movement is performed by overpowering of the force exerted by the second cam resilient biasing means 54 and will cause movement of the second bracket cam 34 to the opened position such that movement of a tank neck 14 through the upper retaining channel 26 of the upper surrounding member for movement thereof into or out of the tank retaining zone 80 is made possible . pivotal movement of the first and second bracket cams 33 and 34 is facilitated by the inclusion of a first cam handle 40 and a second cam handle 42 defined extending outwardly therefrom , respectively . these two cam handles 40 and 42 are spatially disposed from one another at a convenient distance , such as less than five inches apart , in order to be capable of being grasped by the fingers of one hand of a user such that when compressed together in the direction shown by arrows 82 as shown in fig5 , movement of the first and second bracket cams 33 and 34 from the closed position to the releasing position is achieved to easily allow quick release of a tank 12 from the tank retaining zone 80 . it is important to appreciate that each of the bracket cams 33 and 34 are continuously urged by the respective resilient biasing means 52 and 54 toward the closed position to facilitate engagement thereof with respect to the tank neck 14 of a tank 12 when positioned within the tank retaining zone 80 for secure retaining thereof . with this construction the first bracket cam 33 and the second bracket cam 34 will define a first cam inner abutment surface 36 and a second cam inner abutment surface 38 , respectively , which will be adapted to be brought into direct abutment with the tank neck 14 of a tank 12 which is positioned within the tank retaining zone 80 whenever the bracket cams 33 and 34 are allowed to be urged by the respective biasing means thereof 52 and 54 into the tank retaining position . first bracket cam 33 will also include a first cam protruding section 110 which is selectively extendable at least partially across the upper retaining channel opening 110 when in the closed position for securing of a tank 12 within the tank retaining zone 80 . first cam protruding section 110 is defined preferably at the corner or intersection between said first cam inner abutment surface 36 and said first cam outer abutment surface 90 . second bracket cam 34 will similarly include a second cam protruding section 112 which is selectively extendable at least partially across the upper retaining channel opening 110 when in the closed position for securing of a tank 12 within the tank retaining zone 80 . second cam protruding section 112 is defined preferably at the corner or intersection between said second cam inner abutment surface 38 and said second cam outer abutment surface 92 . thus , with this construction as defined above , when it is necessary the neck 14 of a tank 12 can easily be positioned within the upper retaining channel 26 for firm securement therewithin and also can be easily released therefrom . ease of placement of a tank 12 into the bracket is also greatly facilitated by this construction . the first bracket cam 33 will define a first cam outer abutment surface 90 positioned oriented facing outwardly therefrom . when the first bracket cam 33 is in the closed position the first cam outer abutment surface 90 will face outwardly therefrom within the upper retaining channel 26 . similarly , the second bracket cam 34 will define a second cam outer abutment surface 92 positioned oriented facing outwardly therefrom . when the second bracket cam 34 is in the closed position the second cam outer abutment surface 92 will face outwardly therefrom within the upper retaining channel 26 at a position adjacent to the first cam outer abutment surface 90 of the first bracket cam 33 . to move the tank 12 into position within the tank retaining zone 80 the lower portion of the tank 12 can be positioned within the lower retaining cavity 18 and the tank neck 14 can be pivoted into engaging abutment with respect to the first cam outer abutment surface 90 and the second cam outer abutment surface 92 simultaneously . then the exertion of force against the tank neck 14 will overpower the force of the biasing means 52 and 54 cause both the first bracket cam 33 and the second bracket cam 34 to pivot away from the closed position to the opened position thereof . then the tank neck 12 will be able to pass between the two bracket cams 33 and 34 through the upper retaining channel 26 to be retained in the tank retaining zone 80 . after the tank moved to zone 80 the first and second bracket cams 33 and 34 will quickly pivot to the closed position thereby bringing the first cam inner abutment surface 36 and the second cam inner abutment surface 38 to securing abutting contact with the tank neck 12 . the construction of the bracket of the present invention is particularly enhanced by the use of a specific construction for the washers 30 and 32 . preferably first upper pivot pin enlarged washer 30 will include a first washer reduced diameter section 94 and a first washer standard diameter section 96 . the central bore extending through washer 30 will be the same inside diameter in the first washer reduced diameter section 94 and in the first washer standard diameter section 98 such that the first upper pivot pin 29 extending therethrough will be snugly retained therein . also the sizing of the first cam aperture 44 will be chosen large enough to receive the first washer reduced diameter section 94 of washer 30 therein to facilitate control of pivotal movement of first bracket cam 33 with respect to the upper surrounding member 24 . the first washer standard diameter section 96 will be too large to fit within the first cam aperture 44 and thus will be positioned between the undersurface of the upper surrounding member 24 and the first bracket cam 33 to provide the spacing for mounting of the first coil spring 52 therearound . similarly the second upper pivot pin enlarged washer 32 will preferably include a second washer reduced diameter section 98 and a first washer standard diameter section 99 . the central bore extending through washer 34 will be the same inside diameter in the second washer reduced diameter section 98 and in the second washer standard diameter section 99 such that the second upper pivot pin 31 extending therethrough will be snugly retained therein . also the sizing of the second cam aperture 46 will be sized large enough to receive the second washer reduced diameter section 98 of washer 32 therein to facilitate control of pivotal movement of second bracket cam 34 with respect to the upper surrounding member 24 . the second washer standard diameter section 99 will be too large to fit within the second cam aperture 46 and thus will be positioned between the undersurface of the upper surrounding member 24 and the second bracket cam 34 to provide the necessary spacing for mounting of the second coil spring 52 therearound . the lower surrounding member 16 of the present invention defines the lower floor surface 19 within the lower retaining cavity 18 at a specific predetermined distance from the upper retaining channel 26 . the present invention provides a means for selectively decreasing this dimension by a small distance by the inclusion of an auxiliary lower floor member 62 which is pivotally movably mounted with respect to the lower surrounding member 16 and the backing plate 10 for usage or storage as needed . this auxiliary lower floor member 62 includes a lower auxiliary floor 61 such that when the floor member 62 is pivoted to the deployed position , as shown in fig1 , an elevated floor position will be provided to accommodate slightly shorter tanks or tanks with different profiles . the lower active position or deployed position 72 wherein the auxiliary lower floor member 62 is positioned generally horizontally is shown in fig1 . the storage or de - activated position for the lower floor member 62 is shown in fig3 wherein the auxiliary lower floor member 62 is positioned in a generally vertically extending direction extending generally parallel to the backing plate . an auxiliary floor retaining means 76 such as a detachable hook and loop means or similar detachable securement means can be provided for detachably securing the auxiliary lower floor member 62 in the stored position temporarily when not being used . the pivotal movement of the auxiliary lower floor member 62 relative to the lower surrounding member 16 will be achieved by the inclusion of a first lower pivot member 64 . and a second lower pivot member 66 positioned on opposite sides of the lower surrounding member 16 . in particular , the lower surrounding member 16 will preferably define an auxiliary floor first aperture means 68 in the one side thereof and an auxiliary floor second aperture means 70 in the opposite side thereof to receive the first lower pivot member 64 and the second lower pivot member 66 , respectively , therethrough to provide the pivoting axis for aiding in the pivotal movement of the auxiliary lower floor member 62 relative to the lower surrounding member 16 . it should be appreciated that when the lower auxiliary floor member 62 is positioned in the vertical or stored position the lower floor front edge 78 thereof will extend inwardly toward the tank retaining zone 80 and thereby may be caused to come into engagement with respect to a tank 12 positioned therewithin . as such , it is important that the profile of the lower floor front edge 78 be arcuate with a recessed center portion to facilitate clearance within the tank retaining zone 80 for positioning of a tank 12 therewithin . another important construction shown in the bracket construction of the present invention is in the inclusion of a tank resiliently flexible biasing means 56 such as a flat spring or the like positioned at an intermediate location along the backing plate 10 between the lower surrounding member 16 and the upper surround member 24 . this flexible biasing means 56 will be brought into abutment with the intermediate portion of a tank 12 positioned within the tank retaining zone 18 to urge the tank to move away from the backing plate 10 and thereby firmly secure the tank in position within the retaining zone 80 . the flexible biasing means or spring 56 will cause the tank to move such that the tank neck 14 positively and firmly engages the first cam inner abutment surface 36 and the second cam inner abutment surface 38 of the bracket cams 33 and 34 thereby firmly securing the tank and minimizing rattling or movement thereof . a horizontally extending abutting section 60 of the flexibly resilient biasing means 56 will normally be capable of being brought into position immediately adjacent to the outer surface of the tank for exerting bias thereagainst from the biasing means 56 . to protect the body of the tank a jacket means 58 of soft material such as rubber or the like can be included extending along the abutting section 60 which further facilitates urging of the tank 12 securely for retaining thereof in the tank retaining zone 80 and minimizing movement while held within the bracket . to minimize damaging of tank 12 and particularly tank neck 14 thereof the edges of the abutment surface of the first and second bracket cams 33 and 34 will have arcuate edges . in particular , first cam inner abutment surface 36 will preferably include a first cam inner arcuate edge 100 . second cam inner abutment surface 38 will preferably include a second cam inner arcuate edge 102 . similarly , the first cam outer abutment surface 90 will include a first cam outer arcuate edge 104 and second cam outer abutment surface will include a second cam outer arcuate edge 106 . each of these four arcuate edges will facilitate in minimizing damage to the neck 14 or tanks 12 while in abutment therewith . while particular embodiments of this invention have been shown in the drawings and described above , it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the form , arrangement and positioning of the various elements of the combination . in consideration thereof , it should be understood that preferred embodiments of this invention disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention .
| 5 |
the switch of the invention is designated generally by the reference character 10 and is described herein as it is applied for use in a vehicle alarm but it should be appreciated that it could as easily be utilized in other environments which require the control of two circuits by means of a key . the switch is mounted by suitable means on a mounting disc 12 of the type that is conventionally fastened to a junction box 14 . for example , the lock 16 may have a threaded outer shell or frame 18 which is introduced into a hole in the disc 12 and clamped in place by nut 19 . thus the body or frame is fixed to the rear face of the mounting disc 12 in any suitable manner . the lock has a cylinder , only the central core 20 of which can be seen in fig1 . the shell 18 has a face plate 22 which is provided with a central perforation that cooperates with the axial end of the core 20 to present an annular slot 24 to the exterior of the lock 16 . a pair of radially outwardly extending notches 26 and 28 are also cut in the face plate 22 connecting with the slot 24 and , in this version , spaced 90 ° apart . the core 20 also has a notch 27 . the key 30 used with this type of lock 16 can be called a barrel key since it has a cylindrical barrel 32 as its body , the axial end having recesses 34 to cooperate with the internal pins for releasing the cylinder and having an outwardly extending radial tooth 36 adapted to be aligned with the notches 26 and 28 with an interior extension adapted to align with the notch 27 . the key 30 is used by inserting it into the slot 24 with its barrel 32 aligned with the slot . the thickness of the wall forming the barrel 32 is slightly less than the width of the slot 24 so that it can freely enter and bottom on a suitable stop ( not shown ). the tooth 36 must be aligned with that one of the notches 26 or 28 which is also aligned with notch 27 in order to enable the key 30 to be inserted into the lock 16 . the sequence is relatively straightforward and is well - known with locks of this kind . assuming that the lock is arranged to receive the key 30 while the cylinder is in its clockwise - most condition , the slot will accept the key 30 only when both parts of the tooth 36 are aligned with and inserted through the notch 26 but only if notch 27 is also aligned with 26 . the key 30 can now be rotated 90 ° counterclockwise and withdrawn through the slot 24 if the tooth 36 is in perfect alignment with the notch 28 . the next time the lock is to be used , the key 30 must be inserted into the slot 24 with the tooth aligned with the notch 28 and notch 27 and rotation is only capable of being effected in a clockwise direction . this lock is used to open and close electrical circuits connected into an alarm system . at its rear , the shell 18 has a rectangular bracket 38 fixedly secured thereto having a pair of lateral arms 40 and 42 bent at an angle and arranged to be axially spaced from the bracket so that the contact fingers ( to be described ) will be properly aligned with the rotor ( to be described ). each of the lateral arms carries a pair of contact fingers insulatedly mounted thereon . the arm 40 has a block of insulating material 44 , the base 46 of the contact finger 48 , another insulating block 50 , the base 52 of the contact finger 54 , another insulating block 56 and a rectangular holder plate 58 all connected together to provide an assembly by means of rivets or grommets 60 that pass through all of the mentioned members and secure them tightly on the arm 40 . the openings for the grommets 60 which pass through the bases 46 and 52 are insulated from the grommets either by insulating washer spacers in enlarged holes or by having these holes large enough to clear the grommets . these techniques are known and the structure need not be shown . at the bottom ends of the bases 46 and 52 there are extensions 60 and 62 respectively , these being free of the assembly of blocks mounting the bases 46 and 52 and comprising soldering ears to which the wires 64 and 66 are connected . the ears are bendable to keep them spaced from one another . the wires 64 and 66 are part of a circuit to be controlled by the switch 10 . the fingers 48 and 54 are formed of some conductive metal having substantial resilience , such as phosphor bronze or other alloy of copper . they are mounted to the block assembly with their free ends 68 and 70 slightly spaced apart , their bodies being outwardly bent to provide the space 72 between them . the free ends 68 and 70 are rounded and the fingers are dished as at 74 with the concave portions resulting facing outwardly from one another . in this manner the edges of the juxtaposed fingers 48 and 54 are flared outwardly to present means for piloting the rotor into the space between the fingers . as will be seen below , the inwardly facing edge 76 of the block 50 , i . e ., that edge which opens to the space 72 comprises stop means for the movement of the rotor . the lateral bracket arm 42 mounts a pair of fingers 76 and 78 which are identical to the fingers 48 and 54 in all respects and are mounted on the same structure of blocks mounting the fingers 48 and 54 . there is no need to describe them in detail , the block assembly being designated generally 80 . the fingers 76 and 78 are connected respectively to the wires 82 and 84 in the same manner as the wires 64 and 66 , these wires comprising a part of a second electrical circuit to be controlled by the switch 10 . normal condition of the fingers 76 and 78 is also spaced apart . the rear of the cylinder of the lock 16 includes a shaft 86 which is preferably threaded and which rotates through a passageway ( not shown ) in the bracket 38 . a nut 88 secures a washer 90 to the shaft , to which is mounted a rotor 92 the mounting comprising a suitable sandwich of holder plates , insulating blocks and grommets designated generally 94 functioning to secure the rotor 92 on a lateral edge of the washer 90 but fully insulated from the washer 90 . the rotor 92 is preferably made out of two sheet metal stampings 96 and 98 of phosphor bronze or the like of irregular polygonal configuration . in the examples illustrated ( including that of fig5 ) the shape is somewhat like a square with one corner clamped in place by the block structure 94 , with the opposite corner cut off and a large central radial slot 99 extending inward from the truncated corner stopping short of the block structure 94 . this configuration provides resilient blades 100 and 102 capable of flexing substantially independently without influencing one another . the slot 99 also prevents the blades from being too stiff . as stated the rotor 92 is formed of a pair of these sheet metal stampings clamped together . each sheet metal member 96 and 98 is formed with a substantial bend 97 extending between the corners opposite the ones previously mentioned as a result of which the rotor 92 has a rather substantial thickness greater than the space between the contact fingers such as 48 and 54 . this is true notwithstanding the fact that the sheet metal from which the members 96 and 98 are formed may be extremely thin . the bends 97 are convexly outward relative one another . when the rotor 92 engages between a pair of contact fingers 48 , 54 or 76 , 78 it forces the fingers apart , scrapes or wipes against the fingers and gives rise to substantial mechanical contact pressure as a result of which an unusually good electrical contact is made . it has been found through testing that the current handling capacity of such a contact arrangement is several times greater than the simple contact between two single members biased against one another . in operation , assuming that the blade 100 is at the position shown in fig3 the fingers 76 and 78 are spaced apart and the circuit represented by the wires 82 and 84 is open . the blade 102 is free . the blade 100 is forced between the fingers 48 and 54 ; hence the fingers are electrically bridged and the circuit represented by the wires 64 and 66 is closed . if the key 30 is inserted into the lock 16 and turned through 90 ° the blade 100 will leave the position between the fingers 48 and 54 , pass through the circumferential space between the separate pairs of fingers at which point the both circuits 64 , 66 and 82 , 84 will be open . at the end of the clockwise movement which follows the path described by the arcuate broken line of fig3 the blade 102 will force itself into engagement between the fingers 76 and 78 thereby closing the circuit of the wires 82 and 84 , leaving the circuit of the wires 64 and 66 open . the reverse will be accomplished by rotating the key 30 in the opposite direction . the rotor 92 has a pair of metal tabs 104 and 106 which are connected with the blades 100 and 102 , respectively , these tabs being disposed on what would be considered the leading and trailing edges of the rotor 92 considering that these edges are generally radial relative to the axis of the shaft 86 . the tabs may be formed out of the same metal as the blades and welded in place between them as indicated at 108 in fig4 or it could be integral with one of the sheet metal members forming the blades . since each is located precisely in the center between the blades , the tabs 102 and 104 align with the center insulating blocks such as 50 and will cooperate with the block edges such as 76 to form precise stop means for limiting the rotary movement of the rotor 92 in either direction . the tabs 104 and 106 can initially be deliberately made slightly longer than needed . when the switch 10 is assembled and tested with a key , if the key cannot be inserted or withdrawn in both of its two positions , the tabs 104 and 106 are easily trimmed by means of tinsnips . this requires no skill and no disassembly of the switch . in fig5 there is illustrated a rotor 92 &# 39 ; which is formed of only a single stamping of sheet metal , again bent in the center to bow out and configured to form the bend 97 &# 39 ;, the slot 99 &# 39 ; and the two blades 100 &# 39 ; and 102 &# 39 ;. ( the reference characters are the same as those of the previously described embodiment for equivalent parts , but primed .) the single sheet metal member is adapted to be secured by an insulating clamping or mounting assembly 94 &# 39 ; to a washer 90 &# 39 ; and function in the same manner as previously explained . here the tabs 104 &# 39 ; and 106 &# 39 ; are integral with the single sheet metal member . variations are capable of being made in the constructional details and configurations of the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
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the distraction portion of the method is shown in fig1 . in the method of the present invention , a clinician places a distractor between the upper thighs of a canine patient in ventral recumbency so that the distractor contacts the inner thighs of the patient . the weight of the dog &# 39 ; s hind quarters and abdomen should rest on the device . with the device in place , the clinician can support the device with one hand ( the &# 34 ; manipulating hand &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; non - imaging hand &# 34 ;) to prevent the device from tilting relative to the legs . the device should be positioned as proximal ( toward the hip joint portion of the femurs ) as is allowed by the weight of the dog and the interposed tissues of the ventral abdomen . no additional forces need to be applied to the device to ensure that the device is appropriately positioned close to the hips . with the same hand , can apply inward pressure to the knee ( stifle ) region of both legs to achieve distraction . in clinical use , the imager usually needs a firm grasp of the device to prevent the device from tilting as force is applied to the stifles . while maintaining the inward pressure , the clinician can use the second hand ( the &# 34 ; imaging hand &# 34 ;) to position an image acquisition device to obtain non - radiographic images of the coxofemoral ( hip ) joints in distraction . the image acquisition device is preferably a non - radiographic device , and is typically an ultrasonic transducer ( such as a 7 . 5 - mhz ultrasound transducer such as si450 , siemens quantum , inc ., issaquah , wash .). a modified dorsal view provides the best sonographic plane to image the components of the coxofemoral joint and to allow measurement of the distance moved between compression and distraction . the dorsal plane of the hip is a long axis view with the transducer directed from the side ( i . e ., left to right in the left hip ). from this initial plane , the transducer can be rotated slightly ( i . e ., clockwise in the left hip ) so that the cranial aspect of the transducer is more dorsal than the caudal portion . the desired end result is an image in which the cranial - dorsal ilium appears to form a horizontal straight line and the rounded femoral head is seen well . in this position , the transducer needs only subtle adjustment to maintain the same image plane during compression and distraction maneuvers . with practice , both hips can be evaluated , and images can be collected , within ten minutes . it is not absolutely essential that the patient &# 39 ; s hair be clipped at the transducer site , especially with young ( six to eight week old ) puppies . good quality images can be obtained through the hair coat by applying copious isopropyl alcohol and acoustic gel . to compress the hip joints , the device is removed and the legs can then be gently pulled together . it is preferred that the clinician wraps the fingers of the manipulating hand around one leg at the upper thigh while the thumb of the same hand wraps around the opposite leg , whereupon the images of the coxofemoral joints in compression can be obtained in the same manner as was described above . distraction should be performed first . the movement from distraction to compression is less stressful to the patient , resulting in a lower possibility of the patient moving . the hips should be distracted , an image collected , and then the hips placed into compression . the second , and final , image is then collected in compression . in the experience of the inventors , the highest quality images of the components of the coxofemoral joint were obtained in puppies between six and sixteen weeks of age although an age range of about 4 - 26 weeks can be suitable . it is preferred that the analysis be performed before the age at which the femoral heads are surrounded by a mineralized acetabular rim . after acquiring the images of each hip in compression and distraction , preferably on split - screen images , the distracted distance is measured . in a first preferred method for determining the distracted distance , the images are digitized , and the compression and distraction images are merged (&# 34 ; blended &# 34 ;) using image analysis software capable of blending two images ( such as nih image 1 . 60 or subsequent current version ( http :// rsb . info . nih . gov / nih - image / download . html ; see fig3 a , b of o &# 39 ; brien , supra ( 1997 ) for example of such a blended image ). this analytical method has certain shortcomings in that it requires a separate computer and specialized software to perform the time consuming and technically challenging process of image blending . moreover , the ultrasound image must be converted from the proprietary data format of the device manufacturer to a conventional format such as pict or tiff . alternatively , a simply mathematical formula that corrects for differing sized fields of view using a conversion factor ( pixel per millimeter ), provides the distraction distance when four points are identified on the images . on each image , the position of the skin is known . in addition , the highest points on both the cranial dorsal acetabular rim and the femoral head are identified . from these points , the distraction distance can be determined and normalized . in this approach , four measurements are necessary from a common reference point , such as the top of the screen or image border : 3 . caudal - most point of acetabular rim ( with hip in compression ); and using these four measurements ( summarized in fig2 ), the distraction distance is determined from the formula all measurements should be drawn with a straight vertical line and the reference points should be consistent between compression and distraction images , especially on the acetabulum rim measurements . if image measurements are taken from paper images , rather than analyzed on the ultrasound machine , the calculated distraction distance must be multiplied by a proportionality factor that can be determined by comparing the known length of a line on the ultrasound image against the length of the same line on the paper image . for example , if a 3 cm line on the ultrasound image measures 2 cm on the paper image , then the proportionality factor is 0 . 667 . in a second aspect , the present invention is a distractor that , when placed between the upper thighs of the canine patient , serves as a fulcrum for laterally displacing ( distracting ) the hips . fig3 depicts a preferred distractor . in this application , inner and outer , top and bottom refer to positions relative to the center of the distractor of fig3 . a preferred distractor 10 includes a pair of end means 12 and 13 , each of which is generally rectangular in shape with an inner face and an outer face . the distractor 10 also includes a pair of generally rectangular spaced apart side bars 14 and 16 mounted perpendicularly to the end members . the end means 12 , 13 and the side bars 14 , 16 can be solid or hollow and can be made of any rigid material such as hard plastic or lucite . a portion of each of the side bars 14 and 16 along its short side edges is recessed , to receive the end members 12 and 13 . the side bars 14 and 16 should include outward facing sides that are sufficiently large to permit the apparatus to act as a fulcrum during distraction and to permit the clinician to support the distractor with one hand in the method . optional modifications to the surface of the apparatus can be provided , such as means for supporting the apparatus in use . in the preferred embodiment , side bars 14 and 16 are not strictly speaking rectangular since each includes a pair of rounded edges toward the outer face to enhance the comfort of the canine patient during distraction . the edges toward the inner face can also be rounded , although the general shape of the side bars 14 and 16 should be rectangular , as opposed to cylindrical , and the outer faces should be generally flat . the extent to which the outer edges of side bars 14 and 16 are curved is not essential to the invention , however , some curvature is preferred . the outer faces of side bars 14 and 16 can be provided with textural indicia to further discourage slippage in use . side bars 14 and 16 are in mirror image orientation relative to each other in the distractor 10 . that is , the outside edges of side bars 14 and 16 each face the outside of the apparatus while the inside edges face toward each other and toward the inside of the distractor 10 . side bar 14 can be fixedly connected to the end members . the connection can be by attachment means 18 , such as a screw , as is shown in fig3 or by adhesive connection . in an alternate construction , a single element can comprise the pair of end means 12 and side bar 14 . side bar 16 can be slidably mounted to the end members 12 and 13 . in the preferred embodiment , a slot 20 is defined through each end member 12 , 13 . the slots 20 permit the distance between side bars 14 and 16 to be adjusted . end caps 22 provided at each end of side bar 16 pass through the slots . the end caps may be loosened to permit lateral adjustment of side bar 16 relative to end members 12 and 14 , and then tightened to prevent further change in the distance between side bars 14 and 16 during use of the apparatus 10 . the distance between side bars 14 and 16 can vary with the size of the dog , as long as when the distractor 10 is in place it can act as a fulcrum on the femurs . the optimal distance between side bars 14 and 16 is between about 3 . 5 and 4 . 5 cm for puppies that are sized like a 6 - 8 week - old labrador or golden retriever . in use , the slidable side bar 16 is adjusted laterally relative to end members 12 and 13 so that side bar 16 is spaced apart from side bar 14 at a distance such that when the hips are maximally distracted , the stifles are within one to two cm of each other , but not touching . given the variation within typical litters of puppies , the device is usually adjusted only once , at the beginning of imaging . it is , of course , understood that the relationships between the end members 12 and 13 and the side bars 14 and 16 need not necessarily be exactly rectangular . however , a rectangular fit among the parts is preferred as that arrangement facilitates a stable apparatus with minimal structural requirements . other arrangements that meet these general structural requirements are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention . in a related embodiment , the spaced apart relation between the side bars 14 , 16 can be a fixed distance , if the distractor is to be used for only canines of a particular size . indeed , the entire distractor can be formed as a single part , since no movement of any element is required in use . the present invention will be better understood upon consideration of the following examples which are intended to be exemplary and not limiting on the invention . a distractor prepared in accordance with the invention was tested using the method of the present invention on 30 puppy hips . the distraction distance was also determined using existing manual methods . the data of fig6 demonstrate an association between distraction distances measured using the distractor and those obtained using manual methods . the invention is not intended to be limited to the foregoing examples , but rather to encompass all such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims .
| 0 |
systems and methods in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention can overcome deficiencies in prior art concurrency models by utilizing “ optimistic caching ” or “ optimistic concurrency ”. using optimistic concurrency , it is not necessary for each transaction to read from the database and consume system resources unnecessarily . the approach is referred to herein as “ optimistic ” because a server instance does not get a lock on the data being used by a transaction . transactions are optimistic about the fact that no changes are going to be made to the data while it is being used by that transaction . under this belief , there is no need to lock the data since it will not change during the transaction . since the data is not locked , it can be used concurrently by multiple users . in order to assure the accuracy of transactions using that data , however , it will be necessary to determine whether the underlying data actually changed before transactional changes are written to the database . an invalidation scheme can be used to facilitate optimistic caching in a clustered environment , such that multiple machines in a cluster can run an optimistic algorithm in parallel . when changes are made , the machines can communicate with each other that a change has occurred , and can indicate what those changes are . this can help to avoid an optimistic conflict or exception at the end of a transaction . xml can be used with such a system , as xml provides a declarative way for a user to indicate that optimistic caching is to be used . such a system is shown in fig1 . a data item 102 is stored in a database 102 . user 106 and user 110 may both want access to the data item 102 concurrently . since the data item is not locked , an instance of the data item can be read into a cache or bean instance 104 for user 106 , and a second instance can be read into a cache or bean instance 108 for user 110 . if user 106 updates the data item 102 , the optimistic algorithm can direct cache 104 to notify cache 108 . the algorithm can also instruct the transaction for user 106 to update the instance of the data item in cache 104 . if the instance in cache 104 is updated , cache 108 can read a new instance from cache 104 . if cache 104 is not updated , cache 110 can read from the database 100 . there can be multiple nodes in a cluster that are able to access and make changes to the data in the database , as shown in fig2 . in order to make efficient use of a cluster , an application can evenly utilize any available cluster nodes 204 , 206 , 208 . for instance , a user 200 that wishes to utilize data in the database 202 can be directed to work through node 204 . the user is not aware of which node is being utilized , as the nodes appear to the user as a single server . an object can migrate from one node to another in support of even load distribution . it can be beneficial for these nodes to notify each other about any changes made to data . in fig2 , node 204 is shown to be able to send an update message to nodes 206 and 208 in the event that the user 200 updates data in the database 202 . such information can prevent other nodes from having to wait until the end of a transaction to find out that the data has changed . if a node does not find out about the change until the end of a transaction , the node will need to rollback the transaction , obtain the updated state of the data , and restart the processing of the transaction . this notification of nodes in a cluster can save both time and resources by preventing the reprocessing of transactions . different schemes can be used that allow the nodes to notify themselves of changes in the data . fig3 shows steps for a method that could be used with a system in accordance with the embodiment of fig1 . in this method , an instance of a data item is read into a first cache for a first transaction 300 . an instance of the data item is then read from the first cache into a second cache for a second transaction 302 . one of the transactions can update the data item in the database by committing changes to the data item , and can also update the associated instance in cache 304 . a notification can then be sent to the cache for the other transaction notifying the cache that the data item has changed 306 . that cache can then drop its instance of the data item and read a new instance from the database or from the updated cache 308 . certain operations can be done outside of a transaction . one such operation involves suspending the active transaction while reading data . this operation can be a global transaction , for example , that spans multiple nodes about the network and can be committed using a two - phase commit algorithm . “ creates ” and “ removes ” can be done within the context of global transactions , such that if a global transaction rolls back then the operations can be rolled back as well . long - term locks can be held during these operations . during the load , a copy of the data can be made so that the data is read during a short - term transaction . an initial copy of the data being read can be made . the transaction can then actually update a different copy of the data , such that at the end of the transaction those copies can be compared with what is in the database , in order to help determine whether to commit the transaction . this optimistic caching can also be done with enterprise javabeans ( ejbs ). an ejb has a life cycle , and certain embodiments of optimistic caching work within the context of this life cycle . the ejbs can load themselves from the database and can store themselves in the database . the ejbs can also undergo other operations , such as loading , storing , creating , removing , passivating , and activating . ejbs can also read data in a local transaction . this allows the ejbs to read data items without acquiring long - term locks on the data . in one embodiment , optimistic caching allows for the caching of data between separate transactions . in prior art systems where every transaction reads from the database , entity beans holding instances of the data do not perform any better than stateless session beans . in order to better utilize the functionality and advantages of entity beans , caching can be done between transactions to the extent possible . one way to accomplish between - transaction caching is to read data in a local transaction so there is no need for long - term locks . at the end of the transaction , the data can be checked to determine if anyone has made any changes . in one such system , a “ db - is - shared ” or equivalent tag can be replaced with a tag such as “ appservercachingenabled ”, which can allow the caching of entity beans between transactions when appservercachingenabled has a value of “ true ”. in a more optimistic embodiment for caching between transactions , data is not read at the beginning of a transaction . it is assumed that what is in cache from a previous transaction is still current with what is in the database . the currency of the data is not checked until the end of the transaction . this allows the transaction to use what is already in cache memory , which can greatly increase the speed of the transaction . if the transaction attempts to commit and finds the data has changed , it can update the data in cache so that the next transaction can read from cache and have the appropriate value . there are other optimistic concurrency embodiments that can support the ejb 2 . 0 container - managed persistence ( cmp ) specification , and can be used with or without caching between transactions . in an optimistic concurrency approach without caching , each transaction can activate its own bean instance . there is no locking within the application server . two new tags can be used , such as “ optimisticverifymodifiedfields ” and “ optimisticverifyreadfields ”. with these options , a database read can occur as a separate local transaction . in the case of optimisticverifyreadfields , the update statement can verify that every field that was read in the transaction matches the current content in the database . optimisticverifymodifiedfields can be used to check only the fields that have been updated . the transaction can abort if the update conditions fail . if the transaction is a read - only transaction , it will not produce an update statement and there will be no verification . such a system can utilize special abstract methods for cmp fields such as “ increment ”, “ decrement ”, and “ decrementgreaterthan ”. for example , if there is an item being purchased at an online store by several users concurrently , each individual transaction simply wants to decrease the inventory amount by one unit . each transaction is able to commit the update as long as the inventory is greater than zero units . the transaction does not care about how many units are in inventory , as long as there is at least one . therefore , an operator could be used such as : the optimisticverifymodifiedfields and optimisticverifyreadfields could also be used as the basis for clustered entity bean caching . a server could keep a cache that associates a primary key and field group with cached data . in a cmp 2 . 0 implementation , a field group can be a set of container - managed fields . when one member of a group needs to be read from the database , the entire group is read . by default , the cmp fields can be in a single group , but this can be changed using a deployment descriptor , for example . when an entity bean reads a field group , it can ask the cache for the field group . if the cache has the field group in memory , it can return the cached data instead of fetching the data from the database . when an updating transaction commits , the changes can be entered into the cache as well as into the database . this allows the cache to have the most recent data without having to hit the database . the cache can also measure the hit rate and optimistic rollback rate . these statistics can be used to drop or pre - fetch cached data . it can be useful to prevent some of the optimistic rollbacks that can occur if , for example , a first server updates a value and then a second server reads from the second server &# 39 ; s outdated or “ stale ” cache . one way to prevent this is to send invalidation messages between the caches . when an update commits , an invalidation can be sent to the other caches , such as by multicast . the message can contain , for example , the jndi name , the primary key , and the field group number . when an ejb cache receives an update message , the cache can drop the corresponding field group from its cache . if this field group has a high hit rate , the cache can pre - fetch the new version . while these invalidation messages can help prevent optimistic rollbacks , they do not ensure correctness . the predicated update can be used to ensure that the read or modified fields are consistent with that which is still in the database . the foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . many modifications and variations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application , thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalence .
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the present invention is directed to a pre - shave preparation that utilizes water soluble silicone polymers , in particular polyethylene glycol derivatives of dimethicones — for example peg 8 dimethicone . these compounds are very water and alcohol soluble . these silicones can impart lubricity that are beneficial for use with pre - shave preparations . polyethylene glycol derivatives of dimethicones are effective in such an application because they do not significantly reduce skin friction properties on skin relative to existing art . a new class of water and alcohol soluble silicone derivatives are carboxy silicone polymers as described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 867 , 317 b1 . this ingredient class is not used in pre - electric shave products and has not been known to have special lubricating properties beyond ethoxylated silicones nor are they known to provide a closer shave relative to existing art . however testing has surprisingly shown this class to provide both better skin friction reducing properties that also yields a closer shave relative to existing art . one example of a carboxy silicone is cetyl triethylmonium dimethicone peg - 8 succinate . cetyl triethylmonium dimethicone peg - 8 succinate is a siloxane polymer formed by the reaction of cetyl triethylamine with peg - 8 dimethicone ( q . v .) and succinic acid ( q . v .) having the general formula of : testing has demonstrated that this class of compounds significantly reduces skin friction to a greater extent than its parent backbone — peg - 8 dimethicone while maintaining very clear water / alcohol solutions . preferred concentrations of a carboxy silicone polymer are 0 . 05 % to 20 %. in addition to cetyl triethylmonium dimethicone peg - 8 succinate , compounds of the following general structure are useful as reducers of friction in pre - shave preparations . r and r ′ are ch 3 or —( ch 2 ) 3 — o -( eo ) a —( po ) b -( eo ) c — o — r ″- c ( o )— o — or with the proviso that both r and r ′ are not ch 3 ; r 2 and r 3 are independently either methyl or ethyl ; r ″ is selected from a group consisting of — ch 2 ch 2 —; — ch ═ ch —; — ch 2 — c ( r 7 )— h 2 ; r 1 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl ch 3 ( ch 2 ) n — and phenyl ; a , b , and c are integers independently ranging from 0 to 20 ; r 7 is alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbons . a second important component for a liquid pre - shave preparation is a volatile carrier such as ethanol . other acceptable volatile carriers are described in the european patent application # 0385312 a2 . ethanol or ethyl alcohol is a volatile liquid used in cosmetic preparations . it is derived from ethylene by direct catalytic hydration or with ethyl sulfate as an intermediate . for purposes of testing , as discussed below , specially denatured alcohol ( sda ) 40b was chosen , which contains bitrex and tort - butyl alcohol . the content of the above volatile carrier is at least 50 % by weight , preferably at least 70 % by weight . when the content is less than 50 % by weight , the drying characteristics of the pre - shave preparation after application is poor . this can be detrimental to the convenience and speediness in - use of the electric shaver : the higher the volatile component the faster the evaporation of moisture on the skin . in addition , the alcohol partially dehydrates some of the moisture normally present in the beard . the partial dehydration has an important effect in stiffening the beard to permit easier cutting . an optional component of this invention is a fatty acid ester . these compounds are commonly used in commercially available pre - shave preparations . the most common ester is isopropyl myristate with a chemical formula : an ester is formed by the condensation reaction between an acid and an alcohol . one or both of these components needs to be fatty in nature to produce an ester with emollient properties . the chain length of either the acid portion or the alcohol portion of an ester can be varied . for example , keeping the alcohol portion of an ester the same ( as in isopropyl myristate ) and increasing the chain length of the acid raises the melting point and makes the material more hydrophobic . as the size of the chain length increases , the ester loses its fluidity and becomes a solid at room temperature . other attributes which may affect the esters function are molecular weight , chain branching , polarity and saturation versus unsaturation . a liquid emollient ester is preferred which is soluble in a water / alcohol solution and does not interfere with skin friction . other such esters are c12 - 15 alkyl benzoate or ppg - 3 benzyl ether myristate . other ingredients suitable for use in a pre - shave hydro - alcoholic preparation include , without limitation , skin conditioners , emollients ( including esters and silicones ), humectants , color , fragrance , antioxidants , chelators , natural extracts , vitamins , uv light absorbers , solvents and combinations thereof . when consumers use a pre - shave product in conjunction with an electric razor , they can sense the friction between the skin and the razor head ( s ). friction can lead to uncomfortable skin irritation . but more importantly , friction between the razor head and skin will distort skin in front of the razor causing it to “ bunch up ” or create “ a wave .” thus changing the angle of the razor head to the beard hair being cut and greatly reducing the efficiency of the shaving process — possibly leading to a poor shave . friction testing was performed on pre - shave compositions containing a carboxy silicone polymer . this testing utilized a skin friction meter that presses a probe against a synthetic skin surface and measures the force required to either push or pull the probe on the surface . the skin friction meter measures the coefficient of friction for each tested sample . an instrument known as the skin friction meter designed by measurement technologies ( cincinnati , ohio ) is available through aca - derm , inc of menlo park , calif . the instrument is a rotary disk instrument and consists of three main parts : a probe unit , a stationary shell and a rotary disc transducer . the probe unit consists of a small dc motor with a teflon disk type probe attached . it is mounted inside the stationary shell between two ball bearings and is connected to the shell by a coil spring . the rotary probe transducer is mounted on the end of the stationary shell and is joined to the end of the probe unit by a soft coupling and monitors the position of the probe unit . since the unit has a hard probe , it may be used to measure most skin friction phenomena as is . the instrument is designed to be hand held ; and for maximum flexibility , is connected to its electronic controller by a six foot cable . for hand held use , the following design innovations are used to control application pressure . the instrument rests on the measurement area on a lexan ® plastic base plate which has a hole in the center . when resting on the skin surface , the application force causes the skin and underlying tissues to protrude through the hole . application pressure on the probe itself is controlled by its position relative to the hole in the plastic base plate . therefore , since the hole in the base plate is constant and the probe position is constant , when the measurement head rests on the measurement site with only its own weight , probe contact pressure will remain constant . in order to keep measurements within the linear range of the transducer , probe application pressure may be either increased or decreased by changing the position of the probe relative to the base plate . the probe is easily adjusted to accommodate measurements which are either too low or too high . motor speed is 69 . 4 rpm maximum and may be manually controlled from the front panel of the control box . the analog output of the instrument in its most linear range is a 6 volt d . c . range from − 3 . 0 to 3 . 0 volts . torque or force applied to the probe is measured and displayed as friction meter units . the higher the unit the greater the “ friction value ”. friction measurements were taken using a synthetically produced “ skin ” called vitro - skin as supplied by ims inc . ( orange , conn .). the “ skin ” was cut into 2 × 2 cm squares and placed in a hydration chamber according to ims directions . baseline readings were taken without application of the pre - shave preparation . a determined amount of the pre - shave preparation ( 10 μl ) was applied to the site using a micropipette and allowed to dry for 15 seconds . the probe was then placed on the site and measurements were taken after 30 and 90 sec . the latter value corresponds to an extended shaving process . the following table identifies pre - shave composition samples that underwent friction testing : for each sample , a baseline coefficient of friction measurement was taken on the synthetic skin surface without a pre - shave preparation . then the sample was applied to the surface and coefficient of friction measurements were taken of the surface at 30 seconds and 90 seconds after the sample was applied . each sample was tested three times for each period . the following table lists the average coefficient of friction measurement for the baseline , each period and the percent change in friction due to the application of each pre - shave preparation relative to the baseline : table 3 shows that compositions containing a carboxy silicone significantly reduce skin friction values . the reduction in friction is greater than compositions containing a fatty acid ester or a water / alcohol soluble silicone — a polyethylene glycol derivative of dimethicone ( peg 8 dimethicone ). samples 1 and 5 were also utilized to test actual performance in improving shaving and compare the results with shaving without a pre - shave preparation . 21 males , ages 18 - 65 , were utilized to test the two samples . the study design consisted of a split - face ( treated versus non - treated ) cross - over design , with a right / left randomization of treated and untreated . in this manner each subject generated his own internal no treatment control site . after shaving , each surface was evaluated for ease of shaving and overall skin smoothness . 24 hours later hair length measurements were taken to assess the closeness of the shave . the following table shows the percent change in beard hair length for a skin surface that utilized either pre - shave preparation versus a skin surface that did not utilize a pre - shave preparation : the preceding results demonstrate that carboxy silicones provide significant reduction of friction between the shaver head and skin ; and that preparations using carboxy silicones provide a significantly closer shave when compared to a no pre - shave treatment . although the invention has been described with reference to pre - shave preparations containing particular elements or compositions and particular relative amounts , these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features , and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art .
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referring to fig1 a - 1c of the drawings , there is shown one embodiment of the invention for effecting the concurrent supply of treatment fluid to four vertically spaced production zones with the amount of such treatment fluid supplied to each of the zones being respectively predetermined . the apparatus embodying this invention is shown in fig1 a - 1c to comprise a tubular liner 10 which is suspended within the bottom portions of the well casing 1 by a conventional hanger 5 having slips 5a and 5b respectively engaged with the interior wall of casing 2 . to minimize costs , the liner 10 is preferably of relatively small diameter , such as 2 . 5 inches id . liner 10 is fabricated by the threaded assemblage of tubular sections 10a , 10b , 10c , etc .. the liner is conventionally secured by threads 5e provided on the lower portion of the body 5d of the hanger 5 . after the liner is run into place by a conventional setting tool ( not shown ) which is engagable with internal lefthand threads ( not shown ) conventionally provided on an upper sleeve bore portion 5c of the hanger 5 , and the hanger 5 is set in the bore of casing 2 , a conventional cementing operation is provided to fill the annulus between the exterior of the liner 10 and the well bore with cement 6 , thus preventing fluid communication along the exterior of liner 10 between vertically spaced production zones p1 , p2 , and p3 . a wireline perforating gun is then inserted in the bore of liner 10 and a plurality of vertically spaced sets of perforations 11a , 11b , 11c , and 11d are produced in the wall of liner 10 and also passages 6a , 6b , 6c , and 6d through the cement layer 6 . because of the small diameter of liner 10 , and the fact that such liner will be subjected to acid corrosion during the introduction of carbon dioxide as a treatment fluid for the production zones p1 , p2 , and p3 , it becomes feasible to fabricate the liner sections 1oa , 1ob , 1oc , etc . from a reinforced plastic such as fiberglass - reinforced plastic pipe . such material is , of course , highly resistant to corrosion and has sufficient tensile strength for the particular application so long as the diameter of the liner is small and the length of the liner is not excessive . since the treatment apparatus embodying this invention requires the setting of a packer in the bore of liner 10 at a position immediately above the lowermost set of perforations 11c , a metallic section 12 is threadably incorporated in the length of fiberglass - reinforced pipe as by conventional threaded connections 12a and 12b . the metallic liner section 12 is further provided with an internal annular locking groove 12c for the purpose of receiving the locking lugs of a packer unit 25 to be hereinafter described . a tubular assemblage 20 , which is conventionally secured at its upper end by threads 20f to a tubing string ts leading to the surface of the well , is then inserted in the bore of the liner 10 . tubular assemblage 20 includes a packer unit 25 which , as previously mentioned , is disposed near the bottom of the assemblage to cooperate with the locking groove 12c provided in the metallic section 12 of the liner . packer 25 is provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced locking lugs 26 which are expandable into engagement with the locking groove 12c by an apparatus to be hereinafter described . packer unit 25 further comprises an annular elastomeric packing element 27 which is expandable through the application of compressive force thereto to effect a sealing engagement of the annulus defined between the bore of the liner 10 and the exterior of the tubular assemblage 20 . as will be described , packer unit 25 is set by the application of tension to the tubing string , and the expansion of packing element 27 effectively isolates the lowermost set of perforations 11d from the other perforations . at locations immediately above the remaining sets of perforations 11a , 11b , and 11c , a packing unit 30 is mounted on the tubular assemblage 20 in a manner to be hereinafter described in detail , and incorporates an annular elastomeric sealing element 34 which is expandable into sealing engagement with the bore of the mandrel 10 through the application of tension to the tubing string . thus each of the sets of perforations 11a , 11b , 11c , and 11d are isolated from each other . immediately adjacent each of the sets of perforations 11a , 11b , and 11c , a plurality of peripherally spaced radial ports 21a , 21b , and 21c are respectively provided , thus providing communication between the perforations and the internal bore 20a of the tubular assemblage 20 . immediately below the ports 21a , 21b , and 21c , the tubular assemblage 20a is provided with internal valve retention grooves 22a , 22b , and 22c , respectively . such grooves mount a conventional adjustable flow valving unit 40 which is provided with axially spaced external seals 40a and 40b which straddle the radial ports 21a , 21b , or 21c as the case may be , and with radially outwardly biased retention dogs 40c which respectively engage the internal valve retention grooves 22a , 22b , and 22c . the valve units 40 are a standard commercial unit , and may comprise , for example , the daniel ro - 1 - c valve which is sold by daniel equipment , inc . of houston , tex . valve 40 is provided with an internal adjustable orifice for dividing fluid flow through the valve into two components , namely an axial component and radial component , and the amount of fluid being diverted into the radial component and hence passing through the ports 21a , 21b or 21c and the respective sets of perforations 11a , 11b , and 11c , may be preselected prior to insertion of the valve into the tubular assemblage 20 . each valve 40 is provided with a fishing neck 40d by which the valve may be conveniently removed by wireline from the tubular assemblage 20 for adjustment of the radial flow rate , in the event that the initially selected adjustment is not satisfactory . the valves 40 can then be reinserted by wireline , thus eliminating any necessity for pulling the entire tubing string to make adjustments to produce the proper flow rate into each of the respective production formations p1 , p2 or p3 . since the valve 40 is a standard commercial item , further description of the structure of the valve is deemed unnecessary . lt will be noted that no orifice valve is provided for the lowermost set of perforations 11d . these perforations are supplied with treatment fluid by the residual axial flow . adjustment of the initial flow rate of treatment fluid introduced into the tubing string will adjust the residual axial flow rate . referring now to fig3 a and 3b , the detailed construction of the lowermost packing element 25 will now be described . as shown in the aforementioned figures of the drawings , the lowermost packing element 25 comprises a tubular inner body member 25a provided with internal threads 25b for conventional securement to the bottom end of a sleeve 28 which extends upwardly to form part of the tubular assemblage 20 which is suspended at its top end from the main tubing string ts ( fig . 1a ) extending to the well surface . the lower end of the tubular inner body 25a is provided with external threads 25c which are engaged by the internally threaded upper end of a connecting sub 29 . the lower end of connecting sub 29 is provided with internal threads 29a which are engaged with threads provided on the top end of an extension sleeve 28b which extends downwardly to a position adjacent the lowermost set of perforations 21c . surrounding the medial portion of the inner tubular body 25a is a lock support sleeve 25d . lock support sleeve 25d is conventionally milled out to provide a plurality of peripherally spaced recesses 25e for respectively accommodating a plurality of locking elements 26 . each locking element is biased in a radially outward direction by a pair of leaf springs 26a and 26b which are suitably mounted to the lock - supporting sleeve by bolts 26c . thus , when the lowermost packing element is run into the liner 10 and the lock elements 26 are positioned adjacent the annular locking recess 12c provided in the metallic insert 12 in the liner 10 , the locking lugs 26 will be urged outwardly into engagement with locking recess 12c , but may be cammed out of such engagement by the inclined surfaces 12d and 12e provided at the top and bottom ends of the locking recess 12c . thus , the preferred initial run - in position of the lowermost packing unit 25 places the locking lugs 26 at a position slightly below the annular locking recess 12c as shown in fig3 a . the lock support sleeve 25d is connected to the inner tubular body 25a for run - in purposes by an inwardly projecting j - pin 25g which is threadably mounted in the lock support sleeve 25d and cooperates with a j - slot 25h ( fig9 ) provided on the exterior surface of the inner tubular body 25a . in the run - in position , the j - pin 25g is engaged in the horizontal leg of the j - slot 25h and hence the lock support sleeve 25d moves concurrently with the tubular inner body 25a to the run - in position illustrated in fig3 a . the tubing string is then rotated in a counter clockwise direction a sufficient amount to move the j - pin 25g into alignment with the vertically extending portion of the j - slot 25h and tension is then applied to the tubing string to elevate same and this brings the locking lugs 26 upwardly into alignment with the lock receiving recess 12c provided in the metallic liner section 12 . the application of tension to the tubing string is continued , resulting in the upward movement of the tubular inner body 25a relative to the lock support sleeve 25d . such upward movement brings an enlarged - diameter portion 25f of the tubular inner body into a position adjacent the locking lugs 26 and prevents such locking lugs from being cammed out of the lock receiving recess 12c , thus effectively locking the lock support sleeve in a fixed axial position ( fig4 a ). below the lock support sleeve 25d , a pair of axially spaced abutment rings 27a and 27b are mounted on the tubular inner body 25a in axially spaced relationship , and respectively abut the top and bottom faces of the annular elastomeric sealing element 27 . the upper abutment ring 27a is secured to the inner body 25a by shear screws 27c . the lower abutment ring 27b is shearably secured to the tubular inner body 25a by a shear ring 27d . when the locking lugs 26c are engaged with the annular locking recess 12c , the upper abutment ring 27a is in abutting engagement with the bottom end of the lock support sleeve 25d , and thus prevents further upward movement of the annular elastomeric sealing element 27 until shear screws 27c are severed . as the upward movement of the tubular inner body 25a then continues , the annular elastomeric seal element 27 is axially compressed and expands into sealing engagement with the bore 12f of the liner section 12 and the external surface 25k provided on the inner tubular body 25a , as illustrated in fig4 a . thus , the packing element 25 is fully set and is not only anchored to the liner 10 by the locking lugs 26 but also effects a sealing engagement of the annulus between the bore of the liner 10 and the external surface of the tubular inner body 25a , thus isolating the lowermost set of perforations 11d from all of the other perforations . in order to permit the tension applied through the tubing string to the lowermost packing element 25 to be relaxed , a body lock ring 35 is mounted in the bore of the top end portion of the lock support sleeve 25d . such body lock ring cooperates with conventional wicker threads 25m provided on the top portion of the inner tubular body 25a . thus , the tension may be released in the tubing string without effecting the unsetting of the lowermost packing element 25 . to effect the unsetting of the lowermost packing element 25 , a substantially higher degree of tension is applied to the inner tubular body 25a than required to effect the setting of the lowermost packing element 25 . this degree of tension is selected to exceed the shear strength of the shear ring 27d which holds the lower abutment ring 27b in compressing relationship with respect to the annular elastomeric element 27 . once the shear ring 27d separates , the lower abutment ring 27b is free to move downwardly and thus remove the compressive forces on the annular elastomeric sealing element 27 ( fig5 a , 5b , and 5c ). upward movement of the tubing string will then bring a second smaller diameter surface 25k of the inner tubular body 25a into alignment with the inner faces of the locking lugs 26 . such locking lugs will be cammed out of the locking recess 12c by an inclined upper shoulder 12d , thus releasing the lowermost packing element 25 from its locked relation with respect to the liner section 12 . all of the outer components of the lowermost packing assembly 25 are then removable from the well with the inner tubular body portion 25a through the engagement of the top surface 29b of the connecting sub 29 with the shear ring 27d . referring now to fig6 a , 6b , and 6c there is shown in enlarged detail the construction of the upper packing elements 30 . such units comprise an upper connecting sub 31 having internal threads 31a for connection to either the bottom of the tubing string ( not shown ) or the bottom of a tubing element forming part of the tubular assemblage 20 . connecting sub 31 is provided with internal threads 31b by which it is connected to the upper end of an axially split , two - piece mandrel assemblage 32 . the threaded connection is sealed by an o - ring 31b and a set screw 31c . the upper piece 32a has a bottom end surface 32c ( fig6 b ) lying in abutment with the top end surface 32d of the lower mandrel portion 32b . immediately adjacent the abutting surfaces 32c and 32d , the top and bottom sections 32a and 32b are both provided with an annular recess 32e . a shear ring 32f is contoured to engage both annular recesses 32e and thus secure the upper and lower mandrel pieces 32a and 32b for co - movement . shear ring 32f may be fabricated as a split c - ring construction in order to facilitate assemblage . the lower portion of lower mandrel portion 32b is radially enlarged as indicated at 32p and such lower portion mounts an o - ring 32g which sealably engages the external surface of a connecting sleeve 33 . connecting sleeve 33 has an enlarged - diameter lower portion 33a which is provided with external threads 33b for engagement with the next tubing portion of the tubular assemblage 20 . the radially enlarged portion 32p of the lower mandrel piece 32b abuts the bottom face of an annular elastomeric sealing element 34 . the upper face of the annular elastomeric sealing element 34 is abutted by the bottom end face 36a of a compressing sleeve 36 . sleeve 36 mounts a plurality of peripherally spaced , inwardly projecting bolts 36b each of which extends through a vertical slot 32h provided in the lower mandrel piece 32b and engages a recess 33c formed in the medial portions of the connecting sleeve 33 . the top end of connecting sleeve 33 mounts an o - ring 33d which is disposed in sealing relationship with the internal surface of the upper mandrel piece 32a . the top end of the compression sleeve 36 is shearably secured to the bottom end of the connecting sub 31 by a plurality of peripherally spaced shear screws 31d . additionally , the compression sleeve 32 conventionally mounts a body lock ring 37 which is engagable with wicker threads 32m provided on the exterior of the upper mandrel piece 32a . the operation of the upper packing units 30 may now be described . fig6 a , 6b , and 6c illustrate the run - in position of the elements wherein they are disposed in the manner heretofore described . after setting of the lowermost packing unit 25 , any tensile forces imparted to the lowermost packing unit must pass through the upper packing elements 30 . when such tension reaches a degree to effect the shearing of shear bolts 31d , the severance of such shear bolts permits the mandrel assemblage 32 to move upwardly relative to the compression sleeve 36 and thus effect an axial compression of the annular elastomeric sealing element 34 , causing such element to radially expand to seal the annulus between the bore of the liner 10 and the external surface 32n of the lower mandrel piece 32b ( fig7 a , 7b , and 7c ). the sealing of the annulus is completed by o - ring seal 32g below the elastomeric sealing element 34 and o - ring seal 33d above the elastomeric sealing element 34 . upward movement of the compression sleeve 36 is prevented by the bolts 36b which traverse the vertically extending slots 32h provided in the lower mandrel piece 32b . when the desired degree of expansion of the annular elastomeric sealing element 34 has been accomplished , the body lock ring 37 will prevent any return movement of the mandrel in a downward direction to release the compressive forces on the annular elastomeric sealing element 34 . thus , the elements of the upper packing units 30 assume the configuration illustrated in fig7 a , 7b , and 7c . each upper packing unit 30 may be unset through the application of a tension force through the tubing string substantially greater than the force required to effect the setting of such packing unit . such force should be sufficient to effect the separation of the shear ring 32f , which effects the immediate release of the lower mandrel piece 32b , thus removing the compressive force on the annular elastomeric sealing element 34 ( fig8 a , 8b , and 8c ). the shear strength of the shear ring 32f should be less than that required to effect the shearing of the shear ring 27d of the lowermost packer unit 25 . the lowermost packer unit 25 must remain in an anchored position relative to the liner 10 until all of the shear rings 32f of the upper packing elements 30 are sheared to unset each of the upper packing elements 30 prior to unsetting of the lowermost packing element 25 , which provides the required resistance to tension applied through the tubing string to effect the shearing of the unsetting shear rings 32f of the upper packing elements 30 . those skilled in the art will recognize that the aforedescribed method and apparatus provides an unusually simple and economical solution to the problem of concurrently supplying treatment fluid , be it liquid or gas , to a plurality of vertically spaced production zones traversed by a well bore . not only is such treatment fluid concurrently applied , to all production zones , but the amount or flow rate of the treatment fluid supplied to each of the production zones may be selectively adjusted . referring now to fig2 a , 2b , 2c , and 2d there is shown a modification of this invention which is useful whenever the interior diameter of the casing 1 is large enough to accommodate a conventional side pocket mandrel in the tubing string . referring to these drawings , wherein similar numbers indicate components similar to those previously described , it will be noted that the liner 10 is identical to that previously described and is suspended from the hanger 5 in the same manner as described . the tubular assemblage 20 , however , is now connected at its upper end by threads 20f to a lower inner portion 60a of a conventional side pocket mandrel 60 . side pocket mandrel 60 is in turn connected in series relationship to the lower end of the tubing string ( not shown ). an extension sleeve 62 connected by threads 62a to the outer bottom end of the side pocket mandrel 60 and sleeve 62 is provided at its bottom end with a radially thickened portion 62b in which are mounted a plurality of axially spaced seals 62c . seals 62c effect a sealing engagement with the extension sleeve 5c provided on the hanger 5 . thus the side pocket mandrel 60 may move axially with respect to the hanger 5 , but maintains sealing engagement with the bore of the extension sleeve 5c . side pocket mandrel 60 is provided with a conventional interior side pocket 65 within which is conventionally mounted an adjustable axial flow - controlling valve 70 . such valve is entirely conventional and may comprise the daniel ro - 1 - c valve sold by daniel equipment , inc . of houston , tex ., but modified with respect to the same valve utilized in the modifications of fig1 a , 1b , and 1c to provide an adjustable axial flow outlet instead of a radial flow outlet . thus the treatment fluid introduced through the tubing string will be divided by the adjustable flow valve 70 into an inner axial component which proceeds down the bore 20a of the tubular assemblage 20 , and a second axially flowing component which proceeds down the annulus 20g defined between the exterior of the tubular assemblage 20 and the internal bores of the hanger 5 and the liner 10 . in this modification , the uppermost packing element 30 which was previously disposed above the uppermost set of perforations is eliminated and the axial flow component of treatment fluid enters the perforations 11a directly from the annular flow passage 20g . the amount of this flow is adjustable by adjustment of the adjustable flow valve 70 . for this purpose , the adjustable flow valve 70 is provided with a fishing neck 70a by which the valve may be conveniently retrieved by wireline for adjustment purposes and then reinserted in the side pocket 65 of the side pocket mandrel 60 . it will be noted that the annular flow passage 20g is sealed off at its lower end by the packing element 30 sealably located in such annulus above the next set of perforations 11b . the modification of fig2 a , 2b , and 2c is particularly useful whenever only two or three perforating zones are to be concurrently treated . with such arrangement , the adjustable flow valve 70 may be directly removed by wireline for adjustment purposes . in contrast , in the modification of fig1 a , 1b , and 1c , it is necessary to remove any flow valves 40 located above the particular valve requiring adjustment before that valve can be reached by wireline and removed for adjustment purposes . the modification of fig2 a , 2b , 2c , and 2d incorporates a lower packer unit 25 which is set above the lowermost set of perforations in the same manner as described in the modification of fig1 a , 1b , and 1c , as well as upper packing units 30 . both the packer unit 25 and all upper packing units 30 are set through the application of tension through the tubing string in the manner previously described . referring now to fig1 a , 10b , 11a , and 11b , there is shown a modified construction of a packing unit 100 . unit 100 incorporates an upper tubular body member 102 having internal threads 102a for conventional engagement with the tubular assemblage 20 . the lower end of the tubular body 102 is provided with internal threads 102b which are threadably engaged with an abutment sleeve 104 . abutment sleeve 104 secures a shear ring 106 in a radially projecting position immediately below the end of the body sleeve 102 . an inner body sleeve 110 is mounted in concentric telescopic relationship to body sleeve 102 and is provided at its lower end with external threads 110a for securement to the next section of the tubular body assemblage 102 . an o - ring seal 112 is provided on the exterior of the inner body member 110 adjacent the upper end of such body member and a second o - ring 114 , which is of somewhat larger diameter is secured to a medial portion of the inner body member 110 . such seals engage the bore surfaces 102c and 102d of the inner body member 102 in slidable and sealable relationship . an annular elastomeric seal 120 surrounds the lower portions of the outer body member 102 . a seal compressor sleeve 122 also surrounds the lower end of the outer tubular body 102 and is secured by internal threads 122a to the top end of a shear pin ring 124 . shear pin ring 124 slidably surrounds the exterior of the inner tubular body 110 and is provided with one or more radially inwardly projecting shear screws 126 which engage an annular groove 110c provided on the exterior of the inner tubular body 110 . an abutment sleeve 130 is mounted in surrounding relationship to the upper portions of the outer tubular body 102 and is secured in a fixed axial position relative to the inner tubular body 110 by one or more radially disposed bolts 132 which are threadably secured in the abutment sleeve 130 but project through axially extending slots 102e formed in the outer tubular body 102 . the anchor bolts 132 snugly engage an annular groove 110d formed in the upper portions of the inner tubular body 110 . assuming that the lower end of the tubular body assembly is anchored by a lower packing element in the manner heretofor described , the exertion of an upward tensile force on the outer tubular body 102 will first effect a shearing of the shear screws 126 , thus permitting the outer tubular body 102 to move upwardly relative to the inner tubular body 110 and the abutment sleeve 130 . the compression sleeve 122 is therefore carried upwardly by the outer tubular body 102 and effects a compression of the annular elastomeric seal element 120 into sealing engagement with the adjacent wall of the fiberglass reinforced liner 10 , as illustrated in fig1 a and 11b , thus setting the upper packing element 100 . the packing element is retained in a set position through the co - operation of a body lock ring 140 which is conventially mounted between internally projecting threads 130b formed on the interior of the abutment sleeve 130 and wicker threads 102f formed on the exterior of the outer tubular body 102 . thus , tension can be relieved on the outer tubular body 102 and the packer will remain in its set , sealed relationship with the bore of the thermoplastic liner 10 . to unset the modified upper packer 100 , it is only necessary to apply a greater degree of tension than that employed in setting the packer . such larger tensile force will effect the shearing of the shear ring 106 and thus immediately permit the compression sleeve 120 to shift downwardly to relax the compressive forces on the annular elastomeric seal element 120 . all of the elements of the packer can then be removed with the tubing assemblage 20 , if desired . although the invention has been described in terms of specified embodiments which are set forth in detail , it should be understood that this is by illustration only and that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto , since alternative embodiments and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure . accordingly , modifications are contemplated which can be made without departing from the spirit of the described invention .
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a venturi tube , or venturi , usable in a deheading system embodying features of the invention is shown in fig2 . the venturi 16 is a restricted portion of a conduit 18 enclosing a fluid channel 19 conveying a shrimp - laden fluid along a fluid path 20 . the conduit has an open entrance end 22 and an opposite open exit end 23 downstream of the entrance end . an input portion 24 of the conduit extends downstream from the entrance end 22 and defines the fluid channel with a cross - sectional area a 1 . a transition portion 26 of the conduit extends downstream from the input portion 24 to the venturi 16 . the transition portion 26 defines a length of the fluid channel with a converging cross - sectional area formed by two pairs of converging parabolic walls : large walls 25 and small walls 27 . the venturi 16 has a cross - sectional area a 2 that is less than that of the input portion 24 . in the example of fig2 , the shape of the cross - sectional area a 2 of the venturi is rectangular , but may be other shapes , e . g ., elliptical or oval , having a minor axis 28 shorter than its major axis 29 . the venturi 16 extends downstream to an open end 30 . in fig2 , the venturi &# 39 ; s end 30 opens into a downstream transition portion 32 of the conduit defining a length of the fluid channel 19 diverging outward from the cross - sectional area a 2 of the venturi to a larger cross - sectional area of an output portion 34 of the conduit . in this example , the output portion 34 has the same cross - sectional area a 1 as the input portion 24 . thus , the conduit 18 in fig2 is reversible . but the downstream transitional portion 32 may be eliminated and replaced with a flat plate having an opening forming an end wall of the output portion 34 at the open end 30 of the venturi 16 . as shown in fig3 a - 3c , the transition portion of the conduit 18 may be gradual ( fig3 a with a 30 ° taper of the long parabolic walls 25 relative to the direction of the fluid path 20 and a long length ), sharp ( fig3 c with a 60 ° taper of the long parabolic walls 25 and a short length ), or intermediate ( fig3 b with a 45 ° taper of the long parabolic walls 25 and an intermediate length ). the sharp transition portion 26 of fig3 causes a more abrupt acceleration of the fluid through the channel than the longer tapers of fig3 a and 3b and is more useful for sturdier shrimp . as indicated by the convergence of streamlines 36 in the transition portion 26 of the conduit , the flow accelerates to a higher speed in the venturi 16 . the converging flow tends to orient the shrimp along the streamlines by minimizing the surface area broadside to the flow . the hydrodynamic forces caused by the rapid acceleration of the flow at the venturi and by the non - uniformity of the flow just upstream of the venturi is sufficient to detach heads from the shrimp . the major axis 29 of the venturi cross - sectional area a 2 is long enough to admit a major portion of , if not all , the length of a shrimp into the venturi without severe collisions with the interior walls of the conduit that could break the shrimp between segments . for this reason , the venturi of fig2 is especially useful for deheading fragile cold - water shrimp . one version of a complete deheading system 40 is shown in fig4 a and 4b . shrimp are conveyed out of a feed tank 42 by a conveyor belt 44 and dropped into a fluid - filled trough 46 . a food pump 48 draws shrimp - laden fluid from the trough 46 and pumps it into a conduit system 50 , which has two venturis 52 , 53 at spaced apart locations along its length . shrimp are deheaded in the venturis and conveyed by the fluid through the conduit system to a feed plenum 54 . the shrimp bodies and detached heads drop from the plenum onto a screen slide 56 . the fluid drains through the screen and into a tank 58 in fluid communication with the trough 46 . a perforated plate 60 between the tank and the trough prevents shrimp in the trough from entering the tank 58 . the food pump 48 is driven by a pump motor 62 . together , the pump and the motor form flow control means that controls the flow rate and the fluid speed through the conduit system . the deheading system shown in fig5 has five venturis 64 connected in series in a conduit system 66 . a food pump 68 induces a flow through the conduit system 66 . such a multiple - venturi system can be effective for deheading sturdy shrimp . the deheading system of fig6 adds fluid - pressure sensor 69 at sensor locations in the conduit system 66 , for example , at locations just upstream of the final four venturis 64 to measure the hydrodynamic force of the flow . the outputs 70 of the pressure sensors control valves 72 connected between a boost pump 74 and fluid lines 76 injecting fluid into the conduit system at injection locations 78 near the sensor locations , for example , to replace any leaked fluid and to maintain the fluid pressure along the length of the fluid channel . although the invention has been described in detail with respect to a few versions , other versions are possible . for example , if large - diameter conduit , such as ten - inch — diameter pipes instead of 4 - inch — diameter pipes , the cross - sectional area of the venturis could be circular or square because the diameter of the circular opening or the lengths of the sides of the square opening would be large enough to allow shrimp through without damaging collisions with the walls of the conduit . as another example , a complete system using only a single venturi may be sufficient to detach heads from the shrimp in some situations . so , as these suggestions suggest , the claims are not meant to be limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments .
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reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . wherever possible , the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts . fig2 is a perspective view of a vertical optical scanner according to this invention . fig3 is an exploded view of all the major components constituting the vertical optical scanner according to this invention . as shown in fig2 and 3 , the vertical optical scanner has a main body 1100 . a transparent panel 1300 is on one side of the main body 1100 perpendicular to the floor . the main body 1100 has a guiding slot 1500 on each side . a pair of linking bars 1600 passes through each guiding slot 1500 and fastens to the main body 1100 . all four linking bars 1600 are parallel to each other . each linking bar 1600 is free to move vertically through rotation relative to the point of attachment inside the main body 1100 . the other ends of the four linking bars are attached to the respective sides of a document cover panel 1200 . each linking bar 1600 is free to move vertically through rotation relative to the point of attachment at the document cover panel 1200 . since the four linking bars 1600 are mutually parallel , constant parallelism between the document cover panel 1200 and the transparent panel 1300 can be maintained . through simultaneous vertical movement of all four linking bars 1600 about their respective pivotal attachment points at the main body 1100 and the document cover panel 1200 , the panel 1200 is free to move towards or away from the transparent panel 1300 . there is a handle 1210 on the exterior - facing surface of the document cover panel 1200 for lifting up the cover panel 1200 . fig4 is a side view showing a lowered document cover panel of the vertical optical scanner according to this invention . before conducting a scanning operation , the document , a force is applied to the handle 1210 to lift the document cover panel 1200 . when the document cover panel 1200 is lifted up to such an extent that the four linking bars 160 are almost horizontal , a spring - loaded lock 1700 mounted on the main body 110 and located next to a pair of linking bars 1600 is employed to station the panel 1200 . the spring - loaded lock 1700 has an internal spring 1710 ( as shown in fig3 ) that pushes the lock 1700 outward and latches the linking bars 1600 at a supporting surface 1730 ( as shown in fig3 ). through this mechanism , the four linking bars 1600 are supported and the document cover panel 1200 is prevented from falling . fig5 is a side view showing a lifted document cover panel of the vertical optical scanner according to this invention . at this point , no force needs to be applied to station the document cover panel 1200 . a scan document 1400 may easily slip into the space between the transparent panel 1300 and the document cover panel 1200 . furthermore , there is a backing plate 1800 attached to the lower ledge of the main body 1200 for supporting the scan document 1400 and serving as an alignment base for the document 1400 . after proper positioning of the scan document 1400 , the spring - loaded lock 1700 is depressed forcing the linking bars 1600 to dislocate from the supporting surface 1730 and fall into a groove 1720 ( as shown in fig3 ). due to force of gravity , the document cover panel 1200 drops down bringing the cover panel 1200 back to the previous tight engagement position with the transparent panel 1300 ( as shown in fig4 ). once the scan document 1400 is firmly pressed against the transparent panel 1300 , scanning may begin . to initiate a scanning operation , an electric motor inside the main body 1100 drives a transmission device that carries a scanning module ( not shown ) to perform necessary scanning of the document 1400 on the transparent panel 1300 . the aforementioned holding device is not limited to the spring - loaded lock 1700 . a cam system using a cam 1900 such as the one shown in fig6 a and 6 b may be used . alternatively , a supporting groove 1510 sticking into the guiding slot opening such as the one in fig7 or a spring - lever fastening lock 200 having a structure shown in fig8 may be used instead . in fact , any methods or devices capable of stationing the document cover panel 1200 in a horizontal position can be employed . fig6 a and 6 b are sketches showing two cam positions for stationing the document cover panel according to this invention . as shown in fig6 a and 6 b , a cam 1900 and a rubber roller 1910 system is mounted at the junction between at least one linking bar 1600 and the main body 1100 . when the document cover panel 1200 is lifted from a position shown in fig6 a to a position shown in fig6 b , the cam 1900 and the roller 1910 are pressed together so that the document cover panel 1200 is held in a horizontal position . fig7 is a sketch showing an additional stationing device beside the guiding slot opening of the document cover panel . as shown in fig7 , a supporting groove 1510 is added to the guiding slot opening 1500 . when the document cover panel 1200 is lifted to a horizontal position , the linking bars 1600 are moved into the supporting grooves 1510 so that the document cover panel 1200 is held in the horizontal position . fig8 is a side view showing a spring - loaded lever system for locking the document cover panel according to this invention . as shown in fig8 , a spring - loaded lever lock 2000 is attached to the junction between the main body 1100 and at least one of the linking bar 1600 . the spring - loaded level lock has an internal spring 2010 and a round rod 2020 . the spring 2010 pushes against the round rod 2020 so that the movement of the linking bar 1600 from the solid line position to the centerline position is stable . hence , the document cover panel 1200 can remain in a horizontal position . 1 . floor space is reduced because the optical scanner is erected vertically relative to the floor . furthermore , volume of the optical scanner is not limited by size of the document . 2 . a simple four linkage parallel mechanism is used . this mechanism maintains a constant parallelism between the document cover panel and the transparent panel . weight of the document cover also presses a scan document firmly onto the glass surface of the transparent panel . 3 . the handle on the backing plate permits easy lifting of the document cover panel . 4 . a stationing device for holding the document cover panel in a horizontal position facilitates single hand insertion of a scan document . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . in view of the foregoing , it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents .
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as will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to fig5 to 15 , an arrangement of a subscriber line interface circuit in a switching system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a subscriber line interface circuit package having packet communication signal processing circuits each of which include , a digital signal processing processor and a phase locked loop circuit . the digital signal processor includes an address generating circuit , a serial receiving interface circuit , a serial sending interface circuit and a parallel port interface circuit . fig5 is a block diagram showing a subscriber line interface circuit package 30 having m subscriber lines and corresponding to the subscriber line interface circuit 3a as illustrated in fig1 . the subscriber line interface circuit package 30 comprises a microprocessor cpu 31 , a switch interface circuit 32 for interfacing with the switch circuit in the switching system as illustrated in fig1 line terminal circuits or so - called borschts 34 1 to 34 m for subjecting subscriber lines 33 1 to 33 m to terminal processing and packet communication signal processors 35 1 to 35 m for assembling and disassembling the packets and processing voice signals . the switch interface circuit 32 is not connected with a system bus 36 . according to the present invention , each of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m and the switch interface circuit 32 serially receive and send data directly without using the system bus 36 . the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m have input and output lines for serial data which are multiconnected ( wire ored ). furthermore , the line terminal circuits or borschts 34 1 to 34 m are not connected with the system bus 36 . the borschts 34 1 to 34 m are connected with the corresponding packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m by way of local buses 37 1 to 37 m . that is , each of the packet communication signal processing circuits 36 1 to 36 m finally controls one of the line terminal circuits 34 1 to 34 m . each of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m also effects a call control progress . the voice signals are sent and received as analog signals between packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m and the corresponding borschts 34 1 to 34 m . accrodingly , the borschts 34 1 to 34 m each employs a analog processing arrangement . in more detail , a borscht comprises a battery feed circuit , an overvoltage protection circuit , a ring circuit , a supervision circuit , a coding decoding circuit , a hybrid circuit and a testing circuit . the operation of the subscriber line interface circuit package 30 will now be described . the operating modes of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m provided for the corresponding subscriber lines 33 1 to 33 m are determined by the instructions of the host microprocessor 31 . the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m control the borschts 34 1 to 34 m provided for the corresponding subscriber lines 33 1 to 33 m in accordance with the instructions of the host microprocessor 31 by way of the local buses 37 1 to 37 m ( e . g . battery feed control , ring control , testing control and the like ), collect information about the state of lines of each subscriber line 33 1 to 33 m from the borschts 34 1 to 34 m ( e . g . loop scanning of the line , numeral information sent out by the phone and the like ), and supply the collected information to the host microprocessor 31 . the analog voice signals are supplied by the subscriber lines for the duration of the call to the packet communication processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m by way of borschts 34 1 to 34 m . the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m convert the analog voice signals to the digital voice signals by an oversampling analog / digital converter incorporated therein . furthermore , the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m subject the converted digital signals to a variety of voice signal processings ( e . g . noise mixing elimination , voice or silence discrimination , voice coding , near - end echo elimination and the like ) and store the processed digital signals in a memory incorporated therein in an arbitrary packet format . when the data for one packet is stored in the memory , a header is allocated to the packet and a send request flag is made active . the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m sense a busy signal line bsy at a prescribed timing on the basis of a synchronous signal syn supplied by the packet switched network and check as to whether the packet data can be transferred to the switch interface circuit 32 . if the busy signal bsy is inactive , a packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 is allowed to make the busy signal bsy active and transfer its packet data to the switch interface circuit 32 as serial output data so . the packet communication signal processing circuit 35 1 to deactivates the busy signal bsy upon competion of the transfer of the packet data . if the busy signal bsy is active , the other packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m avoid transmitting packet data and sense the busy signal bsy at a timing prescribed on the basis of the next synchronous signal syn . the processings set forth above are repeated until the busy signal bsy becomes inactive . in contrast , when the switch interface circuit 32 transfers received or addressed packet data to one of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m , the switch interface circuit 32 first activates a packet data receiving request signal rreq at the timing assigned to each of the corresponding packet communication processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m , whereupon a packet receiving request flag incorporated in the designated one of packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m becomes active . the designated packet communication signal processing circuit 35 1 to 35 m checks the packet receiving request flag at the timing prescribed on the basis of the synchronous signal syn supplied by the packet switched network . if the packet receiving request flag is active , the designated packet communication signal processing circuit ; 35 1 to 35 m receives the packet data from the switching interface circuit 32 and stores it in the memory incorporated therein . the packet communication signal processing circuit deactivates its packet receiving request flag of after reception of the packet data . thereafter , the packet communication signal processing circuit extracts the received packet data from the internal memory , analyzes the header for subjecting the packet data to various voice signal processings , converts it to the analog voice signal by the oversampling digital / analog converter and supplies the analog voice signal to the corresponding one of subscriber lines 33 1 to 33 m by way of the corresponding one of borschts 34 1 to 34 m . the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m will be described in more detail with reference to fig6 . the arrangement comprises one large - scale integrated circuit ( lsi ). in fig6 one of the packet commuinication signal processing circuit 35 1 to 35 m comprises an analog / digital digital / analog converter 40 ( hereinafter referred to as ad - da converter ) operable in accordance with an oversampling system , a digital signal processor dsp 41 and a phase locked loop circuit pll 42 . a synchronous signal syn and a clock signal clk are synchronous with the communication network . these signals are supplied from a host device of the subscriber line interface circuit package 30 to the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 . the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 generates a new synchronous signal syncp and two kinds of clock signals clkcp and clksmp , both of which are synchronous with the signal syn and the clock signal clk . the signal syncp and the clock signal clkcp are supplied to the digital signal processor 41 and the clock signal clksmp is supplied to the ad da converter 40 . the analog voice signal ain supplied by one of the borschts 34 1 to 34 m is sampled at high speed by the ad - da converter 40 on the basis of the clock signal clksmp and converted to a digital signal dc , which is supplied to the digital signal processor 41 . on the other hand , a digital signal di provided by the digital signal processor 41 is converted to an analog signal aout by the ad - da converter 40 on the basis of the clock signal clksmp , and thereafter supplied to the borsht . the digital signal processor dsp 41 and the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 will be described in detail . inasmuch as the ad - da converter 40 is not a featured arrangement , the explanation thereof will be omitted . the digital signal processor dsp 41 executes call processing or progress and voice signal processing in response to the instructions of the host microprocessor 31 , and supplies information obtained by the call progress to the host microprocessor 31 . the digital signal processor dsp 41 comprises , as illustrated in fig6 an address generating circuit 44 , a memory 46 having a ram 45 , an arithmetic operation unit 47 and a control unit 48 . the memory 46 , the arithmetic operation unit 47 and the control unit 48 are respectively connected with each other via an internal data bus 43 so that the data can be transferred to each other . the arithmetic operation unit 47 executes arithmetic operations and logical operations needed for effecting the call progress and the voice signal processing . the control unit 48 is connected with the microprocessor by way of an address bus ab , a bilateral data bus , a signal line for a write enable signal we , a signal line for a read enable signal oe and a signal line for a chip enable signal ( ce ). a rom is not illustrated in fig6 it can be provided along with the ram 45 in the memory 46 . the digital signal processor dsp 41 is connected with a parallel port interface circuit 49 by way of the internal data bus 43 . the parallel port interface circuit 49 is connected with the corresponding one of borschts 34 1 to 34 m by way of signal lines for a parallel data input p1 and a parallel data output po for receiving and sending data needed for the call progress , testing , maintenance , supervision and the like . the digital signal processor dsp 41 is further connected by way of the internal bus 43 with a serial sending interface circuit 50 for sending and receiving the packet data to and from the packet switch , and a serial receiving interface circuit 51 for receiving the packet data . the serial sending interface circuit 50 and the serial receiving interface circuit 51 are respectively connected with the other packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m by way of signal lines for sending and receiving the busy signal bsy , for sending the serial output data so , for receiving the serial input data si and the receiving request signal rreq . fig7 is a block diagram showing in detail the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 as illustrated in fig6 and fig8 is a timing diagram of for the signals . the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 comprises , as well known , a phase difference detector 52 , a low - pass filter lpf 53 , a voltage - controlled oscillator vco 54 and a frequency divider 55 . the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 further comprises , in addition to the constituents set forth just above , two nand gates 57 , 58 and an and gate 59 . the voltage - controlled oscillator vco 54 creates the clock signal clkcp ( fig8 ( d )) which is supplied to the digital signal processor 41 . the frequency of clock signal clkcp is reduced by a predetermined fraction by the frequency divider 55 . the divided frequency is supplied from the frequency divider 55 as a clock signal clksmp ( fig8 ( e )) to the ad - da converter 40 and to the phase difference detector 52 . the clock signal clk , which is synchronous with the packet switched network , is also supplied to the phase difference detector 52 . the phase difference detector 52 generates a pulse corresponding to the phase difference between the clock signal clksmp and the clock signal clk . the phase difference pulse is converted to a direct current signal by the low - pass filter 53 and supplied to the voltage - controlled oscillator 54 as a frequency control signal . the high speed clock signal clkcp is thus made to be synchronous with the clock signal clk . the synchronous signal syn ( fig8 ( a )) has a pulse width corresponding to one clock cycle of the clock signal clk and frequency which is twice the bandwidth of the analog voice signal . the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 creates a synchronous signal syncp ( fig8 ( c )) which is sycnchronous with the synchronous signal syn and supplied to the digital signal processor 41 . the shift register circuit 56 receives the synchronous signal syn as the data and an inverted clock signal clkcp provided by the nand gate 57 as the shifting clock signal . the output of the shift register 56 at some shift stage ( the second stage in fig8 ) is directly supplied to the and gate 59 , and the output of the shift register 56 at this shift stage incremented one stage is inverted by the nand gate 58 and supplied to the and gate 59 . hence , the and gate 59 supplies an output synchronous signal cyncp having a pulse width corresponding to one clock cycle of the clock signal clkcp to the digital signal processor 41 at the data timing illustrated in fig8 ( f ). the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 is included in one lsi constituting the packet communication signal processing circuit 35 , so that the arrangement thereof is simplified and and synchronized with the network . if the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 were provided outside the lsi , there would be serious problem of crosstalk in processing high frequency signals , hence the phase locked loop circuit pll 42 is included in one lsi . an overall operation of the packet communication signal processors 35 1 to 35 m will be described hereinafter . all the operating modes of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m are determined by the instructions of the host computer 31 . the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m control their borschts 34 1 to 34 m by way of the parallel port interface circuits 49 on the basis of the instructions of the host microprocessor 31 ( battery feed control , ringing control , testing control ) and collect the line states from the borschts ( e . g . loop scanning of the lines , numerical information sent out from the phone ), and then convey the collected information to the host microprocessor 31 . the voice analog signal ain provided by one of the borschts 34 for the duration of a call is converted to a digital signal by the ad - da converter 40 and supplied to the digital signal processor 41 . the digital signal is subjected to various voice signal processings ( e . g . noise mixing elmination , voice or silence discrimination , voice coding , near - end echo elmination and the like ) and stored thereafter in the memory 46 in an arbitrary packet format . when the data for one packet has been stored in the memory 46 , the digital signal processor 41 allocates a header to the packet and transfers the packet to the switch circuit at high speed by way of the serial sending interface circuit 50 . on the other hand , a received packet transferred from the switch circuit by way of serial receiving interface circuit 51 is temporarily stored in the memory 46 . thereafter , the digital signal processing processor 41 extracts the received packet data from the memory 46 , analyzes the header and subjects the packet data to various voice signal processings , after which the data is supplied to the ad - da converter 40 . the packet data is subjected to digital / analog conversion by the ad - da converter 40 and supplied to the borscht as the analog voice signal aout . the address generating circuit 44 , the serial receiving interface circuit 51 , the serial sending interface circuit 50 and the parallel port interface circuit 49 respectively constituting the digital signal processor 41 will be described more in detail hereinafter . the arithmetic operation unit 47 comprises an arithmetic and logic unit alu , a multiplier , register , an accumulator acc , and the like . the control unit 48 comprises an instruction register and the like . however , neither the arithmetic operation unit 47 nor the control unit 48 need to be further explained . fig9 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of the address generating circuit 44 the address generating circuit 44 has an arithmetic unit 60 for adding a first address signal adr1 to an address varing signal δadr . the output signal of the arithmetic unit 60 is supplied to the input of a selector 61 together with an immediate addressing signal adrimm for determining the initialization . the selector 61 selects the immediate addressing signal adrimm or the output of the arithmetic unit 60 on the basis of a selection signal sel1 and has an output connected to a register 62 . the register 62 stores the output of the selector 61 and provides the first address signal adr1 on the basis of the synchronization with a latch clock signal ck1 . a selector 63 selects the output of an adder 64 or the immediate addressing signal adrimm on the basis of a selection signal sel2 , and has an output connected to a register 65 . the register 65 stores temporarily the output of the selector 63 and provides a second address signal adr2 on the basis of the synchronization of a latch clock signal ck2 . the second address signal adr2 is supplied commonly to the input of the adder 64 and to one input of a third selector 66 . the adder 64 adds 1 to the second address signal adr2 . the selector 66 selects one of the first address signal adrl and the second address signal adr2 and provides an address output signal ramadr . the second address signal adr2 is a signal to get access to the ram 45 at the time of transfer of the packet data and the first signal adr is a signal to get access to a ram 45 at the time when the packet data is not transferred . the operation of the address generating circuit 44 will be described with reference to fig1 , which shows the transfer of a packet . the voice input signal is , before transfer of the packet , first converted to the packet data format and stored in the ram 45 . when a packet has been stored in the ram 45 , a flag for requesting sending of the packet ( sreqf in fig1 , which will be described later ) is set , whereby the select signal sel of the selector 66 is controlled to select the second address signal adr2 . assuming that the first address location for transferring the packet data has previously been determined and the initial address thereof has been stored in the register 65 as a result of the immediate address signal adrimm , the address signal adr2 is supplied as the address output signal ramadr to the ram45 . as a result , the packet data corresponding to the second address signal adr2 is read and transferred to the serial sending interface circuit 50 . at the same time , the latch clock signal ck2 is supplied to the register 65 , which stores the value obtained by adding 1 to the present address . therefore , the select signal sel of the selector 60 is controlled to select the first address adr1 , whereby the digital signal processor 41 returns to execute processings other than the tranfer of the packet . assuming that the processing speed by the digital signal processor 41 relatative to that by the serial sending interface circuit 50 is 1 : 64 , the packet data is transmitted from the ram 45 to the serial sending interface circuit 50 by a transfer order every 64 steps as illustrated in fig1 . the flow chart of fig1 shows the transfer operations of the for packet data having 16 words , namely , transfer operations repeated 16 times . for example , at transfer 1 , the data stored at the address 0000h of the ram 45 is first read and supplied to the serial sending interface circuit 50 . upon completion of the transfer of the packet in transfer 1 , the digital signal processor 41 starts to process other signals . upon completion of processing of the signal located at the address 2f31h of the ram 45 at the 64th step , a second packet transfer , transfer 2 , starts . thereafter the transfer operations are repeated until transfer 16 is completed . in case of reception of the packet data , a flag for requesting reception of the packet ( rrefg in fig1 ) is set and , the packet data is successively transferred to and stored in the ram 45 . thereafter the packet data is subjected to a reproduction procesing and supplied to the ad - da converter 40 , whereby the analog voice output signal is produced . the serial receiving interface circuit 51 will now be described in detail with reference to fig1 and fig1 . the serial receiving interface circuit 51 comprises a d - type flipflop circuit 70 , and gates 71 and 72 , a shift register 73 , a latch circuit 74 , a three - state buffer circuit 75 and an rs flipflop circuit 76 . serial receiving interface circuit 51 converts a serial receiving packet to a parallel receiving packet and supplies the parallel receiving packet to the internal data bus 43 . the receiving request signal rreq ( fig1 ( b )), which becomes active when the packet data is supplied to the subscriber line interface circuit , is supplied to the digital signal processor circuit 41 . the receiving request signal rreq is supplied to the data terminal of the d - type flipflop circuit 70 . a clock pulse signal ckscn ( fig1 ( c )) having the same period ( hereinafter referred to as a frame ) as the synchronous signal syn ( fig1 ( a )) is supplied to the clock terminal of the d - type flipflop 70 . the receiving request signal rreq is sampled by the clock pulse signal ckscn in the d - type flipflop circuit 70 and a the receiving request flag rrefg ( fig1 ( d )) is set . the receiving request flag rrefg is supplied to the control unit 48 of the digital signal processor 41 as notification of a receiving request from external equipment and to the and gates 71 and 72 as a passage control signal . a shift clock pulse signal sckr ( fig1 ( f )), passes the and gate 71 when it operates and is supplied to the shift register 73 , e . g . the clock signal clkcp , has the same number of pulses in one frame thereof as the number of bits constituting a packet . a latch pulse signal lp ( fig1 ( g )), which passes the and gate 72 when it operates and is supplied to the latch circuit 74 , is generated every given number of bits in synchronism with the shift clock pulse signal sckr . the shift register circuit 73 converts a serial input to a parallel output . it receives a serial receiving data si ( fig1 ( e )) during a packet receiving operation on the basis of the shift clock pulse signal sckr passed by the and gate 71 . the data received by the shift register circuit 73 and converted to a parallel output is supplied to a data terminal d of the latch circuit 74 . the latch circuit 74 latches the output of the shift register circuit 73 on the basis of the latch pulse signal lp provided by the and gate 72 and supplies the latch output lat ( fig1 ( h )) to the three - state buffer circuit 75 . the rs flipflop 76 receives the output lp of the and gate 72 at its set terminal s and is set at the instant when the latch circuit 74 latches the output of the shift register 73 . the rs flipflop 76 supplies a receiving acknowledge flag rakfg ( fig1 ( j )) from its output terminal q to inform the control unit 48 of the digital signal processor 41 of the completion of the receipt of part of a packet . while the receiving acknowledge flag rakfg is active , a source enable signal srcen ( fig1 ( i )) indicative of a reception enable state relative to a signal source becomes active . the source enable signal is supplied to to the control terminal of the three - state buffer circuit 75 and a reset terminal r of the rs flipflop circuit 76 . when the source enable signal srcen is active , the output data of the latch circuit 74 is supplied to the internal data bus 43 and the rs flipflop circuit 76 is reset to deactivate the receiving acknowledge flag rakfg so that the rs fipflop 76 is ready for shift register 73 to receive the next data of a given number of bits . the operations are repeated until the data for one packet is received . the serial sending interface circuit 50 will now be described with reference to fig1 and fig1 . the serial sending interface circuit 50 comprises nand gates 77 and 82 , and gates 78 , 81 , 84 , 85 and 89 a d - type flipflop circuit 79 , an open collector ( or drain ) nand gate 80 , rs flipflop circuits 83 and 88 , a latch circuit 86 , a shift register circuit 87 and an open collector ( or drain ) nand gate 90 . serial pending interface circuit 50 converts the parallel data supplied via the internal data bus 43 to serial data which is supplied to the switch interface circit 32 as the addressing or sending packet . the reeiving request signal rreq ( fig1 ( b )), as explained in connection with the serial receiving interface circuit 51 , is also supplied to the serial sending interface circuit 50 . this serves as a conflic control provision for stopping a serial sending operation at the time of a serial receiving operation . the receiving request signal rreq is inverted by the nand gate 77 and supplied to the and gate 78 . the sending request flag sreqf ( fig1 ( c )) becomes active when an addressing packet is stored in the memory of the digital signal processor 41 for one packet and becomes inactive upon completion of the sending of the packet . the sending request flag sreqf is supplied to the and gates 78 81 and to the nand gate 82 . a busy signal bsy ( fig1 ( d )) provided by the output q of the rs flipflop 83 is a conflic signal that is necessary for use in the multiconnection arrangement of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m as shown in fig5 . the busy signal is inverted to an active low signal bsy ( indicating active low ) by the nand gate 80 and supplied to the and gate 78 and to the other packet communication signal processor circuits 35 1 to 35 m . as mentioned above , the conflict control is necessary since that the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m are provided in a &# 34 ;; multiconnection arrangement . the busy terminals of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m are multiconnected ( wire ored ) and pulled up by an external resistor ( not shown ). the digital signal processor 41 scans the inverted busy signal bsy to ascertain whether none of the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m is executing a transmission operation and sending packet data . that is , if the busy signal bsy is &# 34 ; h &# 34 ;, the digital signal processor 41 allows the busy signal bsy to become &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; so that the packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m cam can not start to send a packet , except by the concerned one of circuits 35 1 to 35 m , which can thereafter transmit its packet . the digital signal processor 41 makes the busy signal bsy to return to &# 34 ; h &# 34 ; upon completion of the transmission of the packet . the clock pulse signal ckscn ( fig1 ( e )) has the same frame duration as the synchronous signal syn ( fig1 ( a )) and is supplied to the clock terminal ck of the d - type flipflop circuit 79 . the d - type flipflop circuit 79 samples the output of the and gate 78 and supplies its q output to the and gates 81 , 84 , 85 and 89 . the q output also serves as a sending acknowledge flag sakfg ( fig1 ( f )) and informs the control unit 48 of the digital signal processor 41 that the packet can be transmitted . the active condition of the sending acknowledge flag sakfg indicates that , due to logical condition of the and gate 78 , ( 1 ) there is a sending request for a packet ( 2 ) there is no receiving request for a packet and ( 3 ) other packet communication signal processing circuits excepting the concerned circuit are not transmitting a packet . the rs flipflop circuit 83 receives at its set terminal s the output of and gate 81 , which is produced when the sending request flag sreqf and the sending acknowledge flag sakfg ( q79 ) are anded by gate 81 . the rs flipflop circuit 83 receives at its reset terminal r the inverted sending request flag sreqf from the nand gate 82 . the q output of rs flipflop circuit 83 is inverted by the open collector nand gate 80 to form the busy signal bsy . that is , when the sending acknowledge flag sakfg becomes active , the rs flipflop circuit 83 is set so that the inverted busy signal bsy is &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; and informs the other packet communication signal processing circuits 35 1 to 35 m that a packet is now being transmitting . when the sending acknowledge flag sakfg becomes inactive , the flipflop circuit 83 is reset so that the inverted busy signal bsy is returned to &# 34 ; h &# 34 ;. a destination enable signal dsten ( fig1 ( g )) is supplied from the digital signal processor 41 to the latch circuit 86 and the rs flipflop 88 . when the control unit 48 of the digital signal processor 41 designates the latch circuit 86 as the destination at the time of execution of the transfer instruction order , the destination enable signal dsten becomes active and at the same time the rs flipflop circuit 88 is reset . at this time , the q output of the rs flipflop circuit 88 is provided as a transfer acknowledge flag coacfg ( fig1 ( l )). the transfer acknowledge flag coacfg keeps inactive until the data latched by the latch circuit 86 is loaded into the shift register circuit 87 and informs the control unit 48 of the digital signal processor 41 that the latch circuit 86 is now operated . a shift clock pulse signal scks ( fig1 ( j )) has the same number of pulses as the number of bits constituting in one frame of a packet . the signal scks is supplied to the and gate 85 which is operable by reception of the sending acknowledge flag sakfg . a load pulse signal ldp ( fig1 ( i )) is supplied to the and gate 84 , which is operable by reception of the sending acknowledge flag sakfg . the shift register circuit 87 is used as a parallel input and a serial output device . it receives the load pulse signal ldp from the and gate 84 at the given timing when the packet data is transmitted , thereby loading the latched data of the latch circuit 86 ( fig1 ( h )). at the same time , the rs flipflop circuit 88 is set so that the transfer acknowledge flag coacfg becomes active and informs the control unit 48 of the digital signal processor 41 that the latch circuit 86 is not to be operated . the shift register circuit 87 receives the shift clock signal scks from the and gate 85 at the given timing and supplies the data in the shift register circuit 87 to the open collector nand gate 90 to provide a serial output ( fig1 ( k )). a sending enable signal sen ( fig1 ( m )) is supplied from the control unit 48 to the and gate 89 . the sending enable signal sen has a cycle corresponding to one frame and becomes active during the period when the shift register 87 provides the packet data . hence , when the sending acknowledge flag sakfg becomes active , the output of the and gate 89 allows the open collector nand gate 90 to operate . as a result , the serially converted packet data is supplied to the switch interface circuit 32 . the serial sending data so is pulled up by an external resistance ( not shown ) since it is the output of the open collector nand gate 90 . the operations are repeated until the data for one packet is transmitted . the parallel port interface circuit 49 will now be described in more detail with reference to fig1 . the parallel port interface circuit 49 comprises a latch circuit 91 and a three - state buffer circuit 92 . circuit 49 latches the data from the internal bus 43 of the digital signal processor 41 at the timing of the latch pulse signal lp1 and supplies it to the borschts . the parallel port interface circuit 49 also takes the data from the borschts into the internal data bus 43 by way of the three - state buffer circuit 92 , which is operable by a source enable signal srcen1 .
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embodiments generally relate to semiconductor devices or ics . the devices or ics can be any type of device or ic , such as memory devices including dynamic random access memories ( drams ), static random access memories ( srams ), non - volatile memories including programmable read - only memories ( proms ) and flash memories , optoelectronic devices , logic devices , communication devices , digital signal processors ( dsps ), microcontrollers , system - on - chip , as well as other types of devices . such devices or ics can be incorporated in various types of products , for example , computers and communication devices or systems such as phones and personal digital assistants ( pdas ). although embodiments are generally described in the context of semiconductor devices or ics , other types of devices are also useful . fig1 shows a cross - sectional view of a portion of an ic 200 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . the portion includes a substrate 205 . the substrate comprises , for example , a silicon substrate . the silicon substrate is typically lightly doped with p - type dopants . other types of substrates , such as silicon - on - insulator ( soi ), silicon germanium , are also useful . the substrate is prepared with first and second active regions 208 a - b . the active regions comprise heavily doped regions 209 a - b with dopants of opposite polarity types . for example , the first active region is a p - type doped well ; the second active region is a n - type doped well . p - type dopants can include boron ( b ), aluminum ( al ) or a combination thereof while n - type dopants can include phosphorus ( p ), arsenic ( as ), antimony ( sb ) or a combination thereof . isolating the active regions from each other and other device regions on the substrate are isolation regions 280 . the isolation regions , for example , comprise sti regions . other types of isolation regions are also useful . the active regions comprise first and second transistors 210 a - b . the first transistor comprises a first type transistor and the second transistor comprises a second type transistor . in one embodiment , the first transistor comprises a n - type transistor on the p - type doped well and the second transistor comprises a p - type transistor on a n - type doped well . a transistor includes a gate or gate stack 220 . the gate stack , for example , includes a gate electrode 224 over a gate dielectric 222 . typically , the gate electrode comprises polysilicon ( doped or undoped ) while the gate dielectric comprises silicon oxide . other types of gate electrode or dielectric material are also useful . the gate stack includes dielectric spacers on the gate sidewalls . the dielectric spacers comprise , for example , a dielectric material such as oxide and / or nitride . other types of dielectric materials are also useful . in one embodiment , each dielectric spacer comprises a l - shaped silicon oxide liner 262 on which a silicon nitride spacer 260 is disposed . other types of spacers or spacer designs are also useful . first and second source / drain ( sd ) diffusion regions 235 and 237 are provided in the substrate adjacent to the gates . in one embodiment , a diffusion region includes a shallow sd extension portion and a deep sd portion . for p - type transistors , the diffusion regions comprise p - type dopants while n - type dopants are used for n - type transistors . metal silicide contacts 245 can be provided on the surface of the diffusion regions and gate stack . the silicide contacts serve to reduce sheet resistance . various types of metal silicide contacts can be used , such as nickel or nickel - alloy silicide contacts . other type of metal silicide contacts can also be useful . although only one transistor is shown in each active region , it is understood that in an ic there are typically numerous transistors in an active region . for example , an active region can include densely populated ( nested ) or less densely populated ( iso ) transistors , or a combination of both . typically , adjacent nested transistors share a common sd diffusion region . furthermore , there may also be numerous first and second type active regions . in accordance with one embodiment of the invention , a stress liner 270 is provided on the substrate . the stress liner comprises first and second stress portions . in one embodiment , the stress liner comprises first and second portions covering first and second transistors . the first and second portions have different stresses . for example , the first portion comprises a tensile stress while the second portion comprises a compressive stress . the tensile stress portion improves carrier mobility of the n - type transistors while the compressive stress improves carrier mobility of the p - type transistors . the first and second portions of the stress liner , when deposited , comprise the same material . the stress liner , in one embodiment , comprises a material having a first stress . one portion of the stress liner is treated to produce a second stress while the untreated portion is maintained at the first stress . the respective stress of the different portions improves carrier mobility of the different transistors . in one embodiment , the stress liner comprises a compressive stress material . a first portion covering the n - type transistor is treated to convert it into a tensile stress material while leaving the second untreated portion with compressive stress . the stress liner , in one embodiment , comprises silicon nitride . other types of materials are also useful . by providing a single stress layer with first and second stress portions , a smooth interface 272 between the portions results without complex processing which is required in conventional dual stress liners . as shown , the interface is located at the isolation region between the active regions . a premetal dielectric ( pmd ) layer ( not shown ) can be provided over the substrate , separating the substrate and transistor from a metal layer . the pmd layer comprises , for example , silicon oxide . other types of dielectric materials , such as silicon nitride , are also useful . via plugs ( not shown ) are provided in the pmd layer which are coupled to metal lines of a metal layer ( not shown ) over the pmd layer . the plugs and metal lines form interconnections as desired . fig2 a - e show cross - sectional views of a process for forming an ic 200 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . referring to fig2 a , a substrate 205 is provided . the substrate can comprise a silicon substrate , such as a lightly doped p - type substrate . other types of substrates , including silicon - on - insulator ( soi ) or silicon germanium , are also useful . the substrate is prepared with first and second active regions 208 a - b . the active regions comprise heavily doped regions 209 a - b with dopants of opposite polarity types . for example , the first active region includes a p - type doped well ; the second active region includes a n - type doped well . p - type dopants can include boron ( b ), aluminum ( al ) or a combination thereof while n - type dopants can include phosphorus ( p ), arsenic ( as ), antimony ( sb ) or a combination thereof . to form the active regions , conventional ion implantation techniques , such as implantation with a mask can be used . generally , the first and second types of active regions are formed in separate processes . other techniques for forming the active regions are also useful . the substrate is also prepared with isolation regions 280 to separate the active regions from each other and other active device regions . in one embodiment , the isolation regions comprise stis . various conventional processes can be employed to form the sti regions . for example , the substrate can be etched using conventional etch and mask techniques to form trenches which are then filled with dielectric material such as silicon oxide . chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) can be performed to remove excess oxide and provide a planar substrate top surface . the sti regions can be formed , for example , prior to or after the formation of the doped wells . other processes or materials can also be used to form the stis . transistors 210 a - b are prepared in the first and second active regions . a first transistor is formed in the first active region and a second transistor is formed in the second active region . in one embodiment , the first transistor comprises a n - type transistor formed in a p - type well and the second transistor comprises a p - type transistor formed in a n - type well . a transistor includes a gate or gate stack 220 . the gate stack , for example , includes a gate electrode 224 over a gate dielectric 222 . typically , the gate electrode comprises polysilicon ( doped or undoped ) while the gate dielectric comprises silicon oxide . other types of gate electrode or dielectric materials are also useful . conventional processes can be used to form the gate stacks of the transistors . for example , gate stack layers such as gate dielectric and gate electrode are sequentially formed on the substrate . the gate stack layers are patterned to form the gate stacks . to pattern the gate stack layers , mask and etch processes can be used . the gate stack layers can be patterned to form gate conductors . a gate conductor serves as a common gate for a plurality of transistors . the gate stack includes dielectric spacers on the gate sidewalls . the dielectric spacers comprise , for example , a dielectric material such as oxide and / or nitride . other types of dielectric materials are also useful . in one embodiment , each dielectric spacer comprises a l - shaped silicon oxide liner 262 on which a silicon nitride spacer 260 is disposed . other types of spacers or spacer designs are also useful . forming the spacers can include forming a first and second dielectric layer and patterning them to form the spacers . first and second source / drain ( sd ) diffusion regions 235 and 237 are provided in the substrate adjacent to the gates . the doped regions are formed by ion implantation . the implant can be self - aligned or formed using an implant mask . other techniques for forming the diffusion regions are also useful . for p - type transistors , the diffusion regions comprise p - type dopants while n - type dopants are used for n - type transistors . the p - type and n - type diffusion regions are formed in separate implantation processes . in one embodiment , a diffusion region includes a shallow sd extension portion and a deep sd portion . for example , shallow sd extension portions are formed after the gates are patterned and the deep sd portions are formed after spacer formation . after the formation of diffusion regions , the dopants are activated by , for example , an annealing process . the annealing also serves to facilitate recovery from any deformation to the crystal structure incurred during the process of ion implantation . various types of annealing , such as rapid thermal annealing , spike annealing , laser spike annealing or flash lamp anneal can be used . the anneal , for example , can be performed at about 950 - 1300 ° c . metal silicide contacts 245 can be provided on the surface of the diffusion regions and gate stacks . the silicide contacts serve to reduce sheet resistance . various types of metal silicide contacts can be used , such as nickel or nickel - alloy silicide contacts . other types of metal silicide contacts are also useful . to form metal silicide contacts , a metal layer is formed over the substrate . the metal layer is processed by annealing , causing a reaction with the silicon and metal to form metal silicide contacts in the diffusion regions and gate electrode . in one embodiment , a rapid thermal anneal at a temperature of about 400 - 500 ° c . in a n 2 ambient for about 5 - 10 sec is employed . other process parameters may also be useful . untreated or excess metal is removed , leaving the metal silicide contacts . as discussed , an active region can include numerous transistors . for example , an active region can include densely populated ( nested ) or less densely populated ( iso ) transistors or a combination of both . typically , adjacent nested transistors share a common s / d diffusion region . furthermore , there may also be numerous first and second type active regions . referring to fig2 b , the process continues by depositing a stress liner 270 over the substrate . the stress liner covers the transistors in the first and second active regions . in one embodiment , the stress liner comprises a first stress . the first stress , in one embodiment , comprises compressive stress . the stress liner , for example , can be silicon nitride . other types of stress inducing materials are also useful . various techniques , such as cvd , can be used to form the stress layer . preferably , the stress liner is formed by pecvd at a temperature of about 400 - 500 ° c . typically , the stress layer is about 300 - 700 ° å thick . forming the stress layer with other thicknesses is also useful . in fig2 c , a mask layer 285 is formed on the substrate and patterned to expose one of the active regions . the mask layer can comprise photoresist . other types of mask materials are also useful . in one embodiment , the mask is patterned to expose a first portion of the stress layer over the first active region for treatment to alter the stress characteristics of that portion of the stress layer . conventional techniques , such as exposure and development , may then be used to pattern the photoresist layer . in one embodiment , a stress relaxation treatment 295 is performed on the stress liner . the stress relaxation treatment comprises , in one embodiment , first and second processes . the first process comprises implanting the exposed first portion of the stress liner with stress relaxing ions . the ions , for example , comprise ge , xe or a combination thereof . the implant dose , for example , can be about 1e14 - 5e15 ions / cm 2 at about 30 ˜ 70 kev . the mask protects the second portion of the stress layer over the second active region from being affected by the relaxation treatment . the relaxation treatment relaxes or reduces the stress in the first portion of the stress liner . after ion implantation , the mask layer is removed from the second portion of the stress liner , as shown in fig2 d . the stress liner is then further treated with a second stress relaxing treatment to cause the first portion with stress relaxing ions to produce a second stress . in one embodiment , the stress liner is further treated to produce a tensile stress in the first portion , while the second portion is maintained at a compressive stress . the tensile stress , for example , is about 0 . 5 gpa . in one embodiment , the second treatment comprises uv treatment . the uv treatment , for example , is performed at about 400 - 500 ° c . for about 10 min to 1 hour . as described , the stress liner is treated with the second stress treatment without having a mask layer over the second portion . by providing a single stress layer with first and second stress portions , a smooth interface 272 between the portions is obtained without complex processing which is required in conventional dual stress liners . the interface is located at the isolation region between the active regions . as shown in fig2 e , a pmd layer 290 is deposited over the substrate . the pmd layer serves as an interlevel dielectric layer between the substrate and a metal layer above the pmd layer . the process continues by forming interconnections to the contacts of the transistors . for example , the pmd layer is patterned to create vias and trenches . the vias and trenches are then filled with conductive material , such as copper , to form interconnects . additional processes are performed to complete the ic , for example , additional interconnect levels , final passivation , dicing , and packaging . fig3 shows a plot 300 of an experiment conducted to compare stress characteristics of a compressive silicon nitride film and one that has been treated in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . the shaded bars correspond to the compressive silicon nitride film with treatment and the un - shaded bars correspond to the untreated compressive silicon nitride film . as indicated by graph 310 , the as deposited silicon nitride films have a compressive stress of about − 1 . 9 gpa . after implantation with ge or xe , the treated film is relaxed to about − 0 . 2 gpa while the untreated film is maintained at about − 1 . 9 gpa , as indicated by graph 320 . graph 330 shows the stress characteristics of the films after uv treatment . the treated silicon nitride film has a stress of 0 . 5 gpa ( e . g ., tensile stress ). the untreated silicon nitride film is slightly relaxed to about − 1 . 8 gpa after uv treatment . it is believed that the change in stress is attributed to film shrinkage based on reflective index . implanting the film with relaxing ions causes the film to shrink a greater amount when exposed to uv . fig4 shows a plot 400 comparing the reflective index of a treated and untreated compressive silicon nitride film . the shaded bars correspond to the compressive silicon nitride film with treatment and the un - shaded bars correspond to the untreated compressive silicon nitride film . as indicated by graphs 410 , 420 and 430 , the uv causes the treated film to have a lower reflective index , evidencing a greater amount of shrinkage . the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the foregoing embodiments , therefore , are to be considered in all respects illustrative rather than limiting the invention described herein . scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims , rather than by the foregoing description , and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein .
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in schematic form , fig1 is a cross - sectional view of an example embodiment of the component assembly according to the present invention . for example , the depicted view may be a detail of a carrier substrate 10 configured as a circuit board , upon which other component assemblies of this kind are also provided . in the illustrated exemplary embodiment , carrier substrate 10 is designed as a circuit board and functions as a carrier element for the component assembly . as a suitable material for carrier substrate 10 , conventional circuit - board material is provided , such as fr4 or fr5 . alternatively hereto , a differently configured carrier substrate 10 may also be used , such as suitable ceramic , e . g ., al 2 o 3 . electrical conductor tracks may extend in the carrier substrate 10 as an example . they may be used for the contacting of the unhoused electronic component 20 , as well as of the other components on circuit board 10 . the present example embodiment provides for a contacting of component 20 using bonding wires 21 a , 21 b . bonding wires 21 a , 21 b electroconductively connect component 20 to the conductor tracks in carrier substrate 10 . an alternative and / or additional electrical contacting of component 20 may be possible , such as a so - called narrow - ribbon contacting , or also the use of soldered connectors . in this example embodiment , component 20 is designed as an optoelectronic component or as a so - called opto - asic . in addition to optoelectronic components , such as photodiodes , it includes other electronic components for signal processing . the present invention may also be implemented in conjunction with conventional electronic components , such as asics , etc . the particular component 20 is placed on carrier substrate 10 , which may be done by bonding to carrier substrate 10 . soldering or alloying is also alternatively possible . the present invention may be suited in this case for assembling unhoused electronic and / or optoelectronic components on circuit boards , i . e ., components which do not have their own housing and , accordingly , offer a particularly space - saving design . furthermore , the component assembly according to the present invention includes a dam 30 , which is placed on carrier substrate 10 and surrounds or encircles the particular component 20 . from the plan view of the component assembly illustrated in fig2 dam 30 surrounds component 20 quadratically . alternative geometries are also possible with respect to the shape of surrounding dam 30 , e . g ., rectangular , polygonal , or round dam profiles , etc . a first function of dam 30 , with respect to the component assembly according to the present invention , is to form a boundary of the surface required for embedding component 20 using an encapsulating compound 40 on carrier substrate 10 . once dam 30 is created , encapsulating compound 40 is introduced into the well - shaped inner region of surrounding dam 30 . the purpose of embedding using encapsulating compound 40 is to protect component 20 from mechanical influences . in this connection , because of optoelectronic component 20 , a transparent and low - viscosity encapsulating compound 40 , such as unfilled epoxy resin , is used in the described exemplary embodiment . in the inner region of dam 30 , encapsulating compound 40 covers component 20 , including bonding wires 21 a , 21 b , so that , once encapsulating compound 40 is cured , these elements are reliably protected . to fulfill this purpose , encapsulating compound 40 may completely cover the elements to be protected , i . e ., in this example embodiment , also bonding wires 21 a , 21 b in particular , for which a specific level of encapsulating compound 40 to be applied , may be required . since this compound , when applied using an injection needle , is not yet cured and flows out , dam 30 ultimately is used to adjust the necessary level of encapsulating compound 40 , without covering unnecessary surface area on carrier substrate 20 . alternatively to the illustrated exemplary embodiment , bonding wires 21 a , 21 b may not be fully covered with encapsulating compound 40 , rather , for the most part , merely surrounded by the same . when no optoelectronic components are provided in the component assembly according to the present invention , a non - transparent encapsulating compound 40 may also be used . a black encapsulating compound 40 may be used which protects the particular electronic component 20 from unwanted irradiation . the component may be covered using encapsulating compound , for example when contacting using bonding wires are not provided and , accordingly , there would also be no bonding wires to protect . another function of dam 30 , specifically when using optoelectronic components , is that , virtually ideal plane boundary surfaces are able to be ensured , between encapsulating compound 40 and the neighboring air . the result is that there is no undesired deflection of incident or , as the case may be , emergent beams of rays at this boundary surface 41 . dam 30 enables a defined , i . e ., reproducible height h of the component assembly to be reliably set over carrier substrate 10 in the course of manufacturing . this may be especially significant when an assembly of this type is used , for example , under narrowed , spatial conditions . if , for instance , a component assembly of this type is used on the scanning plate of an optical position transducer disposed oppositely to a rotating partial disk , a relatively small distance is provided between the scanning plate and the partial disk in compact systems . on no account , then , may any accessories mounted on the side of the scanning plate exceed a specific , predefined height . in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the present invention , dam 30 is composed of two dam layers 31 , 32 , which are placed one over the other and are made of the same dam material . there is a bonding between the two adjoining dam layers 31 , 32 , in their contact region . alternatively to a configuration including two dam layers 31 , 32 , a dam configuration may also be provided which includes more than two such dam layers 31 , 32 , each of the same dam material , if an even greater height h of dam 30 were necessary . a highly viscous encapsulating compound , such as filled epoxy resin or a silicon , is a suitable dam material , for example . within the scope of the present invention , a dam material for the various layers 31 , 32 of dam 30 is selected , which allows a cross - linking of the same and , thus , a stable bonding in the contact region of adjoining dam layers 31 , 32 . in the case of other dam materials , a mechanical engagement of the rough surfaces of the dam layers may be present in this contact region , for example . depending on the material selection , other connection mechanisms may be optionally present in the contact region between the dam layers . by constructing dam 30 out of two or more dam layers 31 , 32 from the same dam material , in accordance with the present invention , a defined adjustment of the desired ratio v of dam height h and dam width b ( v = h / b ) is able to be made . by applying measures described below , width b of dam 30 is set in defined fashion , without any undesired flowing of the dam material and , thus , unwanted enlargement of the required carrier substrate surface taking place . by subsequently applying one or more further dam layers 32 to first dam layer 31 , the requisite dam height h is then able to be set in definable , i . e ., reproducible fashion . the ratio v = h / b may be in the range of 0 . 5 & lt ; v & lt ; 1 as an example . however , on the basis of an appropriate process control , other ratios v may also be fundamentally adjusted . typical values for resulting dam height h and dam width b are h = 0 . 8 mm and b = 1 . 0 mm . fig3 is an enlarged view of dam 30 of fig1 which includes the two dam layers 31 , 32 . besides the geometric dimensions , dam height h and dam width b , fig3 also illustrates contact region 33 adjoining dam layers 31 , 32 , where there is a cross - linking of the two dam layers 31 , 32 and , thus , a stable bonding of the same . as illustrated in fig4 a - 4 d , one example embodiment of the method according to the present invention is presented for manufacturing a component assembly as described in fig1 - 3 . in a first process step illustrated in fig4 a , unhoused component 20 is placed on carrier substrate 10 or the circuit board and , if indicated , bonded thereto . component 20 is then electrically contacted , which may take place via wire bonding and the placement of corresponding bonding wires 21 a , 21 b . first dam layer 31 is subsequently applied to carrier substrate 10 , which , as explained above , completely surrounds component 20 . the corresponding process step is illustrated in fig4 b . the appropriate dam material is applied by a schematically indicated injection needle 50 using so - called dispensing technology . during application of first dam layer 31 , carrier substrate 10 is heated to temperature t , which is illustrated by schematically indicated heating device 60 . the heating of the circuit board or , if indicated , of an alternative carrier substrate 10 effects a precuring of the dam material of first dam layer 31 , immediately upon making contact on carrier substrate 10 . this makes it possible to prevent first dam layer 31 from flowing in unwanted fashion , and from consuming surface area . it is , therefore , possible to adjust desired dam width b in a defined manner . the desired width or height of first dam layer 31 is able to be set in a defined manner by adjusting the traversing rate of injection needle 50 , the applied quantity of the dam material , as well as temperature t of carrier substrate 10 . still during the curing of first dam layer 31 , second dam layer 32 is subsequently applied , as illustrated in fig4 c , with the aid of injection needle 50 . as explained above , for second dam layer 32 , the same dam material as for first dam layer 31 is used . since a complete curing has not taken place in the top part of first dam layer 31 , following application of second dam layer 32 in the contact region , a cross - linking of the two dam layers 31 , 32 occurs , i . e ., an especially intimate and , thus , stable bond is formed between adjoining dam layers 31 , 32 . subsequently , i . e ., after curing of the two dam layers 31 , 32 , as illustrated in fig4 d , encapsulating compound 40 is introduced into the well - shaped inner region of dam 30 , which is accomplished using an injection needle 70 . for this , it is customary in the corresponding device to use a different injection needle 60 than the one used in the preceding process steps . in this connection , the amount of encapsulating compound 40 introduced is enough to fill the inner region of the dam nearly to the upper edge of dam 30 , i . e ., to the upper edge of top - most dam layer 32 . upon curing of encapsulating compound 40 , the result is a component assembly which is protected from mechanical influences . alternatively , it may also be provided to begin introducing encapsulating compound 40 , immediately following the application of last dam layer 32 . within the framework of the present invention , there are alternative variants in addition to the described example embodiments .
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reference is first made to fig1 showing a trimaran 20 embodying the present invention . the trimaran 20 broadly includes a center section 22 , a set of beams 24 , two floats 26 , and a sail assembly 28 . although fig1 depicts two beams 24 , the present invention is intended to encompass interchangeable subsets of two or more beams 24 wherein the length of the beams 24 comprising a particular subset is the same , but the length of the beams 24 comprising one subset may vary from the length of the beams 24 comprising a second subset , as will be described in more detail below . as best seen in fig2 the center section 22 , includes a keel assembly 30 , a steering assembly 32 and , mast sleeve 34 . as depicted in fig3 the center section 22 further includes a main deck 36 and main hull 38 . the main deck 36 is bonded to the main hull 38 with a methacrylate adhesive , which is commercially available . plexus is a brand name of a type of methacrylate adhesive which is sold by i . t . w . adhesives , danvers , me . various other commercially available marine adhesives can be used as well , but unless otherwise mentioned marine adhesive is meant to mean a methacrylate adhesive . as illustrated in fig2 the main deck 36 has a lip 37 , that overlaps a portion of the main hull 38 . the adhesive is applied to the inside of the lip 37 where it contacts the hull 38 . returning to fig1 the main deck 36 has a front or bow section 44 , a center or mid - ship section 46 and a rear or aft section 48 . a front end 40 and a rear end 42 define the forwardmost and rearwardmost ends of the deck 36 . a front bulkhead area 50 defines the transition between the bow section 44 and the mid - ship section 46 and a rear bulkhead area 52 defines the transition between the mid - ship section 46 and the aft section 48 . the bow section 44 of the main deck 36 is molded to form a bow cover 54 and bow sides 56 having top transition edges 58 and bottom side edges 60 . the height of the bow sides 56 is greater adjacent the front bulkhead area 50 than at the front end 40 . the difference in height is attributable to a gradual increase in the height of the top transition edges 58 from the front end 40 of the main deck 36 to the front bulkhead area 50 . as depicted in fig4 the mid - ship section 46 of the main deck 36 is molded to form a driver &# 39 ; s cockpit area 62 having a driver &# 39 ; s seat 64 , a driver &# 39 ; s back support 66 , two driver &# 39 ; s leg rests 68 , 69 , two foot support panels 70 and a steering wheel binnacle 72 . the steering wheel binnacle 72 includes a right and left side panel 74 , 75 , a top panel 76 and steering wheel panel 78 . each driver &# 39 ; s leg rest , 68 , 69 extends along one side of a side panel 74 , 75 , respectively . the right panel 74 has a hinged binnacle locker door 80 , and , as seen in fig8 the left panel has a hinged stereo cover 82 . stereo speakers 83 are mounted on the foot support panels 70 . as illustrated in fig2 - 4 , the aft section 48 of the main deck 36 is molded to form a passenger area 84 having a passenger &# 39 ; s seat 86 , passenger &# 39 ; s back support 88 and leg rest 90 . the passenger &# 39 ; s back support 88 includes a rear hatch opening 92 and a rear hatch 94 . both the driver &# 39 ; s cockpit area 62 and passenger area 84 include molded splash rails 96 . as further illustrated in fig2 - 4 , the rear bulkhead area 52 is defined by the driver &# 39 ; s back support 66 , the passenger &# 39 ; s back support 88 , a right and left rear bulkhead wall 100 , 101 , respectively , and a rear bulkhead crown 102 . with reference to fig3 each bulkhead wall 100 , 101 has an aperture 104 , for receiving a rear sleeve 106 . the rear sleeve 106 fits within the apertures 104 and is glued in place with a marine adhesive , which also forms a watertight seal . in the preferred embodiment , the ends of the rear sleeve 106 extend outwardly beyond each bulkhead wall 100 , 101 and transversely to the longitudinal axis of the boat approximately 3 inches . each end of the rear sleeve 106 has two bolt holes 108 having a central axis . the bolt holes 108 are approximately 3 / 4 of an inch from each end of the rear sleeve 106 . the bulkhead crown 102 also has two apertures 110 through which two ends of a rear bulkhead rope 112 pass and which are retained by knotting both ends of the rope 112 inside the rear bulkhead area 52 . as shown in fig4 the rear hatch 94 is biased against the passenger &# 39 ; s back support 88 by an elastic cord 114 connected to the rear sleeve 106 and held in position by the complementary outside edge 116 of the rear hatch 94 and edge 118 defining the rear hatch opening 92 . with continued reference to fig2 - 4 , the front bulkhead area 50 is partially defined by the foot support panels 70 and a mast sleeve 34 . the front bulkhead area 50 includes a right and left front bulkhead wall 120 , 121 , respectively and a front bulkhead cover 122 . each front bulkhead wall 120 , 121 has an aperture 124 for receiving a front sleeve 126 . the front sleeve 126 fits within the apertures 124 , and is glued in place with a marine adhesive , which also forms a watertight seal . in the preferred embodiment , the ends of the front sleeve 126 extend outwardly beyond each bulkhead wall 120 , 121 and transversely to the longitudinal axis of the boat approximately 3 inches . each end of the front sleeve 126 has two bolt holes 128 having a central axis . the bolt holes 128 are approximately 3 / 4 of an inch from each end of the front sleeve 126 . the front bulkhead cover 122 has a mast sleeve aperture 130 . the front bulkhead walls 120 , 121 and front bulkhead cover 122 are continuous with the bow sides 56 and bow cover 54 , respectively , extending toward the bow section 44 from the steering wheel binnacle 72 , top panel 76 and foot support panels 70 to a point just forward of the front sleeve 126 . referring to fig3 the main hull 38 includes a bottom 132 , two sides 134 and a transom 136 . the transom 136 includes a circular drain hole 138 , a drain hole plug 140 , a rectangular steering cable exit hole 142 , and a steering cable exit box 143 . adjacent the front end 40 of the main deck 36 , where the two sides 134 meet to form a common edge , a bow eye 144 is attached to the main hull 38 . as shown in fig5 the main hull 38 bottom 132 includes a narrow elongated slot 146 defined by two sides 148 and two ends 150 directly beneath the mid - ship section 46 of the main deck 36 . as depicted in fig2 and 7 , the keel assembly 30 includes a centerboard 152 , a centerboard housing 154 and a pulley assembly 156 . the centerboard 152 includes a free end 158 , a pivot hole 160 and a clasp hole 162 . the centerboard housing 154 includes a trunk section 164 , a plurality of transverse support ribs 166 , a longitudinal support rib 168 , two pivot posts 170 each having an aperture 172 , and a rectangular mast step 174 . the mast step 174 is a transverse extension of the longitudinal rib 168 and has a central mast sleeve receptacle 176 . the centerboard truck section 164 includes two sides 178 , two ends 180 , a top 182 , and a bottom opening 184 . the bottom opening 184 is defined by the free edges of the two sides 178 and two ends 180 . as shown in fig2 and 7 , the centerboard 152 is pivotally attached to the trunk section 164 by a bolt 186 that passes through a first aperture 172 in one pivot post 170 , through a pivot hole 160 in the centerboard 152 , and finally through a second aperture 172 in the second pivot post 170 . a fastening member 188 such as a nut , a clasp , a cotter pin or the like retains the bolt 186 in place . the centerboard housing 154 is glued to the bottom of the main hull 38 with a marine adhesive whereby the sides 178 and the ends 180 of the trunk section 164 are positioned above the sides 148 and ends 150 of the slot 146 , as best depicted in fig2 . the keel pulley assembly 156 includes two sheaves 190 , two sheave supports 192 , a d - ring 194 , a centerboard cable 196 , and centerboard jam cleat 198 , which is shown in detail in fig4 . as illustrated in fig2 and 3 , the mast sleeve 34 is cylindrical with only one open end 200 . adjacent the open end 200 , the mast sleeve 34 includes a flange 202 . with the open end 200 up , the mast sleeve 34 is fitted into the mast sleeve aperture 130 and into the mast sleeve receptacle 176 . the edge defining the mast sleeve aperture 130 is bonded to the mast sleeve 34 adjacent the flange 202 and the mast sleeve 34 is bonded to the mast sleeve step 174 using a marine adhesive . referring to fig2 and 6 , the steering assembly 32 includes a steering wheel assembly 204 , steering cable 206 , and rudder assembly 208 . also referring to fig3 the steering wheel assembly 204 includes a steering wheel 210 connected by a pinion nut 212 to a pinion shaft 214 . the pinion shaft 214 enters a steering gear box 216 and the steering cable 206 exists the gear box 216 traveling under the main deck 36 through the main hull 38 to the rear end 42 and through the rectangular steering cable exit box 143 . the steering wheel assembly 204 is mounted to the steering wheel panel 78 adjacent the top panel 76 . this type of steering gear box 216 is commercially available and in the preferred embodiment of the present invention the gear box used is manufactured and sold by morse controls of hudson , ohio under its &# 34 ; command 230 &# 34 ; model name . however , various other commercially available steering gear boxes , such as teleflex , model 113359 , manufactured by west marine of watsonville , calif ., will function as well . the steering cable 206 is attached to main deck 36 under the passenger leg rest 90 by a cable bracket 220 . the steering cable exit box 143 , through which the steering cable 218 exits the main hull 38 , is attached to the main hull 38 with four removable screws 221 and a removable marine adhesive which is commercially available . 3m polyurethane marine adhesive / sealant , 5200 white , is a brand of a type of removable marine adhesive which is sold by minnesota mining & amp ; manufacturing , st . paul , minn . various other commercially available removable marine adhesives can be used as well . to create a water tight seal , the steering cable 206 is fitted with a rubber seal 222 where it passes through an aperture in the steering cable exit box 143 . the outer periphery of the rubber seal 222 is attached to the steering cable exit box 143 . the distal end 224 of the steering cable 218 is connected to a u - shaped bracket 226 . the rudder assembly 208 includes a rudder head 228 , kick - up rudder 230 , rudder hinge assembly 232 and l - shaped bracket 234 having an elongated slot 235 . a bolt 236 pivotally attaches the kick - up rudder 230 to the head rudder 228 . the head rudder 228 is hingedly attached to the transom 136 by the rudder hinge assembly 232 which includes two sets of gudgeon 238 and rudder pinties 240 . the l - shaped bracket 234 is fastened to the left side of the rudder head 228 and the u - shaped bracket 226 is connected to the l - shaped bracket 234 by a bolt 241 that passes through the elongated slot 235 . fastening members hold the bolts 236 and 241 in place . as illustrated by fig2 the sail assembly 28 includes a mast trunk 242 , mast 244 , boom 246 , rigging 248 and sail 250 . the mast trunk 242 consists of an outer sleeve 251 and an inner sleeve 252 . the mast trunk 242 outer sleeve 251 has an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the mast sleeve 34 and in the preferred embodiment the outer sleeve 251 extends above the mast sleeve 34 approximately 18 inches as depicted by d 1 in fig4 . the mast trunk 242 inner sleeve 252 has an outside diameter slighty smaller than the inside diameter of the mast 244 . the mast trunk 242 outer sleeve 251 and mast 244 have substantially the same diameter . although the mast trunk 242 is not shown in section , it should be understood that the outer sleeve 251 and inner sleeve 252 are tubular , thin - wall members like the mast sleeve 34 and mast 244 . the inner sleeve 252 is approximately 20 inches in length and approximately 10 inches of the inner sleeve 252 extend into the top portion of the outer sleeve 251 and 10 inches extend above the top portion of the outer sleeve 251 . the portion of the inner sleeve 252 that extends into the outer sleeve 251 is bonded thereto with a marine adhesive . the rigging 248 includes a main sheet rope 254 . one end of the main sheet rope 254 is connected to rear bulkhead rope 112 and the other end passes through a main sheet jam cleat 256 , which is attached to the top panel 76 of the steering wheel binnacle 72 and which is best shown in fig4 . with reference to fig3 both floats 26 include a float hull 258 and float deck 260 . like the center section 22 , in the preferred embodiment the float deck 260 is bonded to the float hull 258 with the methacrylate adhesive known as plexus manufactured by i . t . w . adhesives . however , various other marine adhesives will function as well . each float deck 260 includes two molded protrusions 262 having a generally semicircular inner surface , each adapted for receiving one float sleeve 264 . the float sleeves 264 are bonded to the protrusions 262 with a marine adhesive . each float hull 258 includes two sides 266 and a transom 268 . each transom 268 includes a circular drain hole 270 and drain hole plug 272 . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the set of beams 24 includes two long beams 274 , as depicted in fig8 and two short beams 276 , as depicted in fig9 . each beam 24 has four sets of holes 278 through both sides of each beam 24 as shown with the long beams 274 in fig3 . each set of holes 278 has a central axis . in the preferred embodiment , one set of holes 278 is approximately 4 inches from the end of each beam 24 and another set of holes 278 is 133 / 4 inches on either side of the center point of each beam 24 . either the two long beams 274 or the two short beams 276 can be used to connect the floats 26 to the main deck 36 , but one long beam 274 is not to be used with one short beam 276 . pins 280 having upper heads 281 are used to retain the beams 24 in rear sleeve 106 , front sleeve 126 and float sleeves 264 . cotter pins 282 are used in the preferred embodiment to hold the pins 280 in place . as seen in fig1 and 8 , a mesh tarp 284 can be attached to the beams 24 . the tarp 284 has a tarp sleeve 286 along each of two opposing edges of the tarp 284 . the tarp sleeves 286 have a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the beams 24 . in the preferred embodiment , the trimaran 20 embodying the present invention includes a drainage system 288 . as depicted in fig8 both the driver &# 39 ; s seat 64 and the passenger seat 86 have a drain hole 290 . as shown in fig2 a drain tube 292 is connected to main deck 36 surrounding each drain hole 290 and the drain tubes 292 extend into the centerboard housing 154 . also depicted in fig2 are blocks of styrofoam 294 that are glued to sections of the bottom 132 of the main hull 38 . as shown in fig8 in the preferred embodiment , the center section 22 is 14 feet in length from front end 40 to rear end 42 , as depicted in d 2 , 29 inches wide at its approximate center , as depicted by distance d 3 , and 25 inches wide at the transom 136 , as depicted by d 4 . the floats 26 are 11 feet , 6 inches , long and 12 inches wide at the center , as depicted by d 5 and d 6 , respectively , and the centerboard 152 is 46 inches long , as depicted by d 7 in fig2 . as also shown in fig2 the height of the driver &# 39 ; s seat 64 from the bottom 132 of the main hull 38 , as depicted by d 8 , is 10 inches , the height of the rear sleeve 106 from the bottom 132 of the main hull 38 , as depicted by d 9 , is approximately 18 inches , and the height of the front sleeve 126 from the bottom 132 of the main hull 38 , as depicted by d 10 , is also approximately 18 inches . the beams 24 all have a diameter of approximately 3 inches and have 1 / 8 inch walls , and the rear , front and float sleeves 106 , 126 , and 264 , all have a diameter of approximately 31 / 2 inches and have 1 / 4 inch walls . the sleeves 106 , 126 , and 264 , can have an inside diameter that is 0 . 020 to 0 . 060 of an inch larger than the outside of the beams 24 , but preferably the difference is 0 . 040 of an inch . the long beams 274 have a length of 10 feet and the short beams 276 have a length of 4 feet , as depicted by d 11 in fig8 and d 12 in fig9 respectively . the trimaran 20 embodying the present invention , can be transported in at least one of two ways . first , the center section 22 , floats 26 , the long beams 274 , and disassembled sail assembly 28 can be transported as separate units and assembled on the waterfront . because the separate units of the preferred embodiment are relatively light , two individuals can easily carry each element if the waterfront is near . if the distance to be covered is too far , the individual elements can be loaded into a truck and / or trailer 295 to be driven to the waterfront . a second method for transporting the trimaran 20 is to assemble it in its trailering configuration , if it is not already so assembled . in its trailering configuration , as depicted in fig9 a short beam 276 is inserted into the rear sleeve 106 , a short beam 276 is inserted into the front sleeve 126 , and the ends of the short beams 276 are inserted into the float sleeves 264 . the beams 276 are retained in the sleeves 106 , 126 , and 264 by the retaining pins 280 and cotter keys 282 . the sail assembly 28 and long beams 274 can then be lashed to the trimaran 20 or secured separately on a trailer 295 . in this configuration the trimaran 20 can be loaded onto the trailer 295 ( or it can be assembled on a trailer 295 ) and driven to the waterfront where it can be unloaded . once at the waterfront , the short beams 276 are replaced with the long beams 274 , and the trimaran 20 is ready for sailing . if tarps 284 are to be attached to the beams 274 , the tarp sleeves 286 are slid on to the long beams 274 before the ends of the long beams 274 are slid into the float sleeves 264 . the trimaran 20 can be used with one tarp 284 as depicted in fig1 two tarps 284 as depicted in fig8 or no tarps 284 . if attached they can be used to carry additional passengers and / or for sunbathing . once the long beams 274 have been pinned in place the user can assemble the sail assembly 28 which includes placing the mast 244 on the mast trunk 242 , and attaching the main sheet rope 254 to the rear bulkhead rope 112 and passing the other end through the main sheet jam cleat 256 . the trimaran 20 can now be launched into the water . sitting in the driver &# 39 ; s cockpit area 62 the user &# 39 ; s legs are on either side of the steering wheel binnacle 72 . the steering wheel 210 and the driver &# 39 ; s seat 64 are in a car - like relationship so that the user can readily learn to steer the trimaran 20 . when the steering wheel 210 is turned to the right , the trimaran 20 goes to the right . all of the other controls , such as main sheet rope 254 and the centerboard cable 196 , are within the near vicinity of the steering wheel 210 . the position of the boom 246 and the centerboard 152 are maintained by the locking action of the mainsheet jam cleat 256 mounted on the top panel 76 of the steering wheel binnacle 72 , and the centerboard jam cleat 198 mounted on the steering wheel panel 78 on the steering wheel binnacle 72 . other controls or instrumentation can be mounted on the steering wheel binnacle 72 such as knotmeter 296 on the steering wheel panel 78 , and a compass 298 on the top panel 76 as shown in fig4 . in its up position , as depicted in phantom fig2 the centerboard 152 is carried within the trunk section 164 of the centerboard housing 154 . the centerboard 152 is gravity actuated . by releasing the grip of the jam cleat 198 on the centerboard cable 196 , the cable 196 can be feed through the jam cleat 198 , thereby allowing the centerboard 152 to pivot at the pivot bolt 186 to its down or sailing position . in its sailing position , the free end 158 of the centerboard 152 extends below the main hull 38 as further depicted in fig2 . the kick - up rudder 230 is also gravity actuated and stays in its down position unless biased upwardly , for example when the trimaran 20 is pulled up on land . if water splashes over the splash rails 96 , it runs down to the low point of the driver &# 39 ; s seat 64 and / or passenger &# 39 ; s seat 86 , into the drain holes 290 , down the drain tubes 292 and into the centerboard housing 154 . the water then flows out of the centerboard housing 154 through the slot 146 of the main hull 38 . if water does enter the main hull 38 , the blocks of styrofoam 294 will keep the trimaran 20 afloat . fiberglass is the preferred material for forming the main hull 38 , float hulls 258 , main deck 36 , float decks 260 , centerboard housing 154 , centerboard 152 , rudder head 228 , and kick - up rudder 230 , but any suitable material , e . g . wood or other composite materials can be used . marine aluminum is the preferred material for forming the beams 24 , mast sleeve 34 mast trunk 242 and sleeves 106 , 126 , and 264 , but any suitable material , e . g . stainless steel can be used . stainless steel is the preferred material for the fastening hardware , such as the beam pins 280 , rudder bolt 236 , and centerboard pivot bolt 186 , but any suitable material can be used . a number of variations of the present invention can be made . for example , alternative embodiments of the present invention could include a trimaran 20 with one pair of fixed beams 24 , fixed beams 24 with telescopic members , or beams 24 of different lengths than those used in the preferred embodiment . for example , rather than being 10 feet long , the long beams 274 could be 7 feet 6 inches long . this would allow the user to transport the trimaran 20 in its sailing configuration on a full size trailer . still another embodiment could include a pivoting centerboard 152 that is spring actuated rather than gravity actuated . although steering assembly 32 in the preferred embodiment includes a steering wheel 210 , the steering assembly 32 could comprise a tiller . yet another alternative embodiment could include a center section 22 and floats 26 that are each one piece and have hull and deck portions . although a description of the preferred embodiment has been presented , it is contemplated that various changes , including those mentioned above , could be made without deviating from the spirit of the present invention . accordingly , it is intended that the scope of the present invention be dictated by the appended claims rather than by the description of the preferred embodiment .
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fig1 shows an example of a diagram for the connection of the rapid - action water - saving mixer tap according to a first embodiment of the invention . this connection diagram is in various embodiments intended for a new sanitary installation or when the installation of an additional pipe for the chilled water is possible or already exists . a source of cold water such as a connection to the running - water mains distribution network 6 in various embodiments passes via a nonreturn valve 8 , to form the cold - water inlet 10 which is connected directly to a first orifice or first inlet 32 of the mixer tap 4 . the cold water inlet 10 is connected , in various embodiments also via a nonreturn valve 12 , to a water - heating device 20 . the incoming hot water 22 arriving from the water - heating device 20 is connected to a second orifice or second inlet 36 of the mixer 4 . the mixer 4 comprises an auxiliary outlet 34 connected via an auxiliary pipe 24 to the suction orifice of an automatic pump 18 . the outlet of the automatic pump 18 is connected to the inlet of the water heating device 20 . an expansion vessel 14 can be mounted on the inlet pipe of the water heating device 20 to compensate for variations in volume of the water as it is heated . an expansion vessel 16 is also in various embodiments connected to the auxiliary pipe 24 in order to optimize the size of the automatic pump 18 . fig2 illustrates the tap 4 of fig1 in greater detail . it is in a neutral position referred to as the position that shuts off the service flow , without connecting the incoming hot water and cold water . it comprises a fixed disk 42 with four orifices that are not visible in fig2 . these orifices are connected to the cold water inlet 32 and hot water inlet 36 , to the auxiliary water outlet 34 and to the service water outlet 38 . these orifices are visible in fig3 to 6 and will be detailed in relation to the description of these figures . the mobile disk 44 is able to move translationally and rotationally on the fixed disk 42 , doing so in a fluidtight manner . its movement is controlled by the control lever 40 via a mechanism visible in fig2 . the mobile disk 44 comprises a support 48 mounted in fluidtight manner on the disk . this support contains thermostatic means able to control the movement of the mobile disk 44 . the latter comprises a first cavity 50 formed by a through - orifice shown in greater detail in fig3 to 6 and allowing hot water to pass directly to the auxiliary pipe 24 while maintaining contact with the thermostatic element in the corresponding cavity of the support 48 . the direct passage of the hot water to the auxiliary pipe 24 provided by the cavity 50 makes it possible to reduce the time needed to prepare hot water to an extent such that the user will have access to hot water more quickly by actuating the hot - water preparation mode than by letting the water run into the sink , this being a further advantage and encouraging the user to accord preference to the hot - water preparation function which saves water . the compression spring fitted between the thermostatic element and the plunger in the support 48 is capable on its own of driving the mobile disk 44 , its support 48 and the control lever 40 back toward the closed position of the mixer which is the position illustrated in fig2 . the plunger is limited in its movement by a stop which slides in a groove of the support 48 of the mobile disk 44 . the plunger is locked and unlocked in the support 48 of the mobile disk as a result of the radial position of one or more balls which slide freely in the radial orifices of the plunger and press against the exterior profile of a piston which slides freely in the plunger . when the mixer in the closed position that corresponds to fig2 , the plunger is pushed back to the right under the effect of the spring until the stop comes into contact with the support 48 of the mobile disk 44 . the balls are slid toward the inside of the plunger . by pushing the lever 40 downward , the support 48 of the mobile disk is moved to the right and the plunger is forced to retract into the support 48 . the cold thermostatic element allows the piston to move to the left under the effect of the return spring , thus causing the balls to move outward in the groove of the support and therefore causing the locking of the plunger in the support . when hot water comes into contact with the thermostatic element , the expansion of the internal component thereof forces the rod and the piston back toward the right , against the effect of the return spring . the rightward movement of the piston allows the balls to slide toward the inside of the plunger , causing the unlocking of the plunger which , under the effect of the spring , pushes the support 48 back to the left into the position of closure of the mixer which corresponds to fig2 . the piston arranged vertically in the body of the tap , under the effect of its spring , causes a slight catching in order to clearly demarcate the various positions of the control . the device controlling the movement of the mobile disk which has just been described is described in greater detail in international patent application number pct / ep2012 / 050850 filed on jan . 20 , 2012 , notably in conjunction with fig1 to 13 and the description thereof . the content of that application , more particularly of the aforementioned passages and / or figures , is incorporated by reference . fig3 shows detail of the fixed distribution disk 42 and of the mobile distribution disk 44 . the contacting faces seal the mixer . the fixed distribution disk 42 is provided with four through - orifices . the first orifice 56 is connected to the cold water inlet embodied by the circle in broken line 32 corresponding to the passage through the body of the mixing tap . the second orifice 58 is connected to the hot water inlet embodied by the circle in broken line 36 corresponding to the passage in the body of the mixer tap . the third orifice 60 is connected to the auxiliary water outlet embodied by the circle in broken line 34 corresponding to the passage in the body of the mixer tap . the fourth orifice 54 is connected to the service water outlet orifice 38 of the mixer tap . the third orifice 60 is intended for removing the cold water initially contained in the hot - water pipe 22 ( fig1 ) and the warm water in this pipe that precedes the arrival of hot water . the mobile disk 44 comprises the first cavity 50 in the form of a through - orifice communicating with a chamber of the support 48 ( fig2 ) comprising the thermostatic control means . the first cavity 50 is intended to place the incoming hot water 58 in communication with the auxiliary water outlet 60 when the control lever is turned to the left and pushed down in order to activate the hot - water preparation function . when the water flowing through the first cavity 50 in contact with the aforementioned thermostatic control means gradually increases in temperature , the thermostatic means react beyond a certain temperature when moving the mobile disk 44 in return toward a closed position without establishing interconnection between the incoming hot water 58 and the auxiliary water outlet 60 . the mobile distribution disk 44 comprises a second cavity 52 intended to place the first incoming cold water orifice 56 and / or the second , incoming hot water orifice 58 in communication with the service water outlet orifice 54 of the fixed disk 42 when the lever 40 is raised in the service position . fig4 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks in the closed position , with the control lever horizontal and in a central position . none of the orifices in the fixed disk is in communication with one of the other orifices of the disk . fig5 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever of the mixer is oriented fully to the left and pushed downward into the position corresponding to the hot - water preparation function . the incoming hot water orifice 58 is placed in communication with the auxiliary water outlet orifice 60 by the first cavity 50 and comes into contact with the thermostatic element in the support 48 ( fig2 ) of the mobile disk 44 . fig6 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever is lifted in a central position of interconnecting the first , second and fourth orifices 56 , 58 and 52 respectively via the second cavity 52 in order to remove a mixture of hot water and cold water to the outlet . means of controlling the pump 18 can be provided for regularly transferring the water from the auxiliary pipe 24 to the hot - water pipe 22 . more particularly , the transfer of water can be from the expansion vessel 16 to the hot - water pipe 22 and , more particularly still , to the expansion vessel 14 . fig7 shows an example of a diagram for the connection of the rapid - action water - saving mixer tap according to a second embodiment of the invention . the reference signs for the first embodiment are used in the second embodiment for the same elements or corresponding elements , although these signs are increased by 100 for the sake of clarity and in order to make a distinction between the embodiments . specific reference signs are used for elements not present in the first embodiment , these signs being comprised between 100 and 199 . this second embodiment is intended for an existing sanitary installation in which it is difficult or expensive to add an auxiliary pipe for returning cooled water to the inlet of the water heating device . a source of cold water , such as a connection to the running - water mains network 106 in various embodiments passes via a nonreturn valve 108 to form the incoming cold - water 110 which is connected directly to a first orifice or first inlet 132 of the mixer tap 104 . the incoming cold water 110 is connected , in various embodiments likewise via a nonreturn valve 112 , to a water heating device 120 . the incoming hot water 122 from the water heating device 120 is connected to a second orifice or second inlet 136 of the mixer 104 . in a similar way to in the first embodiment of the invention , the mixer 104 comprises an auxiliary outlet 134 connected via an auxiliary pipe 124 . however , unlike in the first embodiment , the auxiliary pipe does not comprise a pump for transferring its water . it comprises an expansion vessel 116 able to accumulate the cooled hot water while hot water is being prepared . in practice , the auxiliary pipe 124 can be very short and the expansion vessel 116 can be located at the most opportune location , such as , for example , under the sink to which the mixer 104 is fitted . fig8 shows detail of the fixed distribution disk 142 and of the mobile distribution disk 144 . the contacting faces seal the mixer . the fixed distribution disk 142 is identical to that of the first embodiment ( refer for example to fig3 ). the mobile distribution disk 144 also comprises two cavities 150 and 152 like the mobile disk of the first embodiment ( refer for example to fig3 ). however , the second cavity 152 comprises an extension 162 that allows water from the auxiliary pipe 124 , more particularly from the expansion vessel 116 , to be removed to the service water outlet 138 when the lever of the mixer is in a raised central position corresponding to the opening of the mixer for mixing hot water with cold water . fig9 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks 142 , 144 in the closed position , with the control lever horizontal and central . none of the orifices of the fixed disk is in communication with one of the others . fig1 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever of the mixer is oriented fully to the left and pushed down into the position corresponding to the hot - water preparation function . the orifice 158 for incoming hot water is placed in communication with the auxiliary water outlet orifice 160 and comes into contact with the thermostatic element via the passage in the support of the mobile disk 144 . fig1 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever is lifted up in a central position for delivering a mixture of hot water and cold water to the service outlet . the extension or protrusion 162 of the cavity 152 is in communication with the rest of the cavity to allow the water contained in the expansion vessel 116 of the auxiliary pipe 124 to be discharged . in this position , the service water outlet orifice 154 is in communication with the incoming hot water orifice 158 , with the incoming cold water orifice 156 and with the auxiliary outlet orifice 160 . fig1 is a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever is lifted in a position fully to the left for delivering exclusively hot water to the service outlet . it can be seen that the contour of the third orifice 160 is configured so as to allow the second cavity 152 of the mobile disk 144 to connect the second orifice 158 exclusively to the fourth orifice 154 . the second cavity has a contour that is generally rounded and circular , and the contour of the third orifice 160 has a portion directed toward the center of the disk , which portion is inclined in such a way as to wrap around the corresponding portion of the profile of the second cavity . fig1 is a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever is lifted in a position fully to the right for a flow exclusively of cold water to the service outlet . it can be seen that the protrusion 162 of the second cavity 152 of the mobile disk 144 is configured so that it extends between the second and third orifices 158 and 160 respectively . the latter two orifices are spaced apart and the two disks are configured so that the protrusion covers neither the second nor the third orifice in the position for delivering exclusively cold water . fig1 is an example of a diagram for the connection of the rapid - acting water - saving mixer tap according to a third embodiment of the invention . the connection circuit is the same as in the first embodiment , the rapid - acting water - saving mixer tap however being of the thermostatic type . the thermostatic mixer is shown with the control lever lowered in the mode for the preparation of hot water . the reference signs for the first embodiment are used in the third embodiment for the same elements or corresponding elements , although these signs are increased by 200 for the sake of clarity and in order to make a distinction between the embodiments . specific reference signs are used for elements not present or different in the first embodiment , these signs being comprised between 200 and 299 . fig1 shows detail of the fixed distribution disk 242 and of the mobile distribution disk 244 . the contacting faces seal the mixer . the fixed distribution disk 242 comprises four through - orifices . the central first orifice 256 receives the mixed water , a mixture of cold water from the inlet 232 and hot water from the inlet 236 via the passages below and above the metering piston secured to the thermostatic element 264 . the mobile distribution disk 244 comprises just a central cavity 250 which communicates with a cavity 252 of the support 248 of the mobile disk 244 to allow water to come into contact with the thermostatic element for the preparation of hot water . the thermostatic metering device 264 that has just been described is detailed further in international patent application number pct / ep2012 / 050850 filed on jan . 20 , 2012 , notably in conjunction with fig1 to 27 and the description thereof . the content of that application , more particularly of the aforementioned passages and / or figures , is incorporated by reference . fig1 shows a view from above of the two distribution disks in the closed position , with the control lever horizontal and central . none of the orifices in the fixed disk is placed in communication with one of the others . fig1 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever of the mixer is pushed down into the position corresponding to the hot water preparation function . the incoming hot water orifice 258 and incoming warm water orifice 256 are placed in communication with the auxiliary water outlet orifice 260 and the water comes into contact with the hot water preparation thermostatic element via the passage 252 in the support 248 ( fig1 ) of the mobile disk 244 . fig1 shows a plan view from above of the two distribution disks when the control lever is lifted in a central position for discharging mixed water coming from the orifice 256 and passing via the cavity 250 toward the outlet orifice 254 . in the description that has just been given of the various embodiments of the invention it should be noted that , for the sake of clarity of disclosure and illustration of the invention they have been described specifically for the preparation of hot water . it is important to note that this application is nonlimiting . specifically , these embodiments could also be applied to the preparation of chilled water . in that case , the hot water inlet becomes a chilled water inlet . the cold water inlet can then potentially become a hot water inlet .
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the heat exchanger of the present invention is designed to be used with a gas turbofan engine of otherwise conventional design . typically , such engines are mounted in a similarly shaped nacelle and include a fan at the engine inlet which provides core and bypass air flows . the core air is supplied to a compressor which discharges the core air at high pressure . the high pressure air is mixed with fuel in combustion chambers and ignited . the resulting combustion gases power successive high pressure and low pressure turbines to drive the fan and compressor and provide a net thrust . the bypass air from the fan passes through an annular bypass duct around the core of the engine , which comprises the compressor , combustor and high pressure turbine . the bypass air is cooler than the core air discharged from the compressor and is therefore effective as a cooling medium . a typical engine as generally described above is shown in hurley et al . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 271 , 666 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . as shown in fig1 the present invention is a heat exchanger , generally designated 10 , used to cool components of a gas turbine engine , generally designated 20 , having a compressor 22 which forces air under high pressure out a discharge 28 , through a diffuser 29 and into a combustor 32 . the air is mixed with fuel and ignited in combustion chamber 30 , and the combustion gases pass through high pressure turbine 36 comprised of turbine nozzles or vanes 50 and turbine blades 52 . the heat exchanger 10 is in fluid communication with the high pressure compressed air discharged from the compressor 22 and functions to provide cooling air which is in fluid communication with the turbine 36 or other engine components to be cooled via a cooling manifold 54 . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the heat exchanger 10 is of a standpipe design having a cylindrical outer first member 56 made of a heat conductive material and having radially inner open end 57 rigidly connected at a flared base 58 to a boss 60 by bolts 61 . the boss 60 is integral with the combustor casing 62 and includes a frusto - conical inlet 63 opening into the combustor plenum 69 and communicating with open end 57 . a seal is made with high temperature gasket 64 between boss 60 and base 58 . the outer member 56 is preferably made from a high temperature , low density , high thermal conductive material such as a titanium aluminide . the outer member 56 has a length extending substantially radially with respect to the engine into the contained volume of the bypass air duct 18 surrounding the compressor 22 , combustor casing 62 and turbine 36 . the external surface of the outer member 56 is in contact with the bypass air 65 and preferably includes disk - shaped cooling fins 66 for increasing the area of contact with the bypass air and the rate of heat transfer thereto . the heat exchanger 10 includes a cylindrical inner second member 67 having open ends with one end being threaded into a boss 68 which is integral with diffuser 29 . the inner member 67 has a length positioned substantially radially relative to the engine 20 and extends coaxially within the outer member 56 . compressed core air at the compressor discharge 28 enters the combustor plenum 69 under high pressure , and secondary air to be used for secondary turbine cooling is received through the heat exchanger inlet 63 . the secondary air passes through an outer annular air flow passage 70 formed between the inner and outer members 67 , 56 . while the secondary air is moving through the outer air passage 70 , heat is transferred from the secondary air through the outer member 56 to the cooler bypass air 65 . at the end of the outer member 56 , the cooled secondary air reverses direction and flows through an interior air flow passage 71 of the inner member 67 . the outer member 56 has a closed end 72 with an internal contoured surface 73 which guides the air to flow radially inwardly , relative to the standpipe 10 , to the interior passage 71 . a thermal barrier coating may be applied to the inner member 67 so that heat is not transferred back to the cooled secondary air as it passes through the inner member . however , the inner member 67 is preferably made entirely from a low weight , low thermal conductive material such as a ceramic matrix composite . at the bottom of the inner member 67 , the secondary air passes through the boss 68 and hollow strut 78 into the cooling manifold 54 . the manifold 54 provides secondary cooling air passages to components of the turbine 36 . the heat exchanger 10 comprised of the elongate tubular members shown in fig1 and 2 has several advantages . for example , the air passing to the heat exchanger inlet 63 has been immediately discharged from the compressor and therefore is the coolest air within the combustor 32 . in addition , the heat exchanger 10 requires that the air change direction only one time ; consequently , both the resistance to air flow through the heat exchanger and the pressure drop across the heat exchanger are minimal . the inner and outer members 67 , 56 are not mechanically connected to each other , and therefore each member may have its own independent differential thermal growth , either axially or radially , between the hotter inlet side and the cooler discharge side without a flexible interconnecting coupling . consequently , each of the members 67 , 56 may be rigidly connected to the engine and only static seals are required , thereby minimizing leakage potential and weight . although the presence of the heat exchanger 10 in the bypass air duct will to some degree disrupt the flow of bypass air therethrough , the effects of such disruption may be minimized by utilizing a number of radially - extending heat exchangers , preferably equally spaced , around the circumference of the engine . by utilizing a plurality of heat exchangers 10 , the distance the cooled air must travel is minimized by the parallel nature of the air paths 70 , 71 within each heat exchanger . the utilization of many heat exchangers having parallel short paths is preferred over the use of fewer heat exchangers having long serpentine paths because the total pressure drop across the heat exchangers is less , resulting in greater air supply pressure to the components to be cooled . finally , the impact of a single failed pipe is reduced because less air flow would be made available for dumping air into the bypass stream . in summary , the heat exchanger cools air by directing a flow of high pressure air discharged from the compressor in a first radially - extending , annular path away from the engine , transferring heat from that air flow to the bypass air , and changing the direction of the air flow into a second radially - extending path inside and concentric with the first path back toward the engine . it should be noted that the flow areas and pipe lengths of the heat exchanger 10 may be varied to achieve an intended temperature drop . the outer member 56 may be manufactured with or without cooling fins or may contain cooling fins of different designs . other devices may also be employed to increase the effectiveness of the heat transfer . for example , the passage 70 may include elements for directing the flow of secondary air , thereby increasing the time the secondary air is in contact with a heat transfer surface as well as increasing the heat transfer surface area . also , dampers may be installed between pipes to inhibit resonance . to minimize the disruption to the flow of bypass air , the cross - sectional shape of the inner and outer members may be varied . for example , in addition to the round shape depicted in the figures , the members may be elliptical , have the shape of an airfoil or any combination thereof . further , the secondary air from the heat exchanger 10 may be ducted to various engine components utilizing hollow struts , pipes or a combination thereof . in addition , the heat exchanger 10 of the design described may be mounted at other locations on the combustor casing 62 ; for example , adjacent the turbine vane 50 to provide vane cooling . while the invention has been illustrated in some detail according to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings , and while the preferred embodiments have been described in some detail , there is no intention to thus limit the invention to such detail . on the contrary , it is intended to cover all modifications , alterations and equivalents following within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .
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fig1 shows an assembled frame and base , the needlework having been omitted therefrom for clarity . the frame , indicated generally at 10 , includes parallel side members 12 and 13 which are interconnected by upper and lowwer members 15 and 16 , respectively . members 15 and 16 are provided with long , narrow pieces of coarse cloth 18 to which the upper and lower edges of the needlework fabric can be basted to hold the cloth between the upper and lower members . normally , the needlework fabric will be longer or taller than the distance between members 15 and 16 , in which case a portion of the fabric can be rolled onto one or both of those members . members 15 and 16 are provided with threaded bolts protruding from the ends thereof which pass through holes in members 12 and 13 and are secured by wing nuts 20 . the frame is held on support arms 22 and 23 by carriage bolts 25 and wing nuts 26 , the bolts passing through spacer blocks 24 and the upper ends of the support arms , the lower ends thereof being attached to support blocks 28 and 29 , again by carriage bolts and wing nuts . support blocks 28 and 29 are fixedly attached to slider plates 30 and 31 which form part of the base structure along with blocks 28 , 29 and support arms 22 , 23 . a generally h - shaped structure indicated generally at 35 includes front and rear elongated base members 36 and 37 and a central member 39 which extends between members 36 and 37 and is fixedly attached thereto . central member 39 holds members 36 and 37 in a generally parallel relationship and extends between those members at a location intermediate the ends thereof to form the h - shaped frame structure . member 39 is dimensioned so that slider plates 30 and 31 can fit between the inwardly facing parallel edges of members 36 and 37 . as will be further described in connection with the other figures , track members 40 and 41 are attached to members 36 and 37 and are arranged to slidingly engage plates 30 and 31 so that those plates can be slidably moved relative to the h - shaped structure . as seen in fig1 the frame 10 is the shortest frame which can be accommodated by frame structure 35 , that is , the length , as measured between the outer surfaces of members 12 and 13 , is substantially equal to the distance between the inner surfaces of blocks 24 on support arms 22 and 23 with slider plates 30 and 31 positioned so that their inner ends are adjacent central portion 39 . a similar structure is shown in fig2 in which the same base accommodates a frame indicated generally at 45 which is considerably longer than frame 10 . the basic structure of frame 45 is the same as frame 10 , having end members 46 and 47 , upper and lower members 48 and 49 and the interconnecting hardware . however , as will be apparent , upper and lower members 48 and 49 are much longer than the equivalent members in frame 10 and , thus , the distance between the outer surfaces of members 46 and 47 is considerably greater then the equivalent distance of members 12 and 13 . accordingly , the inner surfaces of blocks 24 on support arms 22 and 23 must be further apart in order to accommodate this frame . this is accomplished by sliding the slider plates 30 and 31 outwardly away from central portion 39 , leaving a space between the inner ends of the slider blocks and the central portion . as will be apparent , there is a limit beyond which the slider plates cannot be extracted without losing engagement with the tracks 40 and 41 attached to members 36 and 37 . this limit defines the greatest length of frame which can be accommodated by this base structure . between that outer limit and the inner limit illustrated in fig1 there is a range of frame sizes which can be accommodated and which , in a practical embodiment of the structure , permits the base to accommodate at least four practical sizes of frames ranging from 13 to 22 in . fig3 and 4 show a substantial portion of the base structure with the frame removed and with support arm 23 cut away ( in fig3 ) to avoid obscuring any portion of the base structure below it . as will be seen from these figures , slider plates 30 and 31 are slidably received by tracks 40 and 41 so that they are movable toward and away from central member 39 . front and rear elongated members 36 and 37 are rigidly interconnected to member 39 by screws which pass through openings 50 and 51 which are substantially centrally located in members 36 and 37 , the screws being shown in the sectional view of fig6 . as seen in fig2 and , more clearly , in fig5 and 6 , each of the track members 40 and 41 is generally i - shaped in cross section with the height of the track being about 9 / 16 in . and the width of the top and bottom flange portions each being about 7 / 16 in . the tracks are made by extrusion using a polymeric material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ( abs ), resulting in a track which has stiff , self - supporting characteristics . one side of each track member is fixedly attached to its associated front or rear member 36 or 37 by the central member 39 and screw 52 which passes through the track member and into central portion 39 . the other side of each track member engages central portion 39 and , on either side of that central portion , one of the slider plates . the remainder of the members of the frame and base are preferably made of wood although plastic and other materials can be employed , if desired . the hardware is , of course , conventional in nature and includes items such as carriage bolts , lag screws , wing nuts and washers . while one advantageous embodiment has been chosen for illustration , it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
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referring now to the figures and in particular to fig1 a guided parafoil delivery system 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown . system 10 includes a parafoil 12 for reducing a rate of descent ( via air drag ) of a payload container 18 . the payloads transportable by system 10 are generally on the order of one to 100 pounds , but the weight of the payload should not be construed as a limitation on the present invention , unless as applied to a claim that recites a weight limitation . the present invention is applicable to delivery of chemical sensors and other electronic devices as well as other lightweight payloads . payload container 18 is mechanically coupled to parafoil 12 via a guidance system container 16 that houses components for controlling the flight path and descent of parafoil 12 . an optional telemetry antenna 17 is shown attached to payload container 18 for exchange of information via radio frequency broadcast with a ground station or airborne transceiver . a first set of control cables 14 a is connected to a set of connection points on parafoil 12 that are disposed on a back edge of the right side of parafoil 12 . shortening cables 14 a increases the drag of the right side of parafoil 12 , steering parafoil 12 to the right . a second set of cables 14 c is connected to a set of connection points on parafoil 12 that are disposed on a back edge of the left side of parafoil 12 . shortening cables 14 a increases the drag of the left side of parafoil 12 , steering parafoil 12 to the left . the first and second set of cables 14 a and 14 c are generally connected to more flexible “ risers ” on the back edges of parafoil 12 , while the remaining cables 14 b are connected to connection points on the main body of parafoil 12 , but other implementations are possible , such as configurations where risers are not employed and cables 14 b may also be absent , providing steering by shifting the center point of guidance system container 16 and payload container 18 with respect to parafoil 12 and supporting a payload entirely via the control cables 14 a and 14 c . parafoil 12 is steered by shortening a set of control cables 14 a or 14 c and simultaneously lengthening the other set of control cables 14 c or 14 a , causing parafoil 12 to turn in the direction of increased drag on the side of parafoil 12 controlled by the shortened cable set . referring now to fig2 system 10 is shown stowed in a canister 21 of the size generally available for airdrop of countermeasures electronics and sensing systems . in particular , the size of canister may be 4 ″× 4 ″ by 12 ″ in length , which is consistent with countermeasures canisters currently employed for the delivery of chemical sensor packages . parafoil 12 , is folded and stowed above guidance system container 16 and is attached to payload container 18 . a removable cover 25 on which optional telemetry antenna 17 is mounted , provides access to payloads within payload container 18 prior to insertion within container 21 . two l - shaped cover plates 23 a - 23 b surround parafoil 12 and guidance system container 16 . the cover plates are ejected after deployment of system 10 from canister 21 . a sensor s 1 , depicted as a switch , but which may be implemented as a hall effect sensor ( mounted on guidance system container 16 ) and magnet ( mounted on one of cover plates 23 a - 23 b ) or other suitable sensing device , provides detection of ejection of cover plates 23 a - 23 b after deployment . sensor s 1 provides a signal to the guidance system within guidance system container 16 to activate control of parafoil 12 . an additional time delay can be set to further delay the activation of guidance system components until parafoil 12 has completely deployed and is in stable descent . referring now to fig3 a and 3b , internal features of the guidance system container 16 and payload container 18 are depicted . a payload 19 is placed within payload container 18 for delivery to a target zone . a battery 28 and compass 29 are also mounted within payload container 18 and electrically connected to a guidance control 20 within guidance system container 16 via cables . in addition or alternative to compass 29 , a global positioning system ( gps ) antenna 27 and receiver are employed , with gps antenna 27 shown mounted conformal to the surface of guidance system container 16 . compass 29 is an electronic compass such as a magnetic compass that provides horizontal bearing information to guidance control 20 . a gps receiver within guidance control 20 and coupled to gps antenna 27 provides periodic position information to guidance control 20 in addition to compass 29 . in some embodiments , in particular for navigation systems providing data at a higher rate than standard gps , compass 29 may be omitted , and horizontal bearing may be calculated from changes in the gps reported position . further , compass 29 may be an alternative device , such as an inertial navigation system , tacan or vor receiver , or other device that may provide bearing information to the guidance control 20 . within guidance system container 16 , a motor 22 is coupled to control cables 14 a and 14 c of parafoil 12 via a winch drum 26 . when motor 22 is rotated , one set of cables ( 14 a or 14 c ) is shortened ( or tensioned ) and the other set is lengthened ( or loosened ), steering parafoil 12 in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the trajectory of parafoil 12 . paths and apertures within the walls of guidance system container 16 provide for smooth travel of cables 14 a and 14 c from winch drum 26 to the outside of guidance system container 16 . a position sensor 23 provides an indication of a “ zero position ” of winch drum ( e . g ., where the lengths of cables 14 a and 14 c outside of guidance system housing 16 are equal ), so that guidance control 20 can be properly initialized to a neutral steering condition . a shaft position sensor incorporated within motor 22 and coupled to guidance control 20 may be incorporated to control the precise length of cables 14 a and 14 c , as well as the rate of rotation of motor 22 , permitting control over the positioning profile of motor 22 . controlling the rate and acceleration curves of motor 22 provides improved control of parafoil 12 , providing smooth operation at the endpoints of motor positioning events . referring now to fig4 a schematic of a guidance control 20 and associated electronic components is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . battery 28 supplies power to the circuits of guidance control 20 and other components via a voltage regulator 32 , which provides the regulated voltage required by i / o devices and processors , while unregulated battery power is supplied to motor drivers 38 . a microcontroller 34 provides computation of the parafoil trajectory in conformity with information received from an electronic compass 29 and a gps receiver 33 ( via gps antenna 27 ). gps receiver 33 provides positional information and electronic compass 29 provides horizontal bearing information . gps receiver 33 generally does not provide data at a sufficient rate to determine horizontal bearing , therefore electronic compass 29 ( or alternatively an inertial navigation system , etc .) is needed so that proper course correction may be calculated . further , microcontroller 34 observes the rate of change of horizontal bearing from electronic compass 29 during flight to determine whether or not the system is in an undesirable flight condition . if an undesirable flight condition is detected , motor m 1 is restored to the zero position determined by sensor 23 and the system guidance algorithm restarts after flight stability is recovered . examples of undesirable flight conditions that can be detected using the rate of horizontal bearing changes are payload oscillation , where a heavy payload swings and causes the parafoil to change direction rapidly , and spiral divergence , where the payload swings out while the parafoil turns downward , causing the lift vector of the parafoil to become substantially horizontal . either condition disrupts the regular flight path and thus the guided operation of the system and therefore it is desirable to detect the above - mentioned and other unstable flight conditions so that remedial action can be taken and guided operation restored . switch s 1 optionally detects deployment of the parafoil via detection of parafoil cover ejection , separation of a suspended payload housing from the guidance system container or other suitable mechanism . at deployment , microcontroller ( via program instructions stored in a memory 34 b and executed by a processor core 34 a ) sets the motor ( and winch pulley 26 ) to the zero start position via feedback from winch position sensor 23 . microcontroller 34 then computes the deviation of the flight path from a desired path to the ground target . initially , the flight path is substantially a straight line toward the target , with a terminal cylindrical path above the target once the system has reached a predetermined distance from the target . when microcontroller 34 determines that a course correction is needed , a motor control processor 36 is instructed to turn motor 22 , in a direction corresponding to the sign of the deviation and with a torque ( motor current ) proportional to the magnitude of the deviation . motor drivers 38 supply the current from battery 28 to the motor via an h - bridge switching network , and receive feedback from the shaft sensor within motor 22 . the motor current setting can be provided by pulse width control generated by motor control processor 36 , which may follow pre - programmed profiles for acceleration / deceleration . control is proportional to the calculated deviation and adjustment of the length of cables 14 a and 14 c controlled by motor 22 can be set very precisely due to the shaft sensor feedback to motor control processor 36 . referring now to fig5 a trajectory 65 of a guided parafoil delivery system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is depicted . initially , the system is guided from a start point 64 ( the location of the system after deployment and initial start - up delay ) in a linear path toward a target 60 . with glide ratios ranging from 2 : 1 to 4 : 1 , linear flights of 2 miles for a drop height of 5000 feet can be reliably achieved . glide ratios are dependent on the parafoil design and load as well as local air conditions and wind . after the system has come within a predetermined horizontal radius above the target , guidance proceeds based on a control cylinder 62 extending axially above and symmetrically disposed circumferentially around the horizontal position of the target . control cylinder 62 is disposed around an axis 61 rising vertically above target 60 . the radius of cylinder 62 is generally 100 feet , but may be any value suitable for the aerodynamics and size of a particular system . if trajectory 65 of the system exceeds the boundary of cylinder 62 a correction is applied , turning parafoil 12 inward , thus causing parafoil 12 to veer back toward the circumference of cylinder 62 . when the system is within cylinder 62 , a variety of options may be chosen for guidance , including neutral or no control . alternatively , the set of cables 14 a or 14 c on the side facing axis 61 may be pulled to an extreme position , increasing the descent of parafoil ( if cylinder 62 is exceeded at any time , the control function described above will be resumed ). alternatively , if trajectory 65 of the system falls too far inside the boundary of cylinder 62 a correction 64 may be applied , turning parafoil 12 outward from axis 61 . the outward turning control causes parafoil 12 to veer back toward the circumference of cylinder 62 , maintaining a constant control function , but generally limiting the approach to target 60 to the radius of cylinder 62 . referring now to fig6 a , a view of internal features of guidance system container 16 and payload container 18 are depicted in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention . in the alternative embodiment , guidance system container 16 is connected to payload container 18 by a set of cables 54 that extend after deployment of the system . a gps receiver 27 a is mounted on the top surface of payload container 18 and is connected to guidance control 20 ( not shown ) via a cable 55 . the above - illustrated configuration provides for operation of gps receiver 27 a without pattern distortion and blockage due to guidance system container and its internal components shadowing gps receiver 27 a . ( cables 54 will generally be longer than depicted , providing sufficient distance between guidance system container 16 and payload container 18 ). alternatively , gps receiver may also be mounted with payload container 18 and coupled to guidance control 20 via a serial or other interface . switch s 1 is mounted on guidance system container 18 for detection of separation of guidance system container 16 from payload container 18 at deployment . referring now to fig6 b , a view of internal features of guidance system container 16 and payload container 18 are depicted in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention . in the other alternative embodiment , guidance system container 16 is connected to payload container 18 directly . a gps receiver 27 is mounted on the top surface of guidance system container 16 and is connected to guidance control 20 . in the depicted embodiment , battery 28 , compass 29 and motor 22 are all contained within guidance system container . 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 may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
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the present invention comprises a novel method and apparatus for effecting the distal anastomosis in an aortic valve bypass procedure . more particularly , the present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel locking collar connector to effect the distal anastomosis in an aortic valve bypass procedure . this novel locking collar connector allows the distal anastomosis to be effected quickly and safely , while requiring significantly less access to the anastomosis site and without requiring suturing to the descending aorta . significantly , hemostasis is effectively maintained at substantially all times , so that the distal anastomosis can be carried out while the heart is beating . looking now at fig2 - 7 , there is shown a novel locking collar connector 5 which comprises one preferred form of the present invention . locking collar connector 5 generally comprises a ratchet bracket 10 ( fig2 , 3 , 5 and 6 ), an inner collar 15 ( fig2 , 4 , 5 and 6 ), a graft conduit 20 ( fig2 and 6 ), and an outer collar 25 ( fig2 and 7 ). in one preferred form of the present invention , and as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail , ratchet bracket 10 , inner collar 15 , and graft conduit 20 are assembled into a single integral assembly 27 ( fig6 ) during manufacture , and outer collar 25 ( fig7 ) is joined to this single integral assembly 27 during use ( fig2 ). ratchet bracket 10 is shown in greater detail in fig3 . more particularly , ratchet bracket 10 generally comprises a hollow ovoid body 30 having a distal end 35 , a proximal end 40 , and a lumen 45 extending therebetween . a pair of l - shaped support arms 50 extend distally , and radially outwardly , from distal end 35 of hollow ovoid body 30 . ratchet teeth 55 are provided on the exterior surface of hollow ovoid body 30 . preferably two sets of ratchet teeth 55 are provided on the exterior surface of hollow ovoid body 30 , with the two sets of ratchet teeth being disposed in diametrically - opposed disposition , in the manner shown in fig3 . as will hereinafter be discussed , graft conduit 20 extends through lumen 45 of hollow ovoid body 30 ( fig6 ), l - shaped support arms 50 are configured to support inner collar 15 adjacent to the distal end of hollow ovoid body 30 ( fig5 and 6 ), and the two sets of ratchet teeth 55 are configured to be engaged by corresponding elements of outer collar 25 ( fig2 ). inner collar 15 ( fig2 and 4 - 6 ) comprises a generally ovoid body 60 having an ovoid outer perimeter 65 and an ovoid central hole 70 . inner collar 15 is preferably constructed from a flat sheet of 0 . 009 ″ thick nitinol , which is heat - treated while constrained onto the outer diameter of a suitable heat - treat mandrel ( about 1 . 5 inches in diameter ) so as to form a resilient saddle - like structure . alternatively , inner collar 15 can be formed out of other suitable materials . as noted above , and as will hereinafter be discussed , inner collar 15 is intended to be mounted to l - shaped support arms 50 of hollow ovoid body 30 ( fig5 and 6 ). furthermore , and as will hereinafter be discussed , inner collar 15 is provided with a spring configuration ( e . g ., because of its nitinol construction ) which , when inner collar 15 is deployed within the interior of the descending aorta , can exert a substantial sealing force against the inner wall of the descending aorta . graft conduit 20 ( fig2 and 6 ) comprises a generally tubular structure which is preferably constructed out of woven polyester graft ( e . g ., vascutek gelweave ™). other graft materials , including gore - tex ® fabric or vascutek triplex ™ material , can also be utilized to form graft conduit 20 . as noted above , and as will hereinafter be discussed , graft conduit 20 is configured to extend through lumen 45 of hollow ovoid body 30 ( fig6 ). as noted above , ratchet bracket 10 , inner collar 15 and graft conduit 20 are intended to be assembled into a single integral assembly 27 ( fig6 ) during manufacture , and outer collar 25 is intended to be joined to this integral assembly during use ( fig2 ). more particularly , inner collar 15 is preferably attached to l - shaped support arms 50 of ratchet bracket 10 by molding the ratchet bracket about inner collar 15 so that the inner collar resides on the l - shaped support arms of the ratchet bracket ( fig5 ). woven graft ( e . g ., vascutek gelweave ™) 75 ( fig6 ) is then sewn onto inner collar 15 so as to envelop both sides of the inner collar 15 ( i . e ., so as to envelop both of the oval faces 76 , 77 ), preferably by stitching the woven graft on both the inner and outer diameters of inner collar 15 . finally , the distal end of graft conduit 20 is sewn ( e . g ., at a fluid - tight seam 80 ) to the woven graft 75 covering inner collar 15 ( fig6 ). fluid - tight seam 80 is preferably on the inner edge of the nitinol oval , as shown in fig6 . thus , the distal end of the lumen of graft conduit 20 opens on the ovoid central hole 70 of inner collar 15 , with inner collar 15 providing a resilient ovoid flange at the distal end of graft conduit 20 ( see fig6 ). significantly , with this construction , ratchet bracket 10 remains primarily outside of graft conduit 20 and is not covered with graft material ; only the two l - shaped support arms 50 ( molded onto the nitinol oval of inner collar 15 ) are enclosed in graft material . the two resulting penetrations through the graft layer ( i . e ., at the locations where the distal end of graft conduit engages the two l - shaped support arms 50 ) are sutured tightly in order to eliminate potential leak paths . outer collar 25 ( fig2 and 7 ) comprises a hollow ovoid body 85 having a distal end 90 , a proximal end 95 , and lumen 100 extending therebetween . a flange 105 is mounted to distal end 90 of hollow ovoid body 85 . a pair of ratchet arms 110 , including ratchet teeth 115 thereon , are spring mounted to hollow ovoid body 85 . as will hereinafter be discussed , hollow ovoid body 85 of outer collar 25 is intended to be slid over hollow ovoid body 30 of ratchet bracket 10 so that flange 105 of outer collar 25 opposes inner collar 15 , with ratchet teeth 115 of outer collar 25 engaging ratchet teeth 55 of ratchet bracket 10 . outer collar 25 is preferably molded out of a medical grade acetal . other materials suitable for permanent implant , such as silicone or polypropylene , can also be used . in use , and as will hereinafter be discussed , an opening is made in the side wall of the descending aorta ; the single integral assembly 27 ( fig6 ) of ratchet bracket 10 , inner collar 15 and graft conduit 20 is maneuvered so that inner collar 15 is positioned within the interior of the descending aorta while hollow ovoid body 30 and graft conduit 20 extend out the side wall of the descending aorta ; and then hollow ovoid body 85 of outer collar 25 is slid down over graft conduit 20 and hollow ovoid body 30 of ratchet bracket 10 until flange 105 of outer collar 25 engages the outer wall of the descending aorta and ratchet teeth 115 of outer collar 25 engage ratchet teeth 55 of ratchet bracket 10 , with the side wall of the descending aorta being securely clamped between inner collar 15 and flange 105 of outer collar 25 , and with graft conduit 20 in fluid communication with the interior of the descending aorta . in this way , the distal anastomosis can be provided for an aortic valve bypass procedure . thereafter , graft conduit 20 can be connected , in ways well known in the art , to the left ventricle of the heart as part of an aortic valve bypass procedure . it will be appreciated that , with this construction , ratchet bracket 10 is instrumental in locking outer collar 25 down onto the outer surface of the descending aorta while simultaneously sandwiching the aortic wall between inner collar 15 and flange 105 of outer collar 25 ( fig2 ). in this respect it will also be appreciated that outer collar 25 has two diametrically - opposed ratchet teeth 115 ( fig7 ), while ratchet bracket 10 has two corresponding diametrically - opposed sets of ratchet teeth 55 , with the two diametrically - opposed sets of ratchet teeth 55 being aligned with each end of the inner collar oval &# 39 ; s major axis ( fig5 ). with this arrangement , each end of outer collar 25 can be locked into a number of positions relative to ratchet bracket 10 ( and hence relative to inner collar 15 ), thereby accommodating for variable aortic wall thicknesses . in this respect it will also be appreciated that the general oval shape of hollow ovoid body 85 of outer collar 25 and hollow ovoid body 30 of ratchet bracket 10 serves to automatically establish and maintain alignment between the mating ratchet teeth 55 , 115 of the ratchet bracket and the outer collar . in other words , relative rotation between the outer collar and ratchet bracket is effectively prevented . it will also be appreciated that , on account of the foregoing construction , locked collar connector 5 presents only graft material to the lumen of the anastomosis site . a novel delivery instrument 200 ( fig8 - 12 ) is provided to enable the physician to easily install and deploy locked collar connector 5 through a small thoracotomy into a slit in the descending aorta , whereby to form the desired distal anastomosis for the aortic valve bypass . looking now at fig8 - 12 , delivery instrument 200 generally comprises a hollow ovoid column 205 ( fig9 ) having a pair of traction arms 210 movably mounted to the distal end thereof . more particularly , each of the traction arms 210 is pivotally mounted to hollow ovoid column 205 via a pivot pin 220 , whereby a toe 225 thereof may be moved radially inwardly or outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis 230 of hollow ovoid column 205 . a garter spring 235 is provided so as to urge toes 225 of traction arms 210 radially inwardly . a pair of handles 240 ( fig8 ) are attached to hollow ovoid column 205 . still looking at fig8 - 12 , a clothespin rod 245 , having a bifurcated clothespin clamp 250 at its distal end , is movably mounted within hollow ovoid column 205 . as will hereinafter be discussed , clothespin clamp 250 may be used to keep inner collar 15 of locking collar connector 5 folded along its long axis . when clothespin rod 245 is in its extended position ( fig9 ), clothespin rod 245 forces traction arms 210 apart , whereby to radially project toes 225 , in the manner shown in fig9 . in this way , and as will hereinafter be discussed , toes 225 can be used to support the undersides of l - shaped support arms 50 of inner collar 15 , whereby to grasp inner collar 15 to delivery instrument 200 . when clothespin rod 245 is in its retracted position ( fig1 ), garter spring 235 urges toes 225 radially inwardly , in the manner shown in fig1 . in this way , and as will hereinafter be discussed , toes 225 can be withdrawn from the undersides of l - shaped support arms 50 of inner collar 15 , whereby to release inner collar 15 from delivery instrument 200 . still looking at fig8 - 12 , a pair of collar actuators 255 are movably disposed about the exterior of hollow column 205 . more particularly , collar actuators 255 include a pair of slots 260 through which handles 240 project . by gripping handles 240 and pressing on the proximal ends of collar actuators 255 , the distal ends of collar actuators 255 can be moved distally , whereby to force outer collar 25 distally , as will hereinafter be discussed . collar actuators 255 together have an ovoid configuration . to install locking collar connector 5 onto delivery instrument 200 , collar actuators 255 are moved proximally on hollow ovoid column 205 , and clothespin rod 245 is moved proximally within hollow ovoid column 205 so that toes 225 are retracted inboard . next , outer collar 25 of locking collar connector 5 is slid onto the distal end of hollow ovoid column 25 . then the single integral assembly 27 of ratchet bracket 10 , inner collar 15 and graft conduit 20 is slid onto the distal end of hollow ovoid column 205 . next , inner collar 15 is folded along the major axis of the oval . then clothespin rod 245 is moved distally so that toes 225 project radially outward so as to support the underside of ratchet bracket 10 and so that clothespin clamp 250 holds portions of the nitinol oval of the inner collar 15 in close proximity across the oval &# 39 ; s minor axis . see fig8 - 12 . thus , the single integral assembly 27 of ratchet bracket 10 , inner collar 15 and graft conduit 20 is securely held in place on the distal end of delivery instrument 200 , with graft conduit 20 trapped in the annular gap between hollow ovoid column 205 and collar actuators 255 , and with outer collar 25 of locking collar connector 5 disposed on hollow ovoid column 205 proximal to the aforementioned single integral assembly 27 ( of ratchet bracket 10 , inner collar 15 and graft conduit 20 ) and distal to collar actuators 255 . note that a portion of graft conduit 20 is folded under , and is also held by , clothespin clamp 250 . see fig1 and 13 . when locking collar connector 5 is to be deployed off the distal end of delivery instrument 200 , collar actuators 255 are advanced distally while hollow ovoid column 205 is held stationary ( e . g ., via handles 240 ). this causes outer collar 25 of locking collar connector 5 to move distally , with flange 205 of outer collar 205 moving toward inner collar 15 so as to clamp vascular tissue therebetween , and with ratchet teeth 115 of outer collar 25 engaging ratchet teeth 55 of ratchet bracket 10 so as to lock the two members in position relative to one another , and with graft conduit 20 in fluid communication with the desired blood flow . with locking collar connector 5 in position , clothespin rod 245 is retracted proximally , releasing inner collar 15 from clothespin clamp 250 ( whereupon inner collar 15 springs back to its unfolded condition ) and allowing toes 225 to retract inwardly , whereby to free delivery instrument 200 from locking collar connector 5 . delivery instrument 200 may thereupon be withdrawn from the surgical site , leaving locking collar connector 5 in position . in this way , the distal anastomosis can be provided for an aortic valve bypass procedure . thereafter , graft conduit 20 can be connected , in ways well known in the art , to the left ventricle of the heart as part of an aortic valve bypass procedure . the preferred method for installing locking collar connector 5 into the descending aorta using delivery instrument 200 is detailed in the steps below . 1 . access to the descending aorta is created through a small thoracotomy , a thoracoscopy , or other minimally invasive opening in the thoracic cavity . 2 . two balloon catheters ( cook coda ® g36042 , for example ) are fed up from the groin through one or both femoral arteries . a first balloon (“ the proximal balloon ”) is inflated above the anastomosis site ( proximal to the heart ), and the second balloon is inflated distal to the anastomosis site (“ the distal balloon ”). see fig1 . blood flow through the aorta is effectively blocked by the two inflated balloons . 3 . the physician cuts a longitudinal slit at the anastomosis site ( fig1 ). 4 . delivery instrument 200 , with locking collar connector 5 carried thereon , is advanced through the thoracotomy to the anastomosis site . the delivery instrument is rotated so that the major axis of inner collar 15 of locking collar connector 5 is aligned with the aortic slit ( fig1 ). then inner collar 15 is inserted into the interior of the descending aorta via the aortic slit . in this respect it will be appreciated that insertion of the inner collar through the aortic slit and into the lumen of the descending aorta can be aided by “ picking up ” the descending aorta adjacent to the slit with a suitable pair of forceps ( fig1 ), and the folded inner collar presents a narrow profile that can be fed one end at a time into the aortic slit . the process is repeated at the other end of the aortic slit until inner collar 15 is fully positioned within the lumen of the descending aorta . 5 . once inner collar 15 of locking collar connector 5 is within the lumen of the descending aorta and substantially centered on the aortic slit , the physician applies traction to the inner collar via handles 240 ( fig8 ). as noted above , the handles are rigidly connected to hollow ovoid column 205 , which contains the pivot axes for traction arms 210 . the traction arms are in contact with the ratchet bracket &# 39 ; s l - shaped support arms 50 through a layer of graft . with traction applied to inner collar 15 using the handles as described above , the physician advances outer collar 25 down onto ratchet bracket 10 ( fig1 ). to this end , delivery instrument 200 has a pair of collar actuators 255 ( fig9 ) that may be moved independently of one another . the physician is able to push on either , or both , collar actuators as required so as to set outer collar 25 . this provides tactile feedback to the physician and enables him to properly compress each end of the outer collar onto the ratchet bracket . the aortic wall is thus securely clamped between outer collar 25 and the portion of the inner collar 15 near the major axis of the nitinol oval of the inner collar . as this occurs , ratchet teeth 115 of outer collar 25 and ratchet teeth 55 of ratchet bracket 10 engage with each other so as to prevent the inner collar and the outer collar from separating . see fig1 . 6 . the physician retracts clothespin rod 245 , pulling clothespin clamp 250 off the folded inner collar 15 . as a result , the inner collar springs outward until the inner wall of the descending aorta is encountered . there is sufficient spring force in the inner collar to create at least line - to - line contact along the entire inner circumference of the aortic slit , thereby establishing hemostasis . as clothespin rod 245 is further retracted , the two traction arms 210 pivot towards each other , moving toes 225 inboard and thereby releasing support arms 50 from the delivery instrument . this action is preferably aided by the provision of garter spring 235 . see fig1 . 7 . collar actuators 255 and hollow ovoid column 205 are withdrawn . the graft conduit slips out from the annular gap between the hollow ovoid column and the collar actuators . 8 . means to block the neck of graft conduit 20 , and maintain hemostasis , are provided . by way of example but not limitation , a cross - clamp on the graft conduit is one such simple approach . after the graft conduit has been blocked and hemostasis is ensured , the distal balloon is deflated and withdrawn . then the proximal balloon is deflated and withdrawn , leaving locking collar connector 5 deployed within the descending aorta . 9 . at this point , the distal anastomosis for the aortic valve bypass procedure is complete . graft conduit 20 can thereafter be connected , in ways well known in the art , to the left ventricle of the heart as part of an aortic valve bypass procedure . an alternative embodiment of the locking collar connector is shown schematically in fig1 , and includes : 1 . a prosthetic valve 300 is pre - installed in the proximal end of graft conduit 20 . 2 . a side branch 305 is provided on graft conduit 20 . this construction is useful when a valve is pre - installed in the graft conduit . in this form of the invention , side branch 305 is installed on the delivery instrument ( see below ), and graft conduit 20 hangs off to the side of the delivery instrument . side branch 305 is preferably sized to fit in the annular gap between the hollow ovoid column and the collar actuators . 3 . a connector 310 is provided for attaching the proximal end of graft conduit 20 to another conduit . this connector may be ( i ) a male - female slip connector such as is taught in fig1 of u . s . pat . no . 7 , 510 , 561 , issued mar . 31 , 2009 to richard m . beane et al . for apparatus and method for connecting a conduit to a hollow organ ( attorney &# 39 ; s docket no . correx - 033058 - 000005 ), which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference , and / or ( ii ) a snap - together coupling of the sort known in the fluid - coupling art , with self - sealing capability on at least one side of the coupling . inner collar 15 may also be constructed out of a stacked set of thin oval steel washers , rather than out of a single nitinol sheet 0 . 009 ″ thick . by way of example but not limitation , a set of ( 4 ) 0 . 002 ″ thick stainless steel ovals can be stacked and joined together when the ratchet bracket is over - molded . acting in tandem , this stack of stainless steel oval sheets can provide suitable flexibility and spring force with a low attendant stress level . consequently , the risk of a fatigue failure can be significantly reduced . where a side branch 305 is present on graft conduit 20 , the side branch can be held within the delivery instrument instead of the graft conduit . installation then proceeds as outlined above . one advantage of this alternative configuration and approach is that a prosthetic valve 300 can be pre - installed within the graft conduit where a side branch is provided . the graft conduit , with valve , then remains undisturbed throughout the distal anastomosis . as disclosed above , the present invention may be used for effecting a distal anastomosis for an aortic valve bypass . however , it should be appreciated that the present invention can also be used for a distal anastomosis for any bypass procedure , or for substantially any joinder of one vessel to another vessel . it will be understood that many additional changes in the details , materials , steps and arrangements of parts , 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 while remaining within the principles and scope of the present invention .
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in accordance with the present invention , there is provided nucleic acid - based marker for tree phenotype prediction and method thereof . sampling was conducted at the washington state university farm plantation site in puyallup , washington and at two commercial plantation sites in northern oregon at clatskanie and boardman . the pedigree sampled was founded in 1981 by interspecific hybridization between populus trichocarpa ( clone 93 - 968 ) and p . deltoides ( clone ill - 129 ). two siblings from the first hybrid generation ( f1 family 53 ), 53 - 246 and 53 - 242 , were crossed in 1988 to give rise to a family of second generation hybrids used for genetic mapping studies ( f2 family 331 ). unrooted cuttings of the p , f1 and 55 f2 clones were planted at the sites in a modified randomized complete block design at a 2 × 2 m spacing . at the time of sampling , the trees were seven ( puyallup ) and five ( clatskanie , boardman ) years old . ten millimeters diameter increment cores were obtained at approximately breast height from 350 surviving trees ( 90 genotypes ) within the pedigree . all cores were removed through the pith from bark to bark . for pilot kraft pulping analyses , 25 stems were selected — based on the fiber properties and wood density phenotypic data — and harvested from the puyallup site . the entire stem to a 1 ″ top size was recovered in each case . genotyping experiments were performed on dna extracted from 30 g of live tissue ( leaf samples ) obtained from each of the 90 sampled genotypes spanning the three growth sites . fibers for analysis were obtained from hand - chipped 10 mm increment cores using an acetic acid / hydrogen peroxide maceration technique whereby a known oven - dried ( o . d .) weight of chips was first placed in a test tube , saturated with water then covered in maceration solution [ 1 : 1 mixture of glacial acetic acid : hydrogen peroxide ( 30 % from stock bottle )]. these samples were then incubated in a dry heating block for 48 hrs at 60 ° c . the maceration solution was washed from the chips extensively using distilled water and the pulps disintegrated in a small hamilton beach mixer . a dilution series was then used to obtain representative samples of 10 , 000 - 20 , 000 fibers ( corresponding to approximately 5 mg of macerated pulp ) which were analyzed for length and coarseness values using a kajaani fs - 200 instrument and / or an optest fiber quality analyzer . maceration yields were calculated from oven - dried recovered pulps after fiber analysis . microfibril angle ( mfa ) was measured on 45 whole increment core samples from the family 331 hybrid poplars . the cores were selected on the basis of sufficient size (& gt ; 20 mm ) and soundness of the wood . prior to analysis , the cores were extracted in denatured ethanol for three days and dried . mfa was determined by silviscan - 2 analysis using scanning x - ray diffractometry [ evans , r . a variance approach to the x - ray diffractometric estimation of microfibril angle in wood . appita j . 52 ( 4 ), 283 - 289 ( 1999 )]. acquisition time was set for 30 seconds to optimize signal to noise ratio and a single diffraction pattern was obtained for each sample to ensure that the entire length of the sample was represented . mfa was estimated from the standard deviation ( s ) of the 002 azimuthal diffraction profile where : lignin contents were determined for 90 genotypes sampled at the puyallup growth site . the determinations were performed at the paprican pointe claire facility according to tappi standard methods ( t13 wd 74 ). the samples were ground in a wiley mill at 40 mesh and a 5 - 6 g o . d . aliquot of the ground wood was placed in a soxhlet thimble and continuously extracted with acetone for 6 hours . the resulting filtrate was concentrated by rotary evaporation and filtered through a pasteur pipette with glass wool , in order to remove any large particulates . the filtrate was then freeze dried , accurately weighed and the resulting crystals re - suspended in acetone to give a concentration of 5 , 000 ppm based on the total extractives yield . the internal standards , cholesterol palmitate and heptadeptanoic acid ( c - 17 ), were added to every one of the extracted samples , at a concentration of 200 ppm . the samples were then transferred to gc vials for analysis of fatty acids by gcms , using a 10 m db - xlb column ( j & amp ; w ). the set temperature program started out at 50 ° c . for 3 minutes , before ramping the temperature up to 340 ° c . at a rate of 10 ° c . per minute . this was then followed by maintaining the temperature at 340 ° c . for 30 minutes and again ramping up to 360 ° c . at a rate of 10 ° c . per minute . the injector temperature was held at 320 ° c . and a constant flow rate of 1 . 6 ml / minute was maintained . a solvent delay of 5 minutes was set up and data acquisition began at that point . in order for ion detection to occur , a compound table of known retention times was built . peaks were detected by quantions ( ric ) and integrated . area ratios were determined relative to the internal standard , cholesterol palmitate . the peaks were identified and integrated via the compound table that was constructed as a part of the ms data calculations [ fernandez , mp , watson , pa , breuil , c . gas chromatography - mass extractive compounds in quaking aspen . journal of chromatography a , 922 ( er1 - 2 ): 225 - 233 ( 2001 ). the resulting area integrations from each spectrum were divided into the internal standard , cholesterol palmitate , to give a ratio . this relative number was then used on a peak specific basis ( peak identification by retention time ) as phenotypic data for genetic mapping experiments . the area of particular interest falls between 25 to 40 minutes and contains the waxes , sterols and steryl esters , the major components of pitch in wood . selected wood logs from the 25 hybrid poplar clones from the base up to a 1 ″ top diameter were debarked , slabbed ( if necessary to reduce the diameter ) on a portable woodmizer lt - 15 sawmill and chipped using a 36 ″ cm & amp ; e 10 - knife industrial disc chipper . a portion of the chips were air - dried and later screened in a wennberg chip classifier to obtain chips in the thickness range of 2 - 6 mm for chemical pulping . these accept chips were used in the kraft cooks . the remaining green chips were screened on a bm & amp ; h vibratory screen to remove over sized chips and fines prior to mechanical pulping . three representative aliquots of air - dried accept chips from each of the samples were kraft pulped in bombs [ 45 g oven - dried ( o . d .) charge ] within a b - k micro - digester assembly . the cooking conditions were as follows : all of the pulps produced were washed , oven - dried and weighed to determine pulp yield . kappa number and black liquor residual effective alkali were determined by tappi standard procedures ( t236 cm 85 and t625 respectively ). from these results the optimum cooking conditions required to produce pulps at 17 kappa number were estimated by fitting regression lines through each set of data ( r 2 ≧ 0 . 95 ). large quantities of kraft pulp were subsequently produced in a 28 l weverk laboratory digester . the pulps produced were disintegrated , washed and screened through an 8 - cut screen plate . a pfi mill was used to prepare 5 - point beating curves for each pulp sample by refining at : 0 , 1000 , 3000 , 6000 revolutions ( cppa standard c . 7 ). a disintegrator ( cppa standard c . 9p ) and a stainless steel sheet machine were used for testing and forming all sets of handsheets ( cppa standard c . 4 and c . 5 ). all physical and optical testing was performed in a constant temperature and humidity room , using cppa standard methods . two - stage impregnation of twenty - four hybrid poplar chips samples was carried out using a sunds defibrator prex impregnator with a 3 : 1 compression ratio . chips were steamed at atmospheric pressure for 10 min to expel entrapped air from the chips and replace it with water vapour . impregnation with a solution containing 0 . 25 % dtpa ( diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid ) was carried out in the prex impregnator . this provided a chemical charge of 0 . 26 % to 0 . 66 % dtpa on o . d . wood . first - stage impregnated chips were further impregnated with a solution containing 0 . 25 % mgso 4 , 2 . 0 % na 2 sio 3 , 2 . 35 % naoh and 1 . 5 % h 2 o 2 . this resulted in chemical charges as follows : mgso 4 applied , % o . d . wood : 0 . 36 to 0 . 69 na 2 sio 3 applied , % o . d . wood : 2 . 29 to 5 . 45 naoh applied , % o . d . wood : 3 . 69 to 5 . 89 h 2 o 2 applied , % o . d . wood : 1 . 72 to 3 . 76 after 60 min retention at 60 ° c . the side port of the preheater was opened to remove the impregnated chips for open - discharge refining in a 30 . 5 cm single - disc sprout waldron laboratory refiner to prepare alkaline peroxide refiner mechanical pulps ( aprmp ). each chip sample was refined at three energy levels to give 72 aprmp pulps in the freeness range from 144 to 402 ml csf . immediately after first pass open - discharge refining the pulp stock was neutralized to ph 4 . 5 - 4 . 8 . wood chip density and chemical uptake of hybrid poplar chip samples are shown in table xix . plates d2a507 number of passes 2 to 4 depending upon freeness level nominal plate gap 0 . 38 mm ( first pass ) 0 . 03 to 0 . 2 mm ( subsequent passes ) refining consistency 18 to 23 % o . d . pulp after latency removal , each pulp was screened on a 6 - cut laboratory flat screen to determine screen rejects . bauer - mcnett fiber classifications on screened pulps were determined . representative samples from each of the 72 pulp samples were analyzed for fiber length using a kajaani fs - 200 instrument . handsheets were prepared with white water recirculation to minimize the loss of fines and tested for bulk , mechanical , and optical properties using cppa standard methods . handsheet roughness was measured in sheffield units ( su ). the nature of the observed kraft pulp handsheet deformations was explored by both light and electron microscopy and by energy - dispersive x - ray analysis . wood chip deposits were characterized in similar fashion . the methodologies used have been described fully in a previous report . the populus genetic map used in this application , previously constructed using the same family 331 pedigree , consists of 342 rflp , sts and rapd markers and is described in [ bradshaw , h . d ., villar , m ., watson , b . d ., otto , k . g ., and stewart , s . “ molecular genetics of growth and development in populus iii . a genetic linkage map of a hybrid poplar composed of rflp , sts and rapd markers ,” theor . appl . genet . 89 , 551 - 558 ( 1994 )]. the 19 large linkage groups , corresponding closely to the 19 populus chromosomes , were scanned for the phenotypic data obtained using the program mapmaker - qtl 1 . 1 . based on the scanned genome length and the distance between genetic markers , a logarithmic odds ( lod ) significance threshold level of 2 . 9 was chosen ( this ensures that the chance of a false positive qtl being detected is at most 5 %). for more details on the qtl mapping procedure employed . for each trait examined , qtl - associated markers were identified from the genetic map and were employed to generate polymorphic products from phenotyptically selected f2 generation individuals . random amplified polymorphic dna ( rapd ) markers were purchased from operon technologies inc . ( alameda , calif ., u . s . a .) and restriction fragment linked polymorphism ( rflp ) markers were constructed from published sequence data by the biotechnology laboratory at the university of british columbia . both types of markers were used in standard pcr reactions to generate polymorphic amplified product bands corresponding to the qtl - linked markers identified on the genetic map . pcr conditions were standard for rapd analyses ( h . d . bradshaw , personal communication ) and performed using rtaq polymerase ( amersham - pharmacia ) and a techne genius thermal cycler . cycle conditions were as follows : pcr products from the phenotypically selected f2 generation individuals were separated on 1 % agarose gels according to standard methods and polymorphic bands of the appropriate size were excised from the gels . products were purified from the agarose using the amersham - pharmacia gfx pcr gel band purification kit and cloned into the promega pgem - t vector system ( with supplied competent cells ) according to manufacturers &# 39 ; protocols and standard blue / white selection cloning procedures on ampicillin agar . cloned pcr products were prepared from transformed cells using the promega wizard plus miniprep kit , again according to the manufacturers protocols , and were then sequenced at the biotechnology laboratory , university of british columbia . fiber length and coarseness and macerated pulp yield data were obtained on core samples for each of the 350 trees sampled in the study using the pulp maceration technique and either the kajaani fs - 200 or the automated optest fqa instruments and are presented in table i . previous experiments have shown no difference in the fiber properties analyses of poplar samples between these two instruments [ robertson , g ., olson , j ., allen , p ., chan , b . and seth , r . “ measurement of fiber length , coarseness and shape with the fiber quality analyzer ”. tappi j . 82 ( 10 ), 93 - 98 ( 1999 )]. the outermost ring ( age 7 ) data are presented in table i . microfibril angle data for the outermost ring of each core ( i . e . age 7 ), obtained using the silvisscan - 2 technique , are also presented in table ii . fig1 shows the results of a typical silviscan - 2 analysis of an increment core sample from bark to pith at different levels of scanning resolution . table ii microfibril angle data for hybrid poplars at age 7 . tree mfa 331 - ring 7 data 1060 29 . 22 1063 26 . 15 1064 30 . 45 1065 27 . 13 1067 32 . 09 1069 29 . 09 1072 30 . 06 1073 32 . 24 1075 33 . 55 1076 34 . 60 1078 29 . 58 1079 31 . 25 1080 23 . 40 1082 28 . 43 1084 28 . 90 1095 30 . 58 1101 25 . 48 1103 28 . 03 1104 35 . 26 1114 21 . 56 1120 25 . 75 1122 17 . 76 1126 26 . 14 1127 33 . 37 1128 25 . 15 1130 25 . 87 1131 25 . 30 1140 24 . 98 1149 28 . 42 1151 28 . 59 1158 25 . 92 1169 26 . 54 1174 25 . 25 1186 27 . 01 1580 38 . 19 1590 20 . 84 1591 30 . 02 1592 26 . 09 1593 26 . 51 significant variability is seen for all three traits — fiber coarseness ranges from 0 . 042 mg / m to 0 . 124 mg / m ; microfibril angle from 17 . 8 ° to 38 . 2 °; maceration yield from 27 . 2 % to 56 . 1 %. results of the mapmaker - qtl 1 . 1 analysis of the data are shown in table ll . one significant qtl has been found for fiber coarseness , one low significance qtl for microfibril angle and four for macerated pulp yield . the qtl for each fiber property are concident and one of the qtl for maceration yield ( p1027_p192 / r ) is coincident with the low significance qtl detected for kraft pulp yield ( table vi ). these regions may , therefore , represent particularly important areas of the genome for pulp and paper properties . table iii significant qtl detected for each examined property trait marker / linkage lod score * phen % ‡ length / cm weight dom . fiber i14_09 - f15_10 / e 3 . 49 55 . 9 37 . 3 72 . 794 − 79 . 906 coarseness microfibril i14_09 - f15_10 / e 2 . 38 * 39 . 8 37 . 3 0 . 9445 4 . 4460 angle maceration p1258 - p75 / c 3 . 50 68 . 8 3 . 3 − 6 . 3878 6 . 4285 yield i17_04 - p1275 / j 3 . 18 75 . 4 15 . 4 − 5 . 3740 7 . 8547 p1218 - g02_11 / j 4 . 26 73 . 4 13 . 8 − 5 . 7903 7 . 9257 p1027 - p192 / r 2 . 98 50 . 0 0 . 0 − 2 . 8721 5 . 7712 data for the lignin compositional analyses undertaken on the core samples are presented in table iv . table iv lignin contents for the harvested stems clone lignin (%) 14 - 129 24 . 56 93 - 968 25 . 57 53 - 242 23 . 31 53 - 246 24 . 50 331 - 1059 24 . 89 331 - 1061 25 . 75 331 - 1062 24 . 78 331 - 1075 24 . 87 331 - 1093 25 . 43 331 - 1118 23 . 99 331 - 1122 24 . 27 331 - 1126 23 . 38 331 - 1136 24 . 56 331 - 1162 22 . 93 331 - 1186 24 . 71 these phenotypic data were used in a mapmaker - qtl 1 . 1 genetic mapping experiment which resulted in the identification of a single , significant qtl for lignin content ( shown in table v ). due to the extensive industrial and academic interest in the genetic control of this particular woody plant trait , many candidate genes for this region — primarily from the lignin biosynthetic pathway — have already been sequenced , a fact which may enable the rapid characterization of this qtl . table v significant qtl detected for lignin content trait marker / linkage lod score phen % length / cm weight dom . lignin content p757 - p867 / p 3 . 32 24 . 7 16 . 7 0 . 5463 − 0 . 0099 table vi significant qtl detected for individual extractives peaks trait compound marker / linkage lod score phen % length / cm weight dom . beta - p1277 - p12612 / a 9 . 84 83 . 3 14 . 7 4 . 7882 − 5 . 8067 sitosterol ( r . t . 25 . 831 ) p856 - a18_06 / i 7 . 97 81 . 3 14 . 0 4 . 9972 − 5 . 5280 win8 - g04_20 / i 10 . 47 81 . 3 27 . 0 5 . 0064 − 5 . 5178 p1202 - p1221 / o 5 . 60 80 . 7 15 . 8 − 5 . 3093 − 4 . 9808 sterol p1277 - p12612 / a 5 . 03 69 . 4 14 . 7 − 0 . 9132 − 1 . 1720 ( r . t . 25 . 912 ) p1011 - c04_04 / a 5 . 70 68 . 8 23 . 5 − 0 . 9541 − 1 . 1478 p1322 - p1310 / a 4 . 12 67 . 6 12 . 2 − 1 . 0231 − 0 . 9421 p1074 - g12_15 / b 5 . 76 65 . 1 19 . 7 − 1 . 5614 − 1 . 4403 p44 - p1054 / b 6 . 04 65 . 4 4 . 4 − 1 . 5744 − 1 . 4237 h12_03 - p1196 / b 3 . 71 58 . 8 8 . 8 − 1 . 2545 − 1 . 0949 win8 - g04_20 / i 5 . 16 64 . 7 27 . 0 1 . 5482 − 1 . 4744 g13_17 - c10_21 / i 5 . 91 64 . 4 14 . 0 1 . 4861 − 1 . 5144 p65 - p1203 / j 4 . 86 64 . 6 9 . 1 1 . 5060 − 1 . 5576 b15_17 - p216 / x 2 . 97 31 . 5 0 . 4 − 0 . 5213 − 0 . 6455 sterol win8 - g04_20 / i 9 . 06 72 . 2 27 . 0 3 . 8061 − 3 . 6553 ( r . t . 25 . 917 ) g13_17 - c10_21 / i 9 . 20 72 . 0 14 . 0 3 . 7236 − 3 . 8242 i17_04 - p1275 / j 8 . 86 72 . 2 15 . 4 3 . 8034 − 3 . 6422 p773 - p1055 / j 7 . 17 72 . 2 3 . 9 3 . 8033 − 3 . 6495 p65 - p1203 / j 9 . 21 72 . 0 9 . 1 3 . 7858 − 3 . 6910 p1218 - g02_11 / j 9 . 55 71 . 9 13 . 8 3 . 7620 − 3 . 7391 sterol p1277 - p12612 / a 12 . 12 90 . 1 14 . 7 − 0 . 1879 − 0 . 3996 ( r . t . 26 . 319 ) h19_08 - e14_15 / c 6 . 53 81 . 7 19 . 7 0 . 3026 − 0 . 2430 p12182 - p1049 / c 5 . 17 75 . 3 19 . 0 − 0 . 2181 − 0 . 2372 p13292 - p1043 / m 6 . 27 79 . 2 12 . 0 − 0 . 2791 − 0 . 2991 p46 - f15_18 / x 8 . 18 80 . 3 17 . 9 − 0 . 2996 − 0 . 2567 e18_05 - p12743 / x 5 . 00 80 . 3 11 . 5 − 0 . 3007 − 0 . 2567 p1064 - b15_17 / x 7 . 97 81 . 2 26 . 6 − 0 . 3044 − 0 . 2468 sterol / triter p1277 - p12612 / a 5 . 30 80 . 2 14 . 7 0 . 0157 − 0 . 1606 pene ( r . t . 26 . 417 ) h19_08 - e14_15 / c 6 . 53 80 . 0 19 . 7 0 . 0858 − 0 . 0726 p12182 - p1049 / c 3 . 20 77 . 1 19 . 0 − 0 . 0730 − 0 . 1091 p1018 - p12242 / e 4 . 80 80 . 2 16 . 9 − 0 . 0705 − 0 . 0957 p1064 - b15_17 / x 3 . 14 80 . 2 26 . 6 − 0 . 0782 − 0 . 0829 sterol i14_09 - f15_10 / e 3 . 35 65 . 3 37 . 3 0 . 1014 − 0 . 0849 ( r . t . 27 . 818 ) i17_04 - p1275 / j 3 . 46 63 . 9 15 . 4 0 . 0967 − 0 . 0985 p1218 - g02_11 / j 4 . 34 63 . 5 13 . 8 0 . 0959 − 0 . 1006 e18_15 - c01_16 / m 3 . 15 68 . 7 22 . 1 − 0 . 1074 − 0 . 0778 sterol / triter p1277 - p12612 / a 18 . 15 95 . 3 14 . 7 1 . 6108 − 1 . 6355 pene ( r . t . 28 . 218 ) p1011 - c04_04 / a 18 . 99 97 . 3 23 . 5 1 . 5192 − 1 . 7546 p1291 - p1267 / l 18 . 13 95 . 5 12 . 9 1 . 5951 − 1 . 6614 triterpene / p1145 - g08_09 / m 3 . 96 78 . 4 12 . 7 − 2 . 6340 − 2 . 3716 ester ( r . t . 37 . 833 ) e18_15 - c01_16 / m 3 . 76 77 . 1 22 . 1 2 . 5955 − 3 . 5004 p1064 - b15_17 / x 4 . 72 81 . 1 26 . 6 − 2 . 6098 − 3 . 6878 triglyceride p11642 - p1145 / m 3 . 13 56 . 3 4 . 5 − 1 . 3120 − 2 . 0510 ( r . t . 40 . 084 ) the gcms method used for compound analysis was that developed and optimized by fernandez et al . for the analysis of aspen ( p . tremuloides ) extractives . peaks were identified via retention time and ion masses . the area of particular interest in the spectrum — containing the sterols and assorted waxes , compounds which are implicated in pitch formation propensity — was delineated as shown in fig2 a , at retention times greater than 25 min . the similarity between this aspen spectrum and those obtained from the hybrid poplar clones — a typical spectrum is shown in fig2 b — allowed the extrapolation of peak identification table data to the mapping population clones . identified compounds were quantified , ratio numbers were obtained relative to the internal standard and were then used for qtl experiments . significant qtl for extractives peaks are presented in table v . to date , this application has successfully identified a number of qtl that contain genes involved in the control of sterol and steryl ester content / synthesis in this family of hybrid poplars . the fact that several qtl have been independently detected for a number of related compounds provides strong evidence that the synthesis of a suite of related compounds is controlled by the same discrete genetic regions ( implying the existence of a biosynthetic pathway ) and that these qtl in particular may be regarded as non - spurious detections . these results both confirm and extend the conclusions of previous research describing clonal - based variation of extractives content in a natural population of aspen ( p . tremuloides ). whole logs of selected hybrid poplar clones were debarked and chipped as described in the experimental section . the wood density and chip quality of selected clones are presented in table vii . attempted correlations between the accept chip fraction and the wood density were unsuccessful ( fig3 ). table vii wood density and chip quality of selected clones 93 - 53 - 53 - 331 - 331 - 331 - 331 - 331 - 331 - 968 242 246 1059 1061 1062 1075 1122 1186 wood density ( kg / m 3 ) 309 316 318 303 337 285 300 283 292 45 mm round (%) 0 . 9 4 . 3 4 . 5 2 . 9 1 . 4 1 . 4 2 . 9 0 . 2 1 . 8 8 mm slot (%) 15 . 2 15 . 1 18 . 4 21 . 8 9 . 8 16 . 5 20 . 0 14 . 2 17 . 1 7 mm round (%) 81 . 5 79 . 4 76 . 0 74 . 0 83 . 1 80 . 5 75 . 8 82 . 7 78 . 7 3 mm round (%) 2 . 0 1 . 0 0 . 8 1 . 0 2 . 5 1 . 2 0 . 8 2 . 2 1 . 8 fines (%) 0 . 6 0 . 4 0 . 4 0 . 4 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 5 0 . 7 0 . 6 [ 0183 ] fig4 shows a plot of chip density against bulk density ( table viii ) for the sampled stems . table viii hybrid poplar chip density and chip packing density ( bulk density ) puyallup , washington site chip density bulk density sample air dried chips kg / m 3 kg / m 3 14 - 129 ( 1 ) 0 . 285 130 . 7 14 - 129 ( 2 ) 0 . 304 145 . 1 53 - 242 ( 1 ) 0 . 329 167 . 5 53 - 242 ( 2 ) 0 . 302 143 . 9 53 - 246 ( 1 ) 0 . 311 151 . 0 53 - 246 ( 2 ) 0 . 325 162 . 6 93 - 968 ( 1 ) 0 . 303 153 . 3 93 - 968 ( 2 ) 0 . 314 146 . 5 331 - 1059 ( 2 ) 0 . 303 137 . 5 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) 0 . 302 142 . 3 331 - 1061 ( 1 ) 0 . 338 176 . 1 331 - 1061 ( 2 ) 0 . 328 161 . 4 331 - 1061 ( 3 ) 0 . 345 174 . 3 331 - 1062 ( 1 ) 0 . 280 133 . 8 331 - 1062 ( 2 ) 0 . 290 136 . 2 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) 0 . 300 140 . 8 331 - 1093 ( 1 ) 0 . 279 132 . 1 331 - 1093 ( 2 ) 0 . 288 134 . 8 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 0 . 346 165 . 7 331 - 1118 ( 2 ) 0 . 373 173 . 3 331 - 1122 ( 1 ) 0 . 283 133 . 5 331 - 1126 ( 1 ) 0 . 386 188 . 0 331 - 1136 ( 1 ) 0 . 288 146 . 5 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) 0 . 336 155 . 4 331 - 1186 ( 3 ) 0 . 292 144 . 7 the two parameters are related by a pearson correlation coefficient of 0 . 86 ( p = 0 . 000 ). higher density chips , such as those obtained from clone 331 - 1061 , are more desirable as they pack better into kraft pulp digesters and mechanical pulp mill plug screw feeders thus ensuring maximum mill production rates . if these clones were to be ranked on the basis of chip value and quality ( i . e . low oversized , pins and fines fractions ), clones 331 - 1061 , 331 - 1122 , parent 93 - 968 and triploid 331 - 1062 would be considered superior material . the 25 hybrid poplar trees ( comprising 15 distinct genotypes ) were chemically pulped according to the conditions outlined above and handsheets were prepared from the corresponding pulps . calculated data for pulping to kappa 17 , derived from table ix , are presented in table x . table ix hybrid poplar exploratory kraft pulping data ( whole log chip samples ) sample kappa % unsc &# 39 ; d yield h factor % res . ea % ea consumed % rejects 14 - 27 . 1 55 . 9 800 3 . 0 10 . 0 0 . 7 129 ( 1 ) 17 . 9 54 . 9 1100 2 . 8 10 . 2 trace 15 . 6 53 . 8 1400 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 1 14 - 32 . 2 57 . 6 700 3 . 1 9 . 9 4 . 7 129 ( 2 ) 23 . 1 55 . 1 1000 2 . 6 10 . 4 1 . 1 17 . 5 53 . 6 1400 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 1 331 - 30 . 0 56 . 5 700 2 . 7 10 . 3 3 . 2 1059 ( 2 ) 19 . 6 54 . 8 1000 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 3 15 . 2 54 . 1 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 0 . 2 331 - 24 . 6 55 . 4 800 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 4 1059 ( 3 ) 17 . 8 54 . 1 1100 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 2 14 . 9 53 . 6 1400 2 . 0 11 . 0 0 . 4 331 - 28 . 8 54 . 9 800 2 . 4 10 . 6 1 . 0 1061 ( 1 ) 20 . 9 53 . 9 1100 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 1 17 . 9 52 . 8 1400 2 . 0 11 . 0 trace 331 - 27 . 9 55 . 5 800 2 . 5 10 . 5 1 . 5 1061 ( 2 ) 17 . 5 54 . 2 1100 2 . 3 10 . 7 trace 15 . 0 53 . 4 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 trace 331 - 25 . 3 55 . 2 800 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 5 1061 ( 3 ) 18 . 3 54 . 6 1100 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 2 15 . 3 53 . 5 1400 2 . 0 11 . 0 0 . 3 331 - 25 . 7 55 . 5 800 2 . 7 10 . 3 2 . 4 1062 ( 1 ) 18 . 9 53 . 7 1100 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 5 14 . 8 53 . 2 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 trace 331 - 25 . 2 54 . 6 800 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 9 1062 ( 2 ) 18 . 0 53 . 0 1100 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 4 15 . 1 52 . 6 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 trace 331 - 33 . 3 56 . 0 700 2 . 7 10 . 3 5 . 4 1075 ( 2 ) 23 . 6 53 . 9 1000 2 . 4 10 . 6 0 . 7 17 . 0 53 . 2 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 0 . 5 331 - 27 . 7 54 . 8 800 2 . 6 10 . 4 1 . 7 1093 ( 1 ) 20 . 7 53 . 3 1100 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 4 17 . 7 53 . 1 1400 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 5 331 - 25 . 7 54 . 7 800 2 . 6 10 . 4 1 . 0 1093 ( 2 ) 17 . 9 53 . 6 1100 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 4 15 . 8 52 . 3 1400 2 . 0 11 . 0 trace 331 - 25 . 8 56 . 2 705 2 . 8 10 . 2 1 . 3 1118 ( 1 ) 18 . 7 56 . 0 1000 2 . 6 10 . 4 0 . 4 14 . 3 54 . 7 1400 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 1 331 - 25 . 1 56 . 0 800 2 . 8 10 . 2 1 . 3 1118 ( 2 ) 20 . 7 55 . 0 1000 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 4 15 . 4 54 . 3 1400 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 1 331 - 25 . 8 55 . 3 800 2 . 5 10 . 5 1 . 6 1122 ( 1 ) 18 . 7 53 . 7 1100 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 1 14 . 6 53 . 3 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 0 . 1 331 - 23 . 2 55 . 8 800 2 . 8 10 . 2 1 . 1 1126 ( 1 ) 18 . 1 54 . 4 1100 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 1 14 . 7 54 . 1 1400 2 . 3 10 . 7 trace 331 - 38 . 6 54 . 7 800 2 . 1 10 . 9 5 . 4 1136 ( 1 ) 25 . 7 52 . 6 1100 1 . 9 12 . 1 1 . 7 20 . 7 51 . 6 1400 1 . 8 12 . 2 1 . 1 18 . 0 51 . 4 1634 1 . 7 11 . 3 na 331 - 24 . 1 54 . 9 800 2 . 9 10 . 1 0 . 5 1162 ( 3 ) 17 . 1 53 . 4 1100 2 . 6 10 . 4 trace 14 . 0 52 . 8 1400 2 . 4 10 . 6 trace 331 - 24 . 3 56 . 1 800 2 . 7 10 . 3 0 . 6 1186 ( 3 ) 17 . 3 54 . 4 1100 2 . 4 10 . 6 trace 14 . 2 54 . 4 1400 2 . 2 10 . 8 0 . 1 53 - 21 . 5 56 . 0 800 2 . 6 10 . 4 0 . 8 242 ( 1 ) 16 . 9 54 . 5 1100 2 . 3 10 . 7 0 . 2 14 . 1 54 . 0 1400 2 . 1 10 . 9 trace 53 - 23 . 0 56 . 5 800 2 . 7 10 . 3 2 . 7 242 ( 2 ) 16 . 9 55 . 5 1100 2 . 5 10 . 5 1 . 0 16 . 4 55 . 1 1400 2 . 3 10 . 7 2 . 4 53 - 23 . 3 55 . 9 800 2 . 7 10 . 3 1 . 4 246 ( 1 ) 16 . 4 54 . 8 1100 2 . 4 10 . 6 0 . 2 14 . 2 54 . 0 1400 2 . 2 10 . 8 trace 53 - 23 . 1 56 . 6 800 2 . 7 10 . 3 1 . 0 246 ( 2 ) 17 . 4 56 . 1 1100 2 . 5 10 . 5 0 . 9 12 . 8 55 . 2 1400 2 . 4 10 . 6 trace 93 - 22 . 6 58 . 0 800 2 . 8 10 . 2 2 . 4 968 ( 1 ) 16 . 7 56 . 6 1100 2 . 6 10 . 4 0 . 2 14 . 2 55 . 5 1400 2 . 2 10 . 8 trace 93 - 18 . 8 58 . 5 800 3 . 1 9 . 9 0 . 9 968 ( 2 ) 13 . 2 57 . 4 1100 2 . 8 10 . 2 0 . 1 11 . 9 56 . 1 1400 2 . 5 10 . 5 trace [ 0188 ] table x kraft pulping data for harvested stems ( kappa 17 ) h - factor unscreened yield (%) % ea consumed 14 - 129 1230 54 . 4 10 . 3 1436 53 . 5 10 . 9 ? 93 - 968 1110 56 . 5 10 . 5 883 58 . 0 10 . 0 ? 53 - 242 1092 54 . 7 10 . 7 1211 55 . 4 10 . 6 ? 53 - 246 1112 54 . 7 10 . 6 1088 55 . 9 10 . 5 331 - 1059 1213 54 . 4 10 . 8 1190 54 . 0 10 . 9 331 - 1061 1448 52 . 9 11 . 0 1200 53 . 9 10 . 8 1225 54 . 0 10 . 8 331 - 1062 1219 53 . 3 10 . 8 1207 52 . 9 10 . 8 331 - 1075 1401 53 . 0 10 . 9 331 - 1093 1443 52 . 8 10 . 9 1236 52 . 9 10 . 8 ? 331 - 1118 1135 55 . 3 10 . 6 1251 54 . 5 10 . 6 331 - 1122 1206 53 . 6 10 . 8 331 - 1126 1177 54 . 4 10 . 5 331 - 1136 1684 51 . 1 11 . 3 331 - 1162 1132 53 . 4 10 . 4 ? 331 - 1186 1146 54 . 7 10 . 6 [ 0189 ] fig5 shows the relationship between h - factor and kappa number for the pulped stems . in fig4 population parents 93 - 968 and 14 - 129 form the boundaries of the variability seen in kappa number at each h - factor value . it is clear that , as was the case for aspen , the variation in h - factor required to achieve a given kappa number is substantial . for example , to achieve kappa 17 , clone 331 - 1136 requires approximately 1650h - factor whereas clone 93 - 968 requires only 1000h - factor ( a 40 % reduction ). the particular difficulty in pulping clone 331 - 1136 indicated here may be a function of this clone &# 39 ; s high level of calcium accumulation ( see below ), particularly as this clone &# 39 ; s lignin content is not unusually high ( 24 . 56 % in a population range of 22 . 93 - 25 . 75 %, see table iv . also like aspen , the swings in yield at a given unbleached kappa number are substantial . all the exploratory kraft pulping data are presented in table x herewith . at kappa 17 the yield from clone 331 - 1136 was approximately 51 %. this may be an outlier point ( excess compression wood due to plantation location , etc .). the lower limit of pulp yield is probably better represented by clones 331 - 1093 and 331 - 1062 whereas clone 93 - 968 exhibits a 57 % pulp yield ( fig6 ). in fig6 parent 93 - 968 ( pure p . trichocarpa ) forms a distinct envelope whereas the remainder of the clones examined resemble parent 14 - 129 ( p . deltoides ). superior clones are highlighted in table x . the relationship between ease of pulping and pulp yield is evident ( pearson correlation of − 0 . 828 , p = 0 . 000 ). however it should be noted that the variability in yield at a given h - factor is high as evidenced by the relatively poor r 2 of 0 . 69 , shown in fig7 . in fig7 it can be seen that the parental clones represent the extremes , ( clonal lignin content 25 . 75 - 22 . 93 %) 331 - 1162 has the lowest lignin content but gives low pulp yield and average pulping rate , therefore lignin content is not a reliable indicator of pulpability . these results confirm the necessity to pilot pulp clones for proper evaluation of properties . further , the h - factor required to achieve kappa 17 has been evaluated against the chip density in fig8 . it is clear that in addition to lignin content wood density cannot be used to predict ease of kraft pulping ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 194 , p = 1 . 000 ). table xi presents the fiber properties data obtained for the pulped clones at kappa 17 . the top three ranked clones in terms of high length and low coarseness are indicated in bold . table xi whole stem pulp fibre properties data lw fiber length coarseness ( mm ) ( mg / m ) 14 - 129 0 . 65 0 . 103 0 . 69 0 . 115 93 - 968 0 . 66 0 . 097 0 . 76 0 . 113 53 - 242 0 . 69 0 . 099 0 . 76 0 . 109 53 - 246 0 . 73 0 . 105 0 . 74 0 . 103 331 - 1059 0 . 67 0 . 087 0 . 65 0 . 092 331 - 1061 0 . 68 0 . 097 0 . 64 0 . 094 0 . 71 0 . 101 ? 331 - 1062 ? 0 . 80 ? 0 . 121 0 . 82 0 . 121 331 - 1075 0 . 69 0 . 097 331 - 1093 0 . 53 0 . 083 0 . 57 0 . 083 331 - 1118 0 . 78 0 . 105 0 . 61 0 . 101 ? 331 - 1122 ? 0 . 79 ? 0 . 122 331 - 1126 0 . 79 0 . 102 331 - 1136 0 . 46 0 . 117 ? 331 - 1162 ? 0 . 80 ? 0 . 121 331 - 1186 0 . 68 0 . 099 a positive correlation ( pearson coefficient 0 . 543 , p = 0 . 105 ) can be seen between the fiber length and coarseness data which mirrors that seen for the 7 th year ring data and the situation seen in aspen populations ( fig9 ). in fig9 the positive correlation seen here is in contrast to that seen for aspen clones but supports the data obtained for the 7 th year growth ring from each hybrid poplar in the previous study . if the outlier point for clone 331 - 1136 is omitted from the analysis , the correlation becomes much more significant ( pearson coefficient 0 . 834 , p = 0 . 000 ). the length - weighted fiber length data were also correlated to chip density values , as shown in fig1 . not unexpectedly , and bearing in mind the fiber length : coarseness relationship , the relationship is poor ( pearson coefficient 0 . 228 , p = 1 . 000 ) even if outlier points are excluded . pulp yield data at kappa 17 , were used in a mapmaker - qtl 1 . 1 analysis which revealed the presence of a single , low significance qtl for this property — table xii . the pilot - scale pulping of further clones will likely enhance the statistical significance of the detection of this qtl . significantly , the qtl kraft pulp yield ( the most important trait from an industrial production point of view ) correlate with a higher significance qtl for maceration yield but does not coincide with the lignin qtl ( table v ). table xii low significance qtl detected for kraft pulp yield trait marker / linkage lod score phen % length / cm weight dom . kraft pulp yield p1027 - p192 / r 2 . 52 * 72 . 7 0 . 0 − 1 . 8932 0 . 7270 h - factor to kappa 17 data from table ix were also used in a mapmaker qtl1 . 1 analysis . however , no significant qtls were observed which confirms that , not surprisingly , lignin content is not the single controlling factor in kraft pulping of hybrid poplar . there may be concern that this observation does not seem to relate to measurable physical properties . however , issues such as pulping liquor diffusion are also known to be a major contributor to ease of kraft pulping . the strength of hardwood pulps is becoming an increasingly important parameter given the economic impetus for lighter weight products which retain strength and optical properties and to reduce the amount of expensive softwood kraft pulp required for many paper grades . four point pfi mill beater curves were developed for each of the clonal pulps and the results of all tests are presented in table xiii . table xiii hybrid poplar kraft pulp and optical property data 14 - 129 ( 1 ) 14 - 129 ( 2 ) 331 - 1059 ( 2 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 499 480 414 361 533 479 423 353 453 435 362 322 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 636 703 739 754 618 705 740 767 666 775 784 784 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 4 . 7 6 . 2 7 . 0 7 . 6 4 . 2 5 . 8 6 . 6 7 . 1 6 . 1 7 . 9 8 . 8 9 . 5 breaking length ( km ) 8 . 7 9 . 3 10 . 6 10 . 5 8 . 2 9 . 1 9 . 7 10 . 1 9 . 3 10 . 6 11 . 3 11 . 6 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 85 . 1 90 . 9 104 . 1 103 . 4 79 . 9 89 . 2 95 . 1 99 . 2 90 . 9 104 . 0 111 . 1 113 . 9 stretch (%) 1 . 58 2 . 58 3 . 44 3 . 68 1 . 60 2 . 71 2 . 97 3 . 55 3 . 11 4 . 46 5 . 01 5 . 26 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 6 . 0 7 . 2 7 . 5 7 . 9 5 . 6 6 . 6 7 . 1 6 . 7 8 . 3 9 . 4 9 . 0 9 . 0 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 7 . 2 7 . 6 7 . 6 7 . 5 7 . 7 7 . 4 7 . 6 7 . 4 8 . 7 9 . 1 9 . 0 8 . 6 ply ) zero span breaking length 15 . 9 15 . 1 15 . 8 15 . 5 15 . 3 15 . 6 16 . 3 16 . 0 14 . 0 13 . 4 13 . 4 12 . 8 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 65 . 0 121 . 5 206 . 8 372 . 4 42 . 0 85 . 4 133 . 4 292 . 8 130 . 6 249 . 6 476 . 2 862 . 1 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 89 52 40 27 107 68 52 33 61 31 22 17 ( ml / min ) brightness 37 37 38 opacity (%) 96 . 0 95 . 9 94 . 4 93 . 0 97 . 3 96 . 1 93 . 9 92 . 3 96 . 8 95 . 2 94 . 0 92 . 1 scattering coefficient 311 289 258 229 338 286 242 211 327 266 221 197 ( cm 2 / g ) 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) 331 - 1061 ( 1 ) 331 - 1061 ( 2 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 486 454 372 339 524 478 395 346 524 478 395 346 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 663 717 757 765 648 721 755 786 682 734 793 807 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 6 . 1 7 . 5 8 . 2 8 . 7 4 . 9 6 . 1 6 . 9 7 . 3 4 . 9 6 . 5 7 . 6 8 . 1 breaking length ( km ) 9 . 1 9 . 6 9 . 9 10 . 7 8 . 2 9 . 2 9 . 9 10 . 8 8 . 3 9 . 2 10 . 1 10 . 8 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 88 . 8 93 . 7 97 . 3 105 . 0 80 . 7 90 . 3 97 . 4 106 . 1 81 . 2 90 . 3 99 . 0 105 . 8 stretch (%) 2 . 78 3 . 91 4 . 77 7 . 95 1 . 96 2 . 90 3 . 45 4 . 25 1 . 99 3 . 35 3 . 73 4 . 45 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 7 . 5 8 . 9 8 . 9 9 . 0 7 . 9 8 . 8 8 . 4 8 . 7 6 . 2 8 . 0 7 . 8 8 . 0 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 8 . 2 8 . 3 8 . 4 8 . 4 8 . 2 8 . 2 8 . 5 8 . 5 7 . 9 8 . 3 8 . 6 8 . 1 ply ) zero span breaking length 14 . 7 13 . 9 14 . 0 13 . 7 16 . 3 15 . 2 15 . 0 13 . 7 15 . 8 16 . 1 16 . 2 16 . 0 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 119 . 8 177 . 4 325 . 0 537 . 0 75 . 8 147 . 3 219 . 6 449 . 7 55 . 1 101 . 1 201 . 0 359 . 9 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 62 40 30 23 79 53 41 27 87 59 37 26 ( ml / min ) brightness 37 35 38 opacity (%) 96 . 5 95 . 0 93 . 0 91 . 5 96 . 4 93 . 9 93 . 0 91 . 9 95 . 4 94 . 5 93 . 1 91 . 4 scattering coefficient 323 253 214 193 298 243 222 200 305 269 232 212 ( cm 2 / g ) 331 - 1061 ( 3 ) 331 - 1062 ( 1 ) 331 - 1062 ( 2 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 552 492 420 353 554 536 469 412 561 527 466 397 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 625 705 736 748 642 716 745 775 619 702 735 757 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 4 . 3 6 . 1 7 . 1 7 . 4 4 . 9 6 . 1 7 . 1 7 . 6 4 . 9 6 . 2 6 . 7 7 . 6 breaking length ( km ) 7 . 7 8 . 8 9 . 0 10 . 5 9 . 2 9 . 2 10 . 1 10 . 8 8 . 5 9 . 3 10 . 1 10 . 4 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 75 . 9 86 . 0 88 . 7 102 . 6 89 . 8 90 . 6 98 . 9 106 . 0 83 . 3 90 . 9 98 . 9 101 . 7 stretch (%) 1 . 69 2 . 91 3 . 10 4 . 13 1 . 98 2 . 69 3 . 44 3 . 88 1 . 66 2 . 83 3 . 39 3 . 45 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 6 . 2 9 . 0 8 . 6 9 . 2 8 . 6 8 . 7 8 . 6 8 . 5 7 . 2 7 . 2 7 . 8 8 . 4 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 8 . 2 9 . 3 9 . 0 9 . 0 8 . 9 8 . 7 8 . 5 8 . 2 8 . 7 8 . 9 8 . 5 8 . 2 ply ) zero span breaking length 15 . 9 16 . 3 15 . 2 14 . 2 17 . 6 17 . 0 15 . 7 15 . 8 15 . 2 15 . 0 15 . 0 15 . 3 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 28 . 4 74 . 8 140 . 6 234 . 1 72 . 5 148 . 7 279 . 1 562 . 1 51 . 7 115 . 6 210 . 5 412 . 4 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 115 76 55 39 87 55 38 27 109 68 43 28 ( ml / min ) brightness 37 36 37 opacity (%) 95 . 2 93 . 4 92 . 2 90 . 9 94 . 9 93 . 0 91 . 6 89 . 3 95 . 2 92 . 5 90 . 8 89 . 2 scattering coefficient 304 254 229 204 268 221 193 167 286 233 201 179 ( cm 2 / g ) 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) 331 - 1093 ( 1 ) 331 - 1093 ( 2 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 483 451 375 328 405 393 336 298 425 403 354 294 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 701 781 813 816 734 807 789 861 679 696 742 749 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 6 . 2 7 . 5 8 . 0 8 . 5 7 . 0 8 . 0 8 . 7 9 . 4 6 . 3 7 . 7 8 . 1 8 . 8 breaking length ( km ) 9 . 8 10 . 3 10 . 9 11 . 5 11 . 3 11 . 6 12 . 2 12 . 1 10 . 5 10 . 2 10 . 7 11 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 96 . 2 101 . 3 106 . 5 113 . 1 111 . 2 113 . 5 119 . 2 119 . 0 102 . 6 99 . 8 104 . 8 113 . 2 stretch (%) 2 . 58 3 . 41 3 . 97 4 . 73 2 . 53 3 . 77 4 . 35 4 . 61 2 . 71 3 . 42 3 . 89 4 . 80 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 8 . 1 7 . 9 8 . 1 7 . 8 6 . 7 7 . 5 7 . 7 7 . 8 8 . 6 7 . 8 8 . 4 8 . 4 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 9 . 0 9 . 1 8 . 5 8 . 3 8 . 3 7 . 9 8 . 0 7 . 4 8 . 2 8 . 0 8 . 1 8 . 0 ply ) zero span breaking length 16 . 3 14 . 7 14 . 3 13 . 2 15 . 0 14 . 7 14 . 3 13 . 8 15 . 7 15 . 1 14 . 5 14 . 1 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 105 . 9 281 . 4 510 . 0 1152 . 7 274 . 7 409 . 6 719 . 4 1351 . 2 202 . 8 527 . 0 802 . 0 1378 . 1 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 61 34 22 15 37 25 17 13 46 25 16 10 ( ml / min ) brightness 35 38 38 opacity (%) 95 . 3 93 . 0 91 . 8 89 . 0 96 . 1 94 . 2 92 . 4 91 . 0 96 . 1 94 . 0 92 . 8 90 . 3 scattering coefficient 287 224 201 169 318 260 230 204 323 260 233 203 ( cm 2 / g ) 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 331 - 1118 ( 2 ) 331 - 1122 ( 1 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 532 487 401 344 573 538 499 443 553 493 453 406 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 585 628 692 708 613 701 734 722 660 734 737 780 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 4 . 3 5 . 8 6 . 8 7 . 5 4 . 0 6 . 1 6 . 8 7 . 9 4 . 6 6 . 1 6 . 9 7 . 4 breaking length ( km ) 6 . 9 8 . 4 9 . 5 9 . 5 7 . 0 8 . 4 9 . 1 10 . 8 7 . 8 9 . 5 9 . 8 10 . 2 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 67 . 2 82 . 1 92 . 8 93 . 5 68 . 4 82 . 5 89 . 6 106 . 1 76 . 7 92 . 8 95 . 7 99 . 6 stretch (%) 2 . 42 3 . 86 4 . 67 4 . 74 2 . 01 3 . 22 4 . 24 4 . 80 1 . 68 3 . 07 3 . 52 3 . 82 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 7 . 1 8 . 6 8 . 6 9 . 1 6 . 6 8 . 6 9 . 5 10 . 5 7 . 3 8 . 8 8 . 7 8 . 4 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 8 . 6 8 . 4 8 . 7 8 . 8 8 . 6 9 . 4 9 . 5 10 . 1 8 . 6 9 . 0 8 . 4 8 . 3 ply ) zero span breaking length 13 . 1 12 . 7 13 . 3 13 . 4 14 . 1 14 . 2 14 . 6 15 . 2 14 . 4 14 . 3 14 . 0 14 . 0 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 26 . 3 65 . 7 112 . 5 209 . 0 13 . 3 28 . 8 50 . 1 101 . 7 57 . 4 104 . 0 244 . 3 312 . 5 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 137 88 70 50 142 103 99 65 98 73 50 40 ( ml / min ) brightness 39 38 36 opacity (%) 97 . 7 96 . 0 95 . 0 93 . 6 96 . 7 94 . 2 92 . 0 91 . 1 94 . 9 92 . 3 89 . 8 89 . 2 scattering coefficient 363 290 252 221 345 264 225 197 268 216 185 169 ( cm 2 / g ) 331 - 1126 ( 1 ) 331 - 1136 ( 1 ) 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 577 530 476 422 415 409 373 365 497 457 400 346 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 609 695 723 742 620 652 690 678 648 707 751 760 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 3 . 4 5 . 4 6 . 5 7 . 2 5 . 9 6 . 9 7 . 4 7 . 6 5 . 2 6 . 8 8 . 1 8 . 5 breaking length ( km ) 6 . 7 8 . 0 8 . 9 10 . 1 8 . 8 9 . 3 10 . 0 10 . 6 9 . 5 10 . 3 11 . 2 11 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 65 . 6 78 . 5 86 . 9 99 . 0 86 . 2 91 . 2 97 . 6 104 . 0 93 . 4 101 . 3 109 . 9 112 . 3 stretch (%) 1 . 47 2 . 58 3 . 12 3 . 83 3 . 32 3 . 75 4 . 51 5 . 40 2 . 24 3 . 25 3 . 90 4 . 38 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 6 . 0 8 . 5 8 . 2 8 . 5 7 . 8 8 . 5 8 . 3 8 . 3 8 . 5 7 . 8 8 . 3 8 . 3 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 8 . 3 9 . 2 9 . 1 8 . 7 8 . 1 8 . 0 7 . 5 7 . 7 9 . 8 9 . 7 9 . 7 9 . 7 ply ) zero span breaking length 14 . 9 14 . 8 14 . 7 14 . 7 14 . 2 14 . 7 12 . 9 12 . 4 16 . 8 15 . 5 16 . 4 16 . 7 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 10 . 6 21 . 3 41 . 7 65 . 0 563 . 9 1128 . 1 & gt ; 30 & gt ; 30 39 . 0 79 . 3 152 . 3 223 . 8 ( sec / 100 ml ) min min sheffield roughness 161 111 92 76 65 32 20 17 100 68 50 41 ( ml / min ) brightness 38 33 39 opacity (%) 96 . 0 94 . 6 92 . 8 92 . 0 95 . 8 95 . 0 93 . 2 91 . 2 96 . 7 95 . 5 94 . 2 93 . 6 scattering coefficient 323 273 238 219 269 233 195 165 344 292 251 234 ( cm 2 / g ) 331 - 1186 ( 3 ) 53 - 242 ( 1 ) 53 - 242 ( 2 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 489 481 418 357 569 510 440 389 513 472 405 350 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 673 716 759 770 631 691 723 741 640 722 779 785 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 6 . 0 7 . 3 8 . 5 8 . 9 4 . 6 6 . 5 7 . 2 7 . 7 5 . 6 7 . 0 8 . 0 8 . 5 breaking length ( km ) 9 . 3 10 . 2 11 . 4 11 . 3 7 . 8 9 . 3 9 . 6 10 . 4 9 . 0 10 . 1 10 . 4 11 . 4 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 91 . 2 100 . 2 112 . 0 110 . 6 76 . 2 91 . 5 94 . 4 102 . 3 88 . 5 98 . 8 102 . 0 111 . 6 stretch (%) 2 . 25 3 . 55 4 . 65 4 . 59 1 . 76 3 . 39 3 . 68 4 . 15 2 . 21 3 . 18 3 . 65 4 . 49 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 7 . 5 8 . 6 8 . 7 8 . 4 7 . 5 8 . 3 8 . 7 8 . 5 7 . 7 8 . 7 8 . 8 8 . 4 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 8 . 5 8 . 7 8 . 2 8 . 5 8 . 4 8 . 6 8 . 6 8 . 7 7 . 8 7 . 7 7 . 5 7 . 6 ply ) zero span breaking length 15 . 4 15 . 2 15 . 6 15 . 2 16 . 1 16 . 0 16 . 5 15 . 0 14 . 3 13 . 4 15 . 6 14 . 3 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 79 . 9 166 . 7 294 . 7 538 . 4 32 . 1 80 . 8 148 . 0 271 . 4 72 . 7 136 . 8 243 . 2 402 . 1 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 74 45 36 26 106 71 54 35 81 55 35 28 ( ml / min ) brightness 38 40 39 opacity (%) 95 . 7 93 . 9 92 . 4 91 . 3 95 . 1 92 . 2 91 . 0 89 . 8 95 . 5 93 . 6 91 . 8 90 . 0 scattering coefficient 302 247 222 194 325 250 224 202 301 249 219 193 ( cm 2 / g ) 53 - 246 ( 1 ) 53 - 246 ( 2 ) 93 - 968 ( 1 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 549 491 436 385 550 531 468 389 550 508 429 368 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 651 710 746 765 615 707 737 775 617 657 720 737 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 4 . 3 6 . 5 7 . 3 7 . 7 4 . 3 6 . 1 7 . 2 7 . 3 5 . 0 6 . 4 7 . 3 7 . 6 breaking length ( km ) 8 . 1 9 . 1 10 . 0 10 . 0 7 . 4 8 . 9 9 . 1 10 . 0 9 . 0 8 . 9 10 . 3 10 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 79 . 7 89 . 2 98 . 3 98 . 5 72 . 6 87 . 3 89 . 0 98 . 5 87 . 8 87 . 6 100 . 9 102 . 6 stretch (%) 2 . 08 3 . 54 4 . 15 4 . 28 2 . 00 3 . 59 3 . 78 4 . 76 2 . 11 2 . 97 3 . 80 4 . 11 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 7 . 0 8 . 2 8 . 0 8 . 6 7 . 1 7 . 8 8 . 5 8 . 1 8 . 2 8 . 5 8 . 7 8 . 0 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 7 . 7 8 . 3 8 . 4 8 . 1 8 . 2 8 . 5 8 . 4 8 . 2 8 . 5 8 . 2 8 . 0 8 . 1 ply ) zero span breaking length 15 . 5 14 . 5 14 . 7 15 . 4 14 . 9 14 . 6 14 . 0 15 . 3 16 . 2 15 . 0 15 . 6 14 . 9 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 48 . 2 114 . 9 195 . 2 306 . 4 32 . 8 77 . 0 146 . 0 207 . 4 39 . 0 82 . 2 146 . 1 261 . 2 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 92 59 40 30 119 75 54 38 113 76 54 43 ( ml / min ) brightness 40 40 41 opacity (%) 95 . 8 93 . 9 92 . 5 90 . 3 96 . 0 94 . 8 91 . 9 91 . 3 95 . 4 93 . 6 92 . 0 91 . 0 scattering coefficient 341 272 235 211 347 287 240 226 333 282 248 228 ( cm 2 / g ) 93 - 968 ( 2 ) pfi revolutions 0 1000 3000 6000 screened csf ( ml ) 468 455 409 340 apparent density ( kg / m 3 ) 555 642 679 690 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 4 . 5 6 . 0 6 . 9 7 . 5 breaking length ( km ) 8 . 0 9 . 2 10 . 0 10 . 4 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 78 . 7 89 . 9 98 . 0 101 . 9 stretch (%) 1 . 90 2 . 95 3 . 62 3 . 80 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 1 6 . 1 7 . 2 7 . 6 7 . 6 ply ) tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 6 . 9 7 . 2 7 . 1 7 . 1 ply ) zero span breaking length 14 . 2 14 . 7 14 . 6 14 . 4 ( km ) air resistance ( gurley ) 51 . 3 81 . 1 117 . 7 190 . 4 ( sec / 100 ml ) sheffield roughness 131 91 63 50 ( ml / min ) brightness 39 opacity (%) 95 . 3 94 . 2 93 . 4 92 . 7 scattering coefficient 319 288 263 244 ( cm 2 / g ) in a plot of tensile index vs . bulk , presented in fig1 , it can be seen that there is a strong negative correlation between the properties ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 74 , p = 0 . 001 ). in fig1 , negative relationship confirms previous aspen data . most clones show superior strength properties when compared to average values for eucalyptus species ( tensile index 70 n · m / g ). more importantly , some clonal pulps ( e . g . 331 - 1122 , 1 . 26 cm 3 / g @ 100 n · m / g ) are less bulky at given tensile strengths than are others [ e . g . 331 - 1136 , 1 . 45 cm 3 / g @ 100 n · m / g . ( fig1 )] this was not predicted from the coarseness data in table xi ( 331 - 1122 , 0 . 122 mg / m vs 331 - 1136 , 0 . 117 mg / m ) and highlights the importance of carrying out pilot scale pulping trials . a coarseness cutoff of & lt ; 0 . 1 mg / m is adequate for predicting low bulk / high tensile / fine fibers . it is worth nothing that for pulps prepared from eucalyptus species ( the major competitor envisaged for northern populus plantation resources )— a tensile index value of 70 n · m / g is considered “ standard ”. most of the hybrid poplar pulps examined in this study exceed that strength value even in an unbeaten state ( fig1 ). additionally , the wide range of tensile indices suggest that there is wide variation in cell wall properties amongst the clones , a possibility which opens up potential multiple end - use applications for the pulps . the wide range of cell sizes is further confirmed by the range of tensile indices observed at a given freeness , ( a strongly negative relationship between tensile index and freeness properties exists pearson coefficient − 0 . 74 , p = 0 . 001 ; fig1 ). similarly the relationship of air resistance ( gurley ) to sheet density , presented in fig1 , shows the wide ranging results consequent from cell wall property differences . for example , at beating levels of 6000 pfi revolutions , clones 331 - 1093 and 331 - 1075 exhibit the high tensile indices ( 116 . 1 and 113 . 1 n · m / g respectively ) coupled with high air resistances ( 1364 . 7 and 1152 . 7 sec / 100 ml respectively ) which indicate that they possess thinner cell walls than do the other clonal pulps . by contrast , the pulp from clone 53 - 246 possesses the low tensile index and low air resistance values typical of a thicker cell - walled fiber ( 98 . 5 n · m / g , 256 . 9 sec / 100 ml ). interestingly , the high calcium - containing pulp obtained from clone 331 - 1136 forms an outlier point for this analysis , exhibiting a combination of lower tensile strength ( 104 . 0 n · m / g ) and very high air resistance (& gt ; 30 min / 100 ml ). these variations mirror that seen in a separate study on a population of natural aspen clones . again the potential for producing pulps for different end - use applications is clear and should be emphasized . a number of the kraft pulping properties described here were used in a qtl mapping experiment to attempt to determine the chromosomal locations of any genes involved in the control of these important properties . the outcomes of this analysis are presented in the qtl mapping results section . in terms of sheet formation properties , smoothness shows significant relationships with freeness ( pearson coefficient 0 . 76 , p = 0 . 000 ) tensile strength ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 87 , p = 0 . 000 ), and sheet density ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 81 , p = 0 . 000 ; fig1 ). hardwood kraft pulps principally impart optical and surface properties to paper rather than simply strength parameters . fig1 shows the wide range of pulp scattering coefficients obtained from the unbleached clonal pulps at various freeness levels ( at 0 pfi rev ., the range is 268 - 363 cm 2 / g ). a number of the pulps are exceptional ( e . g . 331 - 1118 )— even compared to aspen clones . for the purposes of comparison with the major competitive species , it should be noted that typical eucalypt pulps ( eucalyptus nitens samples ) give scattering coefficients over a very similar range , 286 - 360 cm 2 / g . it was readily evident from a visual inspection of the resultant sheets that some unusual surface deformations , in the form of raised “ bumps ” approximately 1 mm in diameter , were prevalent ( fig1 ). the deformations were present in handsheets made after various levels of beating using standard pfi protocols ( 0 - 6000 rev .). it could also be observed that these deformations were present to a greater or lesser degree in the sheets dependent on the clonal source of the corresponding pulps . sheets from the pulps were rated for the numbers of deformations using an arbitrary scale for visual inspection ( similar to the ranking system used for assessing pest damage to hybrid poplars in pest - resistance qtl mapping studies . the ratings for each genotype analyzed are tabulated in table xiv . table xiv arbitrary scale rating of degree of surface deformation accumulation in test handsheets genotype handsheet deformation rating number of clones ill - 29 1 . 5 2 93 - 968 3 2 53 - 246 2 2 53 - 242 3 2 331 - 1059 2 . 5 2 331 - 1061 2 3 331 - 1062 2 . 5 2 331 - 1075 0 1 331 - 1093 3 2 331 - 1118 3 . 5 2 331 - 1122 2 1 331 - 1126 0 1 331 - 1136 4 1 331 - 1162 3 1 331 - 1186 3 1 the results of the mapmaker - qtl 1 . 1 analysis performed using the phenotypic ranking data obtained from handsheet analyses ( table xiii ) of each of the poplar clones are presented in table xv below . table xv significant qtl detected for calcium deposition lod length / trait marker / linkage score phen % cm weight dom . calcium p1150 - h07_10 / n 2 . 94 81 . 7 13 . 8 0 . 3286 − 1 . 7214 deposits on further investigation , the deformations were found to be caused by a crystalline deposit found in some vessel elements in the pulp samples used to make the handsheets . these deposits were characterized by sem / eds and were found to consist primarily of calcium salts ( fig1 ). examination of wood chips taken from the poplar clones by light microscopy and sem also revealed the calcium deposits and , more intriguingly , their specific and exclusive nature . fig2 shows an electron micrograph of two adjacent vessel elements in a wood chip , one of which is completely occluded with a deposit . by contrast , the adjacent element is completely free of crystals . contrary to some literature reports , the deposits seen in this application ( as examined microscopically ) do not appear to be associated with any form of fungal attack or other decay process . the raw data for the alkaline peroxide refiner mechanical pulping ( aprmp ) from each of 15 hybrid poplar clones consisting of 24 hybrid poplar trees are shown in table xvi . table xvi properties of aprmp pulps from hybrid poplars 14 - 129 ( 1 ) 14 - 129 ( 2 ) 1466 - 4 1466 - 3 1466 - 2 1473 - 4 1473 - 3 1473 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 202 263 378 178 195 259 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 5 . 9 5 . 0 3 . 9 4 . 2 3 . 7 3 . 1 screened csf ( ml ) 208 274 408 181 206 266 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 1 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 388 380 350 464 458 439 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 0 1 . 8 1 . 5 2 . 7 2 . 6 2 . 5 breaking length ( km ) 4 . 0 3 . 8 2 . 9 5 . 1 4 . 8 4 . 4 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 39 . 1 36 . 8 28 . 4 50 . 1 47 . 5 42 . 8 stretch (%) 1 . 57 1 . 49 1 . 16 1 . 97 1 . 83 1 . 66 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 5 5 . 7 5 . 1 6 . 1 6 . 3 6 . 3 sheffield roughness ( su ) 137 167 268 105 115 123 brightness (%) 78 79 79 77 78 78 opacity (%) 85 . 5 85 . 0 84 . 5 82 . 4 81 . 4 81 . 6 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 510 506 503 416 416 418 r - 48 fraction (%) 43 . 6 46 . 1 50 . 0 43 . 4 43 . 2 44 . 6 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 14 . 1 13 . 1 12 . 0 14 . 1 13 . 9 14 . 2 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 00 1 . 06 1 . 20 0 . 99 0 . 97 1 . 03 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 78 0 . 80 0 . 84 0 . 78 0 . 78 0 . 79 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54 53 - 242 ( 1 ) 53 - 242 ( 2 ) 1458 - 4 1458 - 3 1458 - 2 1452 - 4 1452 - 3 1452 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 215 250 373 207 269 380 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 6 . 8 6 . 1 4 . 9 6 . 8 5 . 7 4 . 4 screened csf ( ml ) 211 275 372 220 262 378 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 2 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 2 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 390 377 359 395 386 364 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 1 2 . 0 1 . 8 2 . 1 2 . 0 1 . 7 breaking length ( km ) 3 . 9 3 . 5 3 . 3 4 . 0 3 . 7 3 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 38 . 5 34 . 7 32 . 5 39 . 2 36 . 3 34 . 1 stretch (%) 1 . 67 1 . 40 1 . 44 1 . 52 1 . 38 1 . 41 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 7 5 . 8 6 . 1 5 . 3 5 . 4 5 . 5 sheffield roughness ( su ) 133 156 227 126 158 237 brightness (%) 75 76 76 75 76 76 opacity (%) 86 . 5 86 . 0 85 . 2 86 . 9 85 . 8 85 . 2 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 498 498 489 500 492 482 r - 48 fraction (%) 49 . 1 49 . 2 54 . 1 45 . 4 47 . 2 52 . 5 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 16 . 9 17 . 2 14 . 1 14 . 8 14 . 4 12 . 5 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 06 1 . 08 1 . 11 0 . 97 1 . 00 1 . 12 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 84 0 . 84 0 . 86 0 . 77 0 . 78 0 . 81 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 57 0 . 56 0 . 57 0 . 52 0 . 53 0 . 54 53 - 246 ( 1 ) 53 - 246 ( 2 ) 1472 - 4 1472 - 3 1472 - 2 1460 - 4 1461 - 3 1461 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 198 237 372 221 308 388 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 5 . 2 4 . 4 3 . 2 6 . 5 5 . 8 4 . 5 screened csf ( ml ) 184 236 374 227 326 416 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 1 0 . 1 0 . 7 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 5 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 425 403 382 440 401 374 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 6 2 . 4 2 . 0 2 . 3 2 . 1 1 . 8 breaking length ( km ) 4 . 6 4 . 3 3 . 8 4 . 4 3 . 8 3 . 3 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 44 . 7 42 . 1 37 . 1 42 . 8 37 . 6 32 . 1 stretch (%) 1 . 89 1 . 64 1 . 51 1 . 99 1 . 69 1 . 37 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 6 . 8 6 . 5 6 . 5 6 . 2 6 . 3 6 . 4 sheffield roughness ( su ) 117 122 213 110 152 231 brightness (%) 79 79 79 76 76 77 opacity (%) 82 . 5 81 . 7 81 . 5 86 . 8 85 . 8 85 . 1 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 435 428 427 501 488 473 r - 48 fraction (%) 46 . 5 48 . 8 52 . 5 47 . 4 50 . 2 55 . 4 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 15 . 0 13 . 4 12 . 2 14 . 9 15 . 4 11 . 3 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 05 1 . 11 1 . 16 1 . 02 1 . 15 1 . 19 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 81 0 . 83 0 . 86 0 . 82 0 . 87 0 . 89 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 54 0 . 55 0 . 55 0 . 55 0 . 56 0 . 56 93 - 968 ( 1 ) 93 - 968 ( 2 ) 1459 - 5 1459 - 4 1459 - 3 1450 - 3 1450 - 2 1451 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 246 315 382 222 325 382 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 8 . 5 7 . 3 6 . 1 5 . 6 4 . 5 3 . 8 screened csf ( ml ) 256 304 377 236 344 398 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 1 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 9 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 399 368 361 405 379 357 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 2 1 . 9 1 . 8 2 . 2 1 . 9 1 . 8 breaking length ( km ) 4 . 1 3 . 7 3 . 4 4 . 2 3 . 5 3 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 39 . 8 36 . 3 33 . 1 41 . 2 34 . 6 34 . 3 stretch (%) 1 . 82 1 . 54 1 . 40 1 . 51 1 . 33 1 . 28 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 6 . 1 5 . 9 6 . 2 5 . 9 5 . 7 5 . 7 sheffield roughness ( su ) 127 169 216 124 194 245 brightness (%) 75 75 76 74 75 75 opacity (%) 89 . 1 88 . 6 87 . 1 88 . 1 87 . 1 85 . 9 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 534 528 510 522 516 487 r - 48 fraction (%) 43 . 6 51 . 3 56 . 5 45 . 4 50 . 9 54 . 5 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 15 . 5 13 . 5 12 . 6 15 . 5 14 . 0 12 . 5 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 09 1 . 15 1 . 22 1 . 05 1 . 09 1 . 28 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 87 0 . 89 0 . 92 0 . 81 0 . 83 0 . 90 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 61 0 . 60 0 . 61 0 . 56 0 . 56 0 . 58 331 - 1059 ( 2 ) 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) 1453 - 3 1457 - 3 1453 - 2 1454 - 3 1455 - 3 1455 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 210 249 329 216 239 312 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 8 . 9 7 . 8 7 . 2 9 . 1 8 . 5 7 . 4 screened csf ( ml ) 230 257 336 212 250 314 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 1 0 . 6 0 . 8 0 . 3 0 . 8 1 . 9 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 378 363 352 376 350 350 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 2 2 . 2 1 . 9 2 . 3 2 . 2 2 . 0 breaking length ( km ) 3 . 9 3 . 8 3 . 5 4 . 2 4 . 0 3 . 7 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 38 . 5 37 . 6 33 . 9 40 . 9 38 . 7 36 . 3 stretch (%) 1 . 84 1 . 70 1 . 58 2 . 01 1 . 89 1 . 65 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 1 6 . 3 5 . 7 6 . 2 6 . 3 6 . 2 sheffield roughness ( su ) 138 151 181 143 157 187 brightness (%) 75 75 76 78 78 78 opacity (%) 88 . 7 87 . 4 87 . 1 87 . 4 86 . 5 86 . 5 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 559 518 528 548 537 530 r - 48 fraction (%) 46 . 8 51 . 2 51 . 0 49 . 2 50 . 4 53 . 6 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 17 . 1 15 . 9 16 . 2 16 . 6 17 . 6 14 . 0 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 03 1 . 18 1 . 14 1 . 07 1 . 16 1 . 20 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 78 0 . 82 0 . 81 0 . 79 0 . 81 0 . 83 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 51 0 . 51 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 52 331 - 1061 ( 1 ) 331 - 1061 ( 2 ) 1476 - 4 1476 - 3 1476 - 2 1474 - 4 1474 - 3 1474 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 169 237 357 194 265 383 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 5 . 0 4 . 0 3 . 0 6 . 0 5 . 1 3 . 9 screened csf ( ml ) 190 248 380 205 264 375 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 3 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 3 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 426 399 390 386 381 356 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 7 2 . 4 2 . 1 2 . 2 2 . 2 1 . 9 breaking length ( km ) 4 . 9 4 . 2 3 . 7 4 . 5 3 . 9 3 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 48 . 2 41 . 0 36 . 6 44 . 2 38 . 4 34 . 2 stretch (%) 1 . 81 1 . 39 1 . 40 1 . 83 1 . 40 1 . 32 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 6 . 2 5 . 6 6 . 1 5 . 6 5 . 7 5 . 7 sheffield roughness ( su ) 99 130 219 130 156 239 brightness (%) 76 77 78 76 77 78 opacity (%) 80 . 5 80 . 5 79 . 8 85 . 7 84 . 2 83 . 8 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 387 394 391 482 471 465 r - 48 fraction (%) 48 . 1 50 . 2 53 . 8 46 . 9 49 . 3 56 . 0 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 15 . 1 14 . 9 9 . 8 14 . 5 11 . 9 12 . 7 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 07 1 . 11 1 . 19 1 . 06 1 . 08 1 . 21 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 83 0 . 86 0 . 89 0 . 78 0 . 79 0 . 84 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 54 0 . 56 0 . 57 0 . 52 0 . 53 0 . 53 331 - 1061 ( 3 ) 331 - 1062 ( 1 ) 1475 - 5 1475 - 4 1475 - 3 1456 - 4 1456 - 3 1456 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 219 273 363 220 247 361 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 7 . 3 6 . 3 5 . 1 7 . 0 6 . 2 4 . 9 screened csf ( ml ) 226 301 371 231 270 359 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 1 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 5 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 359 354 336 374 370 349 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 1 . 9 1 . 7 1 . 6 1 . 9 1 . 9 1 . 6 breaking length ( km ) 3 . 4 3 . 3 2 . 9 3 . 6 3 . 4 3 . 2 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 33 . 5 31 . 9 28 . 2 35 . 5 33 . 2 31 . 4 stretch (%) 1 . 25 1 . 35 1 . 15 1 . 43 1 . 31 1 . 34 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 0 5 . 0 4 . 9 5 . 5 5 . 6 5 . 7 sheffield roughness ( su ) 168 219 276 132 156 225 brightness (%) 78 79 80 77 77 77 opacity (%) 84 . 9 83 . 7 83 . 0 86 . 2 85 . 8 84 . 7 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 490 478 466 498 501 482 r - 48 fraction (%) 48 . 0 54 . 0 56 . 1 51 . 6 53 . 7 57 . 2 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 15 . 4 13 . 6 11 . 4 17 . 4 17 . 0 13 . 5 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 04 1 . 06 1 . 18 1 . 13 1 . 22 1 . 30 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 82 0 . 81 0 . 85 0 . 87 0 . 89 0 . 92 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 52 0 . 53 0 . 53 0 . 55 0 . 55 0 . 56 331 - 1062 ( 2 ) 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) 1462 - 4 1462 - 3 1462 - 2 1444 - 4 1444 - 3 1446 unscreened csf ( ml ) 209 273 351 237 284 411 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 5 . 2 4 . 3 3 . 5 10 . 8 9 . 5 7 . 9 screened csf ( ml ) 225 289 359 250 297 422 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 1 0 . 1 0 . 3 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 409 397 386 344 324 309 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 1 2 . 1 1 . 9 1 . 7 1 . 6 1 . 3 breaking length ( km ) 4 . 1 4 . 1 3 . 7 3 . 3 2 . 8 2 . 5 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 40 . 6 40 . 3 36 . 3 32 . 0 27 . 4 24 . 8 stretch (%) 1 . 39 1 . 46 1 . 29 1 . 36 1 . 21 1 . 23 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 4 5 . 4 5 . 4 4 . 8 4 . 7 4 . 3 sheffield roughness ( su ) 116 135 208 182 235 306 brightness (%) 77 77 78 75 75 76 opacity (%) 85 . 4 84 . 0 83 . 4 89 . 3 88 . 6 88 . 1 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 492 460 458 577 556 549 r - 48 fraction (%) 47 . 2 48 . 6 52 . 9 41 . 0 46 . 4 50 . 0 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 15 . 7 15 . 8 13 . 1 18 . 6 17 . 3 14 . 2 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 07 1 . 15 1 . 10 0 . 99 1 . 07 1 . 15 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 83 0 . 87 0 . 85 0 . 78 0 . 80 0 . 83 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 56 0 . 58 0 . 56 0 . 54 0 . 54 0 . 54 331 - 1093 ( 1 ) 331 - 1093 ( 2 ) 1470 - 4 1470 - 3 1470 - 2 1467 - 4 1467 - 3 1467 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 160 200 295 184 210 275 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 5 . 7 5 . 0 4 . 0 4 . 6 4 . 1 3 . 4 screened csf ( ml ) 171 214 305 192 220 292 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 4 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 1 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 384 381 353 427 424 413 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 4 2 . 2 2 . 0 2 . 5 2 . 4 2 . 1 breaking length ( km ) 4 . 5 4 . 3 3 . 8 4 . 7 4 . 6 4 . 1 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 44 . 5 41 . 7 36 . 8 46 . 3 44 . 8 40 . 5 stretch (%) 1 . 67 1 . 55 1 . 50 1 . 64 1 . 63 1 . 53 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 8 6 . 1 5 . 7 5 . 5 5 . 6 5 . 5 sheffield roughness ( su ) 120 137 186 108 127 159 brightness (%) 74 75 76 79 78 79 opacity (%) 86 . 5 86 . 3 85 . 8 84 . 4 83 . 8 84 . 0 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 522 506 506 493 484 495 r - 48 fraction (%) 44 . 2 46 . 4 49 . 6 39 . 0 42 . 0 45 . 3 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 16 . 6 14 . 8 13 . 2 15 . 6 13 . 4 11 . 4 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 04 1 . 06 1 . 21 0 . 96 0 . 97 1 . 00 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 74 0 . 75 0 . 79 0 . 73 0 . 73 0 . 74 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 51 0 . 51 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 52 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 331 - 1118 ( 2 ) 1468 - 3 1468 - 2 1469 - 2 1471 - 4 1471 - 3 1471 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 149 191 283 184 223 358 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 4 . 2 3 . 8 3 . 0 6 . 5 5 . 5 4 . 3 screened csf ( ml ) 159 200 296 197 240 383 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 4 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 3 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 463 458 393 376 358 340 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 2 . 9 2 . 8 2 . 2 2 . 2 2 . 0 1 . 7 breaking length ( km ) 5 . 3 5 . 0 4 . 3 4 . 1 3 . 6 3 . 1 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 51 . 7 49 . 5 41 . 7 40 . 2 35 . 1 30 . 7 stretch (%) 1 . 90 1 . 83 1 . 65 1 . 69 1 . 41 1 . 25 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 3 5 . 6 5 . 6 6 . 1 sheffield roughness ( su ) 103 113 161 135 164 264 brightness (%) 77 78 78 77 77 78 opacity (%) 83 . 3 82 . 0 82 . 3 86 . 2 86 . 2 85 . 3 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 431 429 439 508 520 496 r - 48 fraction (%) 40 . 5 40 . 8 47 . 6 42 . 3 45 . 7 48 . 5 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 13 . 7 13 . 6 12 . 1 17 . 2 15 . 0 14 . 3 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 97 0 . 96 1 . 11 1 . 01 1 . 07 1 . 15 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 74 0 . 74 0 . 78 0 . 77 0 . 78 0 . 80 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 53 0 . 53 0 . 53 0 . 54 331 - 1122 ( 1 ) 331 - 1126 ( 1 ) 1447 - 4 1447 - 3 1448 - 2 1465 - 4 1465 - 3 1465 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 210 300 425 191 255 379 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 7 . 3 6 . 1 4 . 3 6 . 3 5 . 2 4 . 0 screened csf ( ml ) 227 313 420 202 267 403 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 7 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 2 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 360 339 327 363 345 320 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 1 . 7 1 . 6 1 . 4 1 . 8 1 . 7 1 . 4 breaking length ( km ) 3 . 6 3 . 3 2 . 8 3 . 5 3 . 3 2 . 8 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 35 . 8 31 . 9 27 . 2 34 . 8 31 . 9 27 . 1 stretch (%) 1 . 33 1 . 37 1 . 11 1 . 45 1 . 40 1 . 25 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 4 . 0 3 . 9 3 . 8 4 . 8 5 . 0 5 . 0 sheffield roughness ( su ) 144 220 290 164 221 304 brightness (%) 75 75 76 75 75 76 opacity (%) 88 . 0 87 . 2 86 . 3 86 . 3 86 . 2 85 . 2 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 533 518 506 505 497 480 r - 48 fraction (%) 45 . 6 54 . 1 56 . 0 44 . 3 48 . 6 52 . 1 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 15 . 8 14 . 0 11 . 3 20 . 3 15 . 8 14 . 9 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 00 1 . 06 1 . 25 1 . 08 1 . 10 1 . 24 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 75 0 . 78 0 . 84 0 . 85 0 . 87 0 . 90 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 49 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 58 0 . 58 0 . 59 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) 331 - 1186 ( 3 ) 1464 - 4 1464 - 3 1464 - 2 1449 - 4 1449 - 3 1449 - 2 unscreened csf ( ml ) 170 215 266 188 253 380 specific energy ( mj / kg ) 5 . 4 4 . 8 4 . 0 7 . 6 6 . 5 5 . 1 screened csf ( ml ) 197 232 291 212 269 382 reject (% o . d . pulp ) 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 1 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 1 apparent sheet density ( kg / m 3 ) 417 400 394 409 402 354 burst index ( kpa · m 2 / g ) 1 . 9 1 . 8 1 . 8 2 . 4 2 . 1 1 . 7 breaking length ( km ) 3 . 7 3 . 6 3 . 3 4 . 3 3 . 8 3 . 4 tensile index ( n · m / g ) 36 . 5 35 . 5 32 . 8 42 . 0 37 . 4 32 . 9 stretch (%) 1 . 36 1 . 38 1 . 17 1 . 74 1 . 44 1 . 36 tear index ( mn · m 2 / g ) ( 4 - ply ) 5 . 0 5 . 1 4 . 5 5 . 8 5 . 6 5 . 6 sheffield roughness ( su ) 115 136 163 104 142 226 brightness (%) 74 74 74 76 77 78 opacity (%) 88 . 5 87 . 9 87 . 1 86 . 2 85 . 6 84 . 8 scattering coefficient ( cm 2 / g ) 530 514 518 505 500 499 r - 48 fraction (%) 45 . 3 45 . 4 46 . 5 46 . 4 48 . 7 51 . 6 fines ( p - 200 ) (%) 19 . 5 14 . 1 14 . 1 16 . 0 16 . 1 14 . 6 w . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 1 . 06 1 . 10 1 . 06 1 . 00 1 . 04 1 . 12 l . weighted average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 84 0 . 86 0 . 84 0 . 79 0 . 80 0 . 83 arithmetic average fibre length ( mm ) 0 . 57 0 . 57 0 . 57 0 . 52 0 . 52 0 . 53 in general , appropriate baseline values of pulp freeness and specific refining energy are the two parameters commonly used to monitor mechanical and optical properties of aprmp pulps . thus , to facilitate data analysis and discussion , the raw data were standardized by interpolation or extrapolation to a freeness of 200 ml csf ( table xvii ) and a specific refining energy ( sre ) of 6 . 0 mj / kg ( table xviii ). table xvii properties of aprmp pulps from hybrid poplars at a constant freeness of 200 ml csf length specific weighted refining r - 48 fines fiber sheet tensile bright - sheffield scattering energy fraction ( p - 200 ) length density index stretch tear index ness roughness coefficient opacity hybrid no . ( mj / kg ) (%) (%) ( mm ) ( kg / m 3 ) ( n · m / g ) (%) ( mn · m 2 / g ) (%) ( su ) ( cm 2 / g ) (%) 14 - 129 ( 1 ) 5 . 9 43 . 5 14 . 0 0 . 78 392 40 . 0 1 . 60 5 . 5 78 130 510 85 . 5 14 - 129 ( 2 ) 3 . 7 43 . 2 13 . 9 0 . 78 459 48 . 2 1 . 87 6 . 3 78 111 416 81 . 9 53 - 242 ( 1 ) 7 . 0 48 . 0 17 . 4 0 . 81 392 39 . 0 1 . 68 5 . 7 75 128 498 86 . 6 53 - 242 ( 2 ) 6 . 9 44 . 5 15 . 2 0 . 77 399 40 . 0 1 . 54 5 . 3 75 113 503 87 . 3 53 - 246 ( 1 ) 5 . 2 47 . 3 14 . 5 0 . 81 417 43 . 8 1 . 80 6 . 7 79 118 432 82 . 2 53 - 246 ( 2 ) 6 . 7 46 . 5 15 . 8 0 . 82 448 44 . 5 2 . 09 6 . 2 76 95 506 87 . 0 93 - 968 ( 1 ) 9 . 3 40 . 0 17 . 4 0 . 85 413 42 . 5 1 . 94 6 . 1 75 90 547 90 . 1 93 - 968 ( 2 ) 5 . 9 43 . 3 16 . 3 0 . 79 417 42 . 5 1 . 56 5 . 9 74 95 528 88 . 7 331 - 1059 ( 2 ) 9 . 1 45 . 0 17 . 5 0 . 79 383 40 . 0 1 . 90 5 . 0 75 127 565 88 . 8 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) 9 . 3 48 . 5 17 . 0 0 . 79 383 41 . 2 2 . 06 6 . 2 78 137 550 87 . 4 331 - 1061 ( 1 ) 4 . 6 48 . 6 15 . 1 0 . 84 417 46 . 0 1 . 75 6 . 2 76 103 389 80 . 5 331 - 1061 ( 2 ) 5 . 9 46 . 8 14 . 5 0 . 78 389 44 . 5 1 . 83 5 . 6 76 127 482 85 . 7 331 - 1061 ( 3 ) 7 . 5 47 . 4 16 . 2 0 . 80 361 34 . 8 1 . 30 5 . 0 78 150 494 85 . 4 331 - 1062 ( 1 ) 7 . 2 50 . 4 18 . 3 0 . 87 382 37 . 0 1 . 48 5 . 5 77 107 504 86 . 6 331 - 1062 ( 2 ) 5 . 3 46 . 5 16 . 7 0 . 84 413 42 . 0 1 . 50 5 . 4 77 105 490 85 . 6 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) 11 . 1 38 . 0 19 . 8 0 . 77 361 34 . 0 1 . 40 5 . 0 75 155 580 89 . 5 331 - 1093 ( 1 ) 5 . 0 45 . 6 15 . 7 0 . 75 382 42 . 7 1 . 59 6 . 0 75 132 511 86 . 4 331 - 1093 ( 2 ) 4 . 3 40 . 0 14 . 8 0 . 73 426 45 . 9 1 . 64 5 . 5 79 114 490 84 . 2 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 3 . 7 40 . 8 13 . 6 0 . 75 448 49 . 5 1 . 83 6 . 0 78 113 429 82 . 0 331 - 1118 ( 2 ) 6 . 0 42 . 5 17 . 2 0 . 77 376 40 . 2 1 . 69 5 . 6 77 137 508 86 . 2 331 - 1122 ( 1 ) 7 . 5 43 . 8 16 . 5 0 . 74 368 37 . 0 1 . 45 4 . 0 75 128 536 88 . 2 331 - 1126 ( 1 ) 6 . 1 44 . 3 20 . 3 0 . 85 363 34 . 8 1 . 45 4 . 8 75 164 505 86 . 3 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) 5 . 0 45 . 3 19 . 5 0 . 85 415 36 . 5 1 . 36 5 . 0 74 115 530 88 . 5 331 - 1186 ( 3 ) 7 . 3 46 . 3 16 . 1 0 . 79 415 43 . 0 1 . 78 5 . 8 76 94 505 86 . 3 the specific refining energy consumed to reach a given freeness in the range of 150 to 425 ml csf for the 24 hybrid poplar trees is shown in fig2 . the raw data show considerable scatter thanks largely to intraclonal variability which renders clonal effects non - significant ( anova p = 0 . 067 ). each set of points in fig2 is surrounded by envelopes rather than a best - fit line or curve . the envelopes can be classified into three general groups as shown below . high sre group medium sre group low sre group 93 - 968 ( 1 ) 14 - 129 ( 1 ) 14 - 129 ( 2 ) 331 - 1059 ( 2 ) 53 - 242 ( 1 ) 53 - 246 ( 1 ) 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) 53 - 242 ( 2 ) 331 - 1061 ( 1 ) 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) 53 - 246 ( 2 ) 331 - 1062 ( 2 ) 93 - 968 ( 2 ) 331 - 1093 ( 1 ) 331 - 1061 ( 2 ) 331 - 1093 ( 2 ) 331 - 1061 ( 3 ) 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 331 - 1062 ( 1 ) 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) 331 - 1118 ( 2 ) 331 - 1122 ( 1 ) 331 - 1126 ( 1 ) 331 - 1186 ( 3 ) the differences in sre demand are more evident at 200 ml csf as clones 93 - 968 ( 1 ) and 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) require 9 . 3 mj / kg sre whereas clones 14 - 129 ( 2 ) and 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) require 3 . 7 mj / kg sre or 60 % of the energy demand ( table xvii ). clone 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) is clearly exceptional as it required 11 . 1 mj / kg of specific refining energy to the same freeness level . the three distinct sre groups shown in fig2 are consistent with previous observations of chemithermomechanical ( ctmp ) pulping of nine different “ wild ” aspen clones from northeast british columbia . naoh / h 2 o 2 uptake for each tree are shown in table xix . the data indicate a much lower chemical uptake for the unusual high energy consumption clone 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) than for the other clones investigated in this study . naoh uptake values for each clone at 200 ml csf are plotted against sre in fig2 . fig2 shows that high chemical uptake reduces energy demand at a given freeness of 200 ml . the significant negative relationship noted here ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 526 , p = 0 . 025 ) agrees well with previous findings that sre of hardwood mechanical pulps increases with diminishing chemical uptake , although the variability seen here is greater than that observed for aspen ctmp pulps . the reasons for intraclonal variability in chemical uptake are not clear . the most probable explanation for low chemical uptake by certain clones is likely a function of the cell wall thickness and lumen diameters of earlywood ( large ) and latewood ( small ). it has been reported that a thicker s1 wall makes it more difficult for the hardwood fiber to absorb chemical in order to swell and / or collapse . a plot of the naoh uptake vs . chip density ( fig2 ) also confirms previous observations that wood density does not affect chemical uptake by populus species chips and further contrasts with data suggesting that earlywood density affects chemical uptake for eucalyptus nitens . table xix chip density and chemical uptake for aprmp pulps chip thickness = 2 - 6 mm chip density a naoh h 2 o 2 sample no . ( kg / m 3 ) (% o . d . wood ) (% o . d . wood ) 14 - 129 ( 1 ) 285 5 . 39 3 . 44 14 - 129 ( 2 ) 304 6 . 07 3 . 88 53 - 242 ( 1 ) 329 5 . 13 3 . 27 53 - 242 ( 2 ) 302 4 . 41 2 . 82 53 - 246 ( 1 ) 311 6 . 24 3 . 99 54 - 246 ( 2 ) 325 4 . 57 2 . 92 93 - 968 ( 1 ) 303 4 . 20 2 . 68 93 - 968 ( 2 ) 314 3 . 80 2 . 43 331 - 1059 ( 2 ) 303 4 . 63 2 . 95 331 - 1059 ( 3 ) 302 4 . 59 2 . 93 331 - 1061 ( 1 ) 338 6 . 40 4 . 09 331 - 1061 ( 2 ) 328 5 . 41 3 . 46 331 - 1061 ( 3 ) 345 4 . 35 2 . 78 331 - 1062 ( 1 ) 280 4 . 20 2 . 68 331 - 1062 ( 2 ) 290 6 . 51 4 . 24 331 - 1075 ( 2 ) 300 3 . 39 2 . 16 331 - 1093 ( 1 ) 279 4 . 23 2 . 70 331 - 1093 ( 2 ) 288 5 . 38 3 . 43 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 346 5 . 89 3 . 76 331 - 1118 ( 2 ) 373 3 . 42 2 . 18 331 - 1122 ( 1 ) 283 3 . 80 2 . 43 331 - 1126 ( 1 ) 386 2 . 69 1 . 72 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) 336 4 . 22 2 . 69 331 - 1186 ( 3 ) 292 4 . 69 3 . 00 as expected , the long - fiber fraction r - 48 ( retained on the 48 - mesh screen of a bauer - mcnett fiber classifier ) and lwfl ( length - weighted fiber length ) increased with increasing freeness and decreasing sre , whereas the fines content p - 200 ( passed through the 200 - mesh screen of a bauer mcnett fiber classifier ) increased with decreasing freeness and increasing sre as shown in table xvii . the lwfl values obtained from the mechanical aprmp pulps at a freeness of 200 ml ( table xvii ) show a significant correlation ( pearson coefficient 0 . 479 , p = 0 . 018 ) with the lwfl values observed for the chemical pulps ( table xi ) obtained from the same clones . unexpectedly , the lwfl values for aprmp pulps were consistently longer than those from the chemical pulps obtained from the same trees . the reasons for this observation is not clear . perhaps , the alkali treatment of hybrid poplar have softened the middle lamella thus allowing the individual fibers to be peeled from the matrix in a longer and a more intact state in the refiner than those from the chemical pulping process . tensile index increased with decreasing freeness , increasing sheet density , and increasing specific refining energy ( table xvi ). in addition , lwfl also has a highly significant negative relationship with aprmp pulp tensile index ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 74 , p = 0 . 001 ). in general , there is considerable variability in tensile strength from the various clones at a given freeness of 200 ml csf and a given specific refining energy of 6 . 0 mj / kg ( tables xvii and xviii , respectively ). at a given freeness of 200 ml csf the tensile index values range from 34 . 0 to 49 . 5 n · m / g . there is also considerable interclonal variability in tensile strength , for example , the three individuals comprising the genotype clone 331 - 1061 have a mean tensile index of 41 . 8 n · m / g with a standard deviation of 5 . 0 n · m / g at a given freeness of 200 ml csf ( table xvii ). in fig2 , naoh uptake is plotted against tensile index . again , the data are variable , but it is clear that despite this at a given freeness , increasing chemical uptake results in an increase in tensile strength ( pearson coefficient 0 . 700 , p = 0 . 022 ). this finding is in good agreement with previous work by johal et al . and jackson et al . who found that the tensile indices of aspen ctmp pulps increase with increasing chemical uptake . intraclonal variation is again the largest component of the variability seen in the tear index data at a given freeness of 200 ml csf ( table xvii ). as anticipated , sheet density increases with decreasing freeness and increasing specific refining energy ( table xvii ). the extent of the intra - and interclonal variability seen at 200 ml freeness , from 361 kg / m 3 to 459 kg / m 3 , is of the same order as that previously noted for aspen clones and is shown in table xvii . whilst some clones ( e . g . parent 93 - 968 ) produce sheets with similar density properties , others ( e . g . parent 14 - 129 ) exhibit wide intraclonal variability . the role of alkali uptake at 200 ml freeness in the consolidation of sheet density of hybrid poplar clone aprmp pulps is shown in fig2 . the significant positive relationship seen ( pearson coefficient 0 . 616 , p = 0 . 001 ) indicates the importance of good chemical impregnation to soften fiber cell walls and improve sheet consolidation . as expected , scattering coefficient consistently increased with decreasing freeness and increasing sheet density ( table xvii ). significant positive correlations were observed between sre and optical properties scattering coefficient ( pearson coefficient 0 . 779 , p = 0 . 000 ) and printing opacity ( pearson coefficient 0 . 738 , p = 0 . 003 ). in fig2 , the fines content ( p - 200 ) is shown as a function of scattering coefficient . the significant positive relationship ( pearson coefficient 0 . 637 , p = 0 . 001 ) confirms previous observations for aspen in that those clones with the highest fines content also exhibit high scattering coefficients and high opacity values . the negative effect of chip alkali uptake — on light scattering development is indicated in fig2 ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 713 , p = 0 . 000 ). the most probable explanation for this negative effect is that increased alkali uptake makes the fiber separation at the middle lamella easier and thus producing fewer fines . secondly , the higher alkali uptake makes the fibers more flexible and hydrophilic thus resulting in more fiber bonding and reduced light scattering . sheffield roughness increased with increasing freeness ( fig2 ). the plot of sheffield roughness vs . tensile strength ( fig2 ) indicates that at high tensile index , most clones exhibit excellent sheet surface properties . the significant negative relationship seen ( pearson coefficient − 0 . 602 , p = 0 . 002 ) does not alter the fact that , within this hybrid population , a wide variety of pulp strengths can be had whilst maintaining a constant smoothness level ( see table xx ). table xx interclonal variability of strength properties for given formation properties clone tensile index ( n · m / g ) sheffield smoothness ( su ) 331 - 1118 ( 1 ) 49 . 5 113 331 - 1162 ( 3 ) 36 . 5 115 the brightness of the aprmp pulps from different clones under significantly variable h 2 o 2 uptake was surprisingly similar . a tight range of brightness values was obtained from the hybrid poplar pulps , from 74 - 79 %. this compares very well with previous brightness results for aspen clones which showed greater variability over a lower spectrum of values , from 49 - 69 %. the aspen values may be explained by the occurrence in natural stands of highly stained wood and by wide differences in the lignin content of the examined trees . for most of the pulping parameters examined in this study , both intra - and interclonal factors were significant determinators of the population variability encountered . this , coupled with the necessarily small sample size utilized , makes the correlation of genotypic and phenotypic variability statistically challenging . some data sets did yield significant qtl detections — for example , a putative qtl has been found for h - factor with a lod score of 4 . 04 ( see fig3 and table xxi ). in fig3 , the 19 populus linkage groups and positioned rflp , rapd and sts markers are shown . positions of detected qtl which exceed the significance threshold lod score are indicated by colour - coded vertical bars adjacent to the linkage groups . phenotyping data colour codes are described in the legend . importantly using the kraft pulping data , a significant qtl for tensile index ( lod score 3 . 48 ) and a less significant qtl for air resistance ( lod score 2 . 62 ) were detected in a chromosomal position coincident with that detected for fiber coarseness and microfibril angle . these results are depicted in table xxi . these data suggest that not only does this genetic region contain genes which affect multiple related pulp parameters and is therefore worthy of further investigation , but that the coarseness values obtained from the peracetic acid maceration / fqa fiber analysis technique do indeed accurately reflect the performance of the pulp in terms of a number of important parameters . the observation strongly supports the use of this procedure as a technique for rapid assessment of tree populations for wood quality . most of the qtl found , however , had lod significance scores of approximately the threshold value of 2 . 90 or lower , indicating a high possibility of spurious detection . qtl mapping of these data is , therefore , not presented here as the data sets are simply not extensive enough for statistical significance . these data will form part of a larger and continuing study on this population of hybrid poplars with the eventual goal of genetic mapping of specific pulping and papermaking characteristics . this is considered to be an important outcome as , as has been clearly shown by this and numerous other reports , it is often highly problematic to accurately predict pulp and papermaking properties from easily measured parameters such as fiber properties , wood density , etc . to actually determine the pulp and paper properties of a clone , it is still necessary to pilot pulp the entire stem . it is anticipated that qtl mapping of a large enough sample set of pilot pulps will enable the detection of the particular subset of genes which directly affect pulp and paper parameters and the development of rapid assessment methods for those properties of immediate industrial value . this study represents the first steps towards eventual achievement of this highly important objective . table xxi significant qtl detected for h factor trait marker / linkage lod score phen % length / cm weight dom . h factor pal2 - p214 / y 4 . 04 95 . 6 6 . 6 169 . 83 − 337 . 80 tensile index i14_09 - f15_10 / e 3 . 48 87 . 2 37 . 3 1 . 5378 9 . 8668 air resistance i14_09 - f15_10 / e 2 . 62 * 88 . 4 37 . 3 519 . 36 − 250 . 13 ( gurley ) fiber i14_09 - f15_10 / e 3 . 49 55 . 9 37 . 3 72 . 794 − 79 . 906 coarseness ** [ 0232 ] fig3 illustrates the current status of qtl mapping using the family 331 hybrid poplar mapping pedigree . the map shows the 19 linkage groups that are approximately equivalent to the 19 populus chromosomes as vertical bars labelled a - y as obtained from the university of washington . positions of assigned rflp , rapd and sts markers are indicated on each linkage group . assigned qtl regions for each of the traits examined in the study are indicated as colour - coded bars adjacent to the linkage groups . details on the significance of the qtl and the genetic distances they cover can be found in the appropriate tables , although it is important to note that — with the single exception of kraft pulp yield — each reported qtl exceeds the 95 % statistical confidence level , as determined by the lod threshold score of 2 . 9 . table xvi shows the screened suite of markers associated with the qtl linked to the specific traits of interest examined in this study . each of these rapd / rflp markers was used in a pcr reaction to generate a polymorphic product from the phenotypically selected f2 generation individuals indicated . table xvi also presents the number of sequences generated from the polymorphic bands isolated . proposed functionalities for the sequences , based on similarities to sequences already in public databases , can be found in table xvi . the sequences are tabulated in table xvii . the polymorphic marker bands have been fully or partially sequenced and functionality has been assigned according to similarity with previously published sequences on public databases ( e . g . genbank ). by sequence homology it will now be possible to identify orthologous functional genes in trees of the genus populus , picea , berula , abies , larix , taxus , ulmus , prunus , quercus , malus , arbutus , salix , platanus , acer , tsuga , pseudotsuga , pinus , fraxinus , eucalyptus , acacia , abrus , cupressus , fagus , juniperus , thuja and canya . # product size trait marker sequences ( bp ) database id maceration i17_04 2 ( ac007018 ) arabidopsis thaliana yield chromosome ; ( ap002820 ) putative transposable element tip 100 protein rice maceration g02_11 5 1138 , 990 , ( ac006136 ) putative retroelement yield 1032 , 976 , 986 pol polyprotein [ arabidopsis ] ( ac009400 ) hypothetical protein [ arabidopsis thaliana ; & gt ; gi | 13241678 | gb | aak16420 . 1 | ( af320086 ) rire gag / pol protein [ zea mays ]; unknown ; ac020580 ) hypothetical protein , 3 &# 39 ; partial yield / h e01_04 3 347 , 334 , 356 ( ac002332 ) hypothetical protein factor [ arabidopsis thaliana ]; ac007357 ) f3f19 . 15 [ arabidopsis thaliana ]; ( ab024037 ) emb | cab77928 . 1 ˜ gene_id : msk1 0 . 2 ˜ similar to unknown yield / h - p1027 3 539 , 589 , 593 hypothetical protein , at ; putative factor retroelement ; at est atts1136 , putative disease resistance gene . lignin p757 2 281 , 199 arabidopsis retrotransposon - like protein , z97342 . coarseness / i14_09 3 545 , 545 , 869 unknown ; tensile low hits : cotton fad aj244890 ; index / air poplar agamous ( 64 % in 197 nt ); resistance copia - like polyprotein [ arabidopsis thaliana ] f15_10 2 950 , 980 unknown arabidopsis gene ; many proline - rich proteins (# 1 = cicer arietinium ), + 3 frame extractives b15 2 1756 , 1693 endo - 1 , 4 - betaglucanase , fibronectin repeat signature h19_08 1 810 transformer - sr ribonucleoprotein g13_17 2 1400 , 1628 several dnaj - like protein [ arabidopsis thaliana ]; gi | 1491720 | emb | caa67813 . 1 | ( x99451 ) extensin - like protein dif10 [ lycopersicon esculentum g12_15 1 677 1 = unknown at protein , 2 = hypothetical ca - binding protein from at c04_04 1 357 genomic dna t7n9 . 15 [ arabidopsis thaliana ] p1054 1 787 cicer arietinum mrna for glucan - endo - 1 , 3 - beta - glucosidase p1018 1 522 ac007197 arabidopsis thaliana chromosome h12 3 332 , 386 , 350 hypothetical protein ( cop1 regulatory ), endoglucanase , 3 - oxo - 5 - alpha - steroid - 4 - dehydrogenase . calcium h07_10 3 977 , 978 , 754 ( ac003970 ) similar to glucose - 6 - deposition phosphate dehydrogenases , at ; ac006267 ) putative polyprotein [ arabidopsis thaliana ]; ( ac006267 ) putative polyprotein [ arabidopsis thaliana ] while the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof , it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations , uses , or adaptations of the invention following , in general , the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth , and as follows in the scope of the appended claims .
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in the following detailed description of the present invention , a method and system are provided for internet - based and automated recorded media distribution and retrieval ; specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be obvious , however , to a person skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details , and changes may be made to the description herein without departing from the scope of the invention . the integrated recorded media distribution system is centered on combining instant physical access to recorded media with the convenience of internet based e - commerce . the system is particularly adapted to support digital versatile disk ( dvd ) recorded media , and other optically recorded disks . in the preferred embodiment , an internet - connected central server integrates customers , suppliers , employees , kiosks , owners , and the video industry in a “ hub and spoke ” system that is preferably automated and interactive , providing real time business - to - consumer and business - to - business capabilities . the system kiosks are part of the hub and spoke network system . the kiosks act as brick and mortar spokes , providing a faster , more convenient way for customers to obtain and return dvd videos or other optical recorded media . each kiosk is a self - service unit that combines electro - mechanical dispensing devices and components , internet connectivity and a touch screen monitor for customer interaction . the compact nature of the dvd format allows up to 102 disks to be stocked in a kiosk , like the kiosk shown in fig8 . the kiosk &# 39 ; s small space requirement allows placement in high - traffic locations that are more convenient than traditional retail locations . internet connectivity allows customers to have the choice of shopping online or on - site or to access a variety of real - time services . each kiosk is a self - service unit that includes an internal processor , internet connectivity , and a touch screen monitor for customer interaction . the small physical footprint of the kiosk enables it to be placed in a variety of locations . the kiosks can operate 24 hours a day , 7 days a week , providing instant electronic access to products . the kiosks are fully automated providing customer service through the internet ; on - site staffing is not required to support customer needs . the system web site provides 24 - hour access to on - line customer support . it also provides access to specific kiosk inventory , movie trailers and reviews , customer inquiries , special orders , regular individually tailored e - mailed updates , and overall service . the integrated remote kiosk monitoring system allows low cost inventory management , tailored marketing promotions , operations planning , advertising management , and system diagnosis . in the preferred embodiment , the kiosks are physically designed to meet american disabilities act ( ada ) specifications so that they may be placed in public facilities . the kiosks also preferably meet other regulatory requirements of public transportation facilities , universities , and office buildings . the system central server supports a world wide web site . the central server includes promotional drivers and accessory services that route through the system website in conjunction with the kiosks . customers may use the internet to query a specific kiosk for availability , or to purchase new and used optical recorded media , register for e - mailed updates , or participate in various targeted programs . the integrated system allows fast transactions . a simple and easy to use title search process minimizes shopping time and allows rapid transactions . transaction times from walk - up to walk - away can be less than 40 seconds and average 2 . 5 minutes . return of media is also simple , as the disks only need to be re - inserted into the dispensing / retrieval mechanism . upon the return of a disk at a kiosk , the internal computer reads individual identification information from the disk and restocks it automatically . the system allows remote price changes and can also gather up - to - the minute product availability and customer data . thin - client computing technology keeps hardware costs low and speeds up application deployment by centralizing management , and enhancing security . e - mailed receipts generated from the kiosks through the central server allow ongoing access to customers after the completion of the transaction . recorded disk pricing may be determined on a kiosk - by - kiosk basis based on local market conditions . pricing also varies depending on market elasticity ; for example , premiums may be placed on dvd videos available in airport terminals . differentiated pricing can be used for newer releases vs . older releases . in addition , rental terms and promotions may vary based on kiosk locations and the time of week , and can be adjusted remotely on demand . at a kiosk such as shown in fig8 a graphical user interface ( gui ) utilizing a touch screen display provides a user - friendly interface even to consumers lacking computer experience . once a touch screen is activated , a computer in the kiosk generates a touch - selectable list of available media : movie genres such as action , drama , romance , and comedy , for example . by touching on one of the genres , a selection of associated titles and / or a promotional picture may appear on the screen . touching an image causes basic information to be displayed about that media such as cost and rating , along with an option to rent or purchase the media . when selection of media is complete , a credit , debit card , and / or other membership id is requested to execute the transaction and then the disk is dispensed to a customer . return of rental media is similar ; a customer may select “ rental return ” button on a touch screen , and then insert a disk into an opening in the kiosk . an optical scanner first verifies that the disk belongs to the system before accepting a disk . internet connectivity and a dynamic customer database provide product promotion capabilities and consumer access . product information and promotions may be tailored to each location &# 39 ; s demographics and additionally to each kiosk &# 39 ; s rental and sell - through history . advertising is available on the kiosk , kiosk screen , additional associated monitors , disk cases , dispensed coupons , e - coupons , e - mailed receipts , and through various web - based interactions . . advertising with the kiosk system provides mechanisms to promote specific marketing initiatives as well as additional local and global advertising . the system website allows consumers to search for kiosks and to query a specific kiosk for available content . the website also carries updated lists of used media for sale at discounted prices at individual kiosks . a customer may reserve and pay for a dvd stocked at a specific kiosk from the website , then pick up the dvd within a specified time period at the specific kiosk . once a customer enters e - mail information at the kiosk or at the website , that customer is eligible to receive frequent tailored e - mailed updates and e - coupons from the central server on current promotions . additional products potentially distributed through the kiosks include a variety of recorded media such as books on optical recorded disks , dvd music videos , dvd - rom , dvd video games , dvd - audio , sa - cds and cds . the modularity of the system allows for easy adoption of additional disk - based content distribution . some portions of the following detailed description are presented in terms of procedures , logic blocks , processing steps , computer program code and other symbolic representations of data operations within a computer memory . a procedure , logic block , process , etc ., is a self - consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result . the steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities . a practitioner will recognize that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities . unless specifically stated , terms such as “ processing ,” “ computing ,” “ calculating ,” “ determining ,” “ displaying ,” refer to the action and processes of a computer system or similar electronic computing device . [ 0068 ] fig6 illustrates a computer system 612 suitable for use in the kiosk of fig8 or in central server 103 , fig1 . in general , computer system 612 used by the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a bus system 600 for communicating information between system components . a central processing unit 601 for processing information and instructions is coupled to bus system 600 . a processing unit may be a processor , a microprocessor or any group or combination of processors or microprocessors . a random - access memory 602 for storing information and instructions for the central processor 601 is coupled to bus system 600 . a read - only memory 603 for storing static information and instructions for the processor 601 is coupled to bus system 600 . a data storage device 604 , such as a magnetic or other disk drive , for storing information and instructions is coupled to bus system 600 . a display device 605 for displaying information to the kiosk user is coupled to bus system 600 . an alphanumeric input device 606 , including alphanumeric and function keys ( e . g ., a touch screen ), for communicating information and command selections to the central processor 601 , may be coupled to bus system 600 . a cursor control device 607 for communicating user input information and command selections to the central processor 601 may be coupled to bus system 600 . a signal - generating device 608 for communicating data or signals between devices external to system 612 and processor 601 may be coupled to bus system 600 . [ 0069 ] fig1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of an optical disk distribution system 100 . generally , system 100 distributes recorded optical media in disk form ; for example a digital versatile disk ( dvd ), or a compact disc ( cd ). a disk , recorded disk , dvd , cd , or recorded optical media are used interchangeably herein to refer to an optical recorded media . system 100 integrates one or more kiosks 101 with a server system 103 through a virtual network 107 that uses the internet 104 . server system 103 is connected to the internet 104 also for direct linking to individual email accounts 105 and 105 ′. server 103 supports a world wide web page set 108 for general access by customers using the internet 104 . generally , access to system web page set 108 supported by server 103 is through an internet service provider ( isp ) that provides an internet connection for a personal computer 106 . kiosk 101 has a display 106 for viewing and entering information . kiosk 101 dispenses and receives disks 102 , via an opening in its front . [ 0070 ] fig2 illustrates a schematic embodiment of a kiosk 200 ( e . g ., kiosk 101 , fig1 ). kiosk 200 is a self - contained unit dispensing system that contains computer devices and mechanical devices . a central processing unit 201 is operably connected to a system bus 250 . system bus 250 may be a single bus or a series of busses for communicating data or signals between various devices and central processing unit 201 . a memory device 202 for storing instructions and / or other information is operably connected to system bus 250 . a data storage device 203 for storing data , or containing databases and / or other instructions , is connected to system bus 250 . a display device 204 having alphanumeric input capability is operably connected to system bus 250 . a magnetic card reader 211 for reading magnetically imprinted cards is operably connected to system bus 250 . any device suitable for uniquely identifying a customer such as a smart - card , license reader , fingerprint scanner / identifier , or other identification device may be substituted for , or augmented to , magnetic card reader 211 when appropriate . an optical reader 205 for reading bar codes is operably connected to system bus 250 . reader 205 may include a digital camera to view optical media and an associated housing , to facilitate access control of media to the kiosk . a disk shuttle assembly 206 for accessing and storing disk media is operably connected to system bus 250 . a media storage unit 207 for storing optical media 214 is contained in kiosk 200 . shuttle assembly 206 may be contained in , or integrated with , media storage unit 207 for accessing optical media 214 . a kicker device 208 for dispensing or receiving optical disk media 214 is operably connected to system bus 250 . a communications device 216 such as a modem or network connection is operably connected to system bus 250 . an optional audio device 212 for providing kiosk sound capability may be connected to system bus 250 . an optional dvd - ram or dvd - rom drive 213 for reading data from , or writing data to , optical media may be operably connected to system bus 250 . an optional coupon - dispensing device 217 may be operably connected to system bus 250 . an optional alarm state recognition device or algorithm 218 may be connected to system bus 250 . an optional secondary transaction device 219 for processing custom banking processes such as local debit card transactions may be connected to system bus 250 . an optional error detection system 209 for detecting damaged optical disc media may be internal to or external to kiosk 200 . when error detection system 209 is internal to system kiosk 200 , error detection system 209 is operably connected to system bus 250 , and dvd - ram or dvd - rom drive 213 is operably connected to system bus 250 . other output / input signal devices 210 may be connected to kiosk 200 , as needed . by way of example , one input device 210 includes a digital camera for capturing images of persons and / or objects near to kiosk . such a camera is useful , for example , in capturing the user while he or she inputs identification or credit card information ; later the information may be compared to the input data in the case of fraud . by connecting camera device 210 to bus 250 , images captured thereby may be downloaded to the central server , as needed , in this process . an optional advertising device 215 for broadcasting advertising and promotional materials to additional monitors may be internal or external to kiosk 200 ; when advertising device is internal to kiosk 200 , advertising device may be operably connected to system bus 250 , as shown . those skilled in the art should appreciate that kiosk 200 may alternatively function with computer system 612 as at least part of internal schematic items 201 , 202 , 203 , 204 . each kiosk 200 preferably has a database stored in memory 203 of its kiosk inventory ; and this inventory is preferably duplicated at the core server 103 , fig1 . memory 203 also preferably stores a set of kiosk parameters specific to a kiosk . this set is fed from the core server 103 and includes any local language translations , logos , color schemes , advertisements or video graphics , and the advertising play list . all transactional data passes through to core server 103 and is preferably not stored , long term , in local memory 203 . kiosk 200 interacts with a central server preferably as shown in fig1 . central server 103 preferably polls each individual kiosk 103 ( e . g ., kiosk 200 ) for status information , every five or ten minutes , for example . if the information from kiosk 200 is not normal , then one or more alarm states are generated to administrators of the central server . alarm states may be generated for any of a variety of reasons , for example indicating : that kiosk 200 is not on ; an incorrect inventory ; security breaches ; incorrect readings by any internal device or sensors ; and combinations thereof . this feature is very powerful to assist in management of the array of kiosks . alarm state messages may be relayed to a core server administrator by email , pager messages , cell phones and the like , and in near real time to indicate a problem at any of the connected kiosks 101 . [ 0076 ] fig3 is an illustration of a preferred embodiment of a central server computer 300 . the system central server computer 300 may also be computer system 612 . system server 300 provides command and control and collects and delivers data to and from kiosk 200 . server computer 300 has a central processing unit 301 that is operably connected to server system bus 350 . a memory device capable of storing instructions 302 is operably connected to server system bus 350 . a database 303 for storing data is operably connected to system bus 350 . a communication device 351 capable of transmitting and receiving data or html 304 is operably connected to system server bus 350 . an optional second communication device 353 for exchanging data for commercial transactions 305 may be operably connected to server system bus 350 . an optional secondary transaction server device 306 for processing secondary transactional data such as grocery store club card data may be operably connected to server system bus 350 ; server device 306 may alternatively be a connection to facilitate connection to a remote server to accomplish like function . [ 0077 ] fig4 depicts a preferred embodiment of the system data transfer mechanism 400 . mechanism 400 for example facilitates item 107 of fig1 . a virtual network connection 107 provides data exchange between kiosk 200 , fig2 and server computer 300 , fig3 . the kiosk - server virtual network system 107 can be a local network system or a remote network system that may utilize an html - based data exchange , e . g . an intranet or extranet . the exchange of data in html format includes an html request 425 and an html page 435 ; alternative communications between server computer 300 and isp 401 may occur through signal line 420 . both kiosk 200 and server computer 300 may request and receive data using the html protocol , allowing a two - way data - exchange system . the use of the html protocol allows an internet browser to be a system interface , and additionally allows system 100 , fig1 to be administered by an application service provider ( asp ) using the internet . an asp provides software applications across the internet by basing resident software on central server 103 that is accessed using an internet browser . the use of asp &# 39 ; s is desirable where the functionality of a network is desired , but the use of a private server - system is impossible or impractical . an internet service provider ( isp ) 401 may also be an asp . isp 401 provides a connection to the internet to individual computer users . exchange of data using virtual network 107 , fig1 is accomplished in a secure manner using methods of data encryption and decryption known in the art . secure transfer of data through isp 401 provides a virtual private network connection . an additional data exchange may occur on a dedicated private network connection for banking services , or alternatively using a virtual network as in item 107 . server computer 300 may obtain credit or debit or other membership authorization using information received from a customer . a credit authorization request 412 is transmitted from server 300 to a bankcard verification service 410 , which generally is a secure server computer . after receiving credit authorization request 412 , bankcard verification service 410 processes credit authorization request 412 , and transmits a response 411 to server computer 300 . response 411 is conveyed to kiosk 200 , fig2 through virtual network 107 , fig1 . [ 0079 ] fig5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a disk - dispensing transaction process 500 , in accord with the invention . process 500 begins with a request to dispense a media selection from kiosk 200 , fig2 in step 501 . information including , for example , credit - card number , and / or license or identification information , is next received from a customer to kiosk 200 , in step 502 . kiosk 200 then securely transmits data received in step 502 to isp 401 , fig4 in step 503 . data securely transmitted in step 503 is received to isp 401 in step 504 . data received to isp 401 in step 504 is securely transmitted to system server 300 , fig3 in step 505 . data securely transmitted to system server 300 in step 505 is next received at system server 300 in step 506 . system server 300 next securely transmits debit and / or credit authorization request data to a credit verification server in step 507 . system server 300 next securely receives credit authorization data from a credit verification service in step 508 . system server 300 next securely transmits authorization data received in step 508 to isp 401 in step 509 . in step 510 , data transmitted by system server 300 in step 509 is received by isp 401 . in step 511 , isp 401 securely transmits to kiosk 200 authorization to dispense requested media received from system server 300 in step 510 . in step 512 , kiosk 200 securely receives authorization to dispense media transmitted from isp 401 . optionally , in step 513 , an email address is securely received for customer . in step 514 , kiosk 200 dispenses requested media to a customer . in step 515 , system server 300 transmits to isp 401 an e - mail receipt for a debit transaction occurring in steps 507 and 508 for an e - mail address supplied in step 513 . in step 516 , isp 401 transmits email receipt data received from system server 300 in step 515 to an email address received in step 513 . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , shown in fig7 an optical bar code 701 uniquely identifies each recorded disk 700 . a region on the case between the media outside diameter 705 , and the center region 704 may be used for a label region 702 . a center region 704 exists between the label region 702 and the center hole 703 . the center region 704 may contain printed information ( e . g ., a bar code ) on both single - sided and double - sided optical media . for recorded disk 700 , barcode 701 is read by capturing a digital picture of barcode 701 , and then internal software to kiosk 200 rotates an image of barcode 701 to perform one or more “ pseudo ” scans of barcode 701 . [ 0081 ] fig8 is an exemplary perspective - view embodiment of a kiosk 200 , fig2 . a kiosk housing 900 forms an enclosure . the outer dimensions of housing 900 may be about 25 ″ tall , 25 ″ wide , and 15 ″ deep . a computer , e . g ., computer 612 , fig6 or cpu 201 , fig2 is included inside housing 900 . a touch screen display 904 is positioned on the front of housing 900 . display 904 may show advertising play list images and movie trailers in addition to providing user interface functions described herein . an input / output slot 940 is positioned on the front of housing 900 to dispense and receive optical recorded media disks . a magnetic strip reader 911 is positioned on the front of housing 900 . a transfer mechanism / controller is included in housing 900 to manipulate disks into and out of housing 900 . this transfer mechanism may be shuttle / carousel 206 , fig2 or the structures illustrated in fig9 - 18 in the preferred embodiment , touch screen display 904 has an lcd backed up by a metal plate to protect internal components should the lcd break . around display 904 is a cast bezel 920 , providing protection for the customer and the display 904 . the display lcd may be sealed to bezel 920 to protect it from fluids and moisture . bezel 920 is angled at the top 921 to discourage people from placing objects on it . access to inside of housing 900 is through a cam lock 924 . access within housing 900 facilitates mounting or dismounting of housing 900 to walls or other surfaces ; internal access is also used to access power and communications connections . the key for cam lock 924 cannot be removed in the unlocked position . magnetic strip reader 911 is used by kiosk 200 , fig2 to identify a customer or member , and / or to bill the customer , and / or to verify age . reader 911 is thus preferably usable with magnetic strips used in driver &# 39 ; s licenses , credit cards , membership cards , student body cards , etc . all cases and optical media inventory normally enter and exit thru input / output slot 940 . housing 900 and slot 940 thus cooperate to protect media inventory ; specifically , inventory cannot be removed from housing 900 ( e . g ., by stealing ) without breaking the housing and optical media . authorized access can only occur through use of cam lock 924 and special tools used to disassemble the carousel from the spindle ( described in more detail below ). slot 940 is also constructed to prevent a person from inserting a finger into internal working mechanisms . cast covers 926 and 927 protect input / output mechanisms of slot 940 , and further shields the bar code scanner / camera ( described in more detail below ) housed internally to housing 900 . cast covers 926 and 927 may only be removed from the inside with tools . housing 900 includes a sheet metal enclosure 901 with welded seams 903 to protect internal components from moisture , dirt and vandalism . sheet metal enclosure 901 is shaped to provide a 5 - degree back - angle tilt to the faceplate 907 . this angle assists in viewing lcd 904 as well as providing a gravitational vector that assists the seating of disks in carousel 950 . enclosure 901 has a flat bottom to allow for counter - top installation , and a sloped top to discourage customers from placing objects on the kiosk . kiosk 200 , fig2 runs without an external cooling fan and mounts easily on a wall , thru a wall , on a countertop , or on a pedestal . enclosure 901 serves as a “ heat sink ” to radiate heat from heat - generating inner components , such as a computer 612 , and drive motors ( described in more detail below ). housing 900 also has a full - length side piano hinge 905 to protect the kiosk from vandalism and contamination . a cast main faceplate 907 serves as the front of housing 900 and provides a mechanically stable platform for the working elements of kiosk 200 ; it also serves to deter penetration by vandals . the remaining seam 909 between faceplate 907 and enclosure 901 is baffled and gasketed to protect against penetration by mechanical means or by dust or liquids . [ 0088 ] fig9 shows a perspective view of electro - mechanical elements that are internal to housing 900 . a carousel 950 that rotates to dispense optical disks holds 102 cases ; carousel 950 is lightweight and easy to fabricate using interlocking aluminum extrusion . the extrusions after assembly are jigged and welded to minimize run - out and to assure stability . carousel 950 is preferably driven by chain drive 952 to ensure “ no - slip ” operation . an eject mechanism 954 dispenses optical recorded media from housing 900 , through input / output slot 940 ; mechanism 954 connects to faceplate 907 by two mechanical screws . one cable ( not shown ) serves to power and control mechanism 954 , via the internal computer and connected power . a servo - controller and rs232 - 485 converter 956 drives the carousel motor 958 . carousel drive motor 958 may , for example , mount within housing 900 by three mechanical screws ; two cables generally connect to motor 958 to provide power and electrical control . [ 0089 ] fig1 shows further detail of internal mechanics of kiosk 200 , fig2 within enclosure 900 , fig8 . a spindle assembly 960 holds carousel 950 for rotation thereon . fig1 shows a perspective view of carousel 950 alone . each slot 951 of carousel 950 holds one optical media disk within a case , described in more detail below . carousel 950 has a central hub 953 for mounting on spindle assembly 960 . carousel 950 is removed from spindle assembly 960 by three mechanical screws ( not shown ). fig1 also shows a more detailed view of speakers 962 , providing audible tones , music and communications to users of kiosk 200 . speakers 962 for example may be audio device 212 of kiosk 200 , fig2 . [ 0090 ] fig1 shows an encoder 970 that is used by kiosk 200 to accurately position carousel and spindle 950 , 960 . the standoffs 972 act as supports and as preload springs for drive chain 952 . a sprocket 974 drives chain 952 and , thereby , carousel 950 . gear motor 958 provides the torque and speed to accurately position carousel 950 . [ 0091 ] fig1 shows further detail of mechanical components within housing 900 . the gear motor 959 rotates cam 980 to move eject arm 976 in and at a controlled speed and position . optical sensors 978 provide feedback with motor 959 to accurately position eject arm 976 in the “ out ” position ( i . e ., clear for carousel rotate ) and in the “ in ” position ( i . e ., arm 976 is in position for kiosk 200 to sense an incoming case ). a flag 992 trips optical sensors 978 above . an optical sensor 982 provides additional feedback indicating that an eject maneuver is in fully ejected position ; a flag 988 trips optical sensor 982 in performing this function . an optical sensor 984 picks up a flag on carousel 950 as a home reference for carousel position . the offset value is adjusted in operating software . a reflective optical sensor 986 senses the presence of a case in a slot 951 , fig1 .. a mechanical switch 990 senses a case during a return to a slot 951 . eject arm 976 supports mechanical case switch 990 and pushes a case into the input / output rollers ( described below ) during an eject cycle . [ 0092 ] fig1 shows additional features of a kiosk of the invention , including internal electro - optical and electro - mechanical components to facilitate the operations herein . fig1 specifically shows these components used in conjunction with the input / output slot 940 , fig8 . a digital camera 1000 couples to a mount 1002 , as shown . one suitable camera for camera 1000 is a 3com 00371800 homeconnect pc digital camera . camera 1000 captures an image approximately 1 . 6 ″ in diameter , through its illustrative field of view 1003 . this image is then processed by the internal kiosk computer ( e . g ., computer 612 , fig6 ) to assess barcodes , patterns and / or characters on a disk 700 , fig7 . a special pattern may be placed on optical media label 702 and next to barcodes 701 to deter fraud . barcodes 701 captured by camera 1000 as a digital image can be decoded at various angles . the image is stored locally or at the core server 103 , fig1 for post processing should an issue arise regarding a related transaction . illumination for camera 1000 in capturing the digital image is through active illumination ( e . g ., a light ). a gear motor 1004 provides the torque and speed to accurately position a case in or out of a slot 951 . a gear motor 1006 provides the torque and speed to accurately drive a cam that operates the door , door lock and pinch rollers ( discussed below ). [ 0093 ] fig1 shows additional features of a kiosk of the invention , including internal electro - optical and electro - mechanical components to facilitate the operations herein . fig1 specifically shows these components used in conjunction with the input / output slot 940 , fig8 . a ridge 1012 provides relief for the post machining of cast main plate 907 , and further provides a reference for gasketing and a shield against mechanical penetration . cable routing apertures 1014 facilitate cable connections through bezel 920 ; cable routing apertures 1015 facilitate cable connections through main plate 907 . drive gears 1016 rotate the intake / output rollers 1018 . a pair of case glides 1020 physically guides a case into and out of kiosk 200 . [ 0094 ] fig1 shows additional detail of the input and output mechanism of kiosk 200 . the pinch rollers 1030 force a case through guides 1020 against the intake / output rollers 1018 , fig1 , and also set the case during a return . a door 1032 prevents an unauthorized case or object from entering the kiosk and shields inventory when carousel 950 is rotating . the case sensors 1034 determine whether a case is valid to trigger an image read by camera 1000 , fig1 . the activation sequence of sensors 1034 is used to determine if a case is removed prematurely during a return cycle or if a case is adequately ejected during an output cycle . the case sensor leds 1036 provide the operating light for case sensors 1034 . optical sensors 1038 provide the feedback required to position camshaft 1048 ( fig1 ). sensor 1038 ( a “ door closed ” sensor ) may be used to show when door 1032 is fully closed so that carousel 950 can be safely rotated with a clear doorway . a door lock 1040 automatically latches and locks door 1032 as soon as a case clears the doorway during either an input or output cycle . [ 0095 ] fig1 shows additional features of a kiosk of the invention , including internal electro - optical and electro - mechanical components to facilitate the operations herein . fig1 specifically shows these components used in conjunction with the input / output slot 940 , fig8 . a flag 1042 trips “ door closed ” sensor . a door cam 1033 operates to open and close door 1032 . a door lock cam 1044 operates the door lock 1040 . a gear 1046 drives camshaft 1048 for cams 1033 , 1044 , and 1052 . three flags 1050 position cam shaft 1048 in following four distinct positions : 1 ) door 1032 closed and lockable ; pinch rollers 1030 open two pinch roller cams 1052 move pinch rollers 1030 to closed and open positions . [ 0101 ] fig1 shows a front view of carousel 950 . carousel 950 is preferably extruded as a series of parts shown in detail within fig1 - 22 . fig1 shows the center extrusion hub 950 a . fig2 shows the inner ring extrusion 950 b . fig2 shows the spoke extrusion 950 c . fig2 shows the outer ring extrusion 950 d . carousel 950 is thus extruded in three main sections : ( 1 ) the center extrusion hub 950 a has the inside portion 1200 of the disk alignment fins and slots for the spoke extrusions 950 c ; ( 2 ) the spoke extrusions 950 c are notched at 1202 to align with the slots in the center extrusion hub 950 a and ring extrusions 950 b , 950 d ; and ( 3 ) outer ring extrusion 950 d contains outside disk alignment fins 1204 and is also slotted at 1206 to accept spoke extrusions 950 c . the finished outer ring extrusion consists of six sections 950 d welded together with six spoke extrusions 950 c to complete carousel 950 . [ 0102 ] fig2 shows an inside view of one case 1100 suitable for housing optical recorded media for input and output with a kiosk 100 such as described in connection with fig8 - 17 . fig2 shows an outside view of case 1100 . fig7 shows case 1100 in a closed position , housing disk 700 . fig2 illustrates case operation through intake slot 940 . a disk 700 sits within insert molds 1102 and around central hub 1104 . case 1100 has a hole 1106 used by sensors 1034 to detect whether case 1100 is suitably keyed for kiosk 200 , fig2 . intake slot 940 is shaped to align case 1100 with sensors 1034 , fig1 , in the kiosk intake housing . an example of keying is as follows : one sensor 1034 a is aligned with hole 1106 , providing an “ open position ”, and the 2 nd sensor 1034 b is blocked by the case 1100 in a “ closed position ”. arrows 1130 indicate common direction for the case 1100 inserted into slot 940 . in operation , the intake mechanisms of kiosk 200 preferably operate according to the following steps : 1 ) after dispensing a disk , carousel 950 , fig1 , is rotated such that an available return position is adjacent the input / output slot 940 , fig8 ; the return position being a slot 951 that does not contain a disk 700 . 2 ) to initiate a return , a “ return rental ” button is triggered at the touch screen display 904 , fig8 . 3 ) a disk 700 within a case 1100 is inserted into the intake slot 940 , fig8 until it reaches a door stop 1032 ; at this position , sensors 1034 on case 1100 are read to activate the barcode scanning process . 4 ) barcode 701 , fig7 is read : the barcode image is scanned to acquire the appropriate code response ; if the code is not acquired , the image is rotated 30 ° and is re - scanned ; this cycle is repeated until the codes are acquired , or for a maximum of three cycles . once the code is decoded , bar code 701 a , fig7 is read to determine which group code disk 700 is associated with ; if cleared , kiosk door 1032 , fig1 , is opened by rotating cam shaft 1048 . the group code 701 a identifies the disk as originating from a specific “ kiosk group ”. door 1032 is opened if the kiosk is associated with the group code . concurrently , the kiosk reads a serialized code from bar code 701 b to identify the individual disk 700 and to register it with the disk inventory database . the inventory database information is eventually relayed to core server 103 , fig1 . 5 ) if a disk is accepted , the cam motor rotates camshaft 1048 to unblock door 1032 and then to clamp rollers 1018 , fig1 , onto the case . the intake roller motor is activated to pull the case into a carousel slot 951 . the camshaft continues to rotate to prep the door block spring . at the end of the intake motion , the case clears the door and allows the door block spring to move the intake block into a closed position . the intake rollers complete the transport of the disk into a free carousel slot 951 . 6 ) a rear slot sensor 986 , fig1 , verifies the existence of a case in the slot and sensor 990 verifies the completed transport of the case through the intake rollers 1018 , fig1 , and into carousel 950 . 7 ) a transaction finishes with the insertion of the serialized disk information into database tables . in operation , kiosk 200 has a resting state that performs the following steps : 2 ) eject arm 976 , fig1 , is in a read position . 3 ) carousel 950 is held at an open slot 951 . in operation , kiosk 200 preferably operates to accept returns ( e . g ., recorded disk media 700 , fig7 in a case 1100 , fig2 - 24 ) according to the following sequential steps and / or states : 2 ) a return - rental button is triggered by a user of the kiosk , by pressing a graphical representation of the button on touch screen 904 . the return - rental button triggers activation of the light for camera 1000 . 3 ) a user inserts a disk 700 , within a case 1100 , to slot 940 . in operation , kiosk 200 preferably operates in a rental transaction according to the following sequential steps and / or states : 2 ) sensors 1034 a and 1034 b checked for intake blockage . the above is a description of a method and system for internet - based automated disk distribution and retrieval . it is expected that others will design alternative methods and systems for internet - based disk distribution using stand - alone automated kiosks as set forth in the claims below either literally of through the doctrine of equivalents .
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the embodiments described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description . rather , the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of this disclosure . in this disclosure , terms such as “ vertical ,” “ perpendicular ,” “ parallel ,” “ horizontal ,” “ longitudinal ,” “ central ,” “ rectangular ” and the like are used to describe the orientation , position or general shape of structural elements disclosed herein . as would be readily recognized by one of ordinary skill , it shall be understood for purposes of this disclosure and claims that these terms are not used to connote exact mathematical orientations or geometries , unless explicitly stated , but are instead used as terms of approximation . with this understanding , the term “ vertical ,” for example , certainly includes a structure that is positioned exactly 90 degrees from horizontal , but should generally be understood as meaning positioned up and down rather than side to side . other terms used herein to connote orientation , position or shape should be similarly interpreted . further , it should be understood that various structural terms used throughout this disclosure and claims should not receive a singular interpretation unless it is made explicit herein . by way of non - limiting example , the terms “ chamber ,” “ conduit ,” “ boom arm ,” to name just a few , should be interpreted when appearing in this disclosure and claims to mean one or more . all other terms used herein should be similarly interpreted unless it is made explicit that a singular interpretation is intended . the automotive concrete pump 10 in fig1 has a chassis 12 with a substructure 14 which bears a concrete dispensing boom 18 . the concrete dispensing boom 18 is mounted on the substructure 14 at a boom pedestal 16 and has rotary joints 34 , 34 ′, 34 ″ and 34 ′″ in which the boom arms 22 , 22 ′, 22 ″ and 22 ′″ can be moved about a horizontal axis of rotation . the concrete dispensing boom 18 is formed with a concrete delivery conduit 20 which has pipe bends 50 and pipe segments 30 which are articulatedly connected to one another by way of pipe couplings 32 and rotary couplings 52 . fig2 shows the boom arm 22 in cross section along the line ii - ii in fig1 . the boom arm 22 has a hollow chamber profile which has a closed , elongate hollow chamber 24 and a circumferentially open hollow chamber 26 which extends in the longitudinal direction . in other words , chamber 26 has an opening extending along its length or is open on one side , as is depicted in fig2 . the hollow chamber profile of the boom arm 22 is in the form of a box which has an upper flange 28 and a lower flange 36 . the box has a first side wall 38 and a second side wall 40 . the first side wall 38 is a partition in the hollow chamber profile . the upper flange 28 and the lower flange 36 are parallel to one another , wherein the first side wall and / or the second side wall are / is perpendicular to the upper flange and / or to the lower flange . the first side wall 38 is positioned so as to be set back in relation to the upper flange 28 and the lower flange 36 . that pipe segment 30 in the concrete dispensing boom 18 which is associated with the boom arm 22 is arranged outside the hollow chamber 26 on the opening side thereof . that is , pipe segment 30 is arranged outside of the opening extending along the length of chamber 26 . it is pointed out that it is however basically also possible for the pipe segments 30 of the concrete delivery conduit 20 to be arranged partially within or even entirely within the open hollow chamber 26 . the pipe segment 30 is held on the boom arm 22 by means of a pipe bracket 42 which projects into the hollow chamber 26 and is fixed to the first side wall 38 . by means of this measure , it can be achieved that the torsional moment introduced into the boom arm 22 via a pipe bracket 42 by the load of the concrete delivery conduit 20 , which acts in accordance with the arrow 46 , is minimized . the boom arms 22 ′, 22 ″ and 22 ′″ in the concrete dispensing boom 18 shown in fig1 also have a construction corresponding to the construction of the boom arm 22 . fig3 shows a section of a further boom arm 62 for a concrete dispensing boom with a concrete delivery conduit 80 . the boom arm 62 has a hollow chamber profile which has a closed elongate hollow chamber 64 and which comprises two circumferentially open hollow chambers 66 , 68 which extend in the longitudinal direction . the hollow chamber profile of the boom arm 62 is also in the form of a box which has an upper flange 70 and a lower flange 72 . the box has a first side wall 74 and a second side wall 76 . the two side walls 74 , 76 are partitions in the hollow chamber profile . the upper flange 28 and the lower flange 36 are parallel to one another , wherein the first side wall 74 and / or the second side wall 76 are perpendicular to the upper flange 70 and to the lower flange 72 . it is however also possible in the case of a boom arm according to this disclosure to provide an upper flange and a lower flange which taper toward one another in conical fashion . by contrast to the boom arm 22 shown in fig1 and 2 , the boom arm 62 has a cranked section 78 . the concrete delivery conduit 80 is fixed to the boom arm 62 by means of the pipe brackets 82 , 84 on the first side wall 74 and by means of the pipe brackets 86 , 88 on the second side wall 76 . in the cranked section 78 , the concrete delivery conduit is led from one side of the boom arm 62 to the opposite side of the boom arm 62 through the first side wall 74 , the closed hollow chamber 64 and through the second side wall 76 . in the section 92 , the spacing a of the first side wall 74 from the second side wall 76 is constant . in the section 78 , the spacing between the first side wall 74 and the second side wall 76 decreases . in the section 94 , the spacing b of the first side wall 74 from the second side wall 76 is defined by b & lt ; a . with this measure , the torsional resistance of the boom arm cross section is adapted across the boom arm 62 to the load thereof . fig4 shows , in relation to the line 90 of the common center of area of the upper and lower flanges 70 , 72 in the boom arm section 92 , the torsional load t introduced into the boom arm 62 by the load of the concrete delivery conduit 80 . by virtue of the fact that the concrete delivery conduit 80 is led through the side walls 74 , 76 of the boom arm 62 , it can be achieved that the torsional moment t introduced into the boom arm 62 after the cranked section 78 at least partially compensates the torsional moment introduced into the boom arm 62 before the cranked section 78 . in the case of the boom arm 62 , the side walls 74 , 76 are designed for attachment to the upper flange 70 and the lower flange 72 by way of attachment sections 71 forming an attachment structure . said attachment structure is designed such that , in the set - back position of the side walls 74 , 76 , a high - quality connection to the upper flange and lower flange 70 , 72 is made possible . the sections of the side walls 74 , 76 are then fixed to said attachment structure by screw connection or by welding . fig5 shows a further boom arm 122 , constructed alternatively to the boom arm 22 , for a concrete dispensing boom in a cross section corresponding to the view of fig2 . the boom arm 122 also has a hollow chamber profile which has a closed elongate hollow chamber 124 and a circumferentially open hollow chamber 126 which extends in the longitudinal direction . the hollow chamber profile of the boom arm 122 is likewise in the form of a box which has an upper flange 128 and a lower flange 136 . the box has a first side wall 138 and a second side wall 140 . the upper flange 128 and the lower flange 136 are parallel to one another , wherein the first side wall and / or the second side wall 138 , 140 are perpendicular to the upper flange and / or to the lower flange . in this case , the first side wall 138 is positioned so as to be set back in relation to the lower flange 136 , and has the spacing d u1 from the flange edge 137 on the side of the first side wall 138 . by contrast , the flange edge 129 of the upper flange 128 on the side of the first side wall 138 has the spacing d o1 & lt ; d u1 . the first side wall 138 is a partition in the hollow chamber profile . the second side wall 140 is also a partition in the hollow chamber profile . the second side wall 140 is positioned so as to be set back in relation to the upper flange 128 and has the spacing d o2 from the flange edge 131 on the side of the first side wall 138 . by contrast , the flange edge 139 of the lower flange 136 on the side of the second side wall 140 has the spacing d u2 & lt ; d o2 . the upper flange 128 and the lower flange 136 together with the first side wall 138 form a circumferentially open hollow chamber 128 which has a cross section 127 in the form of a convex trapezoid . together with the second side wall 140 , the upper flange 128 and the lower flange 136 define a further hollow chamber 148 with a cross section 154 in the form of a convex trapezoid , said further hollow chamber likewise being circumferentially open . the pipe segment 130 , associated with the boom arm 122 , of the concrete delivery conduit in the concrete dispensing boom 118 is arranged outside the hollow chamber 126 on the opening side thereof , and is fixed to the first side wall 138 by means of one or more pipe brackets 142 . it is pointed out that it is however basically also possible for the pipe segments 130 of the concrete delivery conduit to be arranged partially within or even entirely within the open hollow chamber 126 . it is furthermore possible for the pipe segments of the concrete delivery conduit to also be arranged on the side of the circumferentially open hollow chamber 148 of the boom arm 122 , specifically either within or only partially within or else outside the circumferentially open hollow chamber 148 . it is furthermore pointed out that , in a further alternative embodiment of the boom arm , the first side wall 138 may be flush with the upper flange 128 , or the second side wall 140 may be flush with the lower flange 136 . in this case , the cross section 127 of the circumferentially open hollow chamber 126 has the form of a right - angled triangle . a corresponding situation applies to the circumferentially open hollow chamber 148 . fig6 to 8 show further boom arms 122 ′, 122 ″, 122 ′″ of alternative construction to the boom arm 22 for a concrete dispensing boom in a cross section corresponding to the view in fig2 . in this case , elements which functionally correspond to one another are denoted in fig5 to 9 using reference signs with the same numerals . in the case of the boom arm 122 ′ shown in fig6 , the upper flange 128 ′ and the lower flange 136 ′ are positioned symmetrically in relation to the axis of symmetry 155 ′ of the hollow chamber 124 . that is to say , for the spacing d u1 of the flange edge 137 ′ of the lower flange 136 ′ and the spacing d o1 of the flange edge 129 ′ of the upper flange 128 ′ from the first side wall 138 ′, and for the spacing d u2 of the flange edge 137 ′ of the lower flange 136 ′ and the spacing d o2 of the flange edge 129 ′ of the upper flange 128 ′ from the first side wall 138 ′, the following applies : d o1 = d o2 & gt ; d u1 = d u2 . in the case of the boom arm 122 ″ shown in fig7 , the flange edge 137 ″ of the lower flange 136 ″ and the flange edge 129 ″ of the upper flange 128 ″ have the spacing d u1 & gt ; d o1 from the first side wall 138 ′. the flange edge 131 ″ of the upper flange and the flange edge 139 ″ of the lower flange 136 ″ have in this case the spacing d u2 & gt ; d o2 from the second side wall 140 ″. in this case : d o1 = d o2 & lt ; d u1 = d u2 . the boom arm 122 ′″ shown in fig8 has a circumferentially open hollow chamber 126 ′″ with a pipe segment 130 ′″ of a concrete delivery conduit arranged therein . in the case of the boom arm 122 ′″, the flange edge 137 ′″ of the lower flange 136 ′″ and the flange edge 129 ′″ of the upper flange have the spacing d u1 = d o1 from the first side wall 138 ′″. the flange edge 137 ′″ of the lower flange 136 ′″ and the flange edge 129 ′″ of the upper flange have in this case the spacing d u2 & lt ; d o2 from the second side wall 140 ′″. fig9 shows a further boom arm 222 which is of alternative construction in relation to the boom arm 22 in fig2 and which has a hollow chamber profile of box form with a circumferentially open hollow chamber and with a first and a second side wall 238 , 240 . in the case of the boom arm 222 , the flange edge 237 of the upper flange has , over the longitudinal direction , the varying spacing d o1 from the first side wall 238 corresponding to the values d o1 ( 1 ) , d o1 ( 2 ) , d o1 ( 3 ) . the spacing of the flange edge 231 of the upper flange from the second side wall 240 is in this case constant over the longitudinal direction . in an alternative embodiment according to this disclosure of the boom arm 222 , it is possible for also the spacing d u1 of the flange edge of the lower flange on the side of the first side wall 238 , or only the spacing d u1 of the flange edge of the lower flange , to assume different values along the longitudinal direction of the boom arm 222 . in the case of the boom arm 322 shown in fig1 , the upper flange and the lower flange together with a first and a second side wall 338 , 340 likewise form a hollow chamber profile of box form , wherein in this case , the spacing d u2 or d o2 from the flange edge 331 of the upper flange to the second side wall 340 assumes different values d o1 ( 1 ) , d o1 ( 2 ) , d o1 ( 3 ) . . . over the longitudinal direction of the boom arm 322 . it is pointed out that , in this case too , in an alternative embodiment according to this disclosure of the boom arm 322 , the spacing d u1 or d o1 of the flange edge 337 of the lower flange or upper flange , respectively , on the side of the first side wall 338 , the spacing d u1 of the flange edge 331 of the lower flange on the side of the second side wall 340 , or only the spacing d u1 of the flange edge of the lower flange , may assume different values along the longitudinal direction of the boom arm 322 . with the embodiments for a boom arm in a concrete dispensing boom described above on the basis of fig5 to fig1 , it can likewise be achieved that the torsional moment introduced into the boom arm by the load of the concrete delivery conduit via a pipe bracket is low . it is pointed out that the hollow chamber profiles of the boom arms described above may be composed not only of metal but at least partially also of fiber composite plastic . it is also pointed out that this disclosure also encompasses further modifications and refinements of concrete dispensing booms which arise from combination of different features of the exemplary embodiments described above . in summary , the following can be stated : a concrete dispensing boom 18 for static and mobile concrete pumps has multiple boom arms 22 which are connected to one another at joints 34 , and has a concrete delivery conduit 20 which is composed of multiple pipe segments 30 which are articulatedly connected to one another preferably by way of pipe bends 50 and rotary couplings 52 and which are guided along and fastened to the individual boom arms 22 . at least one of the boom arms 22 has a hollow chamber profile with at least two hollow chambers 24 , 26 which are separated from one another by a partition 40 and of which at least one is closed 24 and one 26 is circumferentially open . in this case , the pipe segment 30 associated with the respective boom arm 22 is arranged on the opening side outside , partially within or within the open hollow chamber 26 . while exemplary embodiments have been disclosed hereinabove , the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . instead , this application is intended to cover any variations , uses , or adaptations of this disclosure using its general principles . further , this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims . 129 , 129 ′, 129 ″, 129 ′″ flange edge of the upper flange
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an embodiment of the present invention will now be explained . fig2 is a cross section of a forming device , which can apply the forming method applicable to the optical element of the present invention . upper die 2 is movably provided on lower die 1 . cylindrical movable - die 3 is slidably included in upper die 2 and movable die 3 ′ is slidably included in lower die 1 . aspherical surface 3 a of the optical element , and micro - sized shape 3 b , which corresponds to a structure causing structural birefringence , are formed on the lower surface of movable die 3 . aspherical surface 3 a ′ of the optical element , and micro - sized shape 3 b ′ which corresponds to a structure causing structural birefringence , are formed on the top surface of movable 3 ′. heater 4 ′ are incorporated inside movable die 3 and 3 ′. in this embodiment , lower die 1 and upper die 2 are fixed dies . fig3 is a flow chart showing the forming method of the present invention . the forming method will subsequently be explained by referring to fig3 . firstly , at step s 101 , closing dies after disposing lower die 1 , upper die 2 , movable dies 3 and 3 ′ as shown in fig2 . then , in s 102 resin material heated and melted by an external heating cylinder ( not shown ) is injected into the lower die 1 and upper die 2 through gate g . ( material filling step ) at step s 103 , injected material is cooled . ( natural cooling or forced - air cooling , which exposes the material to the ambient temperature by removing movable dies 3 or 3 ( dash ) are allowed . ); in this step , aspherical surface structure 3 a of movable die 3 has been transferred , however transferring micro - sized shape 3 b cannot be sufficiently transferred only by injecting the material . therefore , in step 104 , the temperature is raised to more than the glass transitional point of the material by heating movable dies 3 and 3 ′ by heaters 4 and 4 ′. ( a step to raise the temperature of the material to more than the glass transitional point ) after that , in step s 105 , pressing movable dies 3 and 3 ′ toward each other onto the resin material with a small force ( the weight of movable die 3 located in the upper portion in a gravity direction is adequate ) driven by a driving device ( not shown ), then the surface of the resin material , which comes into forced contact with micro - sized shapes 3 b and 3 b ′, is melted and the melted resin material flow into all secluded recesses of micro - sized shapes 3 b and 3 b ′. consequently , micro - sized shape whose aspect ratio is equal to 1 or more and whose radius curvature in a cross section through the optical axis direction will be precisely transferred . after that , at step 106 , cool down and solidify the resin material by stopping heating of heater 4 . then an optical element having highly precise micro - sized shape can be formed by removing lower die 1 , upper die 2 and movable dies 3 and 3 ′ in that order . in conventional injection forming , in order to complete the injection forming , it took several tens of seconds without transferring a micro - sized shape , and about one minutes with transferring a micro - sized shape . on the other hand , in the forming method of the present invention , it takes 2 - 3 seconds to transfer the micro - sized shape onto the surface of article , which has been molded within predetermined tolerances . when starting from the injection forming of the article , in order to transfer the micro - sized shape , in addition to the conventional injection forming time , only 2 - 3 seconds is additionally required . consequently , it becomes possible to precisely and assuredly transfer the micro - sized shape within the tolerances of several nanometers , which has been difficult to achieve in the prior art . fig4 is an example of an optical element molded by the forming method mentioned above . optical element 10 shown in perspective view in fig4 ( a ) has micro - sized shape 10 a having a structural birefringence characteristic on the front surface as shown in fig4 ( b ) and saw tooth shaped diffraction structure 10 b in the back surface of optical element 10 in cross section of the optical axis as shown in fig4 ( b ). the cross sectional view of micro - sized shape 10 a of the structural birefringence has concentric circle shaped and rectangular grooves as shown in fig4 d . for example , assuming that refraction index of optical element 10 is 1 . 92 and the wavelength of the incidental light beams is λ , then the length of each portion is : d1 = 0 . 25λ , d2 ( the width of the groove )= 0 . 39λ , d3 = 2λ , d4 ( the depth of the groove )= 1 . 22λ . and in fig4 ( c ), radius curvature r of an angle of saw tooth shaped diffraction structure 10 b in the cross section in the axis of the light beam is less than 1 μm . fig5 shows another example of an optical element molded by the forming method described above . optical element 20 whose cross section is shown in fig5 ( a ) has saw tooth shaped diffraction structure 20 a as shown in fig5 ( b ). further , many corn shaped holes 20 b whose diameter reduces in the depth are formed in the slanted surface of diffraction structure 20 a . holes 20 b having an antireflection function occupy 20 % to 40 % of the area of the slanted surface ( preferably 30 %). fig6 is a sectional view of the forming device of the optical element , which can conduct the forming method according to the second embodiment . in fig6 ( a ), upper die 12 is arranged movably on fixed lower die 11 . inside upper die 12 , heater 4 is arranged , and inside the lower die 11 , pipe 5 for flowing cooling water is arranged . on the lower surface of upper die 12 , matrix shape 12 a corresponding to an aspheric surface shape of the optical element to be molded , and fine shape 12 b corresponding to an shape for generating the structural double refraction are formed . on the one hand , on the upper surface of the lower die 11 , matrix shape 11 a corresponding to an aspheric surface shape of the optical element to be molded , is formed . fig7 is a flowchart showing a forming method according to the second embodiment . fig8 is a view showing a control profile in the forming method according to the present embodiment . referring to fig6 - 8 , such a forming method will be described below . initially , in step s 201 , as shown in fig6 ( a ), upper die 12 is set in an opened status to lower die 11 , and raw material m as a bulk material is charged into a cavity of lower die 11 . further , in step s 202 , in the situation that , to the surface of material m ( it is preferable that an elastic modulus at the normal temperature is 1 - 4 ( gpa )), the lower surface of upper die 12 is pushed , the heat generation of heater 4 is started , and the upper die is heated more than a glass transition point temperature tg , ( a step that the temperature of the die is set higher than the glass transition point temperature of the raw material ). thereby , the surface temperature and the inside temperature of raw material m rise together with the temperature rise of upper die 12 , and are more than glass transition point temperature tg ( a step that the surface temperature and the inside temperature of the raw material are heated up to the temperature higher than the glass transition point temperature ). further , in a stage ( t1 in fig8 ) in which lower surface of the upper die 12 is heated more than the glass transition point temperature tg , as shown in fig6 ( b ), raw material m is pressed by a first pressing force p1 by upper die 12 , ( a step s 203 : a die is pressed to the raw material by the first pressing force ). then , the raw material , which is heated more than the glass transition point temperature tg to the inside is deformed , and onto the upper surface , matrix shape 12 a of upper die 12 is transferred , and onto the lower surface , matrix shape 11 a of lower die 11 is transferred . hereupon , at this time , micro - sized shape 12 b is scarcely transferred . following that , the heat generation of heater 4 is stopped , and the cooling water is introduced from the outside through pipe 5 , and lower die 11 is compulsively cooled , and upper die 12 is naturally cooled ( may also be compulsively cooled ), and thereby , the temperature of raw material m is lowered lower than the glass transition point temperature ( step s 204 : a step in which the inside temperature of the raw material is cooled up to the temperature lower than the glass transition point temperature ). herein , the pressing of raw material m by upper die 12 is interrupted ( time t2 in fig8 ). further , in step s 205 , the heat generation of heater 4 is started again , and when the temperature of the upper die is risen , surface of the raw material m which is in contact with the lower surface of the upper die 12 , is heated and more than glass transition point temperature tg , however , because the compulsive cooling of lower die 11 is continued , the inside temperature of raw material m is lower than glass transition point temperature tg ( a step in which , while the inside temperature of the raw material is kept lower than the glass transition point temperature , the surface temperature of the raw material is heated more than the glass transition point temperature ). in a stage in which the lower surface of raw material m which is brought into contact with upper die 12 is heated more than the glass transition point temperature , ( t3 in fig8 ), raw material m is pressed by the upper die 12 by the second pressing force p2 lower than first pressing force p1 , ( step s 206 : a step in which the die is pressed to the raw material by the second pressing force ). then , because the inside is not higher than glass transition point temperature tg , and as the whole , raw material m is a rigid body , and because , while the matrix aspheric surface condition transferred by matrix shapes 12 a and 11 a , is maintained , only the upper surface is heated more than the glass transition point temperature tg , the melted raw material m is entered into the micro - sized shape ( refer to fig6 ( c )), and micro - sized shape 12 b can be accurately transferred . further , while the heat generation of heater 4 is stopped and the pressing is conducted for a predetermined time ( t4 in fig8 ), because the surface temperature of whole raw material m is cooled so that it is lower than glass transition point temperature tg and approaches the room temperature , ( step s 207 : a step for cooling the die ), the shape onto which micro - shape 12 b is transferred is hardened , and becomes a stable condition . after that , in step s 208 , upper die 12 is released from lower die 11 , and molded optical element can be taken out . according to the present embodiment , because the matrix aspheric surface of the optical element can be formed by the first pressing of upper die 12 , and by the second pressing , the micro - sized shape of the optical element can be formed , the optical element having the micro - sized shape can be formed from the raw material as the bulk material , without depending on the injection forming for which a large - scaled production apparatus is necessary . fig9 is a sectional view of the forming device of the optical element on which the forming method according to the third embodiment can be conducted . in fig9 ( a ), upper die 12 ′ is movably arranged on fixed lower die 11 ′. inside lower die 12 ′, the heater 4 is arranged , and inside the lower die 11 ′, the pipe 5 for flowing the cooling water is provided . on the lower surface of upper die 12 which is generally plane , a parallel slit - shaped micro - sized shape 12 b ′ whose aspect ratio is high for using , for example , for a wavelength plate , is formed . on the one hand , the upper surface of the lower die 11 is a plane . fig1 is a flowchart showing the forming method according to the third embodiment . fig1 is a view showing the control profile in the forming method according to the present embodiment . referring to fig9 - 11 , such a forming method will be described below . initially , as shown in fig9 ( a ), upper die 12 ′ is placed in the opened condition to lower die 11 ′, and plate - like raw material m , ( it is preferable when the elastic modulus at the normal temperature is 1 - 4 ( gpa )), is arranged in the cavity of lower die 11 ′. next , in step s 301 , in a condition that the lower surface of the of the upper die 12 ′ is separated from the surface of the raw material m , the heat generation of heater 4 is started , and upper die 12 ′ is heated more than the glass transition point temperature ( tg + α ) ( a step in which the temperature of the die is set higher than the glass transition point temperature of the raw material ). on the one hand , the cooling water is introduced from the outside through pipe 5 , and when lower die 11 ′ is compulsively cooled , raw material m is maintained blow the room temperature . further , in step s 302 , as shown in fig9 ( b ), while the lower surface of upper die 12 ′ which is heated more than the glass transition point temperature tg is pressed to the surface of raw material m by the pressure of , for example , 2 mpa , ( time t1 in fig1 ), only a portion which is practically brought into contact with upper die 12 ′ of raw material m is heated more than the glass transition point temperature ( tg + β ) ( step s 302 ). when this pressing time is too long , because a portion other than a portion which is practically brought into contact with upper die 12 ′ of the raw material m is also heated , the caution is necessary for control of time t2 - t3 . further , from time t3 to t4 , upper die 12 ′ is approached to lower die 11 ′ by the distance corresponding to the height of the micro - sized shape 12 b ′, and , the raw material m is pressed by the pressure of , for example , 14 mpa ( step s 303 : a step in which only a portion which is practically brought into contact with the upper die 12 ′ of raw material m is heated more than the glass transition point temperature , and a step in which the die is pressed to the raw material ). then , because the inside of raw material m is not larger than glass transition point temperature tg , while raw material m maintains its shape , only the upper surface is heated more than glass transition point temperature tg , melted raw material m enters into the micro - sized shape , and micro - sized shape 12 b ′ can be accurately transferred . after that , while the heat generation of heater 4 is stopped and the pressing is conducted for a predetermined time period , because the surface temperature of all the raw material m is lower than glass transition point temperature ( tg − γ ) and it is cooled so that the temperature approaches the room temperature , ( step s 304 ), the shape onto which the micro - sized shape 12 b ′ is transferred is also hardened and becomes a stable condition . when it is in such a condition , the upper die 12 ′ is released from the lower die 11 ′, and the molded optical element can be taken out ( step s 305 : a step in which the die is released from the raw material ). according to the present embodiment , while the inside temperature of the raw material is maintained , when only the surface is heated by pressing upper die 12 ′, while the shape of raw material m is maintained , the micro - sized shape can be accurately transferred onto the surface . as described above , the present invention is described by referring to the embodiments , however , the present invention is not to be construed by limiting to the above embodiments , but it is of course that it can be appropriately modified and improved . the present invention is not limited to the optical element for the optical pick - up device , but can be applied also to the forming of various optical elements or heads of the inkjet printers .
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in accordance with the present invention , a guidepath composition , which emits radiation for detection by automated guidance vehicles , which comprises a dispersion or solution of a sulfonated luminescent dye in its acid state . the aqueous dye solution has an adjusted ph below 4 . 0 and preferably below 2 . 0 . when the dye is dissolved in a non - aqueous solution , the dye compound has sulfone groups which are protonated . automated guidance vehicles detect luminescent emissions from guidepath materials by using an ultraviolet light source . photocell sensors on the agv guide the vehicle along a predetermined path . to achieve full advantage of the guidepath compositions , a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed as follows : a preferred guidepath dispersion or solution phase includes an aqueous solution or dispersion of a sulfonated luminescent dye compound ; a solvent such as water , ethanol , methanol , propanol and / or isopropanol ; a ph adjustor ; and a surface active agent to improve penetration such as triton gr - 5m from union carbide ( wetting agent ). the sulfonated luminescent dye is capable of absorbing ultraviolet light and emitting radiation which can be detected by the photocell sensors on the agv . the emissions can be detected at preferred wavelengths thereby allowing separation from background emissions . luminescent solutions which include dye compounds which are sulfonated and contained in an aqueous guidepath solution , display an adjusted ph below 4 . 0 and preferably below 2 . 0 . the sulfonated luminescent dye material will form a permanent bond with the carpet fiber or backing due to an interaction between the sulfonic acid groups present and the amide functional groups contained in the carpet . a suitable luminescent dye which serves the basis of the guidepath composition is 2 -( 5 - benzamido - 3 - benzoyl - 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole . to produce this desired compound , 2 -( 5 - amino - 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole is dissolved in pyridine . the benzoxazole compound can be produced in a variety of ways ( see u . s . pat . no . 3 , 162 , 642 ). benzoyl chloride is added in a ratio of 2 molar equivalents of the benzoyl chloride to one molar equivalent of the benzoxazole , over several minutes , and kept at a temperature equal to 20 °- 25 ° c . the mixture is concurrently stirred during which the product precipitates out of solution resulting in a slurry . the slurry is then mixed with water and filtered . the filter cake is washed with distilled water and methanol . the product is then dried at 100 ° c . for 16 hours . the resultant product [ 2 -( 5 - benzamido - 3 - benzoyl - 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole ] is white in color and luminesces with a bright yellow - green emission . the prepared dye is then sulfonated . the dye material , produced above , was added over a short , 15 minute , period to fuming sulfuric acid . the mixture is initially cooled with an ice bath . after 16 hours , the mixture is poured over ice . a light yellow precipitate is formed and is separated from the water by vacuum filtration . the filter cake is washed with ice water . the material is then dried at 100 ° c . for 16 hours to form the sulfonated 2 -( 5 - benzamido - 3 - benzoyl - 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole ( see u . s . pat . no . 3 , 491 , 106 ). a solution of 1 % by weight of the dye was prepared using distilled water as the solvent . to this solution is added a small amount of a wetting agent . the ph of the solution is adjusted to below 4 . 0 preferably below 2 . 0 by the addition of concentrated hydrochloric acid . a stripe of the resultant solution was applied to a grey cut pile nylon carpet with a white felt roller pad . after drying overnight , the stripe was not visible under white light . when illuminated with an ultraviolet lamp the guidepath stripe luminesced with an intense yellow - green color . the carpet with the test stripe was exposed to ultraviolet radiation for 100 hours . a portion of the stripe was covered to prevent exposure . at the end of the test period there was no noticeable difference between the exposed portion of the test stripe and the portion that had been covered . the carpet with the test stripe was then scrubbed with a conventional carpet cleaning solution , ph 10 . 5 . after scrubbing , the cleaning solution was extracted with a wet vacuum . after drying the stripe of luminescent dye , the stripe was not visible under white light , and no change in its luminescent properties was observed when it was illuminated with an ultraviolet light . another suitable acidic fluorescent dye compound which serves the basis of the guidepath composition is 2 -( 5 -( p - fluorobenzamido )- 3 -( p - fluorobenzoyl )- 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole . to produce this compound , a process identical to the process discussed above is employed with 4 - fluorobenzoyl chloride being substituted for benzoyl chloride . sulfonation is also performed as previously described . however , the sulfonated molecule is only slightly soluble in water in its acid state . production of the guidepath from the sulfonated 2 -( 5 - p - fluorobenzamido - 3 -( p - fluorobenzoyl )- 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole requires the use of a solvent mixture of 50 % methanol and 50 % water . the sulfonated product is first mixed with water , and the ph of the mixture is adjusted to below 4 ( preferably 2 . 0 ). after the ph adjustment , the methanol is added and the dye fully dissolves . a solution which was 1 % by weight of the dye was prepared in the above - described manner . the dye was tested by applying a stripe of the material to a red - orange , nylon fiber , cut pile carpet . after drying , the line was invisible under white light . when illuminated under ultraviolet light , the stripe luminesced with a strong yellow emission . other guidepath materials are not readily detectable by an agv on a red - orange carpet . this guidepath was easily detected on this carpet by an agv equipped to detect luminescent guidepaths . the guidepath was unaffected by scrubbing with a conventional carpet cleaning solution , such as contempo v from spartan chemical . one hundred hours of exposure to ultraviolet radiation did not affect the appearance of the guidepath or the intensity of its luminescent emission . other benzoxazole derivatives such as 2 -( 5 - benzamido - 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole ; and 2 -( 5 -( p - fluorobenzamido )- 2 - hydroxyphenyl ) benzoxazole are synthesizable by similar methods and are usable , when sulfonated and incorporated into a solution with an adjusted ph below 4 . 0 , preferably 2 . 0 , for the present invention . it should be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of a preferred embodiment and that numerous changes in details of construction , combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
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while this invention can be embodied in many different forms , there is shown in the drawings and described in detail , a preferred embodiment of the invention . the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principle of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated . fig1 illustrates a typical use of variable moment load cells , whereby four ( 4 ) load cells 8 are used to support weighing platform 2 through flexible vertical supporting members 4 and 6 . load cells 8 are supported by structure 10 and base 12 . fig2 illustrates a cross sectional view of two ( 2 ) variable moment load cells 8 and 8 &# 39 ; and two ( 2 ) different types of vertical compression supporting members to connect load cells 8 and 8 &# 39 ; to weighing platform 2 . the right hand side of fig2 and fig3 illustrates a ball 6 , which functions as a movable carriage , and socket 4 type connection used as a compression member to support weighing platform 2 . moving the ball position , which is retained by threaded fastener 18 laterally in slot 7 varies the bending moment detected by the strain gages on load cell 8 . when the desired output is achieved , the ball is rigidly secured to load cell 8 by tightening threaded fastener 18 . lateral adjustment of load cell 8 is achieved by loosening threaded fastener 20 and sliding the load cell into or out of support 10 to the desired position and securely clamping it by tightening threaded fastener 20 . the left hand side of fig2 and fig4 illustrates a &# 34 ; universal &# 34 ; type connection with base 22 connected to weighing platform 2 with fastener 34 and is further connected to the other &# 34 ; universal &# 34 ; base 30 by means of pins 26 and floating member 24 . &# 34 ; universal &# 34 ; base 30 , which functions as a movable carriage , is connected to load cell 8 &# 39 ; by means of threaded fastener 32 , and is laterally adjustable in slot 7 to increase or decrease the output of load cell 8 &# 39 ;. the lateral adjustment needed to vertically align &# 34 ; universal &# 34 ; base 30 with weighing platform 2 is provided by either using slot 35 in the weighing platform or laterally sliding load cell 8 &# 39 ; into or out of support 10 where it is secured by tightening threaded fastener 20 . fig5 illustrates a cross sectional view of two ( 2 ) variable moment load cells 8 and 9 and two different types of vertical compression supporting members to connect load cells 8 and 9 to weighing platform 2 . the right hand side of fig5 and fig6 illustrates a rigid compression supporting member 36 , which functions as a movable carriage , and is used to connect weighing platform 2 to variable moment load cell 8 . this design is less costly to construct , but requires that deflections of base 10 , support 12 , load cell 8 , and support platform 2 , be minimized so that only forces due to the object weight are detected rather than deflections of the support structure . the left hand side of fig5 and fig7 illustrates vertical compression supporting member 23 supporting weighing platform 2 on a threadably adjustable carriage configured as collar 14 that is grooved to provide a positive but flexible contact point between compression member 23 and collar 14 . collar 14 is threadably adjustable on load cell 9 and is secured in the desired position by lock nut 11 . lateral adjustment of vertical compression supporting member 23 is provided by slotted hole 27 and threaded fastener 17 which is securely tightened after adjustment of load cell 9 . retainer 15 is connected to vertical compression supporting member 23 by clip 19 and threaded fastener 21 to prevent removal of weighing platform 2 from the scale base 12 . fig8 fig9 and fig1 illustrates variable moment load cell 52 that has a movable carriage configured as collar 44 installed on one end . the collar is prevented from rotating by key 46 that rests in keyway 54 of load cell 52 . moving collar 44 inwardly or outwardly is accomplished by turning nuts 48 and 50 to set the load cell output and then locking it into position when they are tightened . ball portion 6 of the swivel connection is secured to collar 44 by stud bolt 42 . socket portion 4 of the swivel connection is secured to platform 2 by threaded fastener 16 which passes through slotted hole 35 to provide lateral adjustment for the variable length load cell . load cell 52 is further fastened to support 58 by use of &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; bolts 56 and nuts 57 to provide lateral adjustment of load cell 52 relative to support 58 and base 12 . fig1 , and fig1 , illustrates variable moment load cell 60 with a movable carriage configured as collar 64 that is movable inwardly or outwardly on load cell 60 and secured in position by collars 62 and set screws 63 . weighing platform 2 could be suspended below the load cells as suspended platform 76 or raised above the load cells by using spacing member 80 . suspended platform 76 is attached to movable collar 64 by means of threaded fastener 66 through which cable 68 passes and is secured by use of a suitable adhesive . the other end of cable 68 passes through threaded fastener 70 and is also secured by an adhesive . cable 68 provides a flexible link to eliminate bending moments that would be induced in a solid link of weighing platform 2 , or suspended platform 76 , experienced a lateral movement . preventing lateral movement of platform 76 or 2 by means of suitable stops would allow use of a rigid connection between collar 64 and suspended platfrom 76 . by judiciously selecting the strength of the adhesive , cable 68 , or alternately , a rigid link , the structural connection between load cell 60 and suspended platform 76 can be designed to act as an overload device that would break before the costly load cell was damaged by an excessive weight placed on the weighing platform . variable moment load cell 60 is supported by insert 86 that is installed in tube 84 and is further retained by threaded fasteners 88 , 96 , and 98 , which pass through nuts 90 and 94 . tightening threaded fasteners 88 and 96 pushes load cell 60 to the opposite wall by reacting against threaded nuts 90 and 94 . threaded fastener 88 contacts load cell 60 in notch 91 that prevents rotational movement of the load cell as it is adjusted inwardly or outwardly after its output has been set . tightening threaded fastener 98 prevents horizontal movement of load cell 60 . support tube 84 is further supported by compression member 82 which is supported by base 12 . placement of the vertical fasteners 88 and 96 near the bending reaction points causes the reaction forces to be carried primarily by the threaded fastener . utilizing high strength material such as steel for fasteners 88 and 96 to support the reaction forces directly , permits using of lower strength materials such as engineering plastics for insert 86 . using engineering plastics in combination with nonmetallic fasteners provides an electrically insulated load cell which is important in scales that are field welded . by using stainless steel load cell supporting members , which are costly , an insert of a non - corrosive material , such as an engineering plastic , stainless steel fasteners , and a thin wall stainless steel supporting tube , a corrosion resistant load cell support and load cells can be constructed at minimum cost . fig1 and fig1 illustrate variable moment load cell 100 attached to suport 102 by threaded fasteners 104 that are laterally adjustable in slotted hole 106 , or alternately with the slotted holes installed in support 102 . weighing platform 114 is attached to yoke 108 that is supported by carriage pin 110 and captive support member 111 , that is movable in slot 122 to vary the bending moment detected by load cell 100 . carriage pin 110 is securely held in position by tightening threaded fasteners 112 . fig1 and fig1 illustrates variable moment load cell 126 with strain gage 146 attached and further supporting carriage 134 which is attached to &# 34 ; universal &# 34 ; type vertical supporting member 128 by threaded fastener 130 . fig1 illustrates carriage 134 is movable to increase or decrease the output of load cell 126 and is securely held in position by tightening threaded fasteners 136 which pass through slots 144 . &# 34 ; universal &# 34 ; vertical supporting member 128 is further attached to suspended weighing platform 114 by means of threaded fastener 132 . load cell 126 is supported by &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; beam support 142 and is secured in position by plate 140 which is securely clamped by threaded fasteners 138 after lateral adjustments are made . support 142 is further supported by base 12 . fig1 illustrates a double variable moment load cell 152 which has strain gages 154 and 156 attached whose outputs are independently adjustable by moving swivel assemblies 150 and 151 in slots 155 and 157 respectively . loosening threaded fasteners 148 , which pass through slotted holes 147 and 149 allow the output of the load cells to be adjusted and then tightening threaded fasteners 148 securely connects swivels 150 and 151 to weighing platform 146 . the electrical circuit for this load cell requires two ( 2 ) strain gages in tension as shown in fig1 and also two ( 2 ) gages in compression which are not shown . the compression strain gages can be obtained by taking a load cell similar to the one shown in fig1 and turning it over so that the strain gages are on the bottom side of the load cell supporting member where they will detect compressive strain . the strain gages could also be installed so that the strain gage on one ( 1 ) end of the load cell experience tension while the strain gages on the other end experience compression . the load cell supporting member shown in fig1 could be further incorporated into a complete full bridge load cell by adding two ( 2 ) compression gages under gages 154 and 156 . this configuration makes the load cell suitable to be suspended in the midsection so the ends could support suspended loads such as hoppers and kettles where there is minimum overhead clearance for a load cell . fig1 and fig2 illustrate variable moment load cell 168 supporting movable carriage 162 which is secured to swivel assembly 150 by threaded fastener 164 . swivel 150 is further secured to weighing platform 146 by threaded fastener 148 which passes through slotted hole 149 and provides adjustment of the weighing platform relative to load cell 168 . movable carriage 162 is secured to load cell 168 by threaded fasteners 166 and 167 as illustrated in fig2 . threaded fastener 166 passes through arcuate slot 180 which allows precise adjustment of the load cell output by providing a gradual change in the bending moment as carriage 162 pivots around fixed fastener 167 . load cell 168 has strain gage 171 positioned in a weaken area over hole 170 to increase the strain detected and is further supported by rectangular tube 172 by means of threaded fasteners 174 and threaded member 176 . rectangular tube 172 is further supported by base 178 . fig2 illustrates variable moment load cell 190 supported by vertical support 182 and pin 180 on one end and by movable carriage 184 on the opposite end . moving support 184 longitudinally relative to load cell 190 increases or decreases the bending moment detected at strain gage 188 . weighing platform 192 is supported by support pin 194 and support member 196 . either one or both end supports of the load cell could be movable using any of the methods illustrated in fig2 through fig1 . placement of the strain gage ( s ) at the platform support attaching point produces the highest strain values . also attaching the platform support and strain gage ( s ) nearer to one end support causes the movable support nearest to the strain gage to act as a course adjustment when it is moved , while the movable support farthest from the strain gage will act as a fine adjustment thereby facilitating setting the desired output on the load cell .
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the present invention relates to a rotor shaft and rotor body assembly suitable for use in a x - ray device having a rotating anode . in particular , presently preferred embodiments significantly reduce or eliminate thermal expansion and contraction shear stresses in the brazed interface between the shaft and the rotor body . in addition , embodiments of the present invention also provide an improved interconnection between the rotor shaft and the rotor body assembly that resists decoupling in the event of a catastrophic failure of the braze material between the two components . reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures will be provided with like reference designations . it is to be understood that the drawings are diagrammatic and schematic representations of presently preferred embodiments of the present invention , and are not necessarily drawn to scale . fig2 is a perspective view of a presently preferred embodiment of a disassembled rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 constructed in accordance with teachings of the present invention . the rotor shaft and the rotor body assembly 110 comprise a cylindrical rotor shaft 112 having a reduced diameter towards the distal end 140 , and an enlarged diameter towards the proximal end 154 . formed at the distal end 154 is a rotor shaft chamfer section 156 . formed within rotor shaft 112 is bore 130 , as is designated via phantom lines . also shown is a rotor body 114 , which is also cylindrical in shape . a cut - away view of rotor body 114 reveals a rotor body inner bore 136 and a rotor body outer bore 138 , axially disposed within rotor body 114 , and separated by a rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 . assembly of the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 of fig2 requires the rotor shaft 112 to pass through rotor body 114 with the distal end 140 first , from below the rotor body 114 . the rotor shaft chamfer 156 has a diameter that exceeds the diameter of rotor body inner - bore 136 . consequently , when the rotor shaft 112 distal end 140 is passed through rotor body outer bore 138 , past rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 , the rotor shaft chamfer 156 seats against rotor shaft chamfer seal 164 . for dimensional analysis purposes , the dimensions depicted in fig4 are in arbitrary units , but they may be considered to be in inches by way of non - limiting example . in a preferred embodiment , rotor shaft 112 is made of molybdenum or a molybdenum alloy called tzm or another refractory or alloy . tzm comprises about 99 % molybdenum with variable fractional percentages of titanium and zirconium . the tzm material exhibits superior structural strength to pure molybdenum material , it is easier to machine , and it withstands the centrifugal stresses imposed upon it during rotation and cycling through a thermal change from approximately room temperature to about 900 ° c . and above , returning to room temperature . fig3 illustrates the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 in an elevational cut - away cross section immediately prior to brazing the rotor shaft 112 to the rotor body 114 . it can be seen that the interface between the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 is entirely devoid of any horizontal thermal shear planes . in this embodiment , the lack of any horizontal thermal shear planes is made possible by the interface of the right - cylinder shape of the rotor shaft main section 142 within the rotor body inner bore 136 and the diagonal , frusto - conical interface between the rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 and the rotor shaft chamfer 156 . a braze ring 168 is depicted as sitting against the rotor shaft main section 142 and simultaneously sitting upon proximal surface 148 of the rotor body 114 adjacent the rotor shaft main section 112 . in order to achieve a reliable braze joint between the rotor body 114 and the rotor shaft 112 , it is preferable to configure respective diametric sizes that provide an interposed gap when the rotor shaft 112 is fully inserted upwardly through the rotor body 114 until the rotor shaft chamfer 156 seats against the rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the gap that forms the interface between the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 may have a dimension in the range of about 100 mils to about 1 , 000 mils in order to provide spacing that will facilitate capillary action wetting as braze ring 168 liquefies and fills into the gap to form the braze . various suitable braze materials are well known in the art . examples of preferred brazing materials may be found in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 736 , 400 and 4 , 969 , 172 , the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by specific reference . preferably , the brazing material has a melting temperature so that it doesn &# 39 ; t melt under ordinary operating temperatures of the x - ray tube . the brazing material may also be a composition that forms an intermetallic with rotor shaft 112 and / or rotor body 114 . at room temperature , an intermetallic composition is brittle relative to traditional metals , but at elevated temperatures where traditional metals begin to soften and / or melt , an intermetallic begins to behave as a traditional metal with favorable ductility , tensile , and compressive qualities at operating temperatures in the range from about 700 ° c . to about 1 , 200 ° c . and higher . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , the rotor shaft and the rotor body assembly 110 , depicted in fig3 is assembled entirely without braze material . tolerances are chosen between the convex right - cylinder interface of the rotor shaft main section 142 and the concave right - cylinder shape of the rotor body inner bore 136 such that the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 can be assembled only by applying force to push the rotor shaft 112 into the rotor body inner bore 136 , and thereby provide a tight and frictionally secure fit between the two . another preferred method of making the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 without the presence of a braze material is to heat the rotor body 114 to a temperature sufficiently high such that thermal expansion allows for rotor shaft 112 to pass substantially through rotor body inner bore 136 until the chamfer 156 abuts against rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 . as the rotor body 114 cools , the interface between the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 become increasingly tight due to the thermal contraction of rotor body 114 . once the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 have substantially cooled to room temperature following assembly , field use thereof will not substantially diminish the tightness of the fit of the rotor shaft 112 within the rotor body because both the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body will be heated and cooled substantially as a unit . in this embodiment , a failure of rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 would require either the rotor body 114 to crack under tensile stress or the rotor shaft 112 to crack under compressive stress . preferred temperature differentials between the rotor body 114 and the rotor shaft 112 for this type of assembly process are in a range from about 0 ° c . to 900 ° c ., and in a preferred embodiment are between about 200 ° c . to about 350 ° c . the coefficient of static friction between the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 is sufficient to hold assembly 110 together , similar to the use of the braze material . as an alternative embodiment , brazing may be done in addition to the tight fit . fig4 is a detail section taken along the dashed line 4 — 4 from fig3 in which it can be seen that a vertical braze joint 170 and a diagonal braze joint 172 form a continuous braze interface between the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 beginning at the proximal surface 148 where braze ring 168 ( see fig3 ) was located , and ending approximately at rotor shaft proximal end 154 . in comparison to the type of braze joints utilized in the prior art and discussed above , no horizontal thermal shear plane is present between the shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 . additionally , as the rotor shaft 112 heats by conduction from the rotating anode target disk , thermal expansion of the rotor shaft 112 exerts only a compressive stress upon the braze at vertical braze joint 170 . similarly , during temperature escalation of the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 , and where the rotor body 114 experiences an allotropic phase transformation from bcc to fcc , additional non - shear stresses upon the vertical braze joint 170 may be experienced . it can be seen that a diagonal braze joint 172 completes the braze that connects the rotor shaft 112 with the rotor body 114 . the diagonal braze joint 172 may carry a horizontal thermal shear component that is proportional to the compressive stress in the vertical brazed joint 170 multiplied by the cosine of the angle α . the total amount of horizontal thermal shear experienced between the rotor shaft chamfer 156 and the rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 is minimal and substantially nondestructive compared to stresses existing in structures of the prior art . one possible reason for this is that the heating of the rotor body 114 begins substantially at the proximal surface 148 across vertical braze joint 170 , and then continues downward in both the rotor shaft 112 and the rotor body 114 . this heat conduction pattern ensures that the thermal gradients within the diagonal braze joint 172 cause substantially only compressive stresses to occur . the angle α designated in fig4 defines the contour of the rotor shaft chamfer 156 in relation to the axial configuration of the rotor shaft main section 142 . the angle may be varied to minimize a horizontal thermal shear component within diagonal braze joint 172 . for instance , as the angle α becomes larger and approaches 90 °, any horizontal thermal shear component within diagonal braze joint 172 approaches zero . in presently preferred embodiments , the value for angle α is in a range from about 30 ° to about 80 °, and in one embodiment is in a range from about 60 ° to about 70 °. a primary purpose for the rotor shaft chamfer 156 is to retain the rotor shaft 112 within the rotor body 114 , even in the event that the braze 170 or 172 fails due to a crack . as such , the angle α need only be any angle less than 90 ° that will facilitate retention of rotor shaft 112 within rotor body 114 under the operating conditions of the particular x - ray device . rotor shaft chamfer 156 , with the above - discussed configurations of angle α , is one example of a means for retaining the rotor shaft in the rotor body . fig5 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention , which illustrates how the size and shape of the rotor shaft chamfer may be varied in its vertical height , v , and in its horizontal extension , h , in relation to the rest of the rotor shaft . in fig5 the rotor shaft 212 has a rotor shaft chamfer 256 that originates substantially at the same height as the proximal surface 248 of the rotor body 214 , and that terminates at the rotor shaft proximal end 254 . the vertical height , v , of the rotor shaft chamfer 256 corresponds to the distance between the rotor shaft proximal end 254 , and the rotor body proximal end 258 , which is also at the same height as the proximal surface 248 . a diagonal braze joint 272 comprises the entire braze that attaches the rotor shaft 212 to the rotor body 214 . again , the angle α determines the amount of a horizontal thermal shear component that may be experienced within the diagonal brazed joint 272 . where the horizontal extension , designated as h , is sufficiently small such that angle α approaches 90 °, any horizontal thermal shear component experienced within the diagonal braze joint 272 approaches zero . where the vertical height v of rotor shaft chamfer 256 begins at rotor shaft proximal end 254 and terminates at the level of the rotor body proximal end 258 , the angle α may be small . for example , in this illustrated embodiment angle α may be in a range from about 30 ° to about 89 °, and preferably is from about 60 ° to about 89 °. fig6 is a detail section taken from a structure at a location similar to that taken from fig3 and illustrates another embodiment of the present invention . here , the vertical height v of the diagonal braze joint 372 depicted between the rotor shaft chamfer 356 and the rotor body chamfer seat 364 is minimized due to the relatively larger height of a vertical braze joint 370 . diagonal braze joint 372 is therefore present as a minor portion of the braze . in this embodiment , vertical height , v of the rotor shaft chamfer 356 is minimized and angle α is maximized to approach 90 °. while the structure depicted in fig6 may not have the same capability to retain rotor shaft 312 upon catastrophic failure of the braze , it does minimize the extent of diagonal braze joint 372 and therefore minimizes any horizontal thermal shear component that may occur therewithin . in one preferred embodiment , vertical height v has a value of approximately 0 . 022 inches , and angle α has a value in a range from about 45 ° to about 89 °, and preferably is between about 75 ° to about 89 °. the rotor shaft chamfer in connection with the rotor body may be implemented with other structures . fig7 is a detail section illustrating one such embodiment . in fig7 an amount of a braze material is provided to form a vertical braze joint 470 , which stops at or before the braze material makes contact with rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 . to do so , the cross - sectional area of the braze ring 168 ( seen in fig3 ) must be substantially equal to the cross - sectional area of the vertical braze joint 470 seen in fig7 . as such , the rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 is in contact with little or no braze material . one of ordinary skill in the art may calculate the amount of braze material needed by determining the cross - sectional area of the gap that forms the interface between the rotor shaft 112 , and the rotor body 114 , a representative portion of which is indicated in the hatched section of fig7 . the fact that a given braze material will tend to show a greater affinity for either the rotor shaft 112 or rotor body 114 may be used as an advantage . for example , in one instance the particular braze material may be selected to have an affinity for , and tend to wet rotor body 114 . when the braze material is applied to form vertical braze joint 470 , the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 110 may be inverted and a capillary action and wetting of the rotor body 114 by the braze material may be balanced against the force of gravity . moreover , temperature control may be used to adjust the brazing process in order to achieve a vertical braze joint 470 that does not wet chamfer 156 and / or chamfer seat 164 . this method of providing an amount of braze material so as to only form a vertical braze joint 470 and at the same time avoid the formation of any diagonal braze joint is one example of a step for resisting the formation of a braze joint with horizontal thermal shear . reference is next made to fig8 which illustrates yet another embodiment . here , a vertical braze joint 570 , in the form of a cylindrical shell , is formed between the rotor shaft 512 and the rotor body 114 . the vertical braze joint 570 has filled the space between the rotor shaft 512 and the rotor body 114 from the proximal surface 148 down to about the level of vertical height v of the rotor shaft chamfer 556 . also , the spacing between rotor shaft main section 542 and rotor body 114 is relatively larger than the spacing between rotor shaft chamfer 556 and rotor shaft chamfer scat 564 . in the illustrated embodiment , the space or interface between the rotor shaft chamfer 556 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 564 is in the form of a frusto - cone shell . the reduced spacing between rotor shaft chamfer 556 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 564 as compared to that between rotor shaft main section 542 and rotor body 114 reduces the amount of braze material needed between chamfer 556 and chamfer seat 564 . preferably , the spacing between chamfer 556 and seat 564 is less than 100 mils , and in a most preferred embodiment is less than about 10 mils . the first spacing ( between 542 and 114 ) facilitates the flow of braze material , and the second spacing stops ( or reduces ) the flow of braze material . preferably , the braze material between rotor shaft 512 and rotor body 114 comprises the entire vertical braze joint 570 . this embodiment may also be fabricated by selecting an amount of braze material that will be equivalent to the area between rotor shaft 512 and rotor body 114 above the level of rotor shaft chamfer 556 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 564 . in the embodiment of fig8 the interface between chamfer 556 and chamfer seat 564 involves two vertical heights v and v ′. in this embodiment , v ′ is less than v . the process of selecting a braze material under sufficient flow conditions to form a braze joint and to braze such that substantially no braze material fills between rotor shaft chamfer 564 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 556 is another example of a step for resisting the formation of a braze joint with horizontal thermal shear . fig9 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention . a vertical braze joint 670 is depicted as being between a rotor shaft 612 and a rotor body 614 . because capillary action of braze material under flow conditions may cause wetting to extend downwardly beyond the occurrence of the rotor shaft chamfer 656 and the rotor shaft chamfer seat 664 , a rotor body depression such as a rotor body v - notch 676 and optionally a rotor shaft v - notch 674 may be provided . either or both of these v - notches act as a braze material stop or well that will accumulate braze material and that will stop the downward flow of the braze material during the formation of vertical braze joint 670 . thus , a rotor shaft and rotor body assembly 610 comprises rotor shaft 612 , rotor body 614 , rotor shaft v - notch 674 , and rotor body v - notch 676 into which vertical braze joint 670 has filled and has substantially stopped the downward flow of braze material during formation of the assembly . rotor shaft v - notch 674 or rotor body v - notch 676 may be configured at a level at or above vertical height v according to the specific application . additionally , either v - notch can have an angular shape , or any other geometric configuration that may receive the excess braze material to a sufficient volume . in a preferred embodiment , the rotor shaft v - notch 674 and rotor body v - notch 676 may each have an angle in a range from about 90 ° to 30 °, and most preferably about 60 °. the configuration of rotor shaft v - notch 674 to act as a stop or braze material well is an example of a means for resisting the formation of a braze joint with horizontal thermal shear . fig1 is a detail section taken from a structure at a location similar to that taken from fig3 along the line 4 — 4 that illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention . in place of a rotor shaft chamfer , a rotor shaft 712 may have an enlarged portion near the rotor shaft proximal end 754 . in this embodiment , the enlarged portion is depicted as a flange 757 . a vertical braze joint 770 is depicted as having filled against rotor shaft main section 742 beginning at proximal surface 748 and as having terminated at a rotor body v - notch 774 . the rotor body 714 has a flange seat 765 that abuts against rotor shaft flange 757 . an alternative embodiment of the invention depicted in fig1 is eliminates the rotor shaft v - notch 774 . in this embodiment , an amount of braze material is selected so as to only form vertical braze joint 770 , for example as is set forth for the embodiment depicted in fig7 . additionally and / or alternatively , the spacing between rotor shaft main section 742 and rotor body 714 and rotor shaft flange 757 and flange seat 765 can be adjusted such that braze material flows to form vertical braze joint 770 , but is prevented from forming any horizontal thermal shear joint between flange 757 and rotor body 714 . in preferred embodiments , spacing between flange 757 and flange seat may be less than 100 mils , and most preferably less than 10 mils . either or both of rotor body v - notch 774 and spacing between rotor shaft flange 757 and the abutting portion of rotor body 714 is another example of a means for resisting the formation of a braze joint with a horizontal thermal shear . fig1 is a detail section taken from a structure at a location similar to that taken from fig3 along the line 4 — 4 that illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 , it can be seen that rotor body 114 is coupled with a rotor shaft 812 that contains a depression such as a rotor shaft v - notch 875 that acts as a stop or well for braze material as it flows from proximal surface 148 downwardly in the direction of the rotor shaft chamfer 856 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 . as with other embodiments previously set forth , spacing between rotor shaft main section 842 and rotor body 114 may be larger than spacing between rotor shaft chamfer 856 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 to control the flow of braze material . where the braze material that is used to form vertical braze joint 870 has a wetting affinity for rotor body 114 greater than rotor shaft 812 , greater care may be required to form vertical braze joint 870 without filling braze material into the space between rotor shaft chamfer 856 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 . the presence of rotor shaft v - notch 875 as well as the optional close proximity between rotor shaft chamfer 856 and rotor shaft chamfer seat 164 , that resists the flow of a selected amount of braze material beyond the occurrence of rotor shaft v - notch 875 is another example of a means for resisting the formation of a braze joint with horizontal thermal shear . a depression such as a v - notch or another shape may be cut into either the rotor shaft or the rotor body , or both , in order to facilitate the formation of a vertical braze joint and avoid horizontal thermal shear planes . additionally , other notch profiles may be formed such as a notch with a curvilinear cross - sectional profile as opposed to a notch with a rectilinear cross - sectional profile of a v - notch other “ notch ” configurations that control the flow of braze material could also be used . presently preferred embodiments of the present invention utilize a palco ® braze material under braze temperatures known in the prior art . other materials could also be used . to summarize , embodiments of the present invention have distinct advantages over that of the prior art . one advantage is that the parts are more easily machined because there is no thread - cutting operation , either for the rotor shaft where external threads were previously required , or for the rotor body where internal threads were previously required . as a result of the absence of threads , the parts are more easily machined and also easier to assemble . another distinct advantage is that no special welding or bonding techniques are required such as electron beam welding often required in the prior art . the absence of any special welding or bonding techniques also eliminates destructive embrittlement of the interface between the rotor shaft and rotor body . another distinct advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that they eliminate substantially all thermal sheer stresses in the rotor braze joint . this greatly increases the operational life of the assembly . another distinct advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly allows the x - ray tube to be operated at higher temperatures . substantially no thermal sheer is experienced to compromise the integrity of the braze joint . moreover , even if the braze joint is compromised , the rotor shaft and rotor body assembly will not de - couple because of the chamfer or flange feature that holds the assembly together regardless of the presence or absence of the braze joint . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrated and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope .
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referring now to the drawings wherein certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in flow charts , fig1 illustrates the general framework of a system starting with step 101 wherein an advertiser submits a product or service to advertise . using the programmed computer of the invention , the system receives an order from an advertiser 101 and determines 102 which social networks the ad should be placed on , places the ads 103 , returns performance data 104 , and reallocates 105 the advertising spend based on which network performed the best in terms of the criteria set by the advertiser client . the system uses a set of variables to determine and optimize performance of an ad based on parameters and targeting available from social network platforms . fig2 illustrates a process flow chart wherein an the system receives 201 parameters submitted by an advertiser client and looks 202 for any previous campaigns with similar product or service keywords , then queries 203 a database for a match . if there is no match , the user inputs 204 ad information and selects network for deployment . the system automatically deploys 205 the ad content on sites . if there is a match in the database , the system uses psychological targeting parameters to associate 206 user behaviors on different social sites . the database is again queried 207 for a match and depending on whether or not there was a match , the system recommends 208 which network ( s ) the advertiser should chose . upon confirmation or revision by advertiser client , the system automatically deploys 209 the ad on social network sites . the system , according to the invention , tracks 210 performance on each network , reallocates 211 spend / ad units based on network performance , and reports 212 information and data to the advertiser . as shown in fig3 , the system can take a designated ad from advertiser and place that ad on a collection of fragmented self - serve ad platforms . these platforms can include but are not limited to facebook , myspace , linkedin , reddit , and plenty of fish , among the currently popular social networks , with other networks expected to become popular and useful in the future . the system can deploy the same piece of ad unit across multiple mediums ( web , mobile , video , audio , offline ). the system can return data and performance from all channels and all mediums back to advertiser . in step 301 an ad is received from an advertiser and then the advertiser or the system can chose 302 which self - serve social networks the ad will be deployed on , and then normalize 303 the ad form parameters across all platforms and mediums , and normalize 304 the targeting parameters across all platforms and mediums . the system then deploys 305 the ad across web , mobile , video , audio , and offline channels and finally returns 306 performance scores to the advertiser . fig4 illustrates an embodiment wherein ads are deployed across different self - serve social networks starting with receipt 401 of parameters of a product or service to advertise and selection 402 of networks for deployment . the system then takes a template ad unit and morphs 403 it into each selected network by changing 404 the advertisement using an algorithm which modifies an ad in view of size , scale , budget requirements , url requirements , title length , and body length , and connects 405 to multiple social ad platforms 406 , reports 407 success or failure . if success 407 , the system continuously and repetitively tracks 408 performance on each network , reallocates 409 spend / ad units based on network performance , returns 410 all information and data through an analytics platform to the advertiser client . if failure 408 , the process repeats by connecting 405 to multiple ad platforms . fig5 illustrates the weighing performance of a given ad platform or given click from a given ad network and using the information to better target and optimize an advertiser &# 39 ; s ad unit across multiple self - serve ad platforms wherein the system connects 501 to many self - serve ad platforms and monitors 502 individual networks for performance , then places 503 an index or quality score for network or for network &# 39 ; s clicks to optimize for goal . the system automatically , continuously , and repetitively optimizes 504 performance against quality of clicks based on weights . referring now to fig6 , the system again is connected 601 to multiple social self - serve ad platforms 602 which return 603 statistics and performance metrics , including in this embodiment clicks , click through rate ( ctr ), impressions , conversions , cost , average cost per click ( cpc ), and product keywords and type 604 . the platforms also return 609 performance by ad unit in terms of network , image , title / body , and type of variant 610 which , along with the statistics and performance metrics 604 are processed 605 by the system according to an algorithm and the system tracks 606 performance and weight for each campaign , reallocates 607 spend / ad units based on network performance and returns 608 resultant data and information through the analytics platform to the advertiser client . in the embodiment shown in fig7 , the system is configured to take an inputted ad unit consisting of an image , title , and body and permute on those three inputs to generate any number of additional similar ad units . the system can then take all generated ad units and deploy them across multiple self - serve ad networks to determine which ad units were the most successful , upon which the system will remove underperforming ads and continue to optimize ads that are successful . starting with step 701 , the advertiser submits to the system a product / service to advertise and the system analyzes 702 three variables , title , image , and body , and targeting , geo , and demo data . the system permutes 703 all the variables using algorithms and databases and deploys 704 the resultant ad units across multiple platforms , removing 705 ads which underperform and continuing to run successful ads , which repetitively analyzing the variables 702 . in fig8 , a process is shown wherein one ad template is used to generate multiple ad unit variations in a circuit fashion in a manner analogous to genetic evolution . starting again with receipt 801 from an advertiser of a template ad with image , title , body , and keywords , the system looks up 802 in an approved database related images and queries 803 the database for a match . a variant analysis is then performed 804 where the variables are color , border , filter , edge , blue - green or blue green red balance , and overlay , which is used to generate 806 variations and inject 807 keywords into the title and or body . the system is connected 808 to multiple social self - serve ad platforms 809 and tracks 810 performance and weight for each campaign , reallocating 811 spend per ad units based on network performance , returning 812 information and data through an analytics platform to the advertiser client . the system can ping 813 a genetic algorithm for the next set of ad units based on current performance and generate 814 variations of the ad , while continuously tracking 810 performance and weight , etc . ( 811 - 813 ). referring to fig9 illustrates an embodiment wherein campaign and associated data is received from an advertiser and social networks are monitored 902 for trends , referred to in the art as “ going viral ,” wherein the system takes viral coefficients for the advertiser &# 39 ; s content and finds 903 a match which is automatically 904 placed on the social network with the highest viral coefficient . in this process the system receives data and processes it to determine how many users of a social network are talking about a brand , for example . the viral coefficient calculated in the process shown in fig9 is illustrated in more detail in fig1 wherein after the advertiser &# 39 ; s parameters of product or services is received 1001 , the web is scanned 1002 for conversations and dialogue related to the product or service . for example , if may users of facebook are entering comments or likes about a chevy volt , the conversational elements are assigned 1003 a weight in terms of volume , impact , sentiment , and type of site , for example 1004 , the data is processed and the system recommends 1005 which networks the advertiser should use based on the viral metrics . the system can automatically deploy 1006 ad content on recommended sites based on viral metrics . since the system is connected 1007 to multiple social self service ad platforms 1008 , the system can track 1009 performance on each network , reallocate 1010 spending per ad units based on network performance and return all the information and data through the analytics platform to the advertiser . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the system receives 1101 campaign and associated data from the advertiser , uses 1102 a custom index for price based on chosen segments , and combines 1103 and deploys ads against these segments to fulfill target budget instead of bidding . in this way the system does not use bids to purchase ads but uses correlated prices of certain demographic and targeting segments valued by network to charge advertiser clients for ad buys on social properties . fig1 illustrates an embodiment wherein the system receives 1201 campaign and associated data from the advertiser , uses 1202 a custom index for price based on chosen segments , the custom index created 1203 by monitoring average prices for each individual metric over time and creating the index for these prices by segment . the system , as noted earlier , is connected 1204 to multiple social self - serve ad platforms and deploys ads based on budgets rather than on bids , finally returning 1205 all information and data through the analytics platform to the advertiser . in this way the system does not use bids to purchase ads but uses correlated prices of certain demographic and targeting segments valued by network to charge advertiser clients for ad buys on social properties . the present invention , therefore , is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned , as well as others inherent therein . while the invention has been depicted and described and is defined by reference to particular preferred embodiments of the invention , such references do not imply a limitation on the invention , and no such limitation is to be inferred . the invention is capable of considerable modification , alteration and equivalents in form and function , as will occur to those ordinarily skilled in the pertinent arts . the depicted and described preferred embodiments of the invention are exemplary only and are not exhaustive of the scope of the invention . consequently , the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims , giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects .
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hereinafter , a method of neutralizing an amine gas odor for a cold box process according to the present invention and amine gas generators 100 and 200 using the method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . first , as shown in fig1 , an amine gas generator 100 according to a first embodiment includes an amine gas supplier 110 storing an amine gas , an odor neutralizer supplier 120 supplying an amine gas odor neutralizer , and a gassing line 130 and a purging line 140 through which an amine gas is injected into a mold 10 . an amine gas in the amine gas supplier 110 is supplied to the mold 10 through the gassing line 130 . a first regulator 131 connected to an air tank 150 and receiving compressed air from the air tank 150 to maintain the pressure of injected amine gas at a predetermined level is disposed in the gassing line 130 . as compressed air passes through the first regulator 131 from the air tank 150 for supplying the compressed air , the first regulator 131 adjusts the pressure of the compressed air to a predetermined level , and when the compressed air is sent into the mold 10 , an amine gas is supplied into the mold 10 with the compressed air by the pressure of the compressed air . the generator further includes an air heater 151 that heats the compressed air from the air tank 150 at 40 to 100 ° c ., when it flows into the gassing line 130 . when the temperature of the compressed air is lower than 40 ° c ., an odor neutralizer may turn to liquid , and when it is higher than 100 ° c ., the amine generator 100 may be damaged . accordingly , it is important to maintain and supply compressed air at an appropriate temperature using the air heater 151 . a first valve 133 stopping / passing an amine gas is disposed between the amine supplier 110 and the gassing line 130 . when the first valve 133 is open , an amine gas is supplied to the gassing line 130 from the amine generator 110 , and when the first valve 133 is closed , an amine gas is not supplied to the gassing line 130 from the amine supplier 110 . the first valve 133 has a first valve timer 133 a that opens / closes the first valve at predetermined times . a third valve 135 that opens / closes the gassing line 130 is disposed in the gassing line 130 . the third valve 135 opens or closes to adjust the amount of the compressed air that has passed through the first regulator 131 , so the compressed air and the amine gas that are supplied into the mold 10 are adjusted . the third valve 135 may have a third valve timer 135 a that controls opening / closing of the third valve 135 at predetermined times . the supply amount of an amine gas adjusted by the first valve 133 can be checked through a first check cylinder , if necessary . the check cylinder comes from the gassing line 130 and it is possible to check the supply amount of an amine gas in real time , using a graduation marked on the first check cylinder . a second regulator 141 that maintains the compressed air from the air tank 150 at a predetermined pressure is disposed in the purging line 140 . similar to the first regulator 131 , as compressed air passes through the second regulator 141 from the air tank 150 , the second regulator 131 adjusts the pressure of the compressed air to a predetermined level , and when the compressed air is sent into the mold 10 , an odor neutralizer is supplied into the mold 10 with the compressed air by the pressure of the compressed air . a second valve 143 stopping / passing an odor neutralizer is disposed between the amine neutralizer supplier 120 and the purging line 140 . similar to the first valve 133 , when the second valve 143 is open , an odor neutralizer is supplied into the purging line 140 , and when the second valve 143 is closed , an odor neutralizer is not supplied . the second valve 143 , similar to the first valve 133 , has a second valve timer 143 a . a fourth valve 145 that opens / closes the purging line 140 is disposed in the purging line 140 . the fourth valve 145 adjusts supply and stoppage of the compressed air that has passed through the second regulator 141 . the fourth valve 145 may have a fourth valve timer 145 a that controls opening / closing of the fourth valve 145 . the supply amount of the odor neutralizer adjusted by the third valve 143 and the fourth valve 145 can be checked by the second check cylinder , similar to the first check cylinder . when the amount of an amine gas supplied to the mold 10 and checked through the first check cylinder reaches to a predetermined level , the supply of the amine gas is stopped by the first valve 133 or the third valve 135 . further , when the information about the supply amount of the amine gas is transmitted to a controller 160 or a user inputs it to the controller 160 , the controller 160 sends a signal to the second valve 143 or the fourth valve 145 so operate them . when the supply of the amine gas is stopped , the compressed air and the odor neutralizer are injected into the mold 10 . the second valve 143 or the fourth valve 145 may operate such that the odor neutralizer is injected in an amount of 5 to 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of amine gas . when the amount of the odor neutralizer injected is less than 5 parts by weight , it cannot sufficiently neutralize remaining amine gas , and when the amount of the odor neutralizer injected is more than 15 parts by weight , it can sufficiently remove the odor of amine gas , but the cost is high . accordingly , the odor neutralizer may be injected in the amount of 5 to 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of amine gas an amine gas generator 200 of a second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment in the configuration of the amine supplier 210 and the odor neutralizer supplier 220 , but different in that the gassing line 130 and the purging line 140 are integrated into one injection line 230 . an amine gas in the amine gas supplier 210 is supplied to the mold 10 through the injection line 230 . a regulator 230 connected to an air tank 250 to maintain the injection pressure of the amine gas at a predetermined level and receiving compressed air heated by the air tank 250 and an air heater 251 is disposed in injection line 230 . when compressed air is supplied into the mold 10 through the regulator 231 , an amine gas is supplied into the mold 10 or stopped by the amine supplier 210 and the first valve 233 in the injection line 230 . the odor neutralizer to be supplied to the injection line 230 is adjusted by a second valve 235 disposed between the odor neutralizer supplier 220 and the injection line 230 and stopping / passing the odor neutralizer . when a necessary amount of an amine gas is injected into the mold 10 , the supply of the amine gas to the injection line 230 through the first valve 233 is stopped and the second valve 235 is opened , so the odor neutralizer is injected with compressed air into the mold 10 and neutralizes the amine gas odor . the first valve 233 and the second valve 235 may be simultaneously controlled by a controller 260 . the first valve 233 and the second valve 235 may have a first valve timer 233 a and a second valve timer 235 a , respectively . in the related art , when an amine gas supply is stopped , only compressed air is supplied into the mold 10 to discharge the amine gas in the mold to the outside . however , when only compressed air is supplied , as described above , the amine gas remaining in the mold 10 and the amine gas leaking through a gap of the mold gives off a bad smell , so a worker feels discomfort . however , according to the present invention , it is possible to reduce an amine gas odor by supplying an odor neutralizer with compressed air . a method of neutralizing an amine gas using the amine gas generators 100 and 200 is as follows . as shown in fig2 , molding sand 30 is made by mixing sand and forming resin ( s 1 ). the sand and the forming resin are used as materials for manufacturing a core or a molding and they are mulled by a blender such as a mixer , thereby making the molding sand 30 . the molding sand 30 is put into the mold 10 ( s 2 ). the molding sand composed of the sand and the forming resin is put into the mold 10 fitting to the shape of a core or a mold . the mold 10 is divided left and right and the molding sand 30 is put into the mold 30 through the upper portion of the mold 10 . an amine gas or an odor neutralizer is also injected through the portion for injecting the molding sand 30 . the molding sand 30 is hardened by injecting an amine gas into the mold 10 ( s 3 ). compressed air and an amine gas are injected into the mold 10 having the shape of a core or a mold and filled with the molding sand 30 , through the same inlet of the mold 10 . when the amine gas is injected as a catalyst for the molding sand 30 composed of the sand and the forming resin , the forming resin hardens by reacting with the amine gas . when the molding sand is hardened by amine gas , a core or a mold made of polyurethane can be finally obtained . the amine gas odor is removed by injecting an odor neutralizer ( s 4 ). after the molding sand 30 hardens in the mold 10 , the amine gas is discharged into a neutralizing tank 50 , and is then neutralized in the neutralizing tank 50 and discharged to the atmosphere . some of the amine gas may remain in the mold 10 or the amine gas may leak through a gap of the mold 10 while it flows into the neutralizing tank 50 , and in this case , the amine gas emits a bad smell discomforting a worker . accordingly , with discharging of the amine gas , compressed air and an odor neutralizer are injected into the mold 10 through the inlet through which the amine gas was injected . when an odor neutralizer is injected through the inlet of the mold 10 , it neutralizes the amine gas remaining in the mold 10 or in the gap of the mold 10 , so the distinct odor of ammonia is reduced . accordingly , a worker does not feel excessively uncomfortable . since the odor neutralizer is injected into the mold 10 simultaneously with discharging of the amine gas , there is no additional step and there is no difference between the process time and the process times of the related art , so a worker is not troubled . in some cases , it may be possible to additionally neutralize the amine gas discharged to the atmosphere through the neutralizing tank 50 by additionally installing the odor neutralizer supplier 120 to the neutralizing tank 50 . the odor neutralizer may be injected in an amount of 5 to 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the amine gas . when the amount of the odor neutralizer injected is less than 5 parts by weight , it cannot sufficiently neutralize the remaining amine gas , and when the amount of the odor neutralizer injected is more than 15 parts by weight , the odor neutralizer is too much in comparison to the remaining amine gas , so the odor neutralizer may be wasted . when the amine gas in the mold 10 or in a gap of the mold 10 remains , a worker may be discomforted by the gas odor . however , as in the present invention , when an odor neutralizer is injected into the mold 10 , it neutralizes the amine gas remaining in the mold 10 or in the gap , so a worker can more easily work . further , since the process of injecting an odor neutralizer is performed simultaneously with discharging of the amine gas from the mold 10 , there is no need for an additional process and the work time does not increase , so it is efficient . although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes , those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications , additions and substitutions are possible , without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims .
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referring to fig1 and 2 , the numeral 10 refers to a transversely movable load path controlling platform . the platform has a rectangular frame 11 of greater length than its width in the direction of movement . the frame has a peripheral frame including front and back members 12 joined by shorter end members 13 and a central frame member 14 ( fig3 ). the movable platform has stiffeners ( not shown ) to give rigidity to the platform . these stiffeners are not illustrated since they are conventional and not part of the invention . such stiffening members have long been used in the conveyor industry . the platform 10 is supported by wheels 20 which roll along a pair of laterally extending tracks 21 . the tracks are substantially longer than the width of the platform whereby the platform can be moved transversely in either direction from its central position relative to the path of articles being transported on the conveyor with which the invention is used . the platform has a pair of side - by - side roller assemblies 22 and 22a , each occupying one half of the surface of the platform ( fig1 ). one end of each of a majority of the individual rollers 24 of each roller assembly is journaled to one of the side or end frame members of that roller assembly and the other end to the central frame member 14 . the rollers of the assemblies 22 20 and 22a are arranged with their axes inclined to the path of the articles entering the platform . the rollers of the assembly 22 are inclined oppositely to those of assembly 22a . thus , these rollers form a herringbone pattern , the apex of which is centered where the assemblies adjoin each other and points downstream of the movement of articles over the platform . the ends of the rollers mounted on either the end members 13 or the central frame member 14 are supported between the top flange of one of the end members 13 or of the central frame member 14 and a bracket 40 ( fig4 ). the axle 41 of each roller is sandwiched between plastic isolator pads 43 and the top flange and the bracket 40 and clamped by a bolt 42 . this arrangement allows for vibration and sound damping from the axle to the end or frame member . the attachment of the rollers to the front and back frame members 12 is illustrated in fig5 and 6 . in this case , the end of the roller axle 41 is secured by a bolt 48 which clamps it between the bracket 45 and a top member 46 ( fig5 ). the bracket and top member have a pair of spacers 47 between them through each of which the bolt 48 extends to pull the bracket and the top member together ( fig5 and 6 ). the frame member is reinforced by a stiffener 49 between the bracket 45 and the frame member 12 . again , the arrangement allows vibration and sound damping between the roller and the frame 12 . an infeed conveyor 30 aligns with the central portion of the platform 10 when the platform is in its neutral position , that is , centered between ends of the platform support ( fig1 ). the platform has a pair of guide rails 31 and 31a which are supported on stationary supports 32 and 32a , one at each end and which , in turn , are secured to the platform &# 39 ; s supporting structure ( fig1 and 13 ). the guide rails are arranged to form a v - shaped track , the narrow end of which is aligned with and just wide enough to receive the articles from the infeed conveyor 30 . the discharge end of the path defined by the guide rails is substantially wider and aligns with a pair of receiving conveyors 34 and 35 . the movable platform 10 is supported by rollers 20 on the tracks 21 of a stationary frame 25 for movement either to the left or to the right with respect to both the infeed conveyor 30 and the receiving conveyors 34 and 35 . as it moves , it shifts the herringbone conveyor configuration onto which the articles are discharged by the infeed conveyor 30 ( fig2 ). thus , when the platform is shifted to the left of an observer looking downstream of article movement , as illustrated in fig2 the inclination of the rollers over which the articles will be moved will bias the articles to the right . on the other hand , if the movable platform is shifted as far as it can go to the right , the articles will be biased to move to the left . if the platform is shifted , only a portion of its possible travel from center in either direction a greater proportion , but not all , of the articles will be caused to exit the platform onto the conveyor opposite that toward which it has been shifted . thus , by shifting the platform either to the right or to the left , the discharge of the articles can be proportioned between the conveyors as needed or directed entirely to one of the conveyors . this is a simple and easy to operate system for adjusting the conveyor to accommodate widely varying volume demands . to accomplish this purpose , the platform is supported on wheels 20 which travel on tracks 21 ( fig1 and 14 ). movement of the platform along the rails is effected by a dog 60 which engages driver 61 mounted on the threaded member 62 . the axis of the threaded member parallels the tracks 21 and is driven by the prime mover 63 to rotate in either direction , depending upon which direction it is desired to move the platform . the dog 60 is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a support member 64 secured to one of the platform &# 39 ; s cross members . the dog is normally seated in the slot 65 in the driver member 61 so that movement of the driver member will cause the platform to travel with the driver member . if it is desired to release the platform from control by the driver , the handle 66 at the end of the platform is maneuvered to cause the dog to be lifted and disengage from the driver 61 . this is necessary because it is essential in large warehouse operations that this type of equipment continue to be operative even though the functionality of such control means as the prime mover 63 fails . by releasing the platform 10 from the driver 61 , it is free to be manually pushed to a position which will accommodate the load of articles being received over the input conveyor and properly proportion their delivery between the two receiving conveyors 34 and 35 . what has been described is satisfactory for situations involving only packaged articles or articles having significant three dimensional characteristics . the handling of flat , thin articles , such as letters and the like , involves the problem of interception of the articles by the guide rails 31 and 31a without the possibility that the article might be carried down under the rails by the rollers rather than transported on the rollers &# 39 ; upper surfaces . the problem is further complicated by the fact that as the frame is moved laterally , whatever means are employed to prevent entrapment of these flat articles by the rollers must be capable of both deflection to pass over the rollers and of automatically returning to active extended position between the next pair of rollers . at the same time , they must positively prevent the articles from being discharged downwardly between adjacent rollers . the invention provides a simple means of accomplishing this by creating a barrier formed of a plurality of fingers 50 each of which has a rounded lower end designed to extend into the space between a pair of adjacent rollers and there provide a positive restraint against both further lateral movement over and downward movement between the transport rollers and by so mounting each finger that it can be retracted by the roller as the platform moves laterally beneath the guide rails ( fig7 - 10 ). to do this , each of the fingers 50 preferably is a bolt or pin having a rounded end 52 . the tubular housing 53 for the pin and spring is press - fitted into openings in a support block 54 . the support block can be molded of a plastic such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene sold by e . i . dupont de nemoirs and have openings 55 of a size such that the pin housing 53 can be press - fitted into it and frictionally held in place . the depth of insertion can be controlled by a flange 57 at the end of the housing ( fig9 ). in extended position , each finger extends partially into the convergent slot between a pair of adjacent rollers to a depth such that it extends below the plane of the tops of the rollers ( fig8 ). since the fingers extend below this plane they will not allow even a flat object such as an envelop to become trapped between a pair of adjacent rollers and , thus , either be removed from the conveying surface or progressively destroyed by the continuing abrasion of the rollers . to pass over each of the rollers as the platform 10 is moved lengthwise of the track 21 the 21 and transversely of the rails 31 and 31a fingers 50 are mounted for sliding vertical movement in the tubular housing 53 and urged into extended position by a spring 58 ( fig9 ). the spring 58 need exert only a light pressure against the finger since its purpose is only that of assuring finger extension when roller obstruction is removed . under normal operating conditions , the weight of the finger alone can effect this action . the spring also increases the resistance to a flat object lifting the fingers just as the fingers pass over the tops of the rollers during lateral travel of the guide rail . as many of the fingers 50 are provided as there are gaps between rollers over which each of the guide rails are seated . so that the entire space above the surface of the movable platform and between the guide rails 31 and 31a remains unobstructed for the movement of articles , the fingers 50 and their support block 54 are mounted on the outer face of the guide rails by suitable means such as screws 56 ( fig7 ). the rollers of the frame controlling the delivery of the articles received from the conveyor 30 are driven by a belt and prime mover assemblies 70 ( fig3 and 11 ). these assemblies 70 are mounted to the platform 10 beneath the rollers 24 and each has a belt 71 supported on rollers 72 which hold it in driving engagement with the bottom surfaces of the article transporting rollers above ( not illustrated in fig3 and 11 ). each belt 71 is driven by a prime mover 73 . as will be observed from fig3 in order to drive all of the rollers , four of the assemblies 70 are provided and travel with the platform as it is shifted from side - to - side . when the articles are discharged from the path controlling platform 10 , they pass onto the receiving and aligning conveyor sections 34 and 35 . preferably , these sections also have rollers with axes inclined to the sides of the conveyors to arrange the articles in single file along one side . to facilitate this , the outer side of each of the receiving conveyor sections is equipped with guard rail sections 90 to cause the articles to become properly aligned . the use of this equipment is not part of this invention and can be understood from u . s . pat . no . 4 , 044 , 897 entitled conveyor sorting and orienting system issued aug . 30 , 1977 and u . s . pat . no . 4 , 284 , 186 entitled unscrambling conveyor issued aug . 18 , 1981 . however , this equipment is useful in effecting neat and orderly arranged articles as they enter the next phase of their transport in the warehouse or other type of facility . it will be recognized that the quantity of articles entering the flowsplitter can be monitored manually or automatically . irrespective of the manner in which it is monitored , it is the purpose of the invention to provide easily and quickly manipulable equipment for positively , easily and expeditiously transporting articles under conditions in which the volume the equipment must handle may vary widely . having described a preferred embodiment of the invention , it will be understood that various modifications of the invention can be made without departing from its principles . such modifications are to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claims , unless the claims , by their language expressly state otherwise .
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the receiver antenna system according to the invention as shown in fig1 and fig2 includes several individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n , in the minimal configuration , two individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 . these individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n are attached to a printed circuit board 3 as printed conductors . the antenna receiver system 1 has an extension 4 for the individual antenna with the largest mechanical antenna height , which receives the long - wave transmission signal . for protection , the printed - circuit board 3 with the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n is enclosed within a synthetic - material tube . each individual antenna 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n , has respectively a mechanical antenna height l 1 , l 2 , . . . , l n and an antenna diameter d 1 , d 2 , . . . , d n . the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n , each provide several printed - conductor portions 1 μ , ν , which are connected to one another via impedance elements z μ , ν . for example , the individual antenna 2 1 in fig2 provides printed - conductor portions 1 1 , 1 , 1 1 , 2 , . . . , 1 1 , m − 1 , 1 1 , m and 1 1 , m + 1 , and the intermittent impedance elements z 1 , 1 , . . . , z 1 , m − 1 and z 1 , m , while the individual antenna 2 n consists of the printed - conductor portions 1 n , 1 , 1 n , 2 , . . . , 1 n , n − 2 , 1 n , n − 1 , 1 n , n , and 1 n , n + 1 , and the intermittent impedance elements z n , 1 , . . . , z n , n − 2 , z n , n − 1 and z n , n . the individual impedance elements z μ , ν consist of a circuit , which provides a very low impedance value with low received frequencies , and which , in the ideal case of a received frequency converging towards zero , short circuits the two adjacent printed - conductor portions 1 μ , ν and 1 μ , ν + 1 . by contrast , with high received frequencies , the circuit provides a high real component of the impedance , which , in the ideal case of an infinitely high received frequency , as a pure resistor , suppresses the current flow between the adjacent printed - conductor portions 1 μ , ν and 1 μ , ν + 1 and therefore reduces the electrically - active antenna height of the individual antenna 2 μ . in this manner , it is possible , through corresponding parametrization of all impedance elements z μ , ν associated with the respective individual antenna 2 μ and their positioning on the individual antenna 2 μ , to adjust the electrically - active antenna height of the respective individual antenna 2 μ to the optimum antenna height for the respective frequency range of the individual antenna 2 μ . in order to realize a frequency - dependent impedance characteristic of this kind , the individual impedance elements z μ , ν are realised , for example , in a known manner , by a parallel circuit with an inductance l μ , ν and an ohmic resistor r μ , ν . these impedance elements z μ , ν can be distributed on the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n either in a discrete manner or continuously as correspondingly - formed printed conductors . the respective individual antennae 2 μ and 2 ν are arranged on the printed - circuit board 3 with a spacing distance of d μ , ν , which is typically a few centimeters . the respective base - points 5 1 , 5 2 , . . . , 5 n of the respective passive antenna regions 6 1 , 6 2 , . . . , 6 n of the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n are electrically coupled to the active base - point electronics 7 1 , 7 2 , . . . , 7 n , for example , amplifier elements and / or impedance converters . the passive antenna regions 6 1 , 6 2 , . . . , 6 n can be designed in all radiator structures , such as monopoles , dipoles etc . impedance conversion , amplification and coarse filtering — through the frequency response of the respective individual antenna — of the transmission signals received respectively in the passive antenna regions 6 1 , 6 2 , . . . , 6 n of the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n , are implemented in the base - point electronics 7 1 , 7 2 , . . . , 7 n . after their impedance conversion , amplification and filtering in the respective base - point electronics 7 1 , 7 2 , . . . , 7 n , the received transmission signals are phase - matched in the subsequent phase matching networks 8 1 , 8 2 , . . . , 8 n , especially in the overlapping range of the filters of the frequency crossover network of the individual adjacent or overlapping received frequency ranges , in order to guarantee an addition instead of a subtraction of the individual received transmission signals . the phase matching in the individual phase matching networks 8 1 , 8 2 , . . . , 8 n is optimized to such an extent that the maximum possible phase deviation of two received transmission signals is 90 °. after the phase matching in the phase matching networks 8 1 , 8 2 , . . . , 8 n , a band limitation and combination of the individual transmission signals received in the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n to form a single overall received signal , which provides an overall reception bandwidth , which corresponds to the sum of all of the individual partial received frequency ranges of the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n , takes place in the subsequent frequency crossover network 9 . in fig3 , in order to visualise the geometric antenna optimization , a portion of the two passive antenna regions 6 1 and 6 2 printed on a printed - circuit board 3 of the individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 of the minimal configuration of a receiver antenna system 1 is illustrated for a lower and an upper partial received frequency range respectively . they consist in each case of the printed - conductor portions 1 1 , 1 , 1 1 , 2 , and 1 1 , 3 and 1 2 , 1 , 1 2 , 2 , 1 2 , 3 , 1 2 , 4 , 1 2 , 5 , 1 2 , 6 , 1 2 , 7 , 1 2 , 8 etc . and the intermittent impedance elements z 1 , 1 , and z 1 , 2 , and z 2 , 1 , z 2 , 2 , z 2 , 3 , z 2 , 4 , z 2 , 5 , z 2 , 6 , z 2 , 7 , ect ., which are shown in fig3 not in their concrete interconnection but as free space relative to their positioning . the optimization of the passive antenna regions 6 1 and 6 2 of the individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 in order to minimize the electromagnetic couplings takes place through an optimum design of the antenna diameters d 1 and d 2 , the spacing distance d 1 , 2 between the two individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 , the position of the individual impedance elements z μ , ν relative to one another within the respective individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 and between the two individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 . it is evident from fig3 that , according to the invention , with a larger spacing distance relative to the base - points 5 1 and 5 2 , the printed - conductor portions 1 82 , ν are increasingly shorter in length . moreover , it is evident that the length l 1 of the individual antenna 2 1 for the reception of relatively high - frequency transmission signals is designed to be shorter than the length l 2 of the individual antenna 2 2 for the reception of low - frequency transmission signals . finally , the antenna diameter d 1 of the individual antenna 2 1 for the reception of relatively higher - frequency transmission signals is designed according to the invention to be significantly greater than the antenna diameter d 2 of the individual antenna 2 2 for the reception of relatively low - frequency transmission signals . in fig4 , in order to visualise the electrical optimization , the minimum configuration of the individual antennae from fig3 is presented with the individual antenna 2 1 for the reception of high - frequency transmission signals and the individual antenna 2 2 for the reception of relatively low - frequency transmission signals . according to the invention , the input impedance of the base - point electronics 7 1 of the individual antenna 2 1 , which provides a shorter antenna height for reception in the upper frequency range , has a lower value with lower received frequencies . in this manner , low - frequency currents in the individual antenna 2 1 are conducted with low resistance to earth at the input of the base - point electronic 7 1 , so that the low - frequency currents coupled from the individual antenna 2 2 to the individual antenna 2 1 do not generate unnecessary losses in the input impedance 10 1 of the base - point electronics 7 1 thereby impairing the efficiency of the antenna 2 2 and do not therefore have a negative influence on the individual antenna 2 2 through electromagnetic parasitic coupling with the adjacent individual antenna 2 1 . in order to realise a small input impedance of the base - point electronics 7 1 with low - frequency received signals , a parallel circuit consisting of an inductance l e1 and an ohmic resistor r e1 is used as the input impedance 10 1 of the base - point electronics . with higher - frequency received signals , the input impedance 10 1 of the base - point electronics 7 1 provides an input impedance matched to the passive antenna structure . it is also evident from fig4 that the inductances l 2 , ν in the individual impedance elements z 2 , ν become high - resistance on receiving relatively high - frequency transmission signals , and in combination with the resistors on the individual printed - conductor portions 1 2 , ν of the individual antenna 2 2 , behave like a ferritized conductor . accordingly , relatively high - frequency currents on the individual antenna 2 2 are suppressed . as a result , there is no coupling with the adjacent individual antenna 2 1 . with low - frequency received signals , the inductances l 2 , ν of the impedance elements z 2 , ν of the individual antenna 2 2 are of low resistance and do not lead to a suppression of the currents on the individual printed - conductor portions 1 2 , ν of the individual antenna 2 2 . in the overall operating - frequency range , the input impedance 10 2 of the base - point electronic 7 2 provides a high - resistance , capacitive input impedance . the input impedance 10 2 consists of a parallel circuit with a high - resistance resistor r e2 and a capacitor c e2 with very small capacity . in general , it can be stated that all of the impedance elements z 1 , ν in the individual antenna 2 1 and all of the impedance elements z 2 , ν in the individual antenna 2 2 not only perform the function of the frequency - dependent electrical shortening of the respective antenna height , but , by variation of their impedance z 1 , ν on the individual antenna 2 1 , influence the current i 1 in the individual antenna 2 1 in a targeted , frequency - dependent manner , and , by variation of their impedance z 2 , ν on the individual antenna 2 2 , influence the current i 2 on the individual antenna 2 2 in a targeted , frequency - dependent manner , and accordingly also minimize the extent of coupling between the two individual antennae 2 1 and 2 2 in a targeted manner . alongside the above - named designs , the input impedances 10 1 , 10 2 , . . . , 10 n of the base - point electronics 7 1 , 7 2 , . . . , 7 n are additionally mismatched relative to the base - point impedance of the respective passive antenna regions 6 1 , 6 2 , . . . , 6 n of the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n preferably outside the useful frequency range of the individual antenna . in this manner , targeted reflections occur at the inputs of the base - point electronics 7 1 , 7 2 , . . . , 7 n , which have the overall effect of minimizing the electromagnetic couplings between the individual antennae 2 1 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n . the invention is not limited to the embodiment presented . in particular , the invention also covers different antenna geometries , different interconnections of the impedance elements and different input interconnections of the base - point electronics .
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fig1 shows a bottle including an approximately spherical reservoir 1 equipped with a tapped neck 2 . the neck 2 has a collar 3 extending radially around its outer surface . the axis a of the bottle is defined by the axis of symmetry of the reservoir 1 , said axis passing through the center of the neck 2 . a threaded stopper 4 for sealing the neck 2 is screwed on the latter . an annular frustoconical skirt 5 is fitted on the neck 2 by snap - fastening . more specifically , the portion of the skirt with the smaller diameter has an axial annular part 6 forming a shoulder the internal diameter of which is approximately the same as the diameter of the collar 3 of the neck , said collar being inserted in the annular part 6 and resting against the shoulder . snap - fastening means formed by a complementary groove and bead system are provided for fitting the skirt on the neck . alternatively , the skirt can be force fitted on the neck . the portion of the skirt 5 with the larger diameter is directed towards the bottom of the reservoir 1 , opposite the neck 2 along the axis a of the bottle . the frustoconical skirt 5 also has an outer annular shoulder 7 at its end with the smaller diameter . an approximately cylindrical hollow cap 8 has an open end 9 having an inside diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the outer shoulder portion of the skirt , the other end 10 of the cap being closed . the cap may be made of synthetic material , glass , wood , resin or cardboard . the open end 9 of the cap 8 is snap - fastened onto the outer shoulder 7 of the skirt 5 , using for example a complementary groove and bead system , such that the axis of the cap corresponds to the axis a of the bottle . the cap 8 thus fitted on the skirt 5 defines with the neck 2 a volume 11 in which an approximately cylindrical pod 12 is located . the pod 12 which is designed to accommodate an object ( not shown ) consists of two shells 13 that fit into one another . the bottle is covered by a film ( not shown ) over its entire peripheral surface . in this way , on first usage , the consumer removes the cap 9 by tearing the film , removes the pod 12 and disassembles the two shells 13 in order to reveal the object . the consumer can then put the cap back on the bottle , or not . the cap can also be used as a measuring means or as a glass . fig2 shows a second embodiment of the invention in which the same elements have the same references as in fig1 . in order to make the drawing clearer , only the outlines of the reservoir 1 , of the neck 3 and of the pod 12 have been shown . in this embodiment , the bottle has no frustoconical skirt 5 , the cap 8 being mounted directly on the neck 3 by snap - fastening . in order to produce this type of fitting , the cap has a bead 14 around the inner surface , offset from the open end of the cap toward the closed end , such that when the cap 8 is in the mounted position on the neck 3 , the bead 14 engages with the collar 3 to bring about the snap - fastening . according to a third embodiment which is not shown , the cap has two open ends , the volume used to contain the object being defined by the neck , the cap and the film covering the bottle . according to another embodiment which is not shown , food products , for example confectionery or a lollipop , are housed inside the capsule . it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to only those embodiments of this system which have been described hereinabove by way of examples , but also includes any variants thereof . thus , among other things , the film could cover only part of the bottle or the bottle could contain no pod , in which case the object could be located directly in the volume defined by the cap .
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one embodiment of the device according to the invention is disclosed below based on fig1 a to 6 b ; identical parts are essentially assigned the same references and said parts are therefore not described more than once . [ 0057 ] fig1 a shows a diagrammatic representation of the principles of operational interaction of an actuator 2 , a transmission element 4 and a control member 20 . the actuator 2 can for example be a piezoelectric actuator , comprising a number of piezo disks stacked one on top of the other , as shown in the drawing . the actuator 2 can be expanded in a linear manner along a longitudinal direction l by applying an electric voltage , whereby the longitudinal direction l is parallel to the central axis m of the actuator 2 . the actuator 2 acts with its lower face 3 or an intermediate member not shown here on a transmission element 4 , which is supported in a fixed manner peripherally on a first bearing area 6 . the first bearing area 6 can for example be a fixed housing edge , etc . the point of contact between the actuator 2 and the transmission element 4 is hereafter referred to as the second bearing area 8 . a third bearing area 10 is a point of contact between the transmission element 4 and the control member 20 and can for example be a valve piston , etc . all three bearing areas 6 , 8 , 10 can be configured as linear contact or as point bearings . as can be seen from fig1 a , the central axes m of the actuator 2 and m of the control member 20 are preferably coincident , which allows space - saving incorporation of the entire device . the device according to the invention can for example be used as a valve control member in an injection valve , where there is generally only limited space for incorporation in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine . for this reason a concentric arrangement of the actuator 2 and control member 20 is in some circumstances advantageous as is the shortest possible actuator 2 . in order however to be able to achieve adequate travel of the control member 20 in an ideally short actuator 2 , the transmission element 4 is used to achieve a translation of short excursions of the actuator 2 — depending on the translation required — to longer excursions of the control member 20 . as can be seen in the diagrammatic representation , a second straight section 14 of the transmission element 4 configured as an offset plate 5 ( see fig4 ) assigned to the first bearing area 6 is provided , which opens via a step into a first straight section 12 of the plate 5 . the second bearing area 8 is assigned to upper side of this first straight section 12 and the third bearing area 10 to the lower side . the distance of the first lever arm a between the first bearing area 6 of the housing and the second bearing area 8 of the actuator 2 is substantially smaller than the distance of the second lever arm b between the second bearing area 8 and the third bearing area 10 of the control member 20 . this gives a lever ratio of 1 : 4 to 1 : 20 , but preferably approx . 1 : 6 to 1 : 7 . a piezoelectric actuator with typical dimensions of 7 × 7 ( cross - sectional length × cross - sectional width , both in millimeters )× 30 ( length of actuator 2 in direction of central axis m in millimeters ) is able to achieve maximum excursions of approx . 45 μm . this corresponds to an excursion of the control member of approx . 270 to 315 μm , depending on the translation required . with a typical overall plate 5 length of approx . 10 mm , this results in a first lever arm a with a length of approx . 1 . 4 mm and a second lever arm b with a length of approx . 8 . 6 mm . in a preferred embodiment of the invention not only is a transmission element 4 provided between the actuator 2 and the control member 20 but at least two transmission elements 4 disposed in a parallel or concentric manner in relation to each other . in this way the control forces of the actuator 2 , which is expanding in a linear manner , are transmitted in a substantially more even manner to the control member 20 , as at least two bearing areas 6 , 8 , 10 are provided in each instance on each of the components 2 , 4 , 20 . this configuration at the same time serves to reduce the compressive load at the bearing areas 6 , 8 , 10 and results thereby in less wear due to abrasion , which increases the life of the device according to the invention . the transmission elements 4 , which are preferably configured in a triangular manner in longitudinal cross - section , with the third bearing area 10 in the acute - angled point of the triangle , can thereby be slightly interlaced if required and therefore parallel to each other , with the third bearings areas 10 of each transmission element 4 projecting in each instance over the central axis m , from their peripheral areas of the second straight section 14 . where there are more than two transmission elements 4 , these are preferably disposed in a concentric or radial manner , with their third bearing areas 10 not projecting over the central axis m . [ 0063 ] fig2 shows a diagrammatic longitudinal section of a transmission element 4 configured as an offset plate 5 between the actuator 2 and the control member 20 , which are enclosed by a housing 30 comprising a number of parts . the oblong actuator 2 here is enclosed by a similarly oblong actuator housing 32 , which is closed off by an upper face . the actuator housing is connected non - positively or by a material fit to an upper housing part 34 , which in turn is connected positively , non - positively or by a material fit to a pedestal - type lower housing 36 . the housing parts 32 , 34 , 36 are preferably made of steel , as a certain rigidity is required due to the actuator motion . [ 0064 ] fig1 b shows a variant of the arrangement according to fig1 a , in which the central axis m of the actuator 2 and the central axis m of the control member 20 are not coincident but are offset by a third lever arm c . this variant is preferably suitable for the use of only one transmission element 4 between the actuator 2 and the control member 20 . the actuator 2 can hereby be configured in a stepped manner to form a second bearing area 8 , as shown in fig1 b . the remainder of the structure corresponds to that of fig1 a . as can be seen from fig2 the offset plate 5 rests with its first bearing area 6 of the second straight section 14 on an edge of a support element 40 ( see fig5 ), which comprises a base side 42 with the contour of a quadrant segment and a peripheral section 44 perpendicular to this . the base side 42 rests with its flat lower side on a circular disk element 46 , which comprises a central recess to allow the control member 20 to pass through and for its part lies with its flat lower side on the lower housing part 36 . the lower face 3 of the actuator 2 is adjacent to an intermediate member 50 ( see fig6 a and 6 b ), which comprises the second bearing area 8 in respect of the plate 5 on its substantially flat lower side . the intermediate member 50 lies with its upper side connected positively to the lower face 3 of the actuator 2 and in turn forms the second bearing area 8 in respect of the transmission element 4 or the second bearing area 8 in respect of the two or more transmission elements 4 on its lower side . as can be seen in fig3 a , which shows a detailed section of the diagrammatic representation of the principles according to fig1 the second bearing area 8 and the first bearing area 6 are each configured as a raised edge , each of which preferably has a height of approx . 200 μm above the lower side 52 of the intermediate member ( bearing area 8 ) or the upper side of the peripheral section 44 ( bearing area 6 ). these raised edges are preferably rounded in a hemispherical manner and each bring about linear contact with the offset plate 5 at a defined bearing edge in each instance . with the significant control forces occurring during operation due to the actuator travel , this prevents flattening of the flat lower side 52 of the intermediate member 50 or the flat upper side of the peripheral section 44 of the support element , which would otherwise be subject to plastic deformation or material degradation , which would result in a slow migration of the bearing areas 6 , 8 and therefore displacement of the effective lever articulations . the defined rotation through an angle α about the approximately constant point of rotation of the first bearing area 6 can be seen in both fig1 and fig3 . the bearing area 8 here is subject to minimal displacement due to the very short first lever arm a and the relatively small angle α . assignment of the two bearing areas 6 and 8 on one plane means there is minimal rotational motion in the contact points . the third bearing area 10 between the first straight section 12 of the offset lever 5 and the upper side of the control member 20 is subject to relatively the largest displacement . as can be seen in fig3 b , which shows a variant of the embodiment according to fig3 a , the second bearing area 8 and the first bearing area 6 are each configured as raised edges on the transmission element 4 . the raised edges each project by a height of approx . 200 μm above the first straight section 12 ( bearing area 8 ) or the second straight section 14 ( bearing area 6 ) of the offset transmission element 4 . the raised edges each bring about linear contact with the lower side 52 of the actuator 2 or with the control member 20 . with the significant control forces occurring during operation due to the actuator travel , this prevents flattening of the flat lower side 52 of the intermediate member 50 or the flat upper side of the peripheral section 44 of the support element , which would otherwise be subject to plastic deformation or material degradation , which would result in a slow migration of the bearing areas 6 , 8 and therefore displacement of the effective lever articulations . the defined rotation through an angle α about the approximately constant point of rotation of the first bearing area 6 can be seen in both fig1 and fig3 . because of the very short first lever arm a and the relatively small angle α , the bearing area 8 is subject to minimal displacement . assignment of the two bearing areas 6 and 8 on one plane means there is minimal rotational motion in the contact points . the third bearing area 10 between the first straight section 12 of the offset lever 5 and the upper side of the control member 20 is subject to relatively the largest displacement . [ 0071 ] fig4 shows a perspective representation of the offset plate 5 of the transmission element 4 , which shows a triangular contour in longitudinal cross - section . the first straight section 12 with the second lever arm b passes via a step formed between the second bearing area 8 and the first bearing area 6 into the second straight section 14 . the plate 5 is preferably forged from a steel material and then ground , to ensure optimum wear resistance even during long - term operation . the plate 5 can if necessary also be milled , although a forged part has the advantage of more favorable fiber orientation for operating strength in the material . the surfaces , which later form the first , second and third bearing areas 6 , 8 , 10 , are preferably ground , resulting on the one hand in an ideally smooth surface structure and on the other hand , depending on the contact pressure of the grinding wheels , so that the required compression and therefore surface area toughness can be achieved in the material . [ 0072 ] fig5 shows a perspective representation of the support element 40 between the plate 5 and the control member 20 , which is preferably also milled or cold or hot formed from a steel material and has ground surfaces . on the base plate 42 , which forms a quadrant segment , a peripheral section 44 is provided peripherally at a right angle , on the surface of which the approx . 200 μm raised edge is provided to form the first bearing area 6 . [ 0073 ] fig6 a shows a perspective representation of the intermediate member 50 between the actuator 2 and the transmission element 4 , which is preferably also milled or forged from a steel material and has ground surfaces . viewed from above ( see fig6 b ), the intermediate member 50 has the contour of a quadrant and is provided on its upper side 54 with a spigot 56 , which has the contour of a quarter ellipse ( see fig6 b ) with a flat surface . on its lower side is the intermediate member with the raised edge forming the second bearing area 8 , said edge being preferably rounded and having a height of approx . 200 μm . the raised spigot 65 is at the side of the actuator 2 , the lower side 3 of which rests in a planar manner on the upper side 54 of the intermediate member 50 . [ 0074 ] fig7 shows a diagrammatic representation of the principles of an embodiment of the device according to the invention , in which two lever devices are connected in series . the device shown comprises a first , substantially plate - shaped , transmission element 104 , which is disposed perpendicular to the direction of excursion l of an actuator 102 . the first transmission element 104 or the plate 105 has a first bearing area 106 , which is assigned to a first counter bearing 107 formed in a housing 130 . the first transmission element 104 also comprises a second bearing area 108 , which is assigned to the actuator 102 . a third bearing area 110 of the first transmission element 104 is assigned to a second transmission element 160 , which will be described below . the first transmission element 104 comprises a ( slightly ) convex surface 174 , the form of which can be defined for example by grinding . the second bearing area 108 is hereby formed by the highest area . the lower side of the first transmission element 104 comprises a recess 176 , which allows relative motion between the first transmission element 104 and the housing 130 . this relative motion is produced , when the actuator 102 acts in the second bearing area 108 of the first transmission element 104 . a second transmission element 160 , which can be configured with a structure identical to that of the first transmission element 104 , comprises a fourth bearing area 162 , which is assigned to a second counter bearing 172 , which is provided in the housing 130 . the second transmission element also comprises a fifth bearing area 164 , which is provided in the highest area of the convex surface 178 . a sixth bearing area 168 is assigned to a control member 120 to be activated . in order to ensure the clearance required for relative motion between the second transmission element 160 and the housing 130 , a recess 180 is provided on the lower side of the second transmission element 160 . recesses or graduations 182 are also provided in the housing 130 to allow the respective relative motions . the first transmission element 104 comprises a first ( short ) lever arm a 1 and a second ( long ) lever arm b 1 . similarly the second transmission element 160 comprises a first ( short ) lever arm a 2 and a second ( long ) lever arm b 2 . a downward excursion of the actuator 102 is transmitted by the structure shown to the control member 120 , by the third bearing area 110 of the first transmission element 104 first being deflected according to the ratio of a 1 and b 1 . the third bearing area 110 of the first transmission element 104 thereby acts on the fifth bearing area 164 of the second transmission element 160 and deflects the second transmission element 160 . the sixth bearing area 168 of the second transmission element 160 thereby acts on the control member 120 and deflects this according to the size of the excursion of the actuator 102 and the lengths of the lever arms a 1 , b 1 , a 2 and b 2 . the two - step lever device shown allows a large lever action without taking up much space . of course more than two lever steps can be provided , if required . with the embodiment shown the central axis m of the actuator and the central axis m of the control member coincide , which is a requirement in many cases . the central axes m and m thereby pass through the second bearing area 108 and the sixth bearing area 168 . a preferred translation ratio of the excursion of the actuator 102 to the excursion of the control member 120 is approximately 1 : 5 . an example of the dimensions of the respective lever arms is a 1 = a 2 = 2 . 4 mm and b 1 = b 2 = 3 . 6 mm . [ 0075 ] fig8 shows a diagrammatic representation of the principles of an embodiment of the device according to the invention , in which the relative motion between the transmission elements and the housing is achieved by rolling . with this embodiment of the device according to the invention , an actuator 2 , which is only partially shown , acts on two transmission elements 4 , which are disposed opposite each other . the transmission elements 4 comprise first and second lever arms a and b , the lengths of which determine the translation ratio of the excursion of the actuator 2 to the excursion of the control member 20 . both transmission elements 4 comprise a first bearing area 6 , which is assigned to a respective counter bearing 170 . both transmission elements 4 also comprise a second bearing area 8 , which is assigned to the actuator 2 . third bearing areas 10 of the two transmission elements 4 are assigned to the control member 20 . in the embodiment shown in fig8 the counter bearings 170 comprise two drums 62 , which are supported in a rotatable but fixed manner in the housing 30 . the drums 62 form rounded sections 58 , which interact with rounded sections 60 forming recesses in the transmission elements 4 so that the relative motion between the housing 30 and the transmission elements 4 is a rolling motion . the geometry of the recesses in the transmission elements 4 here is preferably adapted to the geometry of the drums 62 . the relative motion between the actuator 2 and the transmission elements 4 is achieved by sliding in the area of the second bearing area 8 . the embodiment shown in fig8 thereby minimizes losses , which occur due to relative motion between the transmission elements 4 and the housing 30 . [ 0076 ] fig9 shows a diagrammatic representation of the principles of an embodiment of the device according to the invention , in which the relative motion between two transmission elements and the housing is achieved by a combination of rolling and translation . the structure of the embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in fig9 corresponds , apart from the differences described below , to the structure according to fig8 . in the embodiment shown in fig9 however , the counter bearings 170 comprise separate elements 64 , which are supported in a movable manner in the housing 30 . the separate elements 64 have a rounded section 58 on their upper side , with a hemispherical cross - section in the case shown . these rounded sections 58 interact with rounded sections 60 , which are formed by ( small ) recesses in the transmission elements 4 . in this case too the geometry of the rounded sections 58 and the rounded sections 60 should preferably be coordinated . the rounded sections 58 , 60 allow the transmission elements to roll , while the sliding of the separate elements 64 in the housing 30 allows a translatory motion . relative motion between the actuator 2 and the transmission elements 4 is also achieved in this embodiment by sliding , whereby the relative motion between the actuator 2 and the transmission elements 4 can be dispensed with in the embodiment shown in fig9 as in the embodiment according to fig8 . both in the embodiment according to fig8 and the embodiment according to fig9 the surfaces of the separate elements 62 , 64 of the sections of the housing 30 coming into contact with these and the transmission elements 4 are preferably such that low friction values are achieved . the same applies to the surfaces in contact in the area of the second bearing area 8 . although not shown , similar results can also be achieved , if the rounded areas are not formed by separate elements 62 , 64 but form a single part with the transmission elements 4 or the housing 30 , for example in the form of suitable projections . the transmission element according to the invention can advantageously be used to active a servo - valve in a fuel injector , as the relatively small linear excursions of a piezoactuator here can effectively be converted to longer travel to regulate a valve . the transmission element according to the invention is therefore suitable both for what is known as a common rail injector in a high - pressure storage type injection system and for what is known as a pump - nozzle injector , in which the injection pressure is generated with every power stroke by means of a high - pressure pump assigned to each injector . it is evident to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in design to the preferred embodiments outlined above . instead further variants are also conceivable , which make use of the solution presented even with fundamentally different types of design and are therefore covered by the invention .
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referring to fig1 a - 1c , a condiment package 110 is shown in its sealed configuration , according to one embodiment . in fig1 a , the frontal perspective view illustrates two visible components of package 110 comprising planar member 112 and flexible membrane cover 114 . the planar member 112 is shown in a roughly egg - or fan - shaped profile , according to one embodiment . in other embodiments , this profile might be circular , rectangular , or a shape optimized for gripping , dispensing , and spreading the contents . additionally , in order to perform these functions the planar member 112 should provide a rigid or semi - rigid backbone for the package 110 . as such it should be of appropriate thickness and made from a durable , lightweight material such as plastic . elevated features to assist in single - hand operation , such as grip 130 , may in one embodiment be incorporated into the planar member 112 . the flexible cover 114 is shown sealed to region 120 of the visible planar surface 112 . note that only a portion of the cover 114 is sealed to the planar member 112 , leaving a portion free to grip and remove to open the reservoir and dispense the package contents . the region 120 might , in one embodiment , be elevated above the planar member 112 to provide a definitive sealing surface and help the user to grip the un - sealed portion of the flexible cover 114 . the planar member 112 also comprises a distal edge 118 and distal surface 126 , both of which provide a spreading and manipulating feature for the contents of the package . fig1 b shows the condiment package 10 from the opposing rear perspective view . again , the package 110 is shown in the as - sealed configuration , with flexible membrane reservoir 116 forming a dome or pouch which will hold the contents of the package between its inner surface and the planar member 112 . the flexible reservoir membrane 116 is shown with a perimeter that is roughly circular in one embodiment . in other embodiments , the perimeter may be oval , elliptical , rectangular or another shape suitable for forming a reservoir to hold material . this perimeter is sealed to the surface of the planar member 112 in a permanent fashion . the reservoir membrane 116 must be flexible enough to be deformed for the purpose of expelling the contents while at the same time be rigidly fixed to planar member 112 such that it cannot be removed after manufacture . accordingly , this membrane can be made of flexible plastic , foil , mylar or a similar material . in the figure , the distal edge 118 of the planar member 112 is shown with a row of serrations 128 . these serrations are shown on one side only , but in other embodiments could be present on both sides of planar member 112 . the serrations 128 allow package 110 to be utilized as a cutting tool as well as a dispensing and spreading tool . fig1 c shows a side profile view of the package 110 , illustrating the linear and thin aspects of the planar member 112 . the flexible membrane 116 is shown sealed to one side of the planar member 112 , forming a protruding reservoir of ample volume to hold the contents . flexible cover 114 is shown partially sealed to the opposing side of planar member 112 , with a small portion unsealed to provide easier removal during use . distal edge 118 is shown to terminate in a sharp edge in one embodiment , which may help facilitate the spreading and cutting functionality of the package 110 . in fig1 d , the package 110 is shown in the exploded pre - sealed state from the rear perspective view . here all three components can be clearly distinguished -- the rigid planar member 112 , the flexible cover 114 used to form the removable seal , and the flexible membrane 116 used to form the sealed condiment reservoir . a hole 124 extends through the planar member 112 . the circular perimeter of the dome - shaped reservoir membrane 116 will seal approximately as shown along the dashed lines of region 122 . the shape of this region will depend on the specific shape of the perimeter of reservoir membrane 116 , but generally this perimeter and seal region 122 will fully surround opening 124 . when assembled , reservoir membrane 116 will thus form a reservoir that can be filled with condiment through opening 124 , be fully sealed with flexible cover 114 for storage and transport , and be used to dispense condiment through opening 124 when flexible cover 114 is removed during use . referring now to fig1 e , the package 110 is shown in the exploded pre - sealed state from the frontal perspective view . in this view , the internal concave surface of reservoir membrane 116 is clearly seen . once sealed to planar member 112 , this surface will form the reservoir to hold the contents of the package . additionally , the perimeter region 132 of membrane 116 is shown . this region , which can vary in shape and cross - sectional thickness , will form one part of the permanent seal . the position of the opening 124 is shown with respect to the seal region 120 of the flexible cover 114 . when sealed , this membrane will cover opening 124 and provide an aseptic barrier for the contents of the package . a detailed view of the distal section of planar member 12 is shown in fig1 f . this view provides a closer look of the serrations 128 along distal edge 118 . as mentioned previously , these serrations allow the package 110 to perform the additional functions of a cutting and spreading utensil . fig2 shows a package 210 , according to an alternative embodiment . in the embodiment illustrated , the single opening 124 of the previously described embodiment is replaced with an array of holes 224 . these holes can be of varying size or shape and can arranged in varying patterns , as long as each feature extends all the way through the rigid planar member 212 and is fully surrounded by the perimeter seal of the flexible membrane reservoir 216 . additionally , the flexible cover 214 is shown modified to fully cover the array of holes 224 . ideally , the pattern would serve to optimally dispense and spread the contents using the distal portion 226 of the planar member 212 . in fig3 , a frontal view of a package 310 is shown , according to another alternative embodiment . in this embodiment , the flexible cover 314 is shaped so as to extend the sealed region down to the distal edge 318 of the rigid planar member 312 . the flexible cover 314 would be sealed distally , with an unsealed region above region 320 that provides a pull - tab for removal . this extended flexible cover 314 , when removed , leaves a larger uncontaminated region for dispensing and spreading the contents of the package . this is especially advantageous for a single - use sealed condiment package application , since transport and storage are often performed in uncontrolled , potentially contaminated conditions . referring to now to fig4 a - 4d , which illustrate the package 410 in multiple stages of use . fig4 a depicts the first stage of use , wherein the user &# 39 ; s hand h is shown removing the flexible cover 414 from the sealed region 420 of planar member 412 . the unsealed portion of flexible cover 414 is presented as a means to grip between the thumb and index finger . when pulled in the direction of the arrow , removal of flexible cover 414 provides access to opening 424 and the condiment reservoir . in fig4 b , the package 410 is shown in use , with its contents being dispensed . in this figure , the flexible cover 414 has been removed , leaving the opening 424 unsealed . with single handed operation from user h , a pressure — indicated by arrows — is applied to the flexible membrane 416 with the index , middle , or any combination of fingers while the package 410 is gripped with the thumb in contoured region 430 . pressing downward and toward the distal end 418 , the entire contents 438 of the package can be expelled from the flexible membrane reservoir 416 through opening 424 . referring now to fig4 c , the condiment package 410 is shown being utilized in a spreading capacity . here the user h grips the package 410 and dispenses contents 438 distally as illustrated in fig4 b while moving the package in the transverse along the spreading substrate — in this case bread b . the distal spreading surface 426 and distal edge 418 provide a means to evenly spread the contents 438 onto the substrate . finally , in fig4 d , the package 410 is shown in use as a cutting device . with the grip demonstrated in fig4 b - 4c , the user h can use the distal edge 418 to cut or manipulate food item b . the addition of serrations 128 as in fig1 f can assist in this cutting functionality .
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in fig1 , reference numeral 10 generally indicates a process , in accordance with the invention , by which adhesive is applied to a sheet 11 as the sheet 11 passes through a printer incorporating an adhesive applicator . a driving station d drives the sheet 11 in the direction of an arrow 32 . the driving station d comprises a pair of opposed pinch rollers 12 . the sheet 11 is driven through a printing station p and then an adhesive application station a . alternatively , the adhesive application station a precedes the printing station p . however , it is preferred that the adhesive application station a follow the printing station p so that adhesive on the sheet 11 does not clog a print head or print heads of the printing station p . for single sided sheet printing , the printing station p comprises a single print head 13 . the print head 13 is a pagewidth drop - on - demand ink jet print head . alternatively , the print head 13 is that of a laser printer or other printing device . if the sheet 11 is to be printed on both sides , a pair of opposed print heads 13 are provided . it will be appreciated that in an embodiment where the print heads 13 are ink jet print heads , wet ink 15 on the sheet 11 could pass through the adhesive application station a . this could result in smudging and distortion of the print on the sheet 11 . thus , the printer incorporates an air cushion application means that is configured to be positioned on either side of the sheet 11 as it passes through the printing station p . the print head 13 defines an airflow path or gap 14 through which air can pass to generate the air cushion . it will be appreciated that the air serves to dry the ink . the adhesive application station a can comprise an adhesive applicator 16 at one or both sides of the sheet 11 , depending upon which side or sides of the sheet to which adhesive is to be applied . as shown in fig2 , the sheet 11 having matter printed thereon by printing station p also includes a strip 17 of adhesive applied at the adhesive application station a . the strip 17 is positioned adjacent to a leading edge 27 of sheet 11 . the application of strip 17 adjacent to the leading edge 27 is suitable for those situations where the adhesive applicator does not touch the sheet 11 , or touches the sheet 11 at a velocity accurately matching that of the sheet 11 as it passes the adhesive application station a . alternatively , the strip 17 is applied adjacent to a trailing edge 28 of the sheet 11 . this is more suited to adhesive applicators that make physical contact , such as brushing , with the sheet 11 as it passes the adhesive application station a . a margin 29 between the strip 17 and edge 27 or 28 of sheet 11 is 1 to 2 . 5 mm wide . various methods of applying adhesive to the sheet 11 are envisaged , some of which are schematically depicted in fig3 . method 1 in fig3 is a non - contact method of applying adhesive to the moving sheet 11 . in this method , a stationary adhesive applicator 16 sprays adhesive on to one side of the sheet 11 as it passes the adhesive applicator 16 . the adhesive applicator 16 is formed integrally with the print head 13 . instead , the adhesive applicator is located upstream or downstream with respect to the print head 13 . method 2 also applies adhesive to one side of the moving sheet 11 . however , in this method , an adhesive applicator 16 . 1 touches the sheet 11 while applying the adhesive . the adhesive applicator 16 . 1 is pivotally mounted about a fixed pivot point and is pivoted so that a tangential speed of the applicator matches a speed at which the sheet 11 passes through the adhesive application station a . a reaction roller 30 bears against an underside of the sheet 11 as the adhesive applicator 16 . 1 applies adhesive to the sheet 11 . method 3 applies adhesive to both sides of the sheet 11 as it passes through the adhesive application station a . a pair of opposed , pivotally mounted adhesive applicators 16 . 2 are pivoted so that a tangential speed of the applicators matches a speed at which the sheet 11 passes through the adhesive application station a . thus , the applicators 16 . 2 both touch the sheet 11 simultaneously and mutually counteract each other &# 39 ; s force component normal to the sheet 11 . method 4 employs a pair of adhesive applicator rollers 16 . 3 spaced from either side of the sheet 11 until activated to apply adhesive . at that point , the rollers 16 . 3 move toward and touch the sheet 11 , leaving the strip of adhesive 17 at either side of the sheet 11 . the rollers 16 . 3 mutually counteract each other &# 39 ; s force component normal to sheet 11 . method 5 employs a pair of adhesive spray applicators 16 . 4 positioned on each side of the sheet 11 . the applicators 16 . 4 do not touch the sheet 11 . each applicator 16 . 4 applies one part of a two - part adhesive to a respective side of the sheet 11 so as to apply strips 17 a and 17 b . like method 1 , method 5 employs an adhesive applicator formed integrally with the print head 13 . a channel for the flow of one part of a two - part adhesive is provided in each print head 13 . the use of a two - part adhesive is beneficial in situations where there might be some delay in the printing / binding operation . the reason for this is that the two part adhesive requires mixing in order for setting to occur . thus , if there were a computer software or hardware malfunction partway through a printing / binding operation , the use of a two - part adhesive could provide sufficient time within which to rectify the problem and complete the binding process . fig4 illustrates a stack of sheets 11 with all but the top sheet provided with an adhesive strip 17 at an upper surface adjacent one edge to be bound . an alternative is depicted in fig5 wherein all but the bottom sheet has an adhesive strip 17 applied to its bottom surface adjacent an edge to be bound . in fig6 , a stack of sheets is shown with a part 17 a of a two - part adhesive applied to the upper surface of all but the top sheet 11 and a second part 17 b of the two - part adhesive applied to the bottom surface of all but the bottom sheet 11 . when the stacks of sheets of fig4 and 5 are pressed together , adhesion of the sheets occurs as a result of mixing of the parts 17 a and 17 b . when the sheets 11 of fig6 are pressed together , the respective parts of the two - part adhesive in strips 17 a and 17 b combine so as to react and set . in an embodiment where the print head 13 is an ink jet print head , and non - contact adhesive application methods 1 and 5 are employed , the adhesive strip 17 is applied to sheet 11 before ink on the sheet 11 passing through the adhesive application station 10 has dried . air passing through the air gap 14 accelerates the drying process . adhesive is applied to the sheet 11 as it passes out of the print head 13 . the air passing through the gap 14 facilitates a relatively high velocity of the sheet 11 , even though the adhesive strip 17 is applied to the sheet 11 . when the strip 17 is applied alongside the leading edge 27 of the sheet 11 , any alteration to the velocity of sheet 11 would adversely affect print quality . hence , application of the adhesive strip 17 alongside the leading edge 27 is carried out using non - contact adhesive application methods or methods where the velocity of the adhesive applicator touching the sheet 11 is substantially the same as that of the sheet 11 . when the adhesive strip 17 is applied alongside the trailing edge 28 of the sheet 11 , the same situation is also desirable . for example , if the speed of the adhesive applicator of methods 2 to 4 was faster than that at which the sheet 11 was passing the print head 13 , the sheet 11 could buckle . a particular embodiment of the present invention incorporates the use of a two - part adhesive . further , in this embodiment , the adhesive applicators are positioned within the print heads 13 themselves . thus , the print head 13 defines at least one passage for the flow of adhesive through the print head 13 . the advantage of this embodiment is that it would provide space and cost saving benefits . the likelihood of adhesive “ gumming ” and blocking such channels is diminished where a two - part adhesive is used . this is achieved by having only one part of the two - part adhesive passing through any particular channel or channels of the print head 13 . where respective parts of a two - part adhesive are applied to opposed sides of the sheets 11 , those respective parts pass through dedicated channels in the respective print heads 13 on either side of the sheet 11 . this greatly reduces the likelihood of adhesive blockages in the flow channels . the adhesive or respective parts of a two - part adhesive can be provided in a chamber of a replaceable ink cartridge providing ink to the print head . the print head 13 is positioned proximate the pinch rollers 12 . the reason for this is that the rollers 12 provide a mechanical constraint upon the sheet 11 to enable accurate printing . the pinch rollers 12 , print heads 13 and adhesive applicator 16 are illustrated in fig7 alongside a sheet support tray 18 . thus , the sheet support tray 18 receives sheets 11 once the adhesive strips 17 have been applied to the sheets 11 . the tray 18 is suspended from a frame 21 with respective dampers 22 at each corner of the tray 18 . the dampers 22 are elastomeric dampers or small hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders . the floor of the tray 11 has a lower - most corner 23 beneath which a vibrator 19 is positioned . the vibrator 19 is a subsonic vibrator ( i . e . a vibrator having a frequency below 20 hz ) or an out - of - balance electric motor . a binding press 20 is situated above the tray 18 over aligned leading edges of the sheets 11 , in use . alternatively , the binding press 20 is positioned over the trailing edge 28 of the sheets 11 . in fig8 , a first sheet 11 is shown moving towards the tray 18 . the sheet 11 has a strip of adhesive 17 on its upper surface adjacent the leading edge 27 . it will be appreciated that the sheet 11 catches a pocket of air beneath it as it moves into position . this facilitates such movement by reducing friction substantially . the leading edge 28 then strikes a wall 31 of the support tray 18 as shown in fig9 . the vibrations of the tray 18 caused by the vibrator 19 results in the sheet 11 coming to rest with the leading edge 27 positioned adjacent the corner 23 of the tray 18 as shown in fig1 . eventually , the leading edges 27 of the sheets 11 bear against the wall 31 of the tray 18 as shown in the drawings . in fig1 , a second sheet 11 is shown moving towards the tray 18 . the second sheet 11 comes to rest upon the first sheet 11 in a position aligned with the first sheet 11 as depicted in fig1 . if the sheets 11 have the adhesive strip 17 applied to the upper surface , the final sheet 11 is provided without any adhesive and it comes to rest at the top of the stack as depicted in fig1 . if , instead , the majority of sheets 11 had the adhesive strip 17 applied to their bottom surface , the first sheet 11 ( i . e . the sheet at the bottom of the stack ) would have no adhesive applied to it . this would be suitable for multiple binding compressions . as shown in fig1 , the binding press 20 is driven downwardly towards the stack of sheets 11 over the aligned adhesive strips 17 . the stack is then compressed into a bound volume 24 as shown in fig1 . it should be noted that no subsequent edge trimming of the bound volume is required provided standard - sized sheets 11 are used . the reason for this is that the vibrator 19 aligns the sheets 11 into the lower - most corner 23 of the tray 18 as described earlier . in fig1 and 18 , multiple volumes 24 are shown stacked one upon another with the upper - most volumes being progressively compressed by repeated applications of the press 20 . the binding press 20 is shown schematically in the figures and could be pneumatically or hydraulically driven , or could be driven by other mechanical means such as rack and pinion , electrical solenoid or otherwise . one embodiment of the binding press 20 is depicted in fig2 , 21 and 22 . in this embodiment , the binding press 20 incorporates a plurality of semicircular disks 34 each spaced apart , but fixedly mounted to a common , rotatably driven shaft 36 extending along an axis of rotation 26 . each disk 34 passes through a respective vertical slot 32 formed in the wall 31 of the tray 18 . in an initial condition , the disks 34 are in the orientation shown in fig2 . upon rotation of the shaft 36 , the disks 34 pivot into a position shown in fig2 and 22 to press down upon the sheets 11 . the tray 18 is provided with a floor of adjustable height so that a top sheet 11 can be positioned proximate the binding press 20 . this reduces noise levels by minimizing a stroke length of the binding press 20 . the floor of the tray 18 is driven to move downwardly as each sheet 11 is fed into the tray 18 . this ensures that the top sheet 11 remains at a constant level . this also minimizes the extent of necessary movement of the binding press 20 . in the embodiment in which the adhesive strips 17 are applied alongside the trailing edge 28 , the trailing edges 28 are pressed together with a pressing mechanism 38 provided in a position opposite the wall 31 .
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referring to the figures , there are shown several prior art hinges and one , but not the only , embodiment of the invented self - closing hinge 100 . the preferred embodiment 100 of the invented self - closing hinge , as shown best in fig2 c , 3 a , 3 b , 6 and 7 , comprises fitting of an upper cam 2 inside of a lower cam 3 , the lower cam 3 being formed into a generally cylindrical cup with an outwardly - extending flange 31 that hangs on a shelf 41 built into the housing 44 of the hinge base 4 . the top surfaces of the two cams 2 , 3 are preferably coplanar with lifting surface 11 , which are near and parallel to the lower surface of the insert 8 , and the lower surface of the blade 9 portion that surrounds the insert 8 ( see fig2 c ). this way there is no gap between housing 44 and blade 9 when the door is fully closed . also , a notch 33 provided in the lower cam 3 is cut into the flange 31 , and said notch mates with a similarly - shaped portion 45 on the housing 44 so that the lower cam 3 does not rotate relative to the housing 44 . this way , because the notch is near the top of the lower cam 3 in the flange 31 ( and not placed in the lower end of the lower cam 3 ), the bottom end of the lower cam 3 and the housing 44 ( nor the base 4 ) need not contact each other and need not be mated or otherwise secured to each other . this permits the cutting away of useless material in the lower part of the housing 44 , thus , making room for the spring 5 to fit between the housing 44 and cams 2 , 3 . also , the nut 6 tightens against the washer 7 and spring 5 rather than against the housing 44 , which allows the nut 6 and washer 7 to be hidden from view within the housing 44 and covered with a plastic cap 110 . the pieces - parts of the preferred embodiment are listed below by call - out number and described , with particular reference to fig3 a , 3 b , and 4 - 7 : 1 . lift pin ( also called “ pushrod ”)— depending on the material chosen , the lift pin 1 could be sintered , machined , or injection molded , for example . the pin is made of a stronger metal than the base 4 and blade 9 to handle relatively high tensile and bending loads during operation of the hinge . the lift pin flange 14 extends radially out from the lift pin 1 to rest on a ledge 21 built into the upper cam 2 . as the door d ( see fig3 b ) is opened by a user of the door d , rotation of the blade 9 ( being the structure connecting the door to the lift pin 1 and upper cam 2 ), causes the upper cam 2 to ride up as it rotates relative to the lower cam 3 , which relative movement of the slanted cam surfaces 26 , 36 serves to lift the lift pin 1 , and , in turn , also the blade 9 and door d to a slightly higher level than when the door is closed . the lift pin 1 top end ( see the generally square end of the lift pin 1 in fig5 ) is received in the offset insert 8 that is inserted into blade 9 , and extends down through the entire hinge mechanism and attaches to the nut 6 . 2 . upper cam — the upper cam 2 is preferably injection - molded delrin ™ or another suitable material that will be understood by one of skill in the art . the upper cam 2 is constrained concentrically inside the lower cam 3 , and the upper cam inclined surfaces 26 , which are exterior bottom surfaces of the upper cam 2 , rest on the lower cam inclined surfaces 36 . the upper cam 3 turns (“ rotates ”) as the door d turns . an adaptation is made in the hinge to prevent relative rotation between the upper cam 2 and the lift pin 1 ; preferably , this is done by shaping the ledge 21 in such a way that it holds / supports the lift pin flange 14 but does not allow relative rotation between the upper cam 2 and the lift pin 1 . in the preferred embodiment , this shaping takes the form of the flange 14 having an outer surface 114 that is elliptical ( in cross - section ) rather than circular , and the inner surface 121 ( which terminates at its bottom extremity at ledge 21 , fig4 ) also being elliptical ( in cross - section ) rather than circular . the flange 14 will fit into the space above the ledge 21 , with surface 114 mating with surface 121 so that the flange 14 and the upper cam 2 will not rotate relative to each other , thus , operatively connecting the lift pin to the upper cam . other non - circular surface shapes for surface 114 and surface 121 could also be used , but this simple elliptical shaping is very effective . the upper cam 2 is preferably made of delrin ™ because of self lubricating qualities of that material . 3 . lower cam — the lower cam 3 is preferably injection - molded delrin ™, because of self - lubricating properties , or other suitable material that will be understood by one of skill in the art . the lower cam 3 rests on a ledge 41 built into the housing 44 , with notch 33 in flange 31 mating with portion 45 of the housing 44 in such a way that rotation is not allowed between the lower cam 3 and the housing 44 . the inclined surface 36 of the lower cam 3 is located at the interior bottom of the cup shape of the lower cam 3 , said cup shape providing a radial constraint for the upper cam 2 . 4 . base — the base 4 provides containment for the various components of the preferred hinge and an anchor structure for connection to the freezer body or other door frame structure surrounding the door . the base 4 may be injection molded zinc alloy , or other suitable material that will be understood by one of skill in the art . the base 4 comprises a plate 43 for attachment to said freezer / body or door frame , and a generally cylindrical housing 44 , protruding out from the plate 43 , that encloses the cam and spring mechanism . in preferred embodiments , the plate 43 connects to the external freezer body wall with three machine screws . 5 . spring — preferably , the spring 5 component can be purchased from a custom hardware manufacturer for cost savings . the spring 5 fits concentrically around the lower cam 3 and within the housing portion 44 of the base 4 . when the door d is opened , the spring 5 is compressed between the stationary underside 42 of the ledge within the housing portion 44 and the washer 7 that is connected to and rises with the lift pin 1 . thus , when the door d is opened , the blade 9 rotates together with the upper cam 2 and the lift pin 1 ( with no relative movement between these parts ), and so the lift pin 1 ( being raised by the cam surfaces as the slanted cam surfaces slide relative to each other to “ separate ,” lengthening the overall length of the cam system ) compresses the spring 5 . this compression of the spring 5 provides a bias that urges the reverse operation , that is , rotation of the upper cam 2 with the lift pin 1 in the opposite direction to a position where the cam surfaces slide relative to each other to be “ back together ” ( shortening the overall length of the cam system ). in addition , by adjusting the position of the nut 6 and washer 7 on the bottom end of the lift pin 1 , various amounts of compression of the spring may be provided even when the hinge is in the door - closed position . 6 . nut — this may be a common nut , as in a cooperating nut and bolt . the nut 6 retains washer 7 by threading onto the end of the lift pin 1 . this nut 6 is preferably hidden from view by being received inside the lower end of the housing 44 and covered by lower cap 110 . 7 . washer — this component can be purchased from a custom hardware manufacturer for cost savings . the washer fits concentrically over the end of the lift pin 1 , and is secured between the lower end of the spring and the nut via the threaded connection of the nut 6 to the lift pin 1 . the washer 7 serves to compress the spring , as the lift pin 1 rises due to the cam action . adjusting the initial spring 5 compression ( present prior to opening of the door ) may be done by threading the nut ( and sliding the washer ) farther up on the lift pin . 8 . offset insert — for longevity and safety , a cast steel might be best for the offset insert 8 , but injection - molded zinc alloy or similar substitute may also suffice . the offset insert 8 fits into the blade 9 . as shown to best advantage in the schematic top view of fig3 d and 3e , the offset insert 8 comprises multiple square cutouts 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 through its body , wherein the lift pin upper end 13 may be inserted into any of said square cutouts so that the outer , square ( in cross section ) pin end 13 will mate with the chosen cutout for operative connection of the insert 8 to the pin ( via end 13 ). the cutouts 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 are overlapping , but , because of their shapes , the pin end 13 will not slide from cutout to cutout — rather the pin end 13 may be moved to another cutout only upon removal of the pin from , and reinsertion into , the insert 8 . the relative position of the cutouts 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 to each other allows the door to be positioned at one of four different offset positions in ¼ inch increments ( by moving the pin end 13 into the four various cutouts as may be seen in fig3 c - e , for example ). preferably , the offset insert 8 may be designed so that it can be removed from the blade and rotated 180 degrees ( illustrated by the arrow in fig3 d ) for re - insertion into the blade 9 so that the same cutouts ( now rotated 180 degrees due to the insert being rotated 180 degrees to reside in the orientation shown in fig3 e ) become available for four different offsets , thus , providing a total of eight offset positions in ⅛ inch increments . in fig3 d and 3e , this is illustrated by showing the offset insert 8 in position relative to a reference plane , whereby one may see that each cutout 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 is a different distance from the reference plane in fig3 d , and , when the insert 8 is rotated into the position in fig3 e , the four cutouts are all slightly farther from the reference plane , resulting in a total of 8 possible positions , relative to the reference plane , for the pin that will be inserted into the cutouts . this is made possible by having the set of cutouts 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 located in the insert 8 at a different distance from one perimeter edge 91 than from the opposing perimeter edge 92 , for example . upon rotation , therefore , the cutouts 181 - 184 are shifted a slight amount ( preferably ⅛ inch ) relative to a reference plane ( such as the plate 43 ), thus , providing the second set of four offset distances ( offset from the first four by ⅛ inch ). other cutout shapes besides squares may be used , with the pin end 13 being a cooperating shape . 9 . blade — the blade 9 is preferably injection - molded zinc alloy . typically , the blade is the same material and made by the same manufacturing process as the base 4 . sometimes a blade for a hinge may be called a “ strap ,” although perhaps this blade 9 is shorter than most “ straps .” the blade 9 attaches to the door with four machine screws and transmits lifting and turning force between the door and hinge . the top and bottom halves of the blade are preferably symmetrically - shaped , so that , upon removal of the upper cap 10 , the blade may be lifted up off of the lift pin 1 and housing 44 , and switched , for example , from the orientation in fig3 b to point in the opposite direction for connection to an oppositely - opening door . 10 . upper cap — this upper cap 10 may be an abs plastic molded aesthetic cover that fits inside the exposed hole in the blade ( the top end of the blade bore ). there may be a notch in the upper cap 10 to aide in removal . this cap 10 must be removed in order to transition between right and left handed operation by switching the direction of the blade 9 relative to the base 4 . 11 . lower cap — this lower cap 110 may be an abs plastic molded aesthetic cover that fits inside ( or over ) the exposed hole in the bottom of the base beneath the washer 7 and nut 6 . there may be a notch in the lower cap 110 to aide in removal . this lower cap 110 must be removed to insert , remove , or replace the spring or to adjust the initial spring compression . by removing the lower cap 110 , removing the nut 6 and washer 7 , the spring is exposed and may be easily removed and replaced . by threading the nut farther up onto the lift pin 1 ( which pushes and retains the washer farther up in the housing 44 ), the initial spring 5 compression may be adjusted ( in effect , by compressing the spring more or less to start with ). note that the preferred hinge operating parts are symmetrical about a longitudinal plane that is perpendicular to the plate 43 ( and the wall , freezer / body , or door frame to which the hinge plate 43 is attached ) to allow both right and left handed operation / movement of the hinge . preferably , the spring 5 encircles the outer surface of the lower cam 3 , so that the spring reaches up inside the housing 44 to an extent that it extends at least half way along the axial length of the lower cam 3 , and more preferably ½ - ⅔ of the way up from the bottom surface of the lower cam toward the top surface of the lower cam . as the upper cam 2 is received inside the cup - shaped structure of the lower cam 3 , one may also say that the spring preferably reaches up inside the housing 44 to a location approximately at or above the cammed surfaces of the cams 2 , 3 ( when they are in the door - closed position ). a lower portion of the spring extends down past the bottom of the lower cam 2 , to leave room between the lower cam 3 and the washer 7 for the lift pin 1 and the washer 7 and nut 6 to move when the door d opens . the spring is of greater diameter than both the lower cam 3 and the upper cam 2 , as the preferred spring fits around the outer side wall of the outermost of the cams ( here , lower cam 3 ). it may be seen that the preferred embodiments of the present invention may operate even with the spring removed but with no other hardware changes ( besides removing or eliminating the spring ), because the gravity - assist cam feature is present and operable without the spring . optionally , a spring add - on kit purchased by the consumer may contain only the spring itself , to convert a spring - less hinge according to embodiments of the invention to a spring - assisted hinge according to embodiments of the invention . it will not be visually apparent without disassembly of the hinge ( removing the lower cap 110 ) whether there is a spring present or not . the preferred hinge may be said to be a “ reverse - action spring ” hinge , because of the operation of the spring comprises the spring being compressed ( shortened ) when the cam system lengthens and the spring becoming relaxed ( lengthening , less compression ) when the cam system shortens . it is this bias of the spring that urges the cam system to shorten and , in view of the operative connections between the hinge components , to cause swinging of the blade and the door to a closed position . it may be said that , when an object is to be connected to a spring and located in the approximately the same location as that spring , the simplest connection is to mate the top of the object to the top of the spring and to mate the bottom of the spring to the bottom of the object . then , if the object elongates ( lengthens ), the spring stretches ( tension ). however , springs do not work best in this mode , and , instead , are better in compression . the inventors have made the spring in their hinge a reverse - action spring , wherein lengthening of the object to which the spring is connected causes shortening ( compression ) of the spring , rather than the opposite . the top of the present inventors &# 39 ; cam system is thus operatively connected to the bottom of their spring , and the bottom of their cam system is operatively connected to the top of the spring . in conventional devices , a spring clip may be used to connect to the outside of a spring to an object . the inventors , on the other hand , have invented a unique way of positioning and operatively connecting their reverse - action spring . as described and portrayed elsewhere in this description , this unique system comprises placing the spring substantially around the cam system , and adapting the housing / casing of the hinge components to provide a shelf on which the lower cam rests while the top of the spring abuts against ( and is compressed against ) preferably the same shelf . further , the system comprises the bottom of the spring being operatively connected to the lift pin and , hence , to the upper cam , via the washer system . in the preferred embodiments , the uppermost portions of the hinge , except for a portion of the plate 43 , is the upper cap 10 immediately on top of the blade . there is no spring above the blade and no spring sleeve , shell , or cover protruding up or down from the main body / housing of the hinge ( in other words , the preferred hinge has no exposed spring sleeve ). also , the preferred spring , which is below the blade , is entirely contained within the housing 44 , and there is no need for a spring shell or cover protruding down from the housing that contains the cams . therefore , the housing 44 has the appearance of a compact , neat , single - exterior - diameter unit , without unsightly protrusions and variations in external diameter of the main body of the hinge . although this invention has been described above with reference to particular means , materials , and embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed particulars , but extends instead to all equivalents within the scope of the following claims .
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this improved stack and bale mover , as illustrated in fig1 is mounted behind a tractor and attached to the tractor three - point hitch . the implement includes an upstanding mast 10 comprised of two transversely positioned , coplanar and parallel memebers 12 secured together at their respective end portions by end braces 14 . two pair of upstanding hitch support members 16 are secured by u - bolts 18 to the forward side of the mast . between each pair of supports 16 is secured a hitch mounting pin 20 whereupon the lower links 22 of the tractor three - point hitch is secured . a third pair of upstanding hitch support members 24 is secured midway between the other hitch supports 16 , and support a pin 26 upon which the upper link 28 of the three - point hitch is secured . lift assist assemblies 30 , essentially identical in structure , are rockably secured to each mast end brace 14 . each lift assist assembly 30 includes a lift arm 32 , an extensible and retractable power means 34 and a caster wheel assembly 36 . each lift arm 32 is rockably carried on a pin 38 mounted between the lower portion of its respective end brace 14 and a respective l - shaped mounting member 40 . pivotally secured to and extending between each end brace 14 upper portion and its respective lift arm 32 middle portion is the hydraulic cylinder 34 . at the rearward end of the lift arm 32 is rotatably secured a typical caster wheel assembly 36 . lifting tines 42 are pivotally secured by tine pins 44 between upright tine supports 46 . the tine supports are in turn fastened to plates 48 mounted on the rear surface of the mast horizontal members 12 . as best observed in fig4 a stop plate 50 is secured between the upright tine supports 46 directly above the forward portion of each tine 42 and forward of and over the tine pivotal pin 44 . this plate is located relative to the tine pivotal pin 44 such that a u - shaped tine shoe 54 fixed to the forward end of the respective tine 42 contacts the stop plate 50 when the tine 42 is raised to an angle of approximately 45 ° above horizontal . when the tine shoe 54 contacts the plate 50 , further upward rotation of the tine is prevented . the tines 42 are hollow , triangularly - shaped and tapered from their front portions to their rearward portions , with each tine 42 having a pointed tip 56 to facilitate easier entry under stacks and bales . attached to the rearward portion of the mast 10 is a boom support 58 . the boom support 58 includes two tubular members 60 secured to the rearward side of the mast 10 and a cross brace 62 therebetween . extending rearwardly from the boom support 58 and pivotally attached to the support 58 for swinging movement about a horizontally transverse axis is a boom 64 . a hydraulic cylinder 66 extends between the boom 64 and the boom support cross brace 62 . the cylinder 66 operates to swingably rotate the boom 64 . to the rearward portion of the boom 64 and supported above the tines 42 , is rockably attached a load securing or clamping means 68 for securing the load between the boom 64 and the tines 42 . the clamping means 68 includes a clamp having arch - shaped fingers 70 positioned above and transverse to the tines 42 . the clamp 68 is rockably secured at 72 to the boom 64 and is movable about both a transverse and a lateral axis . to load a stack or bale , the operator simply backs the implement up to the load , lowers the tines 42 to the ground and slidably maneuvers the tines 42 under the load . a stack or bale can be loaded with the lift assist assembly 30 either raised or lowered . the wheels should be raised when the stack or bale is on inclined ground since the tines 42 must slidably follow the ground contour and avoid digging into the ground or stack . as illustrated by the dotted lines in fig2 each tine is capable of independently pivoting about its pivotal pin 44 to slide over uneven ground or contours as they are encountered during the loading or unloading process . when the stack or bale is on level ground or elevated above the ground , the lift assist assembly 30 can be used to position the tines 42 to the proper height and to assure support for the loaded tines 42 . since the pivotable tines will not dig into the ground as readily as fixed tines , less tine and implement damage are incurred during loading operations . often a stack or bale must be transported over rough terrain or for long distances . during such transport the stack or bale is often jarred and will lose its compacted condition . to minimize this problem , the implement is provided with the clamp 68 and the lift assist wheels . the wheels serve to stabilize the tractor - implement combination and provide support for the tine platform to thereby cushion it against shocks . the wheels can also be adjusted to assure that the load rides high enough off the ground to avoid contacting bumps during transport to secure the stack or bale during transport , the clamp 68 is automatically lowered at the end of the lift cycle and the load stabilized between it and the tines . the hydraulic cylinder is sized to give optimum hold down force on any height stack or bale at full system pressure . the arch - shaped clamp allows the implement to be used for stable transport of both stacks and bales . the coupling 72 between the clamp 68 and the boom 64 permits the clamp 68 to pitch or roll to thereby grasp whatever size or shape load being transported . to unload a stack or bale requires that the lift assist wheels be raised and the tines lowered until the load is resting on the ground . the clamps automatically raises and the operator pulls the tines out from under the load . because the tines are triangular and because they are tapered , they will easily slip out of the load without sticking or binding as is often the situation with flat tines .
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the claimed devices and alternate versions 10 , 20 , 30 shown in fig1 , and 5 are comprised of a body 1 with at least one inlet tube 21 and at least one outlet tube 24 for feeding and removing products being processed . inside body 1 are mounted at least one rotor 2 , 22 having a central axis of rotation 101 and one or more stators 4 . the device 10 may be made with a two - facet rotor 2 with stators opposing each rotor face as shown in fig1 or with a one - facet rotor 22 and stator 20 as shown in fig3 and 5 . the central , i . e ., hub part 27 of the stator may be made in the form of a conical or cylindrical shell , and the peripheral part 29 in the form of a disc or frustum of a cone . in addition , apertures 6 may be made in the conical or cylindrical shell of the central part 22 of the stator . to amplify the treatment effect , the stator ( s ) may be mounted with the possibility of varying the clearance relative to the rotor and / or with the possibility of deviation from alignment of the rotor and stator . turbulizing elements 3 , 8 with either rectangular or trapezoidal cross sections may be mounted on the opposing surfaces of the rotor and stator ( s ). turbulizing elements with trapezoidal cross sections permit a substantial increase in the total area of operating clearances between the rotor and stator while preserving the same number of turbulizing elements compared to turbulizing elements with rectangular cross sections . through choke channels or apertures 6 may be made in the central part of the stator hub 27 , which enables cyclic treatment of a flowing liquid medium within the device . moreover , choking of the flowing mechanism using channels and at the inlet or outlet of the device provides various degrees of cyclicity . the peripheral part 29 of the stator may be made in the form of a disk or frustum of a cone . such a design permits it to induce forced bulk vibrations by exerting an acoustic effect on the treated flowing liquid medium . the mounting of two or more stators on one side of the rotor disk means that each of said stators , possessing individual geometric dimensions , also possesses individual acoustic properties . each of said stators operates most efficiently in its own frequency range and proves effective in its own stage of dispersion . and since the size of the phase particles is not uniform during dispersion , each group of such particles is most strongly affected by a certain stator with certain geometric characteristics . thus , the spectrum of frequencies emitted by the stator is expanded . the fabrication of stators with various stiffnesses , and consequently various intrinsic frequencies , is accomplished by manufacturing them of various materials ( metals ), various disk or cone wall thicknesses , or various coaxial cylinder thicknesses . as in the previous example , this expands the spectrum of frequencies emitted by the stator , which in turn increases the effectiveness of processes such as dispersion . mounting the stator ( s ) with the possibility 11 of varying the clearance between the rotor and stator and the amount of misalignment of the rotor and stator axes permits the selection , or each specific treated medium , of the optimal distances between the rotor and stator , at which the maximum ultrasound acoustic emissions of the vibration system of stator ( s ) and rotor are achieved , which in turn permits an increase in effectiveness of treatment of the treated medium by the vibration system of stator ( s ) and rotor , and in a process such as dispersion , produces particles of the dispersed phase with the smallest possible particle diameter for the given system and / or exerts the maximum sterilizing action on the medium . the rotor may be made in the form of a disk 2 , 22 with turbulizing elements 3 . between turbulizing elements 3 , the rotor has incisions and / or slots 9 located on the periphery of the rotor and / or along concentric circles . the disk of rotor 2 may also incorporate one or more apertures 5 , fig1 and fig2 . the apertures 5 permit passage of the medium being processed toward the gap between each rotor - stator pair in the two - facet 22 version of the apparatus . the rotor is spun using an adjustable drive , such as an electric motor , attached to the rotor shaft 7 which enables selection of the rotor speed that will produce resonance or near - resonance acoustic frequencies in the body , stator , and rotor . the central part 27 of stator ( s ) 4 can also have apertures 6 , as shown in fig1 , 7 and 8 . these apertures 6 are made such that their hydraulic resistance is greater than that of the two rotor - stator channels 14 in the two - facet version of the device . this embodiment prevents unprocessed substances from entering the outlet tube of the apparatus . stator 4 has turbulizing elements 8 and is located in body 1 with a clearance such that on each side of disk 2 there may be one , two or more stators 4 . the central part 27 of stator 4 is mounted to body 1 in the area of the rotor &# 39 ; s axis of rotation and has at least one support point 10 ( fig5 ). the attachment of stator ( s ) 4 to body 1 , as shown in fig5 and 6 , permits wide variation of the shape and type of the vibrations of stator ( s ) 4 during operation . the amplitude characteristics of the vibrations of stator ( s ) 4 are determined by preliminary calculation . there is a rotor - stator clearance adjustment means 11 . in one embodiment , the device 10 , 30 is equipped with a system for the adjustment of the gaps between the rotor 2 , 22 face and stator 4 face by variation of the thickness of spacers 11 . this passive gap regulation system is designed to compensate for the wear of turbulizers 3 , 8 and to ensure superfine processing of the medium at minimal gap sizes , if required by quality conditions imposed on the output product . the flowing liquid medium being processed passes through inlet tube 21 of the claimed device into a channel 15 a formed by the hub of stator 4 and the shaft 7 of rotor 3 . then part of the medium passes through apertures 5 into the cavity 15 b between shaft 7 and the hub 27 of stator 4 . acted upon by centrifugal forces created by the rotation of rotor 3 , the medium being processed enters the device &# 39 ; s work zone , 12 formed by rotor 3 and stator 4 . moving in the channels 14 between the rotor 2 and stators 4 , the flowing liquid medium being processed is subjected to combined action in the form of a broad - band pulsed pressure front , cavitation , and ultrasonic vibrations . the guaranteed conditions for the production of ultrasonic vibrations are provided by a special ( eccentric ) mount for the device &# 39 ; s stator ( s ) relative to the axis of the device &# 39 ; s rotor , as shown in fig4 . additional factors which contribute to the production of ultrasonic vibrations are the operation of apertures 6 in stators 4 , which because of their hydraulic resistance , regulate the level of the medium being processed in the space 15 between the stators 4 and the walls of body 1 , thereby creating variable conditions for stator vibration damping or amplification according to the physical chemical properties of the medium being processed and the purposes of its processing . at the same time , part of the flowing liquid medium in the gaps 15 between stators 4 and the walls of body 1 are further processed in the channels 14 between stator 4 and rotor 3 due to the gradual outflow through apertures 6 . the ultrasound acoustic effect of the rotor - stator vibration system on the medium is more powerful for the present device due to differences in the rotor design and the very intense mixing of the medium being processed in the zone ( s ) exposed to the acoustic effect . in a preferred rotor there are a plurality of grooves and / or through slots 9 between the turbulizers 3 which can be located on the periphery of the rotor 2 , 22 and along concentric circles on the rotor &# 39 ; s face ( s ). the incorporation of grooves and through slots permit production of active rotor components with various intrinsic vibration frequencies expanding the spectrum of resonance frequencies of the rotor as a whole . the device may be equipped with at least one additional stator mounted coaxially to the existing stator on the same side of the rotor , and the stators may be made with matching or non - matching intrinsic frequencies . the device may also be fitted with at least one additional stator mounted on the other side of the rotor and may be made with matching or non - matching intrinsic frequencies . in another embodiment two or more stators 4 , 4 a ( fig9 ) are used on the same side of the rotor disk , and that each of them can have different dimensions ( a stator 4 a located near the rotor &# 39 ; s axis of rotation is smaller than a stator located at a large diameter ), permitting the user to obtain each stator &# 39 ; s own intrinsic resonance vibration frequency . stators with smaller dimensions will have higher intrinsic vibration frequencies than stators with larger dimensions . in this embodiment , each device has two or more stators that each operate individually most efficiently in their own rotor speed range . in addition , the grooves and / or slots 9 on the rotor 2 , 22 enable construction of rotors with various intrinsic vibration frequencies . thus , the device with two or more stators located on the same side of the rotor disk , has a rotor - stator system with a wider range of intrinsic vibration frequencies . making stators of different elasticities , i . e ., of various materials with various moduli of elasticity , and also with various disk designs and shapes , also expands the spectrum of intrinsic vibration frequencies of the rotor - stator system , which makes the device more universal and enables it to process a wide range of various flowing liquid media possessing various physical properties ( viscosity , interphase surface tension , sound propagation rate in the system , dissipation of acoustic vibrations ). using the adjustable speed drive , the most efficient rotor speed can be selected to create the most intensive dispersion , and / or sterilization , and / or mixing , or a combination of these and other processes occurring in the media being processed , depending on the desired objective . in yet another embodiment mounting multiple stators on both sides of the rotor disk both increases process efficiency by increasing throughput and also expands the range of the initial stage of breakaway acoustic cavitation because the stators located on different sides of the rotor disk directly affect one another through the flowing liquid medium being processed . mounting the stator ( s ) in the body with the ability to change the distance between it and the rotor and with the ability to misalign their axes increases the effect of the rotating rotor on the stator ( s ). reducing the gap or distance between the rotor and stator , beside intensifying the processing of the flowing liquid medium , also increases the heat released into the fluid , and sharply increases the temperature of the medium being processed . so , for each specific flowing liquid medium processed , the rotor - stator clearance is selected so that high temperature does not cause changes in the liquid medium that would have adverse effects . in contrast , misaligning the stators and the rotor increases the effect of the rotating rotor on the stator ( s ), since any increase in the irregularity of the gap between the rotor and stator will increase the resulting effect of the rotor on the stator , which will in turn intensify the acoustic processes in the rotor - stator system — this also intensifies the processes occurring in the medium being processed . thus , the claimed device considerably intensifies the processes of dispersion , homogenization , mixing , and dissolution , and enables sonochemical ( acoustic chemical ) reactions and / or the aforementioned processes of pasteurization or sterilization of flowing liquid media . active mixing , combined with intense ultrasound acoustic treatment , produces favorable conditions during dispersion of solutions , for example , hydrophobic colorants , during homogenization of milk and milk products , preparation of and ultrafine emulsions and dispersions . the two aforementioned factors also have a favorable effect in pasteurization and sterilization processes , since they permit the entire treated medium to be subjected uniformly to intense acoustic effects that destroy bacteria and microorganisms . the adjustable drive permits selection of the rotor speed that produces near resonant or resonant acoustic vibration frequencies in the body , stator and rotor . the mounting of two or more stators on one side of the rotor disk , because each has different dimensions ( the stator located closer to the rotor axis is smaller than the stator located at a larger diameter ), enables each of them to produce its own intrinsic resonance vibration frequency . stators with smaller dimensions will have higher intrinsic vibration frequencies than stators with larger dimensions . in this case , the device has two or more stators , each of which separately operates most effectively in its own intrinsic rotor speed range . in addition , the incisions and / or slots on the rotor permit production of rotors having various intrinsic vibration frequencies . thus , the device under discussion , with two or more stators located on one side of the rotor disk , has a rotor - stator system with a wider spectrum of intrinsic vibration frequencies . making stators with various stiffnesses , i . e ., of various materials possessing various moduli of elasticity , and with various disk designs and shapes , also expands the spectrum of intrinsic vibration frequencies of the rotor - stator system , which makes this device more universal and permits its use for treatment of a wide range of various flowing liquid media possessing various physical properties both originally and during treatment ( viscosity , interphase surface tension , sound propagation rate in the system , dissipation of acoustic vibrations in the system , etc .). by using the adjustable drive at the acoustic vibration maximum , the most effective rotor speed can be selected , at which , depending on the objective to be accomplished , the most intense dispersion and / or sterilization , and / or mixing , or a combination of these and other processes occurring in the treated media occurs . the mounting of stators on both sides of the rotor disk permits both an increase in process efficiency through increased throughput and an expansion of the range of initial stage of breakaway acoustic cavitation because the stators located on opposite sides of the rotor disk exert a direct effect on one another through the flowing liquid medium being treated . the mounting of a stator or stators in the body with the possibility of varying the distance between them and the rotor and with the possibility of deviation from alignment between them enhances the effect of the rotating rotor on the stator ( s ). reducing the clearance ( distance ) between the rotor and stator besides amplifying the effect of treatment of the flowing liquid medium , also increases heat released into the liquid and sharply increases the temperature of the treated medium . therefore , for each specific flowing liquid medium treated , the clearance between the rotor and stator ( s ) is selected such that the high temperature does not produce changes in the liquid medium with negative consequences . the misalignment between the stator ( s ) and the rotor disk , on the other hand , intensifies the effect on the part of the rotating rotor on the stator ( s ), since any amplification or increase in the irregularity of the gap between the rotor and stator amplifies the resulting effect on the part of the rotor on the stator , which in turn intensifies the acoustic processes in the rotor and stator system . this also intensifies the processes occurring in the treated medium . thus , the claimed device enables considerable intensification of the processes of dispersion , homogenization , mixing , dissolution , and permits sonochemical reactions and / or the aforementioned processes to be performed in combination with high - performance pasteurization or sterilization .
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as can be seen in fig1 the inventive toilet flush actuator has a stem 1 on a first end of which a handle member 2 is attached . the handle member 2 can be connected to the end of the stem 1 either removably or permanently . removably connecting the handle member 2 by , for example a threaded connection , permits interchanging of different types and shapes of handle members as required by different environments and applications . instead of or in addition to the handle member 2 , other extension members 3 project from the stem 1 so as to form a recess which can receive the wrist or forearm of an individual so that the toilet can be flushed by those without the ability to actuate the toilet with their hands . the stem 1 passes through a sleeve 4 so that the second end of the stem 1 projects from the sleeve 4 . an engaging member 7 is attached to the second end of the stem 1 and is preferably in the shape of a wheel whose axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stem 1 . a bracket 5 has a first end fixed to the end of the sleeve 4 from which the second end of the stem 1 projects . the bracket 5 is shaped so as to hook over the top edge of a toilet tank 9 while still permitting the tank lid 12 to be placed on top of the tank 9 . the second end of the bracket 5 has a threaded hole therein through which a set screw 6 can pass . the set screw 6 can be tightened against the inside of the tank 9 so as to secure the bracket 5 and thus the overall device . the bracket 5 is further shaped so as to maintain the sleeve 4 in a substantially vertical orientation . when the bracket 5 is mounted on the tank 9 , the engaging member 7 rests on the toilet lever 8 . the sleeve 4 has a longitudinal slot 11 in which a pin 13 , that projects orthogonally from the stem 1 , slides . the slot 11 and pin 13 serve to limit the travel of the stem 1 through the sleeve 4 . a spring 10 , such as a coil spring , is arranged in the sleeve 4 so as to be coaxial to the stem 1 . one end of the spring 10 engages the pin 13 while the other end of the spring 10 engages the bracket 5 to which the sleeve 4 is connected . the spring 10 serves to keep the pin 13 in its upper limit position against the upper end of the slot 11 . as the stem 1 is pushed down against the force of the spring 10 , the engaging member 7 pushes down the flush lever 8 of the toilet . once the flushing action of the toilet begins and the handle member 2 or extension member 3 is released , the spring 10 forces the stem 1 upward which disengages the engaging member 7 from the flush lever 8 of the toilet and allows the toilet tank 9 to refill . fig5 shows another embodiment of the invention in which the stem 1 is connected at its lower end with an elastic sleeve 14 . the elastic sleeve 14 is well suited for use with toilets that operate with pressurized water . such toilets generally have a round handle and do not have a tank . thus , it is not possible to use the first described embodiment of the present invention . in this second embodiment the elastic sleeve 14 stretches to surround the toilet handle and is held in place by the elastic forces of the sleeve 14 . the elastic sleeve 14 is also provide with an additional sleeve portion 18 that is molded to the body of the sleeve 14 so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 14 . the additional sleeve portion 18 is dimensioned so that it must be expanded to permit the stem 1 to be placed therein . the elastic force of the additional sleeve portion 18 serves to connect the stem 1 to the elastic sleeve 14 and the elastic sleeve 14 in turn holds the stem 1 on the toilet handle . in certain situations the elastic sleeve 14 , 18 will not sufficiently hold the stem 1 in a vertical orientation . to overcome this problem , a guide member 15 is provided that has one end with an eyelet or through - hole 16 through which the stem 1 can pass . the other end 17 of the guide member 15 is then mounted to the wall of the bathroom by a , for example , a suction cup . the other end 17 of the mounting member 15 can also be mounted to the wall in other way which would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , for example by gluing or screwing to the wall . all of the components of the above - described embodiments , with the exception of the elastic sleeve 14 , 18 , can be made of a variety of different materials based upon cost and manufacturing considerations which provide the desired physical characteristics . for example , the spring 10 can be made of either plastic or metal while the remaining components can be made of plastic , metal or wood . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a toilet flush actuator , 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 . what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims :
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as shown in fig1 and 2 , an exemplary deboning machine 20 is illustrated and includes a compression type conveyor screw or auger 22 that operates in close proximity to a perforated frusto - conical body 24 defined as a separation chamber 25 . bone connected meat is communicated from a feed end 26 of the machine 20 to a bone discharge end 28 of the machine 20 . separation chamber 25 includes a number of perforations 30 defined in a circumferential wall of the body 24 . as rotation of auger 22 moves meat and bone material through body 24 toward discharge end 28 , meat separated from the bone material passes radially through the perforations 30 in body 24 and the remaining bone material is dispelled from machine 20 proximate bone discharge end 28 of machine 20 . a valve ring may surround the auger 22 and engage a threaded surface 32 ( fig1 , and 4 ) defined by a head frame member 34 . the valve ring creates a back pressure to provide a choke for controlling pressure within the separation chamber 25 , thereby controlling extrusion through the perforations 30 of the chamber 25 of the separated meat . it is further appreciated that the perforations 30 associated with the separation chamber 25 can be manipulated to be provided in different patterns , sizes , shapes , and / or frequency to provide variable operating pressures along a longitudinal length of the separation chamber 25 and to alter the separation performance of machine 20 . the separation chamber 25 is typically of machined heavy duty steel for withstanding the high pressures associated with the deboning operation . the perforations 30 extend between radial inner and outer surfaces of the chamber wall , and present a plurality of sharp arcuate edges which , in cooperation with the fluted turns of the auger 22 , function to strip the meat from its bone as the bone connected meat is moved progressively by the turns of the auger 22 from the feed end 26 to the bone discharge end 28 . accurate and controllable spacing between the auger 22 and the separation chamber 25 is necessary to attain proper or desired processing of the raw materials to attain a desired finish material content and consistency . accurate and controllable spacing also reduces premature and / or undesired wear of the auger 22 and / or the separation chamber 25 , with such wear being attributable to improper spacing between the auger 22 and the separation chamber 25 . commonly , during the service life of the auger 22 and / or the separation chamber 25 , it is periodically necessary to adjust the spacing between the auger 22 and the separation chamber 25 to maintain the desired characteristics of the finished product . as the auger 22 and the separation chamber 25 are commonly provided in concentrically oriented frusto - conical shapes , lateral translation of the auger 22 , or translation of the auger 22 in a direction aligned with a longitudinal axis 48 ( see fig4 ) of the auger 22 , relative to the concentrically positioned separation chamber 25 provides a uniform spacing along the longitudinal interface between the auger 22 and the separation chamber 25 . there is presently a demand for an adjustment assembly for manipulating the position of the auger 22 relative to the separation chamber 25 that is convenient to use , easy to adjust , and provides repeatable positioning of the auger 22 relative to the separation chamber 25 . referring to fig1 - 6 , machine 20 includes an auger mount assembly 40 that supports one end 44 of auger 22 relative to a support housing or head 46 of machine 20 . mount assembly 40 includes one or more bearings 50 , 52 that cooperate with an opening 54 formed in head 46 . a retainer 56 extends longitudinally through and is supported by bearings 50 , 52 and cooperates with the opening 54 so as to fix the longitudinal position of retainer 56 relative to head 46 . a longitudinal opening 58 is formed through retainer 56 and shaped to slidably cooperate with a shaft portion 60 of auger 22 . a threaded section 62 is formed along shaft portion 60 of auger 22 near end 44 . shaft portion 60 of auger 22 extends beyond an outboard directed end face 64 of retainer 56 and operatively cooperates with a nut 66 that can be engaged therewith . a number of fasteners or bolts 70 , 72 , 74 ( fig2 ) cooperate with nut 66 . fasteners 70 , 72 pass through respective openings 76 , 78 defined in nut 66 and engage respective corresponding cavities 80 , 82 defined in an outboard directed end face 64 of retainer 56 . fastener 74 is oriented in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis 48 of the auger 22 and longitudinal axes of fasteners 70 , 72 , and cooperates with nut 66 , but does not otherwise interfere with or engage retainer 54 . as explained further below , fastener 74 provides a first manner of temporarily fixing the orientation of nut 66 such that nut 66 cannot rotate relative to auger 22 . a thrust plate 84 is secured to head 46 and fixes the lateral orientation of retainer 56 relative to head 46 . retainer 56 is allowed to rotate relative to head 46 , but , with respect to the direction of the longitudinal axis 48 of auger 22 , the retainer 56 is positionally fixed with respect to head 46 . retainer 56 includes a tool lip 86 that extends beyond an outboard facing sidewall 88 of thrust plate 84 . tool lip 86 is constructed to operationally cooperate with a tool such as a wrench 90 . as explained further below , the cooperation of a wrench 90 with retainer 56 , nut 66 with retainer 56 , and shaft 60 of auger 22 allows a user to repeatedly and conveniently establish a working distance or spacing , indicated by arrow 96 ( fig4 and 6 ) between flutes 100 of auger 22 and a radially internal facing surface 102 of separator chamber 25 . preferably , working distance 96 is provided as approximately ⅛ inch although other working dimensions are envisioned . with continued reference to fig1 - 6 , wrench 90 is adapted to engage tool lip 86 of retainer 56 and rotate the retainer 56 relative to the head 46 . the nut 66 is coupled to the retainer 56 via fasteners 70 , 72 and rotates with the retainer 56 . the nut 66 threads onto the threaded portion 62 of the auger 22 until the nut 66 engages the wrench 90 . a space 95 is provided by a width 94 of the wrench 90 and the space 95 is between the nut 66 and the outboard facing sidewall 88 of the thrust plate 84 . the wrench 90 is then removed from the tool lip 86 and the nut 66 can be further advanced onto the auger 22 an amount equal to the space 95 . as explained further below , when fully assembled and configured for operation , the distance associated with space 95 allows translation of auger 22 in a lateral direction out of contact engagement with internal facing surface 102 of separation chamber 25 . said in another way , space 95 defines working distance 96 associated with the position of auger 22 relative to separation chamber 25 . during assembly of machine 20 , auger 22 is introduced into separation chamber 25 from the left - hand side ( as viewed in fig4 ) such that shaft 60 passes through retainer 56 , the threaded portion 62 of auger 22 extends beyond retainer 56 , and the nut 66 can be engaged with the threaded portion 62 at a location outboard of thrust plate 84 . auger 22 is laterally translatable along the longitudinal axis 48 with respect to retainer 56 , but is rotationally supported by the retainer 56 . retainer 56 is rotatable relative to head 46 and auger 22 via manipulation of wrench 90 so as to align nut 66 for engagement of bolts 70 , 72 with openings 80 , 82 of retainer 56 . as mentioned above , wrench 90 has a thickness , indicated by arrow 94 ( fig4 and 5 ) such that wrench 90 extends in an outboard direction , or a direction toward nut 66 , beyond the end face 64 of retainer 56 so as to maintain space 95 between nut 66 and retainer 56 when nut 66 is loosely engaged with auger 22 . as explained further below , when fully assembled , space 95 defines the working distance 96 between auger 22 and separation chamber 25 . with nut 66 loosely engaged with threaded portion 62 of auger 22 , fasteners 70 , 72 may be loosely engaged with retainer 56 . nut 66 may be rotated to capture wrench 90 between nut 66 and outboard facing sidewall 88 of thrust plate 84 . rotation of wrench 90 , and thereby retainer 56 , facilitates the alignment of fasteners 70 , 72 with the respective openings 76 , 78 in nut 66 and cavities 80 , 82 in retainer 56 . with fasteners 70 , 72 loosely engaged between nut 66 and retainer 56 , rotation of wrench 90 in a tightening direction , associated with arrow 104 , advances nut 66 along the threads 62 of auger shaft 60 to translate auger 22 in a lateral direction , indicated by arrow 106 , relative to retainer 56 . said another way , rotating the wrench 90 in the direction associated with arrow 104 rotates retainer 56 and nut 66 , thereby moving the auger 22 in the direction associated with arrow 106 and into abutting engagement with surface 102 of separation chamber 25 . this abutting engagement is commonly termed “ bottoming out ” of the auger 22 relative to the separation chamber 25 . when rotation of wrench 90 can no longer advance auger 22 in the lateral direction 106 toward surface 102 due to the contact between the auger 22 and the surface 102 , machine 20 is not configured for operation as auger 22 must be backed off a desired distance from surface 102 to attain the desired working spacing 96 between the auger 22 and the surface 102 of the separation chamber 25 . operation of machine 20 requires removal of wrench 90 and the final securing of nut 66 relative to shaft 60 of auger 22 and retainer 56 , and thereby the final positioning of auger 22 relative to separation chamber 25 . slight counter - directional rotation of wrench 90 from the bottomed out orientation allows wrench 90 to be disengaged from retainer 56 . once wrench 90 has been removed , tightening of bolt 74 manipulates an internal circumference of nut 66 such that nut 66 circumferentially compresses about threaded portion 62 of shaft 60 and thereby effectively fixes the positional orientation of nut 66 relative to shaft 60 . however , at this stage of assembly , auger 22 has yet to attain the working orientation associated with spacing 96 as gap 95 still exists between nut 66 and retainer 56 . once nut 66 has been positionally fixed with respect to shaft 60 via tightening of fastener 74 , tightening of fasteners 70 , 72 moves nut 66 and auger 22 in a left - hand direction ( as viewed in fig4 and 5 ) toward and into contact with retainer 56 a distance equal to gap 95 . the dimension associated with gap 95 is translated to provide working space 96 between auger 22 and surface 102 of separation chamber 25 . referring to fig3 - 5 , a portion of nut 66 includes a slot 108 that extends in a circumferential direction around the nut 66 and at least one of the openings 76 , 78 associated with receiving fasteners 70 , 72 communicates with the slot 108 . initial tightening of the respective fastener 70 , 72 translates nut 66 and auger 22 in a direction that moves the auger 22 out of contact engagement with surface 102 of separation chamber 25 . this distance associated with gap 95 translates to the working spacing 96 between the auger 22 and the surface 102 . once nut 66 abuts retainer 56 , thereby indicating that auger 22 has achieved a desired operational working spacing 96 relative to separation chamber 25 , continued tightening of the respective fastener ( s ) 70 , 72 compresses at least an outboard oriented portion of nut 66 on an outboard side of slot 108 to drive threads 120 associated with the outboard portion of the nut 66 proximate slot 108 to a position of interfering engagement with the threads 62 auger 22 . accordingly , mount assembly 40 provides two manners of resisting movement of auger 22 relative to nut 66 when the mount assembly 40 is fully assembled : ( 1 ) the compression of the nut 66 around the threaded portion 62 of the auger by tightening fastener 74 ; and ( 2 ) the presence of the slot 108 and the associated interference created by compressing the outboard portion of the nut 66 into the threaded portion 62 of the auger 22 . in one exemplary embodiment , wrench 90 may include a graphical depiction that represents the sequential operation of nut 66 , wrench 90 , and fasteners 70 , 72 , 74 . such graphical representation may be similar to that illustrated in fig7 and may include just pictures , just text , or both pictures and text . exemplary text may include a variety of steps . for example , steps 1 - 5 may be associated with the top left illustration in fig7 and may recite : 1 ) install auger onto machine ; 2 ) install head onto machine ; 3 ) thread nut onto auger leaving ⅛ inch clearance ; 4 ; hand - tighten 2 screws into face of nut ; and 5 ) insert wrench . additionally , for example , step 6 may be associated with the top right illustration in fig7 and may recite : 6 ) turn wrench as far as possible until auger bottoms out on chamber . moreover , for example , steps 7 - 9 may be associated with the bottom left illustration in fig7 and may recite : 7 ) back out nut minimal distance so wrench can be removed ; 8 ) tighten screw in side of nut with hex key wrench ; and 9 ) remove wrench . furthermore , for example , steps 10 and 11 may be associated with the bottom right illustration and may recite : 10 ) tighten both screws in face of nut ; and 11 ) rotate auger inside head using hex key wrench . in addition to being convenient to operate , mount assembly 40 provides an auger mounting arrangement that allows convenient adjustment of the position of the auger 22 relative to the separation chamber 25 to achieve a desired spacing therebetween . that is , it is envisioned that wrenches of different thicknesses 94 could be provided which may be configured to provide a desired working spacing 96 between the auger 22 and the separation chamber 25 . any such desired working spacing 96 may be a function of the desired operation , product yield , tolerable yield product quality , material being processed , separation chamber 25 and / or auger shape and / or construction , etc . the auger mounting arrangement provides a convenient and easy to use configuration for creating a repeatable , accurate , and desirable spacing between the auger 22 and separation chamber 25 of compression type deboning machines . the abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure . it is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims . in addition , in the foregoing detailed description , it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure . this method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim . rather , as the following claims reflect , inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment . thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description , with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter . while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described , it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure . accordingly , the disclosure is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents .
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referring now to the drawings , fig1 - 11 depict various embodiments of a metallic microwavable bowl . referring now to fig1 , a microwavable container 2 of the present invention is provided in an exploded view , and which identifies a metal lid 4 with interconnected pull tab 26 , as well as a removable plastic lid 6 which is positioned thereon . in use , the metal lid 4 is hermetically sealed to the metallic side wall upper portion 10 of the container after the foodstuff is placed in the container during filling operations . during use , the metal lid 4 is removed from the metallic sidewall 8 , and the removable plastic lid 6 is positioned on an upper end of the metallic side wall 8 , to prevent splattering and to improve the heating of the foodstuff contained in the microwavable container 2 . referring now to fig2 , a detailed drawing of the upper portion of one embodiment of the microwavable container 2 is provided herein and which depicts the interconnection of the metal lid 4 which is used in conjunction with a sealant material 20 , and further identifying a seam with a lower lip used to retain the removable plastic lid 6 . alternatively , the metal lid 4 is interconnected to the metallic side wall upper portion by a conventional double seam commonly used in the container manufacturing industry . referring now to fig3 , the microwavable container 2 of fig1 is provided herein as viewed from a bottom perspective view . more specifically , the microwavable container 2 comprises a metallic side wall 8 which includes a sidewall upper portion 10 , a metallic sidewall lower portion 12 , and a reinforcing member 16 which is used to interconnect the microwavable transparent bottom portion 14 to the metallic sidewall 8 . in one embodiment of the present invention the microwavable transparent material is comprised of a polyethylene or a polypropylene / evoh , nylon , pet or other plastics , and as appreciated by one skilled in the art can comprise any number of materials which allow the passing of microwavable energy . furthermore , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the microwavable transparent bottom portion 14 has a cross sectional area of at least about 1 . 25 square inches , to allow optimum heating of the foodstuff contained within the microwavable container 2 . the bottom reinforcing member 16 is used for interconnecting the metallic sidewall lower portion 12 to the microwavable transparent bottom portion 14 , and is generally comprised of a metal material such as aluminum , or steel . however , as appreciated by one skilled in the art this material may also be comprised of a plastic material such as polypropylene , polyethylene or other well known materials in the art . referring now to fig4 , a cut - away sectional view of one embodiment of a microwavable container 2 is provided herein , and depicts additional detail oft he double seam used to interconnect the microwavable transparent bottom portion 14 to the metallic sidewall lower portion 12 and the bottom reinforcing member 16 as further provided in fig5 . as shown in fig5 , a conventional double seam 30 is used in one embodiment of the present invention and which efficiently interconnects the bottom reinforcing member 16 to the peripheral edge of a microwavable transparent material 18 and to a lower portion of the metallic sidewall 12 . additionally , a sealant material 20 may be positioned between at least 2 of either the metallic sidewall lower portion 12 , the microwavable transparent material 18 , or the bottom reinforcing member 16 to improve and assure the hermetic seal of the microwavable container 2 . preferably the sealant is comprised of an elastomer , a silicon or a latex based material . referring now to fig6 , an alternative embodiment of the present invention is provided herein which depicts a bottom perspective view of a microwavable container 2 which utilizes an alternative geometric pattern for the microwavable transparent material 18 . although in this embodiment additional rigidity is provided with the bottom reinforcing member 16 , and which creates 4 individual pieces of the microwavable transparent material 18 , any variety of geometric shapes and configurations may be used as appreciated by one skilled in the art . preferably , and as stated above , the microwavable transparent material 18 has a surface area sufficient to efficiently heat the foodstuffs contained within the microwavable container 2 , and thus is preferably at least about 1 . 25 square inches , and more preferably about 3 . 0 square inches . furthermore , and again referring to fig6 , the upper portion of the container 2 has a greater diameter than a lower portion , which appears to have superior heating qualities when compared with a traditional food container with a generally cylindrical shape . alternatively , the lower portion of the container 2 may be designed to have a larger diameter than an upper portion of the container , or a generally cylindrical shape may be utilized . referring now to fig7 - 11 , sectional front elevation views of a lower portion of alternative embodiments of a microwavable container 2 are provided herein . more specifically , various embodiments are provided herein which show the interconnection oft he microwavable transparent material 18 , the bottom reinforcing member 16 , and the lower portion of the sidewall 12 . more specifically , as shown in fig7 , a weld 22 is provided which effectively interconnects the microwavable transparent material 18 to the bottom reinforcing member 16 along an upper edge oft he bottom reinforcing material 16 . as shown in fig8 , the weld 22 in this embodiment extends over a portion of the bottom reinforcing member 16 and along a portion of the bottom edge . referring now to fig9 , yet another embodiment of the seal between the microwavable transparent material 18 and the bottom reinforcing member 16 is shown herein and wherein the weld 22 extends downwardly along the bottom reinforcing member 16 in a slightly different configuration . referring now to fig1 - 11 , two alternative embodiments of the present invention are provided , wherein a double seam is not utilized to interconnect the microwavable transparent material 14 to a lower portion of the container sidewall 12 . further , in both of the embodiments depicted in fig1 and fig1 the microwavable container 2 rests completely on the microwavable transparent material 14 , and there is no requirement for a bottom reinforcing material 16 . rather , the lower portion of the container sidewall 12 is merely welded 22 directly to the microwavable transparent material 14 to create an airtight seal , thus eliminating entirely the requirement for the reinforcing material 156 and the step of double seaming these materials together . further , based on the inherent rigidity of the metallic sidewall 12 and microwavable transparent material 18 , there is no need of the bottom reinforcing member 16 , and thus a significant cost savings . although each of the geometric configurations provided in fig7 - 11 have proven to be effective , numerous other variations may be provided as appreciated by one skilled in the art and which may be dictated by preferred geometric shapes , material costs , and / or manufacturing concerns . referring now to fig1 - 14 , bar graphs are provided herein which summarize test data taken during development to compare the heating efficiency oft he hybrid microwavable container 2 of the present invention with respect to a typical plastic or foam microwavable bowl , and more specifically a container comprised of a polypropylene evoh thermo formed barrier sheet material . as depicted in the graphs , each of the containers were filled with a beef with country vegetable soup , and heated over a period of time up to 150 seconds at a power rating of 1100 watts . during this time period , the temperatures of the soup were taken at various positions within the containers , and the data collected and provided herein . more specifically , fig1 depicts the average temperature comparison oft he soup within the hybrid microwavable container 2 and the plastic bowl , while fig1 represents the middle top temperature of the soup in the containers . fig1 represents the middle bottom temperature , while fig1 represents the top side temperature , while the bottom side temperature is depicted in fig1 . a line graph further depicting the comparisons between the heating in the microwavable container 2 and a typical plastic container is further shown in fig1 , which shows the various temperature over time in different portions of the container . as supported by the data shown in fig1 - 15 , the metal microwavable container 2 of the present invention is shown to have superior heating characteristics for the middle portions of the container , which is advantageous compared to typical plastic and foam microwavable containers which typically overheat the contents near the sidewall and lower portions of the container , thus causing burning of the foodstuffs contained therein , as well as potential deformation of the plastic container and an alteration in taste . with regard to the test data used to plot fig1 - 15 , table 1 is provided herein , and which identifies the temperatures taken at various locations within the containers , and comparing both a conventional microwavable plastic bowl and the hybrid metallic microwavable bowl of the present invention . for example , after 60 seconds the middle bottom of the hybrid bowl has a temperature of 173 ° f ., while a conventional plastic / foam bowl comprised of a polypropylene evoh thermo formed barrier material has a temperature of only 107 ° f . furthermore , the top side of the conventional bowl has a temperature of 163 ° f ., as compared to the hybrid bowl of the present invention , which has a temperature of 83 ° f . similar readings may be found at times of 90 seconds and 150 seconds , which clearly show the advantage of the hybrid bowl which heats from the “ inside out ” as opposed to the “ outside - in ”, and thus substantially reducing the likelihood of inconsistent heating and deformation of the container along the sidewalls . # components 2 microwavable container 4 metal lid 6 removable plastic lid 8 metallic sidewall 10 metallic sidewall upper portion 12 metallic sidewall lower portion 14 microwavable transparent bottom portion 16 bottom reinforcing member 18 peripheral edge of microwavable transparent material 20 sealant material 22 weld 24 insulative material 26 pull tab 28 venting apertures 30 double seam while an effort has been made to describe various alternatives to the preferred embodiment , other alternatives will readily come to mind to those skilled in the art . therefore , it should be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof . present examples and embodiments , therefore , are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , and the invention is not intended to be limited to the details given herein .
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reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the system and the method for silicon cooler with intelligent mobile device disclosed in the present patent application , examples of which are also provided in the following description . exemplary embodiments of the system and method disclosed in the present patent application are described in detail , although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not particularly important to an understanding of the system and method may not be shown for the sake of clarity . furthermore , it should be understood that the system and method disclosed in the present patent application is not limited to the precise embodiments described below and that various changes and modifications thereof may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the protection . for example , elements and / or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and / or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure . embodiments of the present patent application described hereafter present an active temperature sensor system coupled with the cooler actuators . the exact mobile devices for this purpose in the network have been developed . silicon cooling end and heating end pairs are used to fulfill this localized temperature control task , since the conventional fan system has only static information [ 3 ] . temperature balance techniques are provided according to one broad aspect of the present patent application and may be used on top of such solutions as water proof design for cup holder warm or cool application , to just enhance the user experience . with reference to fig1 , a handle 106 is added to a typical projector 105 including a pair of left and right led and cameras ( labeled 101 ˜ 104 ). the material of the radiator 107 in handle 106 could be gold , silver , aluminum , copper , titanium , platinum , etc . the figure of handle 108 for rectangular projector 109 is shown on the left ; the figure of handle 110 for square projector 111 is shown in the middle ; the figure of club handle 112 for projector 113 is shown on the right . with reference to fig2 , a waterproof foldable tri - pod 205 ( shown on the left ) is made up of two hotlegs 201 / 202 and a coldleg 203 . the working status on a projector 204 is shown on the right . with reference to fig3 , two flips form a hot pad 302 and a cold pad 303 to cool or warm an object 301 in water cup 304 . the right side shows the side view of the two flips , with hot cover 305 and cold cover 306 respectively . with reference to fig4 , a projector having cold pad 401 and hot pad 403 is combined with a secondary mobile battery charge 402 . with reference to fig5 , the software flow diagram illustrates a typical cooling procedure . first of all , certain humidity requirements must be met , otherwise wait until met . once met , startup cooler control manager to prepare for cooling . then check temperature regularly . if temperature is very high or moderately high , turn on actuator to cool and turn on corresponding display led ; if temperature is moderately low , turn off overheat warning display led and actuator diode to stop cooling ; if temperature is abnormally low , go back to the very beginning to check if humidity requirements still met . with reference to fig6 , a projector with a pair of actuators used as silicon cooler is demonstrated . the upper part shows that actuator 601 is connected from positive electrode to actuator ′ 602 , then back to negative electrode . the lower part explains that the silicon cooler is made up of several pairs of sensors and actuators . in each pair , sensor n senses temperature , actuator n used for cooling and actuator n ′ used for heating . with reference to fig7 , camera 701 and 704 is connected to qualcomm modem 715 through csi 714 and 716 respectively . two dsi outputs 711 and 712 from qualcomm modem 715 are connected to virtual keyboard 710 and lcd 713 respectively . meanwhile , dsi outputs 711 and 712 are transformed to rgb format 707 and 709 by quicklogic interface 708 . then rgb signal 707 and 709 is transmitted to dmd 702 and 703 under the control of dlpc 705 and 706 , respectively . an embodiment of the present patent application involves extending traditional cooler to warmer or even projector for comprehensive usability . the multi - function concept may be used in temperature control devices to enable the self stander at the same time . according to an embodiment of the present patent application , the final temperature is adjusted to effectively reach a compromise between battery performance and the brightness . for example , different season can be associated with different level of temperature . implementations of the embodiments of the present patent application disclosed herein may also be useful for future internet of things communication , where unattended sensors need temperature controlling by the machine itself . the silicon cooler principles disclosed herein are also substantially independent of system architecture and may be used for virtually all embedded devices need the temperature control . one basic rule which could be implemented in accordance with an implementation of the embodiments of the present patent application is when the temperature becomes too high , water can be used to as the coolant . the specific type of each component will be implementation - dependent . the particular structure and operation of the cool - hot pairs may be different for different formats of mechanical designs . in addition , the present patent application is in no way restricted to implementation with mobile devices or other types of device having the specific structure shown in the drawings . different or fewer components , with different sensor and actuator interconnections , may be used in a device in which an implementation of the present patent application can be done . according to another embodiment , a single device incorporates both portable charger , cooler , or warmer , with the projecting devices , can be built to form the said multi - function products with any smart phone , with corresponding applications , to fulfill the bright projector applications . in one proto - type system , part of the projector is sourced from ti dlp6401 processor , the coloring flash is provided by quicklogic dsi - rgb bridge , both wifi and lte is from qualcomm , the cooling warming thermal diode pair is from maxim . many different types of implementation and realization of the present patent application are possible , e . g . the camera can be included to detect the human eyes , once the eye is detected , the brightness is lowered immediately to protect human from fainting side effect . other different types of implementation and realization of the present patent application are possible , e . g . the thermal diode can be included to detect the temperature on pcb , once the hot spot is detected , the heat pump is kicked off to move the heat to outside radiation handle or legs immediately to protect pcb heat sick for led light from over heat . components or devices described as hardware above may alternatively be implemented partially in application software . similarly , method steps disclosed herein may be performed by hardware or implemented in software code . the embodiments effectively eliminate the fan cool noise , and allow the water cool of legs as an option . it does so with the sensor actuator feedback pair . the unique water cool methodology is optimized for projector on built in tri - pod . all embedded feedback controlling firmware system implementations are supported , with humidity sensors . while the present patent application has been shown and described with particular references to a number of embodiments thereof , it should be noted that various other changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention .
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the systems and method described herein relate to predictive and descriptive modeling systems . more specifically , the systems and methods pertain to the creation , storage , retrieval , and maintenance of data and metadata in predictive and descriptive modeling systems . the system creates and maintains model metadata , model executions , and their resulting model outputs . methods for capturing , classifying , and documenting model inputs and outputs are also provided . the apparatus supports mapping physical or logical structures in a database system via a system catalog to a model for the purpose of defining model inputs . these inputs can be used in a one - to - one mapping or as part of a defined usage context ( e . g ., a derived field such as an indicator or calculated metric ) that may utilize multiple fields or even other mappings . a flexible storage solution may also be provided , which eliminates the need for structural database changes for the deployment of new or updated models . this leads to significant savings of time and money . these structures also facilitate retrieval and ensure consistent application integration via a standard table - based interface . additionally , the model instance may provide an audit trail including the user , server , server network address , system process identifier , and timestamp for the execution . outputs from a model execution are tagged with the corresponding model instance identifier , which allows analysts to see the history of models and their scores over time without ambiguity . aspects of the present invention provide for a centralized predictive knowledge repository , which contains the sum of an enterprise &# 39 ; s predictive experience . previously , this knowledge was tacit , existing in the minds of employees or scattered about network drives in unstructured documents and computer code . consistency and structure are provided by embodiments of the invention . in particular , regardless of the type of predictive model used , or the inputs or outputs of model , the model metadata and model outputs are stored and managed . previously , ad - hoc database structures had to be built for new models . among the other advantages to this structural consistency is that applications consuming the model outputs have a standardized method of retrieval . no matter how the underlying predictive model changes , the retrieval of outputs remains consistent . this is advantageous because it reduces development time and deployment cost , and increases speed to market . some aspects of the present invention provide real - time operating ability , in terms of optimized score management processes , output structure and accessibility . as a knowledge repository , the process starts when the modeler enters data into an application via , for example , a web - based user interface . once entered , model information is available to the enterprise and linked to the outputs produced by each model . information that may be captured includes the predictive technique , the model author , and the data used as inputs to the models . regardless of the modeler &# 39 ; s inputs describing the predictive model , every new model is assigned a model identifier , or model_id , that uniquely identifies the model . models built for a related purpose are also assigned a model_group_id . start and end dates determine a predictive model &# 39 ; s lifetime . an identification strategy such as this one is key to enabling effective consumption of the resulting model scores and measuring effectiveness . every time the model runs , an instance identifier is created , called the model_instance_id , which directly precedes the execution of the model . a creation date - time is logged and a status field is set to “ r ” ( running ). a user can view the data at this time , observe that a particular model is running , find out on what server it is running on , and view other completed instances to understand how long the model will take to finish . if the model completes successfully , the instance record is updated and the status field is reset to “ c ” ( complete ). a communication may be sent to interested parties upon completion of the model execution . when a model successfully operates , its outputs are stored in the application and are retrievable using model_instance_id as a key . this allows for analytic evaluation of a model &# 39 ; s scores over time , and ultimately its historical performance . application layers ( e . g ., views or semantic layers ) store the most recent scores in a format convenient to consuming software applications , which greatly improves the performance of consuming applications , particularly when large data volumes are involved . fig1 illustrates the context in which embodiments of the invention may be used . in particular , the context is one in which modeling environment 101 is functionally dependent on a database 102 , both reading data from and writing data back to the database 102 . fig2 illustrates components of an exemplary production model execution environment , with functional dependencies noted . thus , fig2 expands on fig1 by showing how a production modeling environment may consist of scheduling and storage components , as well as an execution engine . thus , fig2 shows that the model execution engine 201 may read and write to a database 202 . it may also invoke models from the model storage environment 203 , and receive notifications from the model storage environment 203 . the model storage environment 203 may call the scheduler 204 and receive notifications from the same . the database 202 feeds data to consuming applications 205 . fig3 a and fig3 b each illustrate the dependencies of the scheduler 204 and the model storage system 203 , which components are integral to an enterprise - class statistical modeling environment 101 . in particular , fig3 a is a diagram illustrating a production grade scheduler 204 and its dependencies ( i . e ., model execution engine 201 ; job 301 ; and calendar 302 ; some of which invoke schedule 303 ), in accordance with an exemplary embodiment . fig3 b is a diagram illustrating the components of model storage system 203 and their dependencies ( modeling environment 101 ; job 301 ; model execution engine 201 ; and model 304 ), in accordance with an exemplary embodiment . fig3 c is a diagram illustrating an overview of which components within the modeling environment are invoked in connection with the processes described herein . this exemplary flow refers to the basic components shown in fig3 a and fig3 b , as well as other components . basically , the scheduler 204 is invoked and contacts the model storage host 203 , which obtains the model metadata . the model instance generator 305 generates a model instance 306 which is used to track the execution of the model ( model execution engine 201 ) and the result set 307 of execution . the result set 307 is stored in model score consumption mart 308 , where it can be used by downstream applications 205 . fig3 d is a more detailed flowchart further illustrating the process outlined in fig3 c . in particular , fig3 c introduces two solution - specific components , the model instance generator 305 and the model score consumption mart 308 which are used in connection with an embodiment of the present invention . fig3 d illustrates the sequence in which these components are active in the process , in an exemplary embodiment . with reference to fig3 d , upon the occurrence of a trigger event , schedule 204 is invoked , in step 309 . in step 310 , the scheduler contacts the model storage host 203 . in step 311 , the model storage host 203 access model metadata from the model score consumption mart 308 . in step 312 , the model storage host 312 invokes the model instance script . in step 313 , the model instance generator 306 generates the model instance and passes it to the model execution engine 201 . in step 314 , the model execution engine 201 runs the model . in step 315 , the model execution engine 201 captures additional system metadata and inserts the model instance identifier into the model score consumption mart 308 . in step 316 , it is determined whether the model execution completed successfully . if not , in step 317 , notifications are generated and the model instance metadata in the model score consumption mart 308 is updated with failed terminal status . if so , in step 318 , the generated model results are inserted in the model score consumption mart 308 output table . also , the model instance metadata is updated with successful terminal status . the model instance generator 305 and the model score consumption mart 308 comprise the apparatus for executing predictive and descriptive models , whose main features and components are described below . the relationship between the statistical model and the application of the model to data is referred to herein as an “ instance ,” or “ model instance .” fig4 a depicts an entity - relationship model of statistical models and how they relate to their instances . every run of a model creates an instance ; one instance may be related to a variety of analytic units and outputs , and many instances may be created over a model &# 39 ; s service lifetime . fig4 b also illustrates an entity - relationship model but further describes how the statistical model relates to data within a database . each data element is associated with details and , because a data element may be involved with multiple models , data elements are associated with roles for a particular model , as described in more detail below . fig5 a is a logical data model showing certain ( i . e ., primary , foreign , and natural ) keys for the entity - relationship model of statistical models and their executions . for simplicity , this illustration does not include the model data . a model is uniquely determined by its model identifier ( model id 501 ). a model instance 306 , on the other hand , is uniquely determined by the model id 501 in combination with a start datetime , a job id , and an execution engine id . here , job refers to the batch program running the model on the execution engine . to facilitate querying of a particular model instance from the database , the surrogate key model_instance_id 502 is created . it is designed in such a way that all elements of the natural key ( model id 501 , start datetime , job id , and execution engine id ) may be extracted through parsing the field itself , accomplished through an encoding based on the hexadecimal system . the purpose of running a predictive or descriptive statistical model , i . e ., creating a model instance 306 , is to generate outputs that in some way describe an analytic unit of interest . fig4 a shows how a model instance 306 relates to its outputs . the instance may create many output records , but each output record was created from one and only one model instance 306 . in the entity - relationship modeling context , a model instance unit output 503 is represented , where “ unit ” stands for a particular subtype of model instance output . model instance unit output 503 is referred to herein , where abstract units are identified with the attribute “ unit id ” 504 . fig5 a shows the primary and foreign keys related to the model instance unit output 503 relation . the model instance id 502 is a component of the key , whereas other components necessary for uniqueness include the unit identifier ( unit id ) 504 and the type of output ( output type id 505 ). fig5 b is a logical data model showing certain ( i . e ., primary , foreign , and natural ) keys for the entity - relationship model describing how the statistical model relates to data within a database . referring back to fig5 a , other contextual information includes event id and event date . models are run for a reason . thus , it is assumed that every event type of interest has a corresponding unique identifier — an event id . because some events are recurring ( e . g ., an “ event ” may be a monthly scoring ), the event date is an important part of the context . an additional contextual field , “ standard period id ,” includes information on the business relevant time period or frequency . an attribute of interest in the model instance unit output 503 relation is the model output value 506 . this field contains the outputs of models which in some way describe or make a prediction about the unit of interest ( hence , the phrase “ predictive and descriptive models ”). referring back to fig4 a and 4b , the manner in which a model relates to its data is illustrated . multiple models may use a particular data element , implying a many - to - many relationship between the model and the data element entities . to remedy this , an associative entity called model data element is created . this entity serves a purpose — one model &# 39 ; s predictor may be another model &# 39 ; s target of prediction . the data element role entity , functionally related to model data element , indicates the context of the data element in a particular model . focusing on the data element , without the context of the model , is the data element entity . an important non - key attribute of the data element relation is the data element derived indicator , which indicates whether additional transformations have been applied to database columns to create the data element . if this indicator is false ( or 0 ), then the field is a direct mapping from a column in a physical database to a data element that can be used in a predictive or descriptive model . if the indicator is true ( or 1 ), then some transformation has been applied to a column or columns from the database . in the case that multiple variables are involved , there is a one - to - many relationship between data element and the relation data element detail , which includes all the physical database columns used in the creation of the data element . the exact nature of the transformation is not currently specified . fig5 a shows the primary and foreign keys related to the model data component of the model score consumption mart . the model relation has one foreign key and unique identifier , model id 501 , which is paired with the data element identifier , data element id 507 , to form the primary key of the model data element table 508 . referring to fig5 b , the foreign key within this relation , data element role id 509 , is the unique primary key in the entity , data element role , which provides categorical information about the nature of the data element in the context of the model . every data element in the model data element 508 relation is also necessarily represented in the data element 510 relation , with data element id 507 as the unique primary key . the primary key of data element 510 , data element id 507 , is also contained in the relation data element detail 511 . since multiple database columns can be used to create a data element , there is a one - to - many relationship here , yet data element id 507 is foreign key rather than a primary key in the data element detail 511 relation . this is because the database column identifier data element detail id is sufficient to ensure uniqueness and identifiability of all database columns . in addition to the production aspects of this apparatus and method for executing predictive and descriptive models , the model score consumption mart 308 in particular provides a way to document and store metadata about models . referring to fig4 a , the model entity 401 has a one to one relationship between the abstract model entity 402 , the statistical modeling tool entity 403 , and the model purpose 404 entity . as shown in fig5 a , the primary keys in these entities are all foreign keys in the model entity 401 . the data from the abstract model entity 402 is meant to give the analyst an idea of the technique that the predictive or descriptive model was based on . for example , a decision tree - based model will have a different output score distribution than a regression model with continuous predictors ; the abstract model entity 402 is designed to provide a quick glimpse into the type of model in question . the statistical modeling tool entity 403 provides information about what software was used to estimate the model . because models are built for many purposes , with descriptive and predictive as two generic categories , the model purpose entity 404 is meant to answer the question of why the model was built . fig6 a and 6b together show an exemplary physical database schematic of the application component of the apparatus . such a database model is physically instantiated in a production database that is accessible to consuming applications 205 . to facilitate the entry of model metadata into the application , software applications featuring user interfaces may be used . fig7 is an exemplary user interface that may be used in connection with the application for entering model metadata . the following provides an example of how the systems and methods described herein can be used in connection with a business process referred to herein as oysr . by way of background , the oysr model maps a numerical score to customer households with an impending insurance policy renewal , where higher scores correspond to a higher likelihood of a beneficial effect when the proactive activity related to the policy is carried out by an agent . the oysr model runs nightly , and customer households are scored by the model when an auto or property insurance policy within the household is near renewal . in the company &# 39 ; s predictive modeling environment , in this example , a first iteration of the oysr model has been running since 11 / 11 / 2011 . on 03 / 10 / 2012 , the model is to be replaced with an update built using more recent data . the below describes the implementation using the apparatus described herein and a first run of the model . note that , in this example , only features of the apparatus necessary to illustrate functionality are described , and certain other metadata fields are omitted . as future executions depend upon the independent entry in the model table , its information is described first . this information is entered using a user interface , e . g ., as in fig7 , prior to the first execution of the model . in table 1 ( shown in fig8 ), note that the updated oysr model has been assigned model_id = 9 , whereas the previous model edition had been previously assigned model_id = 2 . on the other hand , both models fall under model_group_id = 2 . thus the history of the oysr modeling initiative may be traced back using this field . previous to the first oysr model ( model_id = 2 ) being built , the model group information seen in table 2 ( shown in fig9 ) would have had been filled out . when a business configuration manager fills enters information about the oysr model update ( model_id = 9 ), he sets the business effective dates so that the new model begins on a desired future date , in this case 03 / 10 / 2012 . the model has been built with a language that the model execution engine 201 can parse and process . this code is stored in the location specified by model storage path ( see fig3 b ). this path also includes a schedule in which the model will run . after the business effective start date of mar . 10 , 2012 , stored in the model entity ( table 2 ), the scheduler follows a previously defined schedule , gdw_spss_dly , stored in the model storage path and named in the model instance entity 306 ( see also table 3 , fig1 ). in this example , on 03 / 10 / 2012 , at 3 : 00 am , the schedule is called and the scheduler is invoked , running the job gdw_spss_mdl_oys . this job contacts the model storage host , which collects metadata from the model table and uses information in the repository to generate a model instance id 502 , in this case the string , “ 20120310030017 - 370 - ac18a82d - 116724 .” a secure encrypted copy of the model_instance_id 502 is passed to the model execution engine 201 , serverid , and the model execution engine 201 inserts a record into the model instance table , as seen in table 3 . this includes the start timestamp of the model execution engine ( create_dttm ) as well as that of the initial database insert ( start_dttm ). since the execution has not completed , the field end_dttm field is left null and the status is set to the code “ r ,” for “ running .” at this time , the model execution engine 201 runs the oysr model code as stored in the model storage path . the oysr model includes business logic that queries the database for customer households with policy renewals in the near future ( 45 days or less ). the logic also includes retrieves data elements , e . g . customer tenure , and uses these data elements in a mathematical equation to create a propensity score . the scores themselves are stored in the model instance household output entity and given model_output_type_id = 1 , as shown in table 4 , shown in fig1 . scores of this type are associated with the effectiveness of oysr activities . in addition to the raw model score , a business friendly score is also given , with model_output_type_id = 4 . thus , each of the sample households is associated with two rows instead of one . finally , the business event for the oysr activity is a policy renewal , and the business event date is defined to be the policy renewal date . after all households are scored , the model execution engine 201 writes the final timestamp end_dttm in the model instance table , as well as updating the status to “ c ” for complete , as shown in table 5 , fig1 . messages are sent out indicating a successful completion , and consuming applications may now retrieve scores from the model_instance_hsld_output table , or one of the views in the application layer of the model score consumption mart 308 . the model will continue to run as defined by the schedule in the model storage host . table 6 ( fig1 ) shows the model instance entity after the updated oysr model has run multiple times . exemplary hardware and software employed by the systems are now generally described with reference to fig1 . database server ( s ) 1400 may include a database services management application 1406 that manages storage and retrieval of data from the database ( s ) 1401 , 1402 . the databases may be relational databases ; however , other data organizational structure may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention . one or more application server ( s ) 1403 are in communication with the database server 800 . the application server 1403 communicates requests for data to the database server 1400 . the database server 1400 retrieves the requested data . the application server 1403 may also send data to the database server for storage in the database ( s ) 1401 , 1402 . the application server 1403 comprises one or more processors 1404 , computer readable storage media 1405 that store programs ( computer readable instructions ) for execution by the processor ( s ), and an interface 1407 between the processor ( s ) 1404 and computer readable storage media 1405 . the application server may store the computer programs referred to herein . to the extent data and information is communicated over the internet , one or more internet servers 808 may be employed . the internet server 1408 also comprises one or more processors 1409 , computer readable storage media 1411 that store programs ( computer readable instructions ) for execution by the processor ( s ) 1409 , and an interface 1410 between the processor ( s ) 1409 and computer readable storage media 1411 . the internet server 1408 is employed to deliver content that can be accessed through the communications network , e . g ., by end user 1412 . when data is requested through an application , such as an internet browser , the internet server 1408 receives and processes the request . the internet server 1408 sends the data or application requested along with user interface instructions for displaying a user interface . the computers referenced herein are specially programmed to perform the functionality described herein as performed by the software programs . the non - transitory computer readable storage media may include volatile and non - volatile , removable and non - removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer - readable instructions , data structures , program modules , or other data . computer readable storage media may include , but is not limited to , ram , rom , erasable programmable rom ( eprom ), electrically erasable programmable rom ( eeprom ), flash memory or other solid state memory technology , cd - rom , digital versatile disks ( dvd ), or other optical storage , magnetic cassettes , magnetic tape , magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices , or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer system . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the exemplary embodiments shown and described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof . it is understood , therefore , that this invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described , but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims . for example , specific features of the exemplary embodiments may or may not be part of the claimed invention and features of the disclosed embodiments may be combined . unless specifically set forth herein , the terms “ a ”, “ an ” and “ the ” are not limited to one element but instead should be read as meaning “ at least one ”. it is to be understood that at least some of the figures and descriptions of the invention have been simplified to focus on elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the invention , while eliminating , for purposes of clarity , other elements that those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate may also comprise a portion of the invention . however , because such elements are well known in the art , and because they do not necessarily facilitate a better understanding of the invention , a description of such elements is not provided herein . further , to the extent that the method does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein , the particular order of the steps should not be construed as limitation on the claims . the claims directed to the method of the present invention should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written , and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the steps may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention .
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this document describes a number of alternative methods to change the configuration of a booster , each focused on specific use cases . in accordance with a first set of implementations , the operator &# 39 ; s signal to be boosted can be selected from a list of available operators . in this first set of implementations , the system presents a user with a list of operator names that constitute the available configurations to which the provider specific booster can be reconfigured . the user then selects an operator name and this information is then used to automatically configure the booster correctly for operation on the selected operator &# 39 ; s network . fig1 illustrates a system and method 100 , in accordance with some implementations , where the user is presented with a list of potential operators 110 the booster 120 can be configured for , as opposed to receiving a configuration file for a specific operator . this list 110 may be presented to the user in many different formats such as a display on the booster 120 , a list on an application running on a handset connected to the booster 120 or a website to which a software application is connected . once the user selects an operator from the list of potential operators 110 , the name of the selected operator and associated configuration information can be transferred 115 to a controller 125 on the booster 120 . the controller 125 uses the information associated with the selected operator to configure the booster 120 appropriately . fig2 illustrates a system and method 200 where the list of available operator names 110 and associated configuration files 135 are stored locally on the booster 120 . initially , a user is presented with the list of available operators 110 on an interface on the booster 120 , a list on an application running on a handset connected to the booster 120 or a website to which a software application is connected . once the user selects an operator whose signal will be boosted and this selection is sent 115 to the controller 125 on the booster 120 , the controller 125 retrieves 130 the corresponding configuration information from a database of operator configurations 135 that is stored on the booster 120 . the controller 125 implements the configuration corresponding to the selected operator so that the operator &# 39 ; s signal is appropriately boosted . fig3 illustrates a system and method 300 where the list of available operator names 110 and associated configuration files is stored outside the booster 120 , for example on a computer that can be connected to the booster for reconfiguration or in a storage cloud 145 from where the configurations can be retrieved . a user is presented with the list of available operators 110 on an interface on the booster 120 , a list on an application running on a handset connected to the booster 120 or a website to which a software application is connected . once the user selects an operator whose signal will be boosted and this selection is sent 115 to the controller 125 on the booster 120 , the controller 125 retrieves 140 configuration information for the selected operator . this configuration information can be obtained from a database or other compilation of configuration information that resides in computational cloud 145 . the computational cloud 145 can provide the information 146 to the controller 125 on the booster 120 . the controller 125 in turn causes the booster 120 to conform to the configuration corresponding to the selected operator . in accordance with a second set of implementations , the operator &# 39 ; s signal to be boosted is retrieved from a device connected to the booster . in this second set of implementations , the name of the operator that the booster is to be configured for is retrieved from a device connected to the booster . for example , a cellular phone can be connected to the booster using a technology such as bluetooth or bluetooth le . using this connection , the booster can retrieve the name of the network the phone is connected to from the phone and configure itself to boost this operator &# 39 ; s network . fig4 illustrates a system and method 400 where the booster 120 interrogates 455 an external device 450 to retrieve its required configuration . the controller 125 on the booster 120 can interrogate the external device 450 and in turn retrieve an operator name 455 from the external device ( e . g . mobile phone , hand held mobile device ). the controller 125 can use the operator name to obtain configuration information . the configuration information can be stored on the booster itself 120 or the information can be stored externally , such as in a computing cloud as shown in fig3 . once the controller 125 has the configuration information , the booster 120 can be made to conform to the configuration parameters for the operator associated with the external device . in alternative implementations , the name of the required network is retrieved from an external device and where the configuration is then retrieved either from local storage on the booster or from a remote location , such as a storage cloud . in yet other implementations , the name of the operator is periodically retrieved from a connected device to ensure that the correct network is always boosted . for example , if the booster is in a car , the booster may travel across an international boundary , causing the phone to go into roaming mode and requiring the booster to automatically reconfigure itself for the new network onto which the phone has roamed . fig5 illustrates a multi - stage information retrieval process 500 where more than one step is needed to retrieve the network name . for example , the booster 120 may be installed in a car and the driver &# 39 ; s phone 450 is synched with an in - car computer 560 . when the phone 450 syncs with the in - car computer 560 , the operator name can be retrieved 455 from the phone 450 . the controller 125 associated with the booster 120 can then retrieve 565 the name of the operator to be boosted from the in - car computer 560 which in turn retrieves this information from the phone 450 . in accordance with a third set of implementations , a sub - configuration can be retrieved . under some conditions , for example when a booster is directly connected to a m2m ( machine to machine ) module , it is not required to boost all the frequencies of an operator . in this case , in addition to retrieving the operator name and configuration of the booster , a sub configuration can be retrieved to allow the booster to only boost the frequencies actually in use by the m2m module as opposed to all the frequencies on which the operator &# 39 ; s signal is broadcasted . what is unique about this method is as follows . fig6 illustrates a system and method 600 where the actual frequencies being used by any cellphone 450 connected to the booster 120 are retrieved 655 , along with the operator name , by the controller 125 . the booster 120 is then configured to boost only those frequencies . in alternative implementations , there is interaction between the phone and the booster so that the booster is informed whenever the phone changes the frequency it is using . such interaction could be via a wired ( e . g . usb or rs - 232 ) or wireless connection ( e . g . bluetooth ). although a few embodiments have been described in detail above , other modifications are possible . other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims .
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as shown in fig1 the snow removing method of the present invention utilizes a vehicle 10 provided with a water tank 11 , a prime mover 12 , a high pressure pump 13 to be actuated by the prime mover 12 , and a high pressure nozzle unit 16 providing a line of a plurality of nozzles 15 ( fig2 and 4 ) mounted horizontally along the lower front of the vehicle 10 . the water stored in the tank 11 is fed through a pipe 17 to the high pressure pump 13 which supplies the pressurized water to the unit 16 through a pressure hose 18 . the driving power of the prime mover 12 is transmitted through a belt 19 to the high pressure pump 13 . the pressure hose 18 is a flexible tube connecting the pump 13 to a nozzle header 20 ( fig2 and 5 ) of the unit 16 . the flexible hose 18 is partly supported by a rigid tubular element 21 extending over the top of the driving cab of the vehicle . the flexible hose 18 may be replaced by a rigid metallic pipe , if desired . in this case , however , it must be able to adjust to each position and angle of the line of nozzles 15 . the vehicle 10 is a conventional truck in fig1 but it may be replaced by other suitable vehicles such as motor cars , electric motor vehicles or diesel engined vehicles . the water tank 11 is filled with water preferably containing an anti - freeze agent in order to enhance the snow - thawing effect produced by the water as well as to prevent the injection nozzles 15 and the hose 18 from being frozen when the vehicle is standing idle . the water tank 11 should be large enough to enable snow removal to take place with the minimum of interruptions for refilling the tank . otherwise , a separate water carrier may be towed behind to replenish the tank 11 as it is used up . the pumping power of the high pressure pump must be sufficient to enable the thickness of snow to be dealt with , that is to be melted by the kinetic energy of the water forced out under high pressure from the nozzles 15 . to melt fresh snow 30 cm deep which has not yet frozen into ice , a pump of 25 ps capacity which is designed to develop 75 kg / cm 2 maximum pressure and to deliver approximately 125 liter / min maximum of water through the apparatus illustrated is utilized . in practice , the pressure required to melt fresh snow 30 cm deep has been found to be in the range of 50 kg / cm 2 to 60 kg / cm 2 , with a water flow of about 100 liter / min . to melt fresh snow 20 cm deep , the water flow may be decreased to 40 liter / min , with the pressure unchanged . to melt fresh snow less than 15 cm deep , the water flow may be further decreased to about 30 liter / min , and the pressure may also be decreased to about 40 kg / cm 2 . if the snow is 20 cm deep and has not yet frozen but has been stamped down by treads of vehicle tyres , about 70 kg / cm 2 to 80 kg / cm 2 water pressure is required with a maximum water rate of 150 liter / min . it is necessary to employ a pump providing a slightly higher pressure to satisfy these conditions . the nozzle unit 16 illustrated in fig2 and 4 has the header 20 equipped with six nozzles 15 and mounted on a support frame 22 . a guide bracket 23 carries the frame 22 in vertically slidable manner thereon , and a mounting attachment 24 hinged to the bracket 23 by supporting pins 24a enables the angle of inclination of the bracket 23 and frame 22 to be altered . between the attachment 24 and the bracket 23 is fitted at least one hydraulic cylinder 25 having a piston 26 , so that the bracket 23 may be adjusted in inclination to a desired angle as shown in fig4 in broken outline . the frame 22 is mounted on a slideway on the bracket 23 and is vertically controllable thereon by a second adjuster also formed by a hydraulic cylinder 28 which is fixedly mounted on an upper lateral member 27 of the guide bracket 23 . it is convenient to utilize the high pressure water available from the pump 13 ( fig1 ) in order to actuate the adjuster cylinders 25 , 28 . for that purpose , hoses 29 , 30 are employed to connect the cylinders 25 , 28 with the pump 13 . the nozzles 15 are disposed in a forward and downward inclination in relation to the header 20 . each of the nozzles 15 provides a flat fantail jet by having its orifice 34 opening into the back of a slit 31 as particularly shown in fig3 . preferably , the divergency angle α of the jet from the nozzle 15 is set at 30 ° to 80 °. each of the nozzles 15 has a threaded tubular shank 32 screwed to the header 20 and a locknut 33 engageable with the shank 32 , so that the most appropriate nozzles 15 for handling the depth and nature of the snow to be cleared can be selected for fitting to the header 20 . since the nozzles 15 are to be used with very high pressure water , the basic parts of them are preferably made of an anti - abrasion material such as sintered hard alloys or ceramics having good wearing properties . to carry out the method of the invention , the nozzle unit 16 is adjusted as shown in fig4 so that the orifices 34 of the nozzles are correctly positioned to provide the optimum water pattern formed by the fantail streams of water b jetted out of the nozzles 15 into the snow a on the ground . the optimum pattern is of stripe shape substantially equal to or slightly wider than the width of the vehicle 10 . further , the discharge angle β of water b to the vertical is preferably set in the range of 20 ° to 30 °, with each nozzle 15 placed in the lowermost position possible in order to maximize the kinetic energy of the water striking the snow . the height h ( fig4 ) of each nozzle 15 from the ground surface g ( fig5 ) should , under normal circumstances , be adjustable within the range of 10 cm to 50 cm . during snow removing operations , the water is jetted out of the nozzles 15 as long as the vehicle is advancing . experiments have proved that with a high pressure pump 13 operating at 60 kg / cm 2 and delivering 100 liter / min of water to the six nozzles which are at a height of 40 cm and produce jets at an angle of 30 °, the vehicle 10 can be driven at a speed of 20 km / h . when snow is removed in the manner as described above , neither snow ploughs nor any other scraper or blade means are utilized , so that there is no fear of damage to the road surface during operation . the method of the invention can also be applied to remove snow frozen in the form of ice plate . in this case , the pressure of the water should be increased to about 150 kg / cm 2 at the nozzles , with a flow rate of 250 liter / min . for this purpose , it is necessary to employ a high pressure pump 13 having sufficient capacity to develop the pressure and flow rates referred to . the running speed ratio of the vehicle 10 in this case should be decreased to about 7 km / h to 8 km / h . further in this case , the water b is unable to melt the ice plate almost instantaneously as is the case with the fresh snow . such ice plate forms usually during the nighttime . by aiming the water b between the ice plate e and the ground g as shown in fig5 the ice plate is violently thrown up from the ground surface g or stripped therefrom enabling it to be subsequently broken up into pieces . the hydraulic cylinder 25 is operated to determine the optimum angle β of the streams of water b which will usually lie in the range of 45 ° to 60 ° to produce initial breaking of portions of the ice plate e away from the ground . thereafter the hydraulic cylinder 25 may be operated to change the angle β to the range 20 ° to 30 ° and the vehicle driven again over the ice to cause the water b to penetrate between the ice plate e and the ground g and force the remaining ice plate away from the road surface . especially in urban districts where traffic volume is rather heavy , the broken pieces of the ice plate e on the ground are quickly broken up further , by the wheels of vehicles , into small pieces which are quickly melted by increase in atmospheric temperature such as occurs after sunrise . the vehicle 10 may have its front portion provided with a suitable covering for protecting it from water jetted against the snow , so that the windshield of the vehicle 10 is not splashed with spray and slush . preferably , the vehicle 10 also has an upper portion of the windshield provided with a mirror ( not shown ) to enable a driver to see how effective the jetted water b is and whether adjustment of either of the angles α or β is necessary . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modification as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims .
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in describing a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings , specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity . however , the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected , and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose . the present description provides for the vortex turbine engine also would be known as the apparatus -( a ) 02 : the said ( a ) 02 is a closed area that would have an opening at each one of the narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 at its ambient air intakes , the radiation boiler chamber -( h ) 16 at its air heat outlet , and the flash steam cooling air chamber -( k ) 20 at its cold air outlet . the said apparatus -( a ) 02 comprises of the apparatus - nvchacr -( nv ) 02 nv , the said radiation boiler chamber -( h ) 16 , the cold air cooling chamber -( j ) 18 , the said flash steam cooling air chamber -( k ) 20 , the radiation steam line -( l ) 22 , the steam turbine -( m ) 24 , the drive shaft -( n ) 26 , the return water line -( p ) 28 , the warm water pump -( r ) 30 , the flash thermostatic valve -( t ) 32 , the flash steam line - chamber -( v ) 34 , the flash water pump -( w ) 36 . the said ( nv ) 02 nv comprises of : the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 , the narrowing volute generator -( c ) 06 , the fan chamber -( d ) 08 , the cyclone narrowing cylinder -( e ) 10 , the advance narrowing chamber -( f ) 12 , the narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 . the said apparatus - nvchacr -( nv ) 02 nv embodiment portion would be a closed area that would have an opening at each one of the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 at its ambient air intakes , the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 at its narrowing tube cold outlet , and the said ( g ) 14 at its adjustable hot outlet valve . the said apparatus -( a ) 02 would contain two or a plurality of the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 with each one with an ambient air intake and an ingrained vortex nozzle . each one of the said ( b ) 04 ambient air intakes is set at an angle to advance , generate , forming a vortex within each one of its one of the said ( b ) 04 . the ambient air medium being drawn into each one of the said ( b ) 04 ambient air intakes , the air stream is being drawn in by the said cyclone narrowing cylinder -( e ) 10 . each one of the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 converging portion has a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the vortices intensity . each one of the said ( b ) 04 converging portion has a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the vortices intensity within each one of it &# 39 ; s one of the said narrowing volute generator -( c ) 06 . each one of the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 contains a vortex . each one of the said ( b ) 04 vortex nozzle is set at an angle to advance , generate , forming a vortex within each one of its one of the said narrowing volute generator -( c ) 06 . the said ( b ) 04 with its air stream , the air stream would via its said vortex nozzle . each one of the said ( b ) 04 vortex nozzle with its air stream , the air stream would via it &# 39 ; s one of the said ( c ) 06 . the said apparatus -( a ) 02 would contain two or a plurality of the said narrowing volute generator -( c ) 06 with each one with an ingrained vortex nozzle . there would be the same amount of numbers of the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 with its vortex nozzle as there are in numbers of the said narrowing volute generator -( c ) 06 with its vortex nozzle . each one of the said ( c ) 06 converging portion has a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance its vortices intensity . each one of the said ( c ) 06 contains a vortex . the air stream is drawn circumventing into the said narrowing volute generator -( c ) 06 and through its vortex nozzle . the said ( c ) 06 air stream gains velocity while circumventing , being drawn through the said ( c ) 06 and through its vortex nozzle . each one of the said ( c ) 06 vortex nozzle with its air stream , the air stream would via the said fan chamber -( d ) 08 . the said fan chamber -( d ) 08 is connected to the said advance narrowing chamber -( f ) 12 . the said cyclone narrowing cylinder -( e ) 10 joined to and would lay in - between the said ( d ) 08 within its inner wall . the said ( e ) 10 spin on its horizontal - axis between the diameter interior side walls of the said ( d ) 08 . the said ( d ) 08 bottom converging portion being round has a greater diameter than the top portion being round , to enhance its air stream intensity . the said ( d ) 08 with its air stream , the air stream would via the said ( e ) 10 . the said cyclone narrowing cylinder -( e ) 10 converts the mechanical energy from the cylinder motor , to energize the moving air stream . the energy of the said cylinder motor would energize the said ( e ) 10 through its rotating movement . the said ( e ) 10 air holes would energize its rotating movement with an angle to capture the kinetic energy . the said ( e ) 10 would be joined to and would lay in - between the said fan chamber -( d ) 08 within its inner wall . the said ( e ) 10 would be joined to at the bottom of the said ( d ) 08 . the ambient air medium being drawn into each one of the said narrowing spiral tube -( b ) 04 ambient air intakes , the air stream is being drawn in by the said cyclone narrowing cylinder -( e ) 10 . the air stream is then driven by the said ( e ) 10 . the said ( e ) 10 converging portion would have a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the air flow intensity within the said advance narrowing chamber -( f ) 12 . the said ( e ) 10 with its forward driven air stream , the air stream would via the said ( f ) 12 . the said advance narrowing chamber -( f ) 12 converging portion has a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the air flow intensity within each one of its narrowing tube air outlets . the said ( f ) 12 would contain two or a plurality of its narrowing tube air outlets . each one of the said ( f ) 12 narrowing tube air outlets converging portion would have a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the vortices intensity within the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 . each one of the said advance narrowing chamber -( f ) 12 narrowing tube air outlets would be connected to the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 . each one of the said ( f ) 12 narrowing tube air outlets contains a vortex . the said fan chamber -( d ) 08 is connected to the said ( f ) 12 . the said ( f ) 12 with its air stream would be driven by the said cyclone narrowing cylinder -( e ) 10 . the said advance narrowing chamber -( f ) 12 with its air stream , the air stream would via its said narrowing tube air outlets . each one of the said ( f ) 12 narrowing tube air outlets is set at an angle to advance , generate , and helps to form a vortex within the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 . each one of the said ( f ) 12 narrowing tube air outlets with its air stream , the air stream would via the said ( g ) 14 . the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 would separate its compressed air into an air - radiation heat stream and a cold stream . the said ( g ) 14 converging portion would have a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the vortices intensity , along with its air - radiation heat intensity of the vortex . the said ( g ) 14 contains a vortex . the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 having its temperatures , its temperatures would have a separation effect within its vortex . the said ( g ) 14 , its vortex outer air - radiation heat temperature would separate from its inner cold air . the said ( g ) 14 with its temperatures separation effect would have the said vortex with an outer hot end releasing its air - radiation heat . the said ( g ) 14 with its temperatures separation effect would have its vortex with an inner cold end releasing its cold air . the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 would have an hot narrowing tube outlet at the outer top end of the said ( g ) 14 . the said ( g ) 14 hot narrowing tube outlet converging portion would have a greater diameter than the diverging portion , to enhance the air - radiation heat intensity . the said ( g ) 14 hot narrowing tube outlet would have an adjustable hot outlet valve at the outer top end of the said ( g ) 14 to adjust its air - radiation heat outward flow . the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 with an outer hot end releasing its air - radiation heat , the air - radiation heat would via its hot narrowing tube outlet and would then via its adjustable hot outlet valve . the said ( g ) 14 having its adjustable hot outlet valve with its air - radiation heat , the air - radiation heat would via the said radiation boiler chamber -( h ) 16 . the said narrowing vortex cylinder -( g ) 14 would have an narrowing tube cold outlet near the outer top end of the said ( g ) 14 . the said ( g ) 14 narrowing tube cold outlet be near the inner top end of the said ( g ) 14 . the said ( g ) 14 with an inner cold end releasing its cold air , the cold air would via it &# 39 ; s the said ( g ) 14 narrowing tube cold outlet . the said ( g ) 14 with its narrowing tube cold outlet , with its cold air , the cold air would via the said cold air cooling chamber -( j ) 18 . the said air - radiation heat would be lying within the said radiation boiler chamber -( h ) 16 . the said radiation steam line -( l ) 22 would be lying within the said ( h ) 16 . the said ( l ) 22 with its warm water , the warm water would absorb the latent heat lying within the said ( h ) 16 . the said warm water conversion to stream would be lying within the said ( l ) 22 . the said ( l ) 22 would have a warm water - to - steam conversion . the said ( h ) 16 with its air - radiation heat within , the air - radiation heat would via its air heat outlet . the said ( h ) 16 with its air heat outlet with its air - radiation heat , the now cooler air - radiation heat would exit the said apparatus -( a ) 02 . the said cold air cooling chamber -( j ) 18 with its cold air stream , the cold air stream would absorb the latent heat from the hot water lying within the said return water line -( p ) 28 . the said ( p ) 28 would be lying within the said ( j ) 18 . the said cold air would be lying within the said ( j ) 18 . the said hot water would be lying within the said ( p ) 28 . the said ( p ) 28 would have a hot - to - warm water conversion . the said ( j ) 18 with its cold air , the cold air would via the said flash steam cooling air chamber -( k ) 20 . the said flash steam cooling air chamber -( k ) 20 with its cold air , the cold air stream would absorb the flash steam latent heat lying within the said flash steam line - chamber -( v ) 34 . the said ( v ) 34 would be lying within the said ( k ) 20 . the said cold air would be lying within the said ( k ) 20 . said flash steam heat would be lying within the said ( v ) 34 . the said ( v ) 34 would have a steam - to - hot - warm water conversion . the said ( k ) 20 with its cold - warm air , the cold - warm air would via its cold air outlet . the said ( k ) 20 with its cold air outlet with its cold - warm air , the cold - warm air would exit the said apparatus -( a ) 02 . the said warm water pump -( r ) 30 with its warm water , pumps the warm water to via the said radiation steam line -( l ) 22 . the said ( l ) 22 with its warm water - to - steam conversion , the steam would via the said steam turbine -( m ) 24 . the said ( m ) 24 with its steam flow would generate a rotating motion force , forcing the said drive shaft -( n ) 26 to rotate on its horizontal - axis producing torque . the said drive shaft -( n ) 26 would be joined to , being part of the said steam turbine -( m ) 24 . the said ( m ) 24 would have a steam turning back to hot water conversion . the said ( m ) 24 with its hot steam , the hot water of the steam would via the said return water line -( p ) 28 . the hot water coming from the said ( m ) 24 , this hot water sometimes would flash evaporation ( also known as flash steam ). the said return water line -( p ) 28 with its flash steam , the flash steam would via the said flash thermostatic valve -( t ) 32 with its diverter valve . the said ( p ) 28 with its hot water , the hot water that did not flash evaporate to flash steam would via toward the said warm water pump -( r ) 30 . the said flash thermostatic valve -( t ) 32 with its diverter valve , the diverter valve would divert the flash steam to via the said flash steam line - chamber -( v ) 34 . the said flash steam that would flash evaporation is released by the said ( t ) 32 with its diverter valve . the said ( t ) 32 diverter valve with its flash steam , the flash steam would via the said ( v ) 34 . the said flash steam line - chamber -( v ) 34 with its steam - to - hot - warm water conversion , the hot - warm water would via the said flash water pump -( w ) 36 . the said ( v ) 34 with its steam - to - hot - warm water conversion , the hot - warm water would via the said ( w ) 36 . the said ( w ) 36 with its hot - warm water , pumps the hot - warm water to via the said return water line -( p ) 28 . the said ( w ) 36 would pump this hot - warm water to via the said ( p ) 28 toward the said warm water pump -( r ) 30 . the said return water line -( p ) 28 with its hot water , the water that did not flash to flash steam lying within the said ( p ) 28 would via toward the said warm water pump -( r ) 30 . the said ( p ) 28 with its hot - to - warm water conversion , the warm water would via the said ( r ) 30 . the said warm water pump -( r ) 30 with its warm water , pumps the warm water to via the said radiation steam line -( l ) 22 . the pumping causes a vacuum within the said return water line -( p ) 28 , drawing the said water toward the said ( r ) 30 . the said ( l ) 22 with its warm water - to - steam conversion therefore commence the warm water - to - steam conversion cycle thereat . while the invention is susceptible to embodiment in many different forms , as shown in the drawings and will be described to herein in detail , specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not to be limited to the specific embodiments described . each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention , not limitation of the invention . in fact , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . for instance , features illustrated or described as component of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers such modification and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to any particular type or style depicted in figure &# 39 ; s and is for illustrative purposes only . although preferred embodiments have been depicted and described in detail therein , it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that various modifications , additions , substitutions and the like can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and these are therefore considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims . all water temperatures , pressurized steam , air temperatures , air velocity or air pressures used are an estimate , based on information attained . one of these changes could be without departing from essence present invention , by having other kinds of air moving devices , such as using other kinds of engines , motors or multi - speed turbo fan motors to pull and drive the air stream into and through the apparatus . having the motor placed in other locations , on , within or outside of the apparatus . having the apparatus to use other kinds of , air blower holes or blades . there being other kinds of means to drive the apparatus other than electrically . other kinds of power sources , like using solar energy . use isolation material and formulation to reduce vibrations and dissipate shock energy for the motor and air mover . other change could be having the air intakes or air outlets , placed higher or lower , smaller or larger , more or less of them on the apparatus . there being other kinds of tubes or piping , or more vortexes or other kinds of on - off switches , nozzles , controllers , rate adjusters or other kinds of adjuster . it is not practical to describe in claims all possible embodiments , embodiments may be accomplished generally in keeping with present invention . disclosure may include , separately or collectively , aspects described found throughout description of patent . while these may be added to explicitly include such details . existing claims should construe to encompass such aspects . to the extent methods claimed in present invention are not further discussed . any such methods are natural outgrowths of the system or apparatus claims . therefore , separate and further discussions of the methods are deemed unnecessary . otherwise claim steps implicit in use and manufacture or systems or apparatus claims . furthermore , steps organized in logical fashion and other sequences can and do occur . therefore , method claims should not be construed to include only this order . other order and sequence steps may be presented . notice : subject to any disclaimer , the term of patent is extended or adjusted under 35 u . s . c . 154 ( b ) by 501 days . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the following scope of the following claims .
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turning now to the drawings , and in particular to fig1 - 3 , an injection molding apparatus 10 is illustrated . broadly defined , according to fig1 injection molding apparatus 10 has an injection molding machine 12 for injecting molten resin 14 . skilled artisans will appreciate that injection molding machine 12 has a platen 17 supporting a screw cylinder 16 having a tip 18 , a nozzle 20 at the tip 18 and a screw 22 advanceable in the screw cylinder 16 for injecting molten resin 14 from the nozzle 20 . according to fig2 - 3 , the injection molding apparatus 10 of the present invention has a non - metallic injection mold 24 for molding a part ( not shown ). non - metallic injection mold 24 comprises a stationary cavity mold 26 and a movable core mold 28 forming a hollow or first molten resin flow path 30 therebetween for forming an injection molded product therein . core mold 28 is movable by ejector pins 29 arranged in mold 24 for forceably separating the hollow 30 from the core mold 28 . non - metallic injection mold 24 may include various materials such as thermoset materials as well as cast epoxy , stereo lithography urethane and silicone . in the preferred embodiment , the injection mold 24 is constructed of cast epoxy . referring to fig2 hollow or first molten resin flow path 30 extends from the screw cylinder 16 to a terminal end 35 of the hollow 30 . a pressure relief valve 36 is located on the hollow or first molten resin flow path 30 at the terminal end 35 of the hollow 30 . pressure relief valve 36 is adapted to release the molten resin 14 from the first molten resin flow path 30 when the pressure of the molten resin 14 exceeds a predetermined level or value , further discussed below . in fig2 more particularly , pressure relief valve 36 is shown in a first position blocking molten resin flow beyond the terminal end 35 of the first molten resin flow path 30 . in this position , molten resin 14 is retained in the hollow or first molten resin flow path 30 by the pressure of movable pin 42 . the pressure of the molten resin 14 in this position is generally less than a predetermined value determined by the strength of a spring bias 44 ( described below ) biasing movable pin 42 . referring to fig3 pressure relief valve 36 is shown in a second position unblocking the excess molten resin 14 in the hollow or first molten resin flow path 30 thereby enabling the excess molten resin 14 to flow into a second molten resin flow path 38 beyond the first molten resin flow path 30 . in this configuration , the first molten resin flow path or hollow 30 is in fluid communications with the second molten resin flow path 38 . as depicted in fig2 - 3 , the pressure relief valve 36 has preferably a cylindrically shaped body with a movable pin 42 arranged for axial movements in one end 45 . a spring bias 44 is disposed between the movable pin 42 and a base plate 46 that affixes the spring bias 44 under the movable pin 42 in a biasing relations . in the preferred embodiment , an adjustment screw 48 is arranged in the base plate 46 for applying the pre - load to the spring bias 44 . preferably , the entire pressure relief valve 36 is cast into the movable core mold 28 of an epoxy injection mold so that the movable pin 42 extends through the parting line 54 to shut off the second molten resin flow path 38 . the novel and unobvious design of the second molten resin flow path 38 on the surface of the parting line 54 allows the vented molten resin 14 to come out of the mold 24 with the part and then allows the pressure relief valve 36 to reset automatically . skilled artisans will appreciate that pressure relief valve 36 may also be cast in the stationary cavity mold 26 of the mold 24 . referring to fig2 - 3 , pressure relief valve 36 for epoxy injection molds 24 is adjustable by one of two ways . first , the adjustment screw 48 may be adjusted to apply more or less resistance on spring bias 44 . second , the spring bias 44 may be selected having a pre - selected strength , as discussed further below . although either means of adjusting pressure relief valve 36 has advantages over the other , we generally prefer adjusting the adjustment screw 48 to affect the resistance of the spring bias 44 that governs the movements of movable pin 42 . referring again to fig2 - 3 , pressure relief valve 36 is actuated directly by the pressurized , molten resin 14 in the cavity mold 26 . as indicated above , movable pin 42 in the pressure relief valve 36 shuts off the resin escape channel or second molten resin flow path 38 under a predetermined pressure and is held in place by the spring bias 44 . when the cavity pressure exceeds the predetermined pressure limit the movable pin 42 pushes back against the spring bias 44 and allows the excess resin and pressure to escape the mold 24 through the second molten resin flow path 38 or escape channel . not only does this vent the molten resin 14 out of the hollow 30 , but it also reduces the pressure in the cavity mold 26 below the cavity mold failure point . after the part cures ( cools ) in the mold 24 , the mold 24 opens and the part is ejected automatically . the molten resin 14 that flowed into the escape channel or second molten resin flow path 38 is ejected along with the part and the movable pin 42 resets itself automatically , shutting off the second molten resin flow path 38 . we have demonstrated that the test epoxy mold 24 can successfully vent excess molten resin pressure before the cavity mold 26 fails . we were able to accommodate different materials that require different pressures of cavity mold 26 by changing the spring bias 44 in the pressure relief valve 36 and / or adjusting the pre - load on the spring bias 44 , as described . an example of the process for selecting the proper strength spring bias 44 and pre - load adjustment for the cavity mold 26 and molten resin 14 is illustrated in table 1 . according to table 1 , the amount of pressure in the cavity mold 26 appeared fairly constant as a function of the spring bias 44 between minimum and maximum settings . thus , one can select the appropriate spring type to enable ejection molding in the mold 24 at a certain pressure . [ 0030 ] parts list 10 injection molding apparatus 12 injection molding machine 14 molten resin 16 screw cylinder 17 platen 18 tip 20 nozzle 22 screw 24 non - metallic injection mold 26 stationary cavity mold 28 movable core mold 29 ejector pins 30 hollow or first molten resin flow path 35 terminal end of the hollow 30 36 pressure relief valve 38 second molten resin flow path 42 movable pin 44 spring bias 45 one end of pressure relief valve 36 46 base plate 48 adjustment screw 54 parting line
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the can end of fig1 is a conventional beverage end shell 1 comprising a peripheral curl 2 which is connected to a centre panel 3 via a chuck wall 4 and anti - peaking reinforcing bead or countersink 5 . the centre panel has a score line 6 which defines an aperture for dispensing beverage . a tab 7 is fixed to the centre panel 3 by a rivet 8 , as is usual practice . beads 9 are provided for stiffening the panel . the can end of fig1 when attached by seaming to a can body which is filled with carbonated beverage , for example , is typically able to withstand an internal pressure of 98 psi before buckling , 8 psi above the required minimum buckle pressure of 90 psi . when the pressure approaches and exceeds this value , the circular shape of the periphery of the end will distort and become oval . eventually the centre panel will be forced outwardly so that the countersink “ unravels ” and flips over an arc of its circumference . whilst a can which is buckled in such a manner is unlikely to be acceptable to a consumer , the can end itself is still intact , the tab 7 is still accessible and there is no compromise to the sealing of the container by such failure which could result in leaking of the contents . it has been found by the present applicants , however , that where a container has an end which is , by virtue of its design , substantially stiffer and has greater hoop strength than that of fig1 , the buckle failure mode differs from that described above . such a can end is that of the &# 39 ; 634 patent , shown for reference in fig2 to 4 . the can end 20 is attached to a can body 21 by a double seam 22 , as shown in fig4 . inner portion 23 of the seam 22 , which is substantially upright , is connected to a countersink bead 25 by a chuck wall 24 . the countersink , or anti - peaking bead 25 has inner and outer walls 26 and 27 , the inner wall 26 depending from the centre panel 28 of the end . whilst the higher hoop strength exhibited by this can end is of great importance in maintaining the overall integrity of the container , the mode in which the can fails under severe abuse conditions may be unacceptable and even , on occasion , catastrophic . typical failure modes may compromise the integrity of the can by pin hole ( s ) and / or splitting of the can end . in extreme cases , the centre panel 28 is pushed outwardly by excessive internal pressure . as the panel moves outwardly , it pulls the inner wall 26 of the anti - peaking bead 25 with it . the inner portion 23 of seam 22 is “ peeled ” away from the rest of the seam as the can end is forced out . the explosive nature of this so - called “ peaking ” failure results in the formation of a bird &# 39 ; s beak configuration with a pin hole at the apex of the “ beak ” where the force is concentrated in a single point at the base of the countersink 25 . the applicants have discovered that by providing the can end with a control feature , a preferential “ soft ” peak is obtainable when the can end fails . although this means that the can end may fail at a lower buckle pressure , the softer , less explosive nature of the peak results in a failure mode without pin hole or tearing . the introduction of a control feature thus controls the failure mode and avoids concentration of the forces at a single point . control features in accordance with the invention can take a variety of forms including one or more of the following with reference to fig3 and 4 : a . the radial position of the outer wall 27 of the countersink bead may be increased ; b . the chuck wall 24 may be coined or have indentations at or above approximately the mid - point such that this control feature is at the root of the seam 22 in the seamed can end ( denoted as b ′); c . coining of the inner shoulder ( c ) of the countersink or of the outer shoulder ( c ′); d . a shelf may be made in the outer wall 27 of the countersink bead . when a type d region is at the lower part of the outer countersink wall , this may be equivalent to a type a control feature . higher up the outer wall , a type d region takes the clear form of a shelf . in a preliminary trial of the present invention , the shell of fig2 to 4 was modified by a local groove in the outer wall of the countersink . this groove was ideally adjacent the handle of the tab so that any failure of the can end would be away from the score . positioning either side of the tab or , indeed , at any position around the countersink was also considered possible . the groove was typically about 8 mm in arc length and was positioned approximately half way down the outer wall of the countersink bead , in the form of a shelf . computer modelling has showed that the provision of such a groove resulted in a failure mode similar to that of a conventional can end such as that of fig1 , with no leakage . modelling and bench testing has revealed that even better control of the failure mode was achievable when a pair of grooves were made at the base of the countersink outer wall . a variety of variables were modelled and then bench tested as follows : depth of groove bottom of outer wall * gap between grooves 3 mm to 6 mm radial interference ( depth of 0 . 2 mm to 0 . 4 mm penetration into outer wall ) orientation behind ( handle end of ) tab 60 ° to tab left only 60 ° to tab right only 60 ° to tab left and right * this is equivalent to increasing the radial position of the countersink ( anti - peaking ) bead . in bench testing of a small batch of cans using each of the above combinations , it was found that whilst the majority of cans leaked , the provision of a control feature controlled the position of peaking to the indentation site and all leaks were located on the peaks rather than on the tab rivet or score . in spite of the fact that the cans of the initial trial still leaked on peaking , the application discovered that the incident of leakage was greatly reduced by a combination of types of control features which may , individually , exhibit unacceptable leaking on peaking . the following examples show how the failure mode can not only be focussed on a particular site on the can end but also be controlled such that the can also has acceptable buckle performance . in all of these further trials , cans were heated to 100 ° f . before carrying out the drop tests . can ends were modified in the conversion press by expanding the countersink bead over a 60 ° arc at positions +/− 90 ° of the tab heel . these ends were then seamed onto filled cans and dropped vertically , tab end down , onto a steel plate , the sheet steel being inclined at 30 °. this extreme test is non - standard and tested the cans for severe abuse performance . the tests used the bruceton staircase analysis and results are set out in table 1 , where p = standard peak and ps = peak and score burst . all cans tested peaked at the control feature without splitting . as with preliminary bench testing , the position of peaking was focussed on the indentation site . can ends modified in this way were also tested by pressurising a can to which the end was seamed (“ seamed end test ”). these results are shown in table 2 . whilst the cans all peaked on the indentation site and were still openable after peaking , only 25 % survived testing without leaking on the peak location . further can ends were then modified in the conversion press both by expanding the countersink bead over a 60 ° arc at positions +/− 90 ° of the tab heel , and also by providing a indentation over a 50 ° arc at positions +/− 90 ° in the upper chuck wall . these ends were then seamed onto filled cans and drop tested by dropping vertically , tab end down , onto a steel plate , the sheet steel being inclined at 30 °. the results of the second tests are given in table 3 , where again p = standard peak and ps = peak and score burst . the combination of a countersink bead expansion and indentation in the chuck wall increases the average height at which peaking occurs . the countersink bead expansion was found to act as a trigger and this combination of a trigger and chuck wall indentation controls the peaking better than a countersink bead expansion alone ( example 1 ). can ends modified in this way were also tested by pressurising a can to which the end was seamed (“ seamed end test ”). these results are shown in table 4 . in the results of table 4 , all the cans again peaked on the indentation site and were still openable after peaking . in addition , 100 % survived testing without leaking on the peak location , supporting the applicant &# 39 ; s discovery that by combining two types of control feature , performance in terms of leak - free failure mode is dramatically improved . can ends having an indentation in the upper chuck wall only ( i . e . not in the countersink ) were seamed to can bodies and then pressurised . runs 1 to 8 had a single indentation behind the tab over an arc of about 40 ° to 50 °. runs 1 - 1 to 8 - 8 had indentations at +/− 90 ° and over a 50 ° arc . mean results are given throughout . peak location indicates the incidence of a peak on the control feature . the spacer details explain the degree of indentation in the chuck wall . further trials were conducted to confirm the effect of expansion of the countersink radius and the indentation in the upper chuck wall , both separately and together . unmodified can ends were tested by way of control . the results are shown in tables 6 and 7 . the chuck wall indentations comprised a indentation on each side of the tab , set at 90 ° to the tab . spacer conditions were as in example 3 , but with a 9 mm indent ring spacer ( rather than 8 . 75 mm ). the countersink “ trigger ” comprised a single bead expansion within the arc of the chuck wall indentation and centred on the same diameter ( arc mid - point ). this bead expansion was selected to trigger a peak within the chuck wall indentation as identified in example 2 . the control can ends give very low survival figures in both drop tests and seamed end testing ( set ), i . e . the control can ends leak when they peak . the chuck wall indentation alone gives good hot drop ( 100 ° f .) and set performance but seems to have higher incidence of score bursts during hot drop testing . the countersink (“ c ′ sk ”) bead trigger creates a very symmetric end shape from the hot drop test and is very effective in determining the peak location . the countersink trigger reduces the set performance to 89 psi average , but this is believed to be attributable to the tooling used to create the indentations . in general “ 1 ” means yes and “ 0 ” means no , except in position in which 1 indicates the position of peak on the control feature . further seamed end tests were carried out on both unmodified can ends (“ control samples ”) and can ends having a 360 ° control feature in the form of a shelf in the outer wall of the countersink bead . results of these trials are given in table 8 . buckle pressure performance was well above the 90 psi industry standard for all cans , both standard and modified . only 25 % of the control samples survived testing without leaking , whereas 100 % of the cans having a control feature ( circumferential shelf in the countersink bead ) passed the test without leaking . the invention has been described above by way of example only and numerous changes and / or permutations may be made within the scope of the invention as filed . it should also be noted that the control features of the invention are particularly intended for use on beverage can ends which are to be fixed to a can body and thereby subjected to internal pressure . furthermore , the control features may be used on can ends having any chuck wall angle whether conventional ( less than 15 °) or larger , such as that of the &# 39 ; 634 patent , i . e . 30 ° to 60 °.
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a yarn spool spindle includes a base having a bearingly mounted blade with a lower spool hub positioned in close proximity to the base . the &# 34 ; filler &# 34 ; or supply yarn is mounted below the spindle and enters the base port and is directed upwardly through the spindle and out of the top of the spindle blade for eventual covering . at the top or open end of the blade a pair of j - shaped grooves or notches are opposingly positioned for engaging the spool retainer . the preferred form of the spool retainer includes a plunger having a barrel with a bore whereby the spindle blade will fit within the bore . a sleeve is slidably positioned along the outside of the barrel of the plunger and a coil spring resiliently connects the sleeve and barrel . an upper spool hub is positioned on the outside of the sleeve and the upper spool hub and plunger are molded from a durable plastic or other suitable materials . a pair of opposingly positioned studs extend radially from the barrel into the bore for cooperative engagement with the slots or grooves located in the spindle blade . the preferred method of retaining a spool on the rotatable spindle includes the steps of placing a spool on the spindle blade and inserting the spool retainer into the spool so positioned . the spool plunger is then depressed and rotated to allow the studs which extend into the bore of the barrel of the plunger to engage the j - shaped slots positioned along the top of the spindle blade . the plunger is then depressed whereby the studs move downwardly into the grooves and the plunger is then rotated in a first direction whereby the studs travel horizontally along the bottom of the j - shaped groove and thereafter the plunger is released whereby the studs move slightly upwardly into the tip of the &# 34 ; j &# 34 ; slots to maintain the spool securely on the spindle . for a more complete understanding of the invention and its method of operation , fig1 shows in exploded fashion spool spindle 10 with an empty yarn spool 11 positioned thereabove and spool retaining means 12 is shown above yarn spool 11 . spindle 10 is of the high speed type and spindle blade 13 may turn at speeds in excess of 20 , 000 rpms when in operation and used for supplying a covering yarn such as nylon , polyester or other synthetic , natural or metallic yarns for covering elastic , metallic , synthetic or natural yarns as desired . spindle 10 may be used along with any other similar type spindles on various types of covering machines such as an omm covering machine as manufactured by officine meccaniche menegatto s . p . a . of monza , italy . spool retaining means 12 is shown enlarged in cross - section in fig2 and includes plunger 19 which is resiliently mounted by coil spring 20 to sleeve 21 . plunger 19 includes barrel 22 which at one end is fitted with vertical stop means 23 consisting of a spring clip which sits within clip groove 24 . stop means 23 prevents excess downward motion of sleeve 21 and stops the movement of sleeve 21 relative to barrel 22 as sleeve bottom area 25 contacts stop means 23 . plunger 19 includes sleeve fastening means 26 which consist of a pair of opposingly positioned cylindrical studs which extend slightly into bore 27 of barrel 22 . plunger 19 also includes top collar 28 and on the outer surface of sleeve 21 near collar 28 is located spool hub 29 which frictionally engages the inner surface of upper rim 30 of spool 11 as seen in fig3 . as would be understood from fig2 sleeve 21 slides along the outer surface of barrel 22 and can freely turn therearound . fig2 demonstrates plunger 19 in a depressed state as for example when engaged with spindle blade 13 as shown in fig4 . in fig1 collar 28 is shown at a greater distance above upper spool hub 29 when compared to fig2 as spool retaining means 12 in fig1 is in its relaxed or extended posture . fig4 depicts plunger 19 in its depressed position whereas fig3 shows spool retaining means 12 in extended fashion . as seen in fig3 blade fastening means 26 requires rotation so that fastening means 26 align with &# 34 ; j &# 34 ; slot 31 on spindle blade 13 . as understood , a pair of &# 34 ; j &# 34 ;- slots 31 are positioned on opposite sides at the top of blade 13 and when plunger 19 is properly aligned , and upon depressing , fastening means 26 ride downwardly into the longer vertical groove of &# 34 ; j &# 34 ;- slot 31 . upon rotation of plunger 19 in a clockwise direction as shown in fig3 fastening means 26 move horizontally across the bottom of the &# 34 ; j &# 34 ; and upon release of pressure from plunger 19 thereafter , fastening means 26 move slightly upward into the tip of the &# 34 ; j &# 34 ;, allowing fastening means 26 to lock into place and providing secure engagement for spool 11 on blade 13 . thereafter , spindle 10 can be rotated at high rpms by belt 33 which is joined to a conventional power source ( not shown ) while spool 11 remains safely in place . to use spindle 10 , a suitably dimensioned yarn spool 11 which may contain polyester or other yarn is placed on spindle blade 13 where it rests on lower spool hub 32 . as seen in fig3 spool 11 has a greater axial length than spindle blade 13 thereby allowing a large capacity of yarn to be wound thereon . spool retaining means 12 is positioned in the top of spool 11 as sleeve 21 can slide downward into spool 10 . plunger 19 is then rotated until blade fastening means 26 &# 34 ; finds &# 34 ; &# 34 ; j &# 34 ;- slot 31 as shown in fig3 at which time plunger 19 is depressed , rotated slightly in a first direction and then allowed to extend upwardly as blade fastening means 26 rises within the tip of &# 34 ; j &# 34 ;- slot 31 . with spool retaining means 12 so engaged , spindle 10 can then be driven by a convention belt 33 as shown in fig3 . once spool 11 is depleted of yarn , the power source or drive means ( not shown ) which turns belt 33 is disengaged and the operator can easily remove empty spool 11 by depressing plunger 19 with slight finger pressure , rotating it in a second direction and allowing coil spring 20 to extend plunger 19 upwardly . thereafter spool retaining means 12 is extracted from spool 11 and a filled yarn spool is then placed on spindle blade 13 and the method of securing the spool is repeated . the doffing time of a typical covering machine can be reduced 75 % with this invention thereby increasing the productivity of the machinery as it provides more time for covering yarn along with reducing operators &# 39 ; fatigue and eliminating damage to the outer layers of yarn . various changes and modifications can be made to the invention by those skilled in the art and the examples and illustrations which are shown are merely for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims .
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in modem cmos processes chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ) in conjunction with tungsten ( w ) plugs is used to create flat surfaces for metal deposition . this technique has allowed many metal layers to be used in making an integrated circuit . it is not uncommon for cmos processes with cmp to have 3 , 4 , 5 or even 6 levels of metal . this fact can be used to create block oriented memory arrays with sub - word lines in a more efficient manner than that of aforementioned prior art . fig3 shows a diagram of the improved invention for the case in which there are 3 levels of metal . the word line inverter driver 108 of fig1 has been divided into 2 inverters 300 and 301 each of which drive half of a row of cells . inverter 300 drives the sub word line 302 of the block of cells 313 nearest the row decoder and the second inverter 301 drives the row of the block of cells 314 furthest from the row decoder . the poly word line 303 of the first block is strapped to the metal 2 line 302 at appropriate points along the poly word line as in the case of fig1 . the poly word line 304 of the second block is correspondingly strapped by metal 2 305 and is connected to metal 3 306 which routes over the metal 2 302 of the first block . via 307 is used to connect the metal 2 strap 305 of block 2 ( 314 ) with the metal 3 line 306 . in a cmp process the placement of the via 307 can be almost anywhere along the metal 2 strap 305 and does not require the cell array to be broken or to have a gap . the block select / word line driver function is performed by a circuit described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 723 , 229 . the central word line decoder is comprised on a high fan in nand gate 312 and two inverters , 300 and 301 . the word line driver inverters 300 and 301 are adapted to perform what is in effect a nor function so that either of the two word line inverters 300 and 301 can be disabled by the block select addresses 310 and 311 . this function is in part created by applying or removing vdd or the positive power to the inverters 300 and 301 via 310 and 311 . bs1 311 is the block select 1 signal and bs2 310 is the block select 2 signal which is the compliment of bs1 311 during a read or write operation . to enable the word line 302 of block 1 the row decoder &# 39 ; s nand gate 312 must output a logic 0 . if bs1 311 is high then inverter 300 is able to pull the word line 302 to vdd thus enabling or selecting all of the cells along that word line in block 1 . meanwhile , bs2 310 remains at ground potential thus preventing word line 305 from going to vdd from vss . the nfets 308 and 309 connected to word lines 305 and 302 are used to hold the word lines low in the deselected state . thus , these transistors 308 and 309 connect to the complimentary select signal . when bs1 311 is high bs2 310 is low which keeps nfet 309 &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; thus allowing word line 302 voltage to rise to vdd and nfet 308 is &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; which maintains word line 305 in the low state . when both blocks are de - selected bs1 and bs2 can be held in the high logic state or vdd thus forcing all word lines to vss or ground . the area requirements for the above partition of the row word line is relatively small . the cell array area is unchanged from the non partitioned array shown in fig1 . the driving inverter of the row decoder inverter 108 of fig1 is partitioned into two inverters 300 and 301 with a small additional area being required for more interconnect . also , pull down nfets 308 and 309 have to be added to the row decoder circuit but can be made small since the inverter &# 39 ; s nfet of 300 or 301 will provide for the rapid discharge of the word line after the data read or write operation . the block select lines 310 and 311 can be routed over the row decoder in metal 3 . additional circuitry is required in the periphery to drive the block select lines . the signal for the block select lines can come from one of the column address bits . the size of inverters 300 and 301 may be of slightly different sizes to compensate for the different word line capacitances of the two blocks so as to equalize the word line delay . in should be pointed out that most semiconductor processes will allow line 306 to be routed in metal 2 along with the vdd metal strap and the word line strap 302 since three metal lines can easily fit into the sram cell &# 39 ; s row pitch . thus , a two block arrangement can be typically made as shown in fig3 with only two levels of metal . fig4 shows a diagram of an sram array with 4 selectable blocks with each block containing 4 polysilicon sub word lines 418a , 418b , 418c and 418c , strapped with metal 2 . in this example the word line 418a of block 400 is routed directly with the metal 2 416 used to strap the poly sub word line . for block 401 the connecting line 415 for word line 418b is routed over block 400 in metal 2 along side the metal 2 word line strap of block 400 . for block 402 the connecting line 414 for word line 418c is routed over blocks 400 and 401 in metal 3 . finally , for block 403 the connecting line 413 for word line 418d is routed over blocks 400 , 401 , and 402 in metal 3 and runs along side connecting line 414 in blocks 400 and 401 . via &# 39 ; s 417a and 417b provide connections between the metal 3 lines 413 and 414 and the metal 2 word line straps 418c and 418d , respectively . there are four word line inverter drivers 404 , 405 , 406 , and 407 connected to the output of each row decoder nand 408 . there are also 4 nfet pull down devices 409 , 410 , 411 , and 412 connected to each word line . the gate of any given nfet pull down device can be connected to any block select line other that the block select line associated with the inverter &# 39 ; s output which is connected to said nfet &# 39 ; s drain . this is possible since only one of the four block select lines can be selected at a time with the other three in the de - selected or ground state . it can be appreciated that there are a number of metal line combinations that can be used to realize selectable blocks along a word line using the aforementioned method . as mentioned previously , this word line block partitioning technique can also be applied to roms and drams were there are sufficient layers of metal available in relation to the desired number of blocks in order to achieve lower array power dissipation . because of the smaller row pitch of roms , the number of blocks that can be achieved relative to the number of metal layers is less than that of the sram array .
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carboxylic acids such as citric acid and lactic acid in solution tend to be mildly oxidized if mixed with solutions containing an oxidant , such as fe 3 − , when exposed to light . according to the invention the irreversible reaction of oxidation is catalyzed irradiation with ultraviolet light ( uv ). the photochemical process consists in the reduction of fe 3 + to fe 2 + , evolution of carbon dioxide and formation of oxidation products . in the case of lactic acid the reaction is as follows : ch 3 choh — cooh + 2fe 3 + → ch 3 coh + 2fe 2 + + co 2 + 2h + ( 1 ) according to a first preferred embodiment of this invention , this method uses this type of reaction to determine the lactic acid , using as a detection system of fe 2 + produced the compound 1 , 10 - phenanthroline : the reaction of fe 2 + with 1 , 10 - phenanthroline gives a red - orange colored complex , which allows the spectrophotometric measurement exploiting the absorption of a monochromatic light beam of wavelength in the range from 480 - 525 nm , preferably to 512 nm , which is the wavelength of maximum absorption of the fe 2 − - 1 , 10 - phenanthroline complex . this absorption is proportional to the concentration of the complex and , thus , by using calibration tables , to the concentration of lactate in the biological fluid . in addition to 1 , 10 - phenanthroline , other substances that may complex the fe ( ii ), and then allow the determination of fe ( ii ) in a simple and cheap way are : hexacyanoferrate ( iii ) or ferricyanide [( fe ( iii )( cn ) 6 ] 3 − ( yellow ) reacts with fe ( ii ) to give ferrous ferricyanide fe 3 [( fe ( iii )( cn ) 6 ] 2 ( blue ) that in the presence ferricyanide in excess gives a green colour solution ; the alfa ′- dipyridyl [ i ] forms a soluble , red complex that absorbs at 525 nm . the dimethylglyoxime [ ii ] reacts with ammonia solutions of fe ( ii ) forming a red , soluble complex . nickel interferes in this essay to form a red insoluble complex . the reagent composition and methods for detecting lactic acid and lactate described in this invention can be used in assays of conventional liquid . all reagents may be supplied in powder form and reconstituted with water immediately before use . reagent composition of this type are clearly included in the present invention . suitable amounts of all components of the assay described in this invention may , of course , be embedded in a matrix of adsorbent material of different nature in order to give rise to qualitative or semi - quantitative assays of lactic acid or lactate . typical materials suitable for the analysis of lactate or lactic acid are , for example , polymers , tissues and other materials are described in the following patents u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 092 , 465 , 3 , 418 , 099 , 3 , 418 , 083 , 2 , 893 , 843 , 2 , 893 , 844 , 2 , 912 , 309 , 3 , 008 , 879 , 3 , 802 , 842 , 3 , 798 , 064 , 3 , 298 , 739 , 3 , 915 , 647 , 3 , 917 , 453 , 3 , 933 , 594 , 3 , 936 , 357 , 7 , 476 , 202b2 and other therein cited . furthermore , the reagent composition and methods described in the present invention are of particular utility when the determination of the analyte is carried out on multilayer elements such as those described in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 992 , 158 , 7 , 871 , 568b2 and other therein cited . the method described in this invention can be used to determine lactic acid or lactate in biological fluids ( sweat , serum , plasma , liquor , urine , saliva , amniotic liquid . . . ) by means of various procedures of analysis and instrumental configurations : a ) impregnating the fe ( iii )/ 1 , 10 - phenanthroline mixture onto known multilayer material such as those cited above . in this case a drop of the solution to be analyzed is placed in the plate wells with a drop of reagent , or onto filter paper or other material previously impregnated with the reagent at a concentration established . only after irradiating with uv light an orange stain is formed due to the reduction of fe ( iii ) to fe ( ii ) by the lactate and the complexation of fe ( ii ) with 1 , 10 - phenanthroline ; b ) adding the fe ( iii )/ 1 , 10 - phenanthroline mixture onto sorbent material on which sweat , for example , has been previously collected , or in other device for the collection of sweat , and irradiating with uv light ; c ) spectrophotometric cuvette or in elisa plates using a solution of fe ( iii )/ 1 , 10 - phenanthroline at a suitable concentration and uv light ; e ) liquid chromatography analysis ( hplc ) coupled to on line post - column derivatization with fe ( iii )/ 1 , 10 - phenanthroline mixture and uv irradiating . advantageously , these preferred embodiments of the method of setting - up the reagent make possible to determine lactic acid using low cost reagents , stable for years . the 1 , 10 - phenanthroline costs , for example , 4 . 54 / g . thus , the cost of reagents , 1 , 10 - phenanthroline and solution of fe ( iii ) 10 g / l is of the order of 0 . 002 / test unit . the cost of the enzymatic reagents is orders of magnitude higher and their stability is limited to 6 - 12 months . we report below several examples which are not intended to be exhaustive of all possibilities of composition included in the scope according to this invention . a ) a low cost led370e ultra bright deep violet led ( thorlab , germany ); fig6 shows their emission spectra of a ) a low cost led370e ultra bright deep violet led ( thorlab , germany ) ( dash ); b ) uv lamp for nail gel curing ( solid bold ); c ) high pressure hg lamp ( short dash ); d ) low pressure hg lamp ( thin solid ); e ) usb lamp ( dash - dot - dot ). table 1 summarizes the results expressed as variation of the signal of 3 mm lactate with respect to the blank measure solution ( δ in mv ). the best results were obtained with high pressure lamps and with led370e . in the latter case a longer irradiation time ( 120 sec instead 60 sec ) gave better results due to the small focused irradiation area and the need of homogenizing by stirring 1 ml of sample . this apparent drawback is an advantage when small drops of samples have to be irradiated in suitable devices . usb lamp having an emission spectrum in the 400 - 700 nm range ( visible ) did not show any activation ability . thus the best irradiation wavelength to activate the lactate / fe ( iii ) reaction is in the range 300 - 400 nm . test in cuvette using colorimetric / spectrophotometric analysis : analysis of lactate in human sweat a ) standard solution of 15 mg / ml ( 15 , 000 ppm , or 83 . 3 mm ) 1 , 10 - phenanthroline . this solution is prepared by dissolving 75 mg of powder in 1 ml of ethanol and adding 4 ml of water ; b ) standard solution of 10 g / l ( 10 , 000 ppm , or 179 mm ) fe ( iii ) in 0 . 1 m hno 3 ; c ) standard solution of 1 . 31 m lactic acid ( obtained by diluting 100 μl of lactic acid l6402 sigma - aldrich - fluka , molecular weight 90 . 08 , density = 1 . 2 mg / ml in 900 μl of deionized water ). a ) and b ) solutions are diluted and mixed in quartz cuvette in order to get a solution with the following composition : 5 mm 1 , 10 - phenanthroline + 5 mm fe ( iii ) (( d ) solution ). thus , increasing concentrations of lactic acid are added to solution d ) by performing suitable dilutions of solution c ). solution d ) containing lactic acid ( 0 . 3 mm for example ) is irradiated with uv lamp of type b ) for 60 seconds . fig1 shows uv / visible spectra of solution d ) ( a curve ) of solution d )+ 0 . 3 mm lactic acid before ( b curve ) and after ( c curve ) irradiating with a uv lamp of type b ) for 60 ″. solution d ) without lactic acid is yellow . after the addition of 0 . 3 mm lactic acid and irradiation with a uv lamp of type b ) for 60 ″ the solution becomes orange - red . fig2 shows the kinetics ( absorbance at 512 nm vs . reaction time ) of the reaction between 0 . 3 mm lactic acid and the reagent solution ( d ) after irradiating with a uv lamp of type b ) for 60 seconds . from fig2 it results that the absorbance value after 10 min reaches 90 % of the maximum plateau value . thus , 10 min reaction time has been selected to perform the calibration curve . fig3 shows the calibration curve obtained by plotting the absorbance values at 512 nm of solutions containing increasing concentration of lactic acid after reacting with the reagent solution d ) and uv irradiation with uv lamp of type b ) for 60 ″, analyzed 10 min after their preparation . the method shows a linear dynamic range between 0 . 05 and 1 mm lactic acid ( in the linear part of the fitting parameters are : slope = 2 . 21 mm − 1 ( sd = 0 . 116 ), r 2 = 0 . 9864 , n = 6 ). the limit of quantification ( loq ) is 0 . 05 mm . the precision is 3 . 1 % ( percent coefficient of variation ). the proposed method was applied to the determination of lactic acid in sweat of athletes subjected to physical exercise . the concentration of lactate in plasma is generally less than 2 mm , while in sweat it ranges between 10 and 15 mm or more . a part of this comes from the metabolism of sweat glands as a product of glycolysis . the other part comes from the plasma lactate and , accordingly , follows lactate variations as a result of physical activity . a ) each determination requires from 20 to 500 mg of sweat . the eccrine sweat is collected during exercise from the lower back , for example , but it can be collected in other areas of the body . in the specific example , sweat is collected onto filter paper ( 42 whatman ashless , n . 1442070 , diameter 70 mm ) kept in position during exercise by means of an adhesive patch during the time established for the sampling . alternatively , the sweat can be collected with other methods already adopted in the medical practice , for example through capillary devices ; b ) in the case of the sampling method that uses filter paper , the sweat is extracted with 1 . 5 - 3 ml of deionized water to obtain a 1 : 10 dilution , approximately . if sweat is collected as is using capillaries , it must be diluted about 10 times with deionized water ( 100 μl + 900 μl of water ); c ) 100 μl of diluted sweat solution are added to 900 μl of reagent ( i . e . the 5 mm 1 , 10 - phenanthroline + 5 mm fe ( iii ) mixture , solution d ), thus obtaining a concentration value included in the dynamic linear range of the method ( 0 . 05 - 1 mm ). d ) the diluted sweat + reagent ( solution d ) mixture is then transferred into a cuvette for spectrophotometric analysis ( volume 1 ml ), and irradiated with a uv lamp of type b ) for 60 ″. after 10 minutes reaction time the absorbance at 512 nm of the solution is read in a spectrophotometer or colorimeter . e ) the spectrophotometer is set at a wavelength of 512 nm and calibrated with a blank solution ( solution ( d ) without sweat sample added , irradiated for 60 ″ with the uv lamp of type b ), analyzed after 10 min from irradiation ). after this , the absorbance of the sample solution is measured . table 2 shows as an example the results of the concentration of lactic acid found in two samples of human sweat , compared with the value of the concentration of lactic acid found by chromatographic method ( hplc ). the values were corrected taking into account the dilution factor ( 10 × 10 = 100 ). the results show an accuracy of 88 % and 115 % for the two samples 1 and 2 , respectively . these values of accuracy are good , taking into account that currently no certified method for sweat analysis are reported . test in cuvette using colorimetric / spectrophotometric analysis : analysis of lactate in human saliva a ) standard solution of 15 mg / ml ( 15 , 000 ppm , or 83 . 3 mm ) 1 , 10 - phenanthroline . this solution is prepared by dissolving 75 mg of powder in 1 ml of ethanol and adding 4 ml of water ; b ) standard solution of 10 g / l ( 10 , 000 ppm , or 179 mm ) fe ( iii ) in 0 . 1 m hno 3 ; c ) standard solution of 1 . 31 m lactic acid ( obtained by diluting 100 μl of lactic acid l6402 sigma - aldrich - fluka , molecular weight 90 . 08 , density = 1 . 2 mg / ml in 900 μl of deionized water ). a ) and b ) solutions are diluted and mixed in quartz cuvette in order to get a solution with the following composition : 5 mm 1 , 10 - phenanthroline + 5 mm fe ( iii ) (( d ) solution ). thus , increasing concentrations of lactic acid are added to solution d ) by performing suitable dilutions of solution c ). solution d ) containing lactic acid ( 0 . 3 mm for example ) is irradiated with a uv lamp of type b ) for 60 seconds . b ) 100 μl of saliva are added to 900 μl of reagent ( i . e . the 5 mm 1 , 10 - phenanthroline + 5 mm fe ( iii ) mixture , solution d ), thus obtaining a concentration value included in the dynamic linear range of the method ( 0 . 05 - 1 mm ). c ) the saliva + reagent ( solution d ) mixture is then transferred into a cuvette for spectrophotometric analysis ( volume 1 ml ), and irradiated with a uv lamp of type b ) for 60 ″. after 10 minutes reaction time the absorbance at 512 nm of the solution is read in a spectrophotometer or colorimeter . d ) the spectrophotometer is set at a wavelength of 512 nm and calibrated with a blank solution ( solution ( d ) without sweat sample added , irradiated for 60 ″ with the uv lamp of type b ), analyzed after 10 min from irradiation ). after this , the absorbance of the sample solution is measured . the lactate concentration value found in saliva sample was 2 . 1 ± 0 . 07 mm , taking into account the dilution correction factor ( 1 : 10 ). five squares were cut from a common patch , impregnated with 200 μl of the reaction mixture ( ie the 5 mm 1 , 10 - phenanthroline + 5 mm fe ( iii ) mixture , solution d ) and were allowed to dry . then 100 μl of solutions of increasing concentration of lactic acid ( 0 , 0 . 325 , 3 . 25 , 6 . 5 , 65 mm ) were deposited on each square , irradiated with a uv light of type b ) for 60 ″. more intense colors correspond to samples containing higher concentrations of lactic acid . this procedure can be used in a qualitative manner to show , for example , an exceeding level of lactic acid in sweat during training , compared to a threshold value , or in a quantitative manner wherever the mixture can be physically adsorbed or chemically bound to a support and integrated in any disposable diagnostic test strips for portable reader ( similar to those used for the measurement of blood glucose in diabetics ), or by processing the image in terms of color intensity after scanning . according to a further way of implementing this invention , a suitable concentration of the solution of fe ( iii ) required for the photochemical reaction of lactate described in this invention can , of course and conveniently , be incorporated in a matrix of sorbent material to get disposable test strips suitable for the quantitative determination of lactic acid or lactate with physico - chemical techniques , such as electrochemical techniques . according to a preferred set up , disposable electrochemical strips soaked with the reagent solution and the biological fluid to be analysed are appropriately irradiated with uv light and then subjected to electrochemical tests using portable meters commercially available , modified in order to provide a sample holder to irradiate the sample with uv light for a selected time . electrochemical techniques has been successfully used for the determination of lactic acid or lactate in biological fluids , such as sweat , serum , plasma , urine , saliva , using various analytical procedures and instrumental configurations : a ) in a potentiometric cell built with a platinum electrode and a calomel reference electrode , adding a suitable concentration of the fe ( iii ) solution to the lactic acid solution , and carrying out the measurement after irradiating with uv light the mixture ; b ) in a potentiometric cell built with a platinum microelectrode and a reference ag / agcl microelectrode in series in a flow injection system ( fig4 ), adding a suitable concentration of the fe ( iii ) solution to the lactic acid solution , and carrying out the measurement after irradiating with uv light the mixture ; c ) supporting a suitable concentration of the fe ( iii ) solution onto an impregnating or multilayer material . in this case a drop of the sample solution containing lactate is added / sucked for capillarity on the material previously impregnated with the reagent . a ) standard solution of 10 g / l ( 10 , 000 ppm , or 179 mm ) fe ( iii ) in 0 . 1 m hno 3 ; b ) standard solution of 3 . 7 m lactic acid ( obtained by diluting 5 g of lactic acid from carlo erba in 15 ml total deionized water , molecular weight 90 . 08 , density = 1 . 21 g / ml ). solution a ) must be suitably diluted in order to obtain a 5 mm fe ( iii ) solution ( solution c ). thus , increasing concentrations of lactic acid obtained by appropriate dilutions of the solution b ) are added to solution c ). each solution c ), containing increasing concentrations of lactic acid , are irradiated with a uv lamp of type c ) for 60 seconds . the measure system is a potentiometric cell built with a calomel reference electrode ( hg | hg 2 cl 2 | cl − ) and a platinum working electrode connected to a digital reader of the difference of potential in mv . fig5 shows the calibration curve obtained from the values of the difference of potential ( mv ) recorded in 8 solutions containing increasing concentration of lactic acid ( 0 , 0 . 25 , 0 . 5 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 10 , 50 , 100 , 150 , 200 mm ) after the reaction with the solution c ), irradiated with a w uv lamp of type c ) for 60 ″ and analyzed immediately after preparation . the calibration curve ( difference of potential vs . the logarithm of the concentration of lactate ) shows a discontinuity in the linearity between 5 and 10 mm and is linear between 0 . 25 and 10 mm lactate ( fig5 b ) and between 10 and 200 mm acid lactic ( fig5 a ). the latter is the range of lactate concentrations typically found in human sweat at rest and during intense exercise . to detect lower concentrations for example in human blood is appropriate to use the calibration curve of fig5 b . table 3 summarizes the parameters of data fitting in the range 0 . 25 - 5 and 5 - 10 mm lactate of calibration curves ( difference of potential vs . the logarithm of the concentration of lactate ). b ) standard solution of 3 . 7 m lactic acid ( obtained by diluting 5 g of lactic acid from carlo erba in 15 ml total deionized water , molecular weight 90 . 08 , density = 1 . 21 g / ml ). solution a ) must be suitably diluted in order to obtain a 5 mm fe ( iii ) solution ( solution c ). thus , increasing concentrations of lactic acid obtained by appropriate dilutions of the solution b ) are added to solution c ). each solution c ), containing increasing concentrations of lactic acid , are irradiated with a uv lamp of type c ) for 60 seconds . the measure system employed is a potentiometric cell schematized in fig5 , with an on line injection system of the liquid sample ( 4 ) and a waste tubing ( 5 ), built with a silver reference microelectrode ( ag / agcl ) ( 1 ) and a platinum working microelectrode ( 2 ) ( models 16 - 702 and 16 - 705 modified , respectively , microelectrodes , inc ., bedford , n . h .) electrically connected to a digital reader of the difference of potential in mv ( 3 ). the calibration curve is obtained by plotting the values of the difference of potential ( mv ) measured in various solutions containing increasing concentration of lactic acid ( between 0 and 10 mm ) after reacting with the solution c ) prepared at two different fe ( iii ) concentration levels ( 1 and 5 mm ), irradiated with a w uv lamp of type c ) for 60 ″ and injected into the system just after preparation . calibration curves ( difference of potential vs . the logarithm of the concentration of lactate ) are linear between 0 . 1 and 5 mm lactate . table 3 summarizes the values of the linear fitting of data . the limit of quantification of lactate ( loq ) is 0 . 1 mm . the precision is 2 . 2 % expressed as percent coefficient of variation ( cv %). table 4 reports the parameters of data fitting of calibration curve ( difference of potential vs . the logarithm of the concentration of lactate ) in the range 0 . 1 - 5 mm lactate a ) each determination takes from 20 to 500 mg of sweat . the eccrine sweat is collected during exercise from the lower back , for example , but it can be collected in other areas of the body . in the specific example , sweat is collected onto filter paper ( 42 whatman ashless , n . 1442070 , diameter 70 mm ) kept in position during exercise by means of an adhesive patch during the time established for the sampling . alternatively , the sweat can be collected with other methods already adopted in medical practice , for example using capillary devices ; b ) in the case of the sampling method that uses filter paper , the sweat is extracted with 1 . 5 - 3 ml of deionized water to obtain a 1 : 10 dilution , approximately . if sweat is collected as is using capillaries , it must be diluted about 10 times with deionized water ( 100 μl + 900 μl of water ); c ) 5 . 6 μl of reagent ( i . e . 1 mm fe ( iii ) are added to 1 ml of diluted sweat solution . d ) then , the diluted sweat + 1 mm fe ( iii ) mixture is irradiated with a w uv lamp of type c ) for 60 ″ and injected in the fia apparatus that includes the two microelectrodes . the difference of potential value is recorded by a pc . e ) the procedure also requires the measurement of a blank solution ( 1 or 5 mm fe ( iii ) solution without sweat sample added ), irradiated with a w uv lamp of type c ) for 60 ″ and analyzed immediately after irradiation . the measure duration is less than 1 minute . this instrumental configuration has the advantage of requiring only a small volume of sample solution ( 0 . 5 - 1 ml of diluted sweat solution ) table 5 shows as an example the results of the analysis of lactic acid found in three samples of human sweat , compared with the value of the concentration of lactic acid found in the same samples with the chromatographic method ( hplc ). the values were corrected taking into account the dilution factor ( 10 × 10 = 100 ). the determination of lactate in urine is performed by diluting the urine 1 : 1 with deionized water using the analyte additions technique , i . e . by spiking the diluted urine samples with known amounts of analytes . the analyte additions curve is obtained by plotting the values of the difference of potential ( mv ) as a function of lactic acid concentration found by injecting the solutions after uv irradiation with a w uv lamp of type c ) for 60 ″. a . increasing concentrations of lactate from standard solution in the range 0 - 5 mm are added to 1 ml of diluted urine ( 1 : 1 ). thus , 28 μl of reagent solution ( i . e . 5 mm fe ( iii )) are added . b . the diluted urine ( spiked or not with lactate standard solution )+ 5 mm fe ( iii ) mixture is irradiated with a w uv lamp of type c ) for 60 ″ and injected in the fia system that includes the two reference and working electrodes . thus , for each solution the difference of potential values are measured . the concentration of lactate in the urine sample was determined from the intercept value on x axis of the linear plot difference of potential ( mv ) vs . lactate concentration added ( analyte additions technique ). in the urine sample examined from healthy volunteer the endogenous concentration of lactate was below the detection limit ( 0 . 03 mm ) ( curve fitting parameters : intercept of y axis = 5 . 67 ± 2 mm ; slope =− 5 . 3 ± 0 . 7 , r 2 = 0 . 926 ).
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high velocity metal forming ( hvmf ) provides a means for producing products which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive or complex using traditional manufacturing methods . in order to incorporate hvmf as a reliable manufacturing method , hvmf coils must be designed to produce uniform and repeatable results after hundreds of work cycles . for example , desirable coil design requirements include : the ability to withstand repeated discharges from a capacitor bank ; compatibility with products that will be produced using hvmf ; generation of a uniform force ; minimal or no arcing during capacitor discharge ; ease of manufacture , including use of traditional manufacturing methods . compatibility means that the materials from which the actuator is fabricated can in large part be determined by the type of metal to be formed by the coil . upon activation of the electromagnetic actuator by providing a current pulse from a capacitor bank controlled by a suitable actuator controller , the intense electromagnetic field of the actuator generates a repulsive electromagnetic force between the actuator and the workpiece . the magnitude of the repulsive force is a function of a variety of factors including the conductivity of the workpiece and , where an inductive coil is employed as the actuator , the number of turns of the actuator coil . an actuator can be driven by the controlled periodic discharge of a capacitor , generating short , high voltage , high current electrical discharges through a conductive coil of the actuator . the hvmf actuator of the invention may assume a variety of configurations including those that comprise an inductive coil . suitable inductive coils include those that are configured as a multi - loop coil that is substantially helical . it is further contemplated that suitable helical coils may define a variety of geometries including substantially circular , ellipsoidal , parabolic , quadrilateral , and planar geometries , and combinations thereof . the hvmf actuator of the invention can be operated to yield strain rates of about 1000 / sec , or at least about 500 / sec , or at least about 250 / sec , or at least about 100 / sec , and sheet velocities exceeding about 50 msec , or at least about 25 m / sec , or at least about 10 m / sec . at such strain rates and sheet velocities , many materials that typically exhibit low formability at lower strain rates and sheet velocities transition to a state of hyper - plasticity characterized by relatively good formability . aluminum , aluminum alloys , magnesium , and magnesium alloys are good examples of such materials . in many instances , materials deformed according to the present invention also exhibit reduced springback , where a deformed material tends to return partially to its original , un - deformed shape . as a result , it is often not necessary to compensate for springback in the deforming process . a first embodiment of the invention is an actuator , which is a coil assembly , for use in high velocity metal forming comprising an inner coil and an outer coil . the inner coil generally has the shape of a flattened helix , and the outer coil includes a cavity therein . the inner and outer coils are generally coaxial . leads connect the inner coil to an outside electrical power source . a resin coats the inner coil , and the inner coil is situated inside the cavity of the outer coil such that the inner and outer coils are not in electrical contact with one another , and such that the cavity of the outer coil is substantially filled with the resin . the inventors hereof believe that the use of a flattened helix is important to generate a non - uniform magnetic field ( leading to non - symmetric forming operations ) as opposed to a cylindrical helix , which generates a uniform magnetic field leading to symmetric forming operations . a preferred embodiment is a uniform pressure activator (“ uactivator ”) which carries out non - symmetric forming of metals and other compositions . a second embodiment of the invention is a process for making a high velocity metal forming ( hvmf ) actuator assembly wherein the assembly comprises an inner and an outer coil , the process comprising : a . forming a hole through a block of conductive metal or alloy having x , y , and z dimensions , said hole being formed in the z dimension ; b . beginning at the hole , cutting out a continuous central portion of the block corresponding to a desired inner dimension of an inner coil , said cutting being substantially parallel to the z - axis ; c . cutting out a further portion of the block parallel to the z - axis to form an inner coil , the remainder constituting an outer coil having a cavity ; d . machining angled notches in a + z portion of the inner coil at regular intervals along the x - axis , said angled notches being cut at an angle of 0 to 90 ° from the x - axis ; e . machining straight slots in a − z portion of the inner coil , said straight slots being substantially parallel to the y - axis , to afford an inner coil ; f . contacting the inner coil with a solution capable of removing surface oxidation therefrom ; g . inserting the inner coil into the cavity of the outer coil , and h . filling the space of the cavity of the outer coil and surrounding the inner coil with a resin . yet another embodiment of the invention is a process of forming metal comprising : ( a ) selecting a workpiece having a composition , ( b ) selecting a compatible hvmf actuator assembly including a power source , ( c ) selecting a forming die , ( d ) spatially arranging the workpiece , coil assembly , and die , and ( e ) applying power to the power source of the coil assembly to deform the workpiece . other embodiments of the invention include a hvmf actuator made by any processes disclosed elsewhere herein and processes of forming metal using any hvmf actuator assembly disclosed elsewhere herein . such inventive forming processes include non - symmetrical forming processes . metal . generally , any conductive metal or alloy can be used to form the actuator of the invention . copper typically has the best combination of conductivity and toughness required to withstand the forces generated in electromagnetic forming . however , when coupled with beryllium , the resulting beryllium - copper alloy (“ becu ”) displays improved strength and durability . for example , the actuator of any embodiment of the invention may include about 0 . 1 to about 2 wt % beryllium and about 95 to about 99 . 5 wt % copper , preferably about 0 . 2 to about 0 . 7 wt % of beryllium and about 97 to about 99 wt % copper . more preferably , the actuator of the invention is fabricated from becu alloy 3 from brush wellman inc ., elmore , ohio . generally , the electrical conductivity ( i . e ., the metal used ) of the workpiece will dictate the material from which the actuator is fabricated . this relationship falls under the concept of “ compatibility .” whatever metal is used , the inventors have discovered that fabrication of an actuator of the invention by cutting the inner coils from a single block of metal ( or alloy ) helps to ensure generation of a uniform magnetic field . dies . many non - conductive dielectric materials may be used as dies for forming or shaping thin metal workpieces . polycarbonate and phenolic plastics , for example , are suitable materials . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the die is comprised of a ceramic such as aluminum oxide . ceramics are especially suitable owing to their high mechanical strength and high heat conductivity compared to most dielectric materials such as glass or plastic . this feature of ceramics can be beneficial for metal forming which involves a high repetition rate for the metal forming pulses as is required in any economically feasible ( i . e ., high - volume ) production process , for example , in the fabrication of aluminum beverage containers . because both electrical energy dissipated by the coil and kinetic energy transferred by the workpiece must be absorbed by the die , the rate of heat transfer out of the system through the die can limit the pulse repetition rate . die materials which are good conductors of heat are therefore especially preferred . holders . the apparatus of the present invention may also include a workpiece holder to hold the workpiece during forming . such a workpiece holder may be in the form of a male or female mold body defining a mold shape against which the metal workpiece is deformed . the apparatus may also have a workpiece holder which comprises a first half adapted to fit along a third side of the actuator ( where the return conduits are on respective first and second sides ) so as to hold the metal workpiece between the actuator and the first half , and a second half adapted to fit along a fourth side of the actuator opposite the third side . the workpiece holder may also be the outer coil itself . the workpiece may alternatively be secured in a position over the die cavity by clamping devices or vacuum holding devices , or by means of a magnetic holding system . dielectric coating . a variety of dielectric materials may be used to coat the inner coil , thus preventing electrical contact between the inner and outer coils . for example , glasses , ceramics , enamels , and plastics . a slurry , paste or frits — of glass , ceramics or enamels — may be coated by conventional means onto the inner coil , such as by dipping , spray drying , doctor blading , etc . the coil is then heated sufficiently to fuse the frits into a cohesive coating layer . dielectrics including batio 3 , sio 2 and transition metal oxides , and combinations thereof , may be used for this purpose . other possible dielectric coating materials include thermoplastics such as fluoropolymers , polyethylenes , polyesters ; thermoset powder coatings ; 2k epoxy systems ; dual cure systems ; mixtures of epoxies with other resins ; lower temperature curable epoxies ; and uv - curable epoxies . in a preferred embodiment , the dielectric material comprises a bisphenol - a epoxy resin . in particular , the dielectric material may include a nine - type bisphenol - a epoxy resin and a one - type bisphenol - a epoxy resin . the weight ratio between the nine - type bisphenol - a epoxy resin and the one - type bisphenol - a epoxy resin may be about 6 : 1 to about 2 : 1 , preferably about 5 : 1 to about 3 : 1 and more preferably about 4 : 1 . the dielectric material may advantageously further comprise a cross linker . a preferred crosslinker includes a urea - formaldehyde resin . the weight ratio of the bisphenol - a epoxy resin ( s ) to the crosslinker is about 10 : 1 to about 2 : 1 , preferably about 8 : 1 to about 4 : 1 , and more preferably about 6 : 1 . in a preferred embodiment , the dielectric coating includes at least one bisphenol - a epoxy resin . in an especially preferred embodiment , a ratio of about 4 parts of a nine - type bisphenol - a epoxy resin to 1 part of a “ one type ” bisphenol - a epoxy resin is used . the resins are crosslinked with a urea - formaldehyde resin . the ratio is about 6 parts epoxy to one part urea - formaldehyde resin , the ratio based on solids . for the overall dielectric coating formulation , including bisphenol - a resins and crosslinkers , a large portion is the solvent , for example about 40 to about 80 wt %, about 50 to about 75 wt % or about 50 to about 70 wt %. in a preferred embodiment , the formula is approximately 55 % solvent with a ratio of three parts dpm to one part glycol ether eb . four percent of the solvent is a 3 to 1 ratio of n - butanol and ethanol in which the urea - formaldehyde crosslinker is dissolved . useful peroxide curing - agents include methyl ethyl ketone peroxide , hydroperoxide , paramenthane hydroperoxide , t - butyl hydroperoxide , diisopropyl benzene hydroperoxide , and combinations thereof . in a preferred embodiment , the dielectric composition is a reaction product of four constituents with a crosslinking agent and an epoxy curing agent , as follows : constituent a ( resin ) ( 16 . 7 wt %) is a low molecular weight solid epoxy resin derived from a liquid epoxy resin and bisphenol - a having an epoxide equivalent weight of 525 - 550 . the liquid epoxy resin is a condensation product of 2 , 2 - bis ( p - glycidyloxphenyl ) propane with 2 , 2 - bis ( p - hydroxyphenyl ) propane and similar isomers . constituent b ( epoxy resin ): ( 16 . 7 wt %) is the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol - a ( 100 % wt ) having a maximum epichlorohydrin content of 1 ppm . constituent c ( glycidyl ester ): ( 16 . 7 wt %) is glycidyl neodecanoate ( 99 . 9 %) having a maximum diglycidyl ether content of 1000 - 1500 ppm . constituent e ( crosslinking agent ): ( 3 wt %) is a liquid form of hexamethoxymethylmelamine (& gt ; 98 % non - volatile ). constituent f ( epoxy curing agent ): ( 2 wt %) is a low molecular weight solid epoxy resin ( epoxide equivalent weight 525 - 550 ) including 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″- nitrilo - tris - ethanol ( 65 - 80 %), piperazine ( 20 - 35 %) and n - aminoethylpiperazine ( 10 - 20 wt %). the coils are dipped in the dielectric coating composition and cured at 300 ° f . for 30 minutes . physical testing performed on the so - coated coils includes pencil adhesion , scribe , mek rubs , and impact testing . epoxies having product numbers such as cm - 300 , gb - 112 , js - 003 , js - 013 , and js - 017 , available from allchem industries of gainsville , fla . such epoxies may optionally be diluted with a solvent such as an alcohol or ether , or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent . for example suitable solvents include toluene , xylene , phenol , methanol , ethanol , propanol ( all forms ), butanol ( all forms ), glycol , glycol ethers , and glycol ether dibenzoate . any form of the named alcohols and aromatic compounds ( including n -, iso -, tert -, ortho -, meta -, and para , each where applicable ) are envisioned . particularly preferred are toluene and n - butanol . encapsulant / infiltrant . thermoplastics , elastomers , and thermoplastic elastomers (“ tpes ”) can be used to fill the space between the inner and outer coils of the invention , as well as , in certain embodiments , completely surround the outer coil . the fill is useful for absorbing forces generated by the coil , heat dissipation , and acting as an insulator ( dielectric ), between the inner and outer coils . useful thermoplastics include polypropylene , polyethylene , nylon , and polycarbonate , among others . an advantage of thermoplastic fill is that , if the coil or the thermoplastic fill becomes damaged or deformed , the thermoplastic may be heated to melt it away . the coil can then be repaired , and / or new thermoplastic may be injection molded to form a fresh resin fill . thus , the life of the coil can be extended , because the fill is sacrificial and replaceable . elastomers are also suitable as the fill resin of the invention , for example thermosetting polyurethane elastomers and toluene diisocyanate terminated polyether prepolymers . the elastomers may be cured . useful fill elastomers include urethanes , polyesters , silicones , isocyanurates , acrylates , rubbers , epoxides , polyamides , and novolaks . the rubber may be any of silicone rubber , nitrile rubber , epdm , epm , isoprene , neoprene , butyl rubber , and combinations thereof . in a preferred embodiment , the elastomer comprises thermosettable urethane . for curable elastomers , suitable curing agents include peroxides , acid - catalysts , and phenolic - formaldehyde resins . specific suitable commercially available polymer resins and curing agents include adiprene ™ lf - 950a , and vibracure ™ a133 , respectively , both available from chemtura corporation , middlebury , conn . the same solvents involved in thinning and spreading the dielectric coating may be used with respect to applying the plastic encapsulant . machining process . the coils of the hvmf actuator assembly of the invention are generally formed from a single block of metal or alloy . it is believed that this provides the coils of the invention with the capability to generate a stable , uniform magnetic field , as well as long cycle life . referring now to fig2 , a finished hvmf actuator of the invention is shown . the major components of the finished assembly include inner coil 240 , outer coil 300 , leads 400 and resin fill 500 . referring now to fig3 , a block of conductive metal 10 , preferably a becu alloy is shown . the block 10 is preferably in the shape of a right rectangular solid , however cubes or other right - elliptical solids are possible . the block 10 may also be a sphere , or other solid shape , however in such case , processing steps are unnecessarily complicated . however , for ease of reference , it is assumed that block 10 is a right rectangular solid having dimensions along the x , y and z axes . on a flat face 20 of block 10 in the xy plane are drawn or otherwise inscribed intended machining paths 30 . machining paths 30 include inner coil core machining path 40 and inner coil external machining path 50 , and outer coil internal machining path 55 . as seen in fig4 , at a suitable point along or near path 40 , a hole 60 is drilled as a starting point for the machining generally , the hole is drilled in a direction through the block that is perpendicular to the long axes ( i . e ., straight sides ) of the coil loops and parallel to the length of the coil as seen from loop to loop . in the case of the right rectangular block 10 , the hole 60 is drilled parallel to the z axis . more than one hole may be so drilled , e . g ., holes 60 and 65 . a wire edm ( not shown ) is used to cut along inner coil core path 40 . the inner coil core 200 can be removed from block 10 for further finishing . electric discharge machining is a process involving an electrode to create a hole or threads in a metal workpiece . wire electrical discharge machines ( wire edms ) are machine tools in widespread use for precision metal cutting . continuous wire edms generally comprise a special electrical discharge wire that is stretched between two guides . the electrical discharge wire extends completely through the workpiece . as the wire and the workpiece are brought into close proximity an arc is struck . the wire and workpiece are moved relative to one another so that the straight wire advances through the workpiece . as the wire is consumed it is slowly moved past the workpiece so that a fresh piece of wire is continuously presented to the workpiece as cutting proceeds . the workpiece is generally immersed in a cutting fluid such as , for example , deionized water . one advantage of a continuous wire edm process is that the electrode is automatically and continuously replenished as it is consumed . the cut is thus maintained at a predetermined size . a disadvantage of the conventional continuous wire edm process is that it can not be employed to form a blind hole . a special type of electrical discharge machine involves an electrode of finite length , which is advanced into a workpiece to form a blind hole . this is sometimes referred to as “ sinker ” edm technology . the electrodes can be of any desired cross - sectional configuration , including , for example , round , square , rectangular , hollow , or the like . the cross - section of a hole formed by this sinker edm technology is generally substantially the same as that of the electrode . in general , the efficient operation of sinker electrodes requires that the electrode be mounted for automatically controlled reciprocal movement relative to the workpiece . the formation of a slot with sinker edm technology generally requires that the cross - section of the electrode be the same as the cross - sectional shape of the slot . there are practical limits to how long a thin blade like electrode can be and still retain its accuracy . this substantially limits the length of the slots that can be formed with sinker electrodes . a wire electrical discharge machine such as that available from mc machinery systems , inc ., ( mitsubishi ) of wood dale , ill . is suitable herein . it will be appreciated that cutting and machining can be carried out with cnc , laser and conventional metal cutting techniques as known in the art . referring again to fig4 , the inner coil 240 is next cut from the block 10 by wire edm following path 50 . looking to fig5 a , the remainder of block 10 is now considered to be outer coil 300 , having cavity 305 , from which inner coil 240 was removed . outer coil 300 has , in the x - dimension , an inner long side 350 with length l , and semicircular end 320 having inner radius r . as seen in fig5 b , which is a view along line 5 b ′- 5 b ″ in fig5 a , a rectangular opening 330 runs the entire z - dimension length of the outer coil 300 parallel to the xz plane . opening 330 also has width l , which corresponds to the dimension of inner side 310 . as shown in fig6 - 8 , the inner coil 240 is further machined to form loops . first , fig6 shows that angled notches are cut out of the inner coil 240 . for each loop of the coil , an angled notched portion 250 having angle a with respect to the long side 210 of the loop is cut out . the angled notches may be cut at an angle of 0 ° to 90 ° relative to the x - axis , preferably about 5 ° to about 85 °, and more preferably about 10 ° to about 80 ° relative to the x - axis . the resulting angled cuttings 250 are discarded or otherwise reprocessed . the angled notches may be triangular or have the shape of a trapezoid . if a trapezoid , the width w ( 260 ) of the rounded end 220 is constant around the circumference . looking to fig7 , the angled slots 270 are machined out , thereby connecting the notches . in fig8 , the inner coil 240 is rotated and straight slots 265 are machined into the inner coil 240 . the straight slots 280 are machined essentially in the xy plane . spacing 350 between the coil loops may be greater than , less than , or the same as width w ( 260 ). preferably , the spacing between the loops is uniform . all of the aforementioned cutting may be performed by cnc milling or machining , wire edm , laser , or other suitable means . fig8 and 9 show the finished inner coil 240 , which is then cleaned by immersion in a dilute acidic solution , and then dipped in , or otherwise coated in at least one layer of a dielectric material and cured or fused as appropriate . fig1 shows an end - on view of a finished coil . other suitable cleaning solutions include a mixed h 2 so 4 — h 2 o 2 solution and ridoline ®, commercially available from henkel corporation , of rocky hill , conn ., usa . care must be taken to ensure that the inner coil is free of surface defects , burrs , chips , etc . such defects would serve as points of origin of arcing or stress fractures of the coil or electrical arcing as the coil will both generate and be subject to great tensile stress . hence the inner coil must be highly polished . as shown in fig1 and 11 , leads 400 are connected to each end of the internal coil 240 . care must be taken to ensure that the leads do not come into contact with any part of the coil other than the ends to which they are connected . the connection may be by brazing or by a mechanical connection . the leads may be formed of any conductive metal so long as it can be electrically and physically connected with the metal from which the coils are formed . preferably , the leads are formed of the same metal or alloy as the coils . connector . alternatively , as shown in fig1 - 13 , a connector 600 ( or 700 ) can be used to secure leads 400 to the ends of coil 240 . connector 600 is designed such that a lead 400 can attach to an end of a coil 240 distal to a power source without contacting the coil at any other point . a variety of shapes and sizes for connector 600 are possible but a critical factor is that connector 600 provides the only contact point between coil 240 and leads 400 . keeping in mind the shape of the axial ends of a coil as shown in fig1 - 11 , a connector must accommodate both the electrical lead 400 , generally a cylinder , and a portion of the long side 210 of a terminal loop of coil 240 . in particular , an embodiment of connector 600 , as depicted in fig1 , has a sidewall 610 and a curved top wall 620 . sidewall 610 includes a circular cutout forming circular receiver 630 . circular receiver 630 may be an entire circular cutout of sidewall 610 such that lead 400 inserted there into is fully surrounded by the receiver . alternatively , circular receiver 630 may be a partial circle ( a semicircular channel , or a channel having greater or less than half the circumference of a circle ) to allow the insertion of lead 400 . top wall 620 extends from trailing edge 650 along a relatively flat plane to a curved plane 670 terminating in leading edge 660 . curve 655 and leading edge 660 are situated such that in the embodiment of fig1 a , side wall 610 appears to be a stylized ocean wave . in fig1 and 13 , the connector 600 , 700 has a height 605 , 705 which is generally less than the sum of the coil loop thickness 290 plus twice the inner coil radius 295 , the latter two as shown in fig5 c . the length 690 , 790 of connector 600 , 700 is less than the length of the straight portion of coil end 220 signified by 225 in fig7 . inner width 680 , 780 ( fig1 b and 13b ) of engaging portion ( 640 , 740 ) of connector 600 , 700 corresponds to the width of a coil , ( w ) 260 , in fig8 . the “ two - sided ” connector 600 may optionally include a mounting tab 645 extending inward from , and running the length of , sidewall 610 . mounting tab 645 will advantageously extend into engaging portion 640 of connector 600 in order to more securely mount this two - sided embodiment of the connector on inner coil 240 . the length 690 of connector 600 is not especially critical , but should be less than the sum of l + r as shown in fig5 a . an alternative embodiment of connector 600 is shown as reference numeral 700 in fig1 . reference numerals for features of connector 700 analogous to those of connector 600 have 100 added to the reference numeral thereof . connector 700 has a first sidewall 710 , a second sidewall 780 and a curved top wall 720 . sidewalls 710 and 790 include a circular cutout forming circular receiver 730 . circular receiver 730 may be an entire circular cutout of sidewalls 710 and 780 such that lead 400 inserted there into is fully surrounded by the receiver . alternatively , circular receiver 730 may be a partial circle ( a semicircular channel , or greater or less than half the circumference of a circle ) to allow the insertion of lead 400 . top wall 720 extends from trailing edge 750 along a relatively flat plane to a curved path 770 terminating in leading edge 760 . the curve 770 and leading edge 760 are situated such that in the embodiment of fig1 a , side walls 710 and 790 appear to be a stylized ocean wave . broadly speaking , a connector of the invention may be a “ two - sided ” connector as depicted by reference numeral 600 , or a “ three - sided ” connector as depicted by reference numeral 700 . one side may be curved , and the channel receiving an electrical lead may be semicircular . coil construction . to continue the process of making the hvmf coil of the invention , coated inner coil 240 is inserted back into outer coil 300 , as schematically shown in fig1 . the straight slots 270 ( fig7 ) are located closest to the rectangular opening 330 in outer coil 300 ( fig5 b ). the inner coil 240 is shimmed within the outer coil to ensure no contact between the two and an equidistant separation between the inner and outer coils . an infiltrant , preferably a polymeric material or resin 500 is injection molded into the rectangular opening 330 ensuring full coverage of the inner coil 240 and interior cavity 305 of outer coil , thus transforming the assembly of fig1 to the finished actuator of fig2 . after the entireties of the cavities of the inner and outer coils are full of resin , the resin is cured , either thermally or chemically . such resin may also be molded or otherwise formed around the entire outer coil as well as inside the internal spaces . the infiltrant 500 serves to physically stabilize the position of the inner coil 240 and it electrically insulates the inner coil 240 from the outer coil 300 . the entire assembly of inner and outer coils , leads and cured resin is now the hvmf actuator of the invention , and is ready for use . a benefit of the invention is that , in processing workpieces with intricate designs and / or stampings — instead of requiring the use of both male and female dies , which wear out quickly and drive up production costs — the hvmf actuator of the invention can be used together with a female die alone . the female die is stationary , and the hvmf actuator accelerates the workpiece to strike the female die thereby forming the stamped design . actuator assemblies of the invention have been run over 1000 cycles without failure . prior art coil designs using metal windings ( instead of coils machined from a block of metal ), have experienced failure after a single work cycle . cooling . with hvmf , and emf in general , high temperatures can be generated , thus necessitating a need for cooling . u . s . pat . no . 3 , 842 , 630 suggests a method of cooling an electromagnetic forming apparatus by routing coolant through channels machined inside the coil . u . s . pat . no . 3 , 195 , 335 discloses pumping coolant to the turns of an electromagnetic forming coil . u . s . pat . no . 6 , 875 , 964 discloses methods and apparatus for cooling an emf actuator using liquid and / or gaseous coolant to disperse heat generated during emf operations . in the simplest case , air can be used to cool the assembly . power source . the power source may be selected from any power source capable of providing an electric current pulse of sufficient strength and duration to induce a work - force appropriate to form the workpiece into the desired shape . such parameters are well known to those skilled in the art . examples include current pulses in the range of 5 ka - 100 ka for times in the range of 1 - 100 milliseconds . for instance , the power source may be in the form of a charged capacitor bank . pulsed power sources such as those available from pulsar magnetic pulse systems , of yavne , israel , are suitable . a magnetic pulse system includes an operator panel , a control cabinet , a pulse generator , and a work station , where the magnetic field is applied to the workpiece . a cooling system is advantageously included because of high temperatures generated . method of forming metal . the hvmf coils of the invention are used to form metal workpieces . a workpiece may be formed directly , that is , by application of a current to a hvmf actuator , thereby inducing an electrical field in an adjacent workpiece , and setting up a magnetic field in the workpiece opposite to that of the actuator . the workpiece field includes eddy currents having associated therewith a magnetic field that is repulsive to that of the coil . this natural electromagnetic repulsion is capable of producing very large pressures that can accelerate the workpiece at high velocities ( typically 1 - 200 meters / second ). this acceleration is produced without making physical contact with the workpiece . the electrical current pulse is usually generated by the discharge of a capacitor bank . it can provide : improved formability , improved strain distribution , reduction in wrinkling , active control of springback and the possibility of local coining and embossing . when used for direct forming , a capacitor is discharged through the inventive coil herein . the interaction between the helical coil and a tubular metal workpiece produces a repulsive magnetic force between them . the pulse forces the workpiece onto a die . in a single operation , the workpiece is shaped in response to the die . a metal workpiece can also be perforated by direct forming . when used for indirect forming , a capacitor is discharged through a flat coil . the flat coils produce a powerful magnetic field , which impacts on a transducer (“ shock cone ”). elastic media disposed along the workpiece applies a uniform pressure over the workpiece and the latter is pressed onto a die . an embodiment of the invention is a process of forming metal comprising : selecting a workpiece having a composition , selecting a compatible hvmf actuator including a power source , selecting a forming die , spatially arranging the workpiece , actuator , and die , and applying power to the power source of the actuator to deform the workpiece . “ selecting a compatible hvmf actuator ” may include ( 1 ) determining the composition of the workpiece , ( 2 ) selecting a metal from which to make the actuator based on necessary deforming forces to be applied to the workpiece , and ( 3 ) fabricating an actuator . it may be advantageous to apply at least a partial vacuum to the area contiguous with the workpiece to remove moisture - laden air from area around coils to promote a more stable and uniform magnetic field . a continuous feed apparatus may be included in the processing steps herein . indeed , two continuous feed rolls set up perpendicular to one another can advantageously improve throughput speeds as well as consistency of finish of the formed product . in particular , the hvmf process of the invention may advantageously employ a production line including a hydraulic press . in fig1 a , a workpiece production line 800 includes , in addition to a hvmf actuator ( or up actuator ), which is equivalent to 100 in fig2 , a hydraulic press 810 , power source 820 , a workpiece source roll , exemplified by uncoiler 830 , at least one workpiece 840 , a workpiece feed system 845 , at least one backing sheet (“ driver ”) 850 , including a magnetically susceptible metal ( for use when non - magnetically susceptible workpieces are processed ) an optional driver handling system , typically a source roll and collection roll to hold used drivers . power source 820 for the hvmf actuator may include a capacitor bank and associated power couplings . a forming operation envisioned herein may include one or more emf steps and one or more physical forming steps , an example of which follows . as noted in fig1 b , workpiece feed system 845 indexes a plurality of workpieces 840 from uncoiler 830 between press head 812 and press bed 814 of press 810 . for an emf operation , up actuator 870 is activated by application of electric power from power source 820 . the up actuator 100 produces a transient magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the workpiece 840 ( or driver 850 ). the currents in the actuator 870 and the workpiece 840 travel in opposite directions , thereby applying a deformation force to the workpiece 840 , forcing it against the surface of the press head 812 such that the workpiece assumes the shape of the press head to provide a formed part . for physical forming , press head 812 moves toward press bed 814 , forcing workpiece 840 into contact with press bed 814 , and causing workpiece 840 to assume a shape complimentary thereto . if workpiece 840 is non - magnetic ( non - conductive ), a magnetic ( conductive ) backing sheet (“ driver ”) 850 is used . close up views of press 810 , feed system 845 , and driver ( s ) 850 are shown in fig1 b . drivers 850 originate at a driver source roll 852 and are taken up on driver collection roll 854 . drivers 850 are indexed perpendicular to the feed direction of workpieces 840 . because the applicable magnetic forces are repulsive , a driver 850 is positioned between a workpiece and the up actuator , while the workpiece is between the driver and a press head 812 or other die . when the up actuator is energized , the repulsive magnetic forces induced in the driver 850 carry the workpiece 840 away from the up actuator and toward the press head 812 or other die , thereby forming said workpiece . in such case , driver 850 is directly deformed by the magnetic strike and indirectly deforms workpiece 840 into the desired shape . backing sheet collection roll 854 takes up the series of used backing sheets 850 . depending on the severity of the deformation energy , backing sheets 850 may be used more than once , thereby saving costs . broadly , a variety of forming methods are envisioned herein . for example . one or more emf “ strikes ” may be used to form a metallic workpiece , in particular , a metal bipolar plate , as used in fuel cells . alternately , a combination of one or more emf strikes and one or more mechanical forming strikes may be used . specifically , a forming line could be established that employs in a continuous or non - continuous manner one or more emf forming coils and one or more conventional forming operations , such as , for example a mechanical press . it is believed that emf may also be used to apply a membrane electrode assembly ( mea ) materials to a workpiece , in particular , to a bipolar plate . in general , forming , joining , and coating of workpieces ( e . g ., bipolar plates ) is envisioned , also when the workpieces are stored on a source roll or an uptake roll , before or after processing . emf may also be used to effectuate joining of two workpieces , for example , at least one bipolar plate to another workpiece . other joining techniques envisioned include solid state welding , solid state brazing using deposition of a nano - particulate metal ( noble or other metal ), formation of an interference joint , and combinations of the foregoing . combinations of up actuators and traditional emf actuators may be used . another process envisioned is the formation of rolls , strings , strips or sheets of continuous and adjoining workpieces , where the workpieces are easily separable from the toll . that is , formation of perforations at period intervals along the length of a roll of workpieces to facilitate easy tear - off , conceptually similar to a roll of paper towels . another embodiment of the hvmf actuator of the invention is depicted in fig1 , which includes fig1 a and 16b . fig1 a is a schematic end view of am embodiment of the invention , in particular inner coil 900 ( similar to inner coil 240 previously described ). fig1 b is a close up of a portion of the view of fig1 a . fig1 b focuses on an embodiment of coil 900 including three attachment points 910 , used to secure a triangular truss 1000 , shown in fig1 b . preferably , truss 1000 is made of a non - magnetic material and serves to enhance and maintain the structural integrity of inner coil 900 as well as to hold inner coil 900 within an outer coil such as outer coil 300 . truss 1000 includes attachment points 1010 corresponding to coil attachment points 910 . attachment points 910 may take the form of male protrusions that fit into correspondingly sized truss attachment points 1010 . one or more such trusses 1000 may be used within a single actuator . in one embodiment , a plurality of trusses 1000 are distributed among the individual turns of coil 900 , preferably at regular intervals . in such case , the trusses 1000 are secured to the coil 900 by one or more non - magnetically susceptible rods or connectors . such rods may extend a portion or the entire length of coil 900 . such rods are advantageously fabricated out of a high - melting plastic such as polycarbonate or abs . inner coil 900 generally rests within an outer coil such as 300 , from which inner coil 900 is cut , as previously described . the assembly of inner coil 900 and outer coil 300 may rest within a container , an example of which is container 1200 , fig1 a . the container may generally take the shape of a rectangular box having at least one removable end piece 1300 , in fig1 c . one embodiment of a removable end piece 1300 includes a flat rectangular portion 1320 on which a generally oval / elliptical portion 1330 having a greater thickness than 1320 is situated . oval portion 1330 takes the same general shape and size of an end face of coil 900 . in principle , end piece 1300 is machined from a single block of material ( or so molded ). end piece 1300 may advantageously include connections 1310 drilled into or through it , corresponding to truss connecting points 1010 and inner coil connection points 910 . at least one aforementioned connecting rod may pass through all of 910 , 1010 , and 1310 to lend added structural integrity to an entire inner / outer coil assembly . end piece 1300 may also include through holes 1340 generally situated to allow the passage of leads from a power source ( not shown in fig1 , but similar to leads 400 in fig2 , 10 , and 11 ). it is noted that dimensions in the drawings are exemplary and do not limit the invention . 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 illustrative example shown and described herein . accordingly , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general invention concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents .
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the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention is formed by a novel process in which a mixture of a cobalt ( ii ) salt , a dioxime , an olefinic component and a lewis base is treated with molecular hydrogen under pressure of 0 . 7 to 70 kg / cm 2 . the cobalt ( ii ) salt , dioxime , olefinic component , and the lewis base are reacted in a molar ratio of 1 : 2 : 1 : 1 . typically , the hydrogen is under a high pressure of 14 to 70 kg / cm 2 , preferably , 18 to 30 kg / cm 2 unless a lewis base of an imidazole , phosphine or phosphite is used . if such a lewis base is used , the hydrogen pressure can be reduced to 0 . 7 to 14 kg / cm 2 preferably , 1 to 2 kg / cm 2 . typical treatment time with hydrogen under pressure is 0 . 5 to 5 . 0 hours , preferably 4 to 6 hours . typical reaction temperatures are − 20 to 50 ° c . and preferably 17 to 30 ° c . particular advantages of the novel process are that the yields are high , i . e ., 70 % and over and that the purity is high , 80 % and over , of the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate formed . typical cobalt ( ii ) salts that can be used are acetates , nitrates , chlorides , bromides , iodides , fluorides , sulfates , fluoroborate , hexafluorophosphate or hexafluoroantimonate either as hydrated or anhydrous , or as an alkanoate . mixtures of any of the aformentioned cobalt ( ii ) salts also can be used . lower ( c 2 to c 3 ) alkanoates are soluble in methanol or propanol and the higher ( c 4 to c 8 ) alkanoates are soluble in hydrocarbon solvents . typical examples of the above cobalt salts are cobalt chloride , cobalt chloride hexahydrate , cobalt acetate , cobalt acetate tetrahydrate , cobalt nitrate , cobalt bromide , cobalt iodide , cobalt difluoride , cobalt ammonium sulfate and cobalt 2 - ethylhexanoate . preferred are cobalt chloride hexahydrate and cobalt acetate tetrahydrate . typical dioximes that can be used have the structural formula r 1 — c (═ noh )— c (═ noh )— r 2 where r 1 and r 2 are described above . typical dioximes are as follows : diphenylglyoxime , carboxyethylmethylglyoxime , methyl phenylglyoxime , dimethylamidolcarbonylmethylglyoxime , 4 - amidophenylamidylcarbonylmethylglyoxime , trifluoroacetyl - trifluoromethylglyoxime , camphordiquinonedioxime , 1 , 2 - cyclohexanedioxime , furildioxime , thiophenylglyoxime , and di ( butylthio ) glyoxime . preferred are diphenylglyoxime and carboxyethylmethylglyoxime . a lewis base is used in the process to form the cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention and forms the a component of the dioximate . it is believed that the lewis base activates the cobalt in the reaction with hydrogen and forms a coordination bond with the cobalt . typically useful lewis bases are alcohols , such as methanol , ethanol , propanol , isopropanol , n - butanol , isobutanol , water ( under some conditions ); alkyl mercaptanes , such as ethyl mercaptane , thiophenole , dodecyl mercaptan ; amines , such as pyridine , 4 - methylpyridine , nicotineamide , 2 - methyl pyridine , and 4 - dimthylaminopyridine . pyridine is preferred . when imidazoles , phosphines or phosphites are used as the lewis base constituent , the pressure of molecular hydrogen can be lowered significantly as stated above . it is believed that when these three aforementioned compounds are used , they activate the cobalt in the reaction with hydrogen to a greater extent and hydrogen under a lower pressure , such as 0 . 7 - 14 kg / cm 2 , can be used . typically useful imidazoles have the structural formula : wherein r 8 , r 9 , r 10 , and r 11 are each selected from the following : h , alkyl , aryl , nr 5 , n 6 , sr 7 , so 2 r 7 , so 2 nr 5 r 6 , sor 5 , cor 5 , cho , cr 6 r 7 or 5 , ch ( or 5 )( or6 ), and cr 5 ( or 6 )( or 7 ); and where r 5 , r 6 , and r 7 are each selected from the following group : h , alkyl and aryl . examples of such imidazoles are as follows : unsubstituted imidazole , 2 - methyl imidazole , 2 - phenyl imidazole , 1 , 2 dimethyl imidazole , 1 , 2 diethyl imidazole , 1 - methyl - 2 - ethyl imidazole , 1 - butyl imidazole , and 2 , 5 - dimethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl imidazole . 1 , 2 dimethyl imidazole and 1 - butyl imidazole are preferred . phosphines that can be used have the formula p ( r 14 )( r 15 )( r 16 ), wherein r 14 , r 15 , r 16 are each selected from the following group : h , alkyl and aryl . typically useful phosphines used are triphenyl phosphine and triethyl phosphine . phosphites that can be used have the formula p ( or 17 )( or 18 )( or 19 ), where r 17 , r 18 , and r 19 are each selected from the following group : h , alkyl and aryl . typically useful phosphites are triethylphosphite , triphenylphosphite , and tricresylphosphite . the olefinic component included in the b component of the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate forms a coordination bond with the cobalt constituent of the dioximate . typically olefinic compounds that are used in the process of this invention are alkyl acrylates , i . e ., alkyl esters of acrylic acid , such as methyl acrylate , ethyl acrylate , propyl acrylate , methoxy ethyl acrylate , phenoxy ethyl acrylate , isopropyl acrylate , butyl acrylate , pentyl acrylate , and ethylhexyl acrylate . methyl acrylate is preferred . other olefinic components that can be suitably used such as styrene , methyl styrene , acrylonitrile , acrylamide , dimethylolacrylamide , vinyl pyrrolidone , vinyl chloride , vinyl acetate , maleic anhydride , n - methylmaleimide , and other vinylic monomers of the following structure : where x is an amide , imide , ester , aryl , halogen , pseudo halogen ( thiocyanates ), isocyanate , nitrile , ether , carbamyl , substituted amine and thio ether . suitable solvents that can be used in the process are alcohols , such as methanol , ethanol , propanol , isopropanol , butanol , isobutanol , and any mixtures thereof . other common organic solvents that can be used are diethyl ether , ethylene glycol , polyethylene glycol monoalkyl and dialkyl ethers , propylene carbonate , n - methyl pyrrolidone , amides , dimethylsulfoxide , and cellosolves ® and carbitols ® both supplied by supplied by union carbide corp . danbury , conn . water and mixtures of water and the aforementioned solvents can be used . the novel process of this invention provides for high purity alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate and in a high yield . yields are 70 % and over and preferably 75 % and up to 100 % and purity is over 80 % and preferably over 85 % up to 100 %. in one preferred alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate , r 1 and r 2 are phenyl , a is ( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b is pyridine ; in another preferred alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate , r 1 and r 2 are phenyl , a is ( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b is dimethyl imidazole ; in still another preferred alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate , r 1 and r 2 are phenyl , a is ( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b is triphenylphosphine . the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate is an excellent chain transfer agents used in free radical polymerization of polymers , macromonomers , oligomers , low molecular weight polymers ( mw 200 to 1 , 000 ), medium molecular weight polymers ( mw 1 , 000 to 50 , 000 ) and high molecular weight polymer ( mw 500 , 000 and over ), latex polymers , graft copolymers , star polymers , hyperbranched polymers , core shell structured polymers and other polymer compositions . the following examples illustrate the invention . all parts and percentages are on a weight basis unless otherwise indicated . this example was directed to the synthesis of an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate under a high pressure of molecular hydrogen ( 21 kg / cm 2 ). the following constituents were charged into a pressure vessel equipped with a stirrer and stirred for a 5 hour period under hydrogen gas at a pressure of 21 kg / cm 2 and a temperature of 25 ° c . : 48 g of diphenylglyoxime ( 0 . 2 moles ), 25 g of cobalt acetate tetrahydrate , 8 . 6 g of methyl acrylate ( 0 . 1 mol ), 8 ml of pyridine ( 0 . 1 mol ) and 500 ml methanol . the resulting reaction mixture was filtered and organic crystals of a cobalt ( iii ) complex were obtained . the resulting cobalt ( iii ) complex was identified by nmr ( nuclear magnetic resonance ) as an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate that had the formula as shown in the above specification wherein r 1 and r 2 were phenyl , a was 1 -( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b was pyridine . the yield was 54 g ( 70 %) and the purity measured by ( nmr ) was 90 - 95 %. a polymethylmethacrylate polymer was prepared using the above alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate . the following constituents were charged into a reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer , nitrogen inlet and a heating mantle : 30 ml methyl methacrylate monomer ( mma ), 60 mg azobisisobutyronitrile , and 6 mg of the above prepared alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate . the resulting reaction mixture was under a blanket of nitrogen and held at 75 ° c . for 3 hours . a polymethylmethacrylate polymer was formed having a mn = 334 ( number average molecular weight ) determined by gpc ( gel permeation chromatography ). a comparative polymethylmethacrylate polymer was prepared using the same constituents and similar proceedure set forth above except the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate was omitted . the polymethylmethacrylate polymer that was formed had a mn = 72 , 000 determined by gpc . thus , it can be seen that the addition of alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate resulted in controlling the molecular weight of the polymer being formed . this example was directed to the synthesis of an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate using very high pressure hydrogen ( 70 kg / cm 2 ). the synthesis followed the procedure of example 1 using the same constituents except the pressure of hydrogen was increased to 70 kg / cm 2 . the resulting product was identical to the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of example 1 ( determined by nmr ). the yield was 83 % and the purity & gt ; 95 %. thus , it can be seen that due to the use of higher pressure of hydrogen , the yield increased by 13 % and there was a slight increase in purity in comparison to example 1 in which lower pressure hydrogen was used . this example was directed to a synthesis using low pressure hydrogen ( 10 . 5 kg / cm 2 ) in an attempt to form an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate . the synthesis followed the procedure of example 1 using the same constituents except the pressure of hydrogen was decreased to 10 . 5 kg / cm 2 . the product formed was predominately a co ( ii ) complex as determined by nmr . thus , it can be seen that when the process was run under low pressure hydrogen ( 10 . 5 kg / cm 2 ), an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate was not formed . this comparative example was directed to the synthesis of g . n . schrauzer , r . j . windgassen , j . am . soc . 89 ( 1967 ) 1999 that did not disclose the use of molecular hydrogen under pressure to form the cobalt complex . a mixture of 46 . 6 g of dimethylglyoxime ( 0 . 4 mol ), 47 . 6 g of cobalt chloride tetrahydrate ( 0 . 2 mol ) were dissolved in 800 ml of methanol . then 16 . 4 g of sodium hydroxide ( 0 . 4 mole ) in 100 ml of water were added with 16 ml of pyridine ( 0 . 2 mol ). after 15 minutes , 0 . 2 mol of methyl acrylate was added and then molecular hydrogen was bubbled through the resulting reaction mixture . after 0 . 1 mol of hydrogen was absorbed , the reaction mixture was filtered . crystals of alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate determined by nmr were obtained and washed with methanol and dried in a vacuum . yield was 45 % and the purity was & gt ; 80 %. this process is only operative when dimethylglyoxime is used as shown in the following comparative examples 5 - 7 . this synthesis was directed to the procedure of example 4 except methyl carboxyethylglyoxime was used instead of dimethylglyoxime . no alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate was formed . this synthesis was directed to the procedure of example 4 except methyl diphenylglyoxime was used instead of dimethylglyoxime . no alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate was formed . comparative examples 5 and 6 show that when glyoximes other than dimethylglyoxime were used , an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate was not formed using the process of schrauzer et al ( example 4 ). this example was directed to a synthesis that used water instead of pyridine and used hydrogen under very high pressure ( 140 kg / cm 2 ) in an attempt to form an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate . the synthesis followed the procedure of example 1 using the same constituents except water was used instead of pyridine and the pressure of hydrogen was increased to 140 kg / cm 2 . no crystalline product was formed . this example showed that a lewis base , such a pyridine , was needed to form the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention . this example was directed to a synthesis that used an imidazole in place of pyridine and hydrogen was used under low pressure . the synthesis followed the procedure of example 1 using the same constituents except 1 , 2 dimethyl imidazole was used instead of pyridine and the pressure of hydrogen was decreased to 10 . 5 kg / cm 2 . the resulting reaction mixture was filtered and organic crystals of an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate identified by nmr were obtained . the resulting alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate had the formula as shown in the above specification wherein r 1 and r 2 were phenyl , a was 1 -( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b was 1 , 2 dimethyl imidazole . the yield was ( 70 %) and the purity as measured by nmr was 90 %. this example was directed to a synthesis that used a phosphine in place of pyridine and hydrogen under low pressure . the synthesis followed the procedure of example 1 using the same constituents except triphenylphosphine was used instead of pyridine and the pressure of hydrogen was decreased to 2 . 1 kg / cm 2 . the resulting reaction mixture was filtered and organic crystals of a cobalt ( iii ) complex were obtained . the cobalt ( iii ) complex was identified by nmr as an alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate . the resulting alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate had the formula as shown in the above specification wherein r 1 and r 2 were phenyl , a was 1 -( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b was triphenylphosphine . the yield was ( 72 %) and the purity as measured by nmr was 80 %. this example was directed to a synthesis that used hydrogen under ultra low pressure . a mixture of 9 . 3 g of dimethylglyoxime ( 0 . 08 ), 10 g of cobalt acetate tetrahydrate ( 0 . 04 mol ), 3 . 6 g methyl acrylate ( 0 . 04 mol ), 5 . 3 ml of n - butyl imidazole ( 0 . 1 mol ) and 150 ml methanol were stirred under a pressure of 0 . 007 kg / cm 2 of hydrogen in co 2 for 6 hours . the resulting reaction mixture was diluted with 40 ml water and orange crystals were filtered off and identified by nmr as the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention where a was 1 -( methoxycarbonyl ) ethyl and b was n - butyl imidazole . the yield was 6 g ( 30 %) and purity as measured by nmr was 80 %. example 10 showed that under low hydrogen pressure using an imidazole , the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention was formed . the yield was unacceptable for a viable commercial process . this example was directed to a synthesis that used hydrogen under ultra low pressure and used pyridine instead of an imidazole of example 10 . the synthesis followed the procedure of example 10 except pyridine was substituted for n - butyl imidazole . the product formed was identified by nmr to contain mainly a cobalt ( ii ) complex and not the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention . comparative example 11 showed that an imidazole was required to form the alkyl cobalt ( iii ) dioximate of this invention when low pressure hydrogen was used .
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the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments presents a description of certain specific embodiments to assist in understanding the claims . however , the present invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways as defined and covered by the claims . reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout . the detailed description is organized into the following sections : 1 . top level system overview , 2 . example user interface , 3 . cataloger configuration detail , 4 . logging and encoding , 5 . example timeline , 6 . metadata track representation , 7 . metadata index object model , 8 . cataloger architecture , 9 . extensible video engine architecture , 10 . audio feature extractors , 11 . extensible video engine start - up initialization , 12 . video encoding and metadata synchronization , 13 . capture metadata , 14 . feature extraction , 15 . html output filter architecture , 16 . html output filter process , 17 . example html output , 18 . alternative system . before describing the detailed internal engineering of the inventive system , a top level system overview will be helpful . fig1 depicts a typical system 100 that incorporates a video cataloger 110 . the video cataloger 110 typically operates in a networked environment which includes data communication lines 112 , 122 , 132 , and 142 . some variants of such a system include : analog sources 102 : may be any of a number of possible sources , such as an analog or digital tape deck , a laser disc player , a live satellite feed , a live video camera , etc . a video signal , such as ntsc or pal , is all that is needed for input into the video cataloger 110 . metadata server 130 : may be as simple as a file system containing hypertext markup language ( html ) files , or as complex as a relational database supporting a client - server application environment for media management . client interfaces may be html web browsers , java , or native client applications , for example . digital video encoding 120 : the existence of digital video is an optional component . it may be the case that the metadata merely indexes video that resides on analog video tapes stored on shelves . content server 140 : may be as simple as a file system containing digital video files , or as complex as a digital video stream server such as those offered by real networks , silicon graphics mediabase , oracle ovs , and the like . digital video formats : digital video data is encoded by an encoder process 120 and communicated to the content server 140 over a network channel 122 . the format of the digital video may be any of a wide variety of formats , such as real video ( at various bit rates from 20 kbps up to 500 kbps ), mpeg - 1 ( at various bit rates up to 3 . 5 mbps ), mpeg - 2 ( at various bit rates up to 40 or 50 mbps ), mpeg - 4 , mpeg - 7 , motion jpeg , apple quicktime , microsoft avi , and so forth . fig2 depicts an example user interface that is representative of the type of graphical user interface ( gui ) than could be built around the video engine shown in fig9 . in fig2 , the video cataloger user interface is contained in a window 170 . the main controls are exposed as menus and a tool bar 182 . a panel 172 displays the live video being digitized , with play , stop , etc . controls that interact remotely with the analog source via a deck controller 240 ( fig3 ). keyframes extracted during the capture process are displayed in a panel 176 , while the corresponding close - caption text and timecodes are displayed in a panel 178 . a panel 184 displays the user - defined clip annotations , created by marking in - and out - points . the columns 186 and 188 display the in - and out - time codes for the marked clip , respectively , while the remaining columns 190 , 192 , 194 are an example of a user defined schema of labels to describe the clip . finally , at the bottom of the window 170 is a timeline 180 that depicts the total time of the capture session , with a highlighted section corresponding to the currently selected range of keyframes . fig3 depicts a typical configuration of the video cataloger 110 connected to various peripheral devices that interface the cataloger to an analog source such as the videotape deck 102 , a deck controller 240 , and a close caption decoding device 230 . the deck controller 240 is typically an external device that provides protocol translation between an industry standard protocol such as v - lan , and the native protocol of broadcast devices ( such as tape decks ) from sony , panasonic , etc . an example device is the video media express from video media corp . some hardware configuration may incorporate the v - lan controller into a card in the cataloger workstation , for instance . the close caption text decoder 230 can be an external box as shown , ( such as eeg enterprises digital recovery decoder ), or the cc - text decode functionality can be incorporated on the frame capture board inside of the cataloger workstation . furthermore , the video signal may be routed through the close caption text decoder 230 ( as shown ), or it may be split and fed directly to both the video cataloger 110 and the decoder in parallel . the video deck 102 is one example of an analog source . several others are possible : laser disk , satellite feed , live camera feed , digital disk recorder such as a tektronix profile , etc . some of these configurations would not incorporate the v - lan control ( such as a live or satellite feed ). analog signals 232 may be fed from the video deck 102 , through the close caption decoder 230 , into the video cataloger 110 . the analog signals correspond to video information which generally includes audio information . decoded close caption text is passed to the video cataloger 110 by a data connection 234 which is typically an rs - 232 cable . deck commands pass from the video cataloger 110 to the deck controller 240 , and then to the video deck 102 by physical data connections 236 and 242 which are typically rs - 232 serial connections , but may be other signaling protocols . the time codes proceed from the video deck 102 to the video cataloger 110 via the deck controller 240 . of course , in alternate implementations , the video cataloger 110 may receive video information from a digital source such as a digital camcorder . fig4 depicts one of a great variety of possible encoding scenarios , driven by the video cataloger . the video cataloger software 110 runs on a computer workstation 111 . the “ vidsync ” process 260 running on each of the encoder workstations 123 , 125 , 127 is responsible for responding to start and stop commands from the video cataloger 110 , and affecting the start and stop of the corresponding encoding process on each workstation . the analog source 102 will typically need to be split by an audio - video switcher 252 so that the signal can be fed to each receiving workstation without degradation . fig4 shows examples of real video encoding 124 , mpeg - 1 encoding 126 , and mpeg - 2 encoding 128 . further information on the moving pictures experts group ( mpeg ) encoding standards may be found at the following url : http :// drogo . cselt . stet . it / mpeg . naturally , other encoding formats are possible . all machines are connected by a data network 250 , which is typically a tcp / ip network , although other network protocols may be employed . a . incorporation of an encoder hardware board 126 ( such as an mpeg - 1 encoder from optibase , minerva , etc .) directly inside the video cataloger workstation 111 . because most of the computation occurs on the dedicated board , this is feasible in practice ) b . use of a stand - alone “ black - box ” encoder such as those from lucent and innovacom for mpeg 1 , which do not require a workstation . the black - box simply accepts an analog input , and a network connection to deliver the mpeg data packets to a video server . these boxes are typically rack mounted , and can be configured with up to eight encoders per enclosure . this is ideal for large scale encoding scenarios where several feeds or tape decks must be encoded . c . using one , two , or n encoders simultaneously for simple browse applications , a single encoded proxy is all that is needed . for web publishing applications , publishers typically want to encode a low - resolution stream ( such as real video at 20 kbps ) and a high resolution stream ( such as real video at 100 kbps ) to service different users having different internet connection bandwidths . the cataloger 110 issues commands to each of the vidsync daemons 260 running on the encoder workstations . these daemons , or processes that are periodically spawned to carry out a specific task and then terminate , are responsible for initiating the encoding process for whatever type of encoding is going to occur . that is , intimate knowledge of the encoding is maintained in vidsync , and the cataloger is generic in this respect . the vidsync daemons also are responsible for returning certain pieces of information to the cataloger , such as the actual start time , and a digital video asset id or name for later use . start command : the cataloger 110 issues a “ start encoding ” command via tcp / ip to each of the encoders ( vidsyncs ) in parallel . each of the vidsyncs 260 then communicates with whatever software and hardware encoding processes / boards are required to initiate encoding . this may also involve communicating with a video server to set up an encoding session , and may take from 1 to several seconds . thus , each encoder process may have a different actual start time . the vidsync daemons then return the actual start time and a digital video asset id to the cataloger 110 . when all vidsyncs 260 have returned , the metadata capture begins at a nominal t = 0 time . each of the actual start times is stored as a delta - time from this t = 0 time . when a piece of metadata ( such as a keyframe ) is used to index the digital video , an absolute time from the beginning of the digital video is computed by adding the delta - time to the time - code of the metadata . stop command : the video cataloger 110 issues a “ stop encoding ” command via tcp / ip to each of the encoders in parallel . fig5 illustrates the timing associated with video encoder start - up and synchronization . each timeline 123 , 125 , 127 represents a separate video encoder . the video cataloger 110 issues a start command 290 . some time after that , each encoder actually begins encoding , resulting in an “ actual start time ” 292 . after all the encoders have started , the video cataloger 110 itself begins cataloging metadata , at a time nominally labeled “ t = 0 ” 294 . thus , each encoder has a start offset ‘ delta ’ time 296 . this delta time is then stored with the video metadata to be used later when a video stream is requested , to insure the offset is accounted for in time code calculations . fig6 is a logical illustration of a number of metadata types in the form of the preferred time - based track representation . the keyframe track 320 consists of a set of individual keyframes 340 , 342 , 344 , 346 , 348 , 350 , 352 which have been intelligently extracted from the video based on visual information and scene changes by the keyframe extractor 512 ( fig9 ). each keyframe is time stamped for later correlation with the digital video or a time - code on a videotape . the close caption text ( cc - text ) track 322 consists of sentences of text parsed from the cc - text input by the cc - text extractor 514 ( fig9 ). each text element spans a period of time in the video , denoted by an in - time and an out - time . likewise , the remaining metadata tracks ( audio classes 324 , speech 326 , speaker id 328 , keywords 330 ) are each a parcel of metadata spanning a time period , and are extracted by their corresponding feature extractor shown in fig9 . the clip track 332 is somewhat unique in that the definition / creation of this metadata is performed by a user using the gui to mark in - and out - times , and type in associated alphanumeric data each bar in the clip track consists of a user - defined group of metadata fields that are application specific . the bar length is timespan from intime to outtime . clips may be overlapping . typically , the clips all have the same schema . for instance , metadata may include : story title , report , location , shot date , air date , keywords , summary , and so on . each bar shows a clip label . so for instance , the clip labelled “ logo ” may make use of the story title data item . lastly , a custom trk is shown to indicate that metadata is extensible . that is , unique metadata can be defined and added to the video cataloger 110 by a user . custom metadata tracks could include information provided in collateral data to the video information . for instance , global positioning satellite ( gps ) data specifying latitude and longitude of a video camera and telemetry data of a vehicle carrying a video camera are examples of such collateral data . fig7 is an object model of the same logical metadata illustrated in fig6 . the elements of this diagram depict the software objects and processes that manage this metadata . the main object , the metadata track index manager 402 , is the manager of the entire index of metadata . it is extensible in that it allows registration of individual metadata track data types , and then manages the commitment of instances of that data into the index by feature extractors . there is one global metadata structure ( the session level metadata 404 ) that is not time based , and contains metadata that pertains to the entire video . here , for example , is where the information for managing and time - synching the encoded video resides ( digital video id &# 39 ; s and actual start time offsets ). user defined annotations may also exist here . each of the metadata tracks is a collection of data objects 406 , 408 , 410 , 412 , etc . that hold the metadata for a specific feature extractor , and are sequenced in time according to their in - and out - times . the metadata index also provides access for outputting metadata ( data read - out ) used by the output filters . in an object oriented programming implementation , every track data type is derived from a “ virtual base class ” that provides the basic functions for insertion , deletion , read - out , etc ., and defines storage for the in - time and out - time of each metadata element . such an implementation may be coded in the c ++ programming language . one exemplary reference guide is c ++ primer by stanley lippman , second edition , addison wesley , which is hereby incorporated by reference . fig8 is a global architecture illustration of the entire video cataloger software process 420 . the main components of this software are the media capture services 430 , the video encoding and synchronization facility 450 , the start - up extensibility initialization manager 470 , and the core extensible video engine component 440 . the details of the core extensible video engine 440 are provided in fig9 . the video encoding and synchronization module 450 is responsible for communicating with the “ vidsync ” daemon processes running on the video encoders , e . g ., 123 , 125 and 127 ( fig4 ). the media capture services 430 are further described in conjunction with fig9 . the registration interfaces for the extensible aspects of the extensible video engine 440 are explicitly shown in fig8 . upon start - up of the video cataloger 110 , registration processes are invoked for the four primary extensibility aspects of the video cataloger : metadata track registration 476 , feature extractor registration 472 , output filter registration 478 , and event registration 472 . a set of output filters 484 are installed during system start - up . these registration processes , as well as user input and output functions 550 , 554 , are further described in conjunction with fig1 below . fig9 depicts the main architectural elements of the extensible video engine 440 . incoming media is processed by the media capture services 430 consisting of timecode capture 502 , video capture 504 , audio capture 506 , and text capture 508 . digital media 509 is then made available to the feature extractor framework 510 for processing . metadata from the feature extractors 512 , 514 , 516 , 518 , 520 , 522 is then committed to the metadata track index manager 530 in a time based track representation as shown in fig6 and 7 . during metadata capture , the user may mark video clips and annotate them . this input 552 is captured by the gui input capture element 550 . event monitoring 540 and dispatch 544 also occurs during capture , driven by an event dictionary 542 . finally , when capture is complete , the metadata may be output in a variety of formats such as virage data format ( vdf ) 562 , html 564 , xml 566 , smil 568 and other 570 , which are managed by the output filter manager 560 . a vdf api and toolkit may be licensed from virage of san mateo , calif . furthermore , the use of the format is described in “ virage vdf toolkit programmer &# 39 ; s reference ”. one reference for the extensible mark - up language ( xml ) is the following url : http :// www . w3 . org / tr / rec - xml which is a subpage for the w3c . also , information on synchronized multimedia integration language ( smil ) may be accessed at the w3c site . the metadata track index manager 530 represents the object that manages the multiplicity of metadata tracks . when data is committed to the track index by either a feature extractor 512 - 522 or gui input 550 and 552 ( i . e ., user marks clips and annotates them ), this can trigger display updates as follows : the particular metadata track that receives the data decides if this requires a display update . if so , it sends a message to the gui display update manager 554 which marks the relevant gui object as “ dirty ” and in need of a redraw . in windows microsoft foundation classes ( mfc ), the event model allows windows to detect these dirty gui objects and issue redraw messages to them directly ( see fig1 - get event ) extensible track data types are registered with the metadata track index manager 530 . any desired data representation can be defined and installed , such as region markers , ocr text and confidence values , face identifiers , camera parameters ( pan , tilt , zoom ), etc . any property that a feature extractor chooses to extract can be placed in a custom metadata track . extensible feature extractors can be registered with the feature extractor framework 510 to operate on digital media , or on any collateral data they may choose to collect when called . extensible event triggers : event criteria ( e . g ., cc - text “ clinton ”, or audio_class =“ tone ”) can be registered in the event dictionary 542 , and arbitrary actions can be registered and triggered ( e . g ., grab a keyframe right then , or stop capture ). the event monitor 540 monitors the incoming metadata to decide if an event is triggered . if so , it sends a message to the event dispatcher 544 which invokes the corresponding action 546 for the event . extensible output filters may be registered with the output filter manager 560 . further discussion of output filters is provided below with respect to fig1 and 16 . time code capture 502 is typically via vlan ( as in fig3 ), but may come from a variety of sources . time code capture is another aspect of extensibility ( though not core ) since we have a plug - in for time - code extraction fig1 depicts the architectural components of the audio analysis feature extractors 516 in one embodiment of the video engine 440 . as can be seen in the diagram , there are various cross - couplings between these feature extractors , which may not be precluded in the extensibility mechanisms managed by the feature extractor framework 510 ( fig9 ). the analog audio signal 592 is captured and digitized by audio digitization device 506 , which may be any standard audio digitization device , such as a sound blaster audio card for a pc . the digital signal is then normalized by a software component 596 to account for variability in signal amplitude ( volume ). the normalized digital audio signal 598 is then fed into an audio class profiler 600 which classifies the signal into one of several possible categories , such as “ speech ”, “ music ”, “ silence ”, “ applause ”, etc ., where each of the categories may be trainable using well understood techniques , and is stored in a class dictionary 602 . an audio classification ( ac ) engine 604 is a modular component that is available from multiple vendors , or may be proprietary . one skilled in the relevant technology may evaluate and utilize a specific engine depending on the application requirements . when the audio class profiler 600 detects that the class is “ speech ”, it triggers switch 610 which then allows the normalized digital audio signal 598 to pass into additional feature extractors which are capable of processing speech . a speech transcription module 620 is designed to interface with any available speech recognition engine 624 using an industry standard interface 626 , such as the “ speech api ”, or sapi defined by microsoft . typically , the speech recognition engine 624 utilizes a vocabulary dictionary 622 to aid in the speech recognition process and improve accuracy by limiting the speech domain , although this is not required . it is a typical feature of existing speech recognition engines available on the market today . examples include offerings from ibm , bbn , dragon systems , sri , and so on . the output of the speech transcription feature extractor 620 may then be further processed as follows : the full text 628 of the transcription process may be used directly as metadata ; additionally , a keyword spotting feature extractor 640 may be employed to selectively identify keywords of interest , and produce a text output 648 limited to the keywords specified by a domain dictionary 642 . a domain dictionary engine 644 is responsible for making these selections . again , the domain dictionary 644 engine is typically a modular component that may be one of several available , interfacing with the keyword feature extractor normally via a standard interface 646 such as the domain dictionary api , or ddapi . the normalized digital audio signal containing speech can also be fed into a speaker id feature extractor 630 to identify individual speakers by name . a speaker id engine 634 may also be a modular component that is offered by several speech recognition vendors , and interfaces with the speaker id feature extractor 630 typically via an industry standard interface 636 such as the svapi . typically , the speaker id engine utilizes a speaker dictionary 632 to constrain the space of possible speakers , and store signatures or sample speech of individual speakers which are used during speaker identification . fig1 is the process flowchart for the start - up initialization of the video cataloger 110 ( fig1 ). this flowchart depicts the process for registering data types , algorithms , and events which are important to the extensibility features of the video cataloger 110 . upon start - up of the video cataloger , the extensible video engine initialization process 470 is executed by the workstation 111 . starting at a begin step 702 , the process 470 moves to step 704 to install metadata tracks . this occurs first since later extensions ( mainly feature extractors ) may then utilize the track data types previously installed . built - in track types are installed first at step 704 , followed by installation of custom track types defined by plug - in modules at steps 706 to 710 . for each track plug - in , the data representation defined by that plug - in is installed at step 708 . next , feature extractors are installed . the built - in feature extractors are first installed at step 714 , followed by feature extractors defined by plug - ins at steps 716 to 722 . for each plug - in feature extractor , it is first registered at step 718 with the feature extraction framework 510 ( fig9 ). at step 720 , each of these plug - in feature extractors may request a metadata track type to receive its metadata . following the feature extractor initialization , the output filters are initialized . as with the other elements , the built - in output filters are installed first at step 724 , followed by the installation of plug - in output features at steps 726 to 730 . finally , events are registered . all events are application specific ( i . e ., there are no built - in events ), and are registered by plug - ins starting at steps 734 to 740 . each plug - in may define one or more events in the dictionary at step 736 , and each event will have an associated event handler registered with it at step 738 . the extensibility initialization process 470 completes at an end step 742 . fig1 details an important aspect of the present invention , which is the control and synchronization of the video encoding process with the metadata capture process . this synchronization is necessary because time - code indices within the metadata elements should correspond to correct and known points within the digital video that results from the encoding process . when video capture is initiated by the user , the video encoding process 450 starts at a begin step 762 and moves to step 764 wherein the video cataloger 110 ( fig1 ) first issues a start encoding command to each of n video encoders in parallel by spawning process threads 766 for each encoder present . a process thread or a lightweight process is well understood by computer technologists . this command / control is effected by the “ vidsync ” daemon process 260 ( fig4 ) running on each encoder station . these start commands are issued in parallel so that all the encoders begin encoding as close together in time as possible . however , their exact start times will not in general , be coincident . for this reason , the vidsync process 260 returns the actual start times to the encoder flow control , and these times are stored by the video cataloger 110 with the video metadata in step 774 for later use . next , the general process of capturing metadata occurs in step 776 until the process is stopped by the user . the details of the metadata capture process 776 are provided in fig1 . when capture is done , stop encoding commands are sent in parallel to each encoder ( via vidsync ) by spawning process threads 780 . it is of no consequence that the n encoders may stop encoding at slightly different times , as no metadata is associated with these time intervals . fig1 details the metadata capture process 776 which is an important activity of the video engine 440 of fig9 . the metadata capture process 776 was first introduced in fig1 . the capture process 776 begins with the scheduling of a system timer event in step 804 set to go off 1 / 30 of a second in the future . the control flow of the process 776 immediately proceeds to the get event step 806 where other system events ( besides the timer event ) may be processed . when an event occurs , control passes to the event dispatcher 808 which decides if the event is one of the two types of events : a normal gui event , or the scheduled timer event . for a gui event , the event is first inspected in step 812 to determine if it is an end capture event , in which case the capture process loop terminates . if not , processing proceeds to step 816 to handle the gui event ( such as keystroke , window resized , etc .). some gui events may generate metadata ( if the user marked a video clip ), which is determined in step 818 . if metadata ( a video clip ) was in fact generated , that metadata is committed to the metadata track index manager 530 ( fig9 ) during step 820 . this also necessitates a gui redraw , so the affected parts of the gui are marked for redraw in step 822 . if the event dispatched in 808 is the timer event , this signifies that feature extraction of metadata from the video signals is to take place at a feature extraction process 810 . the details of the feature extraction process 810 are provided in conjunction with fig1 . once feature extraction is complete , control moves to step 804 where the next timer event is scheduled . this flow of activity is tied to the event model of the operating system under which the software application is running . the flow that is shown is an event model that is typical of a windows mfc - based application . other operating system platforms , such as unix , have event models that differ somewhat . the event model illustrates how the feature extraction process fits into an application event framework . note that , in the depicted embodiment , the get event task 806 is a call out to windows mfc , which processes redraw events by calling the redraw method of the appropriate gui elements directly ( this process diagram does not “ call ” the redraw methods directly ). note that it is acceptable if feature extraction takes more than 1 / 30 second . fig1 details the feature extraction process 810 , which is an important aspect of the present invention , relying on the innovative architecture of fig9 . the feature extraction process 810 begins at a start step 842 and proceeds to step 844 where the current time code is obtained by module 502 of fig9 . this time code is used by all feature extractors to time - stamp the metadata they extract . next , all digital media is captured in step 846 by modules 504 , 506 , and 508 of fig9 . this digital media is then passed on to the feature extractor framework 510 ( fig9 ) for processing . the feature extractor framework 510 spawns a process thread 850 for each feature extractor . each feature extractor processes the digital media in step 852 in whatever way it desires , for example , extract a keyframe , classify the audio signal , etc . in certain cases , but not all , some metadata will be generated from this process . step 854 determines if this is the case , and if so , the metadata is passed to the metadata track index manager 530 ( fig9 ) during step 856 . since metadata is usually displayed in real - time in the gui , the gui is marked for redraw in step 858 . one particular exemplary feature : extractor for video keyframes is described in the pending u . s . patent application entitled “ key frame selection ” filed on jun . 6 , 1997 . when all feature extractor threads complete , as determined at wait ( synchronization ) step 862 , control is returned to the capture metadata process at end step 864 . the output filter manager 560 ( fig8 ) may utilize a html output filter 564 in one embodiment . referring to fig1 , elements of fig1 , 2 and 9 are shown together as utilized in generating html output . the user may invoke a gui command such as the “ save - as ” command on the “ file ” menu 553 , which in turn provides a list of output filter choices ( html , real networks smil , xml , custom , etc .). when the html filter 564 is invoked , it accesses the metadata in the metadata track index manager 530 and processes it into html form in a browser window 916 ( fig1 ), which also involves keyframe images in a keyframe frame 176 ( fig2 ) or 904 ( fig1 ), and the digital video 142 ( fig1 ) or as seen in a video frame 896 ( fig1 ). for instance , hyperlinks may be formed from displayed keyframes to video sequences . the digital video 142 may or may not be served by a content server 140 . for instance , it could be a simple file on the file system of the client computer or , say , a networked mass storage device visible to the computer . a . the html files used to generate the display in the browser window 916 ( fig1 ) are completely stand - alone , internally linked html , such that no web server is required . exemplary html files are provided in the appendix and are described in conjunction with fig1 below . b . it incorporates play - back of digital video 142 from a file or from a video server 140 . that is , the digital video may be streamed directly to the browser , or it may simply be played from a local file on disk . the stand - alone aspect is strengthened when the digital video is a local file . this way , all of the content ( html , keyframes , digital video ) could be packaged up , compressed , and e - mailed to someone . c . all metadata is cross - referenced / cross - linked based on time - codes . d . digital video is independent of the html representation — any digital video source can be linked into the playback frame . fig1 details a html export process 890 from the video cataloger . this process 890 is performed by module 564 identified in fig9 and 15 . the output process 890 starts at a begin step 892 and proceeds to step 894 to process the session level metadata . this metadata is not time - based , but rather is descriptive of the entire logging session . the session level metadata corresponds to the information 404 generated by the metadata track index manager 402 shown in fig7 . the nature of the session level metadata is a schema which may be defined by the user , in addition to standard items such as the location where the video is taken . this information is encapsulated in an html frame 896 used to view this data on request , and is linked to the main html frame 916 . the next step is to process the keyframe track in step 898 . keyframe images , which are captured raster images , may be converted to jpeg images suitable for display in a web browser . jpeg is but one possible viewable format . for convenience , the jpeg image files 900 may be stored in a separate subdirectory of the cataloger file system . at step 902 , the keyframe track is then further processed by constructing an html keyframe frame containing the keyframe time code information used to invoke video playback in 896 , and establishes hyperlinks directly to the corresponding jpeg images 900 . next , the close caption text track is processed in step 906 . the cc - text is output into an html frame , with hyperlinks created from time - codes into the keyframes of the html keyframe frame 904 . this allows the user to click on cc - text elements , and invoke the corresponding set of related keyframes . video clips are processed in step 910 . the clips ( defined by in - and out - times , and a user defined set of text labels ) are output into an html clip frame 912 . the time codes are used to establish hyperlinks into the corresponding close caption text 908 , and the corresponding keyframes in keyframe frame 904 . finally , a main html page that incorporates the above frames is constructed in step 914 . this html page embeds all the other frames for display and navigation . a video play - out helper application to decode and display video can be embedded in the web page frame . examples of helper applications include realplayer ( for realvideo ), compcore softpeg ( for mpeg ) and apple quicktime . exemplary reference guides which could be useful to write the code to automatically generate html are html : the definitive guide , the second edition ( 1997 ) chuck musciano and bill kennedy , o &# 39 ; reilly & amp ; associates , inc . and “ treat yourself web publishing with html ”, laura lemay , sams publishing , 1995 , which are hereby incorporated by reference . note that this process flow is one example which incorporates a subset of all available metadata tracks . the output process 890 described above generated the exemplary screen shot in fig1 . referring to fig1 and 17 , a screen shot of the html output as seen at a client browser and as generated by the html output process 890 ( fig1 ) will be described . element 896 corresponds to the video frame in the upper left portion of the screen display . element 904 corresponds to the keyframe frame in the lower left portion of the screen display . element 908 corresponds to the cc - text frame in the lower right portion of the screen display . element 912 corresponds to the clip frame in the upper right portion of the screen display . element 916 corresponds to the whole browser window . as with most browsers , including microsoft explorer and netscape navigator , if the displayable page is larger than the physical display , the browser will cause the page to be scrolled . video data is retrieved by sending a time code to the embedded player application . the player application then retrieves the video , seeks to the requested time code ( in - time ), and begins playback . the user can interrupt the playback using standard vcr type controls on the player . the html code for an exemplary screen display is provided in the appendix . sheet a of the appendix lists the directory names ( clip and icons ) and file names at a top level . sheet b lists the files in the clip directory , while sheets c , d and e list the files in the icons directory . sheet f lists the html code for the top level index . html file which provides the framework for the display shown in the browser window 916 ( fig1 ). sheet g lists the contents of the topr . html file ( as would be seen in the clip frame 912 ( fig1 )). sheet h lists the contents of the video_label . html file . sheet i lists the contents of the video_mbase . html file . sheet j lists the contents of the video_netshow . html file . sheet k lists the contents of the video_noproxy . html file . sheet l lists the contents of the video_ovs . html file . sheet m lists the contents of the video_real . html file . sheets j , k , l , and m may be used to provide the proxy video to allow different video formats to be displayed in the video frame 896 ( fig1 ). sheet n lists the contents , including a set of keyframes and corresponding timecodes ( as would be seen in the keyframe frame 904 ( fig1 )), of the 0001 . html file in the clips directory . sheet p lists the contents , including a set of icons in a closed - caption text frame ( as would be seen in the cc - text frame 908 ( fig1 )), of the 000r . html file in the clips directory . the remaining sheets in the appendix are alternate instances of the contents shown in exemplary sheets n and p . of course , other programming languages besides html code could be used to implement hyperlinked output conversion . an alternate embodiment 940 of the video encoding process , which involves a video server 942 , is shown in fig1 . in this scenario , digital video is encoded in a mpeg stream on the cataloger workstation 111 . the data stream is broadcast as a set of udps ( universal datagram packets ) 946 on a specific port number ( configurable ). udps is a standard which is a member of the ip family of protocols . when cataloging begins , the video cataloger 110 sends a start command 944 to a vidsync process 260 which is running on the content server 140 where the video server software process 942 is running . vidsync 260 in turn tells the video server 942 to “ start listening ” for udp packets 946 on the specific port number . the video server 942 then begins “ catching ” the udp packets 946 , and converting the mpeg data into a digital video asset on that server 942 . as always , metadata 112 is sent from the video cataloger 110 to the metadata server 130 in parallel to this encoding process . when a stop command 944 ′ is issued , vidsync 260 signals the video server 942 to stop listening for the udp packets 946 . in point of fact , the allocations of support hardware , computer workstations and software processes are only described here as but one example . many other functional partitions can be defined to implement the present invention . while the above detailed description has shown , described , and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments , it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the system illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art , without departing from the concepts of the invention .
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the present invention is described with respect to a kitchen . however it should be understood that this invention applies equally to laundry facilities where there are multiple clothes washing machines as opposed to dishwashing machines or apparatuses . as shown in fig1 a kitchen area 10 , equipped with a plurality of washers 11a , 11b and 11c connected to detergent dispensers 12a , 12b and 12c via drains 23a , 23b , and 23c . the detergent dispenser 12 of the present invention is shown more particularly in fig2 . it includes a chute 16 adapted to receive a long bar of detergent 18 which will be resting on a support 17 . between the support 17 and the chute 16 is a small gap 19 which exposes a bottom portion 21 of the detergent bar 18 . a stream 22 of water is impelled against this bottom portion 21 of the detergent bar 18 dissolving it . the dissolved water is directed to drain 23 . more particularly , the detergent dispenser 12 includes a front wall 24 , back wall 25 and two side walls 26 and 27 . inside the detergent dispenser 12 is a water slide 28 . water slide 28 is bonded to the side walls 26 and 27 holding it in position . water slide 28 includes a vertical portion 29 which generally slopes away from the back wall 25 . the vertical sloped portion continues to slope until it turns into the support 17 . the support 17 is simply the horizontal planar portion of water slide 28 . a first water inlet 31 is directed against the sloped vertical portion 29 of water slide 28 so that water sprayed from the inlet forms the stream 22 of water . the water slide extends beneath the chute 16 and has a forwardmost edge 32 which is spaced from the front wall 24 providing a gap 33 between the water slide and the front wall . beneath the water slide is the bottom wall 34 of the dispenser 12 . this is a sloped bottom wall that will direct water passing down slide 28 and through the gap 33 to the drain 23 . the chute 16 is relatively interchangeable . thus different dispensers can be identical except for the uniquely shaped chute . the chute includes a planar top wall 35 and a horizontal circumferential chute wall 36 which extends down from the top wall 35 . an opening 37 extends through the top planar surface into the chute 16 which is open at its bottom . top wall 35 rests on ledge 38 which extends completely around the four walls of the apparatus 12 . the dispensing apparatus 12 also includes a top cover 39 which covers chute 16 . this is connected to the back wall at hinge 41 . the top 39 and the top wall 35 of chute 16 also include slots or small openings 42 and 49 respectively adapted to permit water sprays to enter the detergent apparatus . as shown in fig2 the dispenser 12 includes a water inlet 43 , connectable with supply line 13 , which extends to an on / off valve 44 . as shown , the valve 44 connects to first water spray 31 and second water spray 45 via tubing 46 . the orifice size of sprays 31 and 45 are provided so that about 20 to 100 % of the water passes through spray 31 and acts to dissolve detergent . the water passing from spray 45 goes directly into tube 47 . the space 48 between the spray 45 and tube 47 should eliminate the need for any siphon break . tube 47 leads to drain 23 acting as a drain assist and sucking in dissolved detergent and foam . since drain 23 is larger in diameter than tube 47 , dissolved detergent passes freely down drain 23 to the respective working apparatus . in operation , the top cover 39 of the dispenser is lifted and a bar of detergent is dropped into the opening 37 of chute 16 . as shown in fig1 and fig3 a - 3c , the detergent bar has a cross sectional configuration which corresponds to the cross sectional configuration of opening 37 of chute 16 . the detergent bar drops through the chute 16 and rests on the support 17 which is the horizontal portion of the water slide 28 . valve 44 is opened and water from inlet 43 flows through up tube 46 to sprays 31 and 45 . a first water supply flows through spray 31 . this directs water down the water slide 28 against its sloped vertical portion 29 . as this water flows down , it widens out in a fan - shaped pattern or a sheet of water . this sheet of water impinges against the bar of detergent 18 at the exposed bottom portion 21 . this dissolves the exposed portion 21 of the detergent bar . in turn , the dissolved detergent passes beyond the water slide and down to the bottom wall 34 to the drain 23 . this is then mixed in drain 23 with the second stream of water which flowed from spray 45 down tube 4 into drain 23 . as shown in the fig2 chute 16 includes an optional pressure switch 50 which is adapted to sense the presence of a detergent bar within the chute 16 . this can be connected to a warning light which would tell an operator to insert an additional bar of detergent into the chute 16 . one of the primary benefits of the present invention is the ability to use basically the same dispenser for different detergents without significant modification of the dispenser . thus , one mold can be used to form a large portion of the dispenser . only the chute need be different to make the dispenser suitable for use only with the appropriate detergent . as shown in fig3 a - 3c , the detergent bars each having unique chemical compositions will also have unique shapes . three are shown but there can be as many as required . thus , the dishwashing detergent 18a which is formulated for use as a pot and pan scrubber might have an oval shape as shown in fig3 a and be inserted in dispensers 12a . the detergent 18b which is used to wash plates and the like and having a composition especially adapted for that application might have a square cross - sectional configuration as shown in fig3 b and be inserted in dispensers 12b . the detergent composition 18c which is used to wash silverware might have a cylindrical configuration as shown in fig3 c and be inserted in dispensers 12c . as seen in fig1 a kitchen using a plurality of detergents dispensers would have a dispenser for each of these detergents . more particularly , each one of these dispensers would have a chute corresponding in shape to the shape of the detergent 3a - 3c . thus the dispenser for the pot and pan scrubber would have an oval shaped chute . this would prevent the operator from inserting round or square detergent bars . any solid detergent formulation can be used as part of the present invention . a suitable detergent formulation is disclosed in bruegge application &# 34 ; method of making paste detergent and product produced ,&# 34 ; ser . no . 476 , 297 , filed feb . 7 , 1990 , and is hereby incorporated by reference . as an added feature of the present invention , the detergent compositions 18a , 18b and 18c will preferably be covered in a water soluble wrapper 55 as shown more particularly in fig2 and fig3 a - 3c . such material is sold by cms gilbreath under brand name dissolvo pouching dp45 . to further facilitate use of the appropriate detergent in the appropriate dispenser , the top 39 of the dispenser can be color coded for the particular detergent . thus , the oval detergent which is adapted to be used to wash pots and pans , and be used only in an oval chute , might have a green wrapper . the top 39 of the dispenser for the pot and pan scrubber likewise would be green . likewise , the detergent bar formulated for washing dishes , which is square in shape , might have a blue water soluble wrapper . the top of the dispenser covering the square chute for the dishwashing machine dispenser would likewise be blue and so on . in a kitchen which would include two , three or more dispensers , this provides many unique advantages . the color coating quickly tells an operator what detergent to be used in what dispenser . since the chutes have a cross sectional configuration which must correspond to the cross sectional configuration of the detergent bar , it is almost impossible to use the wrong detergent in the wrong dispenser . with smaller tablets , it is possible to force fit the wrong detergent into the wrong dispenser . but with an elongated bar such as this , it is almost impossible to force fit the bar into the detergent dispenser . since this is a gravity feed dispenser , if the wrong detergent was force fitted into the dispenser , it would not continue to fall down the dispenser where it would be contacted with a lateral spray of water . the dispenser of the present invention provides many safety features . since the spray of water is lateral , it is very unlikely that it is going to spray out of the dispenser from the top . since an elongated chute is used this possibility is then again reduced . the water would simply have to go too far up the dispenser chute to spray out the top . since the lateral spray of water is very focused against a relatively small portion of the detergent bar , the possibility of chunks of detergent bar breaking off and falling into the drain , clogging the drain , is substantially reduced . this is a significant improvement over dispensers which spray upwardly against a tub of detergent . further , due to the fact that a water soluble wrapper is employed , there is no container to dispose . this substantially reduces the need to dispose of plastic containers which generally are not biodegradable . this also eliminates the problem of the need to rinse spent containers . and finally , an extremely significant feature of this invention , it allows almost identical apparatuses to be employed to dispense multiple detergents . only one piece of each dispenser would be different . this substantially reduces the costs of manufacturing the various dispensers . thus , the present invention provides a multitude of different advantages which aid the user of the dispenser as well as the manufacturer of the dispenser . the preceding has been a description of the present invention and the preferred method currently known of practicing the invention .
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referring to the drawings , in which like reference numerals refer to like elements thereof , fig1 schematically shows an arrangement which includes the present invention . according to a preferred embodiment , the arrangement comprises a sensor unit 1 consisting of a plurality of sensors , i . e . an integrated “ multisensor ,” which is intended to be placed in the exhaust outlet of a motor vehicle . in accordance with the description which follows , the sensor unit 1 can comprise sensors for detecting nox - compounds ( nitrogen oxide compounds ) and oxygen . the sensor unit 1 can further comprise a residual heat sensor which is composed of a known pellistor , a temperature sensor and a lambda sensor . each separate sensor which is included in the sensor unit 1 emits a signal x i , where i = 1 , 2 , . . . n . the signals x i supplied from the sensor unit 1 are supplied by cabling 2 to a measuring unit in the form of a filter - and amplifier - unit 3 which comprises filter and amplifier circuits for treatment of the respective signals x i . the treated signal packet x is supplied to an analyzer unit 5 by means of second cabling 4 , unit 5 preferably being computer - based , in order to produce a measurement of the temperature and of the amounts of the gas components which are detected by the sensors in the sensor unit 1 . the analyzer unit can be made according to the principle of template - recognition ( pattern - recognition ), e . g . of the neuro - net type . the signal packet x from the sensor unit 1 , the signals x i constitute a resolvable combination of the size of the different gas components . with the aid of suitably - chosen algorithms , the analyzer unit 5 can break down the signal packet x into its components y i from the respective signals x i of the sensor unit 1 . a number of measurement signals y i is supplied from the analyzer unit 5 , said signals providing a measure of the different substances which have been detected by the sensor unit 1 , e . g . concerning the concentration of oxygen and no x - compounds and the temperature . these signals are then supplied to the vehicle &# 39 ; s control system and are used for controlling the operation of the engine as well as for diagnosis of the catalyzer &# 39 ; s operation . fig2 shows a detailed view of a sensor unit 1 which is intended to be placed in the gas stream in the exhaust system of a motor vehicle . the sensor unit 1 comprises a substrate 7 which is common for all of the included sensors . the substrate 7 comprises , in accordance with this embodiment , oxygen - ion - conductive zirconium - dioxide , zro 2 , which is stabilized , i . e . “ fixed ” in a certain crystal structure which is advantageous with respect to the conductivity for oxygen ions . yttrium - oxide can preferably be used as a stabilizer . a lambda probe 8 , an no x - sensor 9 , an oxygen sensor 10 and a residual heat sensor 11 are arranged on the substrate 7 . a voltage - measurement unit 12 is combined with the lambda sensor 8 . a voltage source 13 and a current measurement unit 14 are combined with the no x - sensor 9 . a further voltage source 15 and a further current - measuring unit 16 are associated with the oxygen sensor 10 . the residual heat sensor 11 is connected to a measuring bridge , as will be described in detail below . the voltage and current measuring units 12 , 14 , and 16 , shown in fig2 are only shown schematically and are included in the filter - and amplifier - circuit 3 ( see fig1 ) which thus constitutes a common measuring unit supplying the signal packet x to the analyzer unit 5 . fig3 shows a cross - sectional view through the lambda probe 8 . on the upper side of the substrate 7 there is a first electrode 17 which is composed of platinum . a second electrode 18 , which functions as a reference electrode , is arranged within an air gap 19 which extends through the lambda probe 8 . additionally , there is a heating element 20 incorporated into the substrate 7 . the heating element 20 is composed of an electrode , preferably of platinum or tungsten , which is connected to an external voltage source ( not shown ). the substrate 7 can be heated up to a correct working temperature ( 400 ° c .- 800 ° c .) with the aid of the heating element 20 . the potential difference between the two electrodes , 17 and 18 , can be measured by connection ( not shown ) to the above - mentioned voltage measuring unit 12 . the potential difference constitutes a measure of the lambda - ratio ( i . e . rich or lean ) of the gas which surrounds the lambda sensor 8 . fig4 shows a view from above of the no x - sensor 9 which comprises two electrodes , 21 and 22 , respectively , which constitute the cathode and anode , respectively . the electrodes , 21 and 22 , or at least the cathode , are made of gold , in accordance with this embodiment . when the no x - sensor 9 is surrounded by a gas which contains no x - compounds , these will be adsorbed on the surface of the sensor 9 , i . e . on the electrodes , 21 and 22 , and the substrate 7 . a selective dissociation , i . e . a decomposition , will occur thereafter so that negative oxygen ions , o − , are formed at the cathode 21 . with the assistance of the voltage applied by the voltage source 13 ( see fig1 ), the oxygen ions can be transported through the oxygen - ion - conductive substrate . molecular oxygen , o 2 , is formed at the anode 22 , which oxygen desorbs from the no x - sensor &# 39 ; s 9 surface back into the gas phase . at the same time as the oxygen atoms are ionized at the cathode 21 , the nitrogen atoms recombine into molecular nitrogen , n 2 , and return from the surface of the no x - sensor 9 into the gas phase . in accordance with a further embodiment of the no x - sensor 9 , only the anode 22 is made of gold . in this case the cathode 21 is made of platinum , for example . with the aid of the above - mentioned current measuring unit 14 ( see fig1 ), the oxygen - ion current occurring in the circuit can be measured . this measured current thus constitutes a measure of the amount of no x - compounds in the gas stream . measuring with the no x - sensor 9 is selective , i . e . the oxygen ion current which occurs in the sensor 9 originates mainly from the no x - compounds included in the gas stream . the measuring of the no x - compounds in the no x - sensor 9 is thus substantially independent of the concentration of oxygen in the gas stream . the selective function of the no x - sensor 9 is obtained by the formation of the substrate 7 , which is oxygen - ion - conductive , and of the electrodes , 21 and 22 , of which at least one is gold . furthermore , the selectivity can be affected by the choice of pump voltage , i . e . with the aid of the voltage applied by the voltage source 13 . the invention is therefore particularly suitable for measurements of no x - compounds in connection with exhaust gases in which the oxygen content varies , and gives a measurement which is substantially independent of the variations in the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gases . during transport from the cathode 21 to the anode , the oxygen ions will primarily be displaced along the outer layer of the substrate 7 . this provides a good time response during measurement with the no x - sensor 9 . in order that the transport of the oxygen ions occurs in an optimal manner , the respective electrodes , 21 and 22 , are formed as a straight line with a number of transverse lines arranged so that they project substantially perpendicularly from the straight line . the two conductive patterns are arranged so that they “ project into one another .” this arrangement means that the interface between the electrodes , 21 and 22 , the substrate 7 , and the gas in which the sensor 9 is located , is made as large as possible . in this manner , transport of the negative oxygen ions can be maximized , which contributes to a high current through the no x - sensor 9 . additionally , it is most important that the distance between the electrodes 21 and 22 is as small as possible , which yields a short response time during measurements with the no x - sensor 9 . fig5 shows a view from above the oxygen sensor 10 . a conductive pattern is arranged on the substrate 7 , said pattern being in the form of two electrodes , 23 and 24 , respectively . in the same way as the electrodes 21 and 22 of the aforementioned no x - sensor 9 , the electrodes 23 and 24 of the oxygen sensor 10 are formed as a straight line with a plurality of transverse lines which project substantially perpendicularly from the straight line . the electrodes , 23 and 24 , are preferably of platinum . by applying a voltage over the electrodes , 23 and 24 ( with the aid of the voltage source 15 shown in fig1 ), a current moves in the circuit in the presence of oxygen . this occurs due to the substrate 7 being conductive for oxygen ions at high temperatures ( 400 ° c .- 800 ° c .). this oxygen - ion current can be measured with the aid of the current measuring unit 16 shown in fig1 . the size of the measured current is proportional to the oxygen concentration in the gas surrounding the oxygen sensor 10 . in addition to oxygen , the oxygen sensor 10 is influenced by , for example , no x - compounds , hydrocarbons and hydrogen . fig6 shows the residual heat sensor 11 which is based on a so - called pellistor which is a type of sensor known ( per se ) from swedish patent application no . 9301715 - 0 . the residual heat sensor 11 comprises a conductive pattern 25 which forms two resistors , a first resistor ac which is formed by the conductive pattern between the points a and c , and a second resistor bc which is formed by the conductive pattern between the points b and c . the conductive pattern 25 is composed of platinum , and both of the resistors , ac and bc , have the same resistance at the same temperature . the resistance of the resistors ac and bc increases linearly with temperature . the first resistor ac is coated with a passive layer , preferably al 2 o 3 , which is gas - tight , i . e . the surface of the conductive pattern cannot be influenced by the surrounding gas . the second resistor bc is coated with a catalytically active wash - coat 26 . the hydrocarbons and the carbon monoxide will be burned on the active wash - coat 26 in the presence of oxygen . this combustion brings about a temperature increase in the first resistor bc which means that its resistance increases somewhat with respect to the resistance of the resistor ac . by coupling the resistances ac and bc in a so - called wheatstone - bridge which is shown in fig7 the small resistance changes which result from the combustion of the oxidizable substances on the wash - coat 26 can be detected . the denotations a , b , and c in fig7 correspond to what is shown in fig6 . the second resistance ac functions as a reference which is subjected to the same environment ( ambient temperature , flow , air humidity , etc .) as the first resistor bc . this means that only the resistance change resulting from the combustion heat produces a resistance difference between the two resistors . with the aid of a voltage measuring unit 27 , the voltage over the wheatstone - bridge can be measured . this voltage is proportional to the residual heat in the gas , i . e . the amount of unburnt oxidizable substances in the gas . the present invention can be used in applications having different exhaust gas compositions . in those cases where rich mixtures occur , the sensor unit 1 can be arranged in such a way that an electric voltage is connected over the ceramic oxygen - ion - conductive substrate , whereby one side of the substrate has access to the atmosphere and the other side of the substrate has access to the gas which is to be analyzed . in this manner , the necessary oxygen for complete combustion of the hydrocarbons and the carbon monoxide is supplied to the catalytically active wash - coat 26 . in turn , this makes the measurements substantially independent of the oxygen content in the exhaust gases . a particular application of the sensor unit according to the present invention is as a sensor for diesel exhaust gases . such exhaust gases contain between about 5 and 20 % oxygen , soot , nitrogen - oxides , carbon - oxides and hydrocarbons . fig8 shows a view from above of a sensor unit 38 according to the present invention which comprises a no x - sensor 9 , an oxygen sensor 10 and a residual heat sensor 11 . fig9 shows a side view of the same sensor unit 28 . the no x - sensor 9 comprises , as described above , two electrodes , 21 and 22 , of which at least one is gold . the oxygen sensor 10 comprises two electrodes , 23 and 24 , of platinum . the residual heat sensor 11 comprises a conductive pattern 25 of platinum with a layer 26 of wash - coat and a passivating layer . as shown in fig9 the sensor unit 28 comprises the heating element 29 . in accordance with a possible embodiment for analysis of diesel exhaust gases , the invention may include only one no x - sensor and a residual heat sensor , i . e . no oxygen sensor . this is possible in particular with heavy diesel vehicles having combustion engines , to which a predetermined amount of fuel and air is injected at a specific operating condition . since the amount of fuel and air is known , the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases can be determined with sufficiently high accuracy . in this case , this results in no separate oxygen sensor being necessary . the sensor unit 28 can be used in order to determine the no x and oxygen concentration and the amount of residual heat in the form of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases . these signals can be used , for example , to alter the control of the diesel engine so as to reduce the emissions from the engine . in accordance with a further application of the present invention , this can be used in connection with diagnosis of a three - way exhaust catalyzer . vehicles which are equipped with such a catalyzer must have an exhaust gas composition which is stoichiometric ( i . e . lambda = 1 ) for optimal conversion of the three exhaust gas components no x , co and hc . with unknown requirements for cleaner cars , the catalyzer &# 39 ; s effectiveness must be able to be diagnosed in the vehicle during operation ( so - called “ onboard diagnosis ”). a sensor unit 30 in accordance with the present invention , which is shown in fig1 and 11 can , for this purpose , comprise a residual heat sensor 11 and a lambda sensor 8 . the sensor unit 30 can be used both for regulating the engine control in order to achieve a maximum conversion of the three exhaust gas components and for diagnosing the catalyzer &# 39 ; s effectiveness and absolute exhaust gas levels . the sensor unit 30 comprises a lambda sensor 8 with electrodes 17 and 18 and a residual heat sensor with a conductive pattern 25 as well as a wash - coat layer 26 . the sensor unit 30 further comprises an air gap 19 and a heating element 20 . the sensor units 28 and 30 as shown in fig8 - 11 are connected to a filter - and amplifier - circuit and an analyzer circuit of the same type as mentioned above in connection with fig1 and 2 . the sensor units 1 , 28 and 30 as described above are intended to be placed in the exhaust gas outlet of a motor vehicle . instead of using only one sensor unit , a plurality of different sensor units can also be used , which can then be grouped together . the different sensor units can comprise different constellations of sensors which preferably constitute no x - sensors , lambda sensors , oxygen sensors and residual heat sensors . fig1 shows such a group of sensor units , which in this case comprises three different sensor units 31 , 32 and 33 . the sensor units 31 , 32 and 33 are joined with a measuring unit in the form of a filter - and amplifier - unit ( see fig1 ) by means of a common cable 34 . the sensor units 31 , 32 and 33 are arranged in the exhaust system 35 of a motor vehicle . the flow direction of the exhaust gases is indicated by arrow 36 . the sensor units 31 , 32 and 33 are preferably provided with a protective cap 37 which reduces the cooling effect which can be caused by the flowing exhaust gases , which means that a high and even temperature is obtained within the protective cap 37 . the protective cap 37 is provided with at least one hole 38 , or alternatively a slit or the like , so that the sensor units 31 , 32 and 33 will be exposed to the exhaust gases . the hole 38 can be arranged in different ways , e . g . in the top of the protective cap 37 . according to a possible variation of the present invention , it can be provided with a so - called linear lambda sensor which is a sensor emitting a signal proportional to the oxygen concentration in the surrounding gas . the signal which is emitted is proportional to the oxygen concentration on the lean side and the rich side of λ = 1 . such a linear lambda sensor can be arranged as a replacement for the above - mentioned oxygen sensor . with the arrangement according to the present invention , a number of advantages are obtained . firstly , a more exact value of , for example , no x - concentrations can be obtained if the values of hc and co are known at the same time . additionally , all of the sensors are subject to the same temperature if they are arranged at the same point . furthermore , the combination of one or more sensors at one and the same point allows a system analysis by means of template - recognition of the neuro - net type . for example , in the regulation of transients in an engine &# 39 ; s operation it is important that the parameters are measured in the same time - window in the combustion process , which is achieved by the sensors being gathered at one and the same point . furthermore , if the sensors are at the same point , the problems with calibration can be avoided , which otherwise could occur with sensors placed at different locations where the temperature and the gas composition are not the same . an additional advantage is present in that the sensor unit according to the present invention only requires one attachment fixture , one cable , etc . furthermore , an advantage is obtained in that the sensor unit uses a common , oxygen - ion - conductive substrate . in addition , in accordance with alternative embodiments , the oxygen sensor 10 as well as the no x - sensor 9 can be formed with an air gap of similar type to the air gap 19 described above in connection with fig3 . this air gap functions as a reference chamber in which a first electrode , i . e . a reference electrode , is placed . a second electrode is arranged on the substrate and is subjected to the gas which is the object of measurement . furthermore , the oxygen sensor &# 39 ; s 10 electrodes , 23 and 24 , can be arranged on respective sides of the substrate 7 . this is also valid for the no x - sensor &# 39 ; s 9 electrodes 21 and 22 . although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments , it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention . it is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .
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referring to the drawings , with the reference numeral 2 a device is indicated , of rotary carrousel type , which performs the task of moving convex half - moulds 4 ; to each station of the half - mould moving carrousel device a process step corresponds . at a first station a , a sheet of thermoplastic material is pre - heated in a heating device 6 , and is transferred to the relevant half - mould 4 , at a higher temperature than the polymer softening temperature . at the end of the heating step , the sheet is transferred to a station b by means of a rotary movement in clockwise direction , looking at fig1 of the carrousel 2 . at the station b , the sheet is thermoformed on the half - mould 4 . the thermoformed sheet is subsequently transferred to a station c , at which a trimming unit 8 shears and trims the edges of the sheet . the thermoformed sheet with trimmed edges is then transferred to a station d in which an extruder 10 with accumulation head 10a is used . at the station d the carrousel 2 positions the convex half - mould 4 under a concave half - mould 12 installed under the accumulation head 10a . in the centre of said concave mould , an injection nozzle 14 for the foamable polymeric material is provided . a lifting device 16 is suitable for positioning the convex half - mould 4 and the relevant thermoformed sheet against the concave half - mould 12 fastened onto the accumulation head 10a . in such a way , the thermoformed sheet results to be enclosed inside the interior of a closed mould , inside which the polymeric material to be foamed is injected . the injection operation is carried out by means of hydraulic ram installed inside the accumulation head 10a which , after the opening of a valve provided at the bottom of the same head , transfers the blend of thermoplastic material and foaming agent into the hollow chamber inside the closed mould . owing to the low pressure existing inside said hollow chamber inside the mould , said blend can freely expand , until it completely fills the hollow chamber . after a lowering of the half - mould 4 bearing the manufactured article , indicated in the drawings with the reference character m , said manufactured article is moved to a cooling station e , followed by a station f at which the manufactured article m is de - moulded . the present invention is now further disclosed by referring to the following examples . an extruded sheet of 3 mm of thickness , manufactured from polypropylene marketed by the company himont under the designation moplen epq30r , having a melt flow index of 0 . 7 g / 10 minutes was thermoformed on the convex portion of a half - mould having a parallelepipedal geometry with overall dimensions of 600 × 1100 × 50 mm . the surface temperature of the sheet , recorded at the end of the heating step , was of 185 ° c . after the peripheral edges of the vacuum - formed sheet being shorn and trimmed , said sheet was transferred , together with the half - mould on which it was thermoformed , under the accumulation head of an extruder . to the extruder a blend was fed which was composed by 100 parts of polypropylene ex himont , marketed under the designation profax hms pf 814 , having a melt index of 2 , 5 g / 10 minutes ; 1 . 0 parts of &# 34 ; hydrocerol compound &# 34 ; ex boehringer , e 0 . 5 parts of zinc stearate . the extruder used is a twin - screw extruder with co - revolving screws , of 90 mm of diameter , and with a length - to - diameter ( l : d ) ratio of 16 . 6 a mixture of isobutane and butane in the ratio of 30 : 70 was injected into the extruder , directly into the molten polymeric mass , at a distance , from polymer feeding point , of approximately 1 / 3 of total extruder length . the hydrocarbon mixture was injected with a flow - rate equivalent to 7 % by weight , as computed relatively to the weight of polypropylenic resin . from a homogenizing temperature of approximately 215 ° c ., the temperature of the molten mass constituted by the polymer , the additives and intimately mixed gasses , decreases down to an extruder outlet value of 160 ° c . from the extruder , the mixture of polymer and foaming agent flows through a heated feeding channel and fills an accumulation chamber having a maximal value of 4 liters . the pressure measured at the outlet end of extruder screw was of 100 bar . in this step , with the aid of hydraulic jacks , the half - mould on which the polypropylene sheet was thermoformed , was moved and caused to fit together with the other half - mould , and positioned integral with the extruder accumulation head . in that way , said thermoformed sheet resulted to have been enclosed inside the interior of a closed mould , into which the material to be foamed was injected . the injection operation was carried out by means of a hydraulic ram installed inside the accumulation head , which ram , by moving downwards , when the valve installed at the bottom of the same head was opened , made it possible the mixture to be transferred into the mould hollow . in order to control the flow of said foamable mixture , a closure valve was used , which had a round cross - section of 12 mm of diameter , with a throughput of 2160 kg / hour . the injection time was of 2 seconds , to which an amount of injected foamable mixture of 1 . 2 kg corresponded . the end product obtained is a double - layer structural body which reproduces the shape of mould hollow , and is constituted by an external layer of compact polypropylene , having a thickness of aproximately 50 mm , and having an average density of 35 kg / m 3 . the foamed material and the compact skin were perfectly welded to each other . an extruded sheet of 3 mm of thickness , produced by starting from a polystyrene grade marketed by the company enichem polimeri with the designation edistir srl 800 , having a melt flow index of 3 . 5 g / 10 minutes was thermoformed on the same mould , and using the same technique as used in example 1 . at the end of the heating step , the measured temperature of the sheet was of 175 ° c . to the extruder , a blend constituted by 100 parts of a polystyrene grade marketed by the company enichem polimeri with the designation edistir n 1380 , having a melt flow index of 3 . 0 g / 10 minutes , 0 . 5 parts of &# 34 ; hydrocerol compound &# 34 ; ex boehringer and 0 . 2 parts of zinc stearate was fed . the foaming agent used is the same mixture of butane / isobutane 70 : 30 of example 1 , with a flow rate equivalent to 6 % by weight , as referred to the weight of polystyrene resin . the pressure measured at extruder screw outlet end was of 160 bar , with a temperature of the molten material equal to 145 ° c . in this example , a closure valve was used which had a bore of 20 mm of diameter , with a throughput of 2160 kg of mixture / hour , to which , during an injection time of 2 seconds , an injected amount of 1 . 2 kg corresponded . the end product obtained was a double - layer structural body which reproduces the shape of the hollow chamber of the mould , and is constituted by an external layer of compact polystyrene , having an average thickness of 2 . 8 mm , and an upper foamed layer of 50 mm of thickness , having an average density of 35 kg / m 3 . also in this case , a perfect welding of the layers to each other was obtained .
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fig1 schematically illustrates a magnetic resonance imaging ( magnetic resonance tomography apparatus ). the design of the magnetic resonance tomography apparatus corresponds to the design of a conventional tomography apparatus , with the differences described below . a basic field magnet 1 generates a temporally - constant strong magnetic field for polarization or alignment of the nuclear spins in the examination region of a subject such as , for example , of a part of a human body to be examined . the high homogeneity of the basic magnetic field necessary for the magnetic resonance measurement is defined in a typically spherical measurement volume m into which the parts of the human body to be examined are introduced . to support the homogeneity requirements , and in particular for elimination of temporally invariable influences , shim plates made from ferromagnetic material are mounted at a suitable location . temporally - variable influences are eliminated by shim coils 2 that are activated by a shim power supply 15 . a cylindrical gradient coil system 3 that has three sub - windings is used in the basic field magnet 1 . each sub - winding is supplied with current from an amplifier for generation of a linear gradient field in the respective direction of the cartesian coordinate system . the first sub - coil of the gradient field system 3 generates a gradient g x in the x - direction , the second sub - coil generates a gradient g y in the y - direction and the third sub - coil generates a gradient g z in the z - direction . each amplifier has a digital - analog converter that is activated by a sequence controller 18 for time - accurate generation of gradient pulses . located within the gradient field system 3 is a radio - frequency antenna 4 that converts the radio - frequency pulses emitted by a radio - frequency power amplifier into an alternating magnetic field for excitation of the nuclei and alignment of the nuclear spins of the subject to be examined or of the region of the subject to be examined . the radio - frequency antenna 4 has one or more rf transmission coils and a number of rf reception coils in the form of an annular , linear or matrix - like arrangement of component coils . the alternating field originating from the precessing nuclear spins ( i . e . normally the nuclear spin echo signals caused by a pulse sequence composed of one or more radio - frequency pulses and one or more gradient pulses ) is also converted by the rf reception coils of the radio - frequency antenna 4 into a voltage that is supplied via an amplifier 7 to a radio - frequency reception channel 8 of a radio - frequency system 22 . the radio - frequency system 22 furthermore has a transmission channel 9 in which are generated the radio - frequency pulses for the excitation of the nuclear spins . the respective radio - frequency pulses are thereby digitally represented in the sequence controller 18 as a series of complex numbers based on a pulse sequence predetermined by the system computer 20 . this number series is supplied as a real part and an imaginary part via respective inputs 12 to a digital - analog converter in the radio - frequency system 22 and from this to a transmission channel 9 . in the transmission channel 9 , the pulse sequences are modulated on a radio - frequency carrier signal having a base frequency that corresponds to the resonance frequency of the nuclear spins in the measurement volume . the switch - over from transmission made to reception mode ensues via a transmission - reception diplexer 6 . the rf transmission coil of the radio - frequency antenna 4 radiates the radio - frequency pulses for excitation of the nuclear spins into the measurement volume m for excitation of the spins and samples resulting echo signals via the rf reception coils . the correspondingly - acquired nuclear magnetic resonance signals are phase - sensitively demodulated on an intermediate frequency in the reception channel 8 ′ ( first demodulator ) of the radio - frequency system 22 and digitized in the analog - digital converter ( adc ). this signal must be demodulated at the frequency 0 . the demodulation at frequency 0 and separation into real part and imaginary part occurs after the digitization in the digital domain in a second demodulator 8 . an image is reconstructed by an image computer 17 from the measurement data so acquired . the administration of the measurement data , the image data and the control programs ensues via the system computer 20 . according to control programs , the sequence controller 18 monitors the generation of the respective desired pulse sequences and the corresponding sampling of k - space . the sequence controller 18 controls the time - accurate switching of the gradients , the emission of the radio - frequency pulses with defined phase and amplitude and the reception of the nuclear magnetic resonance signals . the time base for the radio - frequency system 22 and the sequence controller 18 is provided by a synthesizer 19 . the selection of corresponding control programs for generation of a magnetic resonance image as well as the representation of the generated nuclear magnetic resonance image ensues via a terminal 21 that has a keyboard as well as one or more screens . fig2 schematically shows the progression of a portion of the sequence according to the present invention . shown are quantities ( varying dependent on the time ) that characterize the sequence progression . the progression according to which the adc 8 , 8 ′ is activated or deactivated is shown in the first line , whereby measurement data can be acquired during the phases in which the adc 8 , 8 ′ is activated . the temporal switching sequence of the frequency coding gradient g x of the gradient coil system 3 is shown in the second line . a line in k - space is successively sampled by means of the frequency coding gradients . the temporal progression of the phase coding gradient g y of the gradient coil system 3 is shown in the third line . the line or , respectively , a segment comprising multiple lines in k - space is established by the phase coding gradient g y . the k - space sampling is schematically shown in the fourth line . k - space is sampled line - by - line according to the present embodiment . this is represented by means of a linear curve in the line of the k - space sampling ; the 0 - point passage 31 hereby corresponds to the traversal of the k - space center . the rf pulse 32 generated by means of the antenna 4 for the magnetization preparation is shown in the last line of fig2 . a number of rf pulses for spin excitation ( not shown ) follow between two rf pulses 32 for magnetization preparation , after which a line of k - space or a segment of k - space comprising a plurality of lines is respectively read out . in the present exemplary embodiment , the k - space sampling ensues in four segments . the image contrast is generally dependent on the inner fourier lines in k - space , whereby the inversion time ti ( i . e . the time from radiation of the rf pulse 32 up to the traversal of the k - space center at the 0 - point passage 31 ) must be selected such that the contrast is optimal for the k - space center . as already explained , for this purpose the measurement time must be selected such that , depending on the desired image contrast , the measurement ensues at a specific temporal interval from the rf pulse 32 . in the event that the rf pulse respectively ensues simultaneously with a pulse beat ( heartbeat ) 30 of the person to be examined or is offset by a constant value relative to the pulse beat 30 , the image contrast is particularly good for the same heart phase , namely the heart phase during which the center of k - space is traversed ; the image contrast is contrarily poorer for the remaining heart phases . according to the present invention another idle phase 33 is interposed after the sampling of k - space , before the next rf pulse 32 is radiated and the next sampling of k - space ensues . the idle phase 33 hereby corresponds in terms of its duration to the duration of the traversal of a segment of k - space . according to the present exemplary embodiment , k - space is sampled in four segments . due to the additional idle phase 33 the interval between two rf pulses 32 thus corresponds to the duration of the sampling of five segments . since the duration for the sampling of four segments of k - space precisely corresponds to the duration between two pulse beats 30 of the person to be examined , due to the additional idle phase 33 the rf pulse 32 ( and therewith the sampling of k - space in each sequence pass ) is displaced by a temporally constant value relative to the pulse beat 30 . the sampling of k - space is thus temporally displaced within the heart interval . the point in time of the traversal of the k - space center and thus the point in time for the optimal image contrast are also displaced relative to the heart phases , so images with different contrast are acquired for each heart phase . the parameters for the sequence pass are selected such that a specific k - space segment is always sampled at the same point in time after the rf pulse 32 and this always has the same contrast . a contrast averaging over a large time span can thus ensue with the sequence according to the present invention . the present invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiment . rather , k - space can be sampled in an arbitrary number of segments or also line - by - line . furthermore , the duration for the idle phase 33 can correspond to the duration of one or more segments . furthermore , the rf pulse 32 as well as the sampling of k - space can also be irregularly shifted relative to the pulse frequency . this means that no idle phase 33 , or idle phases of different lengths , are inserted in specific repetitions . the rf pulse 32 can be an individual pulse or a different rf pulse block arbitrarily formed by a number of pulses for preparation . more complex combinations are used for t 1 or t 2 preparation . after each rf pulse block 32 for magnetization preparation , data are acquired along an established trajectory along a first slice established by means of a slice - selection gradient g z , the trajectory being established within the slice by means of projection gradients g x and g y . as already explained , the individual segments of k - space and therewith the partial data are displaced relative to the determined pulse 30 . in order to attain a high time resolution , the partial data from the measurements repeated after the rf pulse block 32 are combined such that each image possesses a high time resolution . a fast image sequence of spatially and temporally high - resolution images of the heart thus can be created , and moreover in particular a temporally and spatially high - resolution film of the heart movement with good t 1 contrast . although the measurement time is limited by the maximum duration within which the patient can hold his or her breath , according to the present invention it is possible to acquire a temporally and spatially high - resolution movie of the heart movement without additional effort or an extension of the measurement time . the progression according the inventive sequence is shown in a second view in fig3 . the temporal progression of various quantities ( variables ) that determine the sequence is shown . the switching sequence of the analog - digital converter 8 , 8 ′ is indicated in the first line . the curve of the frequency coding gradient g x is shown in the second line . the third line shows the z - gradient moment of the 0th order . the sequence of the radio - frequency excitation according to the present invention is shown in the fourth line . the fifth line shows the phase change of the nco ( numerically - controlled oscillator ), for generation of periodic signals with a precisely - set frequency . the nco phase varies between 0 ° and 180 °. the slice - selection gradient g z is shown in the lowermost line . after passage of the true fisp sequence , the magnetization is approximately located in an equilibrium state . in order to begin from this equilibrium magnetization from the sequence given an inversion pulse , the state of the equilibrium magnetization along the static magnetic field is stored as a polarization via an α / 2 pulse 35 . the inversion pulse or the rf pulse block ( which , in the simplest case , is a 90 ° pulse 37 ) is subsequently radiated . following this all remaining transversal magnetization components are erased by a z - gradient spoiler 36 . following this is a second α / 2 pulse 34 in order to achieve the true fisp steady state ( i . e . the equilibrium magnetization ) without large signal fluctuations . the acquisition of the measurement data by means of the true fisp sequence follows after the second α / 2 pulse 34 . other preparation blocks ( such as , for example , linear ramps ) can also be used instead of α / 2 pulses . the measurement data acquired in k - space are translated into a real image by means of fourier transformation . only the phase - corrected real part of complex k - space is used in the fourier transformation . given saturation - prepared images in which no inverted spins occur , the phase correction can be acquired from the measurement data in the middle of k - space itself under the assumption that no phase jumps exist . in contrast to this , given inversion preparation a separate reference measurement is used in order to be able to detect inverted spins . various relaxation curves for different ratios of the longitudinal relaxation time t 1 to the acquisition time are shown along the time axis in fig4 . the relaxation curves are monotonous and therefore asymmetrical . by default the magnitude of the signal is used for reconstruction of an image given fourier transformation . due to the asymmetry of the relaxation curves , this leads to blurring in the obtained image , in particular when the entire relaxation curve is sampled . these artifacts can be avoided in that not the magnitude but rather only the real part of complex k - space is used for reconstruction of the image . this yields a symmetrization of the relaxation curves as shown in fig4 in the dotted graphs . as shown in the example of fig4 , average is obtained across all values along the phase coding lines , meaning that , in the case of 128 phase coding lines ( as in fig4 ), starting from the value in the middle phase coding line 64 averaging is respectively performed over the values situated to the right and left of this . as can be seen from fig4 , ideal straight lines result for long relaxation times t 1 , in contrast to which the symmetrized curves for shorter relaxation times exhibit a strong ( severe ) curvature at the boundary values . this low - pass behavior at the borders of the image does in fact generate certain intensity fluctuations for long t 1 values ; however , these remain within a tolerable scope since they remain within 5 %. the image processing and data evaluation ensue for the most part by means of the image computer 17 , the system computer 20 and the terminal 21 . fig5 and 6 show a spatial representation along the phase coding direction , whereby the image pixels are plotted along the x - axis and the intensity of the image signal is plotted along the y - axis . the ideal case of such a curve is designated with the first line in figure , in contrast to which the curves designated with the second line or the third line respectively show the magnitude portion of an image and the real part of an image . from fig5 it is apparent that the fluctuations of the real part image correspond to that of the magnitude image and that the fluctuations remain within tolerable limits . furthermore , fig6 shows that the fluctuations decrease with an increasing relaxation time since the intensities are plotted for various relaxation times . the curve designated with the first line is again the reference image ; the curves designated with the second line through the twelfth line correspond to the intensities for larger relaxation times . although the fluctuations of the intensity lie inside an acceptable tolerance range , they can be compensated by subsequent multiplication of the data in the phase coding direction in that a filter compensates the average fluctuations in the data . in an alternative , the data acquisition is not expanded across the entire relaxation curve . the asymmetry is particularly strong immediately after the preparation pulse , such that a very short wait time after the preparation pulse is sufficient in order to minimize the fluctuations of the intensity . in a preferred embodiment of the invention a saturation pulse is used as a preparation pulse . the contrast - noise ratio is thereby reduced by half , and the acquisition time is quadrupled given the same signal / noise ratio . furthermore , no phase reference image must be acquired given the use of a saturation pulse . moreover , after a sequence pass an equilibrium magnetization does not have to be waited for , whereby the next sequence pass can be begun immediately after the end of the preceding sequence pass . an acquisition time can hereby be achieved that is twice as fast as given use of an inversion pulse . in an alternative embodiment it is possible to skip over a segment in the acquisition in stead of inserting an idle phase 33 into the sequence , whereby the measurement time is in particular further shortened . furthermore , the possibility exists to use an inversion pulse instead of a saturation pulse . moreover , the flash sequence or any other gradient echo sequence can be used for the sequence . moreover , a further shortening of the measurement time is possible in that a plurality of inversion pulses are radiated within a pulse beat interval . times of 200 to 250 msec can hereby be achieved for the inversion time . in a further embodiment it is possible to radiate the preparation pulse independent of the measured pulse of the person to be examined and , in a later image reconstruction , to sort the measurement data corresponding to the various heart phases . the present invention makes it possible to use the entire interval between two pulse beats for the acquisition of measurement data and to acquire the measurement data during the entire relaxation . a short measurement time is hereby achieved , which in particular is of great importance in examinations that require a breath hold . 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 .
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the figures show an overvoltage protection element 1 with a housing 2 , and an overvoltage limiting component located in the housing 2 . in the exemplary embodiment according to fig1 to 3 , the overvoltage limiting component is a varistor 3 , while the overvoltage protection elements 1 according to fig4 to 12 use a gas - filled surge arrester 3 ′. the overvoltage protection element 1 according to fig1 to 3 can be made as a protective plug having two connection elements 4 , 5 which can be inserted into corresponding receptacles of the lower part of a device ( not shown ). the connection elements 4 , 5 are each connected to a pole of the varistor 3 in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 so that the varistor 3 can be connected via the two connection elements 4 , 5 to the current path or signal path which is to be protected . as is apparent from fig1 and 7 , in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 , a thermally expandable material 6 is located in the housing 2 . the thermally expandable material 6 can be , for example , an intumescent material , which material is first solid , but as the temperature rises , changes its aggregate state and becomes liquid . when an activation temperature is exceeded , the thermally expandable material 6 reacts with a dramatic increase in volume , i . e ., the material 6 foams up and expands . this then leads to the position of the varistor 3 or of the surge arrester 3 ′ changing relative to the position of the connection elements 4 , 5 since the thermally expandable material 6 forces the varistor 3 or surge arrester 3 ′ out of its first position . in the exemplary embodiments according to fig2 & amp ; 6 , the varistor 3 or the surge arrester 3 ′ has been forced up , or to the side in the exemplary embodiment according to fig9 . the overvoltage protection element 1 according to fig1 to 3 , on the one hand , and the overvoltage protection elements 1 according to fig4 to 12 , on the other , differ from one another , first of all , in that , in the first exemplary embodiment , the overvoltage limiting component is a varistor 3 , while in the other exemplary embodiments a gas - filled surge arrester 3 ′ is used . moreover , the overvoltage protection elements 1 differ by the type of electrical contact - making between the varistor 3 and the connection elements 4 , 5 , on the one hand , and the surge arrester 3 ′ and the connection elements 4 , 5 , on the other . while in the two exemplary embodiments according to fig4 & amp ; 7 , in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 , the two poles of the surge arrester 3 ′ are connected via a respective solder site 7 , 8 to the connection elements 4 , 5 , so that the poles of the varistor 3 are in electrical contact via a plug connection 9 , 10 to the two connection elements 4 , 5 . the two poles of the varistor 3 are connected via two terminal lugs 11 , 12 to the connection elements 4 , 5 , the connection elements 4 , 5 each having a receptacle 13 , 14 on the sides facing the terminal lugs 11 , 12 . in the exemplary embodiment of the overvoltage protection element 1 shown in fig4 , each of the two poles of the surge arrester 3 ′ are connected to a respective terminal post 15 , 16 so that the solder sites 7 , 8 are formed between the terminal posts 15 , 16 and the connection elements 4 , 5 . in the exemplary embodiment of the overvoltage protection element 1 in accordance with the invention according to fig1 to 3 , the housing 2 has an outer housing part 17 and an inner housing part 18 which is arranged to be able to move in the outer housing part 17 . as is apparent from the figures , the bottom of the inner housing part 18 is open so that the inner housing part 18 surrounds the varistor 3 and the thermally expandable material 6 in the manner of a hood . if the impedance of the varistor 3 is reduced as a result of overloading or as a result of ageing of the varistor 3 , an impermissible leakage current flows through the varistor 3 ; this leads to heating of the varistor 3 . since the varistor 3 is at least partially surrounded by the thermally expandable material 6 , inherent heating of the varistor 3 also leads to heating of the material 6 so that it dramatically expands when a certain activation temperature is exceeded . this leads to a pressure increase within the space which is surrounded by the outer housing part 17 and the inner housing part 18 so that the inner housing part 18 is forced up by the expanding material 6 when the holding force of the inner housing part 18 within the outer housing part 17 and the contact force between the terminal lugs 11 , 12 and the receptacles 13 , 14 are exceeded by the force of the expanding material 6 . so that the varistor 3 also moves up with the inner housing part 18 , the varistor 3 is connected to the inner housing part 18 via a holding element 19 , the holding element 19 being located underneath the varistor 3 and extending perpendicular to the plane of the drawings , i . e ., in the transverse direction of the varistor 3 , according to fig1 to 3 . the inner housing part 18 is thus guided like a piston in the outer housing 17 , a stop which is not shown in the figures providing a limit to the motion of the inner housing part 18 out of the outer housing part 17 . as is apparent from fig1 , the inner housing part 18 , in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 , is in a first position within the outer housing part 17 in which the top 20 of the inner housing part 18 ends essentially flush with the top 21 of the outer housing part 17 so that the top 20 of the inner housing part 18 does not project beyond the end of the outer housing 17 . in contrast thereto , in the case of thermal overloading of the overvoltage protection element 1 , after electrical disconnection of the varistor 3 , the inner housing part 18 is located in a second position ( fig2 ) in which the top 20 of the inner housing part 18 projects over the top 21 of the outer housing 17 . the position of the inner housing part 18 is thus used as an optical status display for displaying the state of the overvoltage protection element 1 . it was stated above that the thermally expandable material 6 is preferably an intumescent material which in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 is solid and first becomes liquid when the temperature rises . in order to reliably prevent discharge of the liquid intumescent material 6 , in the illustrated exemplary embodiment above the connection elements 4 , 5 , i . e ., opposite the open bottom of the inner housing 18 , there is a sealing film 22 in the outer housing 17 . here the terminal lugs 11 , 12 in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 extend through slots provided in the sealing film 22 so that the terminal lugs 11 , 12 make contact with the receptacles 13 , 14 and thus are in electrical contact with the connection elements 4 , 5 . fig3 shows the overvoltage protection element 1 according to fig1 , in which the inner housing part 18 is in the second position so that the varistor 3 is disconnected . in contrast to the representation according to fig2 , in the representation according to fig3 , the varistor 3 or the inner housing part 18 has been shifted upward , not by an expansion of the thermally expandable material 6 , but as a result of an overpressure which has been caused by bursting of the varistor 3 due to an extreme overload . extreme overloading can shift a varistor 3 suddenly into a low - impedance state so that , in this extreme case , a grid - driven current of the size of the short circuit current can flow through the varistor 3 . a current flowing through the varistor 3 in this case can lead to destruction and thus to bursting of the varistor 3 . the resulting pressure is routed via an opening 23 which is formed in the holding element 19 which is located under the varistor 3 into the space 24 which is formed by the outer housing 17 , the inner housing part 18 and the sealing film 22 . the pressure which arises in this space 24 can lead to the inner housing part 18 being forced upward out of its first position into its second position , as a result of which the varistor 3 is also moved away from the connection elements 4 , 5 so that the terminal lugs 11 , 12 are no longer in electrical contact with the receptacles 13 , 14 , the overloaded varistor 3 is thus reliably and quickly disconnected . in the position of the inner housing part 18 which is shown in fig3 , the increased pressure which prevails in the space 24 can escape through the openings 25 formed in the outer housing 17 . the openings 25 are located in the outer housing part 17 such that they are closed by the inner housing part 18 as long as the inner housing part 18 is not yet in its second position . in the exemplary embodiment of the overvoltage protection element 1 shown in fig4 , the housing 2 does not comprise an outer housing and an inner housing , but instead is formed of two holding elements 26 , 27 which are u - shaped in cross section and which are used , in addition , to accommodate the thermally expandable material 6 , as well as for holding and contact - making of the terminal posts 15 , 16 of the surge arrester 3 ′ in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 . in the exemplary embodiments of the overvoltage protection element 1 which are shown in fig4 to 12 , the two electrical holding elements 26 , 27 are isolated from one another are thus used as connection elements 4 , 5 for the gas - filled surge arrester 3 ′. fig4 shows that , in the normal state of the overvoltage protection element 1 , each solder site 7 , 8 is formed between the two terminal posts 15 , 16 and the holding elements 26 , 27 . in this overvoltage protection element 1 , if the surge arrester 3 ′ is heated , this also leads to heating of the thermally expandable material 6 which is located underneath the surge arrester 3 ′ so that it expands when its activation temperature is reached . the surge arrester 3 ′ is then forced upward when the force applied by the thermally expandable material 6 is greater than the holding force of the softening solder sites 7 , 8 . in this second position of the surge arrester 3 ′ shown in fig6 , the two terminal posts 15 , 16 are no longer in electrical contact with the holding elements 26 , 27 so that the surge arrester 3 ′ is no longer connected to the signal path which is to be protected via the holding elements 26 , 27 . the electrical connection of the holding elements 26 , 27 to the signal path which is to be protected takes place in the exemplary embodiments according to fig4 to 12 by the holding elements 26 , 27 being connected to a circuit board 28 . instead of the solder connection shown in the figures between the terminals posts 15 , 16 and the holding elements 26 , 27 , fundamentally , there can also be a plug connection according to fig1 to 3 . in this case , the holding elements 26 , 27 would have corresponding receptacles on the sides facing the terminal posts 15 , 16 . while in the exemplary embodiment according to fig4 to 6 the holding elements 26 , 27 are made in such a way and the thermally expandable material 6 is located between the holding elements 26 , 27 such that in thermal overloading of the surge arrester 3 ′, it is forced upward by the expanding material 6 , the surge arrester 3 ′ in the exemplary embodiment according to fig7 to 9 is forced away horizontally to the side by the expanding material 6 . fundamentally , an arc can occur in the opening of an electrical contact via which a current is flowing ; in an overvoltage protection element 1 , this can lead to an impermissible current flowing via the arc even in the actually disconnected state of the overvoltage limiting component . this arc , in the exemplary embodiment of the overvoltage protection element 1 which is shown in fig2 , is prevented by the expanding thermally expandable material 6 penetrating into the intermediate space which is forming between the terminal lugs 11 , 12 and the receptacles 13 , 14 in the thermal overloading of the varistor 3 . possible arcs are extinguished by the foaming around the terminal lugs 11 , 12 . this applies accordingly also to the left terminal post 15 of the surge arrester 3 ′, which post is shown in fig9 . in order to further extinguish an arc which arises when the electrical connection between the terminal lugs 11 , 12 and the receptacles 13 , 14 is broken , in the situation of the overvoltage protection element 1 shown in fig3 , the two connection elements 4 , 5 are surrounded by a plastic part 29 which evolves gas when an arc is present . when an arc is present , a blowing on the arc is produced by the dissociation of the plastic parts 29 , and as a result of which the arc is extinguished . fig1 - 12 show three different versions of an overvoltage protection element 1 which differ from one another and from the version according to fig6 only by the execution of the thermally expandable material 6 . in the exemplary embodiment according to fig1 , there are conductive particles 30 in the thermally expandable material 6 . the conductive particles 30 can be , for example , graphite powder or copper powder . by adding the conductive particles 30 , an inherent conductivity of the material 6 is achieved so that , when a voltage is present , a current flows through the thermally expandable material 6 by which the material 6 is heated throughout its volume . when the material 6 reaches its activation temperature , the volume increases ; this also leads to the number of conductive components per unit of volume being reduced so that , with the increase in the volume , the conductivity of the material 6 is reduced , preferably to such an extent that current no longer flows through the material 6 at a maximum increase of the volume . in the exemplary embodiments according to fig1 & amp ; 12 , a heat pipe 31 or a resistance wire 32 is embedded in the thermally expandable material 6 , as a result of which additional heating of the material 6 occurs when a current is flowing through the heat pipe 31 and the resistance wire 32 . the connections of the heat pipe 31 and of the resistance wire 32 can be either routed out separately as shown in fig1 & amp ; 12 or can be connected to the connection elements 4 , 5 . in the latter case , the current via the surge arrester 3 ′ can also be used for additional heating of the thermally expandable material 6 by the heat pipe 31 and the resistance wire 32 . it is apparent that the above described versions or configurations of the thermally expandable material 6 can be used not only in an overvoltage protection element 1 with a gas - filled surge arrester 3 ′ according to fig6 , but also for an overvoltage protection element 1 with a varistor 3 according to fig1 .
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referring to fig1 and 2 , the principal structural components of the conveyor are shown to comprise spaced apart high side guards 10 supported by cross members 11 , in turn , mounted on legs 12 or in such manner as to maintain the conveyor at a desired elevation , whether it is horizontally level , or inclined up or down in the direction of travel or articles . inwardly of each guard 10 there is arranged a pair of longitudinal rails 13 of appropriate shape . the rails are secured to the cross members 11 so as to be fixed in spaced relation to each other and to the guards 10 . the rails 13 support a plurality of rollers 14 which collectively have the upper surfaces above the rails 13 to define an article supporting track - way . the space between the rails 13 is occupied by an elongated plate 15 providing a slide way 16 on its upper face . the plate has its longitudinal edges turned down to lend stiffness to the plate , and angle members 17 are secured along each turned edge to additionally stiffen the plate and provide the attachment for adjusting means 18 . it is obvious that other roll formed or extended sections may be substituted in place of plate 15 and angles 17 to provide a guided slide surface 16 without altering the intent of the invention . each adjusting means includes a threaded vertical stud and a pair of nuts threaded on the stud and embracing the horizontal leg of the angle irons 17 . the cross members 11 of the assembly are set close enough , or are sufficient in number , to provide support for the rails and the elongated plate 15 and maintain these components in desired alignment and without detrimental sag . near one end ( the right end in fig1 ) of the conveyor assembly there is a drive shaft 20 having suitable bearing 21 at one end and a second bearing 22 inboard of the other end so that the shaft end portion can be engaged in a suitable gear box 23 . the gear box 23 has its driven pulley 24 engaged by a belt 25 extending into engagement with the pulley 26 of the drive motor 27 . the motor 27 powers the shaft 20 on which are affixed a pair of traction wheels 28 spaced apart so that there will be room for a sprocket 29 that will be aligned with the center of the plate slide surface 16 . the opposite end of the conveyor is provided with an idler shaft 30 to carry a pair of traction wheels 31 and a sprocket 32 , with the sprocket 32 aligned with the sprocket 29 . a chain 33 is trained over these sprockets 29 and 32 with an upper span positioned above the plate surface 16 and its lower span below the cross members 11 and supported in a pan 15a suspended from the cross members 11 . the chain 33 ( fig4 ) is made up of two series of side links 34 and 35 having the adjacent ends in lapped relation and secured by pivot pins 36 . the pins 36 carry rollers 37 between the side links , as in accordance with standard roller chains . the roller chain is modified at desired places along its span by having elongated pivot pins 36a so that a portion of these pins project laterally beyond the chain links 34 and 35 to provide mounting means for article conveying means 38 at each side which engage and excite article into movement . each exciter means 38 is made up of a pair of bodies secured to the sides of the chain 33 . the bodies have a portion extending below the chain links 34 and 35 , as well as the rollers 37 , to engage and glide on the surface 16 of the plate 15 and thereby maintain all or substantially all of the chain 33 between exciter means 38 from engaging the surface 16 . the upper portion of each body extends above the chain 33 to provide a lug which has slanted surfaces 39 merging in a flat mid - surface 40 . it is characteristic of this improvement that each body 38 is quickly replaceable by removing the quick - disconnect chain link keepers 41 that are pressed over the projecting ends of the pins 36a . the article propelling or conveying exciter means 38 , as above described , are adapted to support the roller chain 33 above the plate surface 16 so that noise and chain clatter will be avoided , and further so that wear will be mainly taken by the bodies of the exciter means 38 . the means 38 may be made from a number of suitable materials , such as aluminum , brass , plastics or rubber or suitable combination therof , to accommodate the character of articles being conveyed and the level or inclined attitude of the conveyor . exceptional noise reduction is achieved by forming the means 38 of polyethylene which has the least impact effect on the articles , as also does rubber material . the relation of the components to an article a is well shown in various views of the drawings . turning now to fig3 it can be seen that the assembly has been modified over that seen in fig2 by substituting runners or skids 14a for the rollers 14 . the runners 14a are placed on the upper elongated edges of the rails 13 and are composed of a material having a low coefficient of friction as these runners furnish the principal support , just as do the rollers 14 of fig2 . it is frequently desirable to deliver articles to the end of a conveyor and retain them until they are removed . in order to provide means to stop or hold the articles on the conveyor of fig1 the right hand end of the assembly is provided with opposed compression pads 42 located at the sides 10 of the conveyor ( fig1 and 2 ). the pads 42 are connected to the vertical shafts 43 and 44 by links 45 and 46 respectively located near the upper ends . the shafts 43 and 44 are carried by suitable brackets , such as the upper bearing brackets 47 and by lower bearing brackets 48 for the shaft 44 . while not shown , it is understood that similar brackets are used for shaft 43 . a power unit 49 is connected to the right hand shaft 44 by a crank 50 which is cross connected by a rod 51 to a crank 52 on the shaft 44 at the opposite side . when the power unit 49 is energized to extend , it will close the pads 42 against the sides of an article to arrest or retard its further movement . obviously the compression pads 42 may be operatively mounted at any chosen location or several locations along the conveyor . fig5 shows a different embodiment of article arresting means . here a single vertical shaft 52 on each side carried in a suitable bearing brackets 53 is employed to support a stop arm 54 having an article engaging element 55 at its outer end . the lower end of the right hand shaft 52 is provided with a crank 56 , one end of the crank 56 being connected to a cross link 57 which extends under the conveyor and connects to a crank 58 on the opposite shaft 52 . the other end of crank 56 is connected to the power unit which may be fluid motor 59 . the opening and closing action of the stop arms can be easily understood from the foregoing description . the operation of the conveying exciter means 38 is shown schematically in fig6 , and 8 . the views include only the series of rollers which supply the principal support of the article a which in this example is a tote - box but could be any of various sized , but appropriately shaped packages . in fig6 the tote - box a is resting on the roller 14 as an exciter means 38 is drawn along by the roller chain 33 . the exciter means 38 form lugs projecting above the chain 33 a distance d above the top line of the rollers 14 . the advancing slanting surface 39 engages the tote - box a with a minimum of impact noise or shock to the tote - box . if the tote - box a is empty or lightly loaded the means 38 will merely push the tote - box along in front . however , if the tote - box is loaded even lightly , the means 38 will encounter inertia as well as the normal friction in the rollers 14 , and therefore the means 38 will move beneath the tote - box a a distance that will depend on when the friction between the means 38 and the tote - box will exceed the friction in the rollers 14 . the effect of the last described condition is shown in fig7 that is the tote - box will be partially lifted off some of the rollers 14 and assume a tilted position which will give maximum effect to the conveying effort of means 38 . as seen in fig8 the condition of an obstruction s ( which may be the pads 42 in fig1 or the stop means 55 in fig5 .) will stop advance of the tote - box a and the means 38 will be caused by the pull of the chain 33 to slide forward under the tote - box and continue on . each subsequent means 38 on the chain 33 will initate the same action and pass beneath the tote - box but will effect a lifting action to test the obstruction s . when the obstruction s is removed the next means 38 will resume the propelling influence on the tote - box or boxes . the propelling or conveying effort of each means 38 on the articles a can be selected as needed by varying the distance d ( fig6 ) the surface 40 of each means 38 projects above the top line of the rollers 14 . the adjustment is effected ( fig1 ) by turning the nuts of the adjusting means 18 on the studs . in addition , articles a can be positively moved onto or off of the conveyor at either end by the provision of the traction wheels 28 and 31 , depending on which direction the means 38 are moved by the roller chain 33 . it is especially useful to have the traction wheels at the article loading end so that each article will be moved sufficiently onto the rollers 14 to be properly engaged by the next means 38 that arrives at the loading end . in the conveyor assembly above described it is to be understood that there are a number of variables that must be considered . the variations possible in selecting the distance d provide a way to increase or decrease the propelling effect of means 38 . the spacing along the chain 33 of the means 38 is another variable to be considered in view of the fact that one means 38 has a practical limit in relation to the number of articles a that can be propelled at one time . when the number of articles accumulated in front of one means 38 exceeds the ability to propel all of the articles the means 38 will slide beneath one or more articles until its propelling effort exceeds the frictional resistance in the bearings for the roller supports 14 or the runners 14a . furthermore , there is a situation often encountered in conveyors when it is desirable to accumulate a group of articles at a designated station , but it is not desired to stop the conveyor or even cause overloading of the conveyor drive . in such a situation the spacing between means 38 cna be adjusted by removing certain of the bodies , and the elevation distance d also can be adjusted so that each means 38 will slide under the accumulated articles without overload effect on the motor 27 . such an accumulation condition can be recognized in fig8 as the obstruction s will cause several articles a to backup at that point . another variable to be considered is that of varying the travel speed of the draw means relative to the number of exciters 38 , thus in another manner to predesign the rate at which loads a will be advanced along the conveyor . the embodiments above described have the advantages and unique features of exciter means 38 being selectively spaced along the length of the chain 33 , the means 38 being made up of removable side bodies so that different materials and sizes of the bodies can be installed and the means 38 being symmetrical so that it will operate in either direction of movement to move articles as desired merely be reversing the drive direction of the motor means 27 . the means 38 also have the unique feature of supporting the chain 33 so that only the means 38 are subjected to wear and require replacement from time - to - time .
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fig1 shows a schematic of the ultrafiltration system 100 . withdrawal access 112 and infusion access 118 are obtained to and from the vascular system of the patient 110 . peripheral access via standard iv access methods is acceptable for use with this device . this is an advantage of the device described herein , but not a limiting requirement . the device will function just as effectively with other higher flow access methods such as a fistula , central venous catheter , implanted port , midline or picc . if required , withdrawal extension 114 connects proximally to withdrawal access via connectors 113 , and distally to withdrawal tubing 130 via connectors 116 . if required , infusion extension 120 connects proximally to infusion access via connectors 119 , and distally to infusion tubing 132 via connectors 122 . if extensions 114 , 120 are not required , the withdrawal tubing may connect directly to withdrawal access and infusion tubing directly to infusion access . the extensions are optional and used for making connections and extending circuit tube lines if needed . a maximum blood volume of the extension may be specified to ensure that the maximum circuit volume is within a maximum volume so that leak detection occurs without excessive loss of blood and to avoid an excessive residence time of blood in the extracorporeal circuit . withdrawal tubing 130 and infusion tubing 132 both pass through or in proximity of air detector 134 , such that air bubbles can be detected in either tubing line . alternatively two separate air detectors 134 may be utilized . the air detector 134 uses ultrasound to determine the presence of air . an emitter and receiver of the air detector are placed on either sides of the tubing and correctly acoustically coupled the signal transmitted between emitter and receiver and through the blood tubing . acoustic coupling requires that a liquid be present in the tubing between the emitter and receiver . air attenuates the signal significantly and prevents the transmission of the ultrasonic pulses thus enabling the detection of air . five different pressure sensors are employed in the described system 100 . these are pressure sensors 140 , 144 , 160 , 164 and 170 . pressure sensors may be of the direct contact type and part of the disposable circuit , or of the indirect contact type and part of the controlling system of the pump console . sensors need not be the same type for each location . after passing through the air detector , the withdrawal tubing runs through withdrawal pump 142 , and then into filter 150 . infusion tubing 161 comes out the opposite end of the filter , travels through infusion pump 162 , and then through the air detector . blood traveling through the filter , is treated by extraction of liquid , with the removed filtrate media exiting the filter through the ultrafiltration line 176 . ultrafiltration media travels from the filter 150 through a blood leak sensor 172 , and then ultrafiltrate pump 174 . ultrafiltration media is collected in a reservoir 182 by the ultrafiltrate pump 174 pump it through the tubing conduit 176 . an optional weight scale 180 can be employed to monitor the collection of ultrafiltrate media in the reservoir . flow rates of the infusion pump and ultrafiltrate pumps are controlled by a pump console controller so that the sum of the infusion blood flow rate and the filtrate rate equals that of the withdrawal flow rate as determined by the withdrawal pump . pressure sensors can help monitor this flow relationship . pumps 142 , 162 , and 174 are reversible blood and filtration pumps , such as peristaltic roller pumps . the blood circuit is basically symmetrical about the filter . in particular , the length of the tubing line from the implanted port or catheter to the filter is equivalent to the length from the filter to the infusion catheter or implanted port . the first blood pump 142 is connected to a first tube line 130 of the circuit , and the second blood pump 162 is connected to the second tube line 132 of the circuit . the role of withdrawal and infusion is switched by reversing the rotational direction of the pumps . when the pumps are reversed the withdrawal access 112 is used for infusion and infusion access 118 is used for withdrawal . before treatment initiation , patient access is established for the vascular system . patient access may be peripherally via standard iv needle access or via implanted blood access port ( s ) or other such means . to initiate treatment , the ultrafiltration circuit is primed by connecting the withdrawal connector 116 to a saline bag and the infusion connector 122 to an ultrafiltrate reservoir 182 or some other fluid collection device . the peristaltic roller pumps 142 and 162 operate in a clockwise direction until the tubing and filter are fully primed . the air detector 134 senses that the tubing and filter have no air and are fully primed . when the circuit and filter are primed , the ultrafiltration segment 176 can be primed by operating pump 174 in a clockwise direction while roller pumps 142 and 162 continue to operate in a clockwise direction . priming of the access devices 112 , 118 and extensions 114 , 120 can be performed through connectors 116 , 122 with a syringe or other appropriate method . blood pumps 142 and 162 are rotated at the same speed and in the same rotational direction while ensuring that pressure 160 is positive at all times . the pressure in the tubing may fall to a negative condition due to a mismatch between pump flows that can be caused by for example the tolerances of the pump velocity settings , the tolerances of the tubing diameter and other various tubing characteristics . if the pressure sensor 160 detects a negative pressure in the blood line while pumps 142 and 162 are rotating clockwise , the controller may determine that the speed of pump 162 is to be increased or decreased to maintain the blood pressure in the circuit at a value or range of values such as 20 mmhg . the value ( s ) can in theory be any pressure positive or negative . using such a closed loop control system eliminates the need for impossibly tight tolerance requirements for the pumps and tubing segments once the circuit is primed , the patient is connected and treatment initiated . since the blood circuit is symmetrical , pumps 142 and 162 can operate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction . a user specified blood flow rate will dictate how long operation can proceed in one direction before reversing . the length of time between pump reversals is calculated such that , if a disconnection occurs , the maximum amount of blood which could be pumped and lost would preferably not exceed a volume of 100 milliliters ( ml ), and may be set to not exceed a maximum blood loss in a range of 50 ml to 200 ml . the controller may determine the blood volume passing through the circuit based on the pump speed , and reverse the pump directions after the predetermined maximum volume , e . g ., 100 ml , has passed through the circuit . after the calculated time has elapsed , pumps 142 , 162 reverse direction . during clockwise rotation , the rotational rate of pump 162 is adjusted to match the rate difference of pumps 142 and 174 . thus : where q pump 142 is the set blood pump flow rate , q pump 174 is the set ultrafiltrate flow rate and q pump 162 is the difference between the set blood pump flow rate and the set ultrafiltrate flow rate . during counterclockwise rotation , likewise the rate of pump 142 is adjusted by the controller to match the rotational rate difference of pumps 162 and 174 . thus : pump 174 operates in a clockwise rotation during normal ultrafiltration mode . ultrafiltration is controlled such that the filter removes a set fraction of fluid from the blood . the fraction is established to minimize any risk to the patient of excess blood concentration or to clot formation in the circuit . pump 174 may operate in a counterclockwise rotation to backflush the filter or create some other desired pressure gradient across the filter . since both infusion and withdrawal blood lines travel through the air detector 134 before reaching the patient , there is no risk of air entrainment reaching the patient from the blood circuit . upon reversal of direction of pumps 142 and 162 , the ultrafiltration pump is temporarily stopped for a set period determined based on the set blood pump flow rate , circuit volume and access volume . during this period the pump flow rates 142 and 162 are set to equal each other because the ultrafiltrate pump 174 has been stopped . the filtrate is stopped to avoid circulating blood twice through the filter . a second pass through the filter would further concentrate the blood and could increase the propensity of clots to form in the filter . the period of filtration cessation may be determined by dividing the summation of the half the volume of the extracorporeal circuit and the volume of blood in the access path ( collectively the flush volume ) by the blood pump flow rate . since this flush volume is a function of the access methodology , the operator enters the flush volume into the ultrafiltration device at the time of setup . pressure sensors 140 , 144 , 160 , 164 , and 170 monitor the pressures within the circuit tubing throughout treatment to facilitate detection of disconnects or occlusions . pressure sensors can also be used to monitor and verify pump flow rates and ultrafiltrate collection . the pressure sensor 170 is used to ensure that the filter is not exposed to excessively high tmp ( transmembrane pressures ). tmp may be calculated as : where p144 is pressure measured at pressure sensor 144 , p160 is pressure measured at pressure sensor 160 , and p170 is pressure measured at pressure sensor 170 . controlling the maximum negative pressure allowed at the pressure sensor site 170 ensures that the tmp does not become excessively high . the ultrafiltrate rate is limited to set ultrafiltrate rate . when the ultrafiltrate pressure 170 drops below a predefined set pressure limit , the ultrafiltrate rate is reduced to maintain the target pressure using the pressure sensor 170 as feedback . this can also be used as a trigger to backflush the ultrafiltrate to clear filter fouling . for instance when the ultrafiltrate rate is less than 90 % of the set ultrafiltrate rate for a 1 second period the ultrafiltrate pump 174 is reversed . during this reversal it is necessary to increase the infusion pump flow to accommodate the ultrafiltrate pump flow being returned . in the case of clockwise control this will result in the pump 162 being increased to the set flow of q pump 142 + q pump 174 . in addition to reversing pump direction to detect disconnects and blood leaks , pump reversal can provide the benefit of clearing occlusions within the circuit and reducing the polarization layer which builds up within the filter fiber . periodic pump reversals will reduce the chance of occlusions occurring within the circuit and access devices by flushing them every other cycle . if occlusions are detected by the pressure sensor , a pump reversal can be initiated prior to the normal cycle reversal in an attempt to resolve the cause of the occlusion . such occlusions may occur due to vessel collapse , occlusion of cannulae tip or the formation of micro clots . responding to them immediately will increase the probability of resolving the issue . fig2 is a schematic diagram of another ultrafiltration device 200 similar to the device 100 shown in fig1 with the addition of an anticoagulant infusion system 203 and a position based ultrafiltrate volume limit detection system 220 . blood is withdrawn and infused through blood lines 130 and 132 . the blood is withdrawn through the air detector 134 and through the filter 150 before being returned to the patient and back through the air detector 134 . to prevent clotting , heparin or other such anticoagulant is infused into the withdrawal line . when blood is withdrawn from a venous supply , the blood pressure in the withdraw line will be negative and the pressure in the infusion line will be positive . by using two one way valves 202 and 207 , the infused anticoagulant will always infuse into the withdrawal line obviating the need for two anticoagulant pumps or some form of motor driven actuator to switch the flow of anticoagulant when blood flow is reversed . it is generally accepted that it is better to infuse an anticoagulant upstream of the filter because the filter is in the extracorporeal circuit and has a high likelihood for initiating the clotting cascade . infusing the anticoagulant upstream facilitates a high concentration of anticoagulant locally within the circuit and filter while minimizing systemic anticoagulation . when blood is withdrawn by pump 142 and infused by pump 162 , the pressure at the anticoagulant t connector 201 is negative and positive at t connector 206 . the anticoagulation pump 304 is a syringe pump . flows from syringe pumps are typically in the order of 0 to 20 ml / hr ranging from drug delivery flow rates of 0 to 1000 units / hr when heparin is used as the anticoagulant in hemofiltration . since this ultrafiltration device has considerably lower blood flows , a much lower flow range of 0 to 2 ml / hr will suffice facilitating a much smaller syringe pump design . the syringe pump 304 delivers anticoagulant via the t connector 203 through two possible paths 208 or 209 . when the pressure at t connector 201 is negative and t connector 206 positive the one way valve 202 is open and the one way valve 207 is closed and one way valve 207 is open ensuring the anticoagulant is delivered upstream of the filter . the t connector 203 is connected to the one way valve 202 via a conduit tube 209 and to one way valve 207 via a conduit tube 208 . one way valve 203 is connected to t connector 201 via a conduit tube and one way valve 207 is connected to t connector 206 via a conduit tube . when blood flow is reversed , the polarity of the pressures at t connectors 201 and 206 will also be reversed resulting in one way valve 202 closing and one way valve 207 opening . the ultrafiltrate removed from the filter 150 by the ultrafiltrate pump 174 is withdrawn passed the blood leak detector 172 and pumped into the collection reservoir 224 via the conduit tube 176 . the blood leak detector 172 uses a near infra red ( ir ) photo emitter and receiver with a peak sensitivity close to the isospectic point of blood , 820 nm . in the presence of ultrafiltrate and saline little or no attenuation of the ir signal occurs but in the presence of blood the ir signal is dispersed and greatly attenuated making it possible to measure the presence of blood in ultrafiltrate . blood in the ultrafiltrate indicates a breach of the filter membrane and when detected , causes the pumps to stop . because it is difficult to measure weight in an ambulatory system a volume expansion detection system is used which is independent of weight . the reservoir bag is compressed by spring 226 and plate 223 . as the ultrafiltrate is delivered to the reservoir , the reservoir expands and the spring compresses . when the bag switch 221 arm 225 is intercepted by the spring plate 223 the switch is opened indicating that the bag is fully . the ultrafiltrate pump is stopped and the user is informed via an alarm that the bag has to be emptied . the bag is designed to hold 250 ml . the switch 221 is connected electrically to the system processor via cable 222 . the spring creates a maximum pressure in tube 176 of 2 to 5 psi . this low maximum pressure is sufficient to compress the bag while not presenting any significant resistive force for the peristaltic pump 174 . blood circuit peristaltic pumps have been designed to relieve at pressures exceeding 60 psi . a proximity switch may also be used instead of a mechanical switch . the advantage of a mechanical switch is that it consumes no energy . the reservoir 224 may be emptied via the stopcock 240 . ultrafiltration occurs inside the filter 150 . whole blood enters the bundle of hollow fibers from the cap of the filter canister . there are approximately 160 hollow fibers in the bundle , and each fiber is a filter . blood flows through a channel approximately 0 . 2 mm in diameter in each fiber . the fiber walls of the channel are made of a porous material . the pores are permeable to water and small solutes but impermeable to red blood cells , proteins and other blood components that are larger than 50 , 000 - 60 , 000 daltons . blood flow in fibers is tangential to the surface of the filter membrane . the shear rate resulting from the blood velocity is high enough such that the pores in the membrane are protected from fouling by particles , allowing the filtrate to permeate the fiber wall . filtrate ( ultrafiltrate ) leaves the fiber bundle and is collected in a space between the inner wall of the filter canister and outer walls of the fibers . the geometry of the filter is optimized to prevent clotting and fouling of the membrane . the active area of the filter membrane is approximately 0 . 023 m 2 . the permeability kuf of the membrane is 30 to 33 ml / hour / m 2 / mmhg . these parameters allow the desired ultrafiltration rate of approximately 1 liter to 3 liters every 24 hrs at the tmp of 150 to 250 mmhg that is generated by the resistance to flow . the effective filter length is 22 . 5 cm and the diameter of the filter fiber bundle is 0 . 5 cm . the blood shear rate in the filter may be 850 to 2500 sec - 1 at blood flow rate of 5 to 15 ml / min . since the device is to be ambulatory the return 132 and withdrawal 130 tubing may be 60 cm in length . with a tubing diameter of 2 . 5 mm the volume in the complete circuit blood path is less than 7 ml . with a tubing diameter of 2 mm the volume in the complete circuit blood path is less than 5 ml . minimizing this volume reduces the blood residence time of the devices propensity to clot . fig3 shows a diagram of the apparatus worn by a patient as described in fig2 . the ultrafiltration device may be attached to a waist belt worn by the patient 300 or over the shoulder or on the back of the patient to provide ambulatory use of the device . access to the patient blood is depicted by 301 via an implanted port with its cannulae placed centrally . withdrawal and infusion blood lines 132 and 130 exit from the patient access site 301 and are connected to the ultrafiltration device 304 and 303 at the back of the patient . the console 304 includes a liquid crystal display ( lcd ) 305 and a membrane panel for viewing and entering patient therapy parameters . the reservoir 308 is separate from the console and is connected to the console via the electrical cable 309 and the ultrafiltrate conduit tube 176 . keeping the reservoir separate minimizes weight accumulation on a specific area and also reduces the hazard of wetting the console . additional battery packs may also be stored on the belt and may be connected directly to the ultrafiltrate device as needed . when the reservoir is full the console annunciates an alarm requesting the user to empty the ultrafiltrate reservoir . a reservoir may be disconnected and emptied or drained using an extension hose connected to the reservoir minimizing the potential for spill on the patients clothing . fig4 shows a detailed view of the cantilevered pressure transducer assembly 400 used for measuring pressures at sites 140 , 144 , 160 , 164 and 172 shown in fig2 . the user inserts the tubing into the recess defined by the lever arm strain gauge 401 and the housing body 402 . the lever arm strain gauge 401 is attached to the housing by a securing screw 301 . the circuit tubing 403 which is normally cylindrical in shape is deformed to an oval shape by the insertion of the tube into the pressure transducer recess defined by 401 and 402 . the lever arms 401 central axis 404 is depicted in fig4 when atmospheric pressure is present within the circuit tube and when a positive pressure 405 is present within the tube . the lever arm 401 is bent upwards such that the central axis 405 when pressure is positive and bent downwards when pressure is negative . the strain gauge consists of a wheatstone bridge resistor network on the lever arm and changes in resistance in proportion to the pressure exerted by the circuit tube . this is interpreted as an electrical signal when the transducer is excited electrically via 2 excitation wires of the 4 wire electrical cable 406 . since the ultrafiltration device does not need pressure sensors for the detection of disconnects , a similar approach to that used to measure pressure used by standard infusion pumps may be employed . the expansion of the blood lines is used to monitor for the detection of occlusions by use of force gauges which convert the force exerted by the blood and ultrafiltrate tubing to an electrical signal . the force gauge may be a load cell similar to that sold by smd ( strain measurement devices ) of meriden , conn . and st . edmunds , england . the load cell may include a lever arm that applies pressure to the tubing by compressing it slightly . at the start of the treatment the measured pressure can be zeroed mathematically by the pump console microprocessor to remove offsets due to tubing position . when under positive pressure the tube expands against the load cell lever arm raising the lever arm producing an electrical signal proportional to the pressure in the tube . when under negative pressure , the tube collapses and thereby lowers the lever arm create an electrical signal proportional to the pressure in the tube . these electrical signals may be read by an analog to digital converter and translated to pressure measurements via a transfer function . unfortunately , such pressure sensors implementations are notoriously bad for variances in offsets because of the creep characteristics of polymers . it is possible to choose polymers that minimize creep but this is a medical application and the numbers of materials that are biocompatible , have low creep properties and facilitate peristaltic action provides a significant design challenge . peristaltic pump tubing requires that the tubing be flexible and compliant , i . e . of low durometer , otherwise the torque required to compress the tubing is excessive . it is possible to use different materials for each section of the circuit but this will create additional joints decreasing the reliability of the blood circuit . it is difficult to reliably bond different polymers materials to each other and such a construction creates an added hazard for disconnects and leaks . it is also helpful to minimize the number of transitions and joints in the circuit be minimized to decrease the circuits clotting propensity and improve circuit reliability . fig5 shows a diagram of the electrical architecture of the ultrafiltration device consisting of the console 305 and reservoir 308 . the console 304 houses the lcd 305 , membrane panel 306 , blood leak detector 172 , pressure sensors 140 , 144 , 170 , 160 and 164 , battery pack 506 , blood pumps 142 and 162 , ultrafiltrate pump 174 , syringe pump 508 , alarm speaker 508 and main printed circuit board ( pcb ) 502 . within the main pc 502 there are 3 processors , the main central processor ( cp ) 503 , the pump motor control ( mc ) cp 504 and the safety cp 505 . each of the sensor readings including blood leak , air detector , pump encoders and pressure sensors are shared between the main cp and the safety cp facilitating a control and monitor implementation for system safety . the pumps motors are each driven by a brushless dc motor and electrically commutated by the mc cp using encoder feedback and ½ bridge circuit on the pcb 502 . each motor has a quadrature encoder which outputs a and b quadrature digital signals as the motor is rotated as a function of motor position . each motor is geared for optimal efficiency with a gear ratio of 10 : 1 resulting in a peak power consumption of less than 2 watts per motor . in order to conserve energy the pressure sensors , blood leak detector and air detector are only powered when it is necessary to read the sensor signal . this reduces the power consumption of these devices by a factor of 10 . the digital sample rate for the console sensors is 50 hz . the console battery pack operates at 12 vdc and uses nimh chemistry . charging of the batteries is performed off line with a separate battery charger . this reduces the electrical circuitry required during operation and minimizes power consumption and space requirements . use of an external power source is possible via and external power supply with an output of 12 vdc . the battery supply is disabled when an external power supply is connected . the reservoir 308 is connected electrically via a 2 wire cable to the console 304 providing electrical connection for the reservoirs expansion limit mechanical switch 221 . the mechanical switch 221 is normally closed until the reservoir is full . when full the switch is thrown open providing the additional safety that if the electrical cable were to become disconnected ultrafiltration would be stopped . the main cp reads each of the pressure inputs and updates the blood and ultrafiltrate pumps velocity every 20 ms . the liquid crystal display ( lcd ) is only powered if it has a message to display or if the operator presses a membrane panel key . the console duty cycles a green light emitting diode ( led ) every second to indicate that it is operating correctly . in the event of a problem , a red led is flashed and an alarm annunciated via the speaker . the lcd is then powered on and displays a message informing the users of the potential cause of the issue and remedy . fig6 shows a flow chart of which pressure sensors the ultrafiltration device uses for feedback when in clockwise or anticlockwise blood pump rotation and which pumps it uses to control these pressures to limit pressure excursions . four pressure control loops are operating simultaneously . these loops are : ( i ) the withdrawal pressure control algorithm , ( ii ) the infusion pressure control algorithm , ( iii ) the filter positive pressure control algorithm and ( iv ) the ultrafiltrate pressure control algorithm in flow chart 600 the terms pxfeedback and qxcontrol are used where p denotes pressure , q flow of pump , x the control algorithm i . e . w withdrawal , i infusion , c filter pressure or center pressure and u ultrafiltrate . during blood pump reversals of pumps 142 and 162 from anti - clockwise rotation to clockwise rotation the pressure transducers used for feedback are changed in conjunction with the blood pumps used for control . during clock wise rotation 620 , the pressures within the filter are kept slightly positive by using the pressure sensor 160 as feedback and the blood pump 162 as control as shown in block 610 . this is also true in the event of a withdrawal occlusion because the pressure sensor 140 is used as feedback and the blood pump 142 is used as the control blood pump as shown in block 608 . no conflict arises between two control loops trying to control the same pressure . but in the case of an infusion occlusion when the blood pumps are rotating clockwise the pressure sensor 164 is used as feedback and the blood pump 162 is used as control as shown in block 609 . to maintain positive pressure within the filter the same feedback pressure sensor 160 is used as shown in blocks 610 and 611 but the control pump is changed from 162 to 142 . this eliminates any conflict between which pump is used for control while still maintaining both pressure targets . the withdrawal and infusion pressure targets read by pressure sensors 140 and 160 respectively are − 300 and 300 mmhg respectively . the blood pump flows are limited by the user defined set blood pump flow which is set to be as high as possible based upon the available access minimizing blood circuit residence time and maximizing the maximum rates of ultrafiltration . the maximum extraction rate of ultrafiltrate is limited to 21 % of blood flow . if an infusion occlusion is persistent for an extended period of time then the direction of the blood pumps are reversed . blood pump reversals are normally timed based and are a function of set blood pump flow but in the vent of a persistent occlusion in either the withdrawal or infusion line the reversal sequence may be initiated early . during blood pump reversals of pumps 142 and 162 from clockwise rotation to anticlockwise rotation the pressure transducers used for feedback are changed in conjunction with the blood pumps used for control . during anticlockwise rotation 621 the pressures within the filter are kept slightly positive by using the pressure sensor 144 as feedback and the blood pump 142 as control as shown in block 605 . this is also true in the event of a withdrawal occlusion because the pressure sensor 164 is used as feedback and blood pump the blood pump 162 is used as the control blood pump as shown in block 608 . no conflict arises between two control loops trying to control the same pressure . but in the case of an infusion occlusion when the blood pumps are rotating anticlockwise the pressure sensor 140 is used as feedback and the blood pump 142 is used as control as shown in block 604 . in order to maintain positive pressure within the filter the same feedback pressure sensor 144 is used as shown in blocks 605 and 606 but the control pump is changed from 142 to 162 . this eliminates any conflict between which pump is used for control while still maintaining both pressure targets . during both clockwise and anticlockwise blood pump rotation the ultrafiltrate pressure is limited to a maximum negative pressure of − 300 mmhg ., for example . block 612 shows that the pressure sensor 174 and ultrafiltrate pump 174 are unaffected by blood pump direction . fig7 shows how the pressure control loop 700 is implemented . this pressure control loop is used for all four control loop described in fig6 . the difference between the target pressure 700 and the feedback pressure 705 , the pressure error are input to a pi ( proportional integral ) control loop 703 . each time there is a setting change to the blood flow , uf rate or the ultrafiltrate pump has to be reversed as part of a back flush maneuver the feed forward term ( ff ) 706 is updated to difference between the set blood flow and the uf rate . thus in the case of clockwise control the ff term 706 is set to : upon initiation of the control loop the integration term of the pi loop is set to 0 ml and is limited to +/− 20 % of the set blood flow rate to prevent windup of the integrator . thus if the blood flow is set to 10 ml / min the maximum the integration term if allowed to sum to is +/− 1 ml / min when trying to the pressure sensor 160 to the target pressure p target . the +/− 20 % limit is chosen because the blood pump has an accuracy of +/− 10 % and variations significantly above of below this imply a fault condition . the resultant pump flow of the summed pi output and the ff term is commanded by the mc cp to the pump 703 which delivers the desired fluid flow and results in a circuit 704 causing the pressure 705 due to the circuit and access resistance . this pressure 705 is read by the main cp using an adc ( analog to digital convertor ) and is used to calculate the pressure error by subtracting the feedback pressure 705 from the target pressure 701 . fig8 a to 8 k are diagrams depicting the air detector and cross - sections of the withdrawal and return tube passing through the air detector . the dual lumen tube design eliminates the need for a second air detector and also reduces the power consumption requirements for the device . this minimizes the required space , weight and battery capacity for device operation . the air detector 801 uses an ultrasonic emitter 802 and receiver 803 . the withdrawal and return tubes 804 are inserted into the air detector slot and as long as the lumens are full of liquid no air detection will be detected . if a bubble of gas is entrained into the withdrawal of return tube , passes through the air detector and is greater than 50 microliters in volume , an air detected alarm is annunciated by the console . the signal strength received by the receiver will dramatically reduce in the presence of an air bubble because a gas is significantly less dense than a liquid and there are large losses in the energy being transmitted making the detection of bubbles possible . this will be interpreted as an air detected alarm by the ultrafiltration device . testing has shown that it is possible to insert two single circular single lumen tubes into a standard air detector and to detector air in either lumen . it is difficult to place such single lumens into the air detector slot and a better alternative is to extrude the two lumens together . fig8 b to 8 k show the many combinations of tubing cross - section supporting dual , triple and multiple lumens which will support such an air detection implementation . the patient circuit tubing is inserted into the air detector slot during the priming sequence of the ultrafiltration device . fig8 b shows a dual oval shaped co - extruded cross - section . it would also possible to make such a portion of tubing by gluing two tubes together to facilitate . fig8 c and 8 d show an hour glass dual circular co - extruded cross - section in both the horizontal and vertical position demonstrating orientation is not important when inserting the tubing segment into the air detector for the purposes of detecting air . such a cross - section could be extruded or be formed from gluing two tubes together as part of the circuit manufacturing process . either extruding or gluing will enable a similar cross - section . the cross - section of the two lumen tubing is also not limited to being hour glass shaped , it may be square in shape as shown in fig8 e or circular with two inner d lumen as shown in fig8 f or a combination of two lumen shapes ranging from circular and oval to kidney shaped as shown in fig8 g . fig8 h shows a co - extruded concentric tubing cross - section which will also work . air in either channel will result in an air detection alarm . fig8 k shows a double oval lumen implementation of a dual lumen tubing implementation . the purpose of showing these configurations is to demonstrate that the implementation is not limited to a specific tubular configuration and that many implementations are feasible . this air detection scheme will also work for multiple lumens . fig8 i shows a three lumen implementation using a square profile . fig8 j shows a similar three lumen implementation using a circular lumen profile . the detection method will work with multiple lumens as shown in fig8 b to 8 k . the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments . the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments , but , on the contrary , covers various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .
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fig1 is an architectural overview of a network 100 adapted for content searching according to an embodiment of the present invention . network 100 includes an internet network 101 , a cable network 102 , and a satellite network 103 . internet network 101 has an internet backbone 104 illustrated therein . backbone 104 logically represents all of the lines , access points , and network equipment that make up the internet network as a whole . therefore , there are no geographic limitations to the practice of the present invention except where geographic limitations exist in connected networks , which shall only apply to those networks . a plurality of link servers ( ls ) is illustrated within internet network 101 . these are ls 120 , ls 121 , and ls 122 . in one embodiment , ls 120 - 122 may be servers that provide universal resource locator ( url ) links to search engine interfaces operated as client software applications on nodes having connection to internet network 101 , more specifically to backbone 104 . ls 120 - 122 may be hosted by one or more than one enterprise that may provide internet search services to consumers . in the just - mentioned embodiment , ls 120 - 122 may all be hosted by a single enterprise , or each may be hosted by a separate competing enterprise . yahoo ™, google ™, and altavista ™, represent well - known examples in this embodiment , of enterprises that may host and maintain ls 120 - 122 . in another embodiment , ls 120 - 122 may be servers operated by any third - party enterprise adapted to provide content to consumers . in this case , links themselves may comprise complete network paths to downloadable and , or streaming media content . in typical application where a ls host is a search engine provider , ls 120 , for example , may serve a list of url results to a web - browser - based search engine interface ( client ) after having received a search query from the client and after having used the submitted query as a base for returning the url results . the urls may be obtained from vast databases containing such url entries that are aggregated and maintained by the service provider . when a client , typically an internet - connected pc , uses the search engine client and submits a query , eventually the search engine service provider returns a list of links to the client interface . cable network 102 is , in this embodiment , connected to and has access to internet - based content . cable network 102 has a cable network backbone 114 illustrated therein that represents all of the cabling and connection points that make up network 102 as a whole . a cable service provider csp 107 is illustrated within cable network 102 and represents an enterprise adapted to provide cable - programming services to subscribers . csp 107 has service equipment 111 provided therein and representative of all of the cable equipment required for delivering cable network programming to viewers . equipment 111 has connection to cable backbone 114 to facilitate content delivery . a plurality of consumer stations is illustrated as having connection to cable backbone 114 for receiving cable programming from csp 107 . these are consumer station 115 a and consumer station 116 a . consumer stations 115 a and 116 a are assumed to be television sets in this example and have respective cable set - top boxes associated therewith , which enable the stations to initiate cable programming subscription and subsequently to receive delivered content from csp 107 . consumer station 115 a , including the illustrated set - top cable box component may be operated using a set - top remote control device 115 b . likewise , consumer station 116 a , including the illustrated set - top cable box component may be operated using a set - top box remote control unit 116 b . csp 107 includes an intelligent search link server ( isls ) 112 as a novel component thereof , which is adapted according to a preferred embodiment , to provide urls of web - based content for integration thereof into cable menus accessible to consumer stations 115 a and 116 a through remote control devices 155 b and 116 b respectively . server 112 has an isls server application 113 a installed thereon , which is adapted to enable searching of web - based content from the points of stations 115 a and 116 a using respective remotes 115 b and 116 b wherein the search results , namely urls , are provided smartly to the respective stations 115 a and 116 a for integration with and display on their respective program guides . server 112 has access to internet backbone 104 through an internet access line 105 and therefore has internet access to ls 120 - 122 . consumer stations 115 a and 116 a have cable access to content from server 112 through cable backbone 114 and cable provider equipment 111 . satellite network 103 is , in this embodiment , connected to and has access to internet - based content . network 103 has a satellite service provider ( ssp ) 108 illustrated therein and adapted to provide satellite network programming to subscribers . ssp 108 has service provider equipment 109 illustrated therein , which represents all of the equipment required in order to deliver program services via at least one satellite , illustrated herein as satellite 118 to consumers . a plurality of consumer stations is illustrated as having satellite connection to ssp 108 . these are a consumer station 117 a and a consumer station 119 a . consumer stations 117 a and 119 a are assumed in this example to be adapted to receive satellite network programming by way of associated equipment , namely a set - top box and satellite receiver dish . each consumer station may be controlled via a set - top box remote control device . a remote control device 117 b is operable for station 117 a and a remote control device 119 b is operable for station 119 a . basic interaction between provider 108 and consumers 117 a and 119 a is very similar to that described within cable network 102 except that the method of carrying the signal is satellite communication instead of physical cabling associated with network 102 . ssp 108 includes an isls 110 , which is adapted in a similar fashion as that described above with respect to isls 112 within csp 107 . server 110 has an isls application 113 b installed thereon , which is analogous to isls 113 a installed on server 112 . consumers operating at stations 117 a and 119 a may use their respective remote control devices 117 b and 119 b to initiate a content search whereupon web - based content may be searched according to consumer input and wherein returned results in the form of url hyperlinks may be filtered smartly at server 110 using software 133 b and subsequently delivered to the appropriate consumer stations 117 a and 119 a whereupon such results may be displayed within respective satellite program menus . in this embodiment , severs 112 and 110 are centralized proxy servers running isls software instances 113 a and 113 b respectively for the purpose of integrating web - results ( urls ) into the normal programming information for access using the respective remotes 1176 b and 119 b . however , in other embodiments , isls 113 a and 113 b may comprise a plurality of distributed software components including a client application for consumer stations , a provider application for provider locations , and perhaps a client application distributed to search service providers without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the inventor illustrates the present centralized implementation for explanatory purposes only . in one embodiment , service provision may be centralized at one location in the broader network using video - enabled internet service , such as digital service line ( dsl ), internet cable modem etc . in this embodiment , the separate carrier networks , including wired or wireless satellite , telephone , internet , and cable are , for the purpose of the present invention , considered one physical network wherein the multimedia service provider may be reached from all cpe stations capable of video - enabled internet service access . in this case , backbones 104 , 118 , and 114 including any other carrier networks may be logically blurred and considered one seamless network . isls has two main functions with regard to performing content searches that may be initiated and advanced using a remote control device . firstly , isls 113 a - b quantifies and derives a meaning from a series of user menu selections ( clicks ) made while the menu is displayed and using the appropriate remote control device scroll arrows and select button provided on the device and adapted for the purpose . therefore , if device 119 b is used to traverse a particular menu or menus containing selection options , isls records and interprets those selections and converts the defined aggregate into a useable search engine query that may be used to return search provider or third party provided hyperlinks display . secondly , isls may process hyperlinks returned from a search service provider , for example , in order to streamline and optimize the results so that they may be dynamically appropriated to the menu display in a fashion as to enable incorporation or invocation of those links to order or otherwise retrieve the web content pointed to and defined by those links . result optimization may include but is not limited to negation of results or hyperlinks that do not enable complete access to the media content . likewise , duplicate hyperlinks , which may point to a same content , may be resolved during result optimization . eventually during processing , only a handful of the most relevant hyperlinks would be provided and inserted dynamically into the cable or satellite program guide for selection . in one preferred embodiment , local content searches may be performed first before any query is constructed for submission to any internet - based service provider . the likely content that would be allowed for any content search using a remote control device may be broadly defined as video content , audio content , image content , and in some cases , electronic information files or hypertext markup language ( html ) files typically available to pc users . in practice of the present invention , a consumer operating a remote control device , such as device 115 b associated with station 115 a may initiate a content search by navigating , using an indicia provided on device 115 b to display a starting menu or starting point in a displayed menu . such a starting menu may contain selectable topics linearly disposed for easy navigation such as in a vertical column . the start menu may be provided as a default starting point for the interaction . the broad starting titles may comprise video , audio , images , each of which is separately selectable using the arrow and selection buttons already existing on device 115 b . in one extended embodiment , the title information may be added if html pages are included in the allowable search content . if the consumer navigates to and selects “ video ” for example , a category grouping may appear to enable continuance of the interaction . for example , the titles in this grouping , which may also be vertically disposed , might read movies , movie trailers , news clips , and sports . the isls server “ knows ” that whatever category is selected next the content links to be retuned are limited to provision of video content . if the consumer navigates the list and selects movie trailers , the next category of titles may include actor / actress , movie title , top 5 , and back . it is noted herein that all categories appearing may include an option for canceling the content search and / or for navigating back to the start menu . if the consumer navigates to and selects top 5 , a content search may be triggered . isls has recorded and interpreted the selections of the interaction to help it formulate the instruction needed to perform the search . what is known about the interaction of this example is that the consumer is looking for the top 5 movie trailers that may exist . the meaning of “ top ” in top 5 may be understood by the system by default rule as “ current movies bringing in the most revenue at the box office ”. therefore a constructed search query ( submitted by proxy ) may be formulated somewhat like movies + now playing + top 5 + trailers . it is important to note herein that different search engine services have varying input rules for conducting searches , including varying text input for refining searches and searching by specific categorical constraints including video , audio , and images . it is well known in the art that traditional search results returned for a search conducted for video , audio or other content using a traditional pc - based search interface may not define complete url links that may be used to invoke the associated media . isls may , in one embodiment , be adapted to append a last portion of a network path required to invoke the associated media from a remote control device , in effect creating a shortcut to the associated media . in one embodiment , search provider hosts may cooperate by simply maintaining links that are invoke - able to immediately initiate downloading or streaming of the media from the remote control device . therefore , isls may include provided navigation rules that correspond with rules and capabilities of a cooperating search service provider that mitigate navigational obstacles that may otherwise inhibit efficiency of using a remote to select and invoke results . these rules enable provision of optimized hyperlinks that may also be renamed with simple titles for inclusion into a cable or satellite - programming guide instead of displaying full navigation paths . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating components of isls 113 of fig1 according to an embodiment of the present invention . isls 113 ( a , b ) as previously described above may be distributed over several hosts instead of residing in one host without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the example of isls 113 illustrated on a single host is meant to be logical only and may be considered as one possible implementation of several possible implementations . isls 113 has a service port 200 illustrated therein and adapted with all of the required circuitry and memory components to enable bi - directional data communication with programming provider equipment responsible for delivering cable and / or satellite programming to consumers . one service port 200 is illustrated in this example however there may be more than one port without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . isls has a proxy port 201 illustrated therein and adapted with all of the required circuitry and memory components to enable bi - directional network communication between server 113 and any third party network - based serve analogous to ls 120 - 122 described with reference to fig1 . in practice of the present invention , local interaction by consumers at their respective consumer stations that may result in one or more necessary search operations are submitted to isls 113 through port 200 for analysis . isls has a processing component 203 provided therein and adapted to analyze incoming requests for information relevant to a consumer &# 39 ; s local interaction or “ click results ” made using a remote control device analogous to device 115 b , for example , of fig1 . the click results contain all of the information required by the processor to formulate a search query using an automated query generator . system rules may also be locally accessible to processor 203 . for each active consumer , an automated query 204 is generated and submitted to proxy port 201 . the query may be configured according to third - party preferences for submitting search queries , those preferences contained in rules accessible by processor 203 . each generated query is submitted to one or more third - party servers , in this case , over the internet network through port 201 . each query is identified to a specific consumer through consumer id parameters , which may include a unique consumer station or cpe identification number . in some cases the identification may be a telephone number and zip code pair , or some other unique parameter . the search service node or link server ( ls ) receives the queries and returns the search results based on the queries received . in one embodiment , the resulting hyperlinks returned may already be optimized to provide full media paths to the associated media selections . in this case , a cooperating search service provider may have a database adapted to contain only links , which provide full media paths or “ shortcuts ” to the media . in this embodiment , the links may be manually appended as part of database maintenance . in one embodiment , an isls component adapter ( not illustrated ) may be provided to run at a third - party location and may be adapted to append links with the required url information for directly invoking the media associated with the link . this information is readily available by accessing html source data for each url . the source data defines the media that is embedded in the information page of the url . in one embodiment , url results returned from third - party servers are fed into an in - server processor 202 running an instance of link relevancy filter 205 . link relevancy filter 205 may be adapted according to one embodiment to apply url information required to make links fully invoke able with respect to associated media instead of performing this process at third - party service nodes . in addition , filter 205 may be adapted to ignore certain returned links , which may be duplicate links or multiple links that point to a same media item . otherwise , many other links may be eliminated from search results if those links do not comply with existing enterprise rules for forwarding to consumers . in - server processor 202 may consult with a rules base for each returned link that is associated to each query processed . it is important to note herein that components of isls may also be provided to program provider equipment and at consumer locations in order to verify that content searched is not stored locally at a consumer station or already available at the program providers premise . in a preferred embodiment , isls 113 receives and processes returned results by relevancy and against a set of rules in order to narrow the quantity results forwarded to consumers down to a handful of most relevant links . many web - based media services already have web - based video channels and audio stations that may be accessed for streaming media content . these services may advertise their content by making it available through an isls content search interaction consumer - by - consumer . if the content is rich and popular , further integration can be achieved like enabling consumers to incorporate these web - based services by subscription modification or one - time purchase through the programming provided acting as a service broker much in the same way existing internet services are brokered . in one embodiment , links that are kept for forwarding to consumers are deposited in a server database 206 adapted to contain the links for a pre - determined period of time . in this way , future searches by consumers may be quickly handled if the search involves results previously delivered . database 206 then may be searched for relevant links before queries are constructed for network submission . isls has a server application 207 provided therein and adapted to serve the most relevant hyperlinks back to consumers through service port 200 and the appropriate programming providers . one isls server may be configured to work with more than one cable or satellite - programming provider without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . fig3 is an architectural overview 300 illustrating possible locations for distributed isls components according to an embodiment of the present invention . as previously described above , isls may be a distributed system of cooperating components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in this example , a search provider 304 and a third party node 302 are illustrated having connection to an internet network 301 . servers 304 and 302 are analogous to ls 120 - 122 described with reference to fig1 . search provider 304 may have an isls application 307 c provided thereto and adapted for aggregating existing links by media type associated . application 307 c may also include the capability of optimizing urls that would otherwise simply define web pages containing embedded media or links to media . as previously described , optimization may include modifying those links to include the network paths directly to the media so that invoking the link initiates download or streaming of the associated media content . therefore , a url that contains more than one media offering may be broken up into several urls , one for each media offering . third party server 302 may contain an isls application 307 b adapted to aggregate existing links and provide them by media category and to create and maintain third party web channels that may provide media content by schedule . in this regard , a media offering like a movie or music album offered through a subscribe able video channel or music channel can be provided to a consumer along with subscriber information such as in a pay - per - view model . in this case , a consumer may add the web - based channel directly to his or her cable - programming guide or the like and may be charged accordingly through his or her cable provider . connection provider 305 may have an isls application 307 b provided thereto and adapted to populate a consumer &# 39 ; s most relevant links into a navigable menu list . in one embodiment , a consumer menu listing the most relevant selections may be integrated with selections provided locally or through normal cable programming . an additional menu list item may be reserved as well for enabling the consumer to navigate to a next group of results returned . for example , a list of 5 hyperlinks may appear in the menu with a space reserved for calling in the next 5 links . isls 307 b may also include links that include web - channels aggregated by topic wherein those channels may include scheduled programming and content information , which may be dynamically populated into the cable programming interactive guide alongside generic programming . more detail about programming information integration will be provided below . a consumer station 306 is illustrated in this example and is analogous to those described with reference to fig1 . station 306 may have a client isls application 307 a provided thereto and adapted , among other things , for keeping a consumer &# 39 ; s search history , maintaining a search results cache . additionally , application 307 a may provide a programming extension adapted to provide the integration of typical cable programming information and web - sourced content programming information into the same interactive user menu or guide . fig4 is a block diagram 400 illustrating an example of a consumer menu pattern for initiating a content search according to one embodiment of the present invention . diagram 400 illustrates a content - search starting menu 402 . the cable or satellite programmer may provide menu 402 as a generic menu item accessible using a remote control device . the topics for this starting menu are purposefully broad such as video , images , and audio content . a consumer may highlight and select any of these provided options to continue . a remote control reference 401 is illustrated in this example and represents the minimum controls that may be required in menu navigation according to this embodiment . the directional and selection or enter buttons are controls that are already present on a typical remote control device . in this example , the consumer selects the broad category of video . the action causes a next option menu 403 to appear . this menu is narrower in topic than the last menu providing a drill - down to more specific content . menu 403 lists , from top to bottom , movies / trailers , shows / series , and news / music . the common theme of menu 403 is that all available options define video content selected menu 402 . in this example , the consumer selects news / music causing a next menu 404 to appear containing news or music video options . thus far , menus 402 - 404 are relative static menus generic to the program guide . in menu 404 , the options are news clips , music video channels , and video by artist or title . in this example , the consumer chooses news clips . at this point , all local sources may be searched for video + news / music + news clips before any network search is initiated . if any local content is found then it may be provided in a next menu for consideration . in this example , no local content is found so an internet search is performed according to the query . after query submission by proxy and after the most relevant links are isolated and optimized , a dynamic results menu 405 may appear . menu 405 is not entirely dynamic because of one option that is a static part of the programming service , channel 165 — news and weather , which may already be part of the consumer &# 39 ; s current viewing guide . however , cnn . com / audio update and npr . com / audio update are dynamic , optimized links defining internet - sourced content . in this example , the consumer highlights and selects npr . com / audio update resulting in the appearance of a next dynamic menu 406 . menu 406 includes a link to npr home , a link back to the start menu 402 , and a link , which invokes the automatic streaming of npr audio update into the consumers receiving and display equipment . in one embodiment , menus 405 and 406 may be combined in a single menu wherein one click of npr . com / audio update initiates connection to and download or streaming of the content . it is noted herein that there may be more than 3 list items for each menu without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , at menu 404 , had the consumer selected video / artist / title , a next menu may have appeared listing numerous possible titles and artist names for the consumer to select from . such a menu might contain tens to hundreds of titles and / or artist names to choose from . fig5 is a block diagram 500 illustrating intelligent search link server functions according to an embodiment of the present invention . a server - processing module 501 illustrates processing of both input and results . module 501 may be construed to incorporate the functions of components 203 , 202 , and 205 described with reference to fig2 . in practice , click results 502 are received from a consumer &# 39 ; s menu interaction . these are interpreted and sent to an automated query generator 503 . generator 503 forms a usable search query for network submission . such a query may take various forms and may be transferred using a variety of protocols without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . xml - based queries may be used in some cases where xml communication over simple object application protocol ( soap ) is supported . simple text queries may also be constructed that emulate user typed input . there are many possibilities . the third party provider returns results in the form of hyperlinks , which may undergo link relevancy filtering . link relevancy filtering may occur both at the search provider node and within module 501 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in addition to link provision , a third party service may also provide service subscription information for enabling a consumer to subscribe to services through the prevalent programming provider functioning as a service broker . this data is illustrated herein as dynamic service integration data 505 . this additional data may be provided as xml - based instruction data that may be incorporated with a link into a menu option . for example , highlighting an option , which may include service information , may cause the service information to display . simple option selection using the enter button may also display pay - per - view information telling the consumer how to integrate the web programming into his or her service package . a sever application 506 delivers the top relevant links and any associated service integration data to the consumer menu . in one embodiment , a sample media selection may be provided along with subscription information including how to add the channel or service to existing program options . this in effect may allow consumers to flexibly configure their own program menus to always show available or subscribed web - service options . therefore , externally sourced media channels may be discovered and then added to existing program channel options such as through reservation of certain channel slots and then populating those slots with the web - channel hyperlink and description data . further , program scheduling associated with the content offerings available through an integrated web channel may be incorporated into normal theme or schedule guides that list individual programs and scheduled times for viewing . web - based services formerly restricted to pc - based viewing audiences may now compete for television - based viewing audiences through the content search capability of the present invention thereby increasing viewer membership and revenue . likewise , cable and satellite service providers may increase revenue by brokering subscriptions to web - based services through dynamic subscription packages that may be changed by consumers through addition of web - based media channels and pay - per - view content . instead of , or in addition to providing a typical web access requiring a key board and mouse function , program providers may provide integration options for including web - content in with regularly offered programs and channels eliminating much navigation work and extra peripheral hardware required to disseminate normal web content . fig6 is a block diagram 600 illustrating smart link population into a remote program menu according to an embodiment of the present invention . diagram 600 illustrates how a content search may result in dynamic program modification to include web - based content . a content search interaction 601 begins with a start menu defining the broad categories of video , images , and audio as was previously described before . consumer selection of video brings up a next category group defining web , programming , and stored . in this example , a consumer may isolate the search to web content , programming content already available through his or her service , or to media content the consumer may have already stored locally . consumer selection of web brings up a next category of options including movies , sports , news , music , science , and adult . these broad categories may be provided statically every time a consumer selects web . these then may be the only available categories for web searching . by selecting sports , the consumer orders a next category including the options basketball , football , soccer , baseball , lacrosse , and wrestling . at this point the aggregation of selections in this interaction inform the system that it is looking for video ; constrained to web videos ; constrained to sports videos ; constrained to soccer videos . no local searching or searching at the service intermediary is required because of the specific constraint of web . therefore , a query to search the web for soccer videos is submitted to an appropriate third party service or services . after the results are received , filtered , and optimized , a result category 602 may be dynamically inserted into the consumer &# 39 ; s menu guide that may include the top most relevant hits , in this case , argentina vs . brazil ( soccer game ; americas ), women &# 39 ; s world cup ( soccer game international ), and chelsa vs . united ( soccer game ; european ). an additional option cancels the search and takes the consumer back to the start menu . the consumer highlights or selects argentina vs . brazil . in this instance , the selection brings up service information 603 informing the consumer that his or her selection is associated with a web - based service provider ( i - link video ), which has a media channel that provides international live soccer programming . by selecting the item again , additional information may be revealed like subscription information including pricing . selecting the item a third time might confirm purchase of the programming and may automatically add the programming as a channel in a menu guide or theme guide 604 . theme guide 604 lists all available programming categories that are selectable to view the current times that programs may be viewed . selecting the category sports reveals the current channels , programs and schedules . sports schedule 605 includes the just - added web content on channel 190 showing argentina vs . brazil and identifying i - link video as the content source . the viewing start time for the soccer game argentina vs . brazil is 7 : 00 pm . future soccer programming times and program definitions are automatically integrated into the sports schedule now that the consumer has added the content by selecting and confirming the purchase . for example , channel 190 shows a program world soccer show airing at 10 : 00 pm immediately after argentina vs . brazil . it is noted also that channel 179 has been reserved for an audio sports programming , sports talk radio , also provided by i - link . other available programs include the regular cable or satellite programming channels . navigation then through the normal scheduling guide enables one touch selection and viewing of the web - based content . the methods and apparatus of the present invention may be applied to cable and satellite programming services having connection ability to larger wide - area - networks including the internet network . a variety of isls implementations may be deployed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention , including client , intermediary , and source location application components . in one embodiment , electronic information pages may also be optionally displayed resulting from consumer highlight and selection of a searched hyperlink . optionally , scrolling and information page navigation can be achieved using remote control function , or keyboard input may be activated to enable browsing . in preferred application the methods and apparatus of the invention provide an efficient and simple way to access and consume web - sourced media content including video channels and audio channels using only the directional buttons and select buttons on the remote . the present invention , in light of the many embodiments possible , should be afforded the broadest possible interpretation under examination . the present invention is limited only by the following claims .
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an advantageous feature of the present invention is that it reduces distractions in meetings when a cellular phone receives an incoming call . basically three elements can be dealt with and , preferably , all three are implemented . the first element is to reduce the disturbance caused by the ringing of the phone . the second element is to reduce the disturbance by having the phone automatically accept the call . the third element is to reduce the disturbance caused by the user having to talk to the caller before having the opportunity to exit the meeting . various embodiments for implementing the three elements of the invention will now be described . regarding the first element , ringing , the solution should be preferably coupled to the solution of the second element . for example , according to one embodiment , in the special mode , upon receiving an incoming call signal , the cellular phone rings only once . after the first ring the ringing is muted and the phone may go into the “ accepting the call ” routine of the second element of the invention . this will reduce the disturbance generally caused by the phone ringing about three times before the user reaching the phone and pressing the send button . another embodiment for handling the ringing problem is to adapt one of the pagers &# 39 ; solutions , i . e ., a vibration or light option replacing the audible ringing . this embodiment seems less desirable , as in many meetings the phone is placed on a table or left in a brief case . therefore , the “ one ring ” solution is the preferred embodiment . another solution relates to a particular feature of the invention , wherein the user can decide a priory as to which calls will go through and which will be forwarded to the voice mail system . according to this feature , the user is provided the option to preprogram the telephone to accept certain calls , and reject all other . for example , if a person has to go into a meeting , but is expecting an important call , that person can pre - program the phone to accept calls originating from the per - programmed number . thus , when a call comes in , the phone will check the originating number included in the header of the transmission . if the number does not match any of the pre - programmed numbers , the telephone will reject the call and will not ring . on the other hand , if the originating number does match a pre - programmed , then the telephone would ring for the user to answer the call . one problem in the prior art phone is that the user has to reach for the phone and press the send key in order to accept the incoming call . this creates a distraction , as it takes time for the user to reach for the phone and press the appropriate button , during all of which the phone is ringing . accordingly , according to the present invention , in the special mode , after the first ring ( or after a number of rings adjustable by the user ) the phone enters a routine to automatically accept the call . the simplest way of doing it is to simply automatically issue the send command by a program residing in the internal microprocessor . it would be appreciated that this feature can be incorporated with the feature just described above , so that when a call having the originating number match the pre - programmed number , the phone would automatically accept the call . the third element of the invention is to allow the user sufficient time to exit the meeting . according to one embodiment , after the phone has automatically accepted the call , a special signal is sent to the calling party . such signal may be a recognizable audible signal or an actual message informing the caller that the call has been accepted automatically and the user will answer the call shortly . this will put the caller on alert to hold the line and await an answer . meanwhile , this will enable the user the opportunity to exit the meeting without having to talk to the caller in the meeting . regarding the third element , an advantageous feature is provided in the preferred embodiment . specifically , after automatically accepting the call , a message is sent to the caller indicating that the phone is on special mode , and requesting the caller to press a specific key , say # if he wishes to disturb the called party , or press another specified key , say *, if he does not wish to disturb the called party . when the called phone receives the appropriate signal after the calling party has pressed the chosen key , an appropriate indication is provided , to alert the called party . specifically , if the calling party indicated that he doe not wish to disturb the called party , the called phone automatically execute a termination of call routine , or referral to the voice mail system routine . however , if the calling party wishes to disturb the called party , a special indication is provided by the phone and the communication channel is maintained open . a specific feature of the above - described embodiment is an urgency rating system . that is , the user is allowed to rate the importance of the call . for example , # 1 for urgent , # 2 for important , and # 3 for routine . if the call is rated # 1 , the call will go through and the phone would ring . if the call is rated # 2 , the caller is allowed to leave a message , which is stored in a priority over routine message and are not erased until the user purposely erases them . if the call is rated # 3 , the caller is allowed to leave a message , which is stored in a priority below # 2 calls . thus , when the user checks his messages , priority # 2 messages will be played before priority # 3 messages . fig1 is a flow chart depicting a routine of handling incoming calls as explained above . the routine starts at step si 0 , and checks for incoming calls at step s 20 . when an incoming call is detected , the routine checks whether the phone is in the special mode in step s 25 . if not , the routine enables the ring at step s 30 and continues to step s 35 to see whether the user has pressed the send button . when the send button is pressed , the communication channel is established in step s 40 . on the other hand , if the phone is in the special mode in step s 25 , the routine mutes the ring after the first ring at step s 50 . then the routine goes to a routine for automatically establishing the channel of communication . in its most simplistic implementation , this step can be simply a command to go to step s 40 . on the other hand , it is preferred that the routine depicted in fig2 be used for step s 40 of fig1 . in fig2 the routine first establishes a channel of communication in step s 200 . then , in step 300 it sends a signal to the caller indicating that the called phone is in the special mode . in the preferred embodiment , this signal constitute an audible recording previously made by the user . for example , such a message can be ; “ this is xyz . my phone is in the special mode since i &# 39 ; m in a meeting . if your call is urgent , please press # and i &# 39 ; ll exit the meeting . otherwise please press *.” the routine then checks whether to hold the line at step s 400 . that is , if a # is returned , the channel is maintained . if a * is returned , the channel is disconnected at step 500 . it should be noted that , similar to conventional phones , if the caller disconnects rather than returning a signal , the channel is disconnected . further , rather than disconnecting the call , the caller may be forwarded to a voice mail system to leave a message . when the channel is to be maintained , the user is notified at step s 600 . this can be done by , for example , providing a visual notification on the phone &# 39 ; s screen , or by changing the background illumination color of the special button . this will alert the user that the caller needs the user urgently , and that the channel has been established so that the user may exit the meeting to talk to the caller . according to another feature of the present invention , the user is provided the option to block all incoming calls for a specified period . for example , the user may specify that all incoming calls should be rejected for 1 hour , when the user knows that the meeting would last one hour . this feature would avoid the need for the user to turn the phone off before the meeting , and forgetting to turn it back on after the meeting . additionally , using this method the battery charged can be preserved by having the phone turning itself off for the designated period , and turning itself back on automatically when the designated period has elapsed . the only energy which would be required is for the timer , which is generally running in any case in order to memorize dates , etc . fig3 is an exemplary flow chart incorporating several of the features disclosed above . when it is determined that special mode has been activated at step s 310 , the user is prompted to enter telephone numbers for which the user wishes to accept a call at step s 320 . the entered number is stored in memory ( not shown ). at step s 325 it is checked whether additional numbers are to be entered and , if so , the routine loops back to step s 320 . if no more numbers are to be entered , the routine proceeds to step s 330 , wherein the user is prompted to enter a time period for maintaining the special mode . in step s 335 it is checked whether the time period has elapsed and , if so , the routine goes back to check whether special mode has been activated . if in step s 335 it is determined that the period has not elapsed , the routine proceeds to step s 340 to check whether a call is incoming . if not , the routine loops back to step s 335 . if a call is received , the routine proceeds to step s 350 to check whether the originating number matches any of the stored numbers . if the number does not match any of the stored numbers , the routine proceeds to step s 355 to reject the call , and then to step s 335 . if the number matches one of the stored numbers , the routine proceeds to step s 360 to accept the call . it should be appreciated that at step s 360 the routine can employ any of the methods described above to accept the call . for example , the routine can mute the ring after the first ring , as exemplified in the flow chart of fig1 and then can perform the acceptance routine exemplified in fig2 . while the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it would be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not limited to these embodiments , and that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention , as can be gathered from the specification and claims appended thereto .
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fig1 illustrates the method of the present invention as applied to a shoe store setting offering both in store and on - line shopping . the skilled person will appreciate however that the present invention is applicable to all types of footwear or clothing sales and rental and indeed to any articles which need correct fitting to users . also there will be other retail solutions which utilise the method of the present invention . an in store customer wishing to purchase some shoes would browse for shoes they like and decide which shoes they would like to try . having identified shoes they would like to try a foot data file for that customer would be obtained . if there were no pre - existing foot data file for that customer this would involve having their feet scanned 2 by a three dimensional foot scanner 4 . the foot scanner 4 comprises at least one optical scanning device such as described in wo2004 / 044525 . for each scanning device a spot projector projects an array of spots of light onto the customer &# 39 ; s foot . a camera is arranged relative to the spot projector such that the position of the spots in the scene captured by the camera can be used to determine the range to that spot . the entire foot is illuminated and imaged , either by scanning the device relative to the foot or by taking multiple scans of the foot in different orientations . both feet are scanned and a three dimensional point map of the surface of each foot is constructed . the skilled person will appreciate however that a variety of other scanning technologies could be employed , for instance the foot scanner described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 164 , 793 and the invention is not limited to any particular form of foot scan . the foot scanner 4 may process the point map data to determine key dimensions of the foot , such as heel to toe length , width at widest part , heel width etc . and produce a customer foot data file or may simply maintain the 3d shape as the customer foot data file . the foot data file is stored in the foot scanner 4 for now along with a means of identifying the customer to which the data relates . this could be by allocation of a customer number , time of scan and / or addition of metadata supplied by the customer such the customer &# 39 ; s name . for any particular model of shoe the customer is interested in the foot data file is then compared to a shoe database 6 comprising information of reference foot size data of other people known to have bought the same model of shoe . a matching algorithm is applied to match the current customer &# 39 ; s foot size data with the reference foot size data in the shoe database 6 . if a match is identified the relevant shoe size associated with the reference foot size data is obtained . if no match is identified because the database does not contain sufficient data about the chosen model of shoe the fitting is instead performed by simply converting the shoe data file into length and width measurements and determining a notional shoe size from the manufacturer &# 39 ; s shoe sizing table . it should be noted that in some circumstances the shoe of interest to the customer is not available in a size that would fit and , if this is the case , this fact is communicated to the customer . also , the fit determined by the matching algorithm or look up table may need to be adjusted for factors specific to the user such as preferred sock thickness or preferred type of fit ( snug or roomy ). this could be applied by a scaling factor applied to the customer foot data file prior to matching or by applying a compensation algorithm after an initial match has been determined . a constant offset could also be applied . the fit recommendation is communicated to the customer , for instance by means of a printed recommendation slip . this slip may be provided with a barcode or other identifier which links to the customers foot data file . the customer would then try on 8 the size of shoe recommended . if the fit is correct and the customer is happy with the shoe and wishes to purchase the item they go on to purchase the shoes 10 as normal . whilst completing the transaction the barcode identifying the shoes is scanned by the shops electronic point of sale equipment ( epos ) 12 as is the barcode printed on the size recommendation provided to the customer . this therefore identifies the make and model of shoe bought with the customer &# 39 ; s foot data file . the fact that the customer is buying the shoes indicates that the shoes fit that customer and hence the shoe model and size information is collated 14 with the customer &# 39 ; s foot data file and communicated to the shoe data base 6 . the shoe database 6 may be in store but preferably a central database is used by a variety of shoe stores and accessed , for instance , via the internet 16 . in this way purchase from each of the stores automatically adds to the information in the shoe database which in turn improves the accuracy of the system . the customer &# 39 ; s foot data file may also be stored separately for ease of access for the customer in future use , especially via the internet . additionally or alternatively it may be written to a removable storage medium to be taken by the customer or sent wirelessly to a date storage device of the customer such as a suitable mobile phone or personal data assistant . the customer may then get to keep their own foot data file . the customer &# 39 ; s foot data may also be incorporated into the customer reference number and barcode , so that the printed sizing receipt becomes the stored data file . the retail epos system , when scanning the receipt , inputs and stores the customer &# 39 ; s size information . the customer , when undertaking a remote transaction for further shoes , enters the customer reference number from the receipt and in doing so provides the fitting system with their relevant measurements . in this situation there is no need to connect each foot scanner to a network or have other means to store and download data files . the sizing information may be encrypted within the customer reference number for commercial and data security reasons . a customer who had previously had a foot scan could then use such data file in assuring fit in on - line shopping 18 . the customer would enter their unique customer number or the metadata taken in the shop to locate their foot data file . alternatively they could download it onto an appropriate computer . the customer could then browse on - line for shoes that they are interested in . once they have chosen the shoes they are interested in the foot data file could be compared to the shoe database 6 exactly as described previously and obtain a size recommendation . if the customer is happy to proceed the order could be placed on this basis . if subsequent the customer did not return the shoes within the allowed time for returns this could be taken as an indication they were happy with the fit and this data could be added to the shoe database . as an alternative or in addition the system could recommend shoes to the customer that they have not selected but which are known would fit the customer &# 39 ; s feet . when recommending shoes the system may use shoes that the customer is interested in as a guide . that is if a customer is browsing for a particular style of shoes the system may recommend other shoes of a similar style . the system may also use information regarding the customer such as gender , age , shoe style preference etc . which may for instance be supplied by and customer and / or stored in a customer profile , to make sure the recommendations are appropriate . the present invention therefore offers several advantages , over conventional shoe fitting techniques . the scanner fitting performance is continuously refined and improved based on what people find comfortable when they purchase shoes in shops . where expert fitters in the shop help customers to select the correct shoe size , this information will also be automatically accumulated and integrated into the fit recommendation . the system will automatically incorporate and optimise fit recommendation for any brand and style of shoe without needing access to shoe lasts , measuring shoes , or doing controlled fitting trials for each brand or style of shoe . the scanner and database will quickly and automatically learn the fitting performance of new shoe styles which are introduced into the marketplace . the scanners and database will also automatically learn what are the correct ‘ comfort ’ factors for different types of shoes e . g . children &# 39 ; s , running etc . foot size and shoe sale data can be automatically analysed and provided back to the retailer to optimise business efficiency , trend analysis , stock control etc . software can analyse the effect of the person having two differently sized feet and the resultant preferred shoe size , and optimise fitting algorithms for these situations . following the launch of a new range of shoes in shops and on - line , there will be a short period when the scanner system initially applies an estimated or default sizing information to determine best fit . once data on the fit performance of this new shoe range starts to be received by the system database , a judgement on the fit accuracy can be determined and new ‘ comfort ’ compensation factors applied and distributed back to the foot scanners . this process will be iterated until the fit prediction consistently matches the size of shoe purchased . the fit prediction can then become available for on - line shoe sales . this optimisation process may take around 100 shoe sales for a particular style and so is likely to stabilise very quickly , particularly if there are a number of shoe shops connected to the system . the foot shape can be established using 3d feet shape data or a set of published or undisclosed measurement parameters . each of the parameters can have a unique ‘ comfort ’ factor applied for each style or brand of shoe . it is likely these parameters will adopt standard foot metrics used by feet specialists , and so make this foot information valuable to shoe designers and biometric surveys . comfort compensation factors can be developed and refined for different customer types through a customer survey / data input e . g . gender , intended use of footwear , ethnic origin etc . each of these parameters could alter the type of fit compensation applied to the shoe and therefore further improve quality of fit . customers who don &# 39 ; t wish to participate would receive a more generic fit recommendation . fit performance could be ultimately tailored to individuals e . g . customer x prefers tighter fitting shoes than the average . this could be established by monitoring the size mapping of that customer compared to the average . analysis of individual fit parameters could indicate e . g . that the customer has a narrow foot or prefers more volume around the toe . the fit mapping would be automatically tuned for specialist sports footwear e . g . running , golf , hiking etc . input of sock type when the foot was scanned could be used to build up accurate compensation for different sock types .
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the modem relay for v . 22bis modems and below occurs at the physical layer . the modem &# 39 ; s physical layer is demodulated into a bitstream and that bitstream is relayed end - to - end across the network . any higher layer protocols ( error correction , compensation ) that may be present are passed end - to - end across the network . this approach works well for low speed modems . however , v . 32 modems and other high speed modems rely on the use of higher - layer protocols to streamline and improve the accuracy of data transmissions . error correction is the first protocol to be added on top of the raw modem bitstream . for example , the itu standard for error correction is v . 42 . error correction provides a mechanism for two modems to : 1 ) detect errors by transmitting data frames and using crc &# 39 ; s to detect framing errors ; 2 ) correct errors by automatically retransmitting data : and 3 ) flow control data transmissions through the use of start - stop data . since almost all high speed modems support v . 42 lapm processing , the present invention implements modem relay for faster modems at the link layer and not the physical layer . this means that the gateway on each side of the modem relay connection will terminate the lapm protocol for its local modem connection . a gateway - to - gateway lapm protocol is implemented over the network to achieve error correction and flow control between the two gateways . compression and any application layer protocols will continue to run end - to - end across the link , except that both modems will be forced to use the same type of compression format . there are several benefits to implementing modem relay at the link - layer : 1 ) the modems on both sides can be trained to the best possible local data rate ; 2 ) the modem connection does not have to be negotiated across the network ; 3 ) errors can be corrected through retransmission rather than data redundancy ; 4 ) network delays and packet loss do not adversely impact data relay . a typical modem relay system configuration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig1 . sending a modem relay call includes the following steps : 1 ) a first user , initiates a modem call using a dial - up modem , such as modem 2 attached to a personal computer 1 at the first end of the connection . 2 ) modem 2 , enters an off - hook state , dials and waits for the far end modem 14 to answer . 3 ) the first gateway 3 detects the line seizure , opens a dsp voice channel and collects dtmf digits . 4 ) the first gateway 3 translates the dial number and attempts to perform a call setup to the far end gateway 9 which is located at a remote point in the network . 5 ) gateway 9 detects the incoming call setup from gateway 3 over the packet network 8 . the gateway 9 accepts the incoming call and opens a dsp voice channel to handle the incoming call . next , gateway 9 seizes the outgoing line . 6 ) for modem relay , the outgoing line connects to modem 14 at the far end which may be connected to a personal computer 15 or may be a modem in a modem pool . modem 14 goes off - hook and plays a modem answer sequence ( eg . v . 25 ans tone ). 7 ) gateway 3 detects the modems answer sequence ( as described below ) and switches the dsp over from a voice channel to a modem relay channel . then gateway 9 sends the switch over message to gateway 3 in the form of a modem relay message packet . gateway 9 also continues to negotiate with far end modem 14 to establish a data connection to pc 15 . 8 ) gateway 3 switches its channel to modem relay and begins to negotiate channel setup with modem 2 . 9 ) during the negotiations , control messages are exchanged between gateway 3 and gateway 9 to coordinate the compression format used on both sides of the link and to establish the gateway to gateway lapm link . at the end of the negotiation , both modems have connected with their respective local gateway at the best possible connection rate using v . 42 lapm and the same type of compression . further , the modems on both sides have transitioned into data mode and are ready to begin sending or receiving data . 10 ) modem 2 and modem 14 now begin sending data back and forth across the packet network 8 . each gateway unit demodulates the modem transmissions , packetizes the data and sends it to the far side . the gateway on the far side remodulates the modem data and sends it to the far end modem . throughout the connection , flow control is performed on each segment of the link to regulate the error free transmission of data . 11 ) the connection continues until one of the modems hangs up . at that point , the call is terminated on both sides and the channels then return to idle . the connection architecture for the exemplary embodiment of a link layer modem relay of the present invention is illustrated in fig2 . the physical connections between the modems , gateways and network are the same as for data layer modem relay ( described above ). the difference occurs in the processing performed by the microprocessor on the lapm layers of the communication . for v . 32 modems and above , v . 43 lapm error correction is commonly used to provide link layer connectivity and error correction between the modem end points . for link layer modem relay , the lapm layer is terminated locally for each modem . when lapm is terminated locally , the modem relay controller of the present invention uses elements in the lapm protocol to control the data flow between the two end points . this allows either side to be connected independently of the other ( data rates and modulation types do not have to be the same on both sides ). using lapm simplifies the issues and timing problems associated with modem negotiation and call establishment . all forms of modem compression will be passed end - to - end . however , since the link layer is terminated locally , the compression format must be negotiated locally and then passed end - to - end . therefore , the gateways have to force both sides to use the same type of compression protocol , using the defaults set at the gateways . in the diagram of fig2 , the user traffic 19 and compression protocols 20 are run end - to - end across the network 8 . the mru dsp 4 terminates in the modem layer - 1 ( physical layer ) on both sides and passes the data up to the microprocessor software . the mru microprocessor 5 terminates the link layer , initiating a new lapm link to connect with the far end gateway 9 , packetizes the modem transmission into rtp packets and sends the packets to the remote gateway 9 . the gateway lapm protocol supports : redundant data and arq ; configurable single packet redundant data ; cyclical redundancy checks for error detection ; automatic retransmission if the redundant data does not suffice to recover lost packets and flow control across the link . there is currently no network protocol standard defining the call control or data transmission protocol for modem relay over packet networks . therefore , a proprietary approach is utilized by the present invention to implement modem relay . however , the present invention can be implemented with a standard protocol without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts taught herein . the protocol is similar to the proprietary fax relay protocol disclosed in co - pending application ser . no . 09 / 031 , 047 . the modem relay protocol used accommodates encapsulation using the rtp format for transmission across the network . retransmission of lost packets . the gateway to gateway lapm link monitors the packets that are sent and received across the network . each packet has a sequence number and crc . any packets that are found to contain framing errors are retransmitted automatically . redundant data . fig5 . data redundancy is achieved by appending data from previous packets in the payload section of the current data packet . then , the receiving gateway uses the packet sequence number to determine if there has been a packet loss . if no packet loss occurred , it uses the most recent data field in the packet . if the receiving gateway detects that packet loss has occurred , the data fields for lost packets are retrieved by reading further down in the current packet . staggered redundancy . fig6 . with staggered redundancy , the redundant data is not attached to the immediately succeeding packet , the redundancy is staggered whereby the redundant data is appended to a later packet with one or more intervening packets . staggered redundancy allows for data recovery of several sequential packets are lost , however the delay in recovery is increased . retraining is also accommodated by the present invention . in the event that one of the modems in the connection experiences a loss of equalization on the line , it can initiate a retrain signal . since the modem connection is handled by the gateway port modem termination dsp module , the retraining event is completely handled within the dsp . any resulting data backups or flow control issues are resolved using the gateway - to - gateway lapm . since the modems on either side are connected independently , it is not a problem if the modem needing to retrain experiences a speed shift to a lower rate ( including rates commonly supported by data layer modem relay ). if the compression format or v . 42 lapm error correction are lost as a result of retraining , the call will be terminated , but otherwise the data exchange will continue as though it had not been interrupted . call discrimination is accomplished through processing in the dsp . when a call is connected , the gateway must determine what type of call processing is required to successfully implement the call , voice , fax relay , modem relay , or pcm . individual channels can be pre - configured for a certain type of processing , but in general the gateway does not know in advance what type of devices are going to be involved in the call . the earlier it can distinguish the type of traffic involved in a call , the faster it can switch over to use the right set of processing resources . fig3 illustrates an exemplary decision tree for determining the processing sequence for new calls . the exemplary embodiment of the present invention , illustrated in fig3 , includes processing for discrimination of cng , ci , ansam , ans and voice codecs . cng is an optional tone put out by calling facsimile machines . not all fax machines use it , but if it is present on the calling side it indicates that the call is definitely a fax call . if the originating gateway detects this tone , then it will switch both sides to fax relay . ci is an optional event put out by calling v . 90 , v . 34 and v . 34 fax capable modems . it is not always present , but when it is present on the originating side , the receiving gateway will detect the presence of ci and switch over to link layer modem relay processing . ansam is the v . 8 answer tone , and is used by v . 90 , v . 34 and v . 34 fax capable modems . when present on the answering side , the gateway will switch over to link layer modem relay . ans is the v . 25 answer tone , and is used by v . 32 , v . 22 and v . 21 modems and by fax machines . when detected on the answering side , the gateway will switch to modem relay processing . if modem relay later determines that the call is a fax call , the gateway will switch over to fax relay . if none of the other events are detected , the gateway will continue to process the call using the preconfigured voice codec . fig4 illustrates a series of packets n 1 through n i in a packet network . the packets are transmitted in series with no redundancy . in the event of loss of even a single packet , the lost packet cannot be recovered . fig5 illustrates the same packet series as fig4 , however , data from each of the packets is repeated in the next frame in a single simple redundancy technique . with this technique , if a single packet is lost , for example packet n 3 , the lost data from packet n 3 can be recovered during transmission of the next packet n 4 . fig6 illustrates the same packet series as fig4 and 5 . just as in fig5 , data from each packet is repeated a single time later in the transmission series . however , unlike fig5 , the repetition is not connected with the next immediate frame but is staggered several frames , as taught in the present invention . in the exemplary embodiments for fig6 , the stagger l is five packets . this means that data from packet n 1 is repeated at packet n 6 , and data from packet n 2 is repeated at packet n 7 . this stagger is continued for the packet series . with the stagger of fig6 , if a single packet , for example n 3 is lost , the lost data from the packet can be recovered during the transmission of packet n 8 . the stagger will add a delay to the recovery , necessitating buffering of the intermediate packets and a delay of the image data until the loser packet is recovered . the buffering and delay can be accomplished without significant increase in signal processing and will only be present for a short interval to recover from packet loss . if a number of packets in series are lost , such as with a lost packet burst , only the data from the last packet in the series can be recovered with the simple single redundancy technique illustrated in fig5 . for example , if data from packets n 3 , n 4 and n 5 are lost , redundant data from packets n 2r , n 3r and n 4r will also be lost . therefore , data from packets n 3 and n 4 cannot be recovered . only data from packet n 5 will be recovered during the transmission of packet n 5 . with the technique taught in the present invention if a number of packets in series are lost , such as with a lost packet burst , all of the packets in the series can be recovered if the stagger l is greater than the lost burst length . if the lost burst length is greater than the stagger l , the number of recoverable packets will be equal to the stagger l . for example , in fig6 , if data from packets n 3 , n 4 and n 5 are lost , each of the data from these packets will be recovered after delay d , during the transmission of packets n 8 , n 9 and n 10 respectively . because the burst loss b was only three packets and the stagger l was five packets , all data from the lost packets can be recovered . if the burst loss b is greater than the stagger l , as illustrated in fig7 , not all of the data from the lost packets can be recovered after delay . because the burst loss overloads the stagger , data from packets n 1r and n 2r are also lost and therefore data from n 1 and n 2 cannot be recovered . because increased stagger will cause greater delay and decreased stagger will provide less protection against longer burst loss , implementation of the present invention requires a balance between stagger and packet loss consideration for optimal implementation . because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught , and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law , it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .
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generally , the present invention provides a trocar 10 , generally shown at 10 in the figures , that includes an insertion end 16 that is both fluid and airtight . that is , the insertion end 16 includes structure , described below , that perfects a seal at the insertion end 16 of the trocar 10 whether or not an instrument 32 , such as a surgical device , extends through the trocar 10 . the trocar 10 of the present invention is preferably formed in a manner known to those of skill in the art . the trocar 10 can be formed of a rigid or a resilient plastic , from a metal , such as 304 or 316 stainless steel , or of any desired material suitable for use as a trocar 10 . for example the trocar 10 can be formed of a plastic - metal composite . alternatively , the trocar 10 can be formed of a plastic material that can be seen through upon the application of ultrasonic technology . the trocar 10 is preferably constructed of material approved by the united states food and drug administration for use in surgical procedures , that the materials be durable , and capable of being sterilized completely for subsequent re - use . it is also anticipated , however , that the trocar 10 can be constructed as a disposable one - time or throw - away device without the need for subsequent resterilization of the trocar 10 . the trocar 10 of the present invention does not necessarily include an ubturator . instead the trocar 10 can be inserted into a hole created by a knife . such insertion enables the trocar 10 to be placed in a small hole that can be stretched to accommodate the trocar 10 . the benefit of such insertion is that the small hole into which the trocar 10 is inserted also maintains the trocar 10 in position without allowing the trocar 10 to move once inserted . more specifically , the trocar 10 of the present invention includes a neck 12 and a body 14 . the neck 12 and the body 14 are in fluid and airtight communication , such that there is no leakage between the body and the neck 12 . preferably , the body 14 and neck 12 are formed as a single unit . alternatively , the body 14 and neck 12 can be separate pieces that are capable of being joined to one another . the neck 12 includes two ends ; an insertion end 16 that is inserted into the body of the patient and an opposite end 18 that is the location at which the body 14 attaches to the neck 12 . the insertion end 16 includes devices necessary for maintaining a sealed environment within the trocar 10 . in other words , within the insertion end 16 , there are devices that prevent fluid and foreign bodies present in the neck 12 or body 14 of the trocar 10 from entering the patient into which the trocar 10 is being place while also preventing substances from within the patient from entering the insertion end 16 and neck 12 of the trocar 10 . the trocar 10 of the present invention can also include an agitator . the agitator can be used to facilitate the movement of air bubbles or foreign objects from the insertion end 16 to the opposite end 18 . the agitator can be any device that is capable of manipulating the trocar 10 of the present invention in such a way as to move the air or foreign objects away from the body into which the trocar 10 is inserted . for example , the agitator can be a manual device that lightly taps the trocar 10 or the agitator can be an ultrasonic device that causes vibration of the particles within the trocar 10 . in order to form a fluid and air - tight environment within the trocar 10 the insertion end 16 includes a sealing device . in the preferred embodiment , the sealing device is a series of at least two deformable diaphragms or seals 20 , 22 and at least one gasket 24 . more than two seals 20 , 22 and more than a single gasket 24 can be included without departing from the spirit of the present invention . it is this configuration of the seals and gasket that prevents fluid and foreign bodies from entering the body 14 and from blood and other particles from the body 14 from entering the trocar 10 . the sealing device can be sized to fit any trocar 10 and ensures a complete seal of the trocar 10 so that insufflation of a body cavity can be maintained when insufflation is used . in general , the seals 20 , 22 are either adjustable so that the seals 20 , 22 fit any number of differently sized trocars or are in a plurality of fixed sizes to be selected as required for a particular trocar 10 being used . the seals 20 , 22 of the present invention are fabricated of a material and of a thickness sufficient to manipulate the seals 20 , 22 into place in the trocar 10 . it is expected that a viscoelastic material such as latex is suitable , though metal variations are possible . the seals 20 , 22 function to maintain an instrument 32 passed through the trocar 10 in proper sealing engagement within the trocar 10 . the seals 20 , 22 each include a slit 28 . the slit 28 is of a size sufficient to encompass an instrument 32 there through . in a particular embodiment of the invention , the seals 20 , 22 are fixed , non - inflatable devices that are sufficiently compliant so that they can be moved about without causing a loss of sealing contact with the trocar 10 . as the device does not have to be pressurized , the possibility of undesirable failure and , therefore , loss of a seal , does not exist . in addition , the seals 20 , 22 can also be pliable or compliant , rather than stiff or rigid , so as to provide sufficient sealing of the trocar 10 . the portions of the seals 20 , 22 running along the interior body wall are no thicker than the outer section and are preferably much thinner , on the order of 0 . 1 millimeter to 10 millimeters . the gasket 24 disclosed above is preferably an 0 - ring . the gasket 24 perfects the fluid and air - tight seal about an instrument 32 within the trocar 10 . any sized gasket 24 that is sized to fit within the trocar 10 can be disposed in the trocar 10 of the present invention . preferably , the gasket 24 is made of rubber , however other resilient materials can also be used , such materials are known to those of skill in the art . the gasket 24 is sufficiently pliable as to allow instruments 32 to pass there through of a range of cross - sectional diameters while maintaining a perfected seal thereabout . a trocar tip 26 is disposed at an end of the insertion end 16 furthest from the body 14 . the trocar tip 26 is preferably sharp and made of a resilient material such as stainless steel . however , other materials as are known to those of skill in the art can be used as long as the material can be inserted into the human body 14 . within the trocar 10 there are at least two lumen . these lumen are completely separate from one another . the first is an instrument lumen 30 . the instrument lumen 30 is of a size to enable instruments to be placed there through . the instrument lumen 30 extends from an opening in the body 14 through to the insertion end 16 as shown in fig4 and 5 . the instrument lumen 30 ends at the sealing device disclosed above such that the series of seals and gasket 20 , 22 , and 24 create a fluid tight lumen . the second lumen a down flow lumen 34 , extends from the body 14 and through the wall of the trocar 10 . an outlet 40 opens proximate to the instrument lumen 30 . the down flow lumen 34 is made of any resilient material that is fluid tight , and is capable of having a fluid flow there through . the body 14 of the trocar 10 preferably includes an inlet port 36 fluidly connected to the down flow lumen 24 . the inlet port 36 enables the flow of an inert fluid through the port 36 into the down flow lumen 40 within the trocar 10 . additionally , the body 14 includes at least one outlet port 38 . the outlet port 38 allows air trapped within the body 14 and neck 12 of the trocar 10 to escape from the trocar 10 . in use , an inert fluid , such as saline , is flowed into the down flow lumen 34 , via the inlet port 26 , out the outlet port 40 proximate to the instrument lumen 30 of the trocar 10 . the fluid contacts any substances , such as air bubbles , that are present within the instrument lumen 30 of the trocar 10 . the air bubbles then flow with the fluid up the instrument lumen 30 to the outlet port 38 . in other words , fluid is constantly forcibly passed through the instrument lumen 30 of the trocar 10 such that any air bubbles found within the trocar 10 are captured within the fluid and the flow of the fluid carries the air bubbles away from the insertion end 16 of the trocar 10 . of vital importance in surgery is that air not be allowed to enter the bloodstream of a patient . this is most critical when beating heart cardiac surgery is being performed because the insertion of oxygen into a blood stream can cause a fatal problem for the patient . thus , the flowing of the fluid into the instrument lumen 30 of the trocar 10 enables air , and any other substances present in the trocar 10 , to be removed from the patient , thereby preventing air or other foreign substances from entering the blood stream of a patient . the sealing device of the trocar 10 ensures that the fluid flowing through the trocar 10 and air bubbles present in the trocar 10 do not enter the patient in order to accomplish this sealing device functions as follows . when in a neutral or non - use condition , the trocar 10 is inserted into the patient during a scoping procedure . as shown in fig4 , the seals 20 , 22 are in a closed position and the gasket 24 is in a sealing engagement with both of the seals 20 , 22 . it is vital that the gasket 24 keep the seals 20 , 22 in proper engagement , thus preventing any leakage therethrough . additionally , it is vital that the seals 20 , 22 themselves are in a closed position versus an open position . by maintaining the closed position no fluid or air can flow either into or out of the trocar 10 . the slits 28 are designed such that no two slits 28 consecutively have the same orientation . the slits 28 center an instrument 32 passing there through because of this configuration . that is , the non - alignment of the slits 28 cooperate as the instrument 32 passes there through to center the instrument 32 as it approaches the gasket 24 . further , in conjunction with the gasket 24 of the present invention , there is created a fluid tight seal whether or not an instrument 32 passes there through . the gasket 24 holds the seals 20 , 22 in place and perfects the seal of the trocar 10 . thus , absent the use of a gasket 24 , a fluid tight seal could not be created . the seals 20 , 22 assist the gasket 24 in limiting the amount of fluid that is able to reach the gasket 24 , thus not overwhelming the gasket 24 with enormous pressure . while a rectangular opening is the preferred shape of the slit 28 and as such is shown in the figures , any slit 28 can be used so long as the slit 28 enables the configuration disclosed above while maintaining the integrity of the sealing device . fig5 shows the neck 12 when an instrument is inserted there through , in an engaged configuration . the instrument 32 is inserted through the instrument lumen 30 within the neck 12 of the trocar 10 . the engaged configuration of the seals 20 , 22 , when an instrument 32 is placed through instrument lumen 30 of the trocar 10 , is such that seals 20 , 22 are both in an open condition and the gasket 24 is in sealing engagement about the instrument 32 . in the open condition the seals 20 , 22 allow for the instrument 32 to travel there through while having minimal extraneous openings . in other words , the seals 20 , 22 allow the instrument 32 to pass through openings 28 in the seals 20 , 22 , but limit the translational movement of the instrument 32 . this limits the amount of air and fluid that can flow past the seals 20 , 22 about the instrument 32 . in the engaged position , a first seal 20 opens , then a second seal 22 opens , and then an o - ring or gasket 24 perfects the seal about the instrument 32 as the it passes through the consecutive seal members . accordingly , when the instrument 32 is being withdrawn , the second seal 22 closes , and then a first seal 20 closes , thus ensuring that there is always a proper air and fluid tight engagement of the trocar 10 within the patient . throughout this application , author and year and patents by number reference various publications , including united states patents . full citations for the publications are listed below . the disclosures of these publications and patents in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains . the invention has been described in an illustrative manner , and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation . obviously , many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is , therefore , to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described .
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as can be seen from fig6 and 7 , the ski of the invention comprises an elastic compensation superstructure provided with a special front constraint in the form of a more complex innovative plate composed not only of the traditional base member ( connected to the centre of the ski ) but also of a front prolongation 5 which reacts against the ( aforedescribed ) counter - flexure with a downward thrust f spat on a point 6 situated around the middle of that ski portion between the front jaw p and the section 4 ( where the tip curvature commences ). the connection of the ski to the front end of said elongated plate at the point 6 must satisfy precise fundamental connection conditions , allowing freedom of rotation about a transverse - horizontal axis , and freedom of longitudinal sliding , so that no limitation is imposed on the flexibility of the shovel portion itself . this means that said connection must simultaneously act as a hinge and as a bilateral support . in this respect it must allow free rotation of the shovel portion about a transverse - horizontal axis , but must hinder movements between the plate and ski in a vertical direction but must allow relative sliding in a longitudinal direction . it must hence be a hinge ( of transverse - horizontal axis ), to allow freedom of rotation between the shovel portion and said plate end , but must be horizontally slotted to also allow its relative longitudinal sliding ; it can hence be defined as a slotted hinge . this superstructure is therefore provided with at least three separate points of application to the ski , one of which is situated in a position 6 which is significantly advanced ( with respect to the front jaw ), possibly and preferably around the middle of the portion between the front jaw p and the section 4 where the curvature of the tip commences . consequently when the ski counter - flexes , the dynamic load f exerted by the skier is divided into at least three forces : two ( f ′, f ″) or more acting on the base central region , and an additional force ( f spat ) acting on said more advanced point 6 . it should be noted that the most significant role of this superstructure is not merely to damp and absorb vibrations , although it undoubtedly and effectively performs this valuable accessory function . its main role is to exert a supplementary reactive thrust f spat on the point 6 , to induce an elastic compensation effect thereat to significantly modify its counter - flexure deformation ; it hence achieves the desired effect on the elastic deformation and on the related distribution of the reaction load ( fig4 ). it should however be noted that this effect is also substantially dependent on the elastic characteristics of the basic ski , which has to be adequately flexible particularly in the portion 7 below the arm 5 . the proposed configuration shown by way of example in fig6 and 7 can be subjected to suitable improvement . in this respect , to be applicable to any ski it cannot be prefigured in a standardized form ; it requires adaptation to the shape ( in terms of the progression of the thicknesses and curvatures ) of the ski for which it is intended . moreover , the value of the thrust f spat is strictly dependent on the flexibility of the arm and would be very difficult to regulate and preset ( in order to achieve a determined preload value and assume certain values increasing with the elastic counter - flexure deformation ). the aforesaid problem is radically simplified by using the following more evolved constructional variant ( fig8 - 11 ). the superstructure is no longer a single member but two members : a traditional base plate 10 and an independent semi - rigid front prolongation arm 11 , i . e . a sort of rocker arm ( fig8 ), as described hereinafter . the prolongation arm 11 , connected at its front to the slotted hinge 6 , is connected at its rear to the front end of the base plate 10 by a hinge 12 , it being also provided with a retro - prolongation 13 the end of which acts as a reaction element . said end is provided with an element 14 of adjustable advancement ( for example by means of a screw ), which abuts against the base plate 10 ( fig8 ) or against the basic ski ( fig1 , 11 ), according to design requirements related to its elastic characteristics , by acting preferably on an interposed elastic or semi - elastic element 15 ( for example a high resistance rubber insert ). it should be noted that in the second of the aforesaid cases , in which the design provides for the reaction element of the rocker arm to bear on the basic ski ( fig1 , 11 ), two supplementary forces act frontward through the rocker arm : in addition to the force f spat , the force f ′″ exerted by the element 14 also acts on the ski . as an alternative to the aforedescribed proposed configurations , the base plate can be split into two half - plates , i . e . the superstructure portion below the boot comprises two distinct separated parts : a rear part 9 below the heel fixing unit , and a front part 8 below the sole . this latter provides all the aforedescribed functional aspects , as illustrated in fig1 , which shows an extension of the structure already shown in fig8 , and in fig1 which shows an extension of the structure shown in fig1 . finally , the solution shown in fig8 and the solution shown in fig1 , 11 can be simultaneously adopted ( whether the base plate is whole or split ), by simultaneously applying a first counteracting element 14 acting on the base plate , and a second counteracting element 16 acting on the ski , as shown in fig1 and 15 . a further embodiment ( very particular , moreover for its simplicity ), is shown in fig1 and 17 . it concerns exclusively the solution in which the base plate is fractioned into two different and separated parts 8 and 9 . it involves only the front part 8 and it foresees the prolongation arm 5 to be integral part of it up to point 6 ( fixed to the ski in the “ slotted hinge ” way as described and considered up to now ). said front plate portion ( underneath the boot sole ) is fixed to the central region 1 of the ski through a transverse - horizontal axis solid hinge 17 , at the rear with respect to the front jaw p . in this case the action f of the skier is transmitted to the ski by three forces : the f ′ one exerted on the heel fixing unit , the fspat exerted by the end 6 of the arm and the f ″ one exerted on the aforesaid hinge . independently of the embodiment used , the ski of the invention is particularly advantageous by demonstrating an adequate flexibility combined with good distribution of the reaction load . the superstructure of the ski according to the invention can be constructed of traditional materials or , advantageously , of different materials such as composites , magnesium alloys , or monostructural hybrids which enable a specific weight reduction to be obtained for equal strength characteristics . in addition , the superstructure can be produced using economical industrial pressing , forging and moulding techniques .
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a typical carriage - type , multicolor , thermal ink jet printer 10 is shown in fig1 . a linear array of ink droplet producing channels ( not shown ) is housed in each printhead 14 . one or more printheads 14 are replaceably mounted on a reciprocating carriage assembly 16 , which reciprocates back and forth in the direction of the arrows 18 as shown . the ink channels terminate with orifices or nozzles 20 which are aligned perpendicular to the surface of a recording medium 22 , such as paper . droplets 24 are expelled and propelled to the recording medium 22 from the nozzles 20 in response to digital data signals received by a printer controller , which in turn selectively addresses individual heating elements with a current pulse , the heating elements being located in the printhead channels a predetermined distance from the nozzles 20 . the current pulses passing through the printhead heating elements vaporize the ink contacting the heating elements and produce temporary vapor bubbles to expel the droplets of ink 24 from the nozzles 20 . a single printhead array may be used , or multiple arrays may be butted together to form a large array or a pagewidth printhead . additionally , one or more of these arrays may be stacked such that each array expels a different color of ink for multicolor printing . as shown in fig2 a printhead 14 includes an ink supply manifold 26 fixedly mounted on an interconnection board or daughter - board 28 having electrodes 32 . the interconnection board may be wire bondable pc board , thick film on ceramic or thin film on ceramic for example . beneath the manifold 26 and as shown in fig3 - 4 are a heater plate 42 having electrodes 30 and a thermal ink jet die 38 having an ink inlet 34 . the interconnection board 28 , the heater plate 42 and thermal ink jet die 38 are mounted on a heat sinking substrate 40 , with the manifold 26 attached to the substrate 40 and overlying the heater plate 42 , thermal die 38 and a portion of the interconnection board 28 . the electrodes 32 of the interconnection board are bonded by bonds 44 to the electrode 30 of the heater 42 as shown in fig3 . fig4 does not show the bonds 44 for clarity . however , fig4 illustrates that the ink inlet 34 of the thermal ink jet die 38 is sealingly positioned against and coincident with an ink inlet 36 in the manifold 26 . the manifold 26 also includes vent tubes 66 which connect the manifold with an ink supply 68 . a plan view of the l - shaped interconnection board 28 is shown in fig2 . this view is of the side containing the printhead 14 . interconnection board electrodes 32 are on a one - to - one ratio with the electrodes 30 of the printhead 14 as shown in fig3 . the printhead 14 is sealingly and fixedly attached to the interconnection board 28 and its electrodes 30 are wire bonded by bonds 44 to the interconnection board electrodes 32 . all of the electrodes 30 , 32 are passivated and the wire bonds 44 are encased in an electrical insulative material such as epoxy . opposite ends of electrodes 32 are connectably attached to appropriate controls in the printer 10 . with reference to fig3 the thermal ink jet die 38 is adjacent to electrical interconnection board 28 , both of which are bonded onto the heat sinking substrate 40 . prior to bonding of die 38 onto substrate 40 , a screen printed silver filled die bonding epoxy 64 is patterned over an area where the die is to be bonded . it is to be understood that in fig3 the epoxy 64 is located under the die 38 and optionally extends beyond ends 50 of the die 38 as shown . on the die 38 , the ink inlet 34 is shown as a rectangle . wire bond pads or electrodes 30 from a heater plate portion 42 of the printhead 14 are shown as rectangles . wire bonds 44 to the corresponding pads or electrodes 32 on the electrical interconnection board 28 are shown in dotted lines . electrical connection from the board 28 to printer 10 are shown in fig2 and do not form part of the present invention . fig4 is a perspective view of the components shown in fig3 including ink manifold 26 prior to assembly . fig5 is a perspective view of the components of fig4 in an assembled state . the manifold 26 include legs 52 which rest on the substrate 40 and straddle ends 50 of the thermal ink jet die 38 . an air gap 48 can exist between the legs 52 and ends 50 of the die 38 when the structure is assembled as in fig5 . according to the present invention , a wire bond encapsulant is applied in a manner so as to provide structural bonding of the manifold 26 to the other printhead components , and also to fill any air gaps 48 between ends of the die 50 and legs or sides 52 of the manifold 26 . a preferred embodiment is shown in fig4 and 6 . in this embodiment , the substrate 40 has a through hole 54 preferably formed by orientation dependent etching located near the center of the row of wire bonds 44 between the die 38 and the interconnection board 28 . in addition , the underside 60 of the manifold 26 as shown in fig6 includes an encapsulation dam bar 56 which , when the manifold 26 is assembled onto the printhead 14 , is located over the interconnection board 28 just behind the row of wire bonds 44 . in fig6 a represents the relative location of the through hole 54 on the substrate 40 but is not a through hole on the manifold 26 . however , alternatively instead of locating the throughhole 54 in the substrate 40 it may be provided in the manifold 26 as shown as 54a . in this case , throughhole 54 would not be provided on the substrate . this may be advantageous in that it would allow encapsulation injection from the top rather than the bottom . the manifold 26 may be molded with the hole and the bar . in order to assemble the manifold 26 , a watertight seal 58 is first applied around the ink inlet 34 of the die 38 so as to seal its connection to the ink inlet 36 of the manifold 26 ( fig4 ). the water tight seal 58 may be made by screen printing or syringe deposition . alternatively , the water tight seal 58 may be formed on the underside 60 of the manifold 26 by syringe deposition . the manifold 26 is then positioned in place , for example , by using registration pins . in accordance with the present inventive process , a liquid encapsulate such as hysol 4323 is injected from the underside of the substrate 40 through the through hole 54 between the thermal ink jet die 38 and the interconnection board 28 . the encapsulant flows laterally along the path of least resistance along the rows of wire bonds 44 , being constrained by the underside 60 of the manifold ( on the top ), the substrate 40 ( on the bottom ), the die 38 ( in front ), and the dam encapsulation bar 56 ( in the rear ). this encapsules the wire bonds 44 . preferably , the dam bar 56 is the same thickness ( vertical dimension ) as the die , i . e ., a 1 : 1 ratio . however , it may be desirable that dam bar 56 does not extend all the way down to contact the interconnection board 28 ( i . e ., a vertical space ( not shown ) exists between the dam bar 56 and the substrate 40 ), allowing some encapsulant to spill past the bar 56 and to allow for tolerances between components . the dam bar 56 also may be of a length less than the distance between the legs 52 such that a lateral spacing d exists between ends of the dam bar 56 and the legs 52 to also allow limited encapsulant flow therearound . the vertical and lateral spacings may be advantageous in that they give greater area for structural bonding of the manifold 26 to the other printhead components and also compensate for tolerances between elements . because the through hole 54 is located near the center of the die 38 , the encapsulant 46 reaches both ends of the die 50 at approximately the same time . it then begins to flow toward the front of the printhead to fill the air gaps 48 between the ends of the die 50 and the manifold legs 52 at the side . the encapsulant 46 ( see fig7 ) can be watched by an operator as it flows and injection can be stopped when the encapsulant 46 is nearly to the front of the printhead 14 . preferably , this is done using an optical sensor to detect the extent of encapsulant flow . additionally , in the case where the substrate is the same color as the encapsulant ( typically black ), it is preferred to provide a white background for viewing the flow of the encapsulant . this may be accomplished by extending the screen printed silver filled die bonding epoxy 64 , as shown in fig3 since the silver epoxy on a dark substrate makes it easier to see when the black encapsulant 46 covers it up . the encapsulant is then cured to finish the assembly process . the finished printhead and interconnection board can now be assembled onto various printer components to complete the printer . this encapsulation process provides in one step 1 ) reliable encapsulation of the entire row of wire bonds ; 2 ) enhanced structural bonding of the manifold to the substrate , the die and the interconnection board ; 3 ) filling of air gaps at the ends of the die so that volatile ink components may not escape through the gaps ; and 4 ) back up sealing of the watertight seal along the rear of the printhead die . the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting . various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
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reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout . throughout the optional embodiments illustrated herein , it is contemplated that the term “ bonus rewards ” are determined based upon wagers placed the underlying game . furthermore , bonus rounds may be of fixed duration , or may be of a length as determined by outcomes generated during the execution of the bonus rounds , said results extending or curtailing the bonus generation as indicated according to the prespecified rules of play . for purposes of illustration , bonus triggering and bonus extending outcomes are predefined per prespecified rules of play . in alternate embodiments , such bonus triggering and bonus extending outcomes may be randomly , and dynamically , defined . figure illustrates the traditional roulette inside wagering area 100 including sample wagers 121 , 122 , 123 . all game outcomes comprising the standard roulette wheel are represented within this inside wagering area 100 . wagers 121 , 122 , 123 may be placed which will be rewarded on the occurrence of one or more of these standard game results . the $ 1 wager 121 will be rewarded should either of two game outcomes , “ 6 ” 110 or “ 9 ” 111 , occur . the $ 2 wager 0 . 122 will be rewarded only should the outcome “ 12 ” 112 occur . the $ 3 wager 123 will be rewarded if any one of three outcomes , “ 34 ” 113 , “ 35 ” 114 or “ 36 ” 115 , occur . fig2 depicts an alternate embodiment of a roulette inside wagering area 200 which has added a bonus wagering location 230 . a sample $ 4 bonus wager 224 is illustrated , betting solely on such a bonus outcome . non - bonus wagers made in this game 221 , 222 , 223 , are nonetheless eligible for bonus rewards as determined in the bonus event whether or not a bonus wager 224 has been placed . in fact , in an alternate embodiment of this game , such a bonus wager 230 need not be available , and the inside wagering area 200 for such bonus - enhanced games may be indistinguishable from the inside wagering area 100 for the standard game as shown in fig1 . fig3 depicts an alternate embodiment of a roulette inside wagering area 300 wherein the bonus wagering opportunity 330 has been integrated into the standard wagering design . in addition to such bonus wagers as previously described 328 , this embodiment facilitates wagers on combinations of game and bonus outcomes 325 , 326 . and 327 . the $ 4 sample wager 325 is rewarded should either a bonus outcome 330 occur or should a “ 0 ” 316 occur . this effectively places a $ 2 wager on a bonus outcome 330 and a $ 2 wager on the “ 0 ” outcome 316 . the $ 6 sample wager 326 is rewarded should either a bonus outcome 330 occur or should a “ 00 ” 317 occur . this effectively places a $ 3 wager on a bonus outcome 330 and a $ 3 wager on the “ 00 ” outcome 317 . the $ 9 sample wager 326 is rewarded should bonus outcome 330 occur , should a “ 0 ” 316 occur , or should a “ 00 ” 317 occur . this effectively places a $ 3 wager on a bonus outcome 339 , a $ 3 wager on the “ 0 ” outcome 316 , and a $ 3 wager on the “ 00 ” outcome 317 . for purpose of illustrations , amounts wagered were varied for descriptive clarity , but in an actual game , all of the wagers can typically be of the same amount . in general , wagers on combinations of numbers offer two advantages : 1 ) they allow a player to have some control balancing risk and reward , wherein a wager on a larger set of potential winning outcomes increases the probability of obtaining such a winning outcome , but reduces the ratio of the reward of such a winning outcome to the amount wagered , and 2 ) combination wagers simplify the practice of placing multiple wagers , in particular where the size of the combination wager is large enough to approximate the sum of the equivalent individual wagers . for example , the $ 3 combination wager 323 for outcomes “ 34 ” 313 , “ 35 ” 314 and “ 36 ” 315 could be made as three separate $ 1 wagers , one on each of the indicated outcomes , should $ 1 wagers be permitted , but placing a single combination wager 323 requires less effort , on the part of the player as well as on the house . furthermore , if the minimum wager . is $ 1 , the player could make a $ 1 wager on the combination “ 34 ” 313 , “ 35 ” 314 and “ 36 ” 315 even where a wager of $ ⅓ for each such outcome would not be permitted . fig4 depicts a roulette inside wagering area 400 with an alternate embodiment of the integration of the bonus wagering location 430 . in this embodiment , the bonus wagering location 430 is appended to one of the long sides of the standard inside wagering area 400 . in addition to direct bonus wagers 425 , this configuration also allows extensive combination wagers which combinations of game . and bonus outcomes 424 , 426 and 427 . the $ 6 sample wager 426 is rewarded should a bonus outcome 430 occur or should a “ 24 ” 419 occur . this effectively places a $ 3 wager on a bonus outcome 430 and a $ 3 wager on the “ 24 ” outcome 419 . the $ 4 sample wager 424 is rewarded should a bonus outcome 430 occur , should a “ 31 ” 416 occur , should a “ 32 ” 417 occur or should a “ 33 ” 418 occur . this effectively places a $ 1 wager on a bonus outcome 430 , a $ 1 wager on an outcome of a “ 31 ” 416 , a $ 1 wager on an outcome of a “ 32 ” 417 , and a $ 1 wager on an outcome of a “ 33 ” 418 . the $ 7 sample wager 427 is rewarded should a bonus outcome 430 occur , should a “ 31 ” 416 occur , should a “ 32 ” 4 . 17 occur , should a “ 33 ” 418 occur , should a “ 34 ” 413 occur , should a “ 35 ” 414 occur , or should a “ 36 ” 415 occur . this effectively places a $ 1 wager on a bonus outcome 430 and a $ 1 wager on each of the outcomes “ 31 ”, “ 32 ”, “ 33 ”, “ 34 ”, “ 35 ” and “ 36 ” 413 - 418 . this embodiment still allows game wagers across three numbers such as the sample wager $ 3 443 on the combination of outcomes “ 34 ” 413 , “ 35 ” 414 and “ 36 ” 415 without requiring this combination to also include the bonus outcome . while not illustrated in the embodiments illustrated , alternate embodiments include configurations wherein combination wagers are available which incorporate bonus wagers with other game wagers , such as the game outside wagers ( red , black , high , low , even , odd , 1st dozen , 2nd dozen , 3rd dozen , 1st column , 2nd column , 3rd column ). while the payouts could take any form and are not restricted to any specific form or quantity , table 1 illustrates an example pay table for a roulette game according to the embodiment of fig2 - 4 . fig5 depicts an optional embodiment for a traditional dice sum game 500 . in this embodiment , the player may place a wager on any of the wagering areas 502 through 512 and as indicated in the instructions 530 , and is rewarded if an outcome on which he has wagered results occurs on the next throw of two standard dice . referring to the wagering area for the outcome “ 5 ” 505 as an example , the wagering area lists the outcome being wagered upon 520 and the reward ratio to be paid on such a wager should that outcome 520 occur . fig6 illustrates an alternate embodiment 600 of the present invention to that depicted in fig5 . two of the outcomes , “ 2 ” 602 and “ 12 ” 612 are designated as bonus outcomes . in this embodiment , as indicated in the instructions 630 , if the outcome of the next throw of two standard dice yields a sum of 2 602 or a sum of 12 612 , then player will win twice the total amount wagered in the current play of the game . for example , if the player has wagered $ 2 on the outcome “ 6 ” 606 , and $ 3 on the outcome “ 8 ” 608 , and the next outcome has a sum of 12 , then the player will be paid twice his total wager or $ 10 . it should be noted that , in this embodiment , the bonus feature increases the expected payback to the player . in order to compensate for such a variation , and still be able to continue to offer this game at a profit , the house may have reduced some of the game rewards . for example , the reward ratio for the outcome “ 5 ” 605 has been reduced from 8 to 1 521 in an embodiment corresponding to fig5 , to 7 to 1 621 for an embodiment corresponding to fig6 . in one optional implementation of this embodiment , players need not place a bonus wager in order to receive a bonus reward . in an alternate implementation of this embodiment , a bonus wager may be a condition precedent for receipt of , or participation in , a bonus reward . fig7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention applied to a dice sum game 700 where the bonus reward is the opportunity to obtain additional reward opportunities should a bonus triggering outcome be generated . in the optional embodiment illustrated , the throwing of “ doubles ,” i . e . where the value on both dice are equal , in other words combinations of 1 , 1 or 2 , 2 or 3 , 3 or 4 , 4 or 5 , 5 or 6 , 6 , constitutes such a bonus triggering outcome . in alternative embodiments , other outcomes may be used . the player may wager on any of the outcomes 702 through 717 . while outcomes “ 2 ” through “ 12 ” 702 - 712 can all be attained in a single role of the dice , outcomes “ 13 ” through “ 17 ” 713 - 717 can only be attained by rolling a bonus a double , and then adding the sum of the additional roll awarded . for example , should a player wager on outcome “ 6 ” 706 and double 3 &# 39 ; s were thrown , the player would win 6 : 1 on his “ 6 ” wager 706 . however , as a bonus triggering outcome had been thrown , play continues with all wagers standing , independent of wagers placed on “ 6 ” 706 . whatever sum is next thrown will be added to the sum of the dice comprising the bonus triggering outcome to generate a new dice sum . for example , if the second roll yields a sum of 10 , then the resulting outcome is 10 beyond the current sum or 6 + 10 = 16 . if the player has a wager on “ 16 ” 716 , such a player will be rewarded at a payoff of 64 : 1 . furthermore , if the player &# 39 ; s 2nd roll was a 12 , then the resulting outcome would be 12 beyond the current 6 , which , as this layout utilizes an equivalent of modulo 16 arithmetic , would yield an outcome of 2 . in addition , as , in the optional embodiment illustrated , a roll of 12 is double , and hence a bonus extending outcome , the player gets another roll of the dice , with all wagers still standing , with the starting sum now equal to 2 . in an optional implementation of this embodiment , a special bonus could be rewarded to all players any time the bonus sum exceeds 17 , i . e . “ wraps around .” for example , any reward paid after having gone around the board once could result in the reward amount being twice as large as normal . fig8 depicts an alternate embodiment 800 of the game previously depicted in fig7 where , in the present embodiment , selected outcomes 805 , 809 , 813 , 817 have been designated to receive bonus outcomes . the bonus “?” 805 arises for an outcome of 5 , the bonus “? ?” 809 arises for an outcome of 9 , and the bonus “?? ?” 813 arises for an outcome of 13 . in the optional implementation illustrated , the “?” bonus , the “? ?” bonus , and the “?? ?” bonus each result in an . effect determined at random . such effects may be accorded as a random relocation to another outcome spot on the board , the ability to throw the dice again from that spot , the granting of a static reward , the granting of a random reward from a series of possible rewards , or even the ending of the game with no reward issued . the potential outcomes , as well as the probabilities of random selection of such potential reward may optionally vary for each such bonus outcome . this game 800 also features a bonus spot 817 which , as indicated by the game instructions , will result in a reward being paid which is equal to seven times the sum of all placed wagers . flow logic for this game is presented in fig1 . fig9 depicts an optional embodiment 900 of the implementation of the present invention which permits of combination wagers on bonus sums . specifically , there are a new wager opportunities 931 through 934 for combinations of outcomes . a wager on 931 is rewarded at 4 . 5 : 1 on an outcome of a “ 2 ”, “ 3 ” or “ 4 .” a wager on 932 is rewarded at 1 . 75 : 1 for an outcome of “ 6 ”, “ 7 ” or “ 8 ,” and so forth . fig1 shows a logic flow chart of one embodiment of this invention . the player places his wagers 1020 and starts the game 1021 . once the wagers are committed , we determine whether or not this is a bonus round . for one optional implementation of this invention as applied to a roulette - based game , this could involve the random selection of the roulette ball where at least one designated ball , optionally identified by color , indicates a bonus round . for a money wheel - based game , this might optionally involve the random * ling of light colors , at least one of which colors being associated with a bonus round . alternately , this could involve other selectors such as a secondary spinning wheel , dice or other indicia . the standard game is played out 1023 and an outcome determined . if this outcome was not predicted and wager upon by the player 1024 then the game is over 1050 : if the outcome does match a placed wager , then the actual reward is determined based on whether or not this is a bonus round 1025 . if it is not a bonus round , then winning outcomes are paid at the standard rate 1040 and the game ends 1050 . if it is a bonus round , then the winning outcomes are paid at the higher bonus rate 1026 before the game ends 1050 . though not shown in this figure , it would also be possible to support different bonus reward structures based upon the bonus selection . for example , in a roulette - based game , the silver ball could indicate a standard pay while a blue ball indicates a 2 × pay and a yellow ball indicates a 3 × pay . fig1 illustrates the flow chart of an alternate embodiment of this invention . the player places his wagers 1120 , the game is started 1121 and the game outcome is determined 1122 . if the outcome is not a bonus outcome 1123 , then game reward evaluation is performed 1140 to determine whether a game reward should be paid 1141 . if this outcome is a bonus outcome , and if the game is defined to allow wagers to be placed on a bonus outcome 1124 and if one or more wagers were made on the bonus outcome 1126 then a reward is paid against said wagers 1142 game . irrespective of whether or not bonus outcomes are enabled or whether or not bonus outcome wagers were paid and placed , the bonus outcome activates a bonus round 1125 . fig1 depicts the flow chart of yet another embodiment of this invention , illustrating one possible bonus outcome activation . all wagers from the original game stand 1220 and another game round is played out 1221 and 1222 . if the outcome is not the bonus again 1223 , the outcome is compared against the placed wagers 1240 and winnings are paid against such correctly matching wagers 1241 , but an adjusted reward rate , typically higher than the normal . an example of such would be to pay out twice as much as usual in the bonus round vs . in a standard round . a bonus triggering outcome achieved during a bonus round is resolved according to prespecified game rules 1225 . this may optionally include activating an additional bonus round at the same reward levels , or activating another bonus round at a modified reward schedule . in one such implementation , this could cause all rewards to be tripled , rather than doubled . in another such implementation , this could cause all wagers not placed on the bonus outcome to lose . where the game permits players to place wagers directly on a bonus outcome , then another bonus outcome during a bonus round could lead to special rewards for such bonus wagers . fig1 portrays yet another flow chart of an alternate implementation of this invention , in particular showing one possible bonus outcome activation . in this implementation , all wagers from the original game stand 1320 and the first of at least two game rounds is played out 1321 , 1322 . if the outcome is not the bonus again 1323 , the outcome is compared against the placed wagers 1340 and rewards are paid against such correctly matching wagers 1341 . such rewards could be played out at standard rates or alternatively at special bonus round rates . if the outcome is a bonus outcome , then it can be handled as discussed above . once the first bonus round is played out , a second bonus round is likewise played out with all wagers from the original game continuing to stand 1326 , another round being played out 1327 and 1328 and the results evaluated and acted upon 1329 , 1342 , 1342 , 1330 . clearly , this concept can be easily extended to allow any plurality of bonus rounds to be played out . fig1 illustrates an alternate flow chart of another bonus outcome activation . this implementation is similar to that depicted in fig1 , except that the multiple bonus round outcome are determined in parallel instead of sequentially . all wagers from the original game stand 1420 and the game rounds is played out 1421 where multiple outcomes are generated 1422 . optionally , these outcomes may be mutually exclusive or completely independent of each other . each outcome is compared against wagers placed 1423 , and winnings paid against such matching wagers 1441 . such rewards may optionally be paid at standard rates or at special bonus round rates according to predefined game definition . if the outcome is a bonus outcome , then it can be handled as discussed in fig1 above . fig1 a and 15b illustrates a flow chart for the optional embodiment previously shown in fig8 . the player places his wagers 1520 and the game commences 1521 . the value for each of two dice is determined 1522 by the throw of physical dice or by the random generation of values which appear on electro - mechanical or video dice simulations . the initial outcome is determined by computing the sum of the two dice values 1523 and this outcome is then displayed 1524 . when applied to a game such as that depicted in fig8 , the location on the game board corresponding to the generated outcome can be marked or highlighted . any wager placed on the current outcome 1525 is rewarded in accordance with the predefined pay schedule 1540 . outcomes of “?”, “? ?,” or “?? ?” 1527 initiate the rewarding of a bonus effect 1541 . the bonus effect to be rewarded may be the earning of another thrown , the payment of a reward , the random relocation to a new outcome location , the ending of the game irrespective of whether a bonus triggering outcome were generated , or other such rewards as determined by random generation from a predetermined list of potention rewards . if the bonus effect is to end the game 1542 , then the game ends 1550 , else we proceed to consider whether a bonus triggering outcome has been created . in the optional embodiment illustrated , such outcomes comprise the throwing of doubles 1529 , but in alternative implementations , other outcomes - could be used . if the outcome was a “ bonus ” outcome 1528 then a reward is paid , said reward being optionally computed based on all outstanding wagers 1543 . whether a bonus is paid or not , we proceed to consider whether a bonus extending outcome has been created . optionally such an outcome is comprised of a throw of doubles . in the optional embodiment illustrated , players may not place wagers on “?”, “? ?,” “?? ?” or “ bonus ” but in an alternate embodiment such wagers may be permitted . once the current outcome has been evaluated , we look at whether the last dice throw was a bonus extending outcome , which in the optional embodiment illustrated consists of a throw of “ doubles ” 1529 , i . e . whether the die values of the thrown dice are equal . if not , then the game ends 1550 . else if doubles were thrown , the player receives another throw of the dice for which all of his current wagers stand 1531 , and the player will again be eligible for winnings based upon the generated outcome . as described previously 1522 , two dice values are generated and summed to determine the current throw total , which total is then to the outcome sum of prior throws within the current bonus round 1533 to form the new outcome sum where such computation is performed in a modular arithmetic manner to generate a sum , modulo 16 , where the sum of 0 is depicted as a value of 16 , and the sum of 1 is depicted as a value of 17 1535 . once a new outcome has been determined , processing loops back to start another round of outcome evaluation 1524 . in this sample game , there is no limit on how many bonus throws may occur within a single game . in an alternate implementation , such a limit may be designated . in an optional embodiment illustrated , player bonus rewards are paid after each bonus triggering event and bonus outcome . in an alternate embodiment , player bonus rewards could be paid only at predesignated points within the bonus round , for example , after every m rolls , or only at the end of the bonus round . while certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described it is to be understood that the present invention is subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims presented herein .
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the present invention may be described herein in terms of various hardware components and modules and processing steps . it should be appreciated that such modules and steps may be realized by any number of hardware components configured to perform the specified functions . for example , the present invention may employ various shaped tubes , sheaths , and the like , which may carry out a variety of functions . in addition , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced in any number of contexts and that the illustrative embodiment as described herein is merely one exemplary application for the invention . for example , the present invention may be applicable to various types of animals and other applications that require precise positioning of devices or drugs . further , such general techniques that may be known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail herein . the present system avoids the passive transportation of any pyrogens , bacteria , virus , toxins , or other substances . thus , the subcutaneous or deep anatomic locale is kept cleaner , which can reduce clinical infection rates . such a delivery system is beneficial to patient health and to reduce healthcare costs . in addition , the system and methods of the present invention may use slip enhanced ptfe , and as such , while not requiring lubrication , actually performs better without any such foreign lubricious gels . this further maintains and promotes a clean , sterile , procedural , surgical site or wound fewer variable substances at the surgical site may proportionately reduce the medical complications currently experienced in some procedures and specialties . thus , the present invention is more efficient in the operating room for medical device placement than previous systems . with reference to fig4 , in general , a delivery assembly 100 comprises a membrane sheath 3 , a tube 4 , and a guide assembly 110 . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , and with momentary reference to fig5 , in use , tube 4 along with membrane 3 is pushed through guide assembly 110 , and a medical device such as the illustrated iol lens 1 is deposited on or in a location of the human body such as an eye 30 , a body cavity or channel ( not illustrated in fig5 ), or other body location . referring now to fig1 , a membrane sheath 3 in accordance with one aspect of the present invention is shown . membrane sheath 3 suitably comprises a thin , flexible polymeric substrate such as memcath &# 39 ; s .™. slip enhanced generation ii ptfe film . however , membrane sheath 3 may suitably comprise other similarly performing polymer substrates such as fluorinate ethylene propylene ( fep ), perfluoroalkoxy ( pfa ), other ptfe films , and the like . advantageously , membrane 3 has sufficient lubricity to smoothly slide out of and over the exterior of , for example , a tube 4 as illustrated in fig2 - 5 . thus , any suitable material having sufficient slip , strength , integrity , flexibility and lubricity may be utilized in accordance with the present invention to form membrane 3 , provided the material has sufficient strength and flexibility to be medically acceptable when in use . in accordance with various aspects of the present invention , membrane 3 comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene resin , a modified ptfe resin , or combinations thereof . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , membrane 3 is formed from a sintered ptfe film formed by skiving it off a billet to a thickness of less than 0 . 005 in . ptfe billet may comprise a modified ptfe , such as hoechst tfm 1700 or tfm 1702 or other chemical compound available from dewall industries of saunderstown , r . i . under the names dw / 200 , and dw / 220 respectively or other processors . such material comprises a modified ptfe polymer , modified by the addition of a small amount of perfluoro propyl vinyl ether ( ppve ). it is believed that the addition of ppve causes the ptfe to be more amorphous and more plasticized than pure crystalline ptfe . such modification also permits the film to be heat sealed upon itself ( i . e ., interfacial fusion ), in accordance with various aspects of the present invention . in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention , membrane 3 having multiple global sources may also comprise a modified ptfe resin available from dupont under the name mitsui - dupont tg 70 - j which has been sintered into billets , annealed , and skived to a thickness of on the order of 0 . 001 in . additionally , it should be appreciated that other ptfe films may be suitably used as may be now known or hereafter devised by those skilled in the art . for example , ptfe homopolymers or copolymers with comonomers like ppve , pfa and the like may be suitably used . it is important , however , that the film be usable to form membrane 3 which when used in connection with tube 4 can be easily withdrawn , ( i . e . does not “ lock ”) when membrane 3 is ( inverted ) withdrawn in a non - lubricated or “ dry ” state . the membrane materials useful in accordance with the present invention also have use in connection with various designs , such as those described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 531 , 717 , issued jul . 2 , 1996 , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 676 , 688 , issued oct . 14 , 1997 , and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 240 , 968 , issued jun . 5 , 2001 , the descriptions contained in each of those references are hereby incorporated herein by reference . in accordance with various aspects of the present invention , membrane sheath 3 has a thickness on the order of less than 0 . 005 inches thick . it should be appreciated , however , that membrane sheath 3 may have thickness in excess of 0 . 005 inches . in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , membrane sheath has a thickness less than 0 . 001 inches . the polymer membrane sheath may be made of a substrate of various thickness . as will be described in detail below , membrane sheath 3 may be used to place an intraocular lens 1 with anchoring and positioning haptics 2 into an eye . with reference to fig2 , an iol 1 is illustrated being loaded into a membrane sheath 3 . as will be appreciated , iol 1 may be loaded in a variety of ways . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , iol 1 may be positioned in membrane sheath 3 via a plunger / pusher rod 12 . the membrane sheath 3 may deploy the medical device or drug to the desired position in the body where the medical device or drug was inserted , positioned , and enveloped into the membrane sheath . for example , three centimeters from the leading edge into the sheath equals three centimeters depth into the body . one end of the membrane sheath 3 may be attached to a thread 7 ( e . g ., cotton , floss , nylon , and the like ), which is strung through a pusher tube 4 , made of a semi - rigid material such as polyvinylchloride ( pvc ), polycarbonate ( pc ), acyrlonitrile butadiene styrene ( abs ), nylon , and the like . the pusher tube may be made from a clear material such that the surgeon or other operator of the pusher tube can easily monitor the travel position of the device . with reference to fig3 , lens 1 is shown positioned in membrane 3 . lens 1 may be suitably deposited into an eye by use of a pusher tube 4 . as will be appreciated , prior to depositing lens 1 , membrane 3 along with lens 1 may be loaded into pusher tube 4 in a variety of ways . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , membrane 3 may be pulled into the pusher tube 4 by the string 7 . a suitable retaining ring 8 may be attached to string 7 to facilitate pulling membrane 3 into pusher tube 4 . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , membrane sheath 3 collapses and protects the medical device such as an intraocular lens ( iol ) or a stent , as the sheath is pulled into the tube 4 . with momentary reference to fig4 , when loaded into pusher tube 4 , membrane 3 is interposed between pusher tube 4 and lens 1 such that lens 1 is only in contact with membrane 3 . in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , a guide assembly 110 such as guide ring 5 is secured to the end of membrane 3 away from string 7 . guide ring 5 may be secured by a snap or twist ring 6 to membrane 3 . fig4 shows the lens 1 in the delivery assembly 100 ready for deployment . with momentary reference to fig5 , as shown , in use of assembly 100 , lens 1 may be deposited into location in an eye 30 . the inverting sheath deployment delivery system has the versatility to accommodate multiple medical applications with dimensional changes , to accommodate various diameters and lengths . during use of assembly 100 , membrane 3 is pushed through tube 4 and inverted ( i . e ., folded over ) such that the membrane is inverted over the outside of tube 4 . while the way in which membrane 3 can be inverted may vary , in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , membrane 3 is inverted through the use of the secure connection between membrane 3 and guide assembly 110 . with reference to fig4 and 5 , for example , an end of membrane 3 is connected to guide assembly 100 , such as through the use of any snap or twist ring 6 . as the tube , along with the membrane , passes through the guide assembly , one end of the membrane is secured to guide assembly 110 . in this manner , the membrane 3 may be unfolded over the outside of tube 4 such that membrane 3 is interposed between tube 4 and the eye 30 . it will be appreciated that , in this manner , lubricant is not delivered and lubricant does not remain in the eye during iol delivery . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , fig6 shows the loading of a drug such as radiologic seeds 9 used for prostate and bladder cancer therapies . radiologic seeds 9 may be suitably deposited into an affected cancerous site by use of pusher tube 4 . as will be appreciated , prior to depositing radiologic seeds 9 , membrane 3 along with seeds 9 may be loaded into pusher tube 4 in a variety of ways . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , membrane 3 may be pulled into the pusher tube 4 by the string 7 . a suitable retaining ring 8 may be attached to string 7 to facilitate pulling membrane 3 into pusher tube 4 . seeds 9 may be positioned in membrane 3 by a variety of ways including using a suitable plunger 12 to locate / position the seeds in the membrane sheath . with momentary reference to fig4 , when loaded into pusher tube 4 , membrane 3 is interposed between pusher tube 4 and seeds 9 such that seeds 9 are only in contact with membrane 3 . fig7 shows the drug seeds in position ready for deployment . with momentary reference to fig8 , as shown , in use of assembly 100 , seeds 9 may be deposited into the affected cancerous site , through a body orifice 31 such as the urethral meatus . alternatively , the body orifice 31 could be a surgical , scalpel created access port such as might be required for tumors at or beneath the epidermal layers . during use of assembly 100 , membrane 3 is pushed through tube 4 and inverted ( i . e ., folded over ) such that the membrane is inverted over the outside of tube 4 . in this manner , the membrane 3 may be unfolded over the outside of tube 4 such that membrane 3 is interposed between tube 4 and the patient &# 39 ; s body . fig8 shows the seeds / drug deposited into the affected cancerous site . it will be appreciated that , in this manner , contaminants from the conjunctiva , urethra , or other body part or channel are not dragged into the wound during introduction of the medical device and / or drugs . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , fig9 shows a stent 10 ready to be loaded into the assembly . fig1 shows stent 10 being drawn down ( collapsing ) into the membrane 3 as the loading string 7 is pulled back . in some cases depending on the stents &# 39 ; geometry , and there are many ( e . g . flared points at each end ), a funnel may be needed to help position the stent 10 to properly collapse into the membrane 3 . fig1 shows the collapsed stent 10 in position in the membrane 3 and ready for deployment . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , the membrane sheath will advance with a sampling reagent , and the sampling reagent will then retreat back into the membrane sheath , thus providing a completely sterile , localized bacterial sampling for pathology diagnostic use . in the context of this embodiment of the present invention , fig1 shows a textile or sponge swab 11 attached to the tied end of membrane 3 , wherein swab 11 is enveloped inside the membrane 3 . in this embodiment , the swab would be advanced to the site . the whole assembly would be twisted , rubbed against the patient &# 39 ; s tissue in question and then the assembly would be withdrawn and simultaneously re - inverted with the pull / loading string to the original pre - deployment position shown in fig1 , thus isolating the swab . the assembly may then be polybagged and sent to the pathology lab for analysis . in accordance with various aspects of the present invention , fig1 shows three exemplary pusher tube 4 tips 14 , 15 , 16 . tip 14 comprises a pusher tube 4 with straight tips 14 with a constant inner diameter / outer diameter ( id / od ) radii . tip 15 comprises a simple outer diameter beveled corner break and tip 16 comprises a pusher tube with a tapered tip with id / od both reduced at the proximal end . fig1 shows an alternate tapered tip 17 , 18 , 19 with two or more slots allowing a semi - rigid ( pvc ) pusher tube 4 to flower open as a device passes through the tube 4 , to which the tip inner diameter is smaller than the main tube body &# 39 ; s inner diameter . this permits ease of entry into the body , with a tapered tip , yet allows a larger diameter medical device than the tapered inner diameter opening to pass through when the membrane 3 elsewhere shown is deployed . fig1 shows the slotted tip in the flowered open position 20 , 21 , 22 . fig1 shows an alternate pusher tube 23 with various alternative distal ends 24 and 24 a . this will help to backload the iol in contrast to the front - loading technique discussed above . fig1 shows an alternate membrane sheath 25 that can function with an iol . the iol 1 , the guide rings 5 , and the snap - retaining ring 6 are as discussed in detailed above . fig1 shows an exemplary back load assembly version . the iol 1 may be shipped in this position . fig1 shows the deployment of an iol into an eye 36 . the expanded proximal end of the pusher tube has collapsed as the guide ring moved into final position . in accordance with another embodiment , fig1 shows two tube sections . the tube sections will slide together in operation ( see fig2 ), and then later slide and rest together for loading of the membrane , assembly of the guide ring / snap and loading of the iol . fig2 and 23 show the iol in deployment ready mode . fig2 shows an alternate distal end al which will butt up against the palm of the surgeon &# 39 ; s hand . fig2 shows an alternate guide ring with finger grips . these two flanges , the end a 1 of the pusher tube illustrated in fig2 and the finger grip illustrated in fig2 will allows the surgeon to squeeze and deploy the device ready ( see fig2 ) to deployment executed ( see fig2 ). the present invention has been described above with reference to an exemplary embodiment . however , those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention . for example , the various processing steps dictated by the present invention , as well as the components for carrying out the processing steps , may be implemented in alternate ways depending upon the particular application or in consideration of any number of cost functions associated with the operation of the system . these and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention .
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detailed descriptions of one or more preferred embodiments 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 any appropriate system , structure or manner . fig1 is an overall perspective of a preferred embodiment for torque wrench 10 shown loosening a nut or bolt 850 . hydraulic fluid source 20 is shown powering torque wrench 10 . controller 22 can be used to control hydraulic fluid source 20 . on / off switch 26 can turn hydraulic power to fluid source 20 on and off . when power is on and toggle switch 23 is not depressed fluid can be pumped in line 28 in the direction of arrow 25 ( with fluid returning via line 27 in the direction of arrow 24 ). when toggle switch 23 is depressed fluid flow is switched with fluid flowing into line 27 in the opposite direction of arrow 24 and fluid returning in line 28 in the opposite direction of arrow 25 . shaft 170 will be turned in the direction of arrow 870 causing socket 15 to turn threaded fastener 850 . in this process a reaction torque will be generated tending to rotate wrench 10 in the opposite direction of arrow 870 . to oppose this reaction torque reaction bar 800 will contact threaded fastener 852 . fig1 a is a top view of torque wrench 10 tightening threaded fastener 850 . fig2 shows an exploded view of a preferred embodiment for torque wrench 10 . torque wrench 10 can comprise body 30 , body 30 including a cylinder 500 for hydraulically reciprocating a piston 640 . the piston 640 being operably connected to a driver 160 . the connection between the piston 640 and driver 160 can be a ratcheting mechanism comprising a drive gear 360 . torque wrench 10 can include a reaction bar 800 which provides a reacting force in opposition to the torque applied by driver 160 on threaded fastener 850 . driver 160 can be operably connected to a drive shaft 170 which can be a square shaft detachably connectable to a socket 15 ( not shown in this figure ) which itself connects to threaded fastener 850 . there can be further included exchangeable sockets mountable on driver 160 for engaging a head of a threaded fastener 850 , such as a bolt or nut . cylinder 500 can be integrally formed in body 30 . one end of body 30 can include piston stopper 560 which is threadably connected to body 30 to receive hydraulic cylinder 500 parts such as piston 540 , and the other end body 30 has an opening 45 to receive driver 160 parts , such as drive gear 360 . piston rod 650 includes slot 700 and maintains a perpendicular force in relation to drive shaft 170 during the entire stroke of piston 640 . during operation a reaction torque ( or force ) equivalent to the torque applied by torque wrench 10 will be generated when removing threaded connector 850 . this reaction torque must be compensated for , such as by having reaction bar 800 transmit such torque to the structure which threaded connected 850 is located . when drive shaft 170 is first operably connected to threaded connector 850 ( such as through a socket head ), reaction bar 800 may not be in contact with the structure . torque wrench 10 should be rotated until reaction bar 800 contacts the structure . otherwise body 30 of torque wrench 10 will rotate until contacting the structure possibly causing injury if hands or fingers are caught in between the structure and body 30 . during the application of force to turn threaded connector 850 in a first direction , a reaction force will be generated in a second direction tending to turn body 30 in the opposite direction in which threaded connector 850 is being turned . reaction bar 800 can be used to contact the adjacent structure and provide a reacting force so that a user is not required to manually apply the reacting force which can be as high as 50 , 000 foot pounds . as shown in fig3 and 26 piston 640 can comprise a rod 650 having a tip 660 with the tip 660 having an elongated slot 700 . on the end opposing tip 660 can be connected base 670 . body 30 can include base section 50 , interior 40 , cylinder 500 , and front section 70 . base section 50 can include hexagonal section 60 for incorporating reaction bar 800 . front section 70 can operate drive 160 . front section 70 can include first and second plates 70 , 80 which respectively can include first and second bores 100 , 110 . hydraulic ports 520 , 530 can be used for introducing hydraulic fluid into cylinder 500 during operation . driver 160 can comprise drive shaft 170 , drive gear 360 , first and second drive plates 180 , 190 , and drive pawl 240 . drive gear 360 can be rotatably connected to first and second drive plates 180 , 190 . drive pawl 240 can be operably connected to drive gear 360 through a plurality of teeth 365 located on drive gear 360 . tip 250 of drive pawl can ratchet with respect to the plurality of teeth 365 . cylinder 500 can comprise cylinder chamber 510 , rear wall 540 , front wall 550 , piston stopper 560 , and end cap 570 . a reciprocating piston 640 can included in cylinder chamber 510 and can move in the direction of arrows 860 , 870 depending on the direction of fluid flow in cylinder chamber 510 from hydraulic ports 520 , 530 . reciprocating piston 640 can comprise piston rod 650 , tip 660 , and base 670 . tip 660 can comprise slot 700 for operably connecting piston 640 to driver 160 . base 670 can include groove 720 for installing a seal 730 which seals base 670 to the walls of cylinder chamber 510 during operation . reciprocating piston 640 can be operably connected to driver 160 though a connection between drive pawl 240 and tip 660 . pin 440 can extend through bores 280 , 290 in first and second plates 260 , 270 for drive pawl 240 . tip 660 can connect to pin 440 through slot 700 . piston rod 640 can be attached to piston rod tip 660 which is operably connected to drive pin 440 through slot 700 . drive pin 440 is operably connected to drive pawl 240 and first and second drive plates 340 , 350 . first and second drive plates 340 , 350 are pivotally connected to drive pin 440 through bores 280 , 290 ( fig2 ). drive pawl 240 is operatively connected to drive gear 360 by a plurality of angular gear teeth 365 and drive pawl spring 242 . drive plate extension 342 biases spring 242 against drive pawl 240 and drive pawl 240 against plurality of angular teeth 365 . drive gear 360 is connected to drive shaft 170 through opening 367 . drive gear 360 is rotatably connected to wrench body 30 through bores 100 , 110 . extension of piston rod 640 rotates first and second drive plates 340 , 350 ; thereby moving drive pin 440 and rotating drive pawl 240 engaging drive gear 360 , and turning drive shaft 170 , and finally engaging nut or bolt 850 . drive bushings 950 , 960 can be operatively connected to drive gear 360 . drive bushings 950 , 960 can fit into 100 , 110 of wrench body 30 and can reduce friction and act as a bearing surface during rotation of drive shaft 170 . during retraction of piston rod 640 inside hydraulic cylinder 500 , piston rod 640 pulls drive pin 440 , and drive plates 340 , 350 which , in turn pulls drive pawl 240 . however , during retraction , drive pawl 240 ratchets over drive gear 340 without moving such gear . reaction bar 800 can be connected to wrench body 30 and will be in contact with a structural component and provide a reaction force to compensate for the torque generated by the torque wrench 10 . as shown in fig2 through 24 , reaction bar 800 can comprise arm 810 , base 820 , a plurality of splines 825 , and opening 830 . plurality of splines 825 can be fitted on for engaging hexagonal section 60 of torque wrench 10 . there can be included a set screw hole for fixing base 820 onto hexagonal section 60 . fig3 through 5 schematically illustrate stroking of torque wrench 10 . fig3 is a sectional view of torque wrench 10 with piston 640 at beginning stroke . fig4 is a sectional view torque wrench 10 with piston 640 at intermediate stroke . fig5 is a sectional view of torque wrench 10 with piston 640 at full stroke . movement of piston 640 is controlled by the flow of hydraulic fluid through ports 520 , 530 . fig4 shows piston 640 moving in the direction of arrows 890 , 900 . for movement in this direction hydraulic fluid enters cylinder through port 520 . this hydraulic fluid pushes against first area 680 of piston base 670 . a pushing force is created which is equal to the pressure of the hydraulic fluid from port 520 multiplied by the size first area 680 . such force cause piston 640 to move in the direction of arrow 880 . at the same time hydraulic fluid inside of cylinder chamber 510 , but on the side of second area 690 will exit through port 530 . as piston moves in the direction of arrow 900 pin 400 and drive pawl 250 operably engage the plurality of angular teeth 365 causing drive gear 360 to rotate in the direction of arrow 870 . as additional hydraulic fluid is pumped through port 520 piston 640 will continue to move in the direction of arrows 880 , 900 until second face 690 contacts front wall 550 ( or piston stopper 560 ). at this point drive gear 360 has seen the maximum rotation in the direction of arrow 870 for this piston stroke . now piston 690 can be returned to its beginning stroke position . to return piston 690 to the beginning stroke position hydraulic fluid is pumped into port 530 and pushes against second area 690 of piston base 670 . a pushing force is created which is equal to the pressure of the hydraulic fluid from port 520 multiplied by the size second area 690 . such force will cause piston 640 to move in the direction of arrow 890 . at the same time hydraulic fluid inside of cylinder chamber 510 , but on the side of first area 680 will exit through port 520 . as piston moves in the direction of arrow 890 , drive pawl 250 will slip over the plurality of angular teeth 365 by rotating in the direction of arrow 920 . drive gear 360 will be prevented from rotating in a direction opposite arrow 870 by arm 820 operably engaging plurality of angular teeth 365 . as additional hydraulic fluid is pumped through port 530 piston 640 will continue to move in the direction of arrows 890 until first face 680 comes to the initial stroke position . at this point piston 690 is ready for a second stroke . the above movement can be described as a ratcheting movement . to reverse rotation of drive shaft 170 , torque wrench 10 must be removed from nut or bolt 850 , body 30 turned over and again fastened to nut or bolt 850 . drive shaft 170 is slidably connected to drive gear 360 to allow shaft 170 to protrude from the side of body 30 on which nut or bolt 850 is to be tightened or loosened . one side of body 30 drive shaft 170 will rotate clockwise and the other side of body 30 will rotate counterclockwise . fluid flows enters the rear of cylinder chamber 510 ( through hydraulic port 520 ) causing piston 640 , piston rod 650 , and tip 660 to extend . piston 640 is driven forward by the fluid pressure , and piston rod tip 660 engages driver 160 to impart high - torque rotation to threaded fastener 850 . fluid exits cylinder chamber 510 through hydraulic port 530 returning to hydraulic fluid source 20 . once piston 640 extends fully forward , the fluid flow is manually switched . fluid now enters cylinder chamber 510 through hydraulic port 530 and exits through port 520 moving piston 640 toward rear wall 540 . the fluid between piston 640 and rear wall 54 is forced out through port 520 and returning to fluid source 20 . once piston 640 retracts fully inward , fluid flow is again manually switched back to the flow directions for forward movement . this process is repeated until threaded fastener 850 has been completely tightened to the required high torque , and torque wrench 10 can be applied to another threaded fastener . should one wish to loosen a torqued threaded fastener , such as nut or bolt 850 , torque wrench 10 is simply “ flipped over ” and the opposite end of drive shaft 170 is operably connected to threaded fastener 850 . flipping over wrench 10 will cause drive shaft 170 to rotate in a counter - clockwise direction thereby loosening threaded fastener 850 . as described above hydraulic fluid is manually controlled to extend and retract piston 640 . retraction of piston 640 as described above is accomplished by manually switching the direction of fluid flow into and out of hydraulic ports 520 , 530 from hydraulic fluid source 20 . also as described above the direction of fluid flow into and out of hydraulic ports 520 , 530 from hydraulic fluid source 20 is manually switched to cause piston 640 to extend . the wrench can also include a neutral release lever wherein a neutral position the wrench would free wheel with the lever release disengaged drive pawl of the drive mechanism and the lever release is positioned between the drive mechanism and the reciprocating power source . the neutral release lever may be fixed or attachable . the lever extends to a position in which on total reaction , the drive pawl is disengaged . fig2 graphically illustrates the changes in torque during a full stroke of piston 640 . during each stroke piston 640 travels along a straight line which is indicated by center line 732 through the longitudinal center of piston 640 . however , drive pin 440 moves through an arc 910 , which arc forms part of a circle having a radius equal to the distance between center of drive gear 360 ( and also center of bore 370 of first drive plate 340 ) and the center 485 of drive pin 440 ( and also the center of recessed are 345 of first drive plate 340 ). that is , first drive plate 340 controls the radial position of drive pin 440 as pin 440 moves about drive gear 360 . dimensional line 930 graphically represents the vertical distance between the center 485 of drive pin 440 and the center 366 of drive gear 360 . the torque applied to drive gear 360 at any given instant is equal to the hydraulic force applied on piston 640 multiplied times the vertical distance 930 . the hydraulic force applied to piston 640 can remain constant during strokes of piston 640 . however , because torque equals force times length , the torque applied to drive gear 360 will vary according to the variance of the vertical distance 930 . in embodiment , piston 640 is positioned where its centerline 732 falls in the middle 990 of the vertical movement of drive pin 440 . when located in middle 990 the deviation in torque applied to drive gear 360 during a given stroke of piston 640 will be minimized because the deviation in vertical distance 930 will be minimized . prior art torque wrenches line up center line 732 of piston 640 with position 940 . in these prior art wrenches the deviation in vertical distance 930 will be equal to vertical travel 980 . with the instant embodiment the deviation in vertical distance 930 will be one half of vertical travel 980 as distance 960 will be equal to distance 970 . such a construction will minimize variances in torque during any given stroke . another method of minimizing deviations of torque is to vary hydraulic pressure on piston 640 in relation to the vertical distance 930 . that is , as vertical distance 930 increases during a stroke , hydraulic pressure can be reduced to maintain a constant torque . further , when vertical distance 930 decreases during a stroke , hydraulic pressure can be increased to maintain a constant torque . the change in pressure can be calculated based on the change in vertical distance 930 . however , with this embodiment the position of piston 640 ( or angular position of drive plate 340 ) would probably have to be known to calculate the change in vertical distance 930 . the other problem addressed by centering centerline 732 in the middle of arc 910 is reducing any reverse torque on piston 640 . whenever center 445 of drive pin 440 moves away from centerline 732 of piston 640 a reverse torque will be applied to piston 640 equal to the vertical distance 1000 multiplied by the hydraulic force on piston 640 . this reverse torque tends to rotate piston 640 in relation to cylinder 500 and this tendency to rotate can cause premature seal failure along with wear between piston 640 and cylinder 500 . placing centerline 732 of piston 640 in the middle of arc 910 will minimize vertical distance 1000 and therefore minimize the amount of reverse torque for any given hydraulic force . the delta in fig3 schematically illustrates the vertical distance 1000 . arrow 1010 shows the reverse torque being applied to piston 640 . in other embodiments centerline 732 is placed between about 0 and 50 percent from the centerline to maximum vertical movement of drive pin 440 ; more preferably between about 0 and 35 percent ; more preferably between about 0 and 25 percent ; and most preferably between about 0 and 10 percent . in one embodiment hydraulic cylinder 500 can include spaced apart wear rings 620 , 630 respectively located in grooves 600 , 610 . wear rings 620 , 630 can be used to prevent wear between piston 640 and hydraulic cylinder 500 , such as the walls of chamber 510 . during the stroke piston 640 can contact wear rings 620 , 630 and not the walls of chamber 510 . accordingly , the walls of chamber 510 will not scratch or scar the surface of piston 640 . additionally , piston 640 will not scratch or scar the walls of chamber 510 . spacing apart wear rings 620 , 630 also helps the rings absorb the reverse torque discussed above . the reverse torque discussed above can be absorbed by seal 730 ( and piston base 670 ), along with wear rings 620 , 630 . it has been found that a v - cut shape for seal 730 provides a longer seal life . seal 590 for end cap 560 can also be a v - cut . fig1 through 14 show a preferred drive pawl 240 . drive pawl 240 can include support area 300 . fig1 is a perspective view of drive pawl 240 . fig1 is a top view of drive pawl 240 . fig1 is a side view of drive pawl 240 . fig1 is a rear view of drive pawl 240 . fig7 is a perspective view showing drive pin 440 mounted in drive pawl 240 and also mounted in second drive plate 350 . one of the problems with prior art torque wrenches is bending or failure of drive pin 440 . typically , drive pin 440 is supported by first and second plates 260 , 270 . however , with large forces drive pin 440 can deflect / bend between plates 260 , 270 causing fatigue and other problems . in one embodiment drive pawl 240 can include support area 300 . support area 300 can provide intermediate support ( between plates 260 , 270 ) to drive pin 440 and resist bending of drive pin 440 . support area 300 can extend from plate 260 to plate 270 . in an alternative embodiment support area does extend from plate 260 to plate 270 . in another alternative embodiment support area 300 comprises a support post . in another embodiment support area 300 substantially follows the curvature of drive pin 440 . it has been found that in prior art wrenches the sides of the drive pin touch the interior of the wrench body during motion . this can cause wear , scratching , gouging , and premature failure of bodies along with drive pins . during torque wrench operation drive pins can shift to one side until contacting the interior of the wrench bodies . because of the large forces placed on drive pins during operation the drive pins will tend to flex and their sides extending outward even further . as the drive pins are moved through an arc around the drive gears , the side of the drive pin contacting the interior of the drive body can wear , gouge , scratch , scar , or otherwise impair the interior of the drive body . this mechanism can continue ( as the drive pin can move over even more where a groove appears in the wall of the body ) until the drive body needs repair or replacement . in one embodiment first and second ends 460 , 470 of drive pin 440 are restricted from touching the interior 40 of body 30 . in one embodiment first and second plates 340 , 350 can respectively include recessed areas 345 , 355 , instead of bores therethrough . recessed areas 345 , 355 will prevent either first or second end 460 , 470 from contacting interior 40 of body 30 and wearing interior 40 of body 30 . in another embodiment first and second ends 460 , 470 of drive pin 440 have their movement restricted past first and second drive plates 340 , 350 . instead of recessed areas 345 , 355 , bars / restrictors can be placed in bores which replaced recessed areas 345 , 355 . in another embodiment , a wear plate can be placed on interior 40 of body 30 — which wear plate tracks the movement of drive pin 440 . in another embodiment interior 40 of body 30 can be coated with a material to resist wear from first and second ends 460 , 470 of drive pin 440 . in another embodiment the hardness of interior 40 of body 30 can be made harder than the hardness of drive pin 440 . because drive pin 440 is softer in this embodiment , drive pin 440 will wear instead of interior 40 of body 30 . in another embodiment drive pin 440 and drive plates 340 , 350 can be configured to resist side to side movement of drive pin 440 . this can be accomplished by a variety of means , such as by beveling first and second ends 460 , 470 of drive pin 440 to mate with openings in first and second drive plates 340 , 350 . in another embodiment the center 445 of drive pin 440 can have a larger cross section than the first and second ends 460 , 470 . the larger drive pin 440 cross section in the center 445 would resist movement of drive pin 440 from side to side beyond first and second drive plates 340 , 350 and resist contact by drive pin 440 with body 30 . in another embodiment a restriction can be placed on drive pin 440 to restrict side to side movement of drive pin 440 past drive plates 340 , 350 . such a restriction could include a projection from drive pin 440 on either or both sides of drive pin 440 . the projections can include one or more annular rings , set screws , rods , spikes , arms , or other projections . in another embodiment drive plates 340 , 350 can be mechanically linked with drive pin 440 to prevent side to side or lateral movement of drive pin 440 . such mechanical linkage can include set screws , snap rings , or other linkages . for example , snap rings can be placed on either side of drive pin 440 , but on the inside of drive plates 340 , 350 and these snap rings would resist side to side movement of drive pin 440 . as another example , set screws could be used between drive plates 340 , 350 and first and second ends 460 , 470 of drive pin 440 mechanically connecting the plates to the drive pin . however , this use of set screws is not preferred because it would resist relative rotation of drive pin 440 and drive plates 340 , 350 . in another embodiment drive pin 440 can be fastened to drive plates 340 , 350 by welding or an adhesive . recessed area of pin 440 can be used to reduce localized contact stresses in drive pin 440 . prior art wrenches include pins of uniform circular cross sections . in prior art wrenches it has been found that piston rod tips contact drive pins in only small localized areas and generate high localized areas of stress and deformation . in a preferred embodiment of wrench 10 , drive pin 440 includes recessed area 480 which is flat and increases the area of contact to reduce / minimize localized areas of high stress . edges 482 , 484 are shown at 90 degrees relative to flat area 480 . however , to reduce stress concentration , edges 482 , 483 can be at 45 degrees or lower or can even be curved , such as parabolic or elliptical curves . the following is a list of reference numerals used in this application : below are listed the preferred materials for various items of wrench 10 . body 30 , reaction bar 800 , piston rod base 670 , piston stopper 560 , and lever 750 can be comprised of aluminum 7075 t6 . drive pawl 240 can be comprised of 4340 carbon steel having a rockwell hardness of between 42 – 44 . drive gear 360 can be comprised of 4340 carbon steel having a rockwell hardness of between 42 – 44 . drive pin 440 can be comprised of 4340 carbon steel having a rockwell hardness of between 50 – 52 . piston rod 640 can be comprised of 4340 carbon steel having a rockwell hardness of between 55 – 57 . drive shaft 170 can be comprised of 4340 carbon steel having a rockwell hardness of between 50 – 52 . drive plates 260 , 270 can be comprised of ar400 steel having a rockwell hardness of between 44 – 45 . reaction boot 812 can be comprised of 4140 stainless steel having a rockwell hardness of between 42 – 44 . seals 590 , 730 can be neoprene having a hardness of v90 . wear rings 620 , 630 can be molygard . all measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure , at sea level on earth , unless indicated otherwise . all materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible , unless indicated otherwise . 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 methods differing from the type described above . 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 set forth in the appended claims . the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only ; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims . the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only ; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims .
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the invention is now described with reference to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout . in the following description , for purposes of explanation , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof . it may be evident , however , that the invention can be practiced without these specific details . the multipurpose yoga device of the present invention enables a user in creating more space in the lumbar region by loosening the muscles and creating more space between the vertebrae . the multipurpose yoga device provides sending the attention of the body to the precise area to provide more blood and hence oxygen and phagocytes to repair cells . additionally , the multipurpose yoga device can be used to reduce inflammation of lumbar nerves , passively stretch the tight muscles in the lower back area to create more length without the contraction which can cause tearage from pulling on fibrous areas of tissue , and loosen the lumbar fascia . finally , the multipurpose yoga device is relatively inexpensive to manufacture , natural to look and feel , quick to install , safe , strong , comfortable and easy to use . fig1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the multipurpose yoga device of the present invention wherein massage swing 110 is hanged from a doorway pull up bar 105 installed over the top of a door frame 100 . safe sticks 120 are also shown in fig1 . fig2 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the multipurpose yoga device of the present invention , comprising of a massage swing 110 with looped ends , a plurality of safe sticks 120 and a plurality of fastening straps 130 . the multipurpose yoga device further comprises of a plurality of rings 135 , wherein said rings 135 can be attached to the massage swing 110 at different locations . the multipurpose yoga device further comprises of a plurality of hand straps 140 and a plurality of leg straps 145 wherein said hand straps 140 act as handles and said leg straps 145 act as a place for the legs or feet to rest . the fastening strap 130 further comprises of hook and loop fasteners . the massage swing 110 is preferably longitudinal in shape . the massage swing 110 can be manufactured from any suitable natural material known in the art such as cotton etc . and can withstand a force of at least 1 kilo newton . the massage swing 110 can also be manufactured in a variety of lengths , sizes , colors , styles and designs to accommodate user preference . as illustrated in fig3 , safe stick 120 is preferably dumbbell shaped and is a one piece stick . a hole is drilled through the middle of the safe stick 120 . the safe stick 120 can be manufactured from any suitable material known in the art such as camphor wood , alder wood etc . as illustrated in fig3 , fastening strap 130 is preferably longitudinal in shape . the fastening strap 130 has hook and loop fasteners sections at each end . one end has hook and the other end has loop . the fastening strap 130 can be manufactured from any suitable material known in the art such as polypropylene etc . the fastening strap 130 can also be manufactured in a variety of lengths , sizes , colors , styles and designs to accommodate user preference . as illustrated in fig2 , rings 135 are an accessory product to the multipurpose yoga device . they are designed to allow the user of the massage swing 110 to lower themselves down to an inverted position without using abdominal muscles excessively . as illustrated in fig2 , the hand straps 140 and leg straps 145 are an accessory product to the multipurpose yoga device . they are designed to allow the user of the massage swing 110 to lower themselves down to an inverted position without using abdominal muscles excessively . this also applies for coming out of the massage swing 110 to an upright position from an inverted position . the hand straps 140 and leg straps 145 also make the massage swing 110 much more versatile , allowing an increased range of movements , stretches , yoga poses , self massage , partner massage and tantric positions . as illustrated in fig4 in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the use of massage swing 110 for a performing a yoga position is shown . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the massage swing 110 is preferably 4 meter ( m ) long , 65 millimeter ( mm ) wide and 6 millimeter ( mm ) thick and has a 20 centimeter ( cm ) loop at each end . the 6 millimeter ( mm ) thickness of large weave cotton preferably comprises of three 2 mm of cotton layers sewed together with nylon thread . nonetheless , it is contemplated that other dimensions could also be used without affecting the overall concept of the present invention . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the safety stick 120 is preferably 15 cm long one piece stick shaped like a dumbbell . at least one 27 mm × 5 mm hole is drilled through the middle . nonetheless , it is contemplated that other dimensions could also be used without affecting the overall concept of the present invention . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the fastening strap 130 is preferably 76 cm long . the fastening strap 130 is preferably 1 inch wide and 1 mm thick . the fastening strap 130 has preferably hook and loop fastener sections at each end . nonetheless , it is contemplated that other dimensions could also be used without affecting the overall concept of the present invention . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the rings 135 are standard size olympic rings . the thickness of the wooden ring ( pipe diameter ) is preferably 30 mm . the external diameter of the entire ring is preferably 235 mm . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the hand straps 140 and leg straps 145 are designed to be used with 23 . 5 centimeter rings , which act as handles for the user of the massage swing 110 . each hand strap 140 has a large loop at both ends . the large loop has preferably an opening 28 centimeter long to allow the ring to pass through easily to use the attachment method . the leg straps 145 are designed for use with the legs , for positions such as splits or for tantric positions . preferably two leg straps 145 are needed for each massage swing 110 . the hand straps 140 are designed for use primarily with the hands , for stabilisation and conditioning moves . two hand straps 140 are preferably needed for each massage swing 110 . the strap is preferably 100 % natural cotton and is a natural cotton colour . the strap is preferably 65 millimeter wide , 4 millimeter thick , and is preferably comprised of two 2 millimeter layers sewn together at the edges . the strap and all sewing points must have a minimum breaking point of 1 kilo newton ( kn ). the leg strap 145 is preferably 155 centimeter end to end when its two loops are already sewed in . to make the large loops , preferably an extra 31 centimeter of strap is needed for each one . this is to provide preferably a flat loop diameter of 28 centimeter from the end of the large loop to the first line of stitching . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , a doorway pull up bar is installed over the top of a door frame . stability of the doorway pull up bar by is checked by hanging from it . each one of the looped ends of the massage swing 110 is hanged over the highest of the two bars . the looped ends of the strap is wrapped around the bar two to three times until the bottom of the massage swing 110 is hanging just below waist height . the user &# 39 ; s hand is pushed through one of the hanging loops . then the user takes hold of the straight hanging part of the strap . the user then pulls the long hanging part of the strap through the loop at the end of the strap to form another loop . the safe stick is put through the loop and then the massage swing is pulled above and below the stick so that it tightens around the safe stick 120 . this secures the swing to the doorway pull up bar . the massage swing 110 is between the two wider ends of the safe stick 120 so that it cannot slip out . once both the safe sticks 120 are inserted , the height of the bottom of the massage swing 110 is at about waist height . this will mean that when inverted , the user &# 39 ; s head is an inch or two off the floor . the fastening straps 130 are added for extra safety . the fastening strap 130 is to be held horizontally end to end behind the safe stick 120 with the hook 10 and loop 20 fastener side facing the user . the two hook and loop fastener ends are brought towards each other as if the user wants to stick them together but then at the last minute they should be crossed over . the ends of the fastening strap 130 is fed through the hole in the middle of the safe stick 120 . the right end of the fastening strap 130 is to be wrapped round the back of the swing and round the front in a counter clockwise direction so that the hook 10 and the loop 20 fastening side is facing the user . the left side of the fastening strap 130 is wrapped round the back of the massage swing 110 and round the front in a clockwise direction so that the two hook and loop fastener sides stick together . how to install and use the multipurpose yoga device in doors without a bar in another preferred embodiment of the present invention the massage swing can be hanged in doors without using doorway pull up bars . this technique is not suitable for all doors . this technique is suitable only if the door closes firmly with a handle . in some cases , there is a very tight gap between the top of the door and the doorframe and the massage swing will not fit or the door will not close firmly . the massage swings 110 should only be hanged so that the pressure of the massage swing 110 closes the door towards the wall rather than opening it . the user positions on the side of the door so the user would pull the handle towards himself or herself to close the door . 2 . the door should be opened to an angle of 45 degrees . 3 . the massage swing 110 should hang over the top of the door so that the message swing 110 hangs at waist height . this is normally about the height of the handle . 4 . going to the other side of the door and knots are to be tied around the safe sticks 120 at the very top of the door to stop the massage swing sliding through the top of the door . an alternative option is to simply tie single or double knots without the safe sticks 120 . 5 . placing a sign on the side of the door with the knots to warn people not to open the door . 6 . going back to the other side of the door with the swing and the door is closed . make sure the door is firmly closed and the user hears the click of the handle . this should be tested by trying to open the door without pushing the handle down . if the door is not completely firmly closed , the user should not attempt to hang in this way . 7 . pulling on the swing to take any slack out so that the swings / knots are tightly against the other side of the door . 8 . standing between the door and the massage swing 110 with the massage swing 110 round user &# 39 ; s waist and putting all user &# 39 ; s weight into the massage swing 110 while still standing up to test the massage swing 110 is firmly installed . 9 . positioning the massage swing 110 at the level of the sacrum . 10 . facing the door , grabbing and holding of both sides of the massage swing 110 and turning user &# 39 ; s body sideways and walking user &# 39 ; s feet up the doorframe until user is upside down . 11 . repositioning the massage swing 110 if it has moved so that it is on the sacrum and user &# 39 ; s back is hanging straight . 12 . hanging out like a monkey getting out of the massage swing 110 when it is hung over a door . getting out of the massage swing when it is hung over a door grabbing of one of the sides of the massage swing and engaging user &# 39 ; s arms as a counter lever as user brings his or her legs down to the floor and user &# 39 ; s upper torso raises up . the user may want to turn around away from the door and bend forward over the swing to get used to standing up again . this will act as a nice hamstring and upper glutes stretch . having now described the preferred embodiment of multipurpose yoga device , its use and advantages will now be described . the self - massage effect — the massage swing is designed differently to other hammock style yoga swings . it is 6 mm thick and 65 mm wide so it fits neatly on the sacrum ( the flat bone at the bottom of the back ) and sinks in to the lumbar fascia and the upper glutes to loosen up what is often a very tight and compressed area . the 65 mm width of 100 % cotton can give a deep neuromuscular type by pushing into areas of fibrous hard muscle tissue in the deep rotator muscles such as the piriformis . this is the kind of technique you pay massage therapists £ 60 an hour for and now you can have it every day . the pressure of the strap stimulates the deep nerves and sends the attention of the body to the area which sends , allowing healing and repair of damaged and twisted muscle fibres and the flushing away of stagnant tissue the spinal decompression effect ( traction )— normal conditions of gravity and the results of bad posture from office sitting result in the compression of the vertebrae over time . this can cause nerves to be compressed , particularly in the lumbar lower back region , and so muscles tense and contract as a defence mechanism to protect the spine , which in turn puts more pressure on spinal nerves and so pain can result in the back and trigger points all over the body . sciatica is a good example of this . inversions in the massage swing turn gravity on its head , turning compression into decompression . the muscles of the back no longer have to do their job of keeping the upper torso straight and so they relax and become passive , allowing the weight of the head and body to gently create space between the hanging point : the sacrum , and the main weight : the head . this is traction . this will make the user longer , taller and straighter . the anti - office effect — people tend to round both their lower back and their shoulders when sitting in office chairs for hours on end . this results in a shortening of the chest muscles and a deactivation of the muscles which should maintain a healthy natural inwards curve in the lumbar region . as the user hangs upside down , the indiscriminate pressure of gravity straightens out rounded areas and helps restore the body to healthy anatomical alignment . the passive yoga effect — almost all yoga poses can be performed in the massage swing , but with passive muscles rather than muscles which are active holding the body up . although the benefits of activating healthy muscle function while stretching are enormous , sometimes particularly tight muscles need a softer approach . stretching without the effect of gravity can lead to a deeper stretch and help the user to convince muscles that they can stretch further by reducing their reflex to contract . the spinal straightening effect ( correcting scoliosis )— almost all people have some kind of coliosis ( spine veers to the right or left when looking from behind ). this can lead to unequal muscle load and postural imbalances , which can worsen over the years and lead to significant pain . gravity helps encourage the spine to find its natural straight form . other key benefits of the multipurpose yoga device include but not limited to : deep massage of back muscles such as the rhomboids , the trapezius and the rotator cuff muscles is facilitated as they relax entirely . relief for pregnant women as the constant downwards weight of the baby is turned upside down . the massage swing can be hanged on anything that provides a horizontal place to hang , such as : the maximum height for the hanging point the user can have the bottom of the swing easily accessible at waist height is 2 . 5 meters . the user can of course hang the massage swing at any height if the user is strong enough and agile enough to get into it . with a length of 4 meters , the maximum height for the hanging point is 2 . 5 meters if the user wants the bottom of the swing to hang at about waist height for easy use . it can be hung at any height if ease of entry is not an issue . load information — the multipurpose yoga device is safe for use by a 120 kilogram person if the stick and strap are used as per instructions . this gives a standard ten times margin for error before stick breakage begins to occur with a force of 1 kilo newton . extra information — the multipurpose yoga device has been tested by specialised machinery and can withstand a static force of 5 kilo newton before it begins to tear . it has also been tested by specialised machinery . it can withstand a static force of 1 . 2 kilo newton if the force is straight down on the centre of the stick . if the monkey stick is hanging on its side through the worst case scenario of incorrect use whereby the strap is putting pressure on the wide end of the stick , the breaking strength is 0 . 5 newton . washing — the multipurpose yoga device can be machine or hand washed at 40 degrees celsius . the safe sticks should be kept dry and left in warm , airy and dry place if they get damp . 1 . testing the massage swing 110 and doorway pull up bar are correctly installed by holding both sides of the massage swing 110 and pulling down with all user &# 39 ; s body weight . 2 . standing facing the door with the massage swing 110 behind the user hanging at user &# 39 ; s waist . if the massage swing 110 is at user &# 39 ; s waist then the user &# 39 ; s head will clear the floor when the user invert , depending on the user &# 39 ; s body proportions . 3 . standing straight and about 30 centimeter from the door , positioning the massage swing 110 on the user &# 39 ; s sacrum , otherwise known as the flat bone at the bottom of the back . this is the space just above the gluteal cleft ( bum crack ). the user may have to raise onto the tiptoes to get the swing into this position . 4 . with the user &# 39 ; s thumbs pointing upwards and palms facing inward , the user needs to hold the strap between thumb and index finger either side and slightly in front of the waist . 5 . keeping user &# 39 ; s body quite straight , the user needs to lean his or her weight back into the swing enough to stop the strap sliding up the user &# 39 ; s back . if the swing does slide up , the user will end up in a back bend , which may cause some lumbar ( lower back ) compression . 6 . maintaining some of user &# 39 ; s weight on the strap , the user needs to shuffle his or her feet forwards slightly so the user &# 39 ; s body assumes a 45 degree angle to the door . 7 . now the user &# 39 ; s weight is holding the strap in place . the user needs to move his or her hands up to about the height of about 135 cm from the end of the sling . while the user lift one of his or her legs of the floor and then the other leg of the floor as the user swing slightly and lower his or her upper torso to a more horizontal position . to save effort from user &# 39 ; s abdominal muscles the user needs to bend his or her legs towards self in a tuck position . 8 . the user needs to walk his or her hands down the strap as the user place his or her bent knees on the outside of the massage swing 110 and lower his or her head towards the floor . the user can place his or her feet together for a feeling of security , or can keep them open . this will allow the user &# 39 ; s pelvis more freedom and will also mean the swing puts less pressure on the inner thigh . 9 . when the user &# 39 ; s head is near the floor , the user needs to release his or hands and let them hang . 10 . repositioning the strap as necessary for comfort and alignment . if the massage swing 110 is correctly positioned on the user &# 39 ; s sacrum , user &# 39 ; s back will hang straight and the weight of the user &# 39 ; s upper body and head together with gravity will gently create space in vertebrae and passively stretch user &# 39 ; s back muscles and open his or her chest and shoulders . many curvaceous women may need to position the swing lower than the sacrum in the middle of the buttocks to avoid excessive anterior tilt of the pelvis . consequently , the multipurpose yoga device of the present invention enables a user in creating more space in the lumbar region by loosening the muscles and creating more space between the vertebrae . the multipurpose yoga device provides sending the attention of the body to the precise area to provide more blood and hence oxygen and phagocytes to repair cells . additionally , the multipurpose yoga device can be used to reduce inflammation of lumbar nerves , passively stretch the tight muscles in the lower back area to create more length without the contraction which can cause tearage from pulling on fibrous areas of tissue , and loosen the lumbar fascia . finally , the multipurpose yoga device is relatively inexpensive to manufacture , natural to look and feel , quick to install , safe , strong , comfortable and easy to use . additionally , other variations are within the spirit of the present invention . thus , while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions , a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail . it should be understood , however , that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed , but on the contrary , the intention is to cover all modifications , alternative constructions , and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined in the appended claims . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . the term “ connected ” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within , attached to , or joined together , even if there is something intervening . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context .
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referring to the drawings now in greater detail wherein an electronic control system shown generally as ( 10 ) for operating the luminarie for the street lamp , which in fig1 is referred to as the load shown as ( 12 ), wherein that load can be considered either an inductive or capacitive load and the load that the electronic control system must drive can vary considerably and include such luminaire as being metal halides , high pressure sodium , mercury vapour , compact fluorescents and linear fluorescent . mains power shown generally as ( 14 ) and ( 16 ) as the neutral and active respectively , comprises of an alternating current that flows as is to be expected in one direction and then the other , along single lines ( 18 ), ( 20 ) respectively at a rate of 50 or 60 cycles per second dependent upon the country in which this electronic control system for operating the luminaire for the street lamp is used . the metal oxide varistor ( mov ) ( 15 ) provides surge protection for the circuit . diode ( 26 ) provides the functionality such that an amount of current to power the integrated circuit ( 28 ) is completed during the negative half cycle , and capacitors ( 32 ) ( 34 ) maintain the supply during the positive half cycle . capacitors ( 32 ) and ( 34 ) charge during the negative half cycles brought around by the introduction of the diode ( 26 ) that are able to maintain continuous positive supply as required to the integrated circuit ( 28 ) for functional operation along line ( 36 ) during the positive phase of the ac cycle . as the person skilled in the art would appreciate capacitors ( 32 ) and ( 34 ) could be a single capacitor as they are currently aligned in parallel but in order to provide a more economical and cost effective electronic control system lower rated capacitors can be used in parallel . supply resistors ( 22 ) and ( 24 ) provide the required power level to the integrated circuit ( 28 ) for the power line ( 30 ). they are arranged in parallel to reduce the amount of power passing through each of the respective resistors ( 22 ) and ( 24 ). hence making available the use of less expensive resistors and greater space savings . resistors ( 38 ), ( 42 ) and ( 46 ) along with the zener diode ( 40 ), photo - transistor ( 44 ) and diode ( 47 ) all form part of the arrangement in establishing the second ac input signal into the comparator ( 51 ) which is a part of the integrated circuit ( 28 ). resistor ( 38 ) provides the working reference voltage of the zener diode ( 40 ) to which the photo - transistor ( 44 ) as a light sensor can work with . resistor ( 42 ) functions preferably as a variable resistor in order to match up correctly with the selected photo - transistor ( 44 ) of which levels of resistance can vary depending on relevant tolerance . resistor ( 46 ) is there to convert the voltage signal at the photo - transistor ( 44 ) into a current input signal ( 49 ) to the current comparator ( 51 ). resistors ( 48 ), ( 50 ), ( 52 ) and diode ( 54 ) are part of the arrangement which supplies the first ac input signal referred generally as the reference voltage upon input line ( 56 ) into the comparator ( 51 ). resistors ( 48 ) and ( 50 ) provide a reference to which the measured voltage can be compared with and wherein resistor ( 52 ) is incorporated again to convert the reference voltage signal into a current input signal ( 49 ) to the current comparator ( 51 ). the comparator ( 51 ) establishes an output current ( 58 ) which is fed to the output line ( 60 ) of the integrated circuit ( 28 ) wherein the capacitor ( 62 ) charges or discharges dependent upon the output current from the comparator which is dependent upon the instantaneous difference in magnitude between the referenced input ac signal ( 56 ) against the measured ac input signal ( 49 ) into the comparator ( 51 ). as would be expected during the day capacitor ( 62 ) would discharge as the photo detector arrangement of the photo - transistor ( 44 ), zener diode ( 40 ) being compared with the reference signal arrangement acknowledges the requirement to turn off the luminaire when the ambient light levels are considered too bright or conversely when the ambient light levels are insufficient the luminaire will be turned on . latch ( 90 ) has a fixed threshold voltage at which it changes state , and in addition a small hysteresis in this level to avoid oscillation . when capacitor ( 62 ) drops below the threshold level on latch ( 90 ), for example ambient light levels are considered too bright and the luminaire needs to be turned off , the electronic control system ( 10 ) recognises this situation and sends an output logic low signal ( 64 ) from the integrated circuit ( 28 ) to a integrated circuit which has timing functionality and shown generally as ( 66 ). this output signal ( 64 ) from the integrated circuit ( 28 ) is in electrical communication with resistor ( 68 ), wherein resistor ( 68 ) provides a degree of hysteresis , for example in instances when the photo - transistor ( 44 ) is detecting light levels decreasing , which may only be the result of a passing cloud or some more momentary disruption to the general ambient light levels rather than simply a transformation from night to day . ac inputs signals ( 56 ) and ( 49 ) form the two ( current ) inputs to the ( current ) comparator ( 51 ), and result in an intermediate ( current ) output at ( 60 ), which charges or discharges capacitor ( 62 ). the voltage on this capacitor ( 62 ) is latched ( 90 ) at a specific threshold into a logic state output at ( 64 ). thus ( 64 ) has two states , one representing day ( low ), one representing night ( high ). when the logic signal ( 64 ) is low , some current is pulled away from the comparator ( 51 ) ac input signal ( 49 ) via resistor ( 68 ). the photo - transistor ( 44 ) normally also pulls current away from the source resistor ( 42 ). the less light , the less current photo - transistor ( 44 ) pulls away from the comparator ( 51 ) input ac signal ( 49 ), and therefore it is able to overcome the extra current pulled away by resistor ( 68 ). when the logic state at ( 64 ) is high , this additional current is not stolen away , and therefore more current is required to be pulled away through photo - transistor ( 44 ) to achieve the same level at the comparator ( 51 ) ac input signal ( 49 ). thus the amount of current through the photo - transistor ( 44 ) required to achieve the same input current at ( 64 ) depends on the present state of the circuit “ night ” or “ day ”. the commencement of a logic low at 70 , the input to power - on / reset functional block ( 61 ) of the integrated timer circuit 66 , allows the integrated timer circuit 66 to start counting out a delay period . the clock frequency into the counter is derived from resistors ( 59 ), ( 73 ) and capacitors ( 75 ), ( 77 ) connected to pin ( 53 ), pin ( 55 ) and pin ( 57 ) that feed into logic gates ( 67 a )( 67 b )( 67 c )( 67 d ) of the integrated timer circuit 66 , while the logic levels at pin a0 ( 41 ) and pin a1 ( 43 ) determine the count length and together with the binary counter ( 63 ) and output stage ( 71 ) result in a delayed logic output signal ( 72 ) which commences a notification to the functionality withinside the integrated chip ( 28 ) that it is time for the load ( 12 ) to be turned off . in the preferred embodiment shown the output ( 72 ) from the integrated timing circuit ( 66 ) to the integrated circuit ( 28 ) produces a high on line ( 74 ). this high signal ( 74 ) to the integrated circuit ( 28 ) activates internal mode logic ( 76 ) which indicates that the triac ( 77 ) needs to be turned off so that the load ( 12 ) may become disconnected from the mains supply . the control of the triac ( 77 ) by the electronic control system ( 10 ) is such that once the mode logic ( 76 ) has been notified that it is time for the load ( 12 ) to be linked to the main supply so that the street lamp may be illuminated recognition is that functional ability within the integrated circuit ( 28 ) through a zero crossing timing and synchronization controller ( 79 ) will activate the trigger circuit such that at the next zero crossing a trigger pulse ( 80 ) will be fed from the integrated circuit ( 28 ) to the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ). the gate sensor ( 81 ) works in conjunction with the zero crossing timing and synchronization controller ( 79 ) to determine when the next zero crossing will occur as the gate sensor ( 81 ) is continually monitoring the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ). as introduced above , the window of operability of the bi - polar junction transistor ( 83 ) becomes usable during the zero crossing intervals of the ac cycle but rather than providing a continual signal along line ( 80 ) feeding into the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ) the trigger ( 80 ) to the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ) is pulsed predetermined by the timing arrangement of capacitor ( 84 ) and resistor ( 86 ) of which pulsed information is sent into the gate drive ( 85 ) base of the transistor ) which is working again in combination with the zero crossing timing and synchronization controller ( 79 ) in conjunction with the gate sensor ( 81 ). in the preferred embodiment of the invention the triggered pulse ( 80 ) sent to the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ) would be triggered or activated by negative edged pulses . resistor ( 92 ) sets the amount of gate current into the triac ( 77 ) and the resistor ( 94 ) ensures the triac ( 77 ) is held off when no current is being supplied to the gate ( 82 ). inductor ( 88 ) separates the triac ( 77 ) from the load ( 12 ) thereby minimizing the rate rise of current when the triac is first switched on and continuously thereafter while connected to the mains supply . rather than simply continuously providing a gate drive ( 85 ) to the bi - polar transistor ( 83 ) throughout the ac cycle , gate drive ( 85 ) is only made available once zero crossing timing and synchronization has been achieved through the use of the gate sensor ( 81 ) monitoring the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ). the additional input ( 89 ) into the gate driver ( 85 ) for the establishment of a predetermined pulse by virtue of capacitor ( 84 ) and resistor ( 86 ) which fluctuates the voltage level which appears at the base of the bi - polar junction transistor ( 83 ), provides the pulse that can be tapped off at the collector ( 91 ) side of transistor ( 83 ) to drive the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ) only as required during zero crossing intervals of the ac mains supply cycle , wherein the triac ( 77 ) needs to be driven by the gate ( 82 ) to maintain conduction . hence the width of the pulse being triggered to the gate ( 82 ) of the triac ( 77 ) can be varied as required depending on the triac used .
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a system for transmitting compressed video data over a transmission path 15from a transmitting station 16 to a receiving station 17 is shown in fig1 . a conventional video signal is generated by a video source 18 , which may be a video camera , a video tape player or similar equipment . the transmission path 15 has a limited bandwidth , therefore video data is compressed so as to be retained within the available bandwidth . the transmission path may be a telephone line , a dedicated digital link , a radio link or any other known means of providing a communication channel . by convention , the compressed video signal is in non - interlaced form , witheach video frame having 288 lines with 352 picture elements on each line . in non - compressed form , each picture element has a luminance value represented by eight bits of data , with a smaller number of bits allocatedto represent each colour difference signal . the video data generated by the video source 18 is compressed by a compression circuit 19 which may , for example , compress the video data in accordance with the ccitt h . 261 compression recommendation although the invention is not limited to this form of compression . according to the h . 261 recommendation , the video signal to be compressed is divided into portions representing blocks of pixels of the video image . each block is transformed into the frequency domain by a discrete cosine transform ( dct ) and the coefficients are transmitted . the blocks may be compressed without reference to any other block or frame ( intra frame coding ) or with reference to another block or frame , in which case the dct coefficients represent the differences between the compared blocks . the original video data includes eight bits luminance for each picture element location and the block consists of an 8 × 8 array of picture elements . an array of coefficients is similarly proportioned but the resolution is such that a minimum of twelve bits may be required for a particular coefficient , plus a sign bit . compression is achieved because many of the coefficients will have values of zero and may , therefore , effectively be ignored . an output circuit 20 amplifies and , where required , modulates the compressed video signal , thereby placing it in a form suitable for transmission over the transmission path 15 . it is likely that the level of attenuation suffered by the transmitted signal will be frequency dependent , therefore an equalisation circuit 26 at the receiving station provides compensation . the received signal is then de - modulated ( if required ) by means not shown and amplified by an amplifying circuit 25 . de - compression is performed by a de - compression circuit 27 , arranged to perform the reverse process to the compression provided by the compressioncircuit 19 . any errors introduced into the signal , due to noise on the transmission channel 15 , may result in corruption of the data . this would result in the corrupted data being visible on a display device 28 . thus , the overall integrity of the displayed image would be improved if the corrupted data could be detected and concealed in some way . to provide such a detection and concealing process , the system includes an error detecting and concealing circuit 29 , arranged to identify a block ofcorrupted data and to conceal this block of corrupted data by selecting an equivalent block from a previously transmitted frame . a conventional video frame 31 , as shown in fig2 consists of 288 lines with 352 elements on each line . as part of the h . 261 compression procedure , the frame is divided into 1584 blocks , with sixty four picture elements , in the form of an 8 × 8 matrix , within each block . a luminance block 32 is shown in fig2 and this , in combination with its three adjacent blocks , provides a macro block 32 . the macro block 33 is shown enlarged at fig2 a , with block 32 displaying a full matrix of picture elements 35 . in addition , a full colour picture also requires the transmission of two colour difference blocks per luminance block . the error detecting and concealing circuit 29 is detailed in fig3 in which decompressed video data from the decompression circuit 27 is received at an input port 41 and processed video data for display on the display device 28 is applied to an output port 42 . the circuit 29 includesa first image store 43 and a second image store 44 , each capable of storinga full video frame . a video write controller 45 controls the writing of video data to the image stores , such that , a first frame is written to image store 43 and a second frame is written to store 44 , while the first frame is being read from the first image store 43 under the control of a video read controller 46 . after a full video frame has been written to thesecond image store 44 , the next video frame is written to the first image store 43 , overwriting the previously written frame and an output signal for port 42 is derived by reading the image from store 44 . while data is being written to one of the image stores 43 or 44 , said data is also processed to detect the presence of errors . when an error is detected , blocks of data in the image stores 43 and 44 may be overwritten , under the control of a block overwrite controller 47 . in order to identify the presence of errors , the input image data from port 41 is also suppliedto a transform unit 48 , arranged to transform the input image data into frequency related coefficients for each block of picture elements . in the preferred embodiment , the transform unit performs a discrete cosine transform ( dct ) on the blocks of image data . the frequency related coefficients are then supplied to a processing unit 49 . in order to detect the presence of errors in the transmitted video data , the processing unit 49 is arranged to calculate the mean and variance of the coefficient values within each block . as these variance values are calculated , they are supplied to a first variance store 55 or to a second variance store 56 , thereby ensuring that variance values calculated for the previous frame are available to the processing unit 49 . the writing and reading of variance values to and from stores 55 and 56 is controlled by a variance store controller 57 . if the video information supplied over the transmission path 15 is compressed in a form such that , in addition to including spatially compressed coefficients , data representing motion vectors for each block of compressed data are also supplied , the motion vectors are also suppliedto the error concealing circuit 29 via an input port 50 . motion vectors are calculated by comparing a block of picture elements in acurrent frame with a similarly positioned block in a previous frame and with blocks , shifted by a plurality of picture element displacements in both the x and y directions . the motion vector is not related directly to movement of objects within the original image but actually represents the closest fit , derived by comparing the block of interest with similar blocks of the previous frame . a technique for performing such comparisons in order to produce motion vectors , is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 803 , 202 , assigned to the present applicant . thus , for each block of video data , x and y values are transmitted indicating a motion vector of the closest fitting block from the previous frame . these displacement vectors are supplied to a vector - store write - controller 51 , wherein vectors derived from a first frame are written to a first vector store 52 , vectors from the next frame are written to a second vector store 53 , whereafter the first store is over - written etc . thus , vector values for the previous frame are availableto the processing unit 49 , via a vector store reading circuit 54 . operational procedures for the processing unit 49 are detailed in fig4 . as a result of the transform performed by transform unit 48 , a frame of coefficients will become available to processing unit 49 , which initiates its processing procedures at step 61 . a question is asked at step 62 as towhether another block of the frame is available and , for the first block ofa frame , this question will be answered in the affirmative . when answered in the affirmative , the mean value for the coefficients in the block is calculated at step 63 . the mean value for the coefficients of an 8 × 8block is derived by adding the values of the coefficients together and thendividing by 64 . at step 64 the variance of the values is calculated by subtracting the meanvalue from each coefficient value to produce a difference value for each particular coefficient . this difference value is squared and the variance is obtained by adding all 64 squared terms . at step 65 the variance value calculated for the particular block is storedin variance store 55 or 56 , depending upon the phase of the particular frame under consideration . at step 66 a threshold value t is read and at step 67 a question is asked as to whether the variance value calculated at step 64 is larger than the threshold value t . the threshold value t is adjustable or selectable by anoperator and may be adjusted to suit a particular type of video transmission . if the variance value calculated at step 64 is larger than the threshold value read at step 66 , it is assumed that the block under consideration contains errors , in that a large variance value has been produced due to the presence of errors . thus , if the question asked at step 67 is answered in the affirmative , the block is concealed by invokinga conceal block routine at step 68 . if the question asked at step 67 is answered in the negative , a further check is performed on the variance value to determine whether said value represents the presence of an error . previously , said variance value was compared against a threshold value , which is appropriate for identifying very severe errors which produce very large variance values . however , a block having coefficients with a modest variance may still be in error andsuch an error is detected if the variance is significantly different from the variance values of blocks surrounding the block under consideration , in the equivalent position of a previous frame . thus , at step 69 , the processing unit accesses the variance store for the previous frame . therefore , if the variance value calculated at step 64 waswritten to store 55 , step 69 accesses variance values from store 56 . the equivalent position to the block under consideration is identified and thevariance values for it and the eight surrounding blocks are read from store at step 70 the mean value p for the previous frame variance values is calculated and a comparison of this previous mean value ms made with the present variance value , at step 71 . if the value for the block under consideration is greater than three times the previous mean value p or smaller than the previous mean value p divided by three , it is assumed that the block contains an error and the concealing algorithm as again invoked . thus , if the value is greater than three times the previous mean or smaller than said previous mean divided by three , the question asked atstep 71 is answered in the affirmative and the conceal block routine is called at step 72 . alternatively , if the question asked at step 71 is answered in the negative , the block is considered to be error free at step73 and control is returned to step 62 . eventually , all of the blocks for a particular frame will have been considered and the question asked at step 62 will be answered in the negative , returning control to step 61 and placing the processing unit 49 in a state ready for the next frame of coefficients . the concealing routine which may be called at step 68 or at step 72 is detailed in fig5 . for the purposes of this example , it is assumed that image data is being written to image store 43 and that the processing unit49 has identified a block of image data which contains an error . as data iswritten to image store 43 , previously processed data is read from image store 44 , thereby providing a video output signal to output port 42 . a period of time is therefore available during which modifications may be made to the image data stored in store 43 , before said data is selected bythe output controller 46 . as image data is written to store 43 , motion vectors are written to vector store 52 and , similarly , as the writing of image data is switched to image store 44 , the writing of motion vector data is switched to store 53 . thus , an error is detected by the processing unit in a block of image data which has been written to the image store 43 and the processing unit 49 isnow required to effect procedures to conceal she error before this data is supplied to the output port 42 . at step 81 of fig5 the vector store 52 is accessed so as to read the motion vector for the equivalent block of the previous frame . at step 82 the motion vectors for the eight surrounding blocks are read from vector store 52 , thereby providing a total of nine motion vectors to the processing unit 49 . at step 83 an average motion vector is calculated by adding said nine values and dividing by nine to produce an averaged motion vector for accessing image data of the previous frame . thus , the average motion vector identifies the position of a block in the previous frame which , after being moved in the x and y directions by amounts specified by the motion vector , provides a close match to the block under consideration in the present frame . thus , the averaged motion vector identifies a block of data in the previousframe which , at this point in time , will be held in image store 44 , the store presently being read to provide an output signal . thus , at step 85 the data identified in store 44 is read by the block overwrite controller 47 , in response to instructions received from the processing unit 49 , and written to the block under consideration in the input image store 43 . it is important to note that the block read from the output image store 44 will not necessarily lie within an original block boundary , given that themotion vectors are specified for picture element positions . after the image block has been overwritten , control is returned to step 62 , allowing another block to be considered . fig6 shows a system in which the compressed transmitted signal comprises frequency related coefficients that represent the actual pixel values of the frame . little or no further processing of the dct coefficients is therefore required before they are input to the processing unit 49 , as shown in fig7 . the operation of the circuit as shown in fig7 is otherwise the same as that shown in fig3 . the decompression circuit 27 may include some conventional form of error checking , for instance error correction code checking means . in this case , the decompression circuit flags a macroblock or a group of blocks ( gob ) that is identified as containing an error , ( a group of blocks comprises a matrix of 11 macroblocks by 3 macroblocks ). only those blocks of a flaggedmacroblock or gob are passed to the error detecting and concealing circuit 29 to determine which block within the macroblock or gob contains an error . those blocks that are not corrupted may therefore be retained , whereas those blocks in which an error is detected can be concealed .
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the present invention is a method and means for determining the position of a brushless dc motor &# 39 ; s permanent magnet rotor which is induced to rotate with a stator that includes at least one coil . the method requires that at least one stator coil be excited with a voltage having a first polarity for a given period of time , and then deactivated . the rotor continues to spin because of inertia , and also generates a voltage ( v emf ) due to emf in the deactivated coils . v emf is monitored , and when it changes polarity , the rotor has moved by a known distance with respect to its position at the time of its previous change of polarity . the known distance depends on the number ( n ) of rotor poles , and is given generally by ( 360 / n )°. thus , for a typical four pole rotor , the known distance is 90 °, for an eight pole rotor , the known distance is 45 °, etc . at this point , the at least one stator coil is excited with a voltage of a second polarity opposite the first polarity for a given period of time . the coil is again deactivated and v emf again monitored to detect when it changes polarity . in this way , the position of the rotor can be tracked . the stator coil is connected in a full - bridge configuration . this arrangement enables the excitation voltage to be applied and v emf to be monitored across the same coil , thereby obviating the need to monitor emf across a passive coil as in prior art designs . this process is illustrated in fig2 . an excitation voltage ( 30 ) having a first polarity ( here , positive ) is applied across the coil . after a predetermined “ on ” time ( 32 ), the coil is deactivated . the voltage across the deactivated coil is that which results from emf that is induced in the coil by the spinning rotor . this v emf voltage is monitored while the coil is deactivated ( 34 ). when v emf changes polarity , this indicates that the rotor has moved a known distance since the last change of v emf polarity was detected ; for this example , assume a four pole rotor , and a known distance of 90 °. when a change of v emf polarity is detected , an excitation voltage ( 36 ) having a second polarity ( here , negative ) is applied across the coil . after a predetermined “ on ” time , the coil is deactivated and v emf monitored . a change in the polarity of v emf indicates that the rotor has moved another 900 . to maintain the rotation of the rotor , the sequence of events described above is continuously repeated . by detecting the change in the polarity of v emf , the position of the rotor becomes known , and the timing of the excitation voltage pulses can be properly controlled — without the use of costly hall sensors as are found in prior art methods . a basic system for implementing the control method described above is shown in fig3 . here , the stator includes two coils 40 , 42 connected in parallel between a node 44 and a node 46 . as noted above , the stator coils are connected in a full - bridge configuration : a switching network includes switches s 1 and s 2 connected between a supply voltage vdd nodes 44 and 46 , respectively , and switches s 3 and s 4 connected between a circuit common point 48 ( typically , but not necessarily , ground ) and nodes 44 and 46 , respectively . a first comparator c 1 has its inputs connected to node 44 and ground , and a second comparator c 2 has its inputs connected to node 46 and ground . the outputs of the comparators are provided to a digital control block 50 , which provides control signals 52 , 54 , 56 , 58 to operate switches s 1 , s 2 , s 3 and s 4 , respectively . digital control block is arranged to operate the switches as needed to apply a positive excitation voltage ( by closing s 1 and s 4 ) or a negative excitation voltage ( by closing s 2 and s 3 ). when so arranged , the system of fig3 operates as follows : 1 . switches s 1 and s 4 are turned on , making current flow from s 1 to s 4 and generating a positive excitation voltage across coils 40 and 42 . 2 . after a predetermined on - time period , switch s 1 is turned off while s 4 remains on . 3 . the v emf across coils 40 and 42 is monitored by comparator c 1 ; when v emf changes polarity , the output of c 1 toggles , which is detected by digital control block 50 . 4 . the controller turns switch s 4 off , and turns switches s 2 and s 3 on , thereby generating a negative excitation voltage across coils 40 and 42 . 5 . after the predetermined on - time period , switch s 2 is turned off while s 3 remains on . 6 . the v emf across the coils is monitored by comparator c 2 during this off - time period ; when v emf changes polarity , the output of c 2 toggles , which is detected by digital control block 50 . 7 . the control block turns s 3 off and the cycle is repeated from step 1 . switches s 1 - s 4 are preferably implemented with transistors . this is illustrated in fig4 , in which s 1 - s 4 are implemented with respective field - effect transistors ( fets ) 60 , 62 , 64 , 66 . at start - up , the position , direction of rotation and the time taken by the rotor to move 90 ° ( assuming a four pole rotor ) is unknown . the present method preferably includes a start - up routine which is used to accelerate the rotor from rest , and to start the rotor spinning in a desired direction . one possible start - up routine is illustrated in fig5 a - 5 h , which depicts the excitation or deactivation of a multiple - coil stator via switches s 1 - s 4 for each step . the resulting angular relationship between an exemplary rotor 70 and multiple - coil stator 72 is also shown in fig5 a , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d , 5 f and 5 h ( there is no change in angular relationship in fig5 e and 5 g ), and fig5 d , 5 f and 5 h depict v emf and the output of comparator c 1 during their respective steps . in this example , first and second coils 74 and 75 lie along a first axis of stator 72 , and third and fourth coils 76 and 77 lie along a stator axis which is perpendicular to the first axis . in practice , for both the start - up routine and steady - state operation , all four coils are connected in parallel , and the excitation voltage is applied across all four simultaneously . the rotor shown in fig5 a - 5 h has two n poles and two s poles ; this four pole arrangement causes emf polarity to change when the rotor moves by 90 °. 1 . in fig5 a , switches s 1 and s 4 are turned on , making current flow from s 1 to s 4 and generating a positive excitation voltage across the stator coils . this forces rotor 70 to become aligned with a coil ( here , coil 74 ) on stator 72 . 2 . in fig5 b , the coils are deactivated for a brief period , during which rotor 70 displaces itself in a “ preferred direction of rotation ”. this is explained in more detail below . 3 . in fig5 c , switches s 2 and s 3 are turned on for a fixed on time , and rotor 70 begins to rotate . then in fig5 d , the fixed on time expires , s 2 is switched off , and v emf is monitored . in this example , rotor 70 has not yet rotated by 90 °, so v emf is positive and the output of c 1 has not toggled . if v emf does not switch polarity during the fixed off time , the coil is excited again for the fixed on time 4 . step 3 is repeated until v emf switches polarity . for example , as shown in fig5 e and 5 f , s 2 and s 3 are again turned on for a fixed on time , rotor 70 continues to rotate , the fixed on time expires and s 2 is switched off , and v emf is monitored . however , rotor 70 still has not rotated by 90 °, so v emf remains positive and the output of c 1 has not toggled . 5 . in fig5 g and 5 h , the coils are excited ( 5 g ) and then deactivated ( 5 h ) and v emf finally changes polarity , thereby causing the output of comparator c 1 to toggle . 6 . steps 3 , 4 and 5 are repeated for the opposite direction of the current ( not shown ), with s 1 and s 4 turned on for fixed on time periods such that a negative excitation voltage is repeatedly generated across the coils until v emf changes polarity . the fixed on time is selected so that , when the rotor first begins to turn , more than one excitation pulse is required before v emf changes polarity . however , as the rotor starts to accelerate , fewer excitation pulses will be required to achieve a change in v emf polarity . the start - up routine continues as described above until the rotor has picked up enough speed so that only one excitation pulse is needed to effect a change in v emf polarity . then , the on and off times of the single excitation pulse are increased or decreased as desired to achieve a desired steady - state motor speed . steps 3 , 4 and 5 are illustrated with the timing diagram shown in fig6 a . an excitation voltage ( 80 ) having a first polarity ( here , positive ) is applied across the coil . after a fixed “ on ” time ( 82 ), the coil is deactivated and the v emf voltage monitored ( 84 ). this is repeated until v emf changes polarity , indicating that the rotor has moved 90 ° since the last change of v emf polarity . step 6 is illustrated with the timing diagram shown in fig6 b . a negative excitation voltage ( 90 ) is applied across the coil . after a fixed “ on ” time ( 92 ), the coil is deactivated and the v emf voltage monitored ( 94 ). this is repeated until v emf changes polarity . in fig6 c , a positive excitation voltage ( 100 ) is again applied for a fixed “ on ” time ( 102 ), after which the coil is deactivated and v emf monitored ( 104 ). here , only a single excitation pulse was required to effect a change in v emf polarity , so the start - up routine may terminate . at this point , the on and off times of the single pulse may be increased or decreased as desired to achieve a desired steady - state motor speed . the on and off times of the single pulse required to achieve a desired steady - state motor speed are used to establish the initial predetermined on and off times used during steady - state operation of the motor . once steady - state operation is achieved , there are many ways in which a constant rotor speed could be maintained . one possible technique proceeds as follows : 1 . during steady - state operation , measure the time taken for the rotor to move 90 ° ( assuming a four pole rotor ). save this time as “ t 1 ”. 2 . measure the time taken for the rotor to move another 90 °. save this time as “ t 2 ”. 3 . after these initial t 1 and t 2 values are saved : for every 90 ° rotation of the rotor , the measured time is saved as t 2 and the old t 2 is saved as t 1 . thus , t 1 = t 2 old , and t 2 new = t measured . then , the excitation voltage &# 39 ; s predetermined on time is set equal to 90 % of t 2 new , and its off time is set equal to 10 % of t 2 new . 4 . if t 2 & lt ; t 1 , the motor is accelerating ; if t 2 & gt ; t 1 , the motor is decelerating . to restore a constant rotor speed , the excitation voltage pulse must be adjusted . for example , when it is detected that the motor is accelerating , the on time can be set equal to 90 % of t 2 new - a small fixed value . similarly , when it is detected that the motor is decelerating , the on time can be set equal to 90 % of t 2 new + a small fixed value . in this way , the rotor speed should be maintained in a narrow range around a desired value . note that the methods and / or systems of the present invention could be implemented in many different ways . it is only essential that at least one stator coil be connected in a full - bridge configuration , that an excitation voltage be applied across the coil for a predetermined on - time period and then deactivated , and that the voltage ( v emf ) across the coil generated by the emf induced the coil by the rotor be monitored while the excitation voltage is deactivated to detect when it changes polarity . in a two - phase motor , it is very difficult to determine the direction of the rotor ; hence the physical shape of the stator is preferably changed to have the preferred direction of rotation . one possible stator - rotor design is shown in fig7 . the hammer - like shape of the stator 110 ensures that the rotor 112 will move in a particular direction ; for the design shown , the preferred direction of rotation is counter - clockwise ( ccw ). when the stator is not energized , the rotor aligns itself to the stator in such a way that the center of the mass of the stator is closest to the pole of the rotor ; i . e ., in fig7 , instead of aligning perfectly with the stator , the rotor tends to move a little ccw . this misalignment ensures that when the coils are excited , the rotor will tend to move ccw as desired . a digital control block suitable for realizing the motor control and start - up method described herein could be implemented in many possible ways . one approach is to implement the digital block as a state machine . the present method has been described as it might be used with multiple stator coils connected in parallel , as would commonly be found on a 2 - phase motor . however , the invention could also used with a single coil , with the excitation voltage applied and v emf measured across the same coil . in this case , no “ spare ” or second coil is needed . the single coil would lie along one axis of the stator , with a first segment on one side of the stator hub and a second segment on the opposite side of the hub . the two segments would be connected in parallel . assuming that the coil is initially aligned with two of the rotor &# 39 ; s n poles , when an excitation voltage is applied across the coil , it generates an n - n field , forcing the rotor to rotate until the coil is aligned with two of the rotor &# 39 ; s s poles , at which point the emf voltage changes polarity . applying an excitation voltage of the opposite polarity causes the rotor to move until the coil is again aligned with two of the rotor &# 39 ; s n poles . for a four pole rotor , each rotor movement is 90 °. if the rotor had , for example , eight poles ( with n and s poles alternating around the rotor ), the rotor would move 45 ° each time the excitation voltage polarity was reversed . the present control method could be used with a variety of dc brushless motor types , which could in turn be used in a wide variety of applications . one possible application is that of a cooling fan designed for mounting on the surface of an integrated circuit . the embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications , variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results , all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
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with reference to fig3 sub - fields according to an embodiment of the present invention are divided into three separate groups , that is , first , second , and third groups g 1 , g 2 , and g 3 . there are also three separate suspension intervals , which are vertical blanking intervals . that is , suspension interval ( 1 ) of first group g 1 is positioned at a vertical section of first group g 1 , suspension interval ( 2 ) of second group g 2 is positioned at a vertical section of second group g 2 , and suspension interval ( 3 ) of third group g 3 is positioned at a vertical section of third group g 3 . first group g 1 and third group g 3 have the same sub - field structure realized by six sub - fields . a weight of the six sub - fields becomes 4 , 8 , 16 , 24 , 32 , and 40 , starting from a lower sub - field . second group g 2 has two sub - fields having weights of 1 and 2 , which are lower than the weights of the sub - fields of first group g 1 and third group g 3 . that is , the sub - fields of second group g 2 correspond to an lsb and an lsb + 1 . however , the present invention is not limited in this regard and it is possible for the sub - fields of second group g 2 to be applied to higher lower bits . first group g 1 begins at a starting point of a first frame , that is , at 0 ms ; second group g 2 begins after 8 . 5 ms have elapsed after the starting point of the first frame ; and third group g 3 begins after 10 . 8 ms have elapsed after the starting point of the first frame . with the arrangement of the sub - fields as described above , an illumination central axis of the sub - fields between a starting point of first group g 1 and a starting point of third group g 3 , both of which have a large illumination weight , is identically maintained such that 100 hz effects are obtained identically as in the prior art . a time difference between the starting points of first and third groups g 1 and g 3 is approximately 0 . 8 ms greater than that of the prior art , resulting in the generation of flicker by a difference in the illumination central axis of the sub - fields . however , since an illumination frequency is within a specific vertical frequency region of between 50 and 100 hz , the human eye does not easily perceive the flicker because of the high frequency ( it is difficult to perceive flicker with a vertical frequency of 60 hz or higher ). therefore , flicker reduction characteristics may be obtained identically as in the prior art . unlike the prior art , the sub - fields corresponding to the lsb and lsb + 1 that display low grays are contained in second group g 2 , and second group g 2 is positioned between first and third groups g 1 and g 3 such that the time difference between sub - fields may be reduced in the case of low grays . as a result , contour noise is significantly reduced at boundaries between grays when there is movement in an image displaying low grays . [ 0046 ] fig4 is a schematic view showing an example of realizing specific low grays using the sub - field arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig4 in the case where low grays , for example , low grays of 0 to 11 , are displayed using the sub - field arrangement of an embodiment of the present invention , the time difference between sub - fields corresponding to the lsb and lsb + 1 is considerably reduced compared to when the prior art sub - field arrangement is used . therefore , contour noise in the boundaries between grays is reduced substantially even when there is movement in a gray image displayed by error diffusion . for example , in the case of low gray 3 , since this may be displayed only by second group g 2 in an embodiment of the present invention , the resulting time difference is extremely small . when compared to the prior art sub - field arrangement shown in fig2 where the time difference is on the order of a few milliseconds , a considerable reduction is realized . as another example , in the case of low gray 7 , display is realized by second group g 2 and third group g 3 , and in this case corresponds to the lower sub - fields of third group g 3 such that the time difference is very small . on the other hand , when displaying low gray 7 using the prior art sub - field arrangement shown in fig2 since the time difference is again a few milliseconds , a substantial reduction is realized with the present invention over the prior art . therefore , in an embodiment of the present invention , by ensuring an adjacent configuration of the sub - fields corresponding to the lsb and lsb + 1 , which are often used in displaying low grays , the display of low grays by error diffusion is improved over the prior art . [ 0051 ] fig5 is a block diagram of an image display system for a plasma display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in the drawing , the image display system for a plasma display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes image signal processor 100 , vertical frequency detector 200 , gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 , memory controller 400 , address driver 500 , sustain / scan pulse driver controller 600 , and sustain / scan pulse driver 700 . reference numeral 800 indicates a plasma display panel . image signal processor 100 digitizes image signals , which are received externally , to generate rgb data , after which image signal processor 100 outputs the rgb data . vertical frequency detector 200 analyzes the rgb data output by image signal processor 100 to determine if the input image signals are 60 hz ntsc signals or 50 hz pal signals . vertical frequency detector 200 then produces a data switch value indicating the result of this determination , and outputs the data switch value together with the rgb data . gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 receives the rgb data that is output from vertical frequency detector 200 to perform correction of gamma values to correspond to the characteristics of plasma display panel 800 , and , simultaneously , to perform diffusion processing of display errors with respect to peripheral pixels . gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 then outputs a result of these processes , and also outputs the data switch value , which indicates whether the input image signals are 50 hz or 60 hz image signals , without changing or converting the data switch value to memory controller 400 . memory controller 400 receives the rgb data and the data switch value output by gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 , then generates sub - field data corresponding to the rgb data according to whether the input image signals are 50 hz or 60 hz image signals , as indicated by the data switch value . in the case where the data switch value indicates the input image signals are 60 hz signals , sub - field data is generated corresponding to the rgb data using the conventional method , in which a single sub - field group is used to generate sub - field data . however , if the data switch value indicates the input image signals are 50 hz signals , rather than generating sub - field data by the conventional method of separation into two sub - field groups , the sub - fields are separated into three groups g 1 , g 2 , and g 3 as shown in fig3 and sub - field data is generated as described with reference to fig3 . that is , sub - field data is generated corresponding to the rgb data such that the lsb and lsb + 1 data of the sub - field data is positioned in second group g 2 . the sub - field data generated in this manner undergoes memory input / output processing and is output to address driver 500 . address driver 500 generates address data corresponding to the sub - field data output by memory controller 400 . address driver 500 then applies the address data to address electrodes ( a 1 , a 2 , . . . am ) of plasma display panel 800 . sustain / scan pulse driver controller 600 receives the rgb data and the data switch value from gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 , and generates a sub - field arrangement structure depending on whether the input signals are 50 hz or 60 hz input signals , as indicated by the data switch value . sustain / scan pulse driver controller 600 also generates a control signal based on the generated sub - field arrangement structure , then outputs the control signal to sustain / scan pulse driver 700 . sustain / scan pulse driver 700 generates a sustain pulse and a scan pulse according to the control signal output by sustain / scan pulse driver controller 600 , then applies the sustain pulse and the scan pulse respectively to sustain electrodes ( y 1 , y 2 , . . . yn ) and scan electrodes ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . xn ) of plasma display panel 800 . [ 0060 ] fig6 is a detailed block diagram of memory controller 400 in the image display system of fig5 . as shown in fig6 memory controller 400 includes data switch 410 , 50 hz signal sub - field data generator 420 , and 60 hz signal sub - field data generator 430 . data switch 410 receives the rgb data and the data switch value output by gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 , and transmits the rgb data to either 50 hz signal sub - field data generator 420 or 60 hz signal sub - field data generator 430 depending on the data switch value . that is , if the data switch value indicates that the input image signals are 50 hz image signals , data switch 410 transmits the rgb data to 50 hz signal sub - field data generator 420 , while if the data switch value indicates that the input image signals are 60 hz image signals , data switch 410 transmits the rgb data to 60 hz signal sub - field data generator 430 . 60 hz signal sub - field data generator 430 generates sub - fields using a single sub - field group as in the prior art . since such a method is well known to those skilled in the art , a detailed description thereof will not be provided . 50 hz signal sub - field data generator 420 includes sub - field mapping unit 421 , sub - field generator 423 , and memory processor 425 . sub - field generator 423 performs control to allow the display of grays by combining the three groups g 1 , g 2 , and g 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention . sub - field mapping unit 421 performs mapping of suitable sub - field data generated in sub - field generator 423 according to grays of the rgb data transmitted from data switch 410 . memory processor 425 performs memory input / output processing of the sub - field data mapped by sub - field mapping unit 421 . in the above , memory controller 400 and sustain / scan pulse driver controller 600 perform their operations according to the data switch value generated by vertical frequency detector 200 that indicates whether the input image signals are 50 hz or 60 hz signals . however , the present invention is not limited in this respect and this distinction depending on whether the image signals are 50 hz or 60 hz signals as indicated by the data switch value may be made in gamma correction and error diffusion unit 300 . in accordance with the present invention described above , the time difference between the lsb and lsb + 1 of sub - field data with respect to images displayed using 50 hz pal image signals is reduced . as a result , contour noise generated in a low gray region is significantly minimized . although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove , it should be clearly understood that many variations and / or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention , as defined in the appended claims .
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reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . fig1 illustrates a network device , such as a switching chip , in which an embodiment the present invention may be implemented . device 100 includes an ingress module 102 , a mmu 104 , and an egress module 106 . ingress module 102 is used for performing switching functionality on an incoming packet . the primary function of mmu 104 is to efficiently manage cell buffering and packet pointer resources in a predictable manner even under severe congestion scenarios . egress module 106 is used for performing packet modification and transmitting the packet to an appropriate destination port . device 100 may also include one internal fabric high speed port , for example a higig port , 108 , one or more external ethernet ports 109 a - 109 x , and a cpu port 110 . high speed port 108 is used to interconnect various network devices in a system and thus form an internal switching fabric for transporting packets between external source ports and one or more external destination ports . as such , high speed port 108 is not externally visible outside of a system that includes multiple interconnected network devices . cpu port 110 is used to send and receive packets to and from external switching / routing control entities or cpus . according to an embodiment of the invention , cpu port 110 may be considered as one of external ethernet ports 109 a - 109 x . device 100 interfaces with external / off - chip cpus through a cpu processing module 111 , such as a cmic , which interfaces with a pci bus that connects device 100 to an external cpu . network traffic enters and exits device 100 through external ethernet ports 109 a - 109 x . specifically , traffic in device 100 is routed from an external ethernet source port to one or more unique destination ethernet ports . in one embodiment of the invention , device 100 supports twelve physical ethernet ports 109 , each of which can operate in 10 / 100 / 1000 mbps speed and one high speed port 108 which operates in either 10 gbps or 12 gbps speed . in an embodiment of the invention , device 100 is built around shared memory architecture , as shown in fig2 a - 2 d , wherein mmu 104 enables sharing of a packet buffer among different ports while providing for resource guarantees for every ingress port , egress port and class of service queue associated with each egress port . fig2 a illustrates the shared memory architecture of the present invention . specifically , the memory resources of device 100 include a cell buffer pool ( cbp ) memory 202 and a transaction queue ( xq ) memory 204 . cbp memory 202 is an off - chip resource that is made of 4 dram chips 206 a - 206 d . according to an embodiment of the invention , each dram chip has a capacity of 288 mbits , wherein the total capacity of cbp memory 202 is 122 mbytes of raw storage . as shown in fig2 b , cbp memory 202 is divided into 256k 576 - byte cells 208 a - 208 x , each of which includes a 32 byte header buffer 210 , up to 512 bytes for packet data 212 and 32 bytes of reserved space 214 . as such , each incoming packet consumes at least one full 576 byte cell 208 . therefore in an example where an incoming includes a 64 byte frame , the incoming packet will have 576 bytes reserved for it even though only 64 bytes of the 576 bytes is used by the frame . returning to fig2 a , xq memory 204 includes a list of packet pointers 216 a - 216 x into cbp memory 202 , wherein different xq pointers 216 may be associated with each port . a cell count of cbp memory 202 and a packet count of xq memory 204 are tracked on an ingress port , egress port and class of service basis . as such , device 100 can provide resource guarantees on a cell and / or packet basis . mmu 104 enables dynamic allocation of some memory locations , for example the xq memory 204 for each packet , wherein packets may be divided into one or more cells . as illustrated in fig2 c , mmu 104 includes a free pointer pool 224 with pointers to free locations memory , wherein all pointers that are not assigned to packets are stored in free pointer pool 224 . as packets are stored in xq memory 204 , each packet may be stored in one or more of locations 216 a - 216 x , wherein each location includes a cell value 218 and a pointer to the next cell 220 . the cell value 218 may indicate that the packet is a single cell packet 226 , a first cell of a packet 228 , a next cell of a packet 230 or a last cell of a packet 232 . due to processing errors , for example software errors , it is possible for one or more locations 216 a - 216 x to include the same value in next cell field 220 , thereby corrupting the cell value 218 in the location pointed to by the duplicate next cell fields 220 . for example , as shown in fig2 c , the next cell field 220 in locations 216 a and 216 c point to location 216 e and thereby corrupt the cell value of 216 e . according to an embodiment of the invention , once mmu 104 retrieves cell value 218 from a location 216 , the next cell 220 from the retrieved location is returned to free pointer pool 224 . to prevent duplicate pointers from being stored in free pointer pool 224 and thereby continue the corruption of the memory location pointed to by the duplicate pointers , upon reading a packet pointer 216 , mmu 104 determines if the pointer to the next cell 220 is appropriate based on the cell value 218 . for example , as shown in fig2 c , since cell value 218 a indicates that the packet is a single cell packet , pointer to the next cell 220 in location 216 a should not point to another entry of buffer 204 . since it does , mmu 104 will determine that the pointer to the next cell 220 in location 216 a is invalid . mmu 104 thereafter checks to see if another location includes pointer to the next cell 220 e and determines that both locations 216 a and 216 b include invalid cell values 218 and / or invalid next cell pointers 220 e . as such , mmu 104 drops the packet information in locations 216 a and 216 b and upon clearing those memory locations , mmu 104 will not store the cell pointer 220 e in free pointer pool 224 , thereby enabling mmu 104 to correct any further corruption to free pointer pool 224 and the associated memory locations . fig2 d illustrates how the mmu accesses data in an external memory . mmu 104 also includes a memory controller unit ( mcu ) 250 which processes command from mmu 104 in order to fetch data from an external dram 200 , for example cbp 202 or xq memory 204 . according to an embodiment of the invention , mcu 250 includes a command fifo 252 for storing commands from mmu 104 and a read fifo 254 for storing information retrieved from dram 200 . mcu 250 may retrieve 36 bytes of data at a time from dram 200 and transmits 32 bytes of data at a time to mmu 104 . mcu 250 receives instructional commands from mmu 104 , wherein the command instructs mcu 250 from which address in external dram 200 to fetch data and how many bytes of data to fetch from the identified address . mcu 250 then translates the mmu command into a lower level instruction for the dram memory . each command includes a request to access a certain number of banks in dram 200 . with each command , the mcu 250 may read or write up to 544 bytes or 16 banks with a latency of about 108 ns . each mmu command may therefore include a request for 16 banks which will increase latency in device 100 . to minimize the latency issue , when mmu 104 issues a command , mcu 250 counts the number of banks in the mmu command and maintains a counter of the number of banks being accessed by mcu 250 . as such , when mcu 250 receives a new command , it adds the number of banks in the command to the bank count and when mcu 250 transmits data to mmu 104 , it subtracts from the bank count . upon receiving a command , mcu 250 compares the bank count with a predefined bank threshold . furthermore , to account of overhead operations associated with accessing each bank , mcu 250 also compares the number of commands in command fifo 252 to a predefined command threshold . if either the bank count or command count exceeds the bank threshold or the command threshold , mcu 250 sends a throttle to mmu 104 for mmu to delay transmitting request to mcu 250 or else mcu 250 processes the command . when mmu 104 issues a command to mcu 250 , the request includes the number of banks that should be accessed by mcu 250 . as noted above , mcu 250 retrieves up to 36 bytes from dram 200 and transmits 32 bytes to mmu 104 . therefore , when mcu 250 issues a request to dram 200 , dram 200 transmits 36 bytes at a time to mcu 250 which transmits 32 bytes at a time to mmu 104 . to align information from dram 200 with the information transmitted to mmu 104 and to determine how many trunks of data to transmit to mmu 104 , mcu 250 multiples the number of banks in the command request with the 36 bytes size from dram 200 . mcu 250 then divides the product by the 32 byte transmission size from mcu 250 to mmu 104 to determine the number of trunks that will be transmitted to mmu 104 . to ensure that the data from dram 200 matches the data that mmu is expecting , dram 200 then divides the product of the number of banks and the 32 bytes by the number of trunks that may be sent to mmu 104 . for example , if mmu 104 issues a command to access 10 banks , mcu 250 expects to receive 360 bytes , i . e ., 10 banks multiplied by 36 bytes from the dram 200 . to align the data received from dram 200 with the data transmitted by mcu 250 , mcu 250 divides the total data from dram 200 by 32 . therefore , mcu 250 determines that 12 trunks of data will be sent to mmu 104 . dram 200 then divides the 360 bytes by the 12 trunks to verify that the data being sent matches the data that mmu 104 is expecting to receive . if the data sizes do not match , mcu 250 creates an artificial cell with the correct number of trunks expected by mmu 104 and transmits the artificial cell to mmu 104 . fig3 illustrates the steps implemented by the mmu to correct corrupted memory locations . in step 3010 , mmu 104 stores packets in xq memory 204 in one or more of locations 216 a - 216 x . in step 3020 , once mmu 104 retrieves cell value 218 from a location 216 , the next cell 220 from the retrieved location is returned to free pointer pool 224 . in step 3030 , to prevent duplicate pointers from being stored in free pointer pool 224 and thereby continue the corruption of the memory location pointed to by the duplicate pointers , upon reading a packet pointer 216 , mmu 104 determines if the associated pointer to the next cell 220 is appropriate based on the associated cell value 218 . in step 3040 , if mmu 104 determines that the pointer to the next cell 220 in location 216 a is invalid , mmu 104 checks to see if another location includes the invalid pointer to the next cell 220 e and determines that both locations 216 a and 216 b include invalid cell values 218 and / or invalid next cell pointers 220 e . in step 3050 , mmu 104 drops the packet information in locations 216 a and 216 b and upon clearing those memory locations , mmu 104 will not store the invalid cell pointer 220 e in free pointer pool 224 , thereby enabling mmu 104 to correct any further corruption to free pointer pool 224 and the associated memory locations . fig4 illustrates the steps implemented to throttle the mmu by the mcu . in step 4010 , mmu 104 sends a command to mcu 250 for mcu 250 to fetch data from dram 200 . in step 4020 , mcu 250 translates the mmu command into a lower level instruction for the dram memory . in step 4030 , when mmu 104 issues a command , mcu 250 counts the number of banks in the mmu command and maintains a counter of the number of banks being accessed by mcu 250 . in step 4040 , upon receiving a command , mcu 250 compares the bank count with a predefined bank threshold and compares the number of commands in command fifo 252 to a predefined command threshold . in step 4050 , if either the bank count or command count exceeds the bank threshold or the command threshold , mcu 250 sends a throttle to mmu 104 for mmu to delay transmitting request to mcu 250 or else mcu 250 processes the command . once a packet enters device 100 on a source port 109 , the packet is transmitted to ingress module 102 for processing . during processing , packets on each of the ingress and egress ports share system resources 202 and 204 . fig5 illustrates buffer management mechanisms that are used by mmu 104 to impose resource allocation limitations and thereby ensure fair access to resources . mmu 104 includes an ingress backpressure mechanism 504 , a head of line mechanism 506 and a weighted random early detection mechanism 508 . ingress backpressure mechanism 504 supports lossless behaviour and manages buffer resources fairly across ingress ports . head of line mechanism 506 supports access to buffering resources while optimizing throughput in the system . weighted random early detection mechanism 508 improves overall network throughput . ingress backpressure mechanism 504 uses packet or cell counters to track the number of packets or cells used on an ingress port basis . ingress backpressure mechanism 504 includes registers for a set of 8 individually configurable thresholds and registers used to specify which of the 8 thresholds are to be used for every ingress port in the system . the set of thresholds include a limit threshold 512 , a discard limit threshold 514 and a reset limit threshold 516 . if a counter associated with the ingress port packet / cell usage rises above discard limit threshold 514 , packets at the ingress port will be dropped . based on the counters for tracking the number of cells / packets , a pause flow control is used to stop traffic from arriving on an ingress port that have used more than its fair share of buffering resources , thereby stopping traffic from an offending ingress port and relieving congestion caused by the offending ingress port . specifically , each ingress port keeps track of whether or not it is in an ingress backpressure state based on ingress backpressure counters relative to the set of thresholds . when the ingress port is in ingress backpressure state , pause flow control frames with a timer value of ( 0 × ffff ) are periodically sent out of that ingress port . when the ingress port is no longer in the ingress backpressure state , the pause flow control frame with a timer value of 0 × 00 is sent out of the ingress port and traffic is allowed to flow again . if an ingress port is not currently in an ingress backpressure state and the packet counter rises above limit threshold 512 , the status for the ingress port transitions into the ingress backpressure state . if the ingress port is in the ingress backpressure state and the packet counter falls below reset limit threshold 516 , the status for the port will transition out of the backpressure state . head of line mechanism 506 is provided to support fair access to buffering resources while optimizing throughput in the system . head of line mechanism 506 relies on packet dropping to manage buffering resources and improve the overall system throughput . according to an embodiment of the invention , head of line mechanism 506 uses egress counters and predefined thresholds to track buffer usage on a egress port and class of service basis and thereafter makes decisions to drop any newly arriving packets on the ingress ports destined to a particular oversubscribed egress port / class of service queue . head of line mechanism 506 supports different thresholds depending on the color of the newly arriving packet . packets may be colored based on metering and marking operations that take place in the ingress module and the mmu acts on these packets differently depending on the color of the packet . according to an embodiment of the invention , head of line mechanism 506 is configurable and operates independently on every class of service queue and across all ports , including the cpu port . head of line mechanism 506 uses counters that track xq memory 204 and cbp memory 202 usage and thresholds that are designed to support a static allocation of cbp memory buffers 202 and dynamic allocation of the available xq memory buffers 204 . a discard threshold 522 is defined for all cells in cbp memory 202 , regardless of color marking . when the cell counter associated with a port reaches discard threshold 522 , the port is transition to a head of line status . thereafter , the port may transition out of the head of line status if its cell counter falls below a reset limit threshold 524 . for the xq memory 204 , a guaranteed fixed . allocation of xq buffers for each class of service queue is defined by a xq entry value 530 a - 530 h . each of xq entry value 530 a - 530 h defines how many buffer entries should be reserved for an associated queue . for example , if 100 bytes of xq memory are assigned to a port , the first four class of service queues associated with xq entries 530 a - 530 d respectively may be assigned the value of 10 bytes and the last four queues associated with xq entries 530 d - 530 h respectively may be assigned the value of 5 bytes . according to an embodiment of the invention , even if a queue does not use up all of the buffer entries reserved for it according to the associated xq entry value , head of line mechanism 506 may not assign the unused buffer to another queue . nevertheless , the remaining unassigned 40 bytes of xq buffers for the port may be shared among all of the class of service queues associated with the port . limits on how much of the shared pool of the xq buffer may be consumed by a particular class of service queue is set with a xq set limit threshold 532 . as such , set limit threshold 532 may be used to define the maximum number of buffers that can be used by one queue and to prevent one queue from using all of the available xq buffers . to ensure that the sum of xq entry values 530 a - 530 h do not add up to more than the total number of available xq buffers for the port and to ensure that each class of service queue has access to its quota of xq buffers as assigned by its entry value 530 , the available pool of xq buffer for each port is tracked using a port dynamic count register 534 , wherein dynamic count register 534 keeps track of the number of available shared xq buffers for the port . the initial value of dynamic count register 534 is the total number of xq buffers associated with the port minus a sum of the number of xq entry values 320 a - 320 h . dynamic count register 534 is decremented when a class of service queue uses an available xq buffer after the class of service queue has exceeded its quota as assigned by its xq entry value 530 . conversely , dynamic count register 534 is incremented when a class of service queue releases a xq buffer after the class of service queue has exceeded its quota as assigned by its xq entry value 530 . when a queue requests xq buffer 204 , head of line mechanism 506 determines if all entries used by the queue is less than the xq entry value 530 for the queue and grants the buffer request if the used entries are less then the xq entry value 530 . if however , the used entries are greater than the xq entry value 530 for the queue , head of line mechanism 506 determines if the amount requested is less than the total available buffer or less then the maximum amount set for the queue by the associated set limit threshold 532 . set limit threshold 532 is in essence a discard threshold that is associated with the queue , regardless of the color marking of the packet . as such , when the packet count associated with the packet reaches set limit threshold 532 , the queue / port enters into a head of line status . when head of line mechanism 506 detects a head of line condition , it sends an update status so that ingress module 102 can drop packets on the congested port . however , due to latency , there may be packets in transition between ingress module 102 and mmu 104 when the status update is sent by head of line mechanism 506 . in this case , the packet drops may occur at mmu 104 due to the head of line status . in an embodiment of the invention , due to the pipeline of packets between ingress module 102 and mmu 104 , the dynamic pool of xq pointers is reduced by a predefined amount . as such , when the number of available xq pointers is equal to or less than the predefined amount , the port is transition to the head of line status and an update status is sent to by mmu 104 to ingress module 102 , thereby reducing the number of packets that may be dropped by mmu 104 . to transition out of the head of line status , the xq packet count for the queue must fall below a reset limit threshold 536 . it is possible for the xq counter for a particular class of service queue to not reach set limit threshold 532 and still have its packet dropped if the xq resources for the port are oversubscribed by the other class of service queues . in an embodiment of the invention , intermediate discard thresholds 538 and 539 may also be defined for packets containing specific color markings , wherein each intermediate discard threshold defines when packets of a particular color should be dropped . for example , intermediate discard threshold 538 may be used to define when packets that are colored yellow should be dropped and intermediate discard threshold 539 may be used to define when packets that are colored red should be dropped . according to an embodiment of the invention , packets may be colored one of green , yellow or red depending on the priority level assigned to the packet . to ensure that packets associated with each color are processed in proportion to the color assignment in each queue , one embodiment of the present invention includes a virtual maximum threshold 540 . virtual maximum threshold 540 is equal to the number of unassigned and available buffers divided by the sum of the number of queues and the number of currently used buffers . virtual maximum threshold 540 ensures that the packets associated with each color are processed in a relative proportion . therefore , if the number of available unassigned buffers is less than the set limit threshold 532 for a particular queue and the queue requests access to all of the available unassigned buffers , head of line mechanism 506 calculates the virtual maximum threshold 540 for the queue and processes a proportional amount of packets associated with each color relative to the defined ratios for each color . to conserve register space , the xq thresholds may be expressed in a compressed form , wherein each unit represents a group of xq entries . the group size is dependent upon the number of xq buffers that are associated with a particular egress port / class of service queue . weighted random early detection mechanism 508 is a queue management mechanism that pre - emptively drops packets based on a probabilistic algorithm before xq buffers 204 are exhausted . weighted random early detection mechanism 508 is therefore used to optimize the overall network throughput . weighted random early detection mechanism 508 includes an averaging statistic that is used to track each queue length and drop packets based on a drop profile defined for the queue . the drop profile defines a drop probability given a specific average queue size . according to an embodiment of the invention , weighted random early detection mechanism 508 may defined separate profiles on based on a class of service queue and packet . the foregoing description has been directed to specific embodiments of this invention . it will be apparent , however , that other variations and modifications may be made to the described embodiments , with the attainment of some or all of their advantages . therefore , it is the object of the appended claims to cover all such variations and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention .
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referring now to the drawings and fig1 in particular , there is shown a strap fastener 10 which comprises a fastener body 11 , a mounting plate 12 and a socket member 13 all molded of synthetic resin . the fastener body 11 includes a base plate 14 having a laterally outwardly extending lug 15 at one or its upper end , a pair of co - axial pins 16 at the other or its lower end , a laterally outwardly extending locking prong 17 intermediate between the lug 15 and the pin 16 , and a laterally inwardly extending plug 18 opposite to the prong 17 . a flange 19 having a slit 20 extends upwardly from the lug 15 . the base plate 14 is provided adjacent to the lug 15 with a laterally elongated slot 21 so that the upper end portion of the base plate 14 posesses a certain degree of resiliency which is large enough to enable the lug 15 to tilt about its distal end upwardly away from the prong 17 . the fastener body 11 further includes a cover plate 22 having a plurality of laterally elongated openings 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 for the passage therethrough of a strap s , a pair of apertured lower flange portions 27 pivotally connected to the respective pins 16 of the base plate 14 , and an upper flange portion 28 having a locking projection 29 engageable in complimentarily shaped recess 30 formed in the lower surface of the lug 15 . the first opening 23 is defined between the flanged portions 27 and a first cross bar 31 ; the second opening 24 between the first cross bar 31 and a second cross bar 32 ; the third opening 25 between the second cross bar 32 and a third cross bar 33 ; and the fourth opening 26 between the third cross bar 33 and the upper flange portion 28 . the second cross bar 32 is slightly off - set from the common upper plane of the cover plate 22 so as to make the strap s lie substantially flush with the upper surface of the cover 22 . the third cross bar 33 has a longitudinal locking ridge 33a extending along its rear edge and projecting into the third opening 25 . with the strap s passed through any of the openings 23 - 26 , the cover plate 22 is rotated about the pins 16 in the direction of the arrow into coupling engagement with the base plate 14 as better shown in fig3 when the locking projection 29 is snapped into the recess 30 to hold the cover 22 and the plate 14 retentively together , while the locking prong 17 enters into the third opening 25 and holds the strap s immovably against the side wall of the third cross bar 33 . in this instance , the locking ridge 33a on the third cross bar 33 bites into the web of the strap s . the plug 18 , which extends laterally centrally from the base plate 14 in opposition to the locking prong 17 , has a hollow cylindrical configuration and includes a stem portion 18a integral with the base plate 14 and an enlarged head portion 18b separated by an interrupted annular shoulder 18c from the stem portion 18a . the hollow cylindrical plug 18 further includes a plurality ( four in the illustrated embodiment ) of longitudinal slits 18d in a criss - cross formation , as better shown in fig4 to render the plug 18 resilient and radially inwardly deformable . the head portion 18b has a tapered end 18e . the base plate 14 and the cover plate 22 may be conveniently , though not exclusively , fabricated by injection - molding in assembled condition . the mounting plate 12 to be interposed between the fastener body 11 and the socket member 13 is generally rectangular in shape and has a central aperture 12a for receiving a portion of the socket member 13 and a plurality of laterally extending anchoring posts 12b each with an axial blind hole 12c , there being four of these posts equally spaced around the central aperture 12a as better shown in fig8 . the socket member 13 , which constitutes another part of the strap fastener 10 , includes a substantially rectangular plate 13a and a cylindrical neck 34 extending centrally from the base plate 13a . the socket member 13 further has a stepped bore 35 extending through the base plate 13a and the neck 34 . the stepped bore 35 is composed of a small - diameter portion 35a extending concentrically through the cylindrical neck 34 , and a large - diameter portion 35b extending through the base plate 13a . the large - and small - diameter portions 35b , 35a are separated by an annular step 37 which is lockingly engageable with the interrupted annular shoulder 18c when the plug 18 is snapped in the stepped bore 35 . the inside diameter of the small - diameter portion 35a is substantially the same as , preferably slightly larger than , the outside diameter of the cylindrical stem 18a of the plug 18 . the outside diameter of the head 18b of the plug 18 is larger than the inside diameter of the small - diameter portion 35a and is smaller than the inside diameter of the larger - diameter portion 35b . as shown in fig6 the socket 13 is provided with a plurality ( four in number in this embodiment ) of countersunk holes 38 a locations registering with the anchoring posts 12b of the mounting plate 12 . with this construction , the mounting plate 12 and the socket member 13 are first brought into coupling engagement with each other by inserting the neck 34 of the socket 13 into the central aperture 12a of the mounting plate 12 through an opening in a substrate such as sheet of fabric or leather c of a knapsack , with the anchoring posts 12b received in the corresponding holes 38 . the lugs 12b may be plastically deformed by press or with heat to swell out and anchor within the countersunk holes 38 , thereby joining the mounting plate 12 and the socket member 13 with the fabric sheet c sandwiched therebetween , as better shown in fig1 . the fastener body 11 is then taken into coupling engagement with the socket member 13 , which has been united with the mounting plate 12 , by inserting the plug 18 into the stepped bore 35 . as the head 18b of the plug 18 advances along the small - diameter portion 35a of the stepped bore 35 , the head 18b is resiliently deformed radially inwardly . a further forward movement of the plug 18 causes the head 18b to be snapped into the large - diameter portion 35b due to the resiliency of the plug 18 . in this instance , the interrupted annular shoulder 18c is held in interlocking engagement with the step 37 t hold the fastener body 11 and the socket member 13 in coupled condition , as shown in fig1 . the back of the fastener body 11 is held in contact with the face of the mounting plate 12 . the fastener body 11 can be rotated at will in either direction about an axis of the plug 18 relative to the socket member 13 so as to adjust the lateral position of the strap s on the knapsack to suit the particular physical characteristics of the user . in this instance , the fastener body 11 undergoes smaller frictional resistance imposed by the mounting plate 12 than by the fabric c of the knapsack . the strap s can be also adjusted lengthwise by pulling its leading end in and out through the slot 21 in the base plate 14 of the fastener body 11 , for which purpose and for removal or attachment of the strap s there may be used for example a screwdriver d ( placed in the slit 20 in fig1 and then tilted in the direction of the arrow a ) with which to unlock or release the locking projection 29 from the recess 30 . fig1 through 14 show a modified form of strap fastener 40 which comprises a strap holder 41 pivotably connected at one end as at 42 to a base plate 43 and at the other end with a cross bar 44 around which is passed the strap s . the base plate 43 carries a plug 45 identical in construction and function with the plug 18 of fig1 a socket member 46 of the strap fastener 40 is substantially the same as the socket member 13 of fig1 with the exception that an elongate groove 47 extends arcuately in the face of a neck 48 to a limited angular extent about the axis of a stepped bore 49 . when the plug 45 is snapped in the stepped bore 49 , the groove 47 loosely receives a projection 50 on the back of the base plate 43 . with the groove 47 and the projection 50 thus provided , the fastener body 41 is rotatable only within the limited angular extent with respect to the socket member 46 and hence the fabric c of a bag . fig1 through 17 show another modified form of strap fastener 51 which comprises a fastener body or buckle 52 composed of a male part 53 and a female part 54 releasably engageable with each other . the male part 53 has at one end a cross bar 55 for mounting the strap s and at the other end a hook 56 releasably engageable with a abutment strip 57 formed on the female part 54 . the female part 54 includes a plug 58 extending from the back thereof and a projection 59 disposed adjacent to the plug 58 . the plug 58 is identical in construction and function with the plug 45 of fig1 . when the plug 58 is snapped with a socket member 60 , the projection 59 is received in an arcuately extending groove 61 in the face of a neck 62 of the of the socket member 60 . the angular movement of the fastener body 52 relative to the socket member 60 is limited to a certain extent by engagement of the projection 59 with ends of the arcuate groove 61 . many other modifications and changes may be made in the embodiments herein advanced , without departing from the scope of the appended claims . as for an example , the number of anchoring lugs 12b and openings 38 may be two or three as the case may be , or the lugs 12b may be substituted by rivets .
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this invention relates to editing complex 3d objects . in accordance with the invention , the problem of editing a 3d object of arbitrary size and surface properties is converted to a problem of editing a 2d image . the invention allows the user to specify edits in both geometry and surface properties from any view and at any resolution they find convenient , regardless of the interactive rendering capability of their computer . the preferred embodiment of the invention uses specially - constrained shape from shading algorithms to convert a shaded image specified by the user by painting , cut - and - paste , or any other 2d image editing tool into a 3d geometry . in the particular description given herein , complex objects are represented by triangle meshes of arbitrary size associated with an atlas of images , which define surface details and appearance properties . the term surface maps is used to refer to these images that encode the detail and appearance properties . detail and appearance properties can include many different aspects of an object , but in this description , detailed surface normals and diffuse reflectance are used as examples of surface maps that are represented as images that are mapped to the geometry . the editing technique described herein can also be applied to other numerical descriptions used for representing 3d digital objects . furthermore , the editing technique can be applied to 3d digital objects comprised of geometry only , without any associated surface maps . the geometric representation of the object is not exposed to the user . the user specifies edits by positioning a simplified model and generating a detailed image at arbitrary resolution . the user edits the detailed image to specify object edits , and the edited image is then used to update the 3d model . fig1 is a block diagram of a computer system 100 with a graphics subsystem 110 and a 3d data acquisition system 112 that is suitable for capturing the 3d models described herein . a system bus 106 interconnects a cpu 120 with the graphics subsystem 110 and a system memory 114 . the acquisition system is preferably but not necessarily interfaced through an i / o subsystem 118 . as an alternative to the use of the acquisition system , a user may create a complex model by interacting directly with an i / o subsystem . fig2 shows the graphics subsystem 110 in greater detail . a bus interface 110 a connects the system bus 106 to a graphics control processor 110 b and to a geometry subsystem 110 c . a graphics control processor 110 b control bus 110 g also connects to the geometry subsystem 110 c and to a rasterizer 110 d . a depth or z - buffer 110 e and a frame buffer 110 f are also typically coupled to the rasterizer 110 d , and cooperate to render the object models for display . the computer system 100 illustrated in fig1 and 2 is used to create the original 3d digital model . in the example described herein , a very limited version of the computer system 100 can be used to edit the 3d object . to edit the object , no acquisition system 112 is needed , and the graphics subsystem 110 may be comprised of only a frame buffer 110 f , with the other graphical display operations performed in a computer program that is loaded into the computer memory 114 . fig3 shows the process of defining and processing an object edit in the preferred system of this invention . in step 210 , the user selects a view of a 3d object to be edited , using an interactive display of a very simplified version of the object ( by simplified meaning a version that requires much less data to describe ). a simplified model is used because the objects we consider may be too large to render interactively with all of the associated surface texture maps . in step 220 , a program generates a high resolution rendering — that is , images with a large number of pixels showing the full detail of the object for the selected view . the structure of the data 300 that is rendered is shown in fig4 and is comprised of a lit geometry image 305 , a depth map 310 and , optionally , normals maps 320 and a diffuse reflectance map 330 . in step 230 of fig3 , the lit geometry image — that is an image of the object as if it were coated with a grey diffuse ( i . e . matte ) paint and illuminated — is edited by the user to indicate what an image of the edited shape should look like . in optional step 240 , the diffuse reflectance map 330 is edited to specify how the diffuse reflectance of the edited object ( i . e ., the intrinsic colors of the edited object ) should look . in step 250 , a shape - from - shading method is applied to update the depth map 310 to a depth map corresponding to the edited object . finally , in step 260 , the original object geometry is updated to be consistent with the updated depth map and , optionally , the diffuse reflectance map . the specific examples discussed below are from editing sessions applied to a museum virtual restoration application . it should be emphasized , however , that the process of this invention can be used in a wide range of applications , including engineering , technical and medical applications . fig1 shows the images presented to the user in an interface for the process illustrated in fig3 . in this example , the invention is used to fill a chip in the head of the sculpture , and to cover the filled area with the ringed pattern that appears in the surrounding region . a particular viewpoint is selected using a simplified model in image 805 . the lit geometry 810 and diffuse reflectance map 815 are generated by the high resolution rendering process . in 820 , the 2d editing interface using a common 2d commercial editing package is shown , with the user employing a cut and paste operation to generate an image of what the object should look like after the edit is applied . the same interface is used to create the edited diffuse reflectance map 825 . it is possible that the luminance of some pixels will not change , even though a change in the geometry at that pixel is intended . the image 830 shows the result of using image dilation and painting to fill in the full area that has been edited . the area to be updated by the automated processes is indicated in a darker shade 832 in image 830 , and this “ hints ” image will be provided to the shape from shading solver to define the extent in which changes are to be made . to ensure that the edited object will remain a manifold , preferably edited areas in the image are bounded by fixed depth map values and do not include depth discontinuities . depth discontinuities are illustrated in fig5 and 6 . the lit grey image of an object is shown in image 400 . the depth discontinuities are shown in image 410 . fig6 shows a composite of the lit image and the depth discontinuities that can be presented to the user to indicate where edits are not allowed in this particular view . an editing scenario with consideration of depth discontinuities is shown in fig1 . the diffuse reflectance map is shown in 905 , and the lit gray image is shown in at 910 . areas that can not be edited for a view are marked for the user in 910 . in the preferred embodiment , areas that can not be edited are marked in blue for the user . within these constraints , any image operation is acceptable — blurring , sharpening , image cut - and - paste , painting , etc . fig1 shows the replacement of the nose of the figure with two types of input . in 915 the process starts with an image of a real nose , takes one side of it , and altars and smoothes the shading . then , the nose from 915 is used to update the grey image in 910 to produce image 920 . it may be noted that the albedo and lighting of the source image for the nose are unknown . in 930 , an alternative nose is taken from the rendering of another geometric model , and this nose is applied to 910 to generate an alternative edit , shown in 935 . the shading level is changed and the aspect ratio of the image is slightly altered to fit it into the missing nose area . the edited diffuse reflectance map is shown in 940 , and the hints image showing the area to be updated is shown in 950 . fig7 gives the detail of applying the shape from shading algorithm to the lit gray image . the input 606 is data of the structure illustrated in 300 in fig4 . optionally in step 610 , an initial guess for the updated depth map may be given by the user by editing a pseudo - colored image of the depths . the shape from shading algorithm 620 is then applied to compute the updated depth map representing the new geometry . optionally , the shape from shading can be used to compute even higher resolution normals in step 630 . the result is an updated data set 640 in the same structure as illustrated in fig4 . as will be understood by those skilled in the art , the diffuse reflectance map edits can be applied directly to update the original object . however , the grayscale edits are preferably converted into an updated depth map before the edits are applied . to determine the new depths for the edited region , the classic shape from shading problem is solved . shading is the variation of brightness across the photograph resulting from the local variation of the orientation of the surface with respect to the light sources and the camera . this question has been explored extensively , as described in a recent survey , zhang , tsai , cryer and shah , “ shape from shading a survey , ” ieee trans . on pattern analysis and machine intelligence , vol . 21 , no . 8 , pp . 690 – 706 , 1999 . let us identify the aspects of the theory of shape from shading relevant to image - based geometric editing . the factors accounting for shading include the lighting conditions , the object shape , its material reflectance properties , and the camera properties . isolating the shape information is too difficult in general and preferably the problem is simplified a great deal . the approach that has been most successful was to assume that the light source is bounded and at an infinite distance ( i . e . a directional light ), that the object has a smooth shape and is lambertian , that there is no occlusion boundary , that the solution is known on the boundary of the resolution domain , and finally , that the camera performs an orthographic projection . by design , all these conditions but the last are ideally met in our example . we are not dealing with a natural photograph but with an artificial image generated under such conditions . in the editing application of this invention , a perspective camera may be used for more realism , but the spatial extent of the edits is relatively small and we approximate locally the camera by an orthographic model . the usual approximate model of shape from shading for real photographs becomes a better model for image - based geometric editing because the only approximation is on the camera model . it may be helpful to review this model . consider an open two dimensional set ω of image pixels corresponding to an entirely visible and lit part s of the depicted object surface . the brightness of the rendered image is then given by i ( ρ )= n ( x )· l , where the point x on s projects onto the pixel ρ in ω , n ( x ) is a unit normal to s at x , l is a unit vector representing the light direction and * denotes the scalar product of two vectors . it may be noted that there are two distinct definitions of n in the preferred framework . indeed , s is represented as the union of a number of triangulated patches and the associated normal maps . the normal maps may arise from “ photometric stereo ,” i . e . from the set of real photographs initially acquired . these “ photometric normals ” are denote by n ρ . but n ρ can be computed from the triangulation as well . we denote by n g the “ geometric normals .” the motivation for this distinction is that n ρ is sampled at a higher resolution , typically we have 10 pixels per triangle . ideally , the brightness equation should be satisfied by both normals , i . e ., i ( ρ )= l · n g ( x ) and i ( ρ )= l · n ρ ( ρ ). the first equation allows to recover the underlying geometry , while the second yields a more precise description of the normals , accounting in particular for details that are smaller than the resolution of the triangulation . the reason why we do not solve only the second equation for both purposes is that photometric normals do not necessarily need to integrate as a valid surface and so they cannot necessarily yield the underlying geometry . their role is only to describe the smallest possible details . that said , the two normals should at least agree to a certain extent and the two solutions must be somewhat coupled , as discussed below . it is convenient to solve both equations in the image grid and it also makes it more natural to deal with multiple resolutions . this is made possible by using the depth map z to compute the geometric normals . the photometric normals are readily available on the image grid . we now explain how the brightness equations are solved . it is well known that the shape from shading problem can be ill - posed , depending on the data . in the case of image - based geometric editing , we can expect to be in situations where no solution exists or multiple solutions exist because a hand - defined shading might be incompatible with any realizable surface or , on the contrary , be degenerate . this motivates the use of a variational method to look for the “ best ” surface , in a sense to be made more precise . in addition , variational methods result in iterative algorithms and they make it easy to take advantage of an initial guess , suggested by the user . this is an important , preferred feature of the invention as , in practice , it solves the ill - posedness of the shape from shading . variational methods are well known in the art , and accordingly , it is not necessary to discuss these methods in detail herein . however , for the sake of review , these methods will be briefly described . consider a 2d vector field u defined on ω . presumably equal to ∇ z , and look for a smooth integrable solution by minimizing ∫ ω α ( i − l · n g ( u )) 2 + β (∇ ⊥ · u ) 2 + γ ( du ) 2 , n 8 ( u ) = ( u 2 + 1 ) - 1 2 ( - u , 1 ) , ∇ ⊥ = ( ∂ ∂ y , - ∂ ∂ x ) , du is the jacobian of u and α , β and γ are scalar weights . the first term accounts for the fidelity to the shading and the euclidean norm is used for the sake of simplicity . the second term accounts for the integrability of u and it is important to deal with inconsistent shadings . the last term is a regularization penalty , which accounts for the smoothness of the solutions . similarly , the photometric normals n ρ are computed by minimizing the integral ∫ ω μ ( i − l · n ρ ) 2 + ν ( d n ρ ) 2 + ψ ( n ρ − n g ) 2 , under the constraint || n ρ ||= 1 , where μ , ν and ψ are scalar weights . the first term accounts for the fidelity to the shading , the second term for smoothness and the last term couples n ρ to n g . another interpretation of the last term is that it penalizes non - integrable photometric normals since ng is the normal vector to an ( almost ) integrable surface . however , one might want to keep this contribution relatively small to allow sharp variations of the photometric normals at the expense of integrability . as previously , a stable minimizing numerical scheme may be derived from the corresponding euler - lagrange equations . the latter are straightforward for the first and last terms . as far as the scalar weights are concerned , they are defined up to a scaling factor for each equation . we have chosen experimentally a set of parameters and all the examples given herein use the following : α = 1 , β = 1 , δ = 0 . 1 , μ = 1 , ν = 1 and ψ = 0 . 01 . after shape from shading has been applied to transform the edited image into a new shape , the new geometry depth map , normal map and diffuse reflectance maps are used to update the original model . the update proceeds in two steps — up - dating the underlying charts and then applying the normal and diffuse reflectance maps . the process of then updating the underlying mesh is illustrated in fig8 . in step 705 , each existing vertex in a changed area is moved along the line - of - sight of the edited image &# 39 ; s virtual camera so that it lies on the new depth map computed from shape from shading . the movement of vertices in step 705 is further illustrated in diagram 707 in fig9 . the original mesh may have a resolution that is either too dense or too sparse to represent the change in geometry . in step 710 , after changing the position of existing vertices , the surface optionally could be refined or decimated to maintain the same level of consistency with the true geometric surface as was represented in the original model . edits that result in a valid surface can require a repartitioning of the surface mapping to avoid undesirable or unacceptable stretching of the surface maps . in optional step 720 , surfaces may be split if they are no longer height fields . in diagram 725 of fig9 , the splitting of a surface is shown . in optional steps 730 and 740 , the normal maps and diffuse reflectance maps can be respectively updated by projecting the edited images on the model and identifying the surface maps to be altered . diagram 735 in fig9 illustrates the projection required . an embodiment of the invention has been actually implemented in c ++ using open gl software libraries to perform the rendering to obtain the initial images for editing , and to do the projections required to update the geometry and image maps . the editing illustrated in fig1 and 12 was performed on a computer with a pentium iii 1 . 2 ghz processor , 512 mb of memory and no graphics hardware acceleration . fig1 and 13 show the results respectively for the edits made in fig1 and 12 . for the object shown in fig1 , the full object is composed of 314 , 246 triangles organized into 92 charts ( i . e ., small triangle meshes ), and maps containing 2 . 9 million non - zero pixels that specify the diffuse reflectance and normal at a higher spatial resolution ( i . e ., approximately 9 pixels per triangle ). the view to be edited in 805 was rendered as a 512 by 512 pixel image , and 15 . 7 % of the pixels ( i . e ., 41 , 174 ) were shown as darter in the edited region in 830 . the shape from shading solution computing steps 620 and 630 took 4 minutes and 45 seconds on the pentium iii processor . fig1 shows the model before editing in 840 and 850 , and after editing in 860 and 870 . fig1 shows the results of the edits specified by the images shown in fig1 . images 960 and 970 show the model before editing . 980 and 990 show the object after applying the edit specified in 920 , 995 and 998 show the model after applying the edit shown in 935 . while it is apparent that the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects stated above , it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art , and it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and embodiments as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .
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for the purpose of this description , a single reference number will be assigned to a line as well as a stream carried in that line . same reference numbers refer to the same or similar elements . fig1 schematically shows a simplified process scheme of a first embodiment according to the present invention for extracting bitumen ( i . e . in the context of the invention a bituminous and / or extremely heavy crude oil like material ) from an oil sand stream . the process scheme is generally referred to with reference number 1 . the process scheme 1 shows a crusher 2 , a de - oxygenation unit 3 , a mixer 4 , a solid / liquid separator ( such as a settler or hydrocylone ) 5 , a rejects dryer 6 , a filter 7 , a dryer 8 , a clarifier 9 , a src ( solvent recovery column ) 11 , a further mixer 12 , a second clarifier 13 and a dryer 14 . an optional further mixer 15 has been indicated as well ( to which e . g . all or part of stream 190 may be fed ). during use of the process scheme of fig1 , an oil sand stream 10 is provided and fed to the mixer 4 . typically , before entering the mixer 4 , the oil sand stream 10 has been crushed ( e . g . in crusher 2 ) or treated otherwise , to reduce the size of the larger oil sand lumps to below a pre - determined upper limit experience in large scale operations shows that the achievable size upper limit for such size reduction is currently about 8 inch . further , the oil sand stream is usually de - oxygenated ( e . g . in de - oxygenation unit 3 ), in particular when a non - aqueous solvent is subsequently used for the bitumen extraction . in the embodiment of fig1 , the oil sand stream 10 is contacted in the mixer 4 with a non - aqueous solvent stream preferably containing an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent ( and typically a certain amount of bitumen ), thereby obtaining a solvent - diluted oil sand slurry 20 . the person skilled in the art will readily understand that to this end a wide variety of streams , both in terms of composition and origin , can be used . in the embodiment shown in fig1 streams 30 a , 80 b and 90 b ( which are further discussed below ; recycled from downstream of the process ) are used , although the person skilled in the art will readily understand that one or more of the streams 30 a , 80 b , 90 b may not be used . also , other streams ( such as stream 170 ) may be used instead or in addition . usually , in the mixer 4 ( or in a separate unit , if needed , such as a screen ), the ( bitumen - containing ) lumps of the solvent - diluted oil sand slurry obtained are reduced in size , typically to have a diameter below 5 . 0 cm , preferably below 2 . 0 cm , more preferably below 1 . 0 cm . any undesired materials ( such as rocks and woody material ) that may hinder downstream processing may be removed by using screens or the like and the remaining oil sand particles are reduced in size in the presence of the solvent , e . g . by crushing , breaking and / or grinding . typically the contacting step in mixer 4 is performed at about ambient temperatures , preferably at a temperature in the range from 0 - 40 ° c ., and at about atmospheric pressure . in the embodiment of fig1 an optional stream 50 exiting the mixer 4 is shown that may be sent to the rejects dryer 6 . this stream 50 may contain rejects ( any undesired materials such as rocks and woody material ). the slurry stream 20 exiting the mixer 4 is fed ( using a pump ) into the settler 5 and the solids in the slurry stream 20 are allowed to settle , thereby obtaining ( as an overflow ) a first solids - depleted stream 30 and ( as an underflow ) a first solids - enriched stream 40 . although additional solvent may be fed to the settler 5 , it is preferred that no additional solvent is fed into the settler 5 other than with the slurry stream 20 . in the embodiment of fig1 at least a part 30 a of the first solids - depleted stream 30 is recycled to and reused in the mixer 4 . as shown , a part 30 b of the first solids - depleted stream 30 may be sent to and further processed in clarifier 9 to remove fines ; if desired , this stream 30 b may be combined with stream 80 a ( and other streams ) in mixer 12 to obtain combined stream 85 . the first solids - enriched stream 40 exiting the settler 5 is fed into the filter 7 . preferably , no intermediate washing with solvent takes place between the settler 5 and the filter 7 . in the filter 7 , the first solids - enriched stream 40 is filtered , thereby obtaining a bitumen - depleted sand stream 70 , a first filtrate 80 and a second filtrate 90 . typically this bitumen - depleted sand stream 70 is the “ filter cake ” as used in the filter 7 . this bitumen - depleted sand stream 70 may be sent to a dryer 8 and removed as dried stream 140 ; this dried stream 140 would in the art be referred to as “ tailings ”. the dried stream 140 can be used for land reclamation . of course , if needed , further removal of solvent from the dried stream 140 may be performed . as shown if fig1 , a recovered solvent stream 150 may be recycled from the dryer 8 to e . g . the filter 7 . in the embodiment of fig1 , a first ( usually bitumen - containing ) filtrate ( removed as stream 80 ) and a second filtrate ( removed as stream 90 ; usually containing less bitumen than stream 80 and consequently having a higher s / b weight ratio ) are obtained in the filter 7 . it goes without saying that further filtrate streams may be generated in the filter 7 . in the embodiment of fig1 , the first filtrate 80 and the second filtrate 90 are both at least partly recycled to the mixer 4 ( as streams 80 b and 90 b ), but this recycling of the filtrate streams to the mixer 4 is ( although preferred ) not essential to the invention in the broadest sense . as shown in the embodiment of fig1 , a stream 60 of fresh solvent may be fed to the filter 7 , instead of or in addition of recycled solvent streams 130 ( from the src 11 ) and 150 ( from the dryer 8 ); of course other sources of solvent recycle streams may be used as well . at least a part 80 b of the first filtrate stream 80 obtained in the filter 7 may be reused in the contacting step in the mixer 4 . as shown in the embodiment of fig1 , also the second filtrate 90 is partly reused ( as stream 90 b ) in the mixer 4 . a part 80 a of the first filtrate 80 and a part 90 a of the second filtrate 90 , and stream 30 b are mixed in mixer 12 and sent to the clarifier 9 as combined stream 85 . instead of or in addition to stream 90 a , a different stream or streams may be used to combine with first filtrate stream 80 a to obtain the combined stream 85 ( which has an increased s / b weight ratio when compared to first filtrate stream 80 ). the combined stream 85 may be heated , such as to a temperature of from 70 to 130 ° c . alternatively , the streams ( 80 a and 90 a in fig1 ) forming the combined stream 85 may be heated individually , before combining in the mixer 12 . in the clarifier 9 the combined stream 85 is separated , thereby obtaining a second solids - depleted overflow stream 100 and a solids - enriched underflow stream 110 . as shown in fig1 , the second solids - depleted overflow stream 100 of the clarifier 9 may be sent to the src 11 , whilst ( in the embodiment of fig1 all of ) the solids - enriched underflow stream 110 of the clarifier 9 is sent to the second clarifier 13 ( or a filter instead ) and contacted with solvent stream 190 . a part of the solids - enriched underflow stream 110 may be reused in the contacting in mixer 4 and combined with the first solids - enriched stream 40 and a part of the second solids - enriched underflow stream 110 may be combined with the solvent - diluted oil sand slurry 20 . in the src 11 , solvent is removed from the overflow 100 of the clarifier 9 thereby obtaining a bitumen - enriched stream 120 ; the solvent recovered in the src 11 may be recycled in the process , e . g . as a solvent stream 130 to the filter 7 . as mentioned above , at least a part ( and preferably all ) of the second solids - enriched stream 110 is sent to the second clarifier 13 and contacted with solvent 190 thereby obtaining a solvent - diluted second solids - enriched stream which is separated in the same clarifier ( or filter ) 13 , thereby obtaining a third solids - enriched stream 160 and a third solids - depleted stream 170 . the solvent stream 190 may be fresh solvent or a stream recycled form the process , such as part of stream 90 . as shown as optional in fig1 , the second solids - enriched stream 110 may be sent to the ( optional ) mixer 15 first , to mix it with e . g . all or part of stream 190 before the resulting stream is fed to the second clarifier 13 . the third solids - enriched stream 160 obtained in the clarifier 13 is subsequently dried in dryer 14 thereby obtaining a dried third solids - enriched stream 180 . the dried third solids - enriched stream 180 typically comprises from 30 to 95 wt . % bitumen ( wherein the bitumen contains at least 75 wt . % asphaltenes ) and at most 40 . 0 wt . % mineral solids . preferably , at least 80 wt . % of the mineral solids in the stream 180 has a maximum particle size of at most 2 . 0 mm . further , the stream 180 comprises less than 5 . 0 wt . % of an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent . the person skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . as mere examples , at least a part of the second solids - enriched stream 110 obtained during step ( e ) in the clarifier 9 may be reused in the filter 7 . also , a part of the second solids - enriched stream 110 may be combined with the solvent - diluted oil sand slurry 20 obtained in step ( b ) and subsequently fed into the solid / liquid separator 5 .
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fig1 and 2 illustrate the coupling assembly 10 of the present invention for rigidly connecting confronting ends of two conduit members . basic or primary components of the coupling assembly include a threaded flange or first coupling member 14 , a lock nut group or second coupling member 12 , a standard flange 16 , an o - ring 18 positioned between a facing surface of the standard flange and a facing surface of the threaded flange , and a rigid connecting means or flat washer 20 that is positioned at the interface between the lock nut group and the standard flange . assembly of the coupling assembly includes placement of the flat washer 20 within the lock nut group and alignment with the opening of the lock nut group , and positioning the lock nut group over the standard flange so that when assembled , the flat washer 20 is trapped between an exterior rib or shoulder 80 of the standard flange and an interior shoulder 45 of the nut body 44 , as further discussed below . the o - ring 18 is received within an annular groove or recess 76 ( fig6 ) formed on facing surface 74 of the threaded flange . the facing surface 82 of the standard flange ( fig7 ) compresses the o - ring 18 as the lock nut group is drawn toward the threaded flange by rotating the lock nut group in the locking direction by engagement of interior threads 56 of the lock nut group with exterior threads 72 of the threaded flange . in the locked position , the pair of slots or reliefs 40 formed on the peripheral edge of the lock nut group 12 align with and engage the projections or tabs 66 formed on the rim or peripheral edge of the threaded flange . now referring to fig3 and 4 , the lock nut group 12 is illustrated . the lock ring 30 is characterized by an outer rim 32 that may be roughened or knurled , a rim extension 33 that extends axially away from the outer rim 32 , and one or more notches or reliefs 40 that engage corresponding projections or tabs 66 on the threaded flange when the coupling is in the locked position . additionally , the interior surface of the lock ring includes one or more keys or projections 38 that align with corresponding key ways or slots 48 formed on the outer rim 46 of the lock nut 44 . the nut body is inserted coaxially within the lock ring so that the keys and key ways are aligned . the key ways 48 allow relative axial displacement of the lock nut with respect to the nut body , but prevent relative rotational movement between the lock ring and nut body . lock ring 30 is attached to nut body 44 as by a split retainer 60 that is received within an annular slot or groove 34 formed on the interior surface of the lock ring 30 . the split retainer 60 is reduced in circumference by first closing the ends 61 towards one another , placing the split retainer 60 within the groove 34 , and then releasing the ends 61 whereby the split retainer returns to its undeformed state with an enlarged circumference and thereby being held within the groove 34 . the structure of the nut body 44 is further characterized as including an interior shoulder 50 , an exterior shoulder 52 , and an axial extension 54 interconnecting the interior and exterior shoulders . the inner surface of the nut group includes threads 56 which are threaded over the exterior threads 72 of the threaded flange , as further discussed below . a biasing member , shown in the preferred embodiment as a wave spring 58 , is provided for biased relative axial displacement between the lock ring and nut body . prior to inserting the nut body in the lock ring , the wave spring is positioned over the extension 54 . referring to fig4 , when the lock nut group is assembled , the spring 58 is maintained in the gap or space between the lock ring and the nut body . this gap or space is delimited annularly by the extension 54 and the interior surface 36 of the lock ring . this gap or space is delimited axially by the split retainer 60 and by the interior shoulder 50 . thus in the arrangement shown in fig4 , biased axial movement is allowed between the lock ring and nut body to the extent that the spring 58 can be compressed and decompressed in the gap or space , yet relative rotational movement of the lock ring and nut body are prevented by the key and key way arrangement . now referring to fig5 and 6 , the particular configuration of the threaded flange is illustrated . the threaded flange 14 is characterized by a protruding rim 64 , and one or more projection tabs 66 which are spaced from one another in the same spacing as the notches 40 . in the preferred embodiment as shown , a pair of tabs and notches are present . the tabs and notches are spaced from one another approximately 180 degrees . a sleeve 68 extends axially from the rim 64 in one direction , and external threads 72 extend from the rim 64 in the opposite axial direction . the interior surface of the sleeve 68 includes a plurality of swaging grooves 70 , and the first conduit 22 preferably attached to the threaded flange as by a swaging operation wherein the free end of the conduit member is swaged with respect to the interior surface of the sleeve 68 . the threaded flange 14 further includes a facing surface 74 , and an annular groove or slot 76 that is formed on the face 74 . the annular groove 76 is sized to receive the o - ring 18 . now referring to fig7 and 8 , the standard flange 16 is illustrated . the standard flange 16 includes a rib 80 , a contact face or surface 82 , and a sleeve 84 . the interior surface of the standard flange also preferably includes swaging grooves 86 wherein the free end of the second conduit member 24 is preferably swaged with respect to the interior surface of the sleeve 84 . now referring to fig9 and 10 , the coupling assembly is illustrated when assembled . fig9 more specifically illustrates the lock nut group threaded over the threads of the threaded flange , but the lock ring has not yet snap fit into the locked position , thus , some gap g exists between the facing surface of the rim extension 33 and the tabs 66 . accordingly , the spring is still compressed in the gap or space between the nut body and the lock ring . as also shown , the flat washer 20 is trapped between the exterior shoulder 17 of the standard flange and the interior shoulder 45 of the nut body . the o - ring 18 is positioned in the annular groove 76 of the threaded flange , and the facing surface 82 of the standard flange fits in the annular groove and compresses the o - ring thereby creating a leak proof seal . referring to fig1 , the lock ring has been displaced by the force from the spring 58 so that the notches 40 are engaged with the respective tabs 66 . fig1 also illustrates the coupling in the locked position . the exterior threads 72 on the threaded flange and the interior threads 56 on the nut body are clocked so that a desired number of rotations of the lock nut group allows the notches 40 to snap fit in engagement with the tabs 66 . because of the biased arrangement between the lock ring and nut body , as the lock nut group is screwed over the threads of the threaded flange , there will be a distinct clicking sound once the notches 40 engage the tabs 66 . this audible indication allows the user to know that the lock nut group has now been placed in a locking relationship . in addition to this audible sound , an indicator stripe ( not shown ) in the form of a florescent colored annular marking may be placed around the portion of the peripheral surface of the rim 64 that becomes covered by the lock ring when the coupling is placed in the locked position . thus when the indicator stripe or marking disappears , this indicates to a user that the coupling is locked and ready for operation . as can also be seen in fig9 and 10 , the rigid nature of the attachment between the conduit members is further enhanced by the close tolerance fit between the peripheral outer edge or surface 81 of the standard flange with respect to the inner circumferential facing edge 73 . it is also apparent from fig9 and 10 that there is substantial continuous contact between the components of the coupling assembly which bypass the o - ring thereby providing an electrically conductive path that eliminates electrostatic potential between the conduit members . the path is defined by contact of the standard flange with the flat washer 20 , contact of the flat washer with the lock nut group , and contact of the lock nut group with the standard flange by the threaded arrangement . although the o - ring 18 provides a seal between the standard flange and the threaded flange , metal to metal contact is still achieved across this sealed interface by the electrical conductive path , thereby eliminating the need for an externally mounted bonding strap that is typically used to maintain electrical continuity . when it is desired to unlock the coupling assembly , the lock ring is pulled axially away from the rim 64 of the threaded flange by grasping the outer rim 32 , and then the lock nut group is rotated in an unlocking direction thereby unscrewing the lock nut group from the threaded flange . the coupling assembly of the present invention provides a reliable and structurally stable connection . the connection is rigid thereby eliminating the need for support hangars at or adjacent the coupling . the coupling is easily installed and requires no bonding strap . the coupling assembly is easily maintained because it can be disassembled down to a component level for inspection and for component replacement as necessary . the present invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment ; however , other changes and modifications can be made to the invention within the scope of the claims appended hereto .
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reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention , an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings . wherever possible , the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts . fig1 - 7 illustrate suspenders 10 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . suspender straps 12 , 13 and 14 are attached to junction member 15 . strap 12 can be attached to or threaded through ring 16 on side 17 of junction member 15 . straps 13 and 14 can be attached to or threaded through ring 18 on side 19 of junction member 15 . ends 22 , 23 and 24 of respective straps 12 , 13 and 14 can be coupled to respective straps 12 , 13 and 14 for example by sewing as shown in fig2 . ends 25 and 26 of respective straps 13 and 14 can be doubled over respective straps 13 and 14 and secured with buckles 27 . buckles 27 can be adjusted along the length of respective straps 13 and 14 for adjusting the length of straps 13 and 14 . buckles 27 include buckle coupler 29 for contacting respective straps 13 and 14 after adjustment of the desired length of respective straps 13 and 14 as shown in fig3 . fastener members 30 a - 30 c can be formed as clip 31 . fastener member 30 a can be attached to end 32 of strap 12 as shown in fig4 and 5 . fastener member 30 b can be attached to end 33 of strap 13 . fastener member 30 c can be attached to end 34 of strap 14 . fastener members 30 a - 30 c can include fastener ring 35 . respective ends 32 , 33 and 34 are threaded through fastener ring 35 of respective fastener members 30 a - 30 c and are attached to respective straps 12 , 13 and 14 for example by sewing . clip 31 includes clip members 36 , 37 coupled to one another with bias member 38 as shown in fig1 . clip members 36 , 37 can be opened by pressing on bias member 38 to move clip members 36 , 37 away from one another . clip members 36 , 37 can be closed by releasing bias member 38 . fig8 and 9 are schematic diagrams of suspender system 40 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . suspender system 40 includes suspenders 10 and attachment member 50 . attachment member 50 can include coupling ring 52 coupled or integral with attachment ring 54 as shown in fig1 - 12 . coupling ring 52 can have for example a circular or elliptical shape . attachment ring 54 can have , for example , a circular or elliptical shape . coupling ring 52 can have a diameter d 1 which is larger than diameter d 2 of attachment ring 54 as shown in fig1 . for example , diameter d 1 can be in the range of about 0 . 50 to about 0 . 75 inches . for example , diameter d 2 can be in the range of about 0 . 125 to about 0 . 25 inches . coupling ring 52 can be removably coupled to fastener member 30 as shown in fig1 . attachment ring 54 is attached to waistband 62 of garment 60 . attachment ring 54 can be sewn to waistband 62 with stitches 64 at a position beneath top 63 of waistband 62 . attachment ring 54 can be attached to inner surface 65 of waistband 62 . alternatively , attachment ring 54 can be stapled or sewn to waistband 62 . for example , garment 60 can be pants , trousers , shorts or a skirt . height h 1 of coupling ring 52 is selected to allow coupling ring 52 to be a predetermined distance from attachment ring 54 to allow edge 72 of garment 70 to be tucked around fastener member 30 between fastener member 30 and coupling ring 52 . for example , height h 1 can be in the range of about 1 . 0 to about 2 . 0 inches . for example , garment 70 can be a shirt or a blouse . fig1 is a schematic diagram of suspender system 80 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . suspender system 80 includes suspenders 10 and attachment member 82 . attachment member 82 includes attachment rod 84 , that is removable . attachment rod 84 has length l 1 which is sufficient to removably attach fastener member 30 . attachment rod member 85 positioned at end 86 is integral with attachment rod 84 . attachment rod member 87 positioned at end 88 is integral with attachment rod 84 . attachment rod member 85 and attachment rod member 87 can be attached to inner surface 65 of waistband 62 . attachment rod member 85 and attachment rod member 87 can be pinned to waistband 62 . alternatively , attachment rod member 85 and attachment rod member 87 can be pinned or stapled to waistband 62 . height h 2 of fastener member 30 is selected to allow edge 72 of garment 70 to be tucked around attachment member 82 between fastener member 30 , between fastener member 30 and attachment member 82 and over waistband 62 . for example , height h 2 can be in the range of about 1 . 0 to about 1 . 5 inches . fig1 is a schematic diagram of suspender system 90 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . suspender system 90 includes suspenders 100 and attachment member 92 . suspenders 100 can be the same as suspenders 10 except fastener member 30 is replaced with fastener member 110 . fastener member 110 includes coupling member 112 attaching to fastener ring 113 . coupling extension 114 extends from coupling member 112 . coupling extension 114 include flange 115 and flange 116 . flange 115 includes curvature 117 and flange 116 includes curvature 118 for forming opening 119 . coupling section 120 extends below opening 119 . attachment member 92 includes attachment rod 94 . coupling nut 93 is attached to attachment rod 94 . for example , coupling nut 93 can have a hexagonal shape . coupling nut 93 can be received within opening 119 . coupling nut 93 can be slidably moved into coupling section 120 between flanges 115 and 116 forming a track for removably coupling fastener 110 to attachment member 92 . attachment rod member 95 is positioned at end 96 of attachment rod 94 . attachment rod member 97 is positioned at end 98 of attachment rod 94 . attachment rod member 95 and attachment rod member 97 can be pinned to inner surface 65 of waistband 62 . attachment rod member 95 and attachment rod member 97 can be pinned to waistband 62 . height h 3 of fastener member 110 is selected to allow edge 72 of garment 70 to be tucked around attachment member 92 between fastener member 110 and attachment member 92 . for example , height h 3 can be in the range of about 0 . 5 to about 1 . 0 inches . fig1 is a schematic diagram of suspender system 120 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . suspender system 120 includes suspenders 121 and attachment member 122 . suspenders 121 can be the same as suspenders 10 except fastener member 30 is replaced with fastener member 130 . fastener member 130 includes coupling member 132 attached or integral with fastener ring 135 . fastener ring 135 attaches to respective suspenders 12 , 13 , and 14 . coupling extension 134 extends from coupling member 132 . coupling extension 134 includes opening 136 . attachment member 122 includes button 123 . button 123 can be sewn to waistband 62 with stitches 125 . button 123 can be received within opening 136 of coupling extension 134 . button 123 can be slidably moved toward coupling section 137 of coupling member 132 for removably to fastener member 130 to attachment member 122 . height h 4 of fastener member 130 is selected to allow edge 72 of garment 70 to be tucked around attachment member 122 between fastener member 130 and attachment member 122 . for example , height h 4 can be in the range of about 0 . 5 to about 1 . 0 inches . fig1 is a schematic diagram of suspender system 200 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . suspender system 200 includes suspenders 10 and attachment member 202 . attachment member 202 has a length l 1 which is sufficient to removably attach fastener member 30 . end 204 of attachment member 202 can be sewn to waistband 62 with stitches 205 . attachment member 202 can be formed of cloth . alternatively , attachment member 202 can be glued or stapled to waistband 62 . height h 2 of fastener member 30 is selected to allow edge 72 of garment 70 to be tucked around attachment member 202 between fastener member 30 , between fastener member 30 and attachment member 202 and over waistband 62 . for example , height h 2 can be in the range of about 0 . 5 to about 1 . 0 inches . a kit can be formed of suspenders 10 along with a plurality of attachment members 50 . during use , straps 13 and 14 are placed over the shoulders of a wearer and are positioned at the front and strap 12 is positioned at the rear of the wearer . buckles 27 are adjusted for adjusting the length of straps 13 and 14 . a pair of attachment members 50 are attached to garment 60 at a distance from one another on a front or side surface of garment 60 . a third attachment member 50 is attached at a rear of garment 60 . each of fasteners 30 a , 30 b and 30 c are opened to receive a respective coupling ring 52 . each of fastener members 30 a , 30 b , and 30 c are closed after receiving coupling ring 52 . alternatively , the kit can be formed of suspenders 10 along with a plurality of attachment members 82 . for example , the kit can contain 15 attachment members 82 for attaching to five garments . alternatively , the kit can be formed of suspenders 100 along with a plurality of attachment members 92 . for example , the kit can contain 15 attachment members 92 . alternatively , the kit can be formed of suspenders 120 and a plurality of attachment members 122 . alternatively , the kit can be formed of suspenders 10 along with a plurality of attachment members 202 . fig1 a is a schematic diagram of suspender system 220 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . all of the features of suspender system 220 are the same as suspender system 120 , except for button 123 . in suspender system 220 , instead of button 123 , the system uses no - sew button stud 124 that consists of two parts ; female head 125 and male insert 126 . female head 125 is positioned adjacent inner surface 140 of coupling member 132 . no - sew button stud 124 can be connected by piercing the pants material to create an opening for insertion of no - sew button stud 124 . in this configuration , the shirt tail can be positioned over no - sew button stud 124 . coupling member 132 and fastener member 130 can be then placed over garment 70 and pressed down over the material and then over no - sew button stud 124 , using opening 136 . no - sew button 124 can be slidably moved toward coupling section 137 to secure garment 70 material in place . coupling section 137 includes opening 138 which has a smaller diameter than female head 125 of no - sew button stud 124 . fig1 b is a schematic diagram of suspender system 220 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention . in this embodiment , female head 125 is position adjacent outer surface 142 of coupling member 132 . it is to be understood that the above - described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments , which can represent applications of the principles of the invention . numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
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fig1 is a schematic view of a wind turbine system 10 . the wind turbine may include a tower 12 mounted on a base 14 and capped with a wind turbine 16 having a plurality of large blades 18 . wind turns the blades which drive the generator . the pitch of the blades of the wind turbine may be adjusted by a conventional gearing device . fig2 is a high level block diagram of certain components of the wind turbine 10 . the generator 20 includes a rotor that is rotationally driven by a shaft 21 turned by the blades of the wind turbine . electrical power from the generator is transferred through a connector 22 to a generator converter 24 . the generator converter 24 may be coupled to a utility grid power converter 25 that is in turn coupled to a power grid 26 is a conventional manner . the utility grid power converter may be mounted on the ground near the wind turbine base 14 and serve one or more wind turbines 10 . the exciter 31 for the rotor of the generator may be driven by an uninterruptible power supply ( ups ) 33 , to ensure that the exciter is powered during a grid power loss . alternatively , the generator may be a permanent magnet generator ( pmg ) which does not require a powered exciter . a controller 28 monitors and controls the wind turbine . the controller includes a grid loss detector 29 that monitors the power grid 26 and detects when a power loss occurs on the grid . a power loss may be indicated by an undervoltage condition in the grid or an out of frequency condition in the grid . a power loss rapidly reduces the power load on the generator and on the wind turbine . when a grid loss is detected , the controller switches the connector 22 to couple the dump load resistor 32 to the generator 20 and generator converter 24 . the controller may also command the gearing of the wind turbine to adjust the blade pitch so as to reduce the rotational speed of the wind turbine . further , the controller may activate the connector 22 to couple to the generator . another energy storage load 30 , such as a fly wheel , battery or other storage device . connecting the dump load resistor occurs fast , e . g ., within 0 . 1 to 1 second . adjusting blade pitch and / or coupling another storage device is relatively slow , e . g ., 3 seconds to several minutes . the dump load resistor is connected to the connector 22 . the dump load resistor may be arranged in parallel to the converter and connected to an output of the generator . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the generator , converters , grid , dump load resistor 32 and the control circuits for the dump load resistor . the dump load resistor dissipates the power produced by the generator 20 . examples of dump load resistors are resistance wires wound around solid heat sinks , resistance elements in a water or other liquid heat sink or other heat dissipation device . the dump load resistor has a resistance comparable to the load applied to the generator 20 by the power grid . for example , the dump load resistor may have a rated capacity to adsorb power in the range of 1 , 000 to 4 , 000 kilo watts ( kw ) and more preferably about 3 , 000 kw . the dump load resistor 32 shown in fig3 is embodied as a 1 , 000 kw rated resistor 34 for each phase of a three - phase power output of a permanent magnet generator ( pmg ) 36 that is driven by a wind turbine . while the power grid 26 is connected , power from the pmg is transferred through a conventional full size generator converter 34 and a conventional full size grid converter 25 to convert the three - phase power from the pmg to three - phase power having the phasing , voltage and current suitable for the power grid 26 . a programmable logic circuit ( plc ) 42 , which may be the controller for the wind turbine , monitors the connection to the grid and detects a loss of the grid power load . when a grid loss is detected , the plc switches a thyristor bridge 44 to connect each of the dump load resistors 34 to one of the phases of the power output from the pmg 36 . the dump load resistors dissipate power from the pmg until the grid load is reconnected to the converters 38 , 40 , the wind turbine blade speed is reduced , or until an energy storage device ( not shown in fig3 ) is connected to the pmg and / or converters . impedance devices 46 , e . g ., filters and / or inductors , match the dump load resistor 32 to the three - phase output of the generator 36 . as shown in fig4 , the dump load of resistor 32 may be multiple banks of resistors 48 arranged in parallel . each resistor bank 48 may be a set of three 750 kw rated resistors for each phase of the pmg output . the plc controls when and which , if any , of the resistor banks 48 are connected to the pmg output . the total resistance of the bank of resistors may be controlled in real time or near real time , by the plc 42 to be the same as or comparable to the load being applied to the generator by generator converter as a result of the grid load . for example , if all resistor banks 48 are applied to the pmg output , the total dump resistor load would be rated to dispute 3 , 000 kw , assuming four resistor banks and each bank is formed of 750 kw rated resistors . the plc may apply one , two or three ( but less than all ) of the resistor banks 48 to apply a partial dump load to the pmg in the event that the grid load falls below predetermined load levels . for example , the plc may successively apply resistor banks to progressively increase the dump load as the grid load falls off towards total grid loss . the successive application of resistor banks allows a relatively smooth and gradual application of a dump resistor load . fig5 is an exemplary flow chart of a procedure for adjusting to a grid power loss . in step 60 , the wind turbine 10 generates power applied to the power grid 26 ( fig2 ). in particular , power produced by the generator is applied to the generator converter which transforms the power to a frequency , phasing and voltage level ( s ) suitable for use on the power grid . this transformation may be performed by a combination of the generator converter and utility power grid converter 25 ( fig2 ). the controller 28 , and particularly the grid loss detector 29 , monitors the power grid 26 such as by monitoring the frequency , phase and voltage levels on the connection between the converters 24 and / or 26 and the power grid 26 . the controller 28 adjust the total resistance of the dump load resistor 32 to match the load applied by the power grid . the controller may delay the adjustment of the controller , e . g ., by a minute , an hour or a day , to ensure that the resistor is not adjusted after a grid loss is detected . a grid loss occurs , in step 66 , such as by a sudden change in the frequency , phase or voltage levels in the load applied by the grid to the converters 24 , 25 . the controller 28 is programmed to determine that a grid loss has occurred when a predetermined condition arises , such as a sudden change in the frequency , phase or voltage levels in the load applied by the grid . the predetermined condition may indicate that a grid loss is imminent and need not be full loss of the grid load . in step 68 , the grid loss detector 29 detects the predetermined condition stored in the controller and the controller determines that a grid loss condition exists . upon detecting a grid loss , the dump load resistor is substantially immediately , e . g ., within 0 . 1 to 1 second , switched to be a load on the generator in step 70 . the dump load resistor is switched to be a load on the generator quickly so that no substantial forces are applied to the wind turbine as a result of the grid loss , including the application of excessive bending moments to the tower . the dump load can be switch to be a load for the generator substantially immediately and possibly before the grid load is fully lost . the controller may also reduce the wind turbine blade speed and / or switch to an energy storage device , in step 72 . adjusting the rotational speed of the turbine generally requires several minutes . an energy storage device may be a fly wheel 72 , for example , on the ground near the base of the wind turbine may store energy generated by the wind turbine so that it may be later reused . the dump load resistor may be configured so that energy is dissipated and not stored . however , relatively slow electromechanical switches , e . g ., relays , may connect the fly wheel to the connector 22 . during the delay in activating these relays , the dump load resistor 32 applies a load to the generator and thereby avoids applying excessive forces , e . g ., torques and bending moments , to the wind turbine . in step 74 , the blades of the wind turbine may also be decelerated or feathered in response to a grid load power loss . while the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment , but on the contrary , is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .
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task scheduling and automated task performance in printers are described herein . a printer allows one or more tasks to be scheduled for the printer . aside from tasks that are delayed print requests , these tasks are not the printing of documents in response to print requests received from computers . rather , they involve other maintenance and / or status - related operations . various types of tasks can be scheduled for the printer , and various rules can be established to define when the tasks should be performed . the printer maintains a record of these scheduled tasks and rules , and automatically performs the appropriate tasks at the appropriate times . [ 0016 ] fig1 illustrates an exemplary environment 100 in which the task scheduling and automated task performance in printers can be employed . in environment 100 , multiple ( m ) computing devices 102 are coupled to one or more of multiple ( n ) printers 104 via a network 106 and / or directly . network 106 is intended to represent any of a wide variety of conventional network topologies and types ( including wired and / or wireless networks ), employing any of a wide variety of conventional network protocols ( including public and / or proprietary protocols ). computing devices 102 can be any of a wide variety of conventional computing devices , including desktop pcs , workstations , server computers , internet appliances , gaming consoles , handheld pcs , cellular telephones , personal digital assistants ( pdas ), etc . computing devices 102 can be the same types of devices , or alternatively different types of devices . printers 104 can be any of a wide variety of imaging devices capable of generating a hard copy of data ( e . g ., received form one of computing devices 102 ). printers 104 can generate hard copies of data in any of a variety of manners , such as by using toner ( e . g ., in laser printers ), ink ( e . g ., in inkjet printers , bubblejet printers , dot matrix printers , etc . ), heat applied to heat - sensitive print media ( e . g ., thermal printers ), and so forth . printers 104 can be the same types of devices , or alternatively different types of devices . printers 104 may also incorporate additional functionality , for example , such as the ability to scan hard copies of documents and generate digital representations of such documents , send and / or receive data as a facsimile machine , and so forth . [ 0019 ] fig2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary printer 120 in additional detail . printer 120 can be any of printers 104 of fig1 . printer 120 includes several modules or components : a local i / o module 122 , a remote i / o module 124 , a print control module 126 , a calibration module 128 , a report module 130 , a diagnostic module 132 , a web server 134 , a time module 136 , a scheduling module 138 , and task scheduling data 140 . the modules and components in fig2 are exemplary only ; the exact components included in any particular computing device can vary based on the type of device . local i / o module 122 controls the local input of commands and / or data to printer 120 . in one implementation , printer 120 includes a display ( e . g ., led screen , lcd screen , etc .) via which prompts and information can be displayed to a local user of printer 120 ( e . g ., a user standing at printer 120 rather than accessing printer 120 via a network ), and an input mechanism ( e . g ., touchscreen , keypad , etc .) via which the local user can input commands and / or data to printer 120 . local i / o module 122 manages the displaying of such information or prompts , as well as the receipt of input commands and / or data and the routing of such inputs to the appropriate components of printer 120 . remote i / o module 124 manages communication between printer 120 and one or more remote devices ( e . g ., via network 106 of fig1 ). in the illustrated example , remote i / o module 124 includes a software component ( s ) that implements one or more commonly available network protocols , such as the well - known transmission control protocol / internet protocol ( tcp / ip ). by using commonly available network protocols , a wide variety of remote devices can communicate certain information to and receive certain information from printer 120 using well - known methodologies . for example , most computing devices have a browser that communicates with other devices via the well - known hypertext transport protocol ( http ) over tcp / ip . this browser can be used to access printer 120 via module 122 based on an identifier ( e . g ., the name , network address , uniform resource locator ( url ), etc .) of printer 120 . print control module 126 manages the printing of data by printer 120 in a conventional manner in order to generate a hard copy of the data . print requests can be received via a network ( e . g ., network 106 of fig1 ) and / or directly from client computing device 142 . one or more computing devices ( e . g ., device 142 of fig2 or any of computing devices 102 of fig1 ) can submit print requests to printer 120 . calibration module 128 performs calibration cycles for printer 120 . the exact nature of the calibration cycle can vary based on the type of printer ( e . g ., inkjet , laser , color , etc .) as well as on the manufacturer of the printer . in one implementation , for example , color inkjet printers are calibrated by printing lines ( or other shapes ) of each of the multiple colors and measuring the density of each color printed . based on these measured densities , the printer can readily determine what proportions of what inks to use in order to generate the various colors . such calibration cycles are well - known to those skilled in the art and thus will not be discussed further except as they pertain to the task scheduling and automated task performance in printers described herein . report module 130 generates status reports for printer 120 and communicates these status reports to the appropriate destination ( e . g ., via remote i / o module 124 ). the exact nature of these reports can vary based on the type of printer , the manufacturer of the printer , and the desires of the owner ( or administrator ) of the printer . examples of such reports include the number of pages that have been printed , the amount of ink or toner that has been used , an amount of time the printer was in ( or not in ) a power - save mode , whether any errors have occurred , etc . such status information can be generated in a variety of different manners that are well - known to those skilled in the art ; thus , this status monitoring will not be discussed further except as it pertains to the task scheduling and automated task performance in printers described herein . diagnostic module 132 performs one or more self - diagnostic tests for printer 120 . the exact nature of these tests can vary based on the type of printer as well as on the manufacturer of the printer . examples of such tests include testing network communications , testing memory in the printer , testing any mass storage devices ( e . g ., hard drives ) in the printer , testing the print mechanism , and so forth . such self - diagnostic tests are well - known to those skilled in the art and thus will not be discussed further except as they pertain to the task scheduling and automated task performance in printers described herein . web server 134 operates as a conventional web server ( e . g ., conforming to the http protocol ). a web browser 144 of client device 142 is able to access web server 134 and load content ( e . g ., web pages , javascripts , java applets , virtual basic scripts ( vbscripts ), etc .) from web server 134 . a conventional communication channel or connection can be established between web browser 144 and web server 134 via which such content can be transferred . in addition , information entered by a user to web browser 144 ( e . g ., data entry into fields of a web page , responses to queries from a javascript , etc .) can also be returned to web server 134 via this communication channel or connection . web server 134 , when accessed by web browser 144 , communicates task scheduling options to web browser 144 . these task scheduling options allow a user of web browser 144 to identify tasks to be scheduled as well as the rules to be followed in determining when to perform the tasks . in one implementation , these task scheduling options are presented to a user of web browser 144 as a web page ( e . g ., written in html ( hypertext markup language )). although printer 120 is discussed herein generally as using a web server 134 , printer 120 may alternatively employ other servers that conform to other public and / or proprietary protocols . such other protocol ( s ) would also be known to client device 142 , allowing components of device 142 to communicate with the server ( s ) of printer 120 . [ 0029 ] fig3 illustrates an exemplary printer task scheduling display 200 . display 200 is a web page communicated from web server 134 to web browser 144 . display 200 includes multiple buttons 202 identifying different tasks that can be selected by the user for scheduling , and a rule definition window 204 in which one or more rules for the different tasks can be defined . buttons 202 include a calibration button 206 to allow scheduling of calibration cycles , a self - diagnostic button 208 to allow scheduling of self - diagnostic tests , a reports button 210 to allow scheduling of reports , a delayed print jobs button 212 to allow scheduling of when delayed print jobs should be printed , and a power - save button 214 to allow scheduling of power - save operations . buttons 202 are exemplary only . in alternate embodiments , additional buttons representing additional tasks may also be included , and / or one or more of buttons 206 - 214 may not be included . additionally , it is to be appreciated that the layout of display 200 is exemplary only , and in alternate implementations may be organized differently . a user , such as a system administrator , can generate one or more rules for each of the different tasks . rule definition window 204 illustrates an exemplary display for creating a calibration scheduling rule . each rule can have one or more conditions that need to be satisfied in order for the task to be performed by the printer . in the illustrated example , two conditions can be set by the user : a time condition 216 , and a page count condition 218 . the user can select from different available time ranges from a pull down menu and can also select from different available page counts via a pull down menu . thus , the user is able to enter a rule that defines a particular time range ( e . g ., between 9 : 00 pm and 6 : 00 am ) and a threshold page count ( e . g ., greater than 75 pages ), so that if more than the threshold number of pages have been printed since the last calibration cycle , and the current time is within the defined range , the printer will perform a calibration cycle . once the user has completed entry of the rule , he or she can select the done button 220 , which returns an indication of the newly defined rule to web server 134 of fig2 . the user can define another rule by selecting another one of the buttons 202 , or another calibration rule by selecting button 206 again . once the user has scheduled all desired tasks , he or she can select the “ done scheduling ” button 222 , which closes display 200 . in the example of fig3 the logical operator “ and ” is assumed between the conditions 216 and 218 . alternatively , an additional logical operator value may be user - selectable in window 204 to allow the user to select which logical operator he or she desires . for example , the user may select from “ and ”, “ or , “ exclusive - or ( xor )”, etc . additionally , in the example of fig3 it is assumed that only a single type of calibration cycle exists for the printer so no particular type of calibration cycle need be defined in the rule . rather , the rule is simply associated with a “ calibration ” task , so scheduling module 138 knows to trigger calibration module 128 if the conditions of the rule are satisfied . however , if multiple types of calibration cycles exist for a printer , then which of those multiple types is also included as part of the rule ( e . g ., as a “ result ” portion of the rule ). it should be noted that rules can be defined using any of a wide variety of user interfaces . for example , rather than pull down menus , radio buttons may be used , check boxes may be used , data entry fields may be used , a default value may be listed and up / down arrows selected to increase / decrease the default value , and so forth . it should also be noted that multiple rules can be defined for the same task , and that no rules may be defined for some tasks . for example , the calibration task may have multiple rules defined ( e . g ., different threshold page counts for different times of the day ), while the reports task may have no rules defined . a wide variety of different conditions may be used in defining the rules for a particular task . table i illustrates exemplary tasks and conditions that may be scheduled for a printer 120 . multiple conditions are illustrated for each task — any one or more of these conditions may be used in defining a rule of the task ( but a rule need not include all of these conditions ), and different logical operators ( e . g ., and , or , etc .) may be employed in combining conditions . it is to be appreciated that table i is exemplary only , and that some implementations may not employ all of the tasks or conditions shown in table i , while other implementations may employ additional tasks or conditions . table i task conditions cali - date : a particular day ( s ) or date ( s ) on which the task should be bration performed . time : a particular time or time period during which the task should be performed . times may be tied to particular dates ( e . g ., to allow different behavior on weekends than on weekdays ). type : which of multiple types of calibration cycles should be performed . resource usage : an amount of a particular resource that should be used before performing the task ( e . g ., number of pages printed , or amount of ink or toner used ). criteria : other criteria in determining whether a calibration cycle should be performed ( e . g ., if a certain number of pages have been printed since the last calibration cycle and a big print job is about to begin then perform a calibration cycle , if a print job has been flagged ( e . g ., by the user ) as being of high importance then perform a calibration cycle before printing the job , whether to calibrate between pending print jobs ( e . g ., okay to calibrate if it &# 39 ; s the middle of the night or if they are delayed print jobs , but not otherwise ), etc .). self - date : a particular day ( s ) or date ( s ) on which the task should be diag - performed . nostic time : a particular time or time period during which the task should be performed . times may be tied to particular dates ( e . g ., to allow different behavior on weekends than on weekdays ). type : which of multiple types of self - diagnostic tests should be performed . results : what should be done with the results of the self - diagnostic test ( e . g ., print the results , email the results to a particular email address , log the results to nonvolatile storage ( e . g ., keep the results local and available for reporting at some later time ), etc .). what should be done with the results may also be conditional on what the results are ( e . g ., email results only if something sufficiently “ bad ” is detected ( exactly what is “ bad ⇄ can vary and be set as part of the condition ), such as sending an email to a system administrator if toner is low , if a motor in a print engine is detected as not functioning properly , etc .) reports date : a particular day ( s ) or date ( s ) on which the task should be performed . time : a particular time or time period during which the task should be performed . times may be tied to particular dates ( e . g ., to allow different behavior on weekends than on weekdays ). type : which of multiple pre - defined types of reports should be run . contents : what status information should be included in the report . results : what should be done with the results of the report ( e . g ., print the results , email the results to a particular email address , collect the results locally then print out all the results at a later time ( e . g ., collect usage reports daily and then print out the results at the end of the week , etc .)). delayed date : a particular day ( s ) or date ( s ) on which the task should be print performed . jobs time : a particular time or time period during which the task should be performed . times may be tied to particular dates ( e . g ., to allow different behavior on weekends than on weekdays ). parameters : what parameters of the print job should trigger delaying the print job ( e . g ., greater than a particular number of bytes , greater than a particular number of pages , from a particular user , a user request to delay the print job , etc .). criteria : other criteria for determining when to print the job ( e . g ., print delayed jobs from smallest to biggest , print delayed jobs in chronological order based on time the jobs are received , print the job only if there are enough consumables available to print the job ( e . g ., there may be insufficient cyan toner or ink for color print jobs , but sufficient black toner or ink to print black and white print jobs , so color print jobs would be delayed further but black and white print jobs would print ), etc .). power - date : a particular day ( s ) or date ( s ) on which the task should be save performed . time : a particular time or time period during which the task should be performed . times may be tied to particular dates ( e . g ., to allow different behavior on weekends than on weekdays ). type : which of multiple power - save modes should be entered . criteria : other criteria for determining whether to enter a power - save mode ( e . g ., could enter power - save mode only if no print jobs ( other than delayed print jobs ) are pending , or enter power - save mode only after all other tasks have been done ( e . g ., if there are three tasks to be performed at 9 : 00 pm and one of the tasks is enter power - save mode , then the enter power - save mode task should be the last of the three tasks to be performed ), etc .). thus , a wide variety of different tasks can be scheduled . for example , a task may be set up for large print jobs ( e . g ., greater than a threshold number of pages ) to be stored on a local hard disk and subsequently printed at a later time when the printer is anticipated to be less busy ( e . g ., after 9 : 00 pm ). by way of another example , a calibration cycle may be scheduled to occur if at least a threshold number of pages ( e . g ., 100 or 500 pages — the desired value for this number can vary by printer ) have been printed since the last calibration cycle and the current time is during a period of anticipated low use ( e . g ., between 9 : 00 pm and 6 : 00 am ). by way of yet another example , the printer may be scheduled to go into a power - save mode at 6 : 00 pm on weekdays and to come out of the power - save mode at 7 : 00 am on weekdays and perform a calibration cycle . by way of still another example , the printer may be scheduled to print a report of the day &# 39 ; s log at a particular time ( e . g ., 11 : 59 pm ) or prior to going into a power - save mode at the end of the day ( e . g ., after 6 : 00 pm ). by way of yet another example , the printer may be scheduled to email a report of the printer &# 39 ; s status at a particular time ( e . g ., 9 : 00 pm , 5 : 00 am , etc .). by way of another example , the printer may be scheduled to run a self - diagnostic test once per month ( e . g ., the first day of the month ). tasks may also be scheduled in other manners via web server 134 or alternatively other modules . for example , a proprietary printer task scheduling interface may be presented to the user locally at printer 120 ( e . g ., via local i / o module 122 ). this interface may take the same form as web pages ( e . g ., display 200 of fig3 ), or some other form . alternatively , local i / o module 122 may have associated therewith a web browser that can access web server 134 analogous to web browser 144 . by way of another example , the user may be able to input task scheduling requests along with submission of a print request to printer 120 . a print options menu may be displayed to the user via which the user can enter scheduling requests ( e . g ., to treat the print request as a delayed print job , or to print one copy of the requested document immediately but to treat remaining copies of the document to be printed as delayed print jobs ). returning to fig2 printer 120 includes task scheduling data 140 . the scheduled tasks ( the defined rules ) received by web server 134 are stored in task scheduling data 140 . when new tasks are scheduled , they may be added to task scheduling data 140 , or alternatively may operate to replace the current test scheduling data 140 . task scheduling data 140 may also be retrieved by web server 134 ( e . g ., in response to a request for a particular web page from web server 134 ) and incorporated into one or more web pages that can be communicated to web browser 144 . this allows the current scheduled tasks to be displayed to a user of client device 142 , or alternatively to a local user of printer 120 . [ 0038 ] fig4 illustrates an exemplary display 230 of current scheduled printer tasks for a printer ( e . g ., printer 120 ). display 230 is a web page communicated from web server 134 , analogous to the web page for display 200 of fig3 except that display 230 shows currently scheduled tasks . as illustrated , two tasks are currently scheduled for the printer : a calibration cycle to be performed between 8 : 00 pm and 6 : 00 am and if more than 50 pages have been printed since the last calibration cycle , and a report task for a system status report to be printed out at 6 : 00 am on the first weekday of every week . display 230 also includes a delete button 232 , a modify button 234 , and an add button 236 . a user can select ( e . g ., hi - light ) a task listed in display 230 and delete the selected task by selecting delete button 232 . a user can also select a task listed in display 230 and modify the task by selecting modify button 234 ( e . g ., bringing up a rule definition window analogous to window 204 of fig3 via which the user can change the conditions for the rule ). a user can also add a new task by selecting add button 236 ( e . g ., causing a web page for display 200 to be presented to the user ). indications of any modifications , deletions , or additions to the scheduled tasks via buttons 232 , 234 , and 236 are returned to web server 134 for storage in task scheduling data 140 . returning to fig2 printer 120 also includes a time module 136 and a scheduling module 138 . scheduling module 138 accesses task scheduling data 140 to determine which tasks are to be performed at what times , and informs the appropriate other modules of printer 120 of the particular tasks to be performed at the time they are to be performed . for example , if task scheduling data 140 indicates that it is currently time to perform a calibration cycle , then scheduling module 138 informs calibration module 128 to perform a calibration cycle . scheduling module 138 communicates any additional information to the modules that is needed to perform the desired task ( e . g ., which of multiple types of calibration cycles to perform if printer 120 supports multiple types of calibration cycles , which of multiple report types to generate if printer 120 supports multiple types of reports , which of multiple files stored on a local mass storage device to print ( e . g ., due to a delayed print job ), etc .). scheduling module 138 relies on knowing the approximate current time and / or current date ( depending on what conditions are set for the scheduled tasks ) in order to perform the scheduled tasks at the appropriate times . scheduling module 138 obtains this time and / or date data from time module 136 . time module 136 can operate in a wide variety of different manners . in one implementation , printer 120 includes an independently - powered ( e . g ., battery - powered ) clock component that allows time module 136 to keep track of the current time and date even though printer 120 may have been turned off , disconnected from its ac source ( e . g ., unplugged ), placed into a power - save mode , etc . alternatively , rather than adding an independently - powered clock to printer 120 , time module 136 may be configured to access a remote server 146 to obtain the current time and / or date . server 146 may be a dedicated time server whose sole responsibility is to provide the time and / or date to requesting client devices ( whether they be printers , computing devices , etc .). alternatively , server 146 may be a server ( such as a dynamic host configuration protocol ( dhcp ) server that assigns internet addresses to devices logging onto a tcp / ip network or some other server ) that has other responsibilities and simply provides the current time and / or date as part of those responsibilities . printer 120 may also include power saving features that allow the printer to go into a power - save ( low - power ) mode in order to conserve energy . however , even when in a power - save mode , scheduled tasks can still be performed . when a scheduled task needs to be performed and printer 120 is in a power - save mode , the printer comes out of its power - save mode as needed and scheduling module 138 has the appropriate tasks performed . once all scheduled tasks have been performed , scheduling module 138 may issue the appropriate commands to return printer 120 to its power - save mode ( alternatively , scheduling module 138 may not issue such commands , and simply leave printer 120 in its normal , non - power - save , mode ). it should be noted that printer 120 operates to bring itself out of the power - save mode ( as necessary ) to perform its own scheduled tasks — printer 120 need not rely on any external device to communicate a signal to printer 120 in order for it to bring itself out of the power - save mode . the exact manner in which printer 120 is brought out of a power - save mode or placed into a power - save mode depends on the nature of the power - save mode . in some printers the power - save mode shuts off power to only certain components of printer 120 , but keeps the controller or processor of printer 120 running . for example , in a laser printer the power - save mode may shut off power to the fuser , which is a high - energy component , but leave the processor running . in this situation , with scheduling module 138 implemented as software executed by the processor , scheduling module 138 , as well as time module 136 , is able to continue running and thus determine when scheduled tasks are to be performed . however , in other printers the power - save mode may shut off power to the controller or processor as well . in this situation , with scheduling module 138 implemented as software executed by the controller or processor , scheduling module 138 is not running when printer 120 is in a power - save mode . printer 120 however will also include one or more hardware components that sense when a request is communicated to printer 120 even though printer 120 is in a power - save mode . these hardware components can be modified to also bring the controller or processor out of its low - power mode ( e . g ., by issuing an interrupt ) at regular or irregular intervals ( e . g ., every 10 milliseconds , every second , every minute , etc .). alternatively , prior to going into power - save mode a check can be performed as to when the next scheduled task is to occur and the hardware components programmed to issue the next interrupt at the time ( or just prior to the time ) the next scheduled task is to occur . once out of its low - power mode , scheduling module 138 can check whether any scheduled tasks need to be performed , and have any such tasks performed . once any scheduled tasks that need to be performed are performed , or if no scheduled tasks need to be performed , scheduling module 138 can have the controller or processor returned to its low - power mode . in some embodiments , power - save mode can remove power from various components of the printer ( for example , the controller or processor , a stacker , a mail sorter , etc .). when a scheduled task is to be performed an interrupt is issued to the controller or processor that wakes up the controller or processor to perform the scheduled task . any other component that needs to be running to carry out the scheduled task is also brought out of power - save , but those components that do not need to be running are not brought out of power - save . for example , if a scheduled task were to generate and email a report then the controller or processor would need to be brought out of power - save but a fuser or mail sorter would not . but , if the scheduled task were to generate and print the report , then the controller and the fuser would need to be brought out of power - save but the mail sorter would not . [ 0048 ] fig5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 250 for scheduling printer tasks . process 250 may be performed in software , firmware , hardware , or combinations thereof . initially , a client device accesses a web server of a printer for which printer tasks are to be scheduled ( act 252 ). the web server returns , to the client device , one or more web pages including task scheduling options ( act 254 ). a user of the client device then enters task scheduling information to the web page ( e . g ., in the form of rules for the tasks being scheduled and an identifier of the task associated with each rule ) and the client device submits the task scheduling information to the web server ( act 256 ). it should be noted that , depending on the implementation , multiple communications may occur between the client device and the web server in acts 252 - 256 . upon receipt of the task scheduling information , the printer saves the task scheduling information ( act 258 ). [ 0050 ] fig6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 270 for performing scheduled tasks . process 270 is implemented by printer ( e . g ., printer 120 of fig2 ), and may be performed in software , firmware , hardware , or combinations thereof . initially , the printer checks whether a scheduled task is to be performed at the current time ( act 272 ). the printer wakes itself up ( brings itself out of a power - save mode as necessary ) in order to perform the check of act 272 . this check is made based on the task scheduling information saved at the printer , as well as the current time , the current date , and / or other conditions defined in the rules of the scheduling information . a check is made as to whether any of the rules in task scheduling data 140 have all of their conditions satisfied at the current time . if no scheduled task is to be performed at the current time , the printer waits for an amount of time ( act 274 ), then again checks whether a scheduled task is to be performed at the then current time ( act 272 ). however , if one or more scheduled tasks are to be performed the current time , then one of the scheduled tasks to be performed is identified ( act 276 ) and performed ( act 278 ). if multiple tasks are scheduled to be performed at the same time , the order in which printer 120 is to perform them can be determined in a variety of different manners ( e . g ., by a pre - determined ordering associated with the various tasks ( e . g ., self - diagnostic tests are performed before reports are generated ), in an order identified by the user that created the tasks , randomly , etc .). process 270 then returns to check whether a scheduled task is to be performed at the then current time ( act 272 ). [ 0053 ] fig7 illustrates portions of an exemplary device 300 in additional detail . device 300 can be , for example , a computing device 102 or printer 104 of fig1 or printer 120 of fig2 . device 300 includes a processor or controller 302 , a memory 304 , a remote i / o device ( s ) 306 , a local i / o device ( s ) 308 , and an optional mass storage device 310 , all coupled to a bus 312 . depending on the type of the device , various additional conventional components may also be typically included in device 300 ( e . g ., a printer will typically include a print engine , print media inputs and outputs , etc .). controller or processor 302 can be a general purpose microprocessor or a dedicated microcontroller ( e . g ., one or more application specific integrated circuits ( asics ) or programmable logic devices ( plds )). remote i / o device ( s ) 306 is one or more conventional interface devices allowing components of device 300 ( e . g ., controller 302 ) to communicate with other devices external to device 300 . remote i / o device ( s ) 306 may include , for example , a modem , a network interface card ( nic ), a parallel port , a serial port , a universal serial bus ( usb ) port , and so forth . local i / o device ( s ) 308 is an interface device allowing local commands and / or data to be input to and / or output from device 300 . local i / o device ( s ) 308 may include , for example , a display device ( e . g ., liquid crystal display ( lcd ), light emitting diode ( led ), etc . ), a keypad ( e . g ., alphanumeric or otherwise ), a touchscreen , a cursor control device ( e . g ., a trackpad , trackball , etc . ), print media handlers and printing components ( e . g ., ink or toner dispensers ), and so forth . bus 312 represents one or more buses in printer 300 , which may be implemented in accordance with public and / or proprietary protocols . the bus architecture can vary by printer as well as by manufacturer . mass storage device 310 is optional and represents any of a wide variety of conventional storage devices , such as fixed or removable magnetic or optical disks , flash memory , etc . memory 304 represents volatile and / or nonvolatile memory used to store instructions and data for use by controller or processor 302 . typically , instructions are stored on a mass storage device 310 ( or nonvolatile memory portion of memory 304 ) and loaded into a volatile memory portion of memory 304 for execution by controller or processor 302 . additional memory components may also be involved , such as cache memories internal or external to controller or processor 302 . various embodiments of the invention may be implemented , at different times , in any of a variety of computer readable media that is part of , or readable by , device 300 . for example , such computer readable media may be mass storage device 310 , memory 304 , a cache memory , media ( e . g ., a magnetic or optical disk ) accessible to device 300 , and so forth . device 300 is exemplary only . it is to be appreciated that additional components ( not shown ) can be included in device 300 and some components illustrated in device 300 need not be included . for example , additional processors or storage devices , additional i / o interfaces , and so forth may be included in device 300 , or mass storage device 310 may not be included . various discussions herein refer to components and modules that can be implemented in a printer or computing device . it is to be appreciated that the components and processes described herein can be implemented in software , firmware , hardware , or combinations thereof . by way of example , a programmable logic device ( pld ) or application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) could be configured or designed to implement various components and / or processes discussed herein . although the description above uses language that is specific to structural features and / or methodological acts , it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not limited to the specific features or acts described . rather , the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the present invention .
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in fig1 there is shown a cross - sectional view of a mold 10 comprising a mold segment 12 , and a mold segment 14 . mold segments 12 and 14 are hinged together with a precision open / close mechanism 16 . when the mold 10 is closed , as shown in fig1 mold segment 12 and mold segment 14 together define a mold cavity in which an injection molded thermoplastic substrate 18 is disposed , and in which a mixture of liquid reactants is injected and reacted to form a molded component 20 which conforms with the remaining shape of the mold cavity that is not occupied by substrate 18 . mold segments 12 and 14 have complementary shaped faces 22 and 24 that mate with each other at a parting line 26 . substrate 18 has a contoured surface which conforms with mold cavity defining surfaces of mold segment 12 . in the illustrated embodiment , substrate 18 is a substantially flat panel or sheet , and mold segment 12 has a substantially flat surface conforming with the shape of substrate 18 . substrate 18 also has a peripheral flange 28 which has a shape conforming with the complementary shaped mating faces 22 and 24 of mold segments 14 and 12 , respectively . mating faces 22 and 24 define a parting line or plane that extends circumferentially around the mold cavity defined by mold segments 12 and 14 . peripheral flange 28 extends continuously in a circumferential loop into a small gap defined between mating faces 22 and 24 . as shown in greater detail in fig3 and 4 , peripheral flange 28 includes two continuous circuitous lips or ridges 30 and 32 that project from an upwardly facing surface 34 of substrate 18 . ridges 30 and 32 are integrally formed features of substrate 18 . ridges 30 and 32 define concentric continuous protuberances which circumscribe the mold cavity , and which are disposed within the small gap between mating faces 22 and 24 of mold segments 14 and 12 , respectively . as shown in the figures , ridges 30 and 32 have a continuously curved transverse profile , and more particularly , a semi - circular transverse profile . upon closing of mold 10 , as illustrated in fig3 mating face 24 of upper mold segment 12 engages ridges 30 and 32 , causing ridges 30 and 32 to become slightly deformed , i . e ., compressed and flattened at the apex thereof , whereby two concentric peripheral seals are developed between mold segment 14 and ridges 30 and 32 . this sealing mechanism redefines a sealed mold cavity between substrate 18 and mold segment 14 . in order to provide a suitable seal for preventing the reactant mixture injected into the mold cavity during the rim process , substrate 18 , and therefore integral ridges 30 and 32 , is made of a material that exhibits suitable compressibility and deformability to provide a sealing function . examples of suitable substrate materials that are capable of performing the required sealing function include various thermoplastic or elastomeric materials , such as thermoplastic olefins , rubber modified polypropylene , elastomer - modified polyurethanes , elastomer - modified polyamides , etc . the substrate materials may contain fillers and / or reinforcing materials such as fibers , along with other conventional additives . desirably , substrate 18 is a part having very precise dimensions to insure precise engagement with the mold segments and excellent sealing with the mold segments . while it is conceivable that other techniques may be employed for fabricating substrate 18 , injection molding provides a suitable technique for economically forming a substrate 18 having the required precise dimensions . in order to precisely locate substrate 18 within the mold cavity defined between mold segments 12 and 14 , substrate 18 is desirably formed with one or more locator features 36 which come into registry with a slot or recess 38 defined on the mold cavity defining surface of upper mold segment 12 . molded component 20 may be formed using generally any combination of liquid reactants suitable for reaction injection molding technique . the resulting component 20 may either be comprised of a substantially continuous solid material , or blowing agents may be introduced into the mold cavity along with the liquid reactants to form an expanded plastic material or foam having either open or closed cells containing a gas . during conventional rim processes a relatively precise quantity of liquid reactants is introduced into the mold cavity , with a small overage escaping along the parting line to form flash . in accordance with the principles of this invention , flash is prevented or significantly reduced by the sealing action of ridges 30 and / or 32 . accordingly , any excess liquid reactant injected into the mold cavity could result in high pressures that are sufficient to damage the mold . therefore , it is desirable to provide lower mold segment 14 with a pressure relief valve 40 that will prevent unacceptably high pressures from building up within the mold cavity . molded component 20 may be secured to substrate 18 during the rim process by development of adhesion between substrate 18 and component 20 during the rim process and / or by physical entrapment of protruding anchor features ( not shown ) integrally formed , or attached to , substrate 18 . in the illustrated embodiment , substrate 18 represents an acoustic barrier that is , for example , injection molded from a filled thermoplastic material having elastomeric properties , and component 20 represents a plastic foam sound absorbing or decoupling material , such as a polyurethane foam material . the resulting combination of acoustic barrier substrate 18 secured to foam material 20 is useful as an acoustic barrier system that may be installed as a unit on the passenger side of a metal wall separating an engine compartment from a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle . the invention allows foam component 20 to be formed on and secured to barrier substrate 18 without requiring any separate steps for attaching foam component 20 to barrier substrate 18 , and without requiring any steps for removing flash subsequent to reaction injection molding of component 20 . however , the illustrated embodiment only represents a particular useful application for the invention . other advantageous applications of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art . the process of reaction injection molding a component on a substrate in accordance with the principles of this invention involves first positioning the substrate in the lower segment 14 such that the contoured surfaces of substrate 18 and the mold cavity defining surfaces of mold segment 14 are in conforming registry , and with the peripheral flanges of substrate 18 engaging the mating face 22 of mold segment 14 . thereafter , mold 10 is closed by pivoting mold segment 12 around open / close hinge mechanism 16 into the closed position shown in fig1 . this causes peripheral flange 28 , including ridges 30 and 32 , to become compressed . more specifically , engagement between mating face 24 of mold segment 12 causes ridges 30 and 32 to become compressed and deform , whereby a sealing engagement is achieved between mating face 24 of mold segment 12 and ridges 30 and 32 . after the mold cavity has been sealed by engagement between mating face 22 and ridges 30 and 32 , a mixture of liquid reactants is injected into the mold cavity and allowed to polymerize to form molded component 20 which conforms with the shape of the mold cavity . the mold is then opened and the composite article comprising the molded component 20 and substrate 18 is removed . while the invention is particularly well suited for reaction injection molding processes , the processes of this invention may be employed in other applications in which a component is molded ( shaped in a mold cavity ) on a substrate . the above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments only . modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention . therefore , it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the invention , which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law , including the doctrine of equivalents .
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fig1 shows in perspective and in interrupted form , a cathode according to the invention with its driving system and a broken away view of its enclosure . the central part of the cathode 1 is a hollow , elongated structure 2 , shown here with a vertical axis , in this case the hollow structure 2 is cylindrical but , without going beyond the scope of the invention , it could be non - circular . the hollow structure 2 is surrounded by a magnetic confinement circuit 3 , which therefore extends entirely externally of the structure 2 . the only interruption of the magnetic circuit is the air gap 4 , which extends between the pole pieces 5 arranged along the axis of the hollow structure 2 from the top to the bottom of said structure . the lateral surface of the hollow structure 2 is made from the metal to be sputtered . the lateral surface portion of the hollow structure positioned facing the air gap 4 separating the pole pieces 5 forms the &# 34 ; target &# 34 ; 6 of the cathode 1 . the cathode 1 is shown as vertically installed within a vacuum chamber , the upper wall 7 and lower wall 8 of said chamber being only partially shown , the air gap 4 being parallel to the ( not shown ) substrate travel plane . the magnetic confinement circuit 3 of the cathode 1 according to the invention is fixed in the vacuum chamber 7 , 8 by known fixing means and independently of the hollow rotary structure 2 . one of the end faces 9 of the hollow structure 2 is fixed to the floor 8 by means of a roller plate 10 , which enables it to rotate about its own axis and isolates it from the enclosure 7 , 8 . the other end face 11 has a neck 12 to which is fixed a flange 13 by which the hollow rotary structure 2 is integral with a hollow driving shaft 14 . the latter extends through a rotary passage 15 made in the upper wall 7 of the enclosure 7 , 8 . insulating means 16 electrically insulate the body of the passage 15 and the shaft 14 . gears 17 for transmitting a rotary torque are installed between the driving shaft 14 and the driving motor 18 for rotating the hollow rotary structure 2 . the driving shaft 14 and the axis of the hollow rotary structure 2 are traversed lengthwise by pipes 19 , 20 ( arranged coaxially in fig1 ) which communicate with the internal volume of the hollow structure 2 . one of the pipes 19 , 20 introduces cooling fluid while the other withdraws the cooling fluid . as can be seen in fig2 it is thus possible to pass into the structure 2 , during the operation thereof , a considerable cooling fluid flow . this fluid is advantageously water . the cooling fluid flow does not encounter any obstacle within the structure 2 , which permits a particularly vigorous cooling , which cannot be obtained with conventional cathode types with an equivalent power level . the liquid inlet and outlet , as well as the driving system 17 , 18 are located at the same end face 11 of the hollow structure 2 , so that maintenance , recharging or replacement of the hollow structure 2 is particularly easy . the hollow structure 2 of the cathode according to the invention can thus be extracted without it being necessary to at the same time dismantle its magnetic confinement circuit 3 . in addition , the dimensions , and in particular the diameter , of the structure 2 are not limited by the need to leave sufficient space below the structure 2 for the magnets and other magnetic parts located in the interior ( as is conventional ). therefore the cathode 1 can be constructed so as to give preference to any one of its dimensional characteristics as a function of the sought aim . therefore the hollow structure 2 of the cathode according to the invention can be in the form of relatively small diameter bars , as well as large diameter cylinders for working with metals with a low melting point . by an accompanying modification of the shape of the pole pieces , it is also possible to use a hollow structure 2 in the form of a volume of revolution , whose generatrix is not straight and is instead a curved line adapted to the shape of non - planar substrates . the manufacture of such rotary hollow structures 2 can be done by using conventional methods , or alternatives thereto which can be of economic interest , such as investment casting , plasma atomization , sputtering and other known procedures . for certain applications , the roller plate 10 shown in fig1 can also be mounted on the same side as the rotary passage 15 , which facilitates dismantling and makes it possible to work in an overhanging manner , e . g . for reduced width atomization or sputtering , which increases the flexibility of production of certain sputtering lines . fig2 shows the cathode 1 in section along a plane perpendicular to its axis . the internal cavity of the hollow structure 2 in here entirely filled with a cooling fluid ( water in this case ) permanently supplied by the central pipe 19 . this water rises in the structure 2 , while cooling the walls and the back of the &# 34 ; target &# 34 ; zone 6 and without meeting any obstacle , and is then discharged coaxially by the pipe 20 , e . g ., by holes in the latter . the magnetic confinement circuit 3 is located entirely outside the volume of the hollow structure 2 and almost completely surrounds it up to the pole pieces 5 . the magnetic confinement circuit 3 is constituted by a central bar 21 on which are mounted permanent magnets 22 ( which could also be electromagnets ). at the end of the central bar 21 are fitted two legs of the circuit 23 carrying the pole pieces 5 oriented towards one another and between which extends the air gap . these pole pieces 5 have ends shaped like a wedge . the tip 24 of the wedge is directed towards the target 6 . the faces of the pole pieces 5 directed towards the air gap 4 are substantially planar and extend in a radial plane passing through the center of the structure 2 . this configuration gives the magnetic lines of force ( shown as dash lines ), a curvature substantially parallel to that of the target 6 and a uniform distribution , which is advantageous for a wide distribution of the erosion zone of the target 6 . a shielding electrode 26 is fitted in the immediate vicinity of the cathode 1 and is grounded . fig3 shows another cathode 27 according to the invention having a double projection plane . the cathode 27 has two cylindrical hollow structures 2 arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cathode 27 . the two rotary structures 2 are separated by a common magnetic bar 21 of the magnetic circuit 3 , and in which are inserted magnetic means 22 , in the present case permanent magnets . two magnetic branches 23 extend in opposition to one another from each end of the common bar 21 and substantially perpendicular to the latter . the resulting h - shaped assembly surrounds the two hollow structures 2 . pole pieces 5 are mounted at the free end of each magnetic branch 23 , pointing in the direction of the corresponding hollow structure 2 in such a way that the magnetic flux produced by the magnets 22 is symmetrically closed within the air gaps corresponding to the two targets 6 of the cathode 27 . the cathode 27 has the advantage of being able to simultaneously atomize in two planes and of having reduced overall dimensions compared with two separate cathodes having equivalent performance characteristics . fig4 shows another variant of the cathode according to the invention , in which two rotary structures 2 are juxtaposed in a common magnetic plane and project into the same plane . the magnetic circuit 3 here has the overall shape of a capital letter e . magnetic means 22 are arranged in the common bar 29 , which represents the stem of the e and are symmetrical with respect to the central branch 30 running between the two hollow rotary structures 2 of the cathode 28 . the fluxes produced by the magnetic means 22 respectively pass through the extreme branches of the circuit into the pole pieces 5 fixed to the branches 31 , traverse the air gap above each target 6 and return to the magnetic means 22 by the common central branch 30 , which has a larger cross - section in order to prevent saturation . the magnetic field force lines are inflected by the shape of the pole pieces 5 and substantially follow the curvature of the targets 2 . channels 32 completely traverse the parts of the magnetic circuit 3 . during the operation of the cathode , said channels 32 are traversed by a cooling fluid from a circuit separate from that used for the hollow structure 2 , so that the temperature of the magnetic circuit 3 can be controlled independently compared with that of the hollow structures 2 and the target 6 . as in the constructions shown in fig1 and 2 , the hollow structures 2 of the cathode 28 are traversed lengthwise by water circulated by central coaxial pipes 19 , 20 . fixing devices 33 join the pole pieces 5 to the magnetic branches 30 , 31 . if appropriate , these pole pieces 5 can easily be replaced for adoption of a new target or substrate profile . fig5 shows a constructional variant of a cathode according to the invention of the same type as that in fig4 but having asymmetrical pole pieces 34 , 35 . seen in profile , the magnetic circuit 3 has the general appearance of a capital letter e , the pole pieces 34 , 35 being located at the end of each branch , the branches 31 , 32 surrounding the two hollow structures 2 . the outer pole pieces 34 and the branches 31 supporting the same are over - dimensioned compared with the common central branch 30 and its pole piece 35 . this magnetic circuit configuration tends to deform the configuration of the force lines in the two air gaps 4 . thus , in a controlled manner , it is possible to permit the escape of a certain quantity of electrons confined in the air gap . fig6 shows an advantageous shape 36 of a rotary cathode according to the invention having a single hollow structure 2 and with a double sputtering plane . this cathode 36 has a hollow cylindrical structure 2 positioned centrally . a soft iron bridging member 37 having a rectangular cross - section horizontally subdivides in the diametral plane the internal volume 3 of the hollow structure 2 . the ends 38 of said bridging member 37 , kept stationary with respect to the cathode 36 , almost touch the inner face of the relatively rotating hollow structure 2 . on either side of the structure 2 are symmetrically arranged two portions 39 of elements forming the overall magnetic circuit 3 . these portions 39 are respectively shaped like a capital e and an inverted capital e . the median branches 40 of the portion 39 are aligned across the hollow structure 2 , facing the ends 38 of the bridging part 37 . the external branches 31 of each portion of the circuit 39 ( corresponding to the external branches of the e &# 39 ; s ) carry the pole pieces 5 . the points or tips of these pole pieces define , on either side of the hollow rotary structure 2 , two cylindrical arcs which are angularly displaced by 180 ° and which constitute the two targets 6 of the cathode 36 . on the two e - shaped portions 39 of the magnetic circuit , the stems have magnetic means 22 ( in this case electromagnets ) arranged in opposition , so as to bring about a circulation of two identical magnetic fluxes in parallel in the air gaps . for closing the circuit , said fluxes have a common part , namely the bridging member 37 . the presence of part 37 in no way reduces the heat dissipation in the hollow structure 2 and there is a considerable space gain compared with the use of two separate cathodes with equivalent performance characteristics . due to the presence of the bridging member 37 , water circulation can be had by pipes ( not shown ) in each of the chambers defined by the bridging member . fig7 and 8 show in section and in broken away form , another sputtering cathode according to the invention , whose hollow structure 2 is surrounded , with the exception of the cylindrical arc forming the target 6 , by a sheath 41 traversed by channels 42 in which circulates a cryogenic fluid ( such as liquid helium , nitrogen or freon ). this sheath 41 is made from a non - magnetic material and is designed so as to dissipate , by a radiative effect , a maximum amount of beat from the surface of the hollow structure 2 . as shown in fig7 and 8 , said sheath 41 can almost entirely fill the volume between the external magnetic circuit 3 and the hollow rotary structure 2 , or can be formed by a curved plate traversed by channels 42 ( or to which are joined channels ) arranged at a limited distance from the surface of the hollow structure 2 , with the exception of the target . the reduction of the temperature on the surface of the hollow structure 2 , together with the vigorous cooling obtained with the cathode , makes it possible to even atomize without difficulty metals having a low melting point . obviously , numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that with in the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein .
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the embodiments of the invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non - limiting embodiments and examples that are described and / or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following attached description . it should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale , and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize , even if not explicitly stated herein . descriptions of well - known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the invention . the examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention . accordingly , the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention , which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law . moreover , it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings . the invention sets forth an application of at least one fire retardant agent to some or all of the low temperature resistant sheath fibers , which surround and cover a high temperature resistant continuous multifilament fiberglass core , while in a fiber state . fig1 shows a greatly enlarged fragment of the balanced corespun yarn of the invention with a portion of the sheath revealed at one end thereof . referring to fig1 , the fire resistant balanced corespun yarn 100 , which may be knit or woven , may include a core of high temperature resistant continuous filament fiberglass 110 and a sheath of low temperature resistant staple fibers 120 which surround and cover the core 110 . although the core is described as fiberglass , it should be noted that other heat - stable materials could be used as the core . the fiberglass core 110 extends generally in an axial direction and longitudinally of the corespun yarn 100 , while the majority of the fibers of the sheath 120 extend in a slightly spiraled direction around the core 110 . a few of fibers of the sheath may form a binding wrapper around a majority of the staple fibers 130 . the core 110 may consist of a high temperature resistant continuous multifilament fiberglass , which constitutes about 20 % to 40 % of the total weight of the corespun yarn 100 . the sheath 120 may completely cover the core 110 and the yarn 100 will take on the characteristics of the fiber which forms the sheath 120 , such as the low temperature resistant staple fibers in this case . the sheath 120 may include low temperature resistant staple fibers , which constitutes about 80 % to 60 % of the total weight of the corespun yarn 100 and may consist of all or some fibers that are micro - coated with durable or non - durable fire retardant agents . the sheath 120 may also consist of fire retardant micro - coated fibers blended with other non - treated fibers or inherently fire retardant fibers to form the sheath 120 . the sheath 120 may include blends of natural occurring fibers , such as animal , vegetable , or mineral fibers , and or unnaturally occurring fibers , such as cotton , wool , polyester , modacrylic , nylon , rayon , lycocell , kenaf , hemp , jute , acetate , and blends thereof . the preferred low temperature resistant staple fibers 120 are cotton and polyester micro - coated with durable or non - durable fire retardant agents . the total practical size of the fine corespun yarn 100 is around 43 / 1 to 3 . 5 / 1 conventional cotton count . the invention describes a corespun yarn 100 that may be produced on a murata air jet spinning apparatus , as disclosed in one or more of u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 718 , 225 ; 4 , 551 , 887 ; and 4 , 497 , 167 . an air jet spinning apparatus may include an entrance trumpet for feeding the fire retardant chemically treated low temperature resistant sheath fibers 120 , one or more drafting rolls , feeding of the high temperature core fibers 110 between two or more drafting rolls , at least one fluid swirling air jet nozzle that may produce air jet spun yarn 100 without any appreciable twist , torque or liveliness , and a delivery roll assembly . the fire retardant agents applied to some or all of the fibers in the sheath 120 may include ammonium polyphosphate , graphite , boric acid , and or other mixtures , which may be applied in gaseous , liquid and or powder form . this invention may also involve a process for treating the sheath fibers with at least one fire retardant chemical or mixtures . fig2 shows a process for making fire retardant corespun yarn by treating the fibers used to make the sheath of the corespun yarn with a fire retardant agent . referring to fig2 , one or more fire retardant chemicals may be mixed together 210 and applied to the low temperature resistant staple fiber sheath 220 which may surround the high temperature resistant fiberglass core . the fire retardant chemicals may be applied 220 to the surface of the sheath fiber by mixing , spraying , rolling , and or brushing , or may be immersed in a fire retardant chemical solution before being dried 230 or allowed to dry . the fire retardant chemical agent or solution may include at least one of ammonium polyphosphate , graphite , boric acid , or other mixtures , and may be applied at least once and reapplied to the fiber as necessary . drying the chemically treated sheath fibers 230 may involve natural air drying as well as other drying methods as known in the industry . the process may further include blending other fibers with the treated fibers to create a sheath of treated and untreated fibers , and then covering the high temperature resistant core with the sheath of treated fibers to form a fire resistant corespun yarn 240 . the process may conclude with the making of a fire resistant fabric 250 which is then used in the manufacture of an end product 260 , such as a mattress , mattress topper , or other upholstery components . it should be noted that although the figures show a single core and a single sheath , these aspects are merely exemplary . it is within the scope and spirit of the invention to have multiple cores and / or multiple sheaths . the cores may be the same material or they may include different materials . similarly , the sheaths may be the same material or they may include different materials . while the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scope of the appended claims . these examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible designs , embodiments , applications or modifications of the invention .
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in the following detailed description , it is referred to the accompanying drawings showing several examples of bone fixing systems according to the present disclosure . it is intended that these examples be considered as illustrative but not limiting , the scope of the invention being given by the accompanying claims . an example of bone fixing system is shown on fig1 . to 3 . the bone fixing system 10 is for fixing a rod 5 ( a portion of which is shown in fig1 , 3 and 15 ) to a bone ( see fig1 ), the bone may be , for instance , a lamina of a vertebra or a transverse process tp of a vertebra v , as shown in fig1 . a conformable elongate member 7 , such as a ligature , having a first free end portion 7 a , a second free end portion 7 b , and an intermediate portion 7 c therebetween , said intermediate portion 7 c being adapted to surround the bone ( e . g . the transverse process tp ); first fastening device or means for fastening a portion of the rod 5 to the main body 12 ; and second fastening device or means for fastening the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 to the main body 12 , said second fastening means being distinct from the first fastening means . the elongate member 7 may be any suitable material that is conformable such as a band , wire , or cord made of metal , a polymeric material , or a combination of the two . the second fastening means comprise a compression member 14 which is movable relative to the main body 12 , the compression member 14 and the main body 12 both defining clamping surfaces 14 c , 12 c , between which the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 may be inserted , said free end portions 7 a , 7 b being clamped between said clamping surfaces 12 c , 14 c by moving the compression member 14 relative to the main body 12 . the main body 12 is hollow , extends along a first axis z from its lower end to its upper end , and comprises : a main part 12 a with upwardly extending side walls 13 defining between them a first internal passage 20 extending along said first axis z and opening onto the outside of the main body 12 at its upper end ; and a bottom part 12 b located under the main part 12 a and provided with a second internal passage 22 extending through the entire thickness of the bottom part 12 b and communicating with the first internal passage 20 . the main body 12 further comprises third and fourth internal passages 43 , 44 through which the first and second free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 may be inserted respectively . each internal passage 43 ( 44 ) extends through the main body 12 , has two ends 4 43 b ( 44 a , 44 b ) and opens , at one end 43 a ( 44 a ), in front of the compression member 14 and , at the other end 43 b ( 44 b ), onto an outer face of the main body and , more precisely , onto a side face of the main body 12 . the third and fourth internal passages 43 , 44 form guiding means for the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 . in the example the third and fourth internal passages 43 , 44 extend , respectively , along third and fourth axis a , a ′, each of the third and fourth axis forming with respect to said first axis z an acute angle c which is preferably comprised between 0 and 70 . degree . thus , it is easier for the physician to pull on the ends 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 for tensioning it . on the other hand , the clamping surfaces 14 c , 12 c of the compression member 14 and of the main body 12 define between them fifth and sixth passages 53 , 54 extending , respectively , along fifth and sixth axis b , b ′, each of the fifth and sixth axis forming with respect to said first axis z an obtuse angle d . the compression member 14 is provided with a threaded hole 24 . said locking mechanism comprises a first screw 26 having a head 26 a and a shaft 26 b with an external thread . the screw shaft 26 b passes through the second internal passage 22 and the screw head 26 a has a profile 28 that allows the first screw 26 to be driven . in the example , the screw head 26 a is a socket head and , more particularly , a hex socket head which can be driven , for instance , by an allen key . when the first screw 26 is driven , the external thread of the shaft 26 b engages with the threaded hole 24 of the compression member 14 and the screw head 26 a bears on the upper face 12 d of the bottom part 12 b . thus , the clamping surfaces 14 c , 12 c are brought closer together and the end portions 7 a , 7 b are locked in position by clamping between the clamping surfaces 14 c , 12 c . turning now to the first fastening means for fastening a portion of the rod 5 to the main body 12 , openings 30 are provided in the side wails 13 ( see fig2 ), so that a portion of the rod 5 may be loaded into the main body 12 via said openings 30 , and a closure member 32 engages with the main body 12 so as to secure said portion of rod 5 to the main body . in the example , the main body 12 is provided with a first thread 13 b for engagement with a second thread 32 a provided on the closure member 32 , so that said portion of rod 5 may be clamped between the main body 12 and the closure member by threadably moving the closure member 32 relative to the main body 12 . more precisely , in the example , the rod portion is clamped between the edges 13 a of the side walls 13 delimiting the bottom of the openings 30 , and the lower face of the closure member 32 . in the example , the closure member 32 has an external thread 32 a engaging with an internal thread 13 b provided on the inner face of the side walls 13 . the closure member 32 further comprises a socket head 32 b for driving it in rotation . another example of bone fixing system is shown on fig4 . the bone fixing system 110 of fig4 differs from that of fig3 by the locking mechanism . in fig3 , the second internal passage 22 of the bottom part 12 b is provided with an internal thread 123 , and the compression member 114 has a protruding part 114 a forming said locking mechanism . said protruding part 114 a extends upwardly , has on its upper end a profile 128 that allows the compression member 114 to be driven in rotation , and is provided with an external thread 114 b engaging with said internal thread 123 . it should be noted that , e examples of fig1 - 4 , the bottom part 12 b of the main body 12 is integral with the main part 12 a of the main body 12 . this is not the case in the examples of fig5 - 7 . fig5 and 6 show another example of bone fixing system 210 differing from that of fig1 - 3 in that it comprises a main body 112 with a bottom part 212 b and a main part 212 a which are not integral with each other . in this example , the bottom part 212 b and the main part 212 a of the main body 212 are interconnected by a ball - and - socket connection . the main part 212 a comprises a bottom wall 250 , the bottom wall 250 being provided with a through hole 251 delimited by an upper edge 251 a . the ball - and - socket type connection comprises a second screw 252 having a head 252 a and a shaft 252 b . the screw shaft 252 b passes through said through hole 251 and through the second internal passage 222 . the screw head 252 a has a convex lower face 252 c bearing on said upper edge 251 a , and a profile that allows the second screw 252 to be driven . for instance , the screw head 252 a may be a hex - head or a socket - head . the screw head 252 a further has a concave upper face 252 d . when the rod 5 is locked in position by means of the first fastening means , the rod 5 leans against the concave upper face 252 d of the second screw 252 . more precisely , when the closure member 32 is screwed down , the closure member 32 pushes down on the rod 5 which in turn pushes down on the screw 252 until the convex lower face 252 c of the screw head 252 a leans against the upper edge 251 a of the through hole 251 . since the contact zones between the screw head 252 a and the upper edge 251 a and between the screw head 252 a and the rod 5 , are limited , the screw head 252 a is able to move with respect to the he main part 212 a of the main body 212 . the above structure is one example of a ball - and - socket type connection but other examples could be used . a ball - and - socket type connection allows a limited amount of relative movement between the bottom part 212 b and the main part 212 a of the main body 212 and , thus , between the bone and the rod 5 , thereby providing or improving the desired dynamic stabilizing effect . the bottom part 212 b is substantially the same as the bottom part 12 b of fig3 except for the screw head 226 a which has an outer driving profile 228 ( instead of the inner driving profile 28 ), and apart from the fact that the screw 226 is provided with an internal threaded hole 227 . the screw shaft 252 b , which has an external thread , passes through the second internal passage 222 and engages with the threaded hole 227 , so as to connect together the bottom part 212 b and the main part 212 a of the main body 212 . another example of bone fixing system 310 with a ball - and - socket type connection is shown on fig7 . in this example , the main part 312 a of the main body 312 and the second screw 352 are the same as those ( 212 a , 252 ) of fig6 , and the bottom part 312 b of the main body 312 is substantially the same as the bottom part 12 b of fig4 apart from the fact that the protruding part 314 a of the compression member 314 has an outer driving profile 328 instead of the inner driving profile 128 , and that the compression member 314 is provided with an internal threaded hole 327 . the screw shaft 352 b , which has an external thread , passes through the second internal passage 322 and engages with the threaded hole 327 , so as to connect together the bottom part 312 b and the main part 312 a of the main body 312 . in both examples of fig6 and 7 , the screw shaft 252 b , 352 b passes through the through hole 251 , 351 of the bottom wail 250 , 350 of the main part 212 a , 312 a and through the second internal passage 222 , 322 and engages with the compression member 214 , 314 . on fig7 , it engages directly with the compression member 314 , whereas on fig6 , it engages indirectly with the compression member 214 , via the screw 226 . other examples of bone fixing systems 410 , 510 , 610 , 710 , for fixing a bone to a rod 5 , are shown on fig8 to 13 . each of them comprises : a conformable elongate member 7 having a first free end portion 7 a , a second free end portion 7 b , and an intermediate portion 7 c therebetween , said intermediate portion 7 c being adapted to surround said bone ; first fastening device or means for fastening a portion of the rod 5 to the main body 412 , 512 , 612 , 712 ; and second fastening device or means for fastening the free end portions 7 b of the elongate member 7 to the main body 412 , 512 , 612 , 712 , said second fastening device or means being distinct from the first fastening device or means . in the systems of fig8 - 12 , the first fastening device or means for fastening a portion of the rod 5 to the main body 412 , 512 , 612 , are the same as those of fig1 - 4 and , therefore , do not need to be described again . in all the examples of fig8 - 13 , the second fastening means comprise a compression member which is movable relative to the main body 412 , 512 , 612 , the compression member and the main body both defining clamping surfaces between which the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 may be inserted , said free end portions being clamped between said clamping surfaces by moving the compression member relative to the main body . in the example of fig8 , the compression member 414 is provided with a thread 414 d for rotative engagement with another thread 412 a provided on the main body 412 , so that the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 may be clamped between a compression part 412 e of the main body 412 and the compression member 414 by threadably moving the compression member 414 relative to the main body 412 , in this example , the compression member 414 is a nut provided with an internal thread 414 d , and the main body 412 is provided with an external thread 412 a . when the compression member 414 is screwed or unscrewed , it moves closer or farther away from the compression part 412 e . a compression part 41 which is a flange protruding on the lateral faces of the main body 412 , and two internal passages 453 , 454 through which the first and second free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member may be inserted respectively , each of the third and fourth internal passages 453 , 454 extending through the main body , having two ends and opening , at one end , in front of the compression member 414 and , at the other end , onto an outer face of the main body 412 and , more precisely , onto the end face of the main body 412 which is opposite to the other end face receiving the rod 5 . when the compression member 414 is threadably engaged with the main body 412 , it moves closer or farther away from the compression part 412 e . in the example of fig9 , the compression member 514 is also a nut provided with an internal thread 514 d ( see fig1 ), and the main body 512 is also provided with an external thread 512 a , but in this case , the compression member 514 is not in direct contact with the elongate member 7 . indeed , the compression member 514 cooperates with two profiled rotating pieces 515 which are rotatably mounted ( around the axis r ) in recesses 512 i provided on the lateral faces of the main body 512 . when the compression member 514 moves along the main body 512 , it pushes the rotating pieces 515 in the recesses 512 i , and each free end portion 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member is clamped between a rotating piece 515 and the bottom wall of the recess 512 i . in the example of fig1 , the compression member 614 is a circlip and the main body has a peripheral groove 612 i for receiving the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member and the compression member 614 . the free end portions 7 a , 7 b are inserted and clamped between the bottom of the groove 612 i and the compression member 614 . the compression member 614 could also be a fastening collar . the peripheral groove 612 i may extend along the entire circumference of the main body 612 , or along a part of it . in the example of fig1 , the second fastening device or means comprise a screw 764 and a compression member 714 which is provided with a through hole 760 . the main body 712 of the bone fixing system 710 is provided with a threaded hole 762 aligned with said through hole 760 . the shaft 764 b of the screw 764 passes through said through hole 760 and is threadably engaged with the threaded hole 762 . the head 764 a of the screw 764 is intended to lean against the upper surface of the compression member 714 . the compression member 714 and the main body 712 both define clamping surfaces between which the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member may be inserted and clamped , said free end portions being clamped by screwing the screw 764 into the main body 712 . in the example of hg . 13 , the first fastening device or means comprise a seat part 766 for receiving a portion of the rod 5 , the seat part 766 facing the intermediate portion 7 c of the elongate member 7 , said portion of rod 5 being clamped between the seat part 766 and the intermediate portion 7 c of the elongate member by tightening the elongate member 7 ( i . e . by pulling on the free end portions 7 a , 7 b of the elongate member 7 ). preferably , the seat part 766 is a clip for holding the rod 5 . for instance , the seat part 766 is delimited by two open arms 763 with certain elasticity , said arms 763 partially surrounding the rod 5 . turning now to fig1 , the bone fixing system 10 of fig1 - 3 is shown in a tightened position around a vertebra v . more precisely , the intermediate portion 7 c of the elongate member 7 surrounds the transverse process tp of the vertebra . by pulling on the ends of the elongate member 7 , the compression member 14 of the system 10 comes into contact with the transverse process tp . the compression member 14 may be made in a soft material , order to avoid damaging the vertebra v and / or to allow a limited amount of relative movement between the vertebra v and the system 10 , and thus between the vertebra v and the rod 5 , thereby providing a dynamic stabilization effect , more particularly , compared to the material which makes up the main body 12 and which is preferably rigid , the material the compression member 14 is softer . in order to improve the cushioning effect and / or the dynamic stabilization effect , the compression member 14 ′ may be provided with at least one peripheral groove 19 ′ on its side faces . such a peripheral groove 19 ′ makes the deformation of the compression member 14 ′ easier and allows the member 14 ′ to bend laterally and to compress axially . thus a limited amount of relative movement ( including pivoting movement ) between the vertebra . v and the system 10 is allowed , as illustrated by the double arrow p on fig1 .
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